Chapter Text
Abbey Ellison was having a pretty decent day.
It was the end of a long work week doing her job at the coffee shop, and today she had opted to take a walk home from work. So after putting her apron away and packing up she went off for a longer commute home than usual. Even though her co-worker turned manager Zoey didn’t talk with her nearly as much, and that new employee Vivian didn’t do her job much, as well as always having that weird chinchilla guy around with her, she still thought her job was fun. Abbey was practically unbothered, everything seemed to be going alright.
And then it happened.
She could hear someone yelling behind her, and suddenly she got knocked to the ground. The person that knocked into her stopped in their tracks turned around and started freaking out. “Oh my goodness I am SO sorry, I was just trying to get the McRib, I didn’t even see you there!” they said, in a panicked rush. Abbey brushed off her legs “It’s fine, really… I-” She looked up and saw the person who knocked into her, recognizing him immediately.
It was none other than Zoey’s not very bright but still kind-hearted roommate Harrod Jones. Abbey had heard various stories of Harrod from her, about all the crazy and wacky things he does in his free time, but one thing was stuck in her head. He was gay. At least, that’s what Abbey thinks. You see, Zoey had told Abbey that Harrod was gay, as well as telling him that Abbey was a lesbian, in an attempt to keep the two of them apart. This was because they were the two most annoying people in Zoey’s life, and the thought of them getting together would drive her mad. And even though Abbey was convinced Harrod swung the other way, she still had a bit of a crush on him. He was cute!
“Abbey?” Harrod said, curious as to what she was doing out.
“Oh, hi Harrod!” she responded back. “Whatcha doin’ running by so fast?”
“The McRib is back! I gotta have a try before it goes away for another year.” Harrod was so pumped up to get a bite of McDonalds’s annual treat he was running off of pure adrenaline. Abbey couldn’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm.
“Hmm… why don’t I come with you? It could give me something to share with DinnerTwt” she suggested. The poodle’s eyes lit up. Even if it was with someone he thought wasn’t interested in him romantically, it would be nice to have dinner with someone other than his roommate Zoey for a change.
“Sounds fun! I’m down.” Harrod gleefully responded. Abbey nodded at him and followed close behind as Harrod resumed his journey to the closest McDonald’s. Albeit at a slightly slower pace so the joyous fennec could keep up with him.
Wanting to make conversation on the way, Abbey decided to initiate one. “So Harrod,” she asked “has anything interesting happened recently?”
“Well…one of my closest friends Peter had his head shaved completely bald by his dad. That was pretty uncool of him.”
“Awww, that sounds terrible!! I hope he’s okay.”
“Yeah, me too! I kinda wanna buy him a wig, might make him feel better. I’ve already shaved my leg for him though.”
“Yeah…well….nothing really interesting happens at the coffee shop. Apart from this one time my co-worker’s friend tried to put out a cigarette in his arm.”
Harrod scratches his chin, “I think I might know who you’re talking about…”
“Yeah, but I can’t remember his name. I think it’s like Ryan…or Rental…”
“Reno?”
“YEAH Reno!! He doesn’t even have a job there but I’ve never seen Vivian without him.”
“They have to be connected by the leg or something.”
Abbey once again laughed at Harrod’s goofy little remark, and this time Harrod laughed with her.
“You know what Abbey? I have a shirt back home I think you’d like. It just says LESBIAN. on it, and I’d imagine you’d enjoy it because…well…you’re a lesbian”.
Abbey stopped walking. She had to process what Harrod just said. Harrod thought she was a lesbian? What made him think that? Harrod stopped walking and looked behind him to see a confused Abbey. “You okay, Abbey?”
“Umm… Harrod… I’m… not a lesbian… hehe…” she responded shyly. Harrod looked a bit dumbfounded. “Really?” he said. “Zoey told me you were a lesbian, so I just kinda assumed you were all this time.” Harrod scratched the back of his head as Abbey suddenly realized something. “You know what’s funny, Zoey told ME that YOU were gay. Is that true?” Harrod looked confused back at her. “Well… yeah no I’m not gay. Heh, that’s kinda funny, we both had the same misunderstanding”.
Abbey was a little suspicious about this now, even though this event happened almost two whole years ago now… “Zoey told us both the same thing… Was she… lying to us intentionally?” Harrod also thought about it for a second… “Hmmm… nah I don’t think she would do something like that to us, I bet it was just a miscommunication. That or she was joking about my rivalry with Artie as some sort of ‘gay relationship’.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right, Harrod.” Abbey smiled at him and the two resumed their walk. Harrod’s mind quickly returned back to thinking about his precious McRib that he would soon be eating again. But Abbey on the other hand was thinking about what just happened between them. “Huh! Harrod’s not gay.” she thought to herself. “Harrod’s not gay…” She thought about it more and more, and as if the floodgates inside her heart had just been opened, a feeling of sorts began to overtake her. She got a little red in the face and started to smile really hard. It was as if a bunch of butterflies were inside her stomach. As she continued to blush, one more time the same statement replayed in her head… “Harrod’s not gay…”
Abbey’s crush on Harrod was now in full force.
The two of them were eating their meals at McDonald’s. Abbey had ordered a 6pc McNugget meal and Harrod had ordered three McRibs…that he had already scarfed down before Abbey even finished her drink. But Abbey’s mind was still set on Harrod. Almost two years of feelings for him had just been unleashed just like that. She was absolutely in LOVE with this poodle. She had to say something…anything…but she couldn’t look too desperate. After a little “ahem”, Abbey got the courage to ask Harrod a question.
“Harrod…” the lovestruck fennec said, it felt like she had a lump in her throat… “This was fun! Do you think we could hang out some more?”
The poodle she was beginning to fawn over smiled back at her. “Sure thing! I’m open all weekend, why the hell not? And I’ll walk you home too if you want!”. Abbey let out an internal sigh of relief as she began to feel all giddy. The two of them got up from their booth and walked outside as the sun began to set on this quite wonderful Friday evening.
Abbey walked right by Harrod’s side, looking at his eyes, trying not to get lost in them. Eventually she just went ahead and asked one final question.
“Harrod, can we hold hands?”
Harrod put his hand out and Abbey held onto it for the remainder of their walk back home. This was the happiest she had felt in a long long time. After a long long time of wanting to get to know Harrod better, the two of them seemed to have established a friendship today. And better yet, it seemed to be the planting of seeds that would soon sprout into a full-on relationship with him. The whole experience was probably the greatest thing to happen to Abbey in a very long while. But now there was a singular question that remained to be seen:
Does Harrod feel the same way about her?