Chapter Text
Not for the first time in the last few months, Molly was at a bit of a loss. Percy had informed her ahead of time that someone different would be picking her up (after the chaos that was Zora’s last visit, they decided to set up a system), but she hadn’t told Molly who this person would be — only that their name was Ramsey, and that they were “good at heart,” which was a… slightly ominous description, to be honest. But Molly trusted Percy enough not to worry about it. Much.
She did her best not to think about it during the day, but now that it was home time, she let her mind wander as she scanned the parking lot. Are they another cop? Percy’s neighbour? Or… a criminal? The last suggestion hardly seemed likely. One wanted criminal friend was enough for anyone, least of all Percy…
“Hey, kid!” A voice called from behind. Molly jumped. Were they talking to her? “Are you Molly Blyndeff?”
Definitely talking to her.
“Y-yes,” Molly said, trying not to sound nervous. She turned around. “You’re… Mr Ramsey, right? Um, Percy said you’d be picking me up?”
Ramsey turned out to be a red-haired man in a blue jumper. His face wasn’t exactly unfriendly, but… Molly couldn’t help but stare. The man was missing an eye. In its place was an exact gold replica that glinted in the afternoon sun.
“Yeah, that’s me,” He replied. He caught Molly’s gaze. “Don’t mind the eye, do ya?”
“A-ah, I’m sorry!” Molly stammered. “I didn’t mean to stare.”
“Nah, it’s fine,” Ramsey said, with a casual wave of his hand. “Doesn’t matter. And you don’t have to call me Mr– Ramsey’s fine. Else I’ll start feeling old. Now, wanna get in the car?” He gestured to a battered-looking grey car by the gate.
“Oh- sure,” said Molly. As they walked, she began to feel a little lighter. Maybe, for once, everything would turn out okay.
“So, um… How do you know Percy?” Molly said, in an attempt to make conversation. Ramsey hadn’t really spoken to her since they’d gotten in the car, aside from asking her home address. The silence wasn’t awkward, but Molly couldn’t help but worry that she was being rude by not talking.
“Hm?” Ramsey said. “Oh, she arrested me this one time.”
Molly blinked. “Huh?”
“I know, right?” Ramsey continued, his tone light and conversational. “Right after we finished this awesome tag-team fight, saved the world from terrorists, yada yada, she goes and handcuffs me! For my past crimes, and all that. But she did get me an alright cell, and I’m getting paid now ‘cause I work with the police, so it’s not all bad.”
“Wow,” Molly said. So that was what Percy meant when she said “good at heart.” But Ramsey seemed perfectly nice and, well, normal. Unlike another criminal she knew… A thought popped into her head.
“Um, Ramsey?” Molly asked. “Are you friends with Zora?”
There was a sudden screech as Ramsey’s foot slid off the pedal, and a chorus of honks echoed behind them as they stopped.
“ Zora? ” Ramsey repeated in disbelief. “You know Zora? Hold up, are we talking about the same person?”
“Um… she’s six feet tall, rides a motorcycle and dresses like a cowboy,” Molly listed off. “Oh, and she’s a wanted criminal. But she picked me up from school one time, so–”
“Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second –” Ramsey said. He was beginning to sweat slightly. “Okay, so Zora Salazar, a–” he broke off, looking at Molly. “A wanted criminal and bounty hunter picked you up from school. That’s uh, no big deal. Yep. Definitely something you see every day. How do you even know her?”
“I dunno. She said she was Percy’s friend-”
Ramsey made a choking sound, and he spent several seconds coughing. Molly watched him with a look of concern.
“Um, are you okay? Do you need some water? I’ve got some in my bag, um-” She hurriedly rummaged through her backpack.
Ramsey recovered just enough to speak. “Thanks, kid, but I’ve got some here,” he said, holding up a bottle. He took a long drink before he continued.
“ Percy’s friend?” he said. “Percy– friends with a criminal, who isn’t me ?”
Was he jealous? Molly wondered briefly. “Well, if you count my two other friends, then… she’s friends with four criminals, actually.”
Ramsey looked as though he was ready to smash his head into the steering wheel.
“I’ve gotta talk to Perce about her life decisions later,” He mumbled into his hands. “But Zora– was she, uh, nice to you?”
“Yeah, she was nice…” Molly said, hesitantly. “She wasn’t mean or anything. Though she did crash the motorcycle. But then she saved me and got me home in the end, and I wasn’t injured, so…” She looked up at Ramsey. “I guess it was fine?”
Ramsey blinked. “So what I’m hearing is, she nearly killed you? How is that fine ?”
“She didn’t mean to, though,” Molly pointed out. “And she apologised afterwards. She was really nice about it, actually,” she added, thinking of the hug she’d gotten afterwards.
Ramsey shook his head. “Now that’s something you don’t hear every day. But you’ve really gotta get some higher standards, kid. Your safety is important.”
“Thanks,” Molly said, with a small smile.
“Hey, you’re welcome,” Ramsey replied. Then, he lowered his voice. “Now, uh, Zora didn’t ask you for any information about uh, anyone in particular, did she?”
“N-no, she didn’t…” Molly said. She looked around nervously. “W-why?”
“Oh, no reason,” Ramsey said loudly. “Just wondering! Also, it’s about time we got back on the road, so why don’t I just-”
He started the car again, and they drove off.
“Say, kid, what’re you planning on doing when you get home?” Ramsey asked as they waited in traffic.
“Oh, um…” Molly thought for a moment. “Probably the usual. Make dinner, do laundry, run the store for the night shift… And homework, if I have time for it.”
“Sounds like a lot,” Ramsey remarked. He didn’t say anything else about it for a while, which made Molly slightly nervous. Maybe she shouldn’t have answered honestly. Maybe she should’ve lied and said homework or something. But she wanted to trust Ramsey.
Thankfully, they quickly moved on to other topics, and she forgot all about it. Ramsey talked at length about his first meeting with Percy, and how she tried teaching him to drink out of a pinecone.
“You’ve just got to know the right way to milk the cone,” he said, enunciating his words in a perfect imitation of Percy’s precise diction. “So she says – I still haven’t figured out how you’re meant to do that.”
Molly giggled.
“Oh, here’s an idea; I’ll bring one round next time I see you and you can try. Or even better, I’ll get Perce to do it, and maybe she can teach you.”
“I’ll do my best to learn,” Molly said, which got a grin from Ramsey.
“Say, kid, what if we went home a li’l later tonight?” He asked, suddenly. “Would your folks mind much?”
Molly blinked in surprise. “Um- I mean, I need to be back in time for work, but that’s not until nine…” She stopped to think. “Maybe? Oh, but- I’ve got to make dinner tonight. Dad’s been busy designing this new toy, so he can’t cook, and Lori…” she trailed off. Once upon a time, Lorelai had cooked for them. She used to bake with their father all the time- cupcakes, pies, garlic bread… little sugar cookies they decorated with star-shaped sprinkles. Now, it was Molly’s job, like everything else. “Lori can’t either.”
“Alright, I see,” Ramsey said. He had his phone in his hand. “Does your family have any dietary requirements?”
“H-huh?” Molly stuttered in confusion. “N-no, they don’t, but-”
“Do they like pizza?”
“Y-yes?”
Suddenly the pieces clicked into place. “Wait! You don’t have to-”
“One Margherita pizza with a side of fries, destination: Blyndeff’s toy emporium. Estimated delivery: eh, about twenty minutes.” He put his phone down and smiled. “That should take care of them.”
“I-” Molly wasn’t sure what to say. A warm feeling was spreading inside her, and something was pricking behind her eyes– Oh no, she thought, not now…
“Thank you,” she mumbled, brushing away her tears. “Thank you so much.”
“Eh, don’t worry about it,” Ramsey said. He tried to keep his voice casual. “S’the least I could do. You shouldn’t have to worry about that sort of thing, kid. All you should worry about is how to talk to your friends in class without being noticed.”
Molly laughed in spite of herself.
“Now, as for why I asked, I figured you deserved to go somewhere fun for a bit, without thinking about your family ‘n all that. How does the arcade sound?”
“Um…” Molly hesitated. “Can we go somewhere… not so loud?”
“Sure,” Ramsey replied easily. “I know just the place.”
They pulled up ten minutes or so later in front of a small cafe. Molly was immediately taken with its atmosphere — the soft amber light; the potted plants that hung from the roof; the light, jazzy music in the background. But what she liked the most was the smell— the rich aroma of coffee, mixed with the smell of baking bread. It made her feel at home.
It was quiet inside. There were only a couple of customers, both silent: a woman working on her laptop, and a boy listening to music in the corner. Behind the counter, the barista was writing something down.
“Nice to see ya, Lou,” Ramsey said to the barista as they walked in.
“Right back at ya, Ramsey,” Lou replied, smiling. “What’ll it be?”
“Oh, the usual,” Ramsey replied. “What about you, kid?”
It took Molly a few moments to realise he was asking her.
“Oh, um- I don’t mind,” she said quickly. “I’ll have anything.”
“C’mon, don’t give me that,” Ramsey said. “I’m treating you. Pick something you want. Anything. Money is literally a non-issue for me.”
“O-okay,” Molly said, a little apprehensively. “Um, can I have one of those?” She pointed to a small bear-shaped bun. Lou picked it up for her.
“This one?” He asked.
Molly nodded. “And, um, can I have a hot chocolate too?”
Lou grabbed a mug. “Cream? Sprinkles?”
“Um…” Molly hesitated. She looked at Ramsey, who nodded encouragingly.
“Yes, please,” she decided. “To both of those.”
“Alright, coming right up.” Lou said, winking. “Here’s your bun-” He handed it to Molly, “-and your muffin, Ramsey. Go sit down, and I’ll call you when your drinks are done.”
Ramsey let Molly choose the table, and they sat down in the corner, next to the window. On the table was a stack of paper, and a cup of mixed-colour crayons. Ramsey picked up a crayon and began to draw as he ate. Molly couldn’t help but watch his hand as he drew, following each line he made the best she could (it was a little hard, since they were sitting opposite from each other).
After a little while, Ramsey looked up.
“What’s up, kid? Not gonna eat your bun?”
“Oh, it’s not that I don’t like it,” Molly said quickly. “It’s just… it feels too nice to eat.”
She’d already taken a picture, but she still couldn’t quite bring herself to bite into it. It was a perfectly round bun, the shape of a bear’s face. The surface was covered in smooth chocolate, and it had round chocolate ears stuck on, as well as two white chocolate button-eyes. It was just… incredibly cute. But also incredibly tasty looking. But also the first really nice thing she’d been able to have for herself in weeks…
“You know, the chocolate’s gonna melt if you keep staring at it,” Ramsey reminded her. “Go on and eat it. I’ll buy you another one if you like it.”
“You don’t-” Molly began, but Ramsey’s gaze was firm. With one last long look at her precious bear-bun, she took her first bite.
It was amazing. There was simply no other word for it. The dough was so soft, and the custard filling silky smooth, melding perfectly with the chocolate…
“Tastes nice, right? No one does it like Lou,” Ramsey said. Lou called out “thanks!” from behind the counter.
Molly nodded enthusiastically. “It’s amazing.”
“Listen, kid, as long as you’re getting all your vitamins or whatever, eat as much dessert as you want. Don’t listen to the other grown-ups. Uncle Ramsey knows best,” he said with an exaggerated wink. “And especially don’t listen to Percy if she tries to make you eat one of those health nut flapjacks of hers.”
“Oh, the ones with seeds in them? They’re nice. I like them.”
Ramsey made a face. “She feeds you those? I really gotta talk to Perce.”
They fell into comfortable silence again. Molly ate slowly, savouring every bite. No one had ever done this for her. Feenie often brought in treats to share, but Molly always felt bad for taking them— after all, they didn’t belong to her, and she always felt like she was taking advantage of her friend’s generosity. And besides, Feenie was a friend. Ramsey was practically a stranger, an adult stranger at that– and yet he’d been incredibly kind to her all afternoon. Molly resolved to thank him properly once she’d gotten home.
“Hey, kid, this is for you.”
She looked up. Ramsey had slid a piece of paper across the table. On it was a small doodle of a bear holding a pie, and a little speech bubble that said blue-bear-y pie, my favourite! which made Molly giggle. The pun was terrible, but she couldn’t resist laughing at the bear’s goofy expression.
“I figured you liked bears,” he said, “So, here’s something to keep with you for when you get home. Or don’t, no pressure.”
“I love it,” Molly said firmly. “You’re a really good artist, Ramsey.”
He looked genuinely pleased at that. “Thanks, kid. I do commissions, you know, in my spare time, but if you ask real nicely, I might do another bear for free.”
Tears pricked at the corner of Molly’s eyes again. She just smiled and nodded, and hoped that was enough to get her point across. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
Molly arrived home just after six, with another bear-bun in hand. Ramsey had bought it for her, “to get you through the night shift”, which nearly made her cry all over again.
“You know,” Molly said, as they pulled up, “I kinda expected something crazy to happen, since you’re a criminal and all.”
“Well, we can’t be having action movie chase scenes every day,” Ramsey said. “Anyways, I like it peaceful.”
“I do too,” Molly said. “Um, Ramsey, before I go– I just wanted to say, um– Thank you for today. You didn’t have to do any of it, but you did, and– I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to pay you back–”
She broke off, feeling a lump in her throat. She couldn’t help it. All the tears she’d been holding back suddenly broke free, running freely down her face.
“Woah, woah, hey, kid– Molly–” Ramsey fumbled.
“I-I’m fine,” Molly sniffed, her voice cracking. “These a-are just– h-happy tears. Really. No one’s ever– d-done this for me before, so I just…”
“I know,” Ramsey said quietly. “I get it. Listen, kid, forget about paying me back or whatever. I chose to take you out ‘n have fun. And we did have fun, didn’t we?”
“Yeah,” Molly said. She sniffed again. “A lot of fun.”
“Exactly, so it’s fine!” Ramsey said, so matter-of-factly, as though it were the simplest thing in the world. “Look, if you ever need anything, your Uncle Ramsey’s just one call away. Most of the time. Sometimes I’ll be tied up with work, but me ‘n Perce, we’re both here for you. And your other friends, too, that Banzai kid, and the sheep boy– we’re all here to help. You don’t owe us anything, and you never will.”
Molly nodded mutely. Ramsey smiled at her. “Now go, kid, and enjoy your bread, alright?”
“I will,” Molly said firmly. And she meant it.