Try Before You Deny
Written for @genderthings Argyle Day wc: 420 prompts ‘hair’ and ‘try before you deny’
Rated T • transmasc Argyle & OCs, Argyle’s excellent customer service, misgendering, marijuana - I think I do need a pineapple and jalapeño pizza now • read on ao3
His hair had always been a point of contention. For other people. Not for him.
He loved his long hair. Of course when he started socially transitioning, he kept his hair straight and long. There were comments, of course, snide looks by barbers and hairdressers when he’d ask for only a trim, just cut off the dead ends please. But Argyle didn’t care.
It was California, and mostly everyone lived and let live, but there would always be those who had to rock the boat.
“Hello? Ma’am? Excuse me, miss.” Argyle ignored the customer at the counter until their voice got louder. “Hey! Excuse me!”
“Oh, hey dude, didn’t know you were ready. I thought you were talking to someone else, since it’s just me and Louis back here. How can I help you today?” Argyle approached the register with a pointed look.
The older gentleman scrunched up his nose momentarily, and he braced himself for some insult or other. Instead, he recited, “We’re having a special tonight on our pineapple and jalapeño pie. And before you say no, I say ‘try before you deny,’ dude.”
Now the customer was even more flustered, and Argyle held back a smirk. “Oh, no, th-that’s quite alright.” The man visibly shuddered before ordering a handful of pizzas with completely normal boring run of the mill toppings and some liters of soda. He momentarily felt sorry for this man’s family and their undeveloped taste buds. Just as he was congratulating himself on deflecting the lecture about his hair or manners, the man spoke up as he took his receipt. “Maybe cut your hair, son, if you don’t want people accidentally calling you a girl.”
“Thank you so much, I had no idea. I’ll think about considering it!”
This stumped the man further, and Argyle laughed loudly after the door shut behind him.
“Another one, huh?” Louis grumbled from behind him, coming around the pizza oven.
“Eh, you’d think it would get old. But maybe one day someone will try our special. Did you sneak anchovies into all of his pizzas?”
“Sure did, dude. And let me know if he says anything next time because I’ll pull out the big guns.”
Argyle laughed, clapping his cook on the shoulder. “I sure will, buddy. How about we, uh, treat ourselves to a break, huh?”
After a few puffs of his Purple Palm Tree Delight he had completely forgotten about the rude customer and helped himself to making his own pineapple and jalapeño pie with extra jalapeños.
Divider credit to @/saradika-graphics
