Cafe Fina - Wednesday - 6/25

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir was not in the best of moods today. As such, the specials board was rather...

Well.
Today's Specials
Strawberries, Fried Chevre and Pomegranate Molasses
Panko Crusted Catfish
Apricot and Ginger Duck Breast
Swiss Chard Risotto
Apparently, complex and mind-bending was the order for the day. Well, other than for the catfish.

The Cafe Fina was open.

[defying gravity = no OCD]

Comments

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He raised an eyebrow.

"Action?"

He'd never heard that sort of thing discussed in Nanny's books.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"I, uh, have to work on my seduction... techniques."

That had been rather hard to say.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Have you tried leather pants?"

...because really, she'd gone on about it at one point.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

Amber looked up at him, eyes wide. Good thing she wasn't currently drinking anything.

"Uh... no? My character, um, doesn't wear leather."

Of course, Amber could always ask Mr. Tennant about that. Hm.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He rolled his eyes a bit comically.

"It just seemed like it might help. I don't know the first thing about seduction."

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"You and me both," she replied.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"You might ask Inara?" he ventured. "After all, she was able to help me when I was rather confused on a matter of, er, such things."

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"What? No. No way. No. Forget I mentioned this Liir. Just forget it."

Amber ducked her head and continued to eat her lunch. No way would she ask another girl (someone that she didn't even know) how to seduce someone. Nope. No way.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"As you... say."

He looked completely lost.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

He would have to continue looking completely lost too because Amber wasn't going to talk about this anymore. Not. At. All.

"How much do I owe you?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Nothing."

He wouldn't collect the money from her.

"I'll see you, Amber."

He knew a brush off when he heard one.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

Wait a minute. What just happened here? She was just wanting to pay...

Amber shook her head, pulled out enough money to hopefully cover lunch and a tip and laid it down.

"I didn't know I was leavnin' yet. But... okay. Seems you don't want to talk to me about anythin' really, do you?" She might have been just a little bit upset here.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I do," he said, just a bit testy in return, "but I'm not allowed to talk about things and you keep acting like I've done something terribly wrong and as it's obvious enough I can't do anything right, it's probably best you go before you decide you don't matter to me either!"

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

...

"I'm sorry, but why does that sound like so much bullshit? You're not allowed? What kind of crap is that?" Amber was mightily confused.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"You said we weren't talking anymore about your trouble with the play. And I won't betray another's confidence, just as I wouldn't tell anyone else what we spoke about if it was a private matter. You went quiet, which you never do unless you're uncomfortable, and then you asked for the total."

He looked her right in the face.

"It seemed rather obvious to me that you'd rather not deal with me and while I'd usually try to figure out why, I've proved myself abysmal at such things yesterday and don't feel like screwing something else up, as I said."

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

Amber was frowning but by the end of his pretty little speech, she was crying. Everything had been going good for her since this last weekend, up until now.

"It... it hurt that you think Ino is the only one thing you're sure about. You make me feel like nothin'. But, I'm sorry. I am..." With that, Amber stood and turned around and headed for the door. She was clearly too sensitive still to deal with her upsetting him.

Which only upset her.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Why did everyone--

Dammit.

He was utterly unfair and had long legs as well as a flying broom and put them to good use to try and get to the door before she did. If his manager heard about this and fired him, so be it.

"If you'll let me explain--" he said with a strange, unspecific noise of frustration.

"You're not nothing. It's just complicated. And no one ever understands me when I try to put it into words so I usually simplify it. You're not nothing. Amber--"

DAMMIT.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

She stopped. Stared up at him. And brushed angrily at her cheeks.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just upset, overly sensitive. I was wrong to push you like that. I just... apparently... shouldn't talk at all."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"That never works."

He dropped to the ground.

"The not talking. Then people worry about you. And I would worry about you."

He scrubbed at his own face, not so much to get rid of the tears as because he didn't know what else to do with himself.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

Amber stared down at him, then tentatively lowered herself, crouching in front of him.

"No you wouldn't," she commented softly. "I don't think you give yourself much room for friends, Liir." And she didn't mean that unkindly, just that he seemed so much of a closed individual.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He stiffened at the first comment, almost as if slapped.

Then he just shook his head to the second.

"Believe what you want, Amber," and he got out of her way. "You will no matter what I say."

Again.

[minnesota-teen.livejournal.com]

"I believe what you say," she remarked, standing again. "You seemed to look like I was the last person you wanted to see when I came in. I think I know why, but I don't understand it. But then perhaps I just miscontrued every word you said." She paused, tears welling up again. "Good bye, Liir."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He almost said something.

He almost tried to fix it.

Then he shook his head and shut his mouth. No, she knew what she wanted to know. She had her truth. He couldn't even change his own truths.

Why did he think he could change hers?

"Be well, Amber."

She'd be better off without him.

Like always.