fandomtownies | The Perk, Saturday Morning

Karal had woken early, spent a lovely few hours with Trenor, including a quick gallop down the beach, and now - windblown and beaming - almost bounced into The Perk.

When he saw Kerrigan, he waved. "Good morning," he called happily.

"Morning, Karal."

It was both the boy's happiness and the boy himself that found Kerrigan with an amused smile on her face, "I take it no hangover, this time."

He smiled and blushed and shook his head. "Not for a good long while, now, and no horse indoors, either." He tilted his head towards the counter. "Could I fetch you something wile I'm ordering my tea?"

She snorted into her mostly-empty cup. "It's that you're seventeen, kid," Kerrigan said, smile taking on a wry quality. "Sure. Get me another big one." She held the cup up for the staff to see.

Karal nodded and practically bounded over to the counter. Whether it was that his cheerfulness was irritating, or that he'd been talking to Kerrigan, he very quickly had both her coffee, and a pot of tea and all the bits and pieces that went with it.

He also had an apple cinnamon muffin, cut in half, which he set in front of her along with her coffee. "For you to have with your coffee," he murmured, old habits of care dying hard. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" he asked hesitantly, not wanting to bother her if she preferred to be alone.

"Your cheer's uplifting," she said, vaguely. More literally than Karal would know, really. "Sure. I owe you for the coffee and the--" Kerrigan eyed the muffin momentarily. Huh. "--muffin. How much was it?"

He shook his head, eyes hopeful. "Please, let me? I barely ever get to spend my stipend. It's nice to be able to share it with someone." Which made him grin and duck his head, thinking of Evey, as he set the tea things down and settled into the other seat.

"Okay." Kerrigan was in no particular mood to argue. Even if he was a student.

Besides, she had an inkling the staff had given him The Discount, which meant that technically, she was also adding her bit to the buying process. "Got a new girlfriend?"

She blamed it being so very obviously out there.

Scarlet, he was scarlet, and he knew it!Karal kept his eyes fixed on what he was doing as he set the strainer over the cup and poured the tea.

His smile was probably all the answer she needed, though. "I don't know," he replied. "I hadn't thought about it in those terms, but the girl I like likes me." Happiness was almost rolling off him in waves. "It's enough."

"That's what we call a new girlfriend," she snorted, leaning backwards in her chair, one arm draping over the side. "Enjoy it." While it lasts. Not that Kerrigan added that part out loud. She sipped her coffee, smirking slightly. "Not letting it interfere with your homework, right?"

He had to laugh, even through the blushing. "There's not been time since last night," he told her. "But it won't, nor with my duty as a priest. Evey," even the way he said her name was happy, "she understands about duty, that it has to come first, and I suspect she's smarter than I, so if I fall behind, she can help me with my homework."

"So you've got a girlfriend and a study buddy." She hadn't had much in the way of untraumatized human interaction, lately; it was kind of a relief, and Kerrigan's limbs relaxed almost unnoticably. Even if the topic at hand-- "Have to be careful about that duty. It's good you're getting yourself some off-time."

Karal was enjoying the sound of that word, and he tried it out in his head: Girlfriend. He'd have to ask Evey what she thought. "I know. It's hard to remember, sometimes, but I've friends who've become very good at making sure I don't forget. We're going on our first date this evening," he told her shyly, picking up his tea.

In the back of his mind, he knew he shouldn't be bothering her with all of this. Professor Kerrigan was a teacher, he was sure she wasn't at all interested, but it was just bubbling over, needing to be told.

Edited 2008-02-09 11:45 (UTC)

She was almost inclined to just sit back and let the boy's happiness spill over, but that would've been ridiculous. Instead, she picked a piece of muffin and stuffed it in, assuming something akin to a Ghost's expected impassive expression.

Sort of. There was still a smirk tugging on Kerrigan's lips. "Only the first date and you're already bouncing across the premises. Ought to be good."

"We went to the movies last night, but it wasn't a date. It's," he sipped his tea, closing his eyes briefly, and his smile spilled out again, "it was complicated. But Evey uncomplicated it."

Karal gazed out the window, forgetting for a moment where he was, and with whom, remembering last night. "She's wonderful," he said softly.

"Good for you," Kerrigan replied, leaning her foot against one of the table legs. It wasn't even a particularly patronising statement-- maybe a little sad, if nothing else. "It's nice to have something uncomplicated in your life."

He blinked, brought back to here and now, and flushed. "Forgive me, I shouldn't be babbling away," he said, shaking his head at himself. "But you're right, it is, it truly is." And he would be ever thankful to Vkandis Sunlord for putting him in Evey's path.

"Don't let the jaded old soldier drag you out of your glee," Kerrigan replied, dryly. "Next thing you know, I'll be sitting here complaining about dem bones, dem bones."

"Really?" he asked, in a tone that might have hinted he'd be intrigued to see such a thing.

But he shook his head. "You haven't." It would take something incredibly drastic to pull him out of his joyous mood. "But, glory, I'm sure you don't need to listen to a student's babbling!" he said, smiling at her shyly over his tea.

"You're a good kid," she said, honestly, and punctuated the point by chowing down on another chunk of muffin. "It's nice."

"Thank you," he said, looking down into his tea, embarrassed, but unable to help being pleased at the compliment. "Dean is going to try and teach me the staff, beginning today." Karal had a feeling she might find that slightly more interesting than his excitement over Evey.

"Staff, huh?" A sip of coffee, and Kerrigan let her chair fall gently back onto its legs, moving her foot back to the ground. "I tend to like knives better," then paused, "...but I think the staff'll do someone like you more good."

"I'm not comfortable with weapons. A friend tried to teach me the sword." He shifted in his seat, setting his tea down. "It didn't go at all well, in here." He tapped his heart. "But the staff can be defensive only. It--" Karal felt odd, almost uncomfortable, explaining this to a warrior, a soldier. "I think it will fit better. I am not a fighter and I never will be."

"Just need to know how to defend yourself." She smiled vaguely, sipping her coffee. "We fight for boys like you. Makes me feel like it's worth it."

Getting out of both the library and his apartment, Bob found his way to the Perk.

More coffee. As if the faucet wasn't enough.

Perhaps they served other things... he looked over the list of products calmly. A polite nod to the woma-- soldier already there.

It was always nice when people greeted you. Especially halfway into a cup of coffee. Kerrigan returned the nod before continuing her sip. Mmm. Caffeine.

Of course.

He went back to looking over the board.

"Do you have a tea that isn't--" He made the smallest of faces. "--herbal?"

A negative.

He sighed. "Very well."

"They do, you know," Kerrigan called.

She always liked to help out a fellow beverage-seeker. Really. "They just like to mess with the newbies."

He looked down at the sickeningly fruity tea that had already been given to him.

"I will keep that in mind next time." Or simply continue to brew his own. He could safely check this business off as not exactly a place to which he would return.

"It's just a matter of getting them broken in," Kerrigan provided, returning to her own coffee.

He sipped the 'tea'.

"Thank you."

Kerrigan made a noise that could've been construed as 'no problem', then leaned back against the table again with one foot.

With another small nod, he smiled and left. Still other places to see.

Karal blushed again, not knowing what to say. He studied her for a moment, then very tentatively reached across the table, intending to touch her arm. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For fighting to keep people safe."

She smiled faintly. "You really are a good kid, Karal," Kerrigan said, glancing briefly towards the fingers on her arm. "I know, because--" I can tell. "You should keep on bringing people hope. And relaxing. Can't do crap if you haven't had some downtime."

He smiled as he pulled his hand back. "Will a date with the girl I like," who likes me back, she likes me,, "count as relaxing?"

"If it doesn't, I've been ill-informed," she smirked, pushing her chair back just a little so she could lean.

"I have trouble imagining that could happen," he said, laughing softly.

"You'd be right," Kerrigan replied, with a wry smirk. "Keep your feet on the ground. It's good for everyone."

"I'll do my very best," he promised.

The Perk, Saturday Morning

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject