"Today's weather has a high of 90°! Perfect for pool weather! Time to head outside and enjoy that fresh summer sun-"

"God fucking dammit MORE HEAT?!? I swear the sun is trying to burn humanity alive."

With that statement said, the radio was cut off by a smack to the power button. Silence now filled the automobile that was being driven by a man that looked like a teddy bear. Not only was he tall, but wide as well, standing at a solid 6'5 with 235 lbs of muscle, bone density, and chub. He put a hand on his pudgy gut that was currently attempting to dominate his lap and heaved out a long and tired sigh. As he stopped at a red light, he wondered how he could escape this dastardly heat. The beach and the pool were out of question because he knew he looked like a whale trying to swim and there were always too many people. He snapped out of thought when his stomach reminded him that he needed to fill it, but then the thought of ice cream came to mind and a small smile ghosted his lips. He could definitely use the heat as an excuse to get some ice cream while grabbing his usual. The decision was already planted in his mind before the light turned green, and he was off to his favorite restaurant in town.

He frequented so much, the cashier, cook, and just about all the other workers knew his name and order by heart. He, of course, even had quite a bit of conversations with them and got to know a few of them personally. But Colette was someone he knew like they were raised together. She knew his order like the back of her hand and all he would have to do was nothing but show up. He chuckled at the thought, wondering how she would react when he added ice cream to his order. Pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant, he turned off his car and got out. He was currently wearing a white tank top and some ripped jeans, a little bit out of style but much needed for this hellish heat. As his eyes wandered towards the restaurant, Neco could already feel his hunger growing and meandered his way inside. The cool air hit him as soon as he opened the doors and the friendly "Ding ding" of the doorbell made him smile softly.

The cool air was like a sanctuary from the heat, cooling him off immediately and making him feel a whole lot more comfortable. He saw that it wasn't crowded and a bit dead, to which he didn't mind. The less people could see him the better. Running a hand through his hair, the man known as Neco decided that he was going to have a little fun with them this time. A mischievous grin made its way to his lips as he headed to the front counter, formulating a plan, quite amused at himself.

Neco watched Colette's hand pause and he attempted to fix his face. He was so readable and it would ruin what he had in mind. Taking in a deep breath, he replied, "Oh don't get me started. I like summer and all, but this heat feels like Satan reared his ugly head and decided to unleash the fires of hell upon us." He did a dramatic hand motion, to provide emphasis on his statement. He leaned on the counter, looking up at Colette with big brown eyes. "I'm adding a double scoop of ice cream to my order, and can I have a cup?" He could feel the blast of heat that radiated from the kitchen and he felt bad. Poor people having to deal with that, and the heat from the outside must've been awful. He probably would've passed away from a heatstroke.

He rolled his shoulders, and stood to his full height before placing a hand on his stomach. "How many of you are back there? That must be awful, suffering back there in that blasted heat." His voice was soft and gentle, like a mother trying to calm her child, yet it had the ruggedness of a man, strong and bold.

Colette laughed at his dramatic gestures. He wasn't wrong with what he had said though. The level of the heat was suffocating. Hopefully it would break off soon and cool down. Shoot, she'd even be happy with a chance to go out swimming. But being manager she rarely got days off and having air conditioning and ice cream at the restaurant just bumped up business when it was hot. Ready to turn around and get his order together, he threw her a curveball. Two actually, that's if she counted whatever he was doing with his eyes and that look on his face. Smiling, Colette gathered what was the quickest she could of his order and set it down in front of him.

"Adding something new today, huh? You know, I don't think you have ever changed your order since the first day you can here. At least, until you finally settled on a regular order." Colette chuckled quietly at the memories as she got him his ice cream. Coming back with it, she sighed at his question.

"Besides me, there's three rotating between up here and back there. Then there's another 3 to 5 workers in the back. I made the schedules but this heat is messing with my memory." Handing him his ice cream, she took a few orders from customers before walking back over to him. "So, how are you doing with all this heat?"

He happily looked at the food, licking his chops in excitement of the grub down that was about to be held. He nodded, smiling mischievously, "Ah, well you'll see soon enough. I don't think I have either. " With this, his eyebrows raised in thought. He really hadn't changed his order ever since he made it "his order". Huh. He watched her come back out with his ice cream and he took it, the chill of it gently wafting over his hand. It felt nice. "Yeesh" he replied, growing concerned for the clearly overworked manager. He watched her walk away, tending to the few customers who had shown up.

Using a spoon, he knocked off the top part of his ice cream into the empty cup and put the spoon in the cup. Smiling to himself, he started digging into his burger happily before noticing her walking back over. Finishing up the bit in his mouth, he replied to her question with a dull, "Dying." Proceeding to sigh, he continued on with, "I'm built for winter, not this hellish heat Satan decided to raise. I feel like I'm melting pounds everytime I step outside." he joked, shaking his head softly. "Oh, since you look like you're about to pass out from a heat stroke," he said, pushing the cup with the ice cream in it towards her. "I'm not taking a no for an answer either." he said, determination written all over his face.

It was a bit strange, well more interesting really, to have him change his order. Although, with this heatwave, even the pickiest eaters must be changing up their meals in an attempt to stay cool. Colette smiled when she saw the joy on his face from the food. She had never seen someone enjoy their food more than she did until Neco. "Well for your sake I hope this heat levels off soon. I love summer but I prefer autumn. Cool most of the time to be snuggled up in a blanket, but you still get those hot days to go swimming or sit in your ice water-filled bathtub."

Looking at him with a tilt of her head at the heatstroke comment, her eyes then went down to the counter. Ah, there it is. That's why he asked for a cup and ice cream. Quietly chuckling, she shook her head with a smile. Colette grabbed the cup and looked at Neco. "Normally, you know I'd argue with someone about something like this. However, because you're my favorite customer, I'll eat this. But don't start thinking you can get me to do things like this after today."

Taking a scoop of ice cream with the spoon, she put it in her mouth and sighed contently as the cool treat hit her tongue. Colette stirred the melted and still frozen parts of her ice cream together just before she leaned her elbows on the counter to finish the rest of her cool snack. "Now all I want to do is go home and sit in the before mentioned bathtub with a whole carton of this," she mumbled with a mouthful of ice cream.

An amused expression immediately appeared on his face as he watched her take the ice cream in the cup. A smirk already forming, he listened to her say that she would normally argue with someone about it, but her next sentence had a light pink blush tint his cheeks. He was her favorite customer? Somewhat flustered by the small compliment, he raised his eyebrow and chuckled. "Oh really? Challenge accepted then." He heard her content sigh at eating the cool treat and smiled softly. She was doing too much and it was nice to see her taking a little break, even if it was to enjoy a scoop of ice cream. He watched her stir it curiously, as it turned into a mini shake. She leaned onto the counter and Neco took a bite out of his sandwhich, perking up at her mentioning a bathtub with a carton of ice cream.

He huffed through his nose. "If that were me, you'd have to get a whole gallon." he joked, snickering slightly. "That does sound kinda nice, although I would love to be in the pool instead, blasting some good ol 80's R&B, eating ice cream, and not having a care in the world." He sighed through his nose, the thought of that sounded like a paradise.

He took another bite out of his burger, eyes flickering over to her, a somewhat playful look brightening his carmel colored irises. "Speaking of the pool, I've got one in my backyard.." he trailed off, heart fluttering in his chest. It wasn't like he was trying to ask her out on a date or anything, but he did want to spend some time with her in the pool, so she could relax. There wasn't anything weird about that right?

"I..uh..wanted to know if you wanted to....ya know...hang out in that sometime? Maybe get some beer if you're up for it...?" he stammered out, his face flushing ever so slightly. "If you want to that is," he chuckled nervously, "you just do so much and I feel like you should get a break.."

Colette smiled as she listened to his version, her eyes closing as she pictured it. She hadn't been to a pool or even the beach in months. By the time she got home from work, her brain was too exhausted and the night ended up with her crashed on the couch. She didn't even sleep in her bed anymore, it was too much work to get up and move to her bedroom. He started talking again but soon trailed off. This triggered her to open her eyes and see if he was okay.

Standing upright now, her heart ceased its worried flutter when his full inquiry came out. Wait- He wanted to hang out with her? Colette knew they had become close, kinda like friends, but this warmed her heart. Grinning ear to ear, she nodded her head. "I'd like that. I haven't been swimming in months, because it's been so busy." She took note of his pinkening face and stammer as she glanced at the clock.

"Well, after I close tonight I will have half-days for the rest of the week, so whenever you want to have me over. I'll be sure to bring some ice cream." Colette couldn't wipe the smile off her face. This was exciting, a nice hangout with her new friend. Finishing off the last spoonful of her ice cream, she looked at Neco one last time before heading into the kitchen. "And Neco, thank you. I really appreciate it." With that, and her own face flushing over, she gave him a small wave and hurried into the kitchen.

Nervous as hell, Neco was shocked to hear that she would like that, and her widening grin. She wanted to go! Feeling elated, he could feel a smile of his own breaking loose, her grin seemed to be contagious because he couldn't stop grinning either. Chuckling softly, he looked at her piercings in her ears which glimmered in the light. They looked really cool, and Neco could feel his face reddening even further. He must look like an idiot in front of her. Fixing his posture and expression, his eyebrows raised when she told him her schedule and that she would be sure to bring some ice cream, eliciting a chuckle out of him. The worry of his pool immediately came to mind and he made it top priority to clean it and make it look immaculate.

She had finished off her ice cream and Neco was far too afraid to say anything in fear that his voice would crack from the pure excitement bubbling within him. Letting out a long exhale after realizing he had been holding his breathe, Neco looked at her right as she looked at him, nearly losing himself in her eyes. She thanked him sincerely, telling him that she appreciated it, causing his knees to go weak and nearly buckle on him. His heart thumped with excitement as he watched her hurry into the kitchen.

Goosebumps littered his body as he sat down at a table, attempting to calm himself. He had never really spoken to the opposite sex and succeeded and his brain felt like he was 17 again, high on hormones and emotional unstability. "It's not a date. It's not a date. It's not a date." he repeatedly muttered to himself. He just invited her to his place as a friend. That was all. Neco told himself that he was going to accept the fact that he was going to be lonely, unless he was to not look like a damn marshmallow and look more..manly? Maybe he should grow a beard? Question after question rampaged in his mind, distracting him from his food and his surroundings for a brief moment.

Forcing himself to come back to reality, he sighed and realized he never got her number so he could contact her when he was ready. The thought of getting a girl's number spiked his emotions so high, he felt like he was going to have a heart attack. Taking in a few deep breaths, he decided against it and wrote down his phone number on the back of his reciept. Excitement overloaded him and he couldn't seem to remember his own number. Pinching his temples, he quickly scribbled it down and folded it into a neat square. Shakily standing up, he made his way back to the front counter and gently handed the paper to the cashier. She gave him a quizzical look and he quickly mumbled, "Please give that to Collette." Her befuddlement went as quickly as it came and it was replaced with an amused look that followed up with a smirk.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he shook his head and she snorted at him, smiling and walking away. He made a beeline back to his table, quacking with so much emotion he couldn't focus on anything else but the fact that he, Neco Kage, gave a lady his number. A pretty one at that. Feeling stoked about it all, he quickly finished his meal and headed out. As soon as he opened the door, he was met with the devilish heat that consumed the outside. He threw his head back with a loud groan, but his excitement didn't let the heat deter it. He walked to his car, a new bounce in his step, because for the first time ever, Neco had someone to impress.