…👋?

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.

She was a bit surprised nobody else had come into the break room yet. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to go show them off

He rushed to stand up after her, throwing out the core of his apple. He didn’t want her to drop it.

He leaned over to help stabilize the tray and maneuver it through the doorframe as they got out back to the warehouse.

Marty just picked up his next clipboard to get back to work, but some booming voice rang out.

"Mm-MM! What is that delizioso smell?"

He eagerly took a cookie and bit into it.

"Mm! This is fantastic! Marty, you get one yet?"

"U-Uh... N-No... Not yet..."

"It's just one... Ok."

He scurried over and took a cookie, quite quickly scarfing it down in two bites.

"Good, no?!"

Vic put his hands on both Marty's shoulders and shook him.

"They are homemade though, sì?"

"I-It doesn't m-matter, Vic... They're very good."

"Ah! Well, of course they are! The Signora would never bring anything less."

Marty rubbed his neck.

"I don't know... bird calls?"

Vic didn't mind Marty's daftness at times. He continued to happily dote on the girl.

Vic reached to pick her up and carry her on his shoulders, which was not very helpful for giving out cookies, because he was so tall... But also because, as he set her down, the tray hit the top of his head.

Marty grimaced.

"Y-You ok?"

"Yep! A-ok! Let's give out these cookies."

Marty did his best to sprint, harshly landing on the hard, un-absorbing plastic of his prosthetic. That gave him a sort of peg-legged waddle. Eventually he made it close enough that he could ask.

"What, is the circus back in town?"

Mike meandered past them, stopping and walking backwards to rejoin the sight of them.

"Ah, Mike! Buongiorno."

Vic thankfully stopped at that, and Marty stepped on his tip-toes to try and get Sophia down.

"Here, hold on to me."

"Watchin' a whole act here."

"Ah? Oh! Climbing down, Signora? There you go."

Hello M-I-K-E!

She waves

"Ah- Right."

He walked after her with the tray. Mike leered over them, looking to Marty with a raised eyebrow. He looked like a girl scout to him.

"Cookies... Yeah, I'll have one."

"So...?"

“W-We’ll see you later, Mike. T-Thank you for taking one.”

Marty quickly sighed and trotted after Sophia. Vic stayed a second longer with Mike to talk, leaving Marty all alone again to figure out how to parent the girl.

Deeper in the warehouse, there was a little alcove that seemed to be playing… beach music? Tucked away amongst the shipping crates, Jim was sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a straw hat, reading a magazine.

“…Jim? What the… What the Hell are you doing?”

“Ah! Marty, my good fellow. And Miss Sophia, of course. I’m on lunch break. Well, I was. Now I’m doing work.”

“What work?”

Jim held up his magazine, which was a medical journal.

“Research.”

“…Do you do this everyday?”

“Ah, cookies? Doesn’t really fit the tropics, but I won’t turn a sweet treat down!”

He tried to bargain.

“I’m sorry he broke the rule.”

He walked her to the furthest wall, where people’s punch cards were. He picked off a megaphone from a hook and turned it on.

“Careful, it’s going to be loud… Attention, everyone. We uh… have cookies that everyone can come and take one from. So um… come get them. Thank you.”

"Only one cookie, fellas. Limited supply."

"Hey, move! Move!"

"You took mine!"

Marty tried to encourage the group to get back to work after they had their cookie, instead of loitering and mingling.

Part of him wanted to ask if he could have the rest of the cookies.

“R-Really? You… sure?”

“T-Thank you.”

The elevator quietly soared, and by the time it opened, Marty was done with his cookies, which was a feat he wasn’t proud of.

She hummed

He raised an eyebrow.

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.

She was a bit surprised nobody else had come into the break room yet. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to go show them off

He rushed to stand up after her, throwing out the core of his apple. He didn’t want her to drop it.

He leaned over to help stabilize the tray and maneuver it through the doorframe as they got out back to the warehouse.

Marty just picked up his next clipboard to get back to work, but some booming voice rang out.

"Mm-MM! What is that delizioso smell?"

He eagerly took a cookie and bit into it.

"Mm! This is fantastic! Marty, you get one yet?"

"U-Uh... N-No... Not yet..."

"It's just one... Ok."

He scurried over and took a cookie, quite quickly scarfing it down in two bites.

"Good, no?!"

Vic put his hands on both Marty's shoulders and shook him.

"They are homemade though, sì?"

"I-It doesn't m-matter, Vic... They're very good."

"Ah! Well, of course they are! The Signora would never bring anything less."

Marty rubbed his neck.

"I don't know... bird calls?"

Vic didn't mind Marty's daftness at times. He continued to happily dote on the girl.

Vic reached to pick her up and carry her on his shoulders, which was not very helpful for giving out cookies, because he was so tall... But also because, as he set her down, the tray hit the top of his head.

Marty grimaced.

"Y-You ok?"

"Yep! A-ok! Let's give out these cookies."

Marty did his best to sprint, harshly landing on the hard, un-absorbing plastic of his prosthetic. That gave him a sort of peg-legged waddle. Eventually he made it close enough that he could ask.

"What, is the circus back in town?"

Mike meandered past them, stopping and walking backwards to rejoin the sight of them.

"Ah, Mike! Buongiorno."

Vic thankfully stopped at that, and Marty stepped on his tip-toes to try and get Sophia down.

"Here, hold on to me."

"Watchin' a whole act here."

"Ah? Oh! Climbing down, Signora? There you go."

Hello M-I-K-E!

She waves

"Ah- Right."

He walked after her with the tray. Mike leered over them, looking to Marty with a raised eyebrow. He looked like a girl scout to him.

"Cookies... Yeah, I'll have one."

"So...?"

“W-We’ll see you later, Mike. T-Thank you for taking one.”

Marty quickly sighed and trotted after Sophia. Vic stayed a second longer with Mike to talk, leaving Marty all alone again to figure out how to parent the girl.

Deeper in the warehouse, there was a little alcove that seemed to be playing… beach music? Tucked away amongst the shipping crates, Jim was sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a straw hat, reading a magazine.

“…Jim? What the… What the Hell are you doing?”

“Ah! Marty, my good fellow. And Miss Sophia, of course. I’m on lunch break. Well, I was. Now I’m doing work.”

“What work?”

Jim held up his magazine, which was a medical journal.

“Research.”

“…Do you do this everyday?”

“Ah, cookies? Doesn’t really fit the tropics, but I won’t turn a sweet treat down!”

He tried to bargain.

“I’m sorry he broke the rule.”

He walked her to the furthest wall, where people’s punch cards were. He picked off a megaphone from a hook and turned it on.

“Careful, it’s going to be loud… Attention, everyone. We uh… have cookies that everyone can come and take one from. So um… come get them. Thank you.”

"Only one cookie, fellas. Limited supply."

"Hey, move! Move!"

"You took mine!"

Marty tried to encourage the group to get back to work after they had their cookie, instead of loitering and mingling.

Part of him wanted to ask if he could have the rest of the cookies.

“R-Really? You… sure?”

“T-Thank you.”

The elevator quietly soared, and by the time it opened, Marty was done with his cookies, which was a feat he wasn’t proud of.

She hummed

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.

She was a bit surprised nobody else had come into the break room yet. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to go show them off

He rushed to stand up after her, throwing out the core of his apple. He didn’t want her to drop it.

He leaned over to help stabilize the tray and maneuver it through the doorframe as they got out back to the warehouse.

Marty just picked up his next clipboard to get back to work, but some booming voice rang out.

"Mm-MM! What is that delizioso smell?"

He eagerly took a cookie and bit into it.

"Mm! This is fantastic! Marty, you get one yet?"

"U-Uh... N-No... Not yet..."

"It's just one... Ok."

He scurried over and took a cookie, quite quickly scarfing it down in two bites.

"Good, no?!"

Vic put his hands on both Marty's shoulders and shook him.

"They are homemade though, sì?"

"I-It doesn't m-matter, Vic... They're very good."

"Ah! Well, of course they are! The Signora would never bring anything less."

Marty rubbed his neck.

"I don't know... bird calls?"

Vic didn't mind Marty's daftness at times. He continued to happily dote on the girl.

Vic reached to pick her up and carry her on his shoulders, which was not very helpful for giving out cookies, because he was so tall... But also because, as he set her down, the tray hit the top of his head.

Marty grimaced.

"Y-You ok?"

"Yep! A-ok! Let's give out these cookies."

Marty did his best to sprint, harshly landing on the hard, un-absorbing plastic of his prosthetic. That gave him a sort of peg-legged waddle. Eventually he made it close enough that he could ask.

"What, is the circus back in town?"

Mike meandered past them, stopping and walking backwards to rejoin the sight of them.

"Ah, Mike! Buongiorno."

Vic thankfully stopped at that, and Marty stepped on his tip-toes to try and get Sophia down.

"Here, hold on to me."

"Watchin' a whole act here."

"Ah? Oh! Climbing down, Signora? There you go."

Hello M-I-K-E!

She waves

"Ah- Right."

He walked after her with the tray. Mike leered over them, looking to Marty with a raised eyebrow. He looked like a girl scout to him.

"Cookies... Yeah, I'll have one."

"So...?"

“W-We’ll see you later, Mike. T-Thank you for taking one.”

Marty quickly sighed and trotted after Sophia. Vic stayed a second longer with Mike to talk, leaving Marty all alone again to figure out how to parent the girl.

Deeper in the warehouse, there was a little alcove that seemed to be playing… beach music? Tucked away amongst the shipping crates, Jim was sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a straw hat, reading a magazine.

“…Jim? What the… What the Hell are you doing?”

“Ah! Marty, my good fellow. And Miss Sophia, of course. I’m on lunch break. Well, I was. Now I’m doing work.”

“What work?”

Jim held up his magazine, which was a medical journal.

“Research.”

“…Do you do this everyday?”

“Ah, cookies? Doesn’t really fit the tropics, but I won’t turn a sweet treat down!”

He tried to bargain.

“I’m sorry he broke the rule.”

He walked her to the furthest wall, where people’s punch cards were. He picked off a megaphone from a hook and turned it on.

“Careful, it’s going to be loud… Attention, everyone. We uh… have cookies that everyone can come and take one from. So um… come get them. Thank you.”

"Only one cookie, fellas. Limited supply."

"Hey, move! Move!"

"You took mine!"

Marty tried to encourage the group to get back to work after they had their cookie, instead of loitering and mingling.

Part of him wanted to ask if he could have the rest of the cookies.

“R-Really? You… sure?”

“T-Thank you.”

The elevator quietly soared, and by the time it opened, Marty was done with his cookies, which was a feat he wasn’t proud of.

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.

She was a bit surprised nobody else had come into the break room yet. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to go show them off

He rushed to stand up after her, throwing out the core of his apple. He didn’t want her to drop it.

He leaned over to help stabilize the tray and maneuver it through the doorframe as they got out back to the warehouse.

Marty just picked up his next clipboard to get back to work, but some booming voice rang out.

"Mm-MM! What is that delizioso smell?"

He eagerly took a cookie and bit into it.

"Mm! This is fantastic! Marty, you get one yet?"

"U-Uh... N-No... Not yet..."

"It's just one... Ok."

He scurried over and took a cookie, quite quickly scarfing it down in two bites.

"Good, no?!"

Vic put his hands on both Marty's shoulders and shook him.

"They are homemade though, sì?"

"I-It doesn't m-matter, Vic... They're very good."

"Ah! Well, of course they are! The Signora would never bring anything less."

Marty rubbed his neck.

"I don't know... bird calls?"

Vic didn't mind Marty's daftness at times. He continued to happily dote on the girl.

Vic reached to pick her up and carry her on his shoulders, which was not very helpful for giving out cookies, because he was so tall... But also because, as he set her down, the tray hit the top of his head.

Marty grimaced.

"Y-You ok?"

"Yep! A-ok! Let's give out these cookies."

Marty did his best to sprint, harshly landing on the hard, un-absorbing plastic of his prosthetic. That gave him a sort of peg-legged waddle. Eventually he made it close enough that he could ask.

"What, is the circus back in town?"

Mike meandered past them, stopping and walking backwards to rejoin the sight of them.

"Ah, Mike! Buongiorno."

Vic thankfully stopped at that, and Marty stepped on his tip-toes to try and get Sophia down.

"Here, hold on to me."

"Watchin' a whole act here."

"Ah? Oh! Climbing down, Signora? There you go."

Hello M-I-K-E!

She waves

"Ah- Right."

He walked after her with the tray. Mike leered over them, looking to Marty with a raised eyebrow. He looked like a girl scout to him.

"Cookies... Yeah, I'll have one."

"So...?"

“W-We’ll see you later, Mike. T-Thank you for taking one.”

Marty quickly sighed and trotted after Sophia. Vic stayed a second longer with Mike to talk, leaving Marty all alone again to figure out how to parent the girl.

Deeper in the warehouse, there was a little alcove that seemed to be playing… beach music? Tucked away amongst the shipping crates, Jim was sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a straw hat, reading a magazine.

“…Jim? What the… What the Hell are you doing?”

“Ah! Marty, my good fellow. And Miss Sophia, of course. I’m on lunch break. Well, I was. Now I’m doing work.”

“What work?”

Jim held up his magazine, which was a medical journal.

“Research.”

“…Do you do this everyday?”

“Ah, cookies? Doesn’t really fit the tropics, but I won’t turn a sweet treat down!”

He tried to bargain.

“I’m sorry he broke the rule.”

He walked her to the furthest wall, where people’s punch cards were. He picked off a megaphone from a hook and turned it on.

“Careful, it’s going to be loud… Attention, everyone. We uh… have cookies that everyone can come and take one from. So um… come get them. Thank you.”

"Only one cookie, fellas. Limited supply."

"Hey, move! Move!"

"You took mine!"

Marty tried to encourage the group to get back to work after they had their cookie, instead of loitering and mingling.

Part of him wanted to ask if he could have the rest of the cookies.

“R-Really? You… sure?”

“T-Thank you.”

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.

She was a bit surprised nobody else had come into the break room yet. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to go show them off

He rushed to stand up after her, throwing out the core of his apple. He didn’t want her to drop it.

He leaned over to help stabilize the tray and maneuver it through the doorframe as they got out back to the warehouse.

Marty just picked up his next clipboard to get back to work, but some booming voice rang out.

"Mm-MM! What is that delizioso smell?"

He eagerly took a cookie and bit into it.

"Mm! This is fantastic! Marty, you get one yet?"

"U-Uh... N-No... Not yet..."

"It's just one... Ok."

He scurried over and took a cookie, quite quickly scarfing it down in two bites.

"Good, no?!"

Vic put his hands on both Marty's shoulders and shook him.

"They are homemade though, sì?"

"I-It doesn't m-matter, Vic... They're very good."

"Ah! Well, of course they are! The Signora would never bring anything less."

Marty rubbed his neck.

"I don't know... bird calls?"

Vic didn't mind Marty's daftness at times. He continued to happily dote on the girl.

Vic reached to pick her up and carry her on his shoulders, which was not very helpful for giving out cookies, because he was so tall... But also because, as he set her down, the tray hit the top of his head.

Marty grimaced.

"Y-You ok?"

"Yep! A-ok! Let's give out these cookies."

Marty did his best to sprint, harshly landing on the hard, un-absorbing plastic of his prosthetic. That gave him a sort of peg-legged waddle. Eventually he made it close enough that he could ask.

"What, is the circus back in town?"

Mike meandered past them, stopping and walking backwards to rejoin the sight of them.

"Ah, Mike! Buongiorno."

Vic thankfully stopped at that, and Marty stepped on his tip-toes to try and get Sophia down.

"Here, hold on to me."

"Watchin' a whole act here."

"Ah? Oh! Climbing down, Signora? There you go."

Hello M-I-K-E!

She waves

"Ah- Right."

He walked after her with the tray. Mike leered over them, looking to Marty with a raised eyebrow. He looked like a girl scout to him.

"Cookies... Yeah, I'll have one."

"So...?"

“W-We’ll see you later, Mike. T-Thank you for taking one.”

Marty quickly sighed and trotted after Sophia. Vic stayed a second longer with Mike to talk, leaving Marty all alone again to figure out how to parent the girl.

Deeper in the warehouse, there was a little alcove that seemed to be playing… beach music? Tucked away amongst the shipping crates, Jim was sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a straw hat, reading a magazine.

“…Jim? What the… What the Hell are you doing?”

“Ah! Marty, my good fellow. And Miss Sophia, of course. I’m on lunch break. Well, I was. Now I’m doing work.”

“What work?”

Jim held up his magazine, which was a medical journal.

“Research.”

“…Do you do this everyday?”

“Ah, cookies? Doesn’t really fit the tropics, but I won’t turn a sweet treat down!”

He tried to bargain.

“I’m sorry he broke the rule.”

He walked her to the furthest wall, where people’s punch cards were. He picked off a megaphone from a hook and turned it on.

“Careful, it’s going to be loud… Attention, everyone. We uh… have cookies that everyone can come and take one from. So um… come get them. Thank you.”

"Only one cookie, fellas. Limited supply."

"Hey, move! Move!"

"You took mine!"

Marty tried to encourage the group to get back to work after they had their cookie, instead of loitering and mingling.

Part of him wanted to ask if he could have the rest of the cookies.

“R-Really? You… sure?”

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.

She was a bit surprised nobody else had come into the break room yet. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to go show them off

He rushed to stand up after her, throwing out the core of his apple. He didn’t want her to drop it.

He leaned over to help stabilize the tray and maneuver it through the doorframe as they got out back to the warehouse.

Marty just picked up his next clipboard to get back to work, but some booming voice rang out.

"Mm-MM! What is that delizioso smell?"

He eagerly took a cookie and bit into it.

"Mm! This is fantastic! Marty, you get one yet?"

"U-Uh... N-No... Not yet..."

"It's just one... Ok."

He scurried over and took a cookie, quite quickly scarfing it down in two bites.

"Good, no?!"

Vic put his hands on both Marty's shoulders and shook him.

"They are homemade though, sì?"

"I-It doesn't m-matter, Vic... They're very good."

"Ah! Well, of course they are! The Signora would never bring anything less."

Marty rubbed his neck.

"I don't know... bird calls?"

Vic didn't mind Marty's daftness at times. He continued to happily dote on the girl.

Vic reached to pick her up and carry her on his shoulders, which was not very helpful for giving out cookies, because he was so tall... But also because, as he set her down, the tray hit the top of his head.

Marty grimaced.

"Y-You ok?"

"Yep! A-ok! Let's give out these cookies."

Marty did his best to sprint, harshly landing on the hard, un-absorbing plastic of his prosthetic. That gave him a sort of peg-legged waddle. Eventually he made it close enough that he could ask.

"What, is the circus back in town?"

Mike meandered past them, stopping and walking backwards to rejoin the sight of them.

"Ah, Mike! Buongiorno."

Vic thankfully stopped at that, and Marty stepped on his tip-toes to try and get Sophia down.

"Here, hold on to me."

"Watchin' a whole act here."

"Ah? Oh! Climbing down, Signora? There you go."

Hello M-I-K-E!

She waves

"Ah- Right."

He walked after her with the tray. Mike leered over them, looking to Marty with a raised eyebrow. He looked like a girl scout to him.

"Cookies... Yeah, I'll have one."

"So...?"

“W-We’ll see you later, Mike. T-Thank you for taking one.”

Marty quickly sighed and trotted after Sophia. Vic stayed a second longer with Mike to talk, leaving Marty all alone again to figure out how to parent the girl.

Deeper in the warehouse, there was a little alcove that seemed to be playing… beach music? Tucked away amongst the shipping crates, Jim was sitting in a beach chair with sunglasses and a straw hat, reading a magazine.

“…Jim? What the… What the Hell are you doing?”

“Ah! Marty, my good fellow. And Miss Sophia, of course. I’m on lunch break. Well, I was. Now I’m doing work.”

“What work?”

Jim held up his magazine, which was a medical journal.

“Research.”

“…Do you do this everyday?”

“Ah, cookies? Doesn’t really fit the tropics, but I won’t turn a sweet treat down!”

He tried to bargain.

“I’m sorry he broke the rule.”

He walked her to the furthest wall, where people’s punch cards were. He picked off a megaphone from a hook and turned it on.

“Careful, it’s going to be loud… Attention, everyone. We uh… have cookies that everyone can come and take one from. So um… come get them. Thank you.”

"Only one cookie, fellas. Limited supply."

"Hey, move! Move!"

"You took mine!"

Marty tried to encourage the group to get back to work after they had their cookie, instead of loitering and mingling.

Part of him wanted to ask if he could have the rest of the cookies.

Avoiding Vic was the hardest part, she loved Vic. But this was for everyone! Even the idiots who tried to scare her.

So she hurried to the break room, placing the tray on the table and writing a quick note

‘Just one for now!’

And she had an Apple she’d snagged just for Marty. A sweet autumn crisp. She’d never seen an Apple so large before! She wanted to make sure he got it, so she went looking.

@notjusttheowls

Sophia had schemed it well. None of the men had seen her set up this little treat board.

Perhaps he’d be embarrassed to admit it, but Marty was the first to discover the area. He’d finished going through a whole host of receipts for shipments and wanted to take a break to rest his eyes from staring at the tiny font. He stretched his arms above his head, giving a nice crack to his back, before meandering into the breakroom.

He froze for a moment, seeing the sudden difference of scenery. He came closer to read the note, and looked off at the apple. He blushed a deep red, realizing that he was the only one in the warehouse that had mentioned being on a health kick… Though the temptation of a cookie was luring.

“O-Oh gosh…”

Thinking he was alone, he didn’t look so self conscious, and didn’t mind not sucking in his gut. He rested his arms on top of himself and took his first bites.

“S-Sophia- H-Hey, kid. Didn’t s-see you there.”

A pause. She tries to decide what to call him

He smirked at her not knowing.