A tapping noise.

A tapping noise snaps Ashley out of her staring contest with the shop's painting.

She looks over her shoulder and spots Josh tapping his foot. He has the same look of boredom as Ashley does. Yet, no one can blame them for being bored. It is December 31st, New Year's Eve, and nobody has bothered coming it. Yet, Pete insisted everyone comes in today.

Worst decision he has ever made. Almost as bad as the Halloween party.

Ashley continues to watch her coworker tap his foot away before joining in on. She rests the palm of her hand on the counter and pats the surface to follow the beat. She recognizes the song immediately.

"It's been a long time since I came around. Been a long time but I'm back in town. And this time I'm not leaving without you," Ashley sings.

Josh looks over and grins brightly. He nods for her to continue singing.

"You taste like whiskey when you kiss me, oh I'd give anything again to be your baby doll. This time I'm not leaving without you."

The door to the back slams open causing Josh and Ashley to jump and look over their shoulders. At the doorframe is Pete. His eyes are looking between the pair of workers who are obviously not working.

Ashley bites her and stands up, ready to get back to work, when an incredibly off key voice hits her ears.

"You say sit back down where you belong, in the corner of my bar with your high heels on!"

She turns and grins at her boss who just smirks in return. Josh starts playing the best against the counter, and they continue singing.

"Sit back down on the couch where we made love the first time and you said to me there's-."

Ashley takes over the next part, "something, something about this place. Something about lonely nights, and my lipstick on your face. Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy!"

Pete joins in on the last line.

"Yeah something about baby you and I!"

The singers and drummer cheer and high-five each other. They prepare to take the next verse when a shrill voice yields them.

"Shut the f**k up! I'm trying to f**king write!"

Ashley winces, "sorry Ryan..."

Pete looks at Ashley and Josh, "outside?"

They nod, "outside."

—

Dallon: It is officially the first day of 2019, and guess where we are?

Ashley: [glaring] We're f**king working.

Dallon: Pete thought it was a brilliant idea to make us work on New Year's Day of all days.

Ashley: Taylor and I had plans today! We were going to take a romantic walk around the local gardens! Maybe even have a picnic!

Dallon: Brendon and I were supposed to make out on the couch while watching Netflix, and maybe hump a little. [shrugs] Knowing him, it was a huge possibility.

—

The shop has open an hour ago, and Pete still wasn't there.

The employees were growing very annoyed.

"I know that a**hole did not skip out on us," Ashley mumbles angrily.

Ryan shrugs, "it's something Pete would do."

Dallon shakes his head, "well not today! If he gets to skip out, then so do we! Come on guys!"

Everyone, surprisingly, follows Dallon. They all grab their items and shuffle to the front door when it pushes open. Their boss is leaning against the glass door with a pair of sunglasses loosely hanging off the bridge of his nose.

Pete is hungover.

—

Ashley: So while we all stayed home and didn't party because we had work in the morning, Pete went out and got drunk for New Year's Eve?! [shakes head, mumbles] This is f**king b**lshit.

—

"Pete," Ryan says, "you're hungover."

Pete glares, "and you're gay. Shall we continue pointing out the obvious?"

Ryan rolls his eyes in response.

The boss pushes past everyone and trudges over to the back. Yet, before he could reach the room, Pete collapses in a stool and slams his head on the counter. Snores are heard a few minutes later.

"Are you kidding me?!" Ashley exclaims.

Dallon walks to the counter, gets close to Pete's face and snaps his fingers in the man's face. No response.

"Yup. He's out of it," he says.

The employees all look at each other, a smirk growing on each of their faces.

—

Ashley: Pete Wentz, consider this punishment for making us work on a holiday.

—

Josh opens the door for the group of people waiting outside. He grins as one of them wrap an arm around his waist and pull him close to his chest.

"Hey Tyler," he whispers and kisses his fiancé's nose.

Tyler grins and kisses his fiancé's cheek.

The rest of the group, Z, Jenna, and Jon, slip through the door after Tyler. Josh closes it behind them and locks the door.

Z smirks once she spots their passed out boss, "this is gold."

She takes her phone out and snaps a picture. Ryan smiles and gestures for his roommate to send the image to him later.

Jon slides up behind Ryan and wraps his arms around the boy's shoulders. He kisses the back of his head.

"So, what's the plan?" He asks.

Ryan looks to Ashley, "what's your plan, Ash?"

Ashley smirks and rubs her hands together, "why I'm glad you asked, my young Jedi."

—

Dallon: Listen, I would have stayed behind and help them prank Pete. H**l, that's my favorite thing to do. Yet, I planned on spending the day with Brendon. So, I'm willing to skip out on prancing Pete for him. Just this once though.

—

Dallon opens the door to a fairy's garden.

The inside really looks like a fairy's garden.

The flower shop Taylor's family owns is a green blanket with splotches of red, blue, and purple. Not one area of the shop is bare. A plant of any kind covered up any piece of wood wall that tried to peek out.

Dallon grins at the magical sight and steps inside. He shut the door behind him, walks up to the front desk, and rings the bell.

Taylor, looking like a woodland fairy with her white dress and flower filled braid, walks down the stairs. She grins brightly when she spots Dallon.

"Hi Dal!" She says.

She runs over to him and hugs him tightly. The action catches the tall man off guard, yet he quickly returns the hug so she does not get the wrong idea. Dallon does not want Ashley hunting him down and skinning him alive because he had accidentally hurt her girlfriend's feelings.

Taylor pulls back, "what can I help you with?"

"Well, I need some flowers for my boyfriend. Nothing cliche though. Like a rose."

Taylor nods and starts moving around her shop. Dallon watches in fascination as the blonde speeds around her shop to gather up his bouquet. Once satisfied with her choices, she gently wraps up the flowers in a paper wrapping and tops it off with a red bow the matches the shade of her classic red lipstick.

She turns around and hands the bouquet over, "here you go!"

The bouquet is a white and red colored theme. The flowers were gorgeous, and of course, not at all cliche. Except for the simple red rose sitting on top of the rest of the flowers, yet Dallon trusts Taylor. She is more skilled in the area than he is anyway.

"Thank you, Taylor. They are beautiful, how much do I owe you?"

Taylor shakes her head, "don't bother. Consider it as a gift from a friend."

Dallon smiles, "thank you."

He gives her a gentle side hug and heads for the front door. He reaches for the handle.

The front door slams opens and smacks Dallon in the face. Taylor squeaks and runs over to help him up.

—

Ashley: So, what is the most annoying sound for anyone sleeping? [holds up phone] Marimba.

—

Ryan plugs in his earplugs and nods at Ashley. She grins and turns the radio up all the way. She looks down at her phone and presses on the YouTube video.

'Marimba for ten hours straight.'

Everyone presses their earplugs in more just in case.

"Three."

Ashley's thumb hovers over the play button.

"Two."

Everyone gets the phones out to start recording.

"One."

Ashley presses play.

—

Dallon: [holding a pack of peas to his face, nose bleeding, groaning] Ow...

—

Taylor pulls Dallon's hand away from his face and inspects his nose again. She smiles reassuringly at him.

"You're going to be fine. Just a bit bruised," she says.

Dallon huffs, "pretty sure my nose is permanently broken. I'm going to have a f**ked up nose forever."

"Ashley said you were dramatic: I didn't think this dramatic."

Dallon pouts.

Taylor takes the peas away from him and places them back in the mini fridge. She hands him his bouquet and smiles gently again.

"I have to head back downstairs. Glad you're not in a coma, Dal."

She heads downstairs. Dallon smiles.

—

Dallon: Yeah, I see why Ash is in love with her. [grins] She's literally so sweet.

Taylor: His nose looks really f**king bad. [winces] Poor bastard.

—

Ashley presses play.

The shop rattles as the obnoxious alarm sound takes over and the overwhelming banging of various pans, rpots, and spoons chime in around their sleeping boss.

Pete jumps up and screams. He slips out of the stool and curls up on the shop floor. The sound of the cursed alarm and pissed employees seeming to get louder each passing second.

Everyone scoots closer around Pete and bang their tools louder to displease their boss. Pete just curls up in a tiny ball and cries out at the waves of noise.

—

Ryan: I thought the bathroom prank was satisfying, but this is just even better. [pulls phone out] Want to hear my new ringtone for Pete? [plays a sound of Pete crying for his mom]

Ashley: Well, now that Pete has learned his lesson I think it's time I visit a certain Cute Flower Girl. [grins, jumps out of seat, runs out]

Pete: [shaking] I-It was like... was like raining bombs. [waves hands around] From the left! From the right! Fr-From everywhere! [shakes harder] And I can't get the song out of my head... [starts harming the Marimba ringtone, slaps hands on head, screams] NOOOOO!

—

"Oh my god. What happened to your nose?"

Dallon frowns and gently touches his nose. He winces as a sudden pain vibrates from it.

"Yeah, someone opened a door and slammed it in my face."

Brendon giggles before faking sympathy for his boyfriend, "you poor thing. Come on, I have some Dr. Pepper in the fridge for you."

Dallon grins, leans over, and kisses the top of Brendon's head. He rests his forehead against the other man's and stares fondly in his eyes. A small, rare, loving smile slips onto his face as he stares at his boyfriend.

"You always know what to say."

Dallon hands Brendon the bouquet of flowers.

—

(i'm sorry i took so long to post this chapter! i JUST finished my classes and i'm back at work now. also, this chapter just wasn't it for me. i did not enjoy it at all. so, sorry for the lack of comedy babes! i promise to do better on the next chapter!)