The Perk, Tuesday, Mid-Morning

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Coffee probably wasn't the best idea. Her college application envelopes were mailed, and her stomach was feeling jittery. Still, they had other things here, didn't they?

She tipped her head back and started studying the menu board.

Comments

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean had been out picking up the things he needed for his costume tomorrow and stopped at the Perk for a coffee and maybe something sweet on his way back.

Spotting Dawn, he walked over behind her and leaned down to say, "Whatever you're getting, it's my treat."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

She turned around and grinned at him. "You may regret that--I'm a big fan of whipped cream. Things go okay?"

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. It was a good weekend. Even with the graveside squirrel ambush Saturday night."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"See, I was kind of thinking more of the whatever you were doing when the squirrels ambushed you..."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Oh that?" Dean shook his head. "The Halloween Haunted House we went to was a little too haunted. But it was just a routine salt and burn. Wouldn't even be worth mentioning if not for the squirrels."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Uh huh." She eyed him. "This is like patrolling for you, isn't it? No big, and of course there's a chance of death, but it's a little chance."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, pretty much," Dean said. "And about the only way there was a chance of death this time is if one of the squirrels beaned us on the head with the microphone. It was a pretty wimpy spirit."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke poked her on the shoulder and gave her a bright smile. "Hey, you."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Hey, you!" Luke got a bright smile, and a hug. There might have even been a slight bounce. "Whatcha doin'?"

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"Knitting a sweater," Luke teased. "I need caf to face my shop class later."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Oooh, I like blue, if you're looking for sweater victims," she told him, "and why? What's up with Shop? I'd think they'd keep you busy enough to not need it, unless I'm way with the wrong there."

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"Oh, the activities do," he said, "once we get to them, but the teacher is constantly walking the line of almost killing himself. He has no regard for safety protocols and does things that would've gotten me banned immediately from the workshop if I was back home and being that stupid."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't like watching people get hurt. I really don't like it when they do it to themselves by not paying attention. So, caf, so I can hopefully be alert enough to stop something from going wrong."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn winced. "Yikes. Why is this your responsibility, though? I mean, I get why you want to protect people, but...maybe it's not your job?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Having no classes today River had gone on one of her usual long walks, and stopping by the Perk for coffee was an important part of that. Noticing Dawn, she tried to sneak up on her and poke her shoulder.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn jumped in surprise when she got poked in the shoulder. "What? I'm awake, I swear!"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Slipping into the chair opposite Dawn, with a cup of coffee and an apple donut, River smiled. "Yes. Unless you talk in your sleep."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Hi!" Dawn smiled sheepishly at River, then sipped at her drink, her scone long gone. "And I might, but only my sister and Sam know for sure. How're things?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Things are interesting and considerably better than when I got back this summer. And how are things for you?" She took a bite out of her muffin, realising it had been a while since she talked to Dawn.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Up and down," she admitted, "Faith's sticking around until she gets bored, which is good. I finished applying to colleges, which is a huge relief, but I still have to take the SATs and hope for scholarships. Sam's back from his weekend with Dean, but they had to kill something before it killed them--again--and I had vampire issues a week or two ago."

Mel didn't seem to be angry with her, but Dawn couldn't shake the feeling that she should be. Maybe that was just guilt.

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly had planned on bringing Trenor down to town with her again, but the horse had seemed unusually tired. So, satisfied that Trenor was still in Fandom, Molly headed down to town before her class to get some hot chocolate and anything else sweet that she could find.

She spotted Dawn and headed over. "Dawn!"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Not dead Molly!" Dawn waved. "How're you?"

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"I'm... looking for sugar," Molly said, not wanting to dwell. "How're you, not dead Dawn?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I am officially applied to college," she beamed back, "Now all I have to do is take the SATs and wait. A lot. Plus, Sam's back and didn't get killed over the weekend and Faith's here, so I'm good. What kind of sugar?"

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Faith's here? Cool!" Molly said excitedly. "I'm aiming for chocolate flavored sugar, but anything that looks yummy will probably get added in there. And congratulations on college preparedness! Now you can slack off for the rest of the year."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Uh uh," she shook her head, "some of these colleges check, even into the spring. They have triple chocolate cookies that look good."