fandomtownies | Luke's Diner, Saturday

Siiiiiigh.

Aravis had made a promise to Rikku to check on Jude. Which was why she was at Luke's on Saturday morning, minus one dog (he had been asleep and really cute -- not that she'd tell anyone, because gods forbid she think her boyfriend was cute even if he was a puppy -- and she hadn't wanted to wake him) but still in a lot of pink.

She gracefully found herself a place at the counter, and shot a tentative smile at Jude.

Jude lifted a hand in a small wave before schlepping over. "Hey, bra. What can I getcha?"

"Just a cup of coffee, if you have it," Aravis requested. "How does the day find you?"

She could kind of tell, but it seemed polite to ask.

Jude shrugged noncommittally and went to get her coffee.

Aravis frowned, but decided to be generous and let the non-answer slide. "Thank you kindly."

"Welcome." Jude went to make a new pot of coffee but didn't manage to get the filter in all the way and grounds exploded everywhere.

Distracted? A little bit.

"Awww, geez . . ."

"...are you all right?" Aravis asked, staring. "Do you need assistance?"

Look, she really felt for the guy.

"Nah, bra, I got it," he sighed, starting to clean. "Sorry, I'm just a little . . . y'know. Harshed."

"She's going to be fine," Aravis offered quietly. "But I know how difficult it is to be the one waiting."

Jude paused in what he was doing. "It - geez, bra, why am I cleaning up coffee while she's off saving the world? I don't even know . . . and every time she goes she does something stupid and what if this time it's something big and stupid and I can't fix it?"

"Rikku won't do anything beyond her limits," Aravis said, chewing her lip. "She was determined to keep herself safe this time when I spoke to her, for your benefit if nothing else."

"That's what she told me too . . ."

"And I realize it's not exactly a huge comfort," Aravis said. "But it's all there is, really, and she will return in the same shape in which she departed."

"Maybe . . ." Jude started, but stopping himself and abruptly started cleaning again.

"Maybe?" Aravis prompted.

"Maybe she'd be better off with a dude who could actually help her save the world," he said quietly. "Instead of . . . making milkshakes."

"Oh, are you kidding me?" Aravis said disdainfully. "Of course not. She doesn't want that. She chose you."

"That doesn't mean a whole lot."

"Of course it does. Whether she'd be safer or what others think might be better for her is irrelevant. It's her choice. She wants you. And that means you're here to help once the world-saving is all said and done, and that's more important than being at her side in the moment."

Aravis had a tiny bit of experience with this, yes.

"Really? You think so?" Jude sounded a little bit desperate.

"I know so," she said.

"So I guess you think all this freaking out is totally lame, huh?" Jude said sheepishly, finishing up with the coffee grounds and finally getting a new filter in.

"Lame?" she repeated. "I have no idea what the ability of walk has to do with anything."

"Not like walking-lame, but, y'know, not-cool lame."

"Oh. No, I think it is understandable," she shrugged. "And worrying is unavoidable. But not necessary."

"I'm just . . . not like her. I get why she has to go do it, and I wouldn't ever try to stop her, but I wish she didn't have to do these things."

"She does have to," Aravis agreed. "But of course you wish it would be otherwise. No one likes seeing people they care for putting themselves in danger. Not that she's in danger, mind. She knows what she is doing."

"Yeah . . . and I dunno. Why can't people just get along so my girlfriend can actually be in town for our anniversary?"

"Because the world doesn't work that way," Aravis said with a shrug. "Happy anniversary."

Not that she really understood the whole concept of celebrating, still.

"Thanks."

"I'm know you're in her thoughts and heart," Aravis offered, unsure of what else to try. "As she is in yours."

Jude offered her a small smile. "You're pretty good at this thing."

"I know what it's like," Aravis said, returning the smile.

"Really? That . . . kinda sucks."

She shrugged, studying her coffee. "It's over now. I just understand the difficulty from both sides."

"Oh." Jude looked at the counter for a long moment. "You want some cake or something? On me, bra."

"Cake?" Aravis smiled. "That would be lovely, thank you."

"I might not be able to kill things," Jude said self-deprecatingly, "but I make really good Black Forest cake." He went to get her a slice.

"That's more useful anyway," Aravis commented. "I can't cook to save my life.

"I'm all about breakin' down the binary, bra," Jude informed her, delivering the aforementioned caked of delicious chocolate and cherry goodness.

"You know, I have no idea what that means, but I do not care because that looks like chocolate. Did you know dogs can't have chocolate? It's apparently a bit like poison."

Aravis still wasn't really over this.

"Yeah, I heard that," Jude said thoughtfully.

"I feel badly for them." It's sad, how sincere she was about this.

"I think they got a bunch of advantages that make up for a lack of chocolate."

"I shall have to ask Seely," Aravis decided, sampling the cake. "This is heavenly."

Jude smiled. "Thank you."

And mod your Saturday service.

*pets her little wimpy skater boy*

Luke's Diner, Saturday

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Grab a booth

OOC