Who: Tink & Bee When: October 26th, Morning Where: Auto parts store! What: First meetings Rating/Warnings: PG13 for Language Status: Complete
Bertie had been playing with his car as of late. It still wasn’t working and he was having trouble finding the right parts. It’d been easier to get parts back in South Carolina-- there’d been several classic car places in the area. But out here? Everyone was driving something new and shiny.
Sure, his car was shiny, but new it was not. 1962 was definitely classic.
So he’d ended up at Aaron’s Exotic Auto Shop-- they promised that you could find whatever you needed.. and if not? They could get it for you.
Tink had been sent to get a very particular serpentine belt. Unfortunately, it was the same belt Bee was looking for.
The two would end up in the same aisle together, looking at the boxes, both looking for the same number. 78289. Bee would read through them all one by one as he looked. 78276. 78923...
Ah! There it was. He’d reach for the box-- the single box-- at the same time Tink did. Their hands almost hit and he blinked and straightened up, then smiled almost sheepishly at her.
**
Tink was a multi-tasker. She could work on eight different projects at once and keep them all straight in her mind. That was one of the great things about Aaron's Exotic Auto Shop; not only could they find anything, but they had the world's greatest variety of parts for both interior and engine pieces.
Tink was looking for all eight projects.
She reached forward--the piece in box number 78289 was right there in front of her! Mission accomplished!--but as she reached for it, someone else reached for it, too. Tink withdrew her hand and broke into a little smirk. "...you go ahead." ...there was a second box behind the first, right?
**
He’d smile a little and nod, taking the box and waiting for her to grab out the next. But there wasn’t a next. There wasn’t another. There was only one.
He stared at the box for a long moment, then would hold it out to her. Ladies first.
His smile was more gentle.
**
Tink frowned when she realized there wasn’t a box behind it. She turned to glance at him when she realized the box was being held out to her. “Oh, really, it’s okay,” she said, waving her hand at him.
“I’ll just order the piece. Online. Or something. Or they can get me another.” Her customer could wait.
**
He shook his head and shook the box just a little, then extended it a bit further out. Take it. He certainly wasn’t going to take something from a beautiful woman. Goodness, she was so pretty it made his cheeks heat a little.
He’d tilt his head and lift his eyebrows expectantly.
Take it.
**
Tink swallowed. The guy wasn't saying anything. That was a little weird. She glanced down the aisle and back to him again. "...are you sure? I'd really hate to take it from you."
She reached forward and accepted the box, her fingers brushing against his. But she didn't linger. She pulled the box closer to her and then tucked it into her basket.
"You're absolutely sure...?" She added, just wanting to make sure she wasn't taking this dude's lifeline, or anything.
**
He smiled more when she reached out to take it and would nod again. Yes. Take it, pretty girl. He wanted you to have it. He could get another. These people could order him one. The bus wasn’t so bad.
When she asked again, he nodded once, firmly, and linked his hands behind his back, smiling. He didn’t need it that bad, he wanted her to have it.
Taking a step back, he’d turn and head back the way he’d come. He needed some tools and coolant, too.
**
Tink watched him take a couple of steps, and then cleared her throat. "Thanks!" She called out after him. That was one of the strangest things that'd happened to her today. At least he wasn’t flipping out about her wings, or thinking she was a freak. Probably because she’d kept them well hidden.