{"sf1_id":2013295,"sf2_id":"zeRNWOEe","title":"Electroluxe!, Chapter Six.","author":"BoxCrate","words":3742,"posted_at":"2023-06-29T20:40:34.000Z","tags":["1960's","1970","Cat","HMOFA","Human","Mild Retro-Futurism","Robot","ice cream"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2013295-electroluxe-chapter-six","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/zeRNWOEe","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/d3/04/d304c9b4-bf94-426f-97fc-c08541d18803","description":"Imported from SF2 with no description.","content":"\\\u003eYou knew Main was supposed to be dead on Sunday mornings, but you weren’t expecting it to be a completely people free experience.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eMaybe a streetsweep, shopkeep, or even the occasional disillusioned highschooler.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut there was not a soul.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJust the rustling of the falling petals, and the soft, echoing taps of Julie’s careful steps.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe stuck close by your side, even as she swiveled in every direction trying to get a look at all of the carefully decorated storefronts.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eMom and Pop Bakeries, fast food, the Deli, and even the RadioShack where you’d been getting anything that grabbed your interest since as long as you could remember.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie didn’t continue far when you stopped to look at the placard for a fancy new camera, not that you actually needed one.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen she noticed you weren’t right there she immediately scanned the entire street, easily spotting you looking back at her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe speed she could whip her head around with was, frankly, a little frightening.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYet despite it’s swiftness, it was still smooth and elegant.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJust how a real cat would.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe skittered back to your side, and looked into the front of the store next to you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou could see on your periphery that she wasn’t interested in the camera, but simply using the glass as a mirror to look at you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou snapped your eyes to look back at hers in the glass and winked.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe looked down at her hands with a bashful grin.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e_gotcha._\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSpeaking of what a real cat would do, you couldn’t help but notice her particular interest in the pet store as you both continued your journey.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe locked on to the small animals in the window, head slowly turning as you both walked past. Eye screens taking on a more vibrant yellow hue than before, like she was viewing the birds and gerbils through a spotlight.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou were a little concerned by the focused look she had when she snapped her head back to it’s resting position.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eMight have to forgo the dozens of small breed pets you were planning to get after your first impulse buy.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAs you continued, the businesses seemed to get less generalized and more exotic.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eA hippie crystal place, a fishing tackle and hunting gear shop, and even an antique store that Julie momentarily stopped to peruse the display window of.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe rusty watering can flowerpots and old wagon wheels weren’t of that much interest to you, but your robot seemed to be enamored by them.\n\n \n\n\\\u003ethe tiny smile and almost faraway look in her eye screens as she speedwalked back to your side were a good indicator to you that maybe a trip to that store would be good for her someday.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eEven looking into all these stores, there was still absolutely no one here.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eDid the rapture happen while you weren’t looking or something?\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie quickly picked up on your confusion, looking up at you with a concerned, sky blue expression.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Is something wrong, Anon?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou took one more look around before answering.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”No, no. It’s just odd that there's no one out here. I thought there would at least be a few out and about.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie took a look around, mirroring you.\n\n \n\n“Didn’t you say they were all at church? I thought you were taking me out now because there wouldn’t be anyone else out.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”There should’ve been at least a few folks out. Not everyone goes to church every Sunday here.” You sigh. “I just wanted to get you used to people, you know?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe shuffled a little bit closer to you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I don’t mind. I’ve never been one for being the center of attention.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou frowned slightly.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe looked down almost to the end of the drag, almost appearing to squint.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hey, I think that one’s open.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou followed her pointing finger to the store she was talking about.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou couldn’t even tell what it was, it was so far away, nestled between half a dozen other shops.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Julie, what are you pointing at?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe grabbed the cuff of your sleeve and pointed your arm roughly at what she was aiming for; The group of shops at least a mile away that you thought she might've been pointing at.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou started to walk towards them, squinting to try and see an open sign at this distance.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eFrankly, from this far away you could hardly tell where one shop ended and the other began.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Which store are you talking about?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”The ice cream shop with the pretty blue awning.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou could almost see a speck of blue in the distance, but it was still to far to really tell anything about it.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”How can you tell it’s an ice cream shop from this far away, I can just barely see that it’s a building.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe looked at your face, a whirring noise emanating from her head.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Twelve times magnification. I like your eyes, Anon.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou would appreciate the complement more if it didn’t feel like she was scanning every individual colored stripe in your iris.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Uhh, you too?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe just giggled as you both kept walking towards the store.\n\n \n\n \n\n+------------+\n\n \n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe jingle of the bell greeted you as you held the door for Julie, who quickly entered and looked at the entire room inquisitively.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt was a fairly modest, but pleasant ice cream shop. There was a cooler on the far wall with all manner of sugary drinks, cartoonish drawings of Raggedy-Ann and Andy looking characters playing games and eating their own cones, and a counter with probably two dozen flavors sunken in behind a protective glass shield.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe only thing out of place was the gigantic, worn looking man sitting behind the register, asleep.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere were scars on his face, and his (somehow) oversized uniform and parlor hat were both not quite on right.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e_This guy serves ice cream to kids all day?_\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie didn’t seem fazed by his presence at all, electing to instead look at the many flavors of sugarwater that the establishment had on offer.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou decided to follow her lead, and took a look at the flavors of ice cream and toppings.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe classics were all there; Vanilla, Chocolate, ground up peanuts… kind of boring.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe next set of containers seemed to be where they kept all of the interesting stuff.\n\n \n\n\\\u003ePistachio, Blackberry, and even something called Maui Waui.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eDecisions decisions.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWell, you would have plenty of time to decide with the large man taking his midday snooze.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”What do you think, Julie? Anything strike your fancy?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”T-they all look very good.” She said. “But I’m okay, I don’t need any ice cream.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eDon’t need any? Who the hell doesn’t like ice cream?\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Come on, You deserve something nice. Here, We’ll both just get a small vanilla. Sound good?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Okay.” She said with an almost imperceptible smile.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou decided to play the safe hand, and knocked on the counter to try and wake him up.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eNope.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hey buddy, wake up.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eNothing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hey Julie, do you have like, a squirt gun built in or something?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”What? No, that’d be mean!”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I’m joking, I’m joking. But I really have no idea how to wake this guy up.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Why not just reach over and shake him or something?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hell no, that guy could definitely rip my arm off. I ain’t touching him.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie just gave you a deadpan look.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I’ll do it.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”That’s another hell no, your arm is _way_ more expensive than mine to fix.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Please, I’m a lot tougher than I look.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Julie, seriously, I don’t want to piss this guy off.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I bet he’s friendlier than he looks. If you really want me not waking him up, just order me to stop.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou give her a stern look, before relenting.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Fine, your funeral.” You said, taking one step back and giving Julie the counter spot.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe dainty feline robot leaned over the counter with an arm outstretched, reaching for the big man’s shoulder.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe could just barely reach him laying almost flat on the counter, rising up on the tips of her shoes to get a little more reach.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou chose to keep your eyes on the big man.\n\n \n\nBefore she could touch him, he suddenly startled and snapped her wrist in an iron grip.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Uh!” Julie yelped as she was suddenly locked into place.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHis face was an angry, yet fearful grimace, as if he was looking at a big saber tooth, and not an oversized housecat.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSpeaking of the oversized housecat, she was silent, staring at the big man with ears splayed back in fear.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Whoa man, we don’t want any trouble!” You say, walking up to grab your robot by the shoulders and lightly pull.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe looked over at you, and suddenly his expression shifted from the guttural terror grimace, to a more confused slant.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe looked down at his hand gripping the robot’s wrist, and let go, pulling his hand to his chest, and seemingly containing it with the other one.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHis eyes almost seemed to gain color, as if a fog was lifted from them.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”We’ll just be going now, alright?” You said, backing towards the door.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie just stayed near the counter, looking dumbfounded at the man.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Are you okay, mister?” She asked, hands clasped in front of her chest.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe upset, confused look did not change, he just pointed to his head and shook “no.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIf he was calling himself crazy or something, you couldn’t help but want to agree.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou could swear, everything that you try to do these days seems to turn into a problem.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”You’re not okay? What’s wrong?” She said, taking a small step back towards the counter, ears now alert and pointed towards the man.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe did the same gesture again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie paused, and then sprang to life as if a lightbulb appeared above her head.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe brought hand up and pointing her two upper fingers sideways, and then closed her fist to hold a pinkie up.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou’ll have to look into the manual for what this means, you’ve never seen a person do something like that before.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eUsually a wave is just fine.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThis did change the expression, from one of extreme confusion, to one of surprise and interest.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhat in the absolute _hell_ is happening?\n\n \n\n\\\u003eGreat, now he’s flapping his hands around like an insane person.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look around for any way out of this situation that wouldn’t set this weirdo off.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eGrabbing Julie by the arm, you start to lightly pull her towards the door.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe just kept her screens glued to the mans hands, watching his frantic gestures as you tried to escort her out.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSuddenly she brought her hands up and started doing the same back to him.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Julie! Don’t provoke people!” You said under your breath. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with this guy, but we should just leave.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe weakly brushed you off, still looking at the man.  \n \\\u003e”There isn’t anything wrong with him.” She said as she responded with more flittering.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe man was tickled absolutely pink by this for some reason, and belted a hearty laugh.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”What- what is that? What are you doing?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Sign language!” She said, still flapping hands at him.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Oh he’s just deaf?” you said, letting go of her arm.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie flashed a few more signs at him, and he returned a few, ending them with a sign you recognized, air quotes.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”What did he say?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Oh, he said; ‘Just deaf.’”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe man gave you a cracked, smug grin.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Funny guy.” You said, eyeing him carefully, patting down the fresh creases in your jacket.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe nodded.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Well, my name’s Anon, and this is my friend Julie.” You said, gesturing to Julie, who repeated the gesture she started this ‘conversation’ with. “Nice to meet you.” You greeted, carefully extending a hand.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe took yours with a giant, calloused, paw. _That handshake could sell you damn well anything._\n\n \n\nHe began to sign more directly at you,\n\n \n\n_\\\u003e_Julie started speaking in a slow, quoting tone, as if talking for the big man. “Actually, we already know eachother.” He paused to take off his cap and ruffle his wavy black hair out.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou squinted, not quite able to see who he reminded you of, but it was someone.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Jim Walker, we used to have chemistry together.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Big Jim?” You asked, Julie making a wide gesture; one that you could easily understand meant ‘big’.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe chuckled and nodded.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e“What the hell happened to you? You must’ve lost two hundred pounds and gotten a hundred back in muscle!”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe man sighed and deflated a little, before signing his response to the cat.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”...The _Corps_ happened to me?” Julie said, looking at you confused.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e“Marine Corps- Jim was in the military.” You explained to Julie.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Oh.” Julie said, and looked back up at Jim, who was signing at you again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou pursed your lips in the short lull.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Huh. Welcome home, I guess.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJim sighed again and rubbed his eyes. “_Welcome home._”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou could almost _feel_ the simmering sarcasm in the way he signed that one.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I ain’t the only one who’s changed.” He signed, switching the subject and perking back up instantly. “How’s it been in the battery business?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e‘Ain’t’ sounded very odd in Julie’s proper accent, almost nasal.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Oh, same as it always has. ‘Electrodes in, acid in, and seal.’” You said, reciting the mantra of your trainer, waving your hand as if conducting an imaginary battery orchestra.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Fascinating.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Mhm.” You replied, propping your head on a fist.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe man took a quick look at your new robot, before continuing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”...And ‘friend Julie’?” Air quotes again. “Why is she a cat?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou looked around the room, at almost anything but the big man’s inquisitive face.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie shifted uncomfortably in her seat.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I… Well- She’s… God, how do I explain this.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie didn’t sign anything, and just looked at you uncomfortably.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe man looked at you inquisitively as you searched for an answer.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBefore long, he seemed to tire of waiting and signed;\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”…You’ve never had to explain this to someone before?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou offered an uncomfortable fake smile.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I wasn’t really planning on having to explain beyond ‘robot housemaid’”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hm.” He grunted aloud,\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Then in that case, why a cat, and not a regular one? I’ve seen those commercials. I thought all that crap must’ve been movie magic, but here it is right in front of me.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Oh, you know… preference.” You said, feeling the tips of your ears flaring like hot coals in a breeze.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe squinted with a half smile.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Come on, I may be deaf, dumb, and should be blind; but even I can tell that was a fuck- oh!” Julie’s eyes switched to a vibrant Orange, covering her mouth with furred hands. “I’m sorry anon!”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hm?” You grunted, confused.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I Shouldn’t be cursing, I apologize.” She said, dipping her head, and ‘closing’ her eyes screens, seemingly expecting to be admonished.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”It’s what he said, isn’t it?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Y-yes.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Then it’s just alright, please finish.” You press.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie ‘cleared her throat,’ Eyes switching back to a soft yellow as she resumed her duty as the mans voice.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”...But even I can tell that was a _fucking_ lie.” She said the word almost under her breath, looking all around her as if someone was watching from the shadows to catch her cursing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou chuckled, both at the bluntness of the big man and Julie’s fear of bad words.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Fine, It is.” You start, leaning back in the chair and sighing to begin your tangent.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I did buy an Electroluxe, but I didn’t have any particular requests for what she looked like. Julie got swapped for the one I ordered somehow.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Didn’t have her sent back?” He signed, not noticing Julies stiffening.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”No.” You said more to Julie than Jim.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Alright.” He said, stroking his stubble.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Well, if you ain’t sending her back, things must be going well enough.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I’d like to say they are.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”...But?” Julies voice relayed.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou took a deep breath and pushed it out of your nose.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”She came to my doorstep a day and a half ago, and in that short time I’ve managed to: A, Make an ass out of myself by saying things I shouldn’t have when I thought she couldn’t hear me.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie gave you a sad, embarrassed look.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”B, Give her the now _very false_-” You said, giving a pointed look to the cat “-impression that I want to be rid of her and have her sent back to the factory,”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Anon…” Julie said, putting a warm hand to your shoulder.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou brushed it off in disgust for yourself.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”C, made her ride in a car she _clearly_ wasn’t comfortable with, all in a selfish attempt to patch things over.” You said, bitterly.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”And D, now I’m making her translate a conversation between me and someone I barely knew almost a decade ago.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie’s blue eyes looking into your own was the last straw that shut you down.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Damn, can’t I just do anything right?” You said, burying your face in your hands.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou could just barely keep yourself from crying in frustration.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hadn’t been around another person in so long, the first one you really meet in years and you fuck it up this bad.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eGod dammit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can hear them still flapping away, tiny whirring servos and the crumpling of a cloth uniform driving tacks into your defeated mind.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou probably said too much, and made yourself look like an ass again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTypical.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour sad display was interrupted by a rough poke on your shoulder, rousing you from your brooding.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe big man had a vanilla cone in his hand, and used his other to sign his answer to you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Buddy, I don’t know how well you think we knew each other. But I can tell you we weren’t quite close enough for _that_.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou accepted the cone from the big man before your response.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Ain’t like you’re gonna talk.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie had put her own cone on the table to relay your message.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I’m glad you can see my shining character.” He signed with a sarcastic smirk before sitting at the third seat, and clapping a hand on your back. “And I’m sure we’ll get to know each other better, not like I’m going to let two new friends I can actually talk with to get away that easy.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe just sat next to you for a moment, before straightening his back out with a huff, and signing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”You know Anon, back when I joined the service I was a big fuckup like you are.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou and Julie raised an eyebrow at his blunt description.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”-Think you are.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou take a lick from your ice cream as Julie gives the big man a mean cartoon stink eye, arms folded together in mild indignation.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture before Julie softens and continues for him.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hell, you remember that time old man Wilkins lost his mind over ‘rustled cattle?’”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”You’re not telling me you’re some cattle thief, are you?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Me? Nah. I just crashed into his fence drunk.” He said with a half grin.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Well that explains some things.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe simply nodded his head in agreement.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”But yes, I was a big failure, and I kept up the nonsense for years before I got straightened out by the corps.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Well, I ain’t joining the service.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Good. There ain’t nothing for you in it.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”You just said-” You started before he just the two of you off with a halt sign.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I know what I just said. Just because I got straightened up in the marines doesn’t mean you have to be. Cool it down, you’ll figure things out.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I don’t want to act like nothing happened. I did something wrong, I need to make up for it.” You say, pointing to your chest.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Dragging the person you wronged through something they don’t want doesn’t seem like the right way to do it, don’t you think?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou deflate, running a hand through your hair.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Everything I do seems worse than the last thing I did.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I believe you. But think of the silver lining.” He signed, adding another pat on your back.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Doing more crazy things to try and patch things up means you’re frustrated, and want to do better.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”...Yeah, I do want to do better.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHe gave you one more pat on the back, for good measure.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”My advice? When everything you do seems to go south, let someone else take the wheel. Maybe they can drive even better than you can.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou looked over at Julie.  \n \\\u003e”You know, that’s not the worst plan ever. You want to drive the car?” You asked Julie with a smirk.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer electric pupils instantly turned into orange pinpricks.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I’m just kiddin’”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJim let out an audible ‘Hmph.’\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”You’re right man, maybe I’ll give it a try.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Sometimes a try’s all a pretty girl can ask for.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie piped up, squeaking in her own tone as well as signing. “Pretty girl? Well I never!”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I’m not pretty, I’m _beautiful_.” She said and signed before running a hand through her silky black hair, giggling.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Well in that case, you and the beautiful girl can stay and make amends for as long as you like, courtesy of Jim and Willie’s parlor.” The big man says before walking back to his seat at the front counter.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Go on without me, I think I’m going to get some shuteye. Not like anyone else will come in on Easter Sunday.” He signed from the other side of the room, before lowering his cap over his eyes again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Wait, what?” you looked over at Julie.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Yeah, it’s Easter. That’s why you took me out, right? Because everybody’s at church on Easter.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Shoot, that explains why the street was _completely_ empty.” You said, taking another lick of your cone.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie pursed her feline lips as she stared into her ice cream, before looking up at you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”I don’t like that you feel so bad on account of me.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Ain’t your fault. I’m the one who keeps messing up.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eJulie just stares at her still melting ice cream cone.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Going to try it?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hm? Oh, I really shouldn’t.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Worried about your feline-figure?” You smirk.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Har-har.”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe conversation lulls again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Hey Anon?”\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Yeah Julie?\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Happy Easter.” She says, holding her cone out to you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e”Happy Easter.” You return, tapping your cone to hers and taking another lick.","series":{"name":"Electroluxe!","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1998163-electroluxe-chapter-five.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2029010-electroluxe-chapter-seven.json"}}