26 Salty Nuts

 From outside the garage, the sounds of work could be heard. The old man had four arms so it made sense to hear an impact driver and continued welding.

When they stepped inside, however, JP noticed something instantly. A hat and a suit jacket. He pushed Dandy away and split off to find where he had left his own leather jacket to get his comb. He tried to make himself look nice and patted off any remaining bits of gravel from his clothes.

"Got lost on your way to getting some food?" The old man laughed. 

"The rental ran outta gas on the highway. I should've noticed but for some fuckin' reason I decided to take shotgun seat." He scoffed and pulled out a cigarette to light it up.

--

Dandy stumbled when JP shoved him off. Yeesh, the hell was that about? He then saw the old man. Oh, right. No homo. Got it.

Dandy quickly moved, getting a water bottle from the fridge, and chugged it in a matter of seconds. Okay, now he was ready. He walked over to Mole, his hands resting in his pockets.

"So what do ya need me ta do today, my guy?" Dandy looked over what the man was working on. "Heavy liftin'? Yankin' more stuff from the Trans Am?"

--

"So you're the guy who left the old man hanging." From behind the old Trans Am, a different man showed himself. It was Frisbee. He was the one with the impact driver.

JP smiled and waved at his Ex as if nothing has going on, "Haven't seen you in a few days. I'm sorry about what I said in the hospital. I was upset and..you know. I said some stupid things."

"The old man called me telling me he needed some help getting you your wheels again. I hadn't seen the wreck since I pulled you out of it." Frisbee set his tool aside and walked over to JP to give him a look over. "You're looking better you know? A little pale...are you still afraid?"

Pulled me out of it? JP swore he had been thrown out. He couldn't remember and it sure wasn't in the race footage. That part had been cut out by switching cameras. "A little.." JP glanced away, "I'll get over it."

The old man lifted up his visor. "Frisbee's taking care of the teardown. He knows that machine inside n out. You on the other hand need ta get all the broken bits n pieces outta here. We're in a junkyard so just toss them out there." He pointed at a cart, "There's the thing JP was talking about. Fill 'er up."

--

Dandy heard the sound of another man.  He looked over, seeing a new face.  He didn't get a chance to say anything when JP spoke up.

The hospital? No. No way.  As the man spoke, Dandy felt his skin crawl. No. What did that old man do?! He thought they were cool!

He saw how JP interacted with his ex.  Frisbee.  Mister Rich.  Mister Great Suit.

Mister not as hot as Dandy had pictured.  This guy looked slimy. The way he held himself up and spoke with such arrogance in his voice.  He looked at JP.  His boyfriend had to fake being buddies with Frisbee. Dandy felt himself getting nauseous at the thought. 

When the old man mentioned the cart, Dandy grabbed his jacket off a chair pulled his arms through it.  He then took off the bag with clothes and placed them in the corner of the garage.

"Sure," Dandy said cooly.  His eyes would dart back at Frisbee, a negative aura surrounding the alien hunter.  That bastard, Dandy thought. That bastard had better not try any shady shit.

Dandy started to collect broken pieces of the Trans Am and tossed them into the cart.  If only he could take out all the trash in this garage.

Dandy looked at Frisbee.  Like him.

--

Frisbee took JP's cigarette and put it in his mouth and pushed the racer down to sit by the diagonal beam he was near. "Light yourself another one, driver. I gotta stay on schedule. There's a race we need you to be in. Signed you up already." He left to get back to work and picked up his impact driver and started to unbolt more things from the wreckage.

JP's lips stayed apart after his cigarette had been taken. Another race? Here on Dorothy? "Wait is the race here? Or where? Come on, tell me!"

"It's on the outer moon of Dorothy. The Juimont-Muul Circuit is a street circuit so people will really get to see your new ride. Since you didn't make it into Redline. We'll see if you can get into the upcoming season of FIGA or AIP." Frisbee said as he pulled the 'kettle' as JP called it from the cockpit. He also removed the mass of tubes and sensors that came with it. 

A street race. Those had hard corners, he'd have to really use the brakes there. JP smiled a little, he really wanted to race again. But he couldn't use the nitros there. Too many turns. But thinking about it. It just. "I'm excited!"

"Then we gotta make sure your wheels are perfect don't we?" Mole wiped the sweat from his brow. The base of the new car looked nearly finished. He definitely worked quickly, especially with Frisbee. The two of them were like a machine. The old man was building up what would hold the massive engine for the car and JP was all eyes for it. He knew what the old engine bay was like and this one looked even bigger. It was longer.

--

Dandy was listening to the chit chat. If JP was faking being happy then Dandy sure felt it. The shop felt like his own ship for a moment, the way those three worked together.  He wheeled the cart out of the garage. 

Dumping it, Dandy looked at the spot where the Aloha 'Oe has parked.  He then looked to the sky.  For a moment, he thought about the boys and the plans JP and Frisbee were making.

Frisbee.

Dandy reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out what little he had left from his BooBies reserve be spent the other day.  Walking back inside the garage, he waved at JP.

"Hey," Dandy walked over to JP, and the woolong bills rolled up in his hands. "I'm gonna go grab some food from the gas station. Want anything?" He had a weak smile. Then, he looked at Frisbee.

"What about you, Frisbee? Want anything?"

--

The two men working stopped and JP looked at Dandy when he called from the entrance. The tools were turned off for the moment.

"James can pay for it," Frisbee mentioned like it was a fact. "I don't know how much he took but he probably still has something."

JP looked at Frisbee and smiled, "I uh..lost my chip." He rubbed the back of his neck, "Can Dandy use yours? He can get something for all of us."

"Huh." Frisbee looked up, "You lost your chip? You lose your ring too?" He laughed, "You don't lose your ass only because it is part of you."

JP laughed, "Hehe...funny." He cleared his throat. He was feeling a little uncomfortable but most of it was one of two things. Frisbee and the nasty snotty blood clotting in his nose had he so desperately wanted to blow out but shouldn't.

The old man wiggled his nose and spoke up. "He can get a whole box-a beers!"

"I want some salted pistachios." Frisbee leaned over the top of the wreck. "JP, give the man my card. It is in my coat's pocket."

"And I want some sunflower seeds. No, wait, can you get me one of those bottled smoothies? I need some fruits." JP realized he hadn't been eating as well as he had been before. He needed to stock the kitchen of the Aloha Oe and start cooking. He went to Frisbee's jacket and without searching pulled the card out of where it was inside the coat. "Here."

--

"Right," Dandy took the card. "So beer, pistachios, sunflower seeds, fruit smoothie," he pulled out his fountain pen, writing the list on his arm. Dandy looked up at JP and then drew something on the back of his hand.

"And JP," Dandy made sure to get his attention. "Do you want one it two packs of smokes?" He flashed up two fingers, showing the back of his hand. 

He had drawn a quick heart. Dandy couldn't smile at JP, but he did give him a subtle wink.

He put his hand back in his pocket.

"Actually, I'll get one," Dandy corrected himself. He then waved JP to the group and headed out.  He glanced back to JP over his shoulder.

Oh, he was going on a snack run. And a lunch run.  Once Dandy was out of view of the garage, he flipped a double bird and booked it to the gas station.  He didn't want to leave JP alone for very long.

Then again, he would have felt better if JP was actually alone than with Frisbee and the oblivious old man.

--

JP smiled at that heart and looked away. "What about a pack for me and one for you too? Ah, just one? That's fine." He was still smiling. When he heard Dandy leaving he looked at the alien hunter and saw the man catch his smile. "and hurry up!"

While Dandy was gone, Frisbee and Mole talked about specs for the new Trans Am. The engine was a major split between the two especially with JP wanting to just the biggest and strongest thing in there.

"I want three nitros this time! Two was enough for Yellowline but three!? Whoo! No one's gonna beat me with that." JP clapped his hands for emphasis. "What do you think Frisbee? Go big or go home!?"

"Go big n six feet under is where you're going! Why don'tcha understand that? There's no problem in coming in second or even third!" Mole knew he had told JP that sure but he thought that Frisbee could knock some sense into JP's thick skull.

"Let him talk old man. JP's got a point. Why not go big now and let him keep this car for a while? It'll prevent us from having to come back n get a new engine. We can tweak it now than later." Frisbee tossed JP the floormat of the Trans Am. "At least be useful and clean this nasty thing. There's all sorts of stuff from you on it mixed with dirt."

JP caught the floor mat and looked at the dirty surface. "Ah! you're right. Uhhh I'll be outside!" He picked up a bottle of soap and a brush. Finally, a reason to escape! He walked out, being careful not to move too fast or bend down too quick. He needed to relax. Just chill James. He went around the side of the red ship and found the hatch for a hose. He placed the mat on an inclined surface of the ship and soaked it with some water. "Dandy." He said the name to himself. "Dandy...stardust..."

--

Dandy was running down the street, practically dancing about his plan.

"Hurt my boyfriend, will ya?" He grinned as he opened the gas station door.  The cashier looked at him as he quickly looked over the selection.

"Beer?" Dandy went to the cooler and pulled out a twelve pack. "Check! Pistachios?" He found a small bag. "I hope you choke on those salted nuts you bastard," Dandy scoffed. A woman in the next aisle saw the alien hunter muttering to himself, a big grin on his face.

"Sunflower seeds?" Dandy picked up a jumbo bag, smiling softly.  Then, the chaotic grin returned. "Check!  Fruit smoothie?" He quickly moved to the other cooler, finding bottle smoothies. Strawberry banana sounded good, but there were so many different flavors.  "Hmm," he grabbed one each flavor.  "Five different smoothies? Don't mind if I do," Dandy hummed to himself.  He then looked at the different sodas.  With a smirk, Dandy looked them all over. "Cream soda, root beer, cola~" He sang, his arms being piled down.

The cashier watched him, curious of what he was after.

"Oh! Lunch! Lunch," he spun on his heels, bumping his butt against the cooler door to close it.  Dandy practically bounced across the aisle.  "I know JP also liked chips," he grabbed a bag with his fingertips. "And I like chips," he grabbed one for himself.  He then made it to the other side of the continent store.

"Hot dogs..." He looked at his fill arms and then at the cashier. They looked almost like they were bracing themselves for Dandy.  He walked over to them with a big smile. "Hey baby, mind if I keep these on the counter?" He flashed his arm at them. "I got a list."

--

Once that mat was soaked through, it was time to add some soap. When he did so he held the bottle close to his hips and squirted the globs of soap in a few spurts. He smiled to himself and used the brush to scrub the carpet fibers clean of all the dirt, blood, and other grime that had accumulated in it. He flipped it over to wash the back. He rinsed the whole thing and soaped it up a second time. He was putting in the work to get as much as he could out. But one could only get so much out of a carpet mat and he brought it back in to hang and drip dry. "Well, that was refreshing." He picked at the edge of his nostril and flicked off the dried blood. "So.....will I have the same size tires?"

The old man nodded "Yea, those worked well, and based on the spec sheet they'll still look great on the new one. I got them ordered already along with a pretty big list of broken parts. I can only make so many things in my ship. Tires ain't one of them. Besides, with that deadline Frisbee notified me about buying was the only option."

"James deserves the best money can buy when it comes to his ride. I got him some nice sticky tires. He'll love them. Even got a few spares." Frisbee walked toward JP and held out his hand. He was holding something in it. "Found these in the wreck. Got a few coming in the mail too."

JP held out both his hands to have a handful of nitro capsules dropped onto them. "So that's where they went..."

"You're lucky they didn't go off. Fuel didn't get to them. It could have been catastrophic." Frisbee frowned, "It would have been bad if you had gone like that. I don't know what I would have done with myself to lose you in such an explosion. Try not to carry so many next time, James."

--

Dandy was leaving the gas station with bags of food in one hand, the case of beer in the other, and a hot dog half-eaten in his mouth.  As he finished his food, he had to think of what he was going to do now that Frisbee was back in the picture.

The way he talked sounded like that man could give JP the world, but it always came with a price.  Dandy sighed, walking back towards the junkyard.  He looked down the street, watching cars drive by.   JP wants to race again and in the future, these two were daydreaming about, he thought they could do just that.  Go planet to planet and win every track.

But how Frisbee talked about it made it really sound like a business.  Dandy let out a sigh.  He was getting closer to the junkyard, his thought now moving onto tonight.

What were they going to do without the rental?  They didn't have the Aloha 'Oe either to keep them away from the garage. It wasn't even a thought of where to go for then to fool around. Anything like that was the last thing on his mind.  What he wanted was to keep JP safe and, hopefully, still interested.

Dandy arrived back at the Junkyard, hearing the race team talking about some sort of capsule stuff. Nitro? Wasn't that some weird dirty talk JP was saying to Dandy the other night?  He couldn't fully remember. 

Dandy made it to the fridge, stockpiling all the smoothies and soda. They were fulling an entire shelf, making it a challenge to stash away anything else.

Grabbing what the list had, Dandy returned to the group.

"Hey, hey! I brought your guys' stuff," he grinned.  Dandy walked over to the old man, giving him the twelve pack. "All for you, my good man," he chuckled. Then, he walked over to Frisbee. "This was the only size they had," he said as he handed off the small pack of pistachios and the card.  Lastly, he walked over to JP.

"You got a bag of sunflower seeds, a mango smoothie, a carton of smokes and I got you a hotdog!" Dandy said cutely, handing off all the food to the racer.  "There are more smoothies and soda in the fridge for ya," he whispered with a wink.  Dandy turned back to the crew.

"So! Got more crap for me to take out?" Dandy asked, cracking his knuckles. "I'm so ready, baby."

--

The Old Man set his tools down and took the box of beers, "Finally some refreshment!" He laughed heartily and pulled out his folding chair to have a seat. He took out a bottle, pooping it open against an edge of the new trans am's the work-in-progress engine bay.

Frisbee looked at the pistachios, and eyebrow raised. He shrugged and placed his card into his back pocket. He opened up the pack of pistachios, cracking one open against his bottom teeth and eating the nut inside. 

JP looked up from where he sat in that little 45-degree angle between two beams off the ground. "You're back!" He was given the seeds he asked for and a smoothie. Then the carton of smokes...and a hotdog! "All this for me?" He laughed, "Did you even get anything for yourself?" He bit into the hotdog.

Frisbee noticed all the things that Dandy had gotten for JP his eyebrows furrowed. Then assumed it was just Dandy trying to make JP feel better about the wreck. That and JP did look worse for wear. He could smell the blood and sweat on him. The sweet tinge of his fear was faint on him but it was strong in the wreck where blood had splattered. He was going to say something to JP but was distracted by Dandy. "Just a bit. I got all the important bits out from the cockpit now. The rest of the wreck can stay in here. It'll get reused for some other projects after a melt down of the frame."

As JP ate, he wondered what would happen when the sunset. He didn't want to worry. He wanted to stay with Dandy but...he glanced at Frisbee. He had to act like before. He rubbed his thigh and traced over the top seam of the red stripe that ran diagonally across it.

--

Dandy stood next to JP and as Frisbee spoke, he just wanted to smack that guy right in the mouth. Dandy might have asked him a question, but Frisbee just talking got on his nerves.  This ugly-pickle gremlin-lookin' ass...

"Well that's good," Dandy replied, stretching out his back.  He looked to JP, nudging him with his boot.

"Hey, if ya need anything, just lemme know, a'right?" With a nod, Dandy walked back to his cart. Picking up scrap off the floor and rolling it outside to be dumped, it looked like the day was going to fly by once again.  It was a little afternoon and the clock was ticking.

--

As the day went on more and more of the car was being put together. Holes were measured and drilled. Brackets are put into place. The floor panel was put in, rails for the seat but then it was getting late. 

The Old Man waved his hand, "Same time tomorrow Frisbee. We'll put in the gas tank n fuel lines that'll hook up to the motor. I'll make the exhaust piping n get the windows for the cabin formed. Let's hope those pieces start coming in. I know you ordered the most important ones overnight." He crawled to the back and opened the door to head up into his sleeping chamber. The lights of the garage dimmed.

"Looks like its lights out for the old man." Frisbee looked at JP who had turned curled over where he had been sitting. The poor racer had been bored out of his mind. He had seen JP messing with the zippers on his pants and his jacket before rolling over to sleep. "James wake up. You can't sleep there, you'll fall and hurt yourself." He walked over to JP and shook his shoulder a bit. "Get up."

--

Dandy was putting the cart away when he heard Frisbee talking to JP. He balled up his fist. No, no play it cool. You have to be cool.

"Hey, Fris! Great work today!" Dandy gave the man a big pat on the back. He looked down at JP.  "Man, you look exhausted," he frowned. God, poor JP.  This alien hunter needed to save his partner from this awkward situation.

Shaking his head, Dandy looked to Frisbee.

"What's your plans for the evenin'?  The night is still young!" Dandy spread his arms out.  He was really playing it up, thinking fast.  "The three of us should go out tonight! Have a couple beers," he grinned.  "Whaddya say? Fris? JP?"

--

"Thank you, Dandy. That was your name right?" Frisbee chuckled and turned to look at Dandy. "I was going to take JP to my hotel room for a good rest."

JP opened his eyes and looked back at Dandy and Frisbee then looked to the wall again. "I won't fall."

"Come on! Up! Up!" Frisbee smacked JP's ass and picked up his suit coat and hat.

That slap to the ass got the racer to sit up. He stretched and got down to stand. He was already wearing his jacket and had stuffed the bag of sunflower seeds into one of the pockets. He reached into his pocket to put a few into his mouth and zipped the zipper back up.

 "Let us get some drinks. Oh and you're not driving, James." Frisbee looked for his keys to find that they were missing. "Wha- Hey! You little shit! Give them back!"

Of course, JP was already running out of the garage to try to find where Frisbee had parked his car.

--

Dandy had a big smile grin on his face, seeing JP running with the keys.

"I call shotgun!!" He shouted, laughing as he ran to catch up to JP.  With his line of work, Dandy was built for running.

He caught up to JP, offering him a hi-five.  Dandy looked back to see where Frisbee was. 

"Soda pop, do ya think salty nuts over there is talkin' about the hotel we're banned from?" Dandy whispered.  He opened the driverside door for JP.

--

The car was white with a long hood. It had golden accents where there was normally chrome or black in others. The seats were tan leather and despite it very soft to sit in. The lines of it were curved unlike a lot of the lines in the shape of JP's Trans Am.

Jp high-fived Dandy, "Salty nuts...but Dandy I like your salty nuts." He tried not to laugh as he got in. "I don't think so. The hotel I went to was a different one from my race stay."

If it weren't for his fancy pointed shoes. Frisbee would have been able to catch JP. He saw that JP and Dandy were already seated and belted in. "Alright fine. You can drive my car." He climbed into the back seat and sighed.

Despite the smooth exterior of the car. The thing was built for performance just like a racing machine. Beneath its hood was a massive engine block with fuel lines to match. The engine itself was a sister release to the one that the Trans Am had and so when JP turned it on he grinned and flipped a few switches to change it from an easy-riding street mode to that hard pedal road tearing mode he wanted. 

JP revved the car up and spun it around in a tired squealing donut. He laughed to himself before flooring it out of the junkyard. The force of it made Frisbee's hat fall off his head and stick to the seat beside him.

"Whoa whoa! James! What the hell are you thinking!? We're not on a track!" Not being much of a racer, Frisbee found it to be an effort to peel himself off of the backrest. He reached forward to hold onto the shoulders of JP's seat.

--

Dandy watched JP, seeing him getting comfortable in the driving seat. God, he loved seeing JP in that spot.  Once Frisbee sat in the back seat, Dandy smirked. Oh yeah, you're gonna be the third wheel whether you like it or not.

He watched JP, seeing him flip switches. Wait.  The squeal of the tires. Those ringed fingers gripped the wheel.  Wait. Dandy's eyes lit up as JP floored the pedal and practically rocketed out of the Junkyard.

"OH YEAH!!" Dandy laughed, feeling that force.  Frisbee's snapping was ignored as Dandy threw his arms up. Firsts nearly hitting the ceiling as he started to fist pump. 

"GO! GO! GO!" Dandy cheered, looking over at JP. That big smile as he watched his boyfriend drive.

--

"Don't encourage him!" Frisbee

 grabbed onto JP's shoulder and shook it. "What no! Don't get onto the highway! James!" He looked outside at the buildings and cars that were quickly overtaken. "There was a bar back there!"

Once JP got onto the highway he would drive up to other cars but specifically, he drove up to expensive muscle cars and honked at them while looking over at them. He was challenging them to race to the next exit on the highway and to weave between all the drivers on the road.

--

So, this stick in the mud was JP's ex.  By the way, he acted, there was no way JP would want to get back with him.  Money or not, they didn't click like how Dandy and JP did.

He watched JP challenging the other car. Dandy was grinning, leaning over to taunt. He stuck out his tongue, blowing a raspberry at the other drivers.  Dandy tilted his head to see JP's reaction.

"YEAH, SWEET JP! WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP!!" Dandy chanted as he cupped his hand to his mouth. His other hand was spinning in a rally towel fashion. "SHOW 'EM WHO'S BOSS!"

--

Then it happened. A car bit the bait and honked back. They drove next to each other and as soon as they passed the first exit, both cars nearly reared up from how fast they were being pushed down the straight stretch.

Frisbee pressed his head to the back of the headrest. "James...Damn it! I just wanted those beers!" He looked out the back window at all the cars going at a reasonable speed being left behind as if they were standing still. Well, if JP was having fun getting back behind the wheel after his crash then he guessed it was good. He needed that confidence.

JP felt a hand touch his left ear and his sideburn. It had to be Frisbee's hand. There was no way it was Dandy. It went down to his neck and pressed its claws to the soft skin. He bit his lip and glanced toward Dandy quickly and then into the rearview mirror to see Frisbee's eyes looking at his face. The racer looked back at the road and regripped the steering wheel.

The muscle car beside them had no chance. The white land yacht was beyond tuned up for the road and it ate up the road like no problem. It was a racing beast in disguise. JP honked the horn once they passed the second exit sign and flipped the other driver the bird before blowing them a kiss. "Haha suck it!" It had been fast and short but the whole time they had been pushed back into their seats.

Now they could get their drink on. He pulled out onto the ramp, slowing the car down massively and going through all the shifts so they could be at a standstill in front of the traffic light. The force of the stop made Frisbee lurch forward, his seat belt holding him back. It didn't seem to affect JP much, he moved forward slightly but it seemed that he stopped himself from moving forward with just his muscles. The seatbelt strapped to him didn't have to do anything.

"Well, that was fun!" JP laughed and looked at Dandy and Frisbee with a large smile.

--

Dandy was joining in with the mocking and flipping off. His smile wouldn't his face as they pulled onto the ramp.  The force jerked Dandy forward, making his arms grip the door and JP's arm.

Dandy heard that cute laugh. His eyes met with JP's for a brief moment until the racer looked back at Frisbee.

"That was a blast! You kiddin'?!" Dandy was chuckling and then noticed his hand on JP's jacket sleeve.  He quickly pulled away and looked out the window.

"I wonder if they got some good food here," Dandy glanced back over at JP.

--

JP cleared his throat and rubbed his own chest a little. "I still liked my Trans Am more though and I know the new one will be even better." He turned his head to squeeze Frisbee's hand between his cheek and his shoulder. He had to act as before...he had to. Even if it pained him to do so. He kissed the back of Frisbee's hand.

Frisbee smiled and pulled his hand away, sitting back he placed his hands on his lap. "We should go somewhere that's nice a pub? not just a little hole in the wall."

The white car used to be seen driving by JP's Trans Am, leading it or behind it when they went driving down the streets to reach destinations. People recognized Frisbee's ride. They were curious now. They could see JP driving it down that street.

Eventually, he found a pub that looked lively and pulled up into the parking lot, into a corner where it'd be safe at least from two sides.

The racer pulled the keys from the ignition and Frisbee took them. "You had your fun and a bit of excitement, sweet boy." He glanced down to JP's crotch and then patted his right shoulder. "Let's hop out."

JP opened his door and stepped out. He adjusted his pants and his jacket. He stood by the car, combing his hair back to his liking as Frisbee watched how JP stood and moved his hands through the not quite black strands of hair. "I want ribs." He closed the comb and looked at Frisbee, "or hot wings. But I gotta have breadsticks." He held his comb out for Dandy to use.

Frisbee found the gesture odd. "You're going to let him use your favorite comb?"

JP pulled it back a little but re-extended his arm "He needs to look sharp if he'll be with us. What? You want him to look like a mess and pull us down? No way."

--

Dandy missed that display, thankfully with JP kissing Frisbee's hand. The alien hunter was looking out his window, taking in the view. This was a spot the couple had never been to while together.

Stepping out of the car, Dandy quickly moved to JP's side, noticing that the racer had already stepped out and was styling his hair.  Dandy reached out for the comb and heard Frisbee's comment.

Dandy watched JP pull away, a pout on his face, and then saw the comb being lent out again. He took it, excitement pumping as he finally combed his pompadour.  It had been hours and now, just now, he fixed it.

"I gotta~" Dandy closed the comb up and handed it back. He looked at the pub and rested his hands in his pockets.  Looking ahead, he saw a group of women walking towards the doors. 

Then he remembered: he had to play the bachelor on the prowl. 

"Hey ladies! You're lookin' good this evenin', baby!" He sang. The women turned, seeing Dandy with Sweet JP and JP's mechanic.  He looked back at JP and Frisbee. 

"Whaddya say, fellas? Think we could score tonight?" Dandy grinned.  God this felt wrong, but maybe this could help lure Frisbee away from JP...

--

Frisbee laughed at Dandy's actions. "He's right JP. Let's bring a lady back. I think you could use it." Of course, Frisbee had all intentions of watching JP if he did take a woman back.

JP looked a little distraught, it was a lot to take in but he knew it had to be this way. Just for now. I'll be over when your car is ready. Then you and Dandy...the both of you can be together again in each other's arms. He pulled on a smile. "Of course but I want to really scope out the options."

A bit of a crowd was gathering outside the pub. They had followed the car, some of them were the paparazzi who prowled the streets for times just like this. It was a good thing JP combed his hair and let Dandy do his. The camera flashes started going and JP had changed a bit. His racing persona was coming out from the way he stood to the way he looked at people. When he looked at Dandy it was all love but when he looked at the cameras there was an intense and sultry gaze he gave them.

Frisbee took the clear role of not just his mechanic but also a manager who broke away the crowd. He was stern while he leads JP and Dandy to the entrance of the Pub. He stepped aside to talk to some staff and acquire a booth for the trio where they wouldn't be bothered by the cameras.

"Ladies!" JP pulled his hand away from one who reached and grabbed it. "Ladies. Ladies ladies...Don't fight. I'll pick one of you." JP shook his head and looked over what he could choose. There was such a variety but his tastes wouldn't let him go for the dog-like Dorithinian ones. He wanted something closer to himself. More humanoid. He held out his hand and grabbed the slim hand of a woman. This one would do. She was fine. Her rose blonde hair was luscious. Curves in all the right places. He knew a woman from Supergrass when he saw one. His favorite.

--

Dandy waved to the cameras. And, as always, was acting like a flirt with the press.  Modeling and blowing kissed at the women.  He saw JP look at him, the same love mirrored in his eyes. Turning to the cameras again, Dandy shot a couple finger bangs as they were ushered into the pub.

JP was already grabbing his date while Dandy was looking out for women. There weren't many women interested in him, but thankfully that lady JP grabbed had a friend. Dandy held out his hand to her.

She was wanting Sweet JP, but at least she could get the next best thing and only option besides the manager.  The cute woman with lavender hair took his hand with a little sigh. 

He pulled her close and whispered.

"Play along."