Glad You Came

Managing Mishaps

While they were beginning to be quite alright with their new sense of normal, sometimes they needed a break from it. Movies were a blast, and a rare bar trip here and there was alright (Toby was still iffy around alcohol in any capacity). Other times, they liked it a little more normal. Like eating out at a restaurant.

Tim usually tried to make sure they saved any money they could. It'd help in the long run. But of course, it was hard when it was two against one. Tim hated to admit he often thought about it, too. But someone had to be the voice of reason, right? Yet here they were, waiting to be sat at some off brand restaurant. It wasn't too busy, at least, nor did it seem too pricey. And Toby was able to take the car ride well, so he wasn't going to push things. Toby was excited, at least.The can they "aquired" was newer than the last one they'd had, so that probably helped.

Toby hadn't gone to many restaurants as a kid -- or any, as far as he could remember. That made it harder for Tim to say no. He'd at least gone to some growing up, and even in college when he had better memories of them. So it wouldn't hurt to give Toby one good memory of them that wasn't horror induced, right?

"You think they sell waffles?" Toby chortled as they were finally led to a table (after thirty minutes of having to put up with an anxious Toby, no less).

"I'm pretty sure this is a nicer restaurant than that, Tobes," Brian snorted as he slid into the booth they'd been given with Toby close behind.

"We do have pancakes," the waitress said as she laid their menus on the table. Toby was quick to pick his up as Tim sat down opposite of them.

"No, thanks," Tim hummed, smirking.

The waitress left after taking their drink orders (Toby insisted on coke, and Tim went with coffee if only so Toby wouldn't steal his drink once he drank all his soda) to let them look over the menu. Toby certainly seemed more indecisive than the other two, constantly flipping it this way and that. Tim smirked as he looked over his own menu.

"You having trouble picking anything that isn't waffles?" he asked. Toby glared over the top of the menu for a moment.

"No," he huffed. "If anything, I can't just pick one."

"Well you're gonna have to," said Brian,  "cause I don't think we have that much money."

"If we dine and dash, we do," Toby said with a wiggle of his eyebrows -- and pouted as Brian elbowed him in the side. "You're no fun."

"More like I haven't gotten caught by the police yet," chortled Brian, "nor do I intend to."

Toby rolled his eyes but continued to look over the menu. Their drinks were brought soon enough. Brian already chose a salad and some main dish, asking the waitress to wait to put it in until Tim and Toby were done before she retreated. Fair enough -- considering Toby still wasn't able to make up his mind, it seemed.

"Remind me to have him check out the menu before we go to a restaurant next time," Tim sighed as he set his own menu down.

"Don't think that'll help," chortled Brian as he slipped his water. Toby, again, glared over his menu at the two.

"I'm heading to the bathroom," Tim muttered as he slinked out of the booth.

"Just don't get lost!" Toby called after him.

Tim merely rolled his eyes. What was he going to do with them?

When Tim returned a few minutes later, he found Brian gone. He gave Toby a questioning look as he sat back down in his seat. Toby still had a menu in his hands as he sat silently, and Tim wondered if he'd even spotted Brian leave in the first place.

"Where'd Brian go?" Tim asked cautiously. Toby hummed as he continued to looked over the menu.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "The bathroom, I think."

"I was just in the bathroom," Tim sighed. "I would've seen him in there, don't you think?" Again, Toby shrugged.

"Maybe he got lost."

"I highly doubt that," Tim hummed.

"Maybe Hoodie took over?" Toby tried.

"I hope not," Tim snorted. "Seems like a hazard if Hoodie's loose in - anywhere, really." Toby snorted.

"You don't know that!" Toby said.
Tim raised an eyebrow. Toby glared, then huffed.

"Alright, maybe he is," Toby muttered.

Tim rolled his eyes as he went to pull his phone out of his pocket. No missed texts saying Brian was going anywhere, and Brian's phone was currently sitting on the table where he'd been sitting. He'd have to have asked Toby to move if he'd wanted out, as just jumping over the table would attract too much attention to him. Even Hoodie wasn't as stupid as to attract unnecessary attention in public spaces like this. And even then, Brian wasn't acting as weird as he usually did when Hoodie was about to pop up for a visit, so changing to Hoodie was out of the question.

Tim hummed as he leaned back in his seat, only startled when Toby all but slammed his menu on the table atop Tim's.

"Make up your mind?" Tim mused.

"Yeah," said Toby curtly as he leaned on the table. "I'm getting a cheeseburger."

"Really?" asked Tim crediously. "All that thinking for a cheeseburger."

"And steak fries!" Toby added. Tim rolled his eyes.

It was then that Brian decided to return, shooing Toby out of the booth so he could slide back in. He didn't seem too out of the ordinary -- aside from a piece of paper he clutched in his hands. Tim looked at it curiously.
"What, toilet monster looking to get rid of some radioactive lobster creature out of the sewers?" he asked, jabbing at the hand with the paper with a finger. Brian's brow furrowed as he looked down at it, then grinned.

"Nah, better," he snorted as he picked up his phone. "I'm gonna be in a wedding." Tim and Toby made a face.

"I'm sorry but - what?" Toby asked.

"That's what took me so long," Brian explained as he smoothed the paper out on the table in front of him.
On the paper were three names with numbers below them. The names had titles next to them (bridesmaid, groom, groomsmen) as well. Well, it didn't look like he was lying.

"And that happened while you going to the bathroom because?" Tim urged.

"Didn't actually remember to go to the bathroom," Brian confessed as he put the numbers into his phone. "But walked past that group of women near the bathroom. Apparently it's a bachelorette party."

"Wondering what they were screeching about," Tim muttered as he rested his head in his hand.

"Well I made the mistake of asking why they were screeching," Brian chuckled. "We got to talking and apparently, we're invited to the wedding cause I'm a part of it now, so."

"Wait, we're?" reiterated Toby, gesturing between the three of them. "Like, all of us?"

"Oh yeah," Brian nodded as he finally put his phone down. "They were cool about it, really. Maybe a little drunk too."

"Well, you know how women are with gay men," snorted Tim.

"Floundering all over them cause we're not worried you're gonna flirt with us?" asked the waitress as she appeared, notebook in hand and causing Tim and Toby to jump. "You guys figure out what you want?" asked the woman seamlessly as she picked up the two remaining menus.
Toby nodded enthusiastically as Tim sat back, sighing. Well, it could have been a far worse night, couldn't have it? At least Brian hadn't been making more friends with more vile monsters.

Though knowing Toby, they'd no doubt make at least one before the night was over, and Tim supposed he could live with that for now. For now.