The Perk, Sunday Morning

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell could've gone home by now, and in future weeks likely would: there wasn't any reason for him to stick around long every week now. But he liked the solitude of Fandom island, sometimes - the relative solitude, at least, without any of the worries of Bristol that occasionally lifted their heads up.

He had a portal scheduled for later that day, but right now he was going to enjoy his last day here (until Wednesday, at least) by sipping his coffee and prodding at a thin slice of cake the barrista had given him.

It had the consistency of cardboard, but he'd learned to expect that from coffee shop cake by now.

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[raspberryturk]

Ah, morning. That one time of day where Reno could get out and saunter around town and breathe in the... Ozone, mostly, after the rain from last night. And it sure as hell beat the air back in Edge, and it was fresher at this time of day. He'd stand by that stance, damn it.

The only trouble with mornings were the pain and simple fact that mornings were... Well, mornings, but coffee would fix that right up, too. And so it was with something tall and black and with very little sugar in mind that Reno sauntered into the Perk, grinned a bit when he noticed that he wasn't alone in there, and gave Mitchell a nod.

"Coffee day, man?"

That was totally a greeting, in Reno-land.

[chosehumanity]

"Coffee morning," Mitchell corrected, with a lightly amused edge to his lilt, and raised his cup of coffee. "I don't think I can cut back enough to keep my caffeine intake that unambitious."

[raspberryturk]

"Morning, day," Reno chuckled, waving a dismissive hand about in the air in a gesture that suggested that he was swatting at a fly, "there ain't a hell of a lot of difference, yo. It's just a matter of where the sun sits, anyhow."

He'd never admit it, but there were moments that he missed looking up to a green-black sky in the middle of the day, just as much as there had been moments in Midgar where he would have killed to see the sunshine.

"How's it goin' for you so far, man?"

[chosehumanity]

"It's been quiet," he admitted, easily. His cup made it back to the table. Quiet: that was the right word for it. "I'm just getting in a last cuppa before my portal shows up." Lifting his chin at Reno, he added, "How about you, then? I haven't seen you around - island still what you expected?"

And while he spoke, there would be that gesture that clearly spelled out come on, sit down. He was amiable enough.

[raspberryturk]

Reno slapped down some coin on the counter, not paying much attention to whatever had been in his hand. There was still the odd Gil in his pocket, and the gold content in that would more than cover his coffee needs for the... month. Who needed to count when you came from a world that still used precious metals as currency?

"It's been quiet," he agreed, taking his cup of entirely too much coffee and making his way across the room to pull up a seat. "I ain't had to beat nothin' off me with a glorified cattle prod yet, so that's somethin', yo."

He pursed his lips momentarily, and then sipped at his coffee. "I'm not disappointed, yet."

[chosehumanity]

"Yet because we haven't been attacked, or yet in spite of us not being attacked?" Mitchell asked, cracking a slight grin. "Sounds like you're challenging the fates, mate."

[raspberryturk]

Reno couldn't help but snort, at that.

"I'm teachin' a class on the end of the world, from experience," he pointed out, that lazy smirk not leaving his lips for so much as a second, even if there was a bit of an edge to his voice. "If they fates are gonna try an' pull shit on me, they'll go right ahead and do it, without me givin' 'em ideas, yo."

And then that lazy smirk twisted into a grin that was more sharp than pleasant.

"Gotta admit, I wouldn't mind the excuse to get my knuckles bloody now an' then, though. It ain't like people around here can't handle themselves if the island goes and gets any ideas again."

[chosehumanity]

"Likely."

Mitchell's own feelings on invasions ran a little more complicated than that, somewhere between not wanting to see anyone hurt, his own fighting-hurting-hunting instincts and his rather sharp recollection of the last time a bit of violence wound up attributed to vampires on this island - so he took a sip of coffee and quirked his mouth in return.

"Nothing wrong with a punch-up, but I'm glad I spend half my days in Bristol. Bar brawls are a little more predictable."

[raspberryturk]

"Yeah," Reno replied, and he even spared a moment for a pout, "an' we don't even have any of those around here."

Why so peaceful, Caritas?

"I shouldn't bitch too much," Reno sighed as he casually fingered at the rim of his coffee cup. "I got what I came here for, yo. Bit of peace of mind and maybe makin' a bit of difference to the students around here before it's their time to get the hell outta here. Anything more'n that, that's what portals are for."

[vanillajello]

This was a hot chocolate kind of weekend, apparently, because here Kate was for the second day in a row, getting her fix of chocolatey goodness. With whipped cream on top. No one ever said her warm beverage habits were terribly healthy.

Mitchell got a lopsided smirk as she wandered over to his table. "Hey. I'm sure you missed me in class."

[chosehumanity]

"Oh, were you gone? Must've missed that," Mitchell said, lightly, and a little fondly. "Did you get kidnapped, or did you get turned into a cat again?" It could've been both, in this place, but for the most part he was just teasing.

[vanillajello]

Kate snorted and flopped down into a nearby chair. "I'm sorry to report that there's still been no kidnapping."

Maybe the island should change it up a little.

[chosehumanity]

"Ah. So hairballs?"

Mitchell, you could try sounding a little more sympathetic.

[vanillajello]

Yeah, Kate was just going to make a face at that.

"I'd really rather concentrate on the tail and getting to sleep a lot."

[chosehumanity]

"So what you're saying is I should double your courseload next week because you slept through my class?"

[vanillajello]

"Yeah I'm sure that would just be a lot of work," Kate retorted. "Really."

[chosehumanity]

"I could find you some," Mitchell retorted, leaning back. "It's my duty as an educator."

[inneedofcoffee.livejournal.com]

Bracing the sun was more than worth the rewards of a bounty of coffee. So, there Maladicta was in a coat and hat, smiling like a loom at all the choices.

"Your house roast, please," she said, oblivious to anything else at that moment.

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell glanced up. He recognized the girl instantly, and pursed his lips.

"Maladicta, right," he called, cautiously.

[inneedofcoffee.livejournal.com]

Extra large coffee in hand, she looked over at him. "Professor. Also a fan of coffee?"

[chosehumanity]

"When I have the time," he said, looking at her thoughtfully.

[inneedofcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Something on your mind?" she asked, taking a seat across from him. Permission was something other people asked.

[chosehumanity]

"Nothing that can be talked about with squirrels around," he said, idly, and leaned back with his cup of coffee, his eyes flicking to the window for a quick check. "So how old are you. Really."

[inneedofcoffee.livejournal.com]

"How old are you that it really matters?"

[chosehumanity]

"About a century, give or take," he said, narrowing his eyes. "I don't have vampires waltzing into my class every semester, I figured I'd work out the details."