chapter 20

Both Johnny and Lucy could be seen sitting down on the couch for what felt like an endless eternity of deafening silence, so quiet you could hear a fly break wind in the other room.

"So, what's this favor you want from me anyway? Is it, to pretend to be your boyfriend again by any chance?~" he would ask with a slight raise of his eyebrow and a somewhat cheekier grin than usual.

"Ugh, God no. If anything, I don't want you anywhere near me when my folks come to visit," Lucy would answer back with a wince of disgust on her face.

"...Well there goes my self confidence," he would say in return, his tone being drenched in sarcasm while looking away, obviously pretending his feelings were hurt for such harsh words. "Fine, what is it then?"

"...."

Lucy&ap os;s lungs would inflate like balloons as she took a few seconds to get her words straight before they clogged up her throat and choked her.

"Well, before I completely die mentally, emotionally, and damn near maybe physically...I'd like to have a night, one last single night I can feel...alive."

Now this, this got his attention without fail. For a person whose attitude towards literally anything else besides her loyal fanbase was far less stellar than a stick in a mud, she sounded excited and passionate for once.

"...Go on."

"I, I want a rush. A rush I haven't felt in... years."

"...What kind of rush?"

"The kind of rush...the kind of rush a girl could feel, having a delicious, succulent piece of meat press against her lips, teasing her with it's taste."

"O-Oh, oh shit~ You don't say?"

As Lucy looked lost in her daydreaming state, Johnny would start fumbling around with his belt buckle, in the process of undressing his lower body as he continued to listen to her slightly drooling ramblings.

"Sometimes salty, sometimes savory, but mouthwatering all the same as it goes down your throat,"

"Yeah?~"

&qu ot;And with every bite-"

"Yeah-wait, bite? Why would you...oh...y-you meant food, right."

"Yeah...? Wait, what did you think I meant?"

"I...you, you know what? This was such a cheap joke, I'm gonna go for a walk,"

In a fit of feeling quite emotionally defeated he would stand up and fix his pants before reaching for his jacket on the couch sofa arm.

"Wait, aren't you gonna help me?"

"Help you with what?"

"Emotional support. Duh, I'm a vegetarian, remember?"

"Emotional support? Lucy, there is literally fast food places everywhere. It's not that hard to order something off the menu and eat it,"

"IT'S STILL A BIG DEAL TO ME! YOU HELPING ME OR NOT!?"

"OKAY, OKAY! I'LL HELP YOU, LET'S GO!"

Later, that very night:

It was a short drive into the very heart of the town, which at this time of night was like standing in the middle of Las Vegas it was surprisingly so lively as bright neon lights of malls, clubs, and various restaurants filled the night sky. And like Las Vegas, there was no better way to start off Lucy's meat filled temporary freedom of being a vegetarian, than a small corner Chinese restaurant. Upon walking through the front door, Lucy looked like she just stepped through the front gates of heaven despite the hellish amount of grease and garlic filled the air as a lovely waitress quickly moved from behind her hostess podium and walked right up to them.

"Hello~ Table for two for the couple, yes?" She would ask upon greeting the duo with a respectful bow.

Both Johnny and Lucy would share a quick glance with each other from the corners of their eyes sweating a bit as if they have just been accused of a sinister crime.

"No, no, no we are totally not a couple..." They would both say at the exact same time before looking at each other again shocked they spoke in perfect tandem just now before Lucy would move on with the conservation.

"Uh, can we get a small table? Preferably near the exit, we don't plan on staying very long."

"Oooh, so sorry. All tables seem to be full at the moment, but we do have nice comfy booth for you two to share~ Will this do?"

Once again, they would share a quick glance at each other before signing softly.

"That's fine," They would both say together, the moment the waitress nodded and turned away Lucy would silently punch herself in the brain as Johnny rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Upon being seated at way too romantic looking heart shaped sitting booth in the very back of the restaurant as Lucy looked quite uncomfortable sitting so close to Johnny in such a public setting.

"...Look, I get it, you hate my guts. But you asked me to be here with you,"

"I know, I know. I just wanna make it clear that I don't like you, like, a lot."

"Noted. That's why I'm looking forward to this night being over already,"

"Yeah, no kidding..."

But this was a lie on both their parts, Lucy was actually glad he was here to mentally spark her naughty act of breaking her oath as a vegetarian while Johnny was actually over the moon getting to see Lucy to the most taboo thing of eating meat by her own free will, without any work on his part. All he had to do was sit back, and enjoy the show. Just then, a male waiter would walk by and introduce himself to them as expected.

"Good evening, my name is Fu, and I will be your server." He would say with his own respectful bow before placing some rather oversized menus on the table. "Can I start you off with anything?"

"Um, first time eating here, mind giving me a minute to uh, read the menu here?" Lucy would ask as she took the time to look at the menu, not really seeing anything eye catching right away.

"Of course, just let me know when you are ready. And please, do let me know if there is something the matter miss."

"Oh, don't mind her. She's just used to being a very picky eater is all, very uptight and not much for adventure." Johnny would say with a slight snicker to get the waiter to smile a bit back in response.

Lucy would glare at him from behind her oversized menu before immediately placing it down flat on the table surface and points at a menu item option.

"I'd like to order the squid, please."

"Ah, are you referring to the grilled squid salad-?"

"No, just the squid, and make it...a live one."

Both Johnny and the waiter Fu would look a bit surprised for such a bold and unexpected order, but he took the menu away from her side of the table with a dutiful nod before awaiting the gentleman's choice. Johnny would stammer a bit before returning to reality before placing his menu down and ordering the ramen and orange chicken. About a half hour later, Fu would return with a cart to carry the prepared food directly to the table. Johnny would receive his ramen and orange chicken plate as Lucy would be given a plate with a live squid swimming around in a mini aquarium with a pair of chopsticks and a cup of soy sauce.

"Uh, I know you want to have a thrill tonight, but, you sure you can handle...that?" Johnny asked, actual genuine concern filling his voice as he couldn't imagine himself going for such an endeavor.

"Of course! I ordered it, and I'm gonna...*gulp* e-eat it..."

Slowly picking up the pair of chopsticks between her fingers, Lucy would plunge said sticks into the mini aquarium to nab at the squid with lightning speed pulling it out, now dripping with water as it's tentacles lightly thrashed in the air. Johnny would recoil a bit watching Lucy let the squid hang in the air for a moment before summoning all her willpower to close her eyes, throw her head back, and drop the squid down her throat.

"!?" Lucy grunted as her head would lift back up as her mouth was now full of writhing tentacles before making the effort to make a loud gulp to force the struggling creature down her throat with a gasp, reaching for the cup of soy sauce and quickly downing it as well like a shot glass as she panted softly.

"....So, how was it?"

"It was...all slimely, and wiggly, like I could feel it squirm the entire way down my throat...it, it sent a shiver down my spine."

"So...I take it, you didn't like it."

"...Actually, I...I kinda want more. So, so much more~ Where should we go next?"