The Perk, Thursday Afternoon

[glacial_queen]

After trekking through the preserve with Ben and komodo-Ender to get Ender a real lunch (she'd told Ben that no creature with teeth like Ender was currently sporting was going to be satisfied with ice cream), Karla was in need of a serious caffeine boost. So, after the great hunt had ended and Ender's appetite satisfied, Karla headed over to the Perk for a giant iced mocha.

Because caffeine plus chocolate equaled the best thing ever.

She'd gotten it with the intention of heading back to the cabins to start packing for her trip this weekend, but decided to stay and enjoy the air conditioning a few minutes longer before attempting the trek back. Melting was starting to look like a real possibility this summer. Maybe she'd put off packing a little longer and go swimming later, too.

[Perk is open for all your coffee needs!]

Comments

[wwiii]

It was another hot day, and what was a guy like Warren going to do about that?

Apparently, he'd battle the heat by drinking a triple Americano. Because if hot espresso cut with hot water didn't cool him down, the impending caffeine high would absolutely do that for him, sure.

Warren was sometimes a special snowflake. But at least he was an observant one, right?

"Karla!" He greeted her with a grin as he made his way over to her table. "Good day for coffee?"

[glacial_queen]

Karla glanced up at that familiar voice and smiled right back. "Kiss kiss," she replied. "And any day is a good day for coffee. Especially after a long afternoon of helping a giant dragon-lizard hunt."

Well, 'helping.'

[wwiii]

"Giant dragon-lizard? We're not being invaded by those again, are we?"

And here Warren didn't think it was foggy enough...

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

[glacial_queen]

"Ender," Karla said, laughing. "He turned into one the other day. So no invasions that I know of."

She dimpled at his question. "I'd probably sulk if you didn't," she teased. "All day. And it's far too hot to indulge in a good all day long sulk, you know."

[wwiii]

"Well, it's nice and cool in here," Warren pointed out. "If you stayed for a few more iced mochas, maybe a good frappe or two, you could probably work into a pretty notable sulk if you had a mind to."

Ah, air conditioning.

"Fortunately, I'll make it all a moot point and I'll sit down."

He was so thoughtful that way, sinking down into the seat across from her.

[glacial_queen]

"I appreciate it," Karla said. "I mean, just because I could pull it off, doesn't mean I want to. Good thought about the frappes, though. Still, it would really interfere with my plans for the rest of the day."

She leaned down to take a sip of her iced coffee, peeking up at Warren from under her lashes a bit. "So, how's your week been?"

[wwiii]

"Quiet," Warren admitted. "I'll be kitten-sitting for Hinata over the weekend, though, so I have my doubts that things are going to stay quiet for much longer."

Something about being chewed on...

"Yours?"

[glacial_queen]

"Ahh, I was wondering who she was going to ask while we were gone," Karla said, nodding. "Just remember you're bigger than she is now. You don't have to let her attack your feathers if you don't want to."

[wwiii]

"I'm thinking that the distraction method will probably do wonders for me," he laughed. "If she wants to chew, I'll make her chase kitten treats around. Or maybe try to wear her down with catnip. Or something."

He wasn't going to get through this weekend in one piece.

[glacial_queen]

No, no he really wasn't. Poor thing.

"The aftermath of catnip is good," Karla said, "but I don't think you want to be near her when she's first had some. She'll be crazy." She thought for a moment. "Playdates with Mr. Moxy, maybe?"

[wwiii]

"Actually, that isn't a bad idea. I wonder if Tara would be up for that..."

Kitty playdates certainly seemed more promising then spending a weekend and some change as a human cat toy, that was for sure.

[glacial_queen]

"You can set up a little mini-play area for the both of them," Karla advised. "Sneak to the edge to toss more toys in and then quickly back away."

Had Warren ever given thought to incorporating cats into his villainous flamingo scheme?

[wwiii]

Cats riding flamingos. It would be epic.

"See, where would I be without your advice, Karla? I'd be half-chewed by cats, that's where I'd be. Never leave me."

Yes. Yes that was a swoon. Because he could.

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

Cloud had no coffee needs per se, but chocolate sounded like a good thing to have. Hot chocolate, in that weather; Cloud was a strange guy.

So there he was, fidgeting with the menu as he tried to decide what sounded less like a girl's drink and more like...a guy's drink. Did we mention he's a weird guy?

[glacial_queen]

Karla glanced up and saw Cloud, puzzling over the menu like a male on a mission. Smiling a bit, she stood up and walked over to him. "Paralyzed by choice?" she asked.

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

"Options, my arch-nemesis." Besides the One-Winged one, Cloud always had problems when it came to pick something. "I just keep thinking I'll ask for something pink and with an umbrella; that wouldn't be good." He was stubborn enough to avoid all the hassle and ask for a simple chocolate, too, but he was losing his patience.

"Should I stick with a classic?"

[glacial_queen]

"This isn't Caritas, Cloud," Karla laughed. "I don't think anything comes in 'pink and umbrella'd' here. What are you in the mood for?"

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

Well, that was so good to know.

"Sompething simple. Hot chocolate? A hot chocolate will do." There was no chance to lose with hot chocolate. "Yes, I'll have that." Because it wasn't pink and umbrella-free.

"I owe you an apology", added as he turned to face her better.

[glacial_queen]

"You do?" Karla asked, watching Cloud closely. "Why don't you order your cocoa and meet me back at my table. We can talk there."

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

Could nodded, and moments later he headed towards Karla's table, sighing as he sat.

"Actually, I suppose I owe a number of people an apology, but as I found you first..." He gave a look at his chocolate, and decided that burning his tongue would not help with the things he needed to say, so he set it on the table.

"The mention of Gaia has always made me...twitchy. A lot of bad things have happened there. What I mean to say is that I have probably reacted like an idiot, blaming people and saying things I shouldn't." He took a moment there, deciding he maybe wanted to have some chocolate now.

"So, I'm sorry for reacting like I did the other day, and I am sorry for talking the way I did about other people. I should know better about people being able to change." There, it was probably a good moment to shut up, before he screwed up again.

[glacial_queen]

Karla listened to his explanation and nodded slightly at the end. "I forgive you," she said quietly. "I can handle a little bit of short temper when it's not even directed at me."

She ran her hands through her hair, trying to thing of what she could say. "I wasn't kidding when I said I don't know much. There are people here who aren't quite as far down the timeline as you are and they don't deserve the burden on knowledge that the future holds." That might have been delivered with a small glare; she was in Drake's class, too. "All I do know is that whatever role they played in whatever happens...happened, Reno and Elena are doing everything they can to help. They aren't here on vacation or to avoid dealing with the mess that is your world. They're here so that they don't work themselves to death trying to undo some of the damage."

She fiddled with the straw in her iced coffee. "And if they sometimes ask for help from someone who has a completely different skill set--or, if they get badgered by someone who knows she can help and won't take no for an answer--can you really blame them for agreeing to let that person help? Trying to atone doesn't mean that you do everything yourself. It means you put aside your pride and do whatever needs doing to make things better for everyone."

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

He could accept the Turks were trying to change things; they had actually showed signs of taking their own path the last time Cloud saw them before coming to Fandom. Forgiving them entirely...he didn't believe it could be done, but time would tell. And apparently they had done more than Cloud for Gaia after the disaster.

Cloud listened in silence, his attention alternating from Karla to the chocolate, and his mind going over a list of people he needed to have words with. "I've been such an idiot", muttered as he straightened. The worst part was the he had no idea of how to deal with some things, and apparently couldn't just keep it quiet when he should. He needed to work on his self restraint.

"What have you do for Gaia, Karla?" The way she had phrased that last sentence, with the pronoun and everything gave it away. He was truly curious, mainly because he hadn't just realized the full scoop of Karla's magic.

[glacial_queen]

The look Karla gave him was utterly bland and innocent. "Me? I've just been a good friend to Elena and Zack."

Which wouldn't explain why Reno and Elena both called her Rookie, not that Cloud knew that bit. But she had sworn an oath on her Jewels not to mention her trip to Gaia to anyone. There were too many people who knew what she could do, who might put two-and-two together.

So she lied and she telegraphed that she lied and hopefully Cloud would be smart enough to guess there was a reason she was lying.

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

Cloud leaned back, smirking a little as he took another sip of his drink. "How lucky of them, then", said at last; he had got the message, and was happy to realize he didn't feel like push. A signal he was moving in the right direction? Once again, time would tell.

He suddenly felt like visiting his world now. He knew there wouldn't be anything different, but he needed to remind himself what was back there, with all the implied parts playing their roles to get him where he was.

"This thing isn't half bad", admitted as he gave another look at the chocolate.

[glacial_queen]

"The Perk is known for serving excellent beverages," Karla said, with a smile. "You haven't lived until you've paired one of their drinks with one of J,GoB's pastries."