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Jobs weren't ever Butch's thing. He enjoyed money and all the amazing benefits it had- especially the benefits when he would actually have it on his person. However, he preferred bumming money from his vastly more accustomed brothers and their never-ending wallets. His brothers, however, were never keen on the idea, Butch's constant begging bothering them to no end.
The solution? He gets a job, which as it's been established he's never ever been good at. Responsibility fell under Brick's area, that was his thing, not Butch's. Boomer had his whole following his passion gig, which wasn't Butch's thing either. Suddenly Boomer suggested he get a job and then Brick without much of a warning forced him out to get one, threatening his life every step he didn't take.
Saying he tried counted well for him, at least saying he tried gave him an excuse. Until he got an interview and from that interview, he was sure he bombed, he got a job.
These Super Stores really didn't give a fuck who they hired, did they?
Crushing a cigarette beneath his feet, Butch couldn't even muster a smile as he walked into Arrow, starting the first day of his new job. Instead of excitement pumping through his veins, he could only feel dread the red polo shirt feeling constricting on his skin. He was so against uniform when it came to his ripped jeans but there was no-one around who actually mattered to penalize his disobedience.
Butch tugged the collar from his neck, scrutinizing his area as the lights above hurt his eyes. The store was huge with rows and rows of stuff, and Butch felt a little dizzy just standing there.
"I'm Bubbles and I'm going to be shadowing you for the week!" Her smile was bright and wide, her pink lips covered in shimmering lip gloss, her round baby blue eyes shining with happiness as her blonde pigtails bounced. Butch didn't understand having to be shadowed for things as simple as handling registers and stocking but he could guess they wanted someone watching him.
Criminal was kind of written on his forehead in big black permanent marker.
The girl was picture perfect in every way- she was who you would see in an advertisement. A walking advertisement was going to be showing him around. Butch inwardly groaned in his head, his foot tapping on its own as he fought back his twitch.
"So I'm sure you've taken a look at your guidebook!" She assumed leading the way as Butch lagged behind, his boots scuffing the floor up. If she noticed she didn't say anything as her attention was more placed on being warming and welcoming.
"I haven't." His tone was short and ill-mannered. There was no intention of playing nice or sweet as she was doing, he was going, to be honest.
"You'll have enough time too, don't worry! It took me forever to get around to reading mine."
The first day and he was already being thrown onto the register. How advanced.
"Okay, so first things first, you're going to want to-" Her chipper tone automatically turned off Butch's auditory senses, tuning Bubbles out almost on demand. It wasn't even a purposeful thing. His brain just couldn't handle annoying sounds for an extended period of time, and her shrill voice definitely fell into that category.
"Now you try!" Sighing Butch began to press random buttons becoming startled when it made a slight clamor.
"Why the fuck is it making so much noise?" The loud ringing it made was really grating to hear and with each ping, he could feel a headache coming on. He tried again with the same results and ended up in a cycle unable to figure out what he was messing up. Maybe he should have been listening.
"You punched all the wrong buttons silly! Want me to go over it again?" She was oh so- perky and so patient. Irritation seeped into Butch like water as his eyes narrowed at Bubbles not exactly sure what to make of her weird kindness. She probably felt it was her duty to be so nice on the first day, see to it he was comfortable and becoming adjusted. Personally, it made him feel like a charity case or some kid which he was neither.
"No, I can figure it out."
"You sure?"
"I don't need your fucking help." Thinking that Bubbles had a permanent smile, it unnerved Butch to see a tiny frown appear on her face for a brief second. He was sure he saw a bit of a wobble in the frown, as Bubbles turned away from him her preppy mood dampened.
"Fine, be that way." With that for the first time of the workday, Bubbles left Butch alone moving to her own station becoming 100% closed-off. Butch finally could hear himself think without the girl's constant talking blocking his brain. Standing there Butch sort of stared at the machine, not even remotely trying to work it. People were going to the lines and checking out, sooner than later causing Butch to suddenly have a customer.
Bubbles appeared again watching as he watched the old woman. It was a game of staring as Bubbles sighed and tapped Butch's shoulder.
"Please move so I can attend to the customer." With her nose high in the air, Bubbles rang up the elderly woman with ease. She quickly bagged all of her things and gave her total with a pleasant smile. When she was finished, her smile automatically flipped upside down as she glared at Butch moving out of the way so he could take his place back at the register.
"Could you fix it or something?" He said finally, gesturing to the thing as if it was some big obstacle.
"You didn't want help from me, remember?" She questioned with even more attitude blinking at Butch waiting for him to speak.
"I thought I could handle it."
"And how's that going for you?" So now she wanted to coin flip with some kind of sassy persona? What the hell was wrong with this chick?
"Clearly not well if I had to call you over." Sarcasm dripped from his tone and Bubbles frown turned sharper, her arms crossing over her breasts.
"I'm sorry but I don't help meanies. Especially on purpose ones." What were they in kindergarten? Butch scoffed at Bubbles firm approach and glared back at the machine that was causing all the fuss in the first place. He couldn't just continue to stand there looking stupid as shit, waiting for it to do something, he needed Bubbles help and he needed to listen. Butch took a huge exasperated sigh and swallowed all of his pride.
"I apologize."
"You apologize for what?" She was really pushing it and Butch was teetering on the edge.
"I apologize for being snippy with you." No-one was even looking but he still felt incredibly humiliated. It was easy for little things to get to Butch, his unchecked, unruly and unstable emotions always getting the best of him time and time again. Yet, even though he wanted to be angry and tell the girl to go fuck herself, his conscious appeared and refrained his mouth from slipping free.
He honestly forgot he even had a conscious.
"Good! Now I can tell you again, which I was going to do regardless." She was grinning again in a matter of minutes, her light flickering on again in a full circle. This time around, Butch actually paid attention and begrudgingly asked questions all of which Bubbles had no problems answering.
"See you're getting the hang of it! I knew you could!" Genuine pride was glowing in her eyes as she gave Butch an encouraging grin. All he did was ring something up, and here she was acting like he had completed a complex math equation. Yet and still- Butch couldn't help but bite back the smallest of smiles, hers was incredibly infectious.
"You think you can handle some customers?"
"I'm pretty fucking sure." This time Bubbles had an unfazed look on her face with an ever-present smile. It bothered Butch, that she was getting used to him so quickly.
Things moved along albeit a little slowly and sooner than later, Bubbles was leaving.
"Before I go, I wanted to tell you something." Her face was sort of serious, a solemn look on it as Butch leaned on the register preparing his ears for the screaming he was about to hear. He was sure that all her kindness was going to melt away and that she was going to threaten him with termination. In which Butch would strip off the itchy uniform, shove it into her hands then go on about his life.
"Bubbles, I'm going to be late- we have to hurry up and go now." A woman in a suit spoke up behind Bubbles, her fingers tapping diligently on her phone.
"Bloss, please just give me a second! My job isn't quite done yet!" Bubbles pleaded before turning to look at Butch with an approving smile, his guesses from before vanished as an entirely different turn took place.
"I wanted to say that you did awesome today Butch! I know things were kind of rocky at first but I'm glad you've decided to join us here at Arrow and I'm going to report back to Ms. Keane that you're a perfect hire. See you tomorrow morning!"
And from there she left with the stoic girl whose serious face made Butch straighten up unknowingly. She was hot but in a way that slightly terrified him and she was also a complete contrast from her supposed friend. Butch couldn't focus on them any longer because now he had customers to focus on and something stupid in the back of his mind he HAD to disregard.
The thought was just so appalling that he felt like raking it out of his brain.
The thought was the first of many as he worked at Arrow.