the perk ; tuesday afternoon

[necroslacker]

It felt like it had been years since Sam had visited the island. He knew it hadn't been that long but things had changed so much for him that it seemed like it should have been longer. There wasn't any real motivation behind his visit. He'd just been without anything to do and decided a random pop back to the island wouldn't do anyone any harm. He'd thought about bringing Taco with him but decided against it. If he was truly a magic breaking chupacabra, then releasing him on an island full of weird, magical stuff probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Sam found himself at the Perk when he did arrive. From what he recalled, they had the best coffee on the island and he was still waking up. He ordered the largest cup they had before taking a seat at a table near the window. He figured there'd be new faces (and new colors, for him) to give him a reminder that he wasn't getting any younger. Soon, he'd be old enough to start complaining about it. And then Ramon would smack him in the head and he'd stop.

For now, he was going to drink the coffee and go through a few emails on his phone. It was mostly Council related things anyway. They could wait but Sam taking some initiative now.

[Open town post. For those that don't know, Sam's a necromancer who smells strongly of death and blood (if your character can pick those things up) and has a visual ability to pick up normal person versus not so normal and distinguish what they are.]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie was taking advantage of her smooth Portalocity connection by trying out incorporating mini-vacations away from Ribeirao Preto into her schedule. This week? Getting coffee at the Perk. Yeah, she knew, it was oh so adventurous.

She was also sending out emails as she came in, which was how she managed to not notice Sam for now. But hey, her hair was shorter and her semi-professional outfit was different from what he was used to, too, so maybe he wasn't going to spot her either?

[necroslacker]

Sam noticed her. Even with the changes, he was still very familiar with her and her body that it would have taken a lot for him to not notice her.

He didn't say anything though. Just sipped on his coffee quietly while he watched her from the corner of his eye.

[whenshewasnice]

Well, Natalie noticed him too, eventually. After she was done with her emails for a moment, and got her coffee from the barista. When she turned around to look for a seat, she noticed him.

"Oh. Hey."

[necroslacker]

"Hey." He nodded at her and her newly acquired coffee. "How's it going? Didn't expect to see you here."

[whenshewasnice]

"Same to you." Well, they were both a long way from home. "I'm taking a break."

[necroslacker]

"Just visiting," he said, shrugging. "Haven't been back in awhile so thought I'd come by and make myself feel old."

[whenshewasnice]

"They're not that young, and you're not that old." Had to say it. She looked around, tried to decide on a place to sit. "But I haven't been back much in the last six months or so, either."

[necroslacker]

"Old enough." And sometimes he felt much older. He noticed her search for a seat but...he couldn't bring himself to offer a spot at his table.

He didn't even know if it was appropriate. "Haven't seen anyone but the baristas and you anyway."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie understood feeling older. She did too, sometimes. Whenever it sunk in how many people actually listened to her and did as she said.

She went to take a seat at the table... right by his. Yeah. She wasn't sure sitting at his table was appropriate, either. And the last thing she wanted to do right now was push for anything.

"Guess they're having a quiet day."

[necroslacker]

"That's my preference while I'm here anyway," Sam said, turning his cup in his hands. "I've got enough noise at home. Don't need it here."

[whenshewasnice]

"Well, they don't have chupacabras here."

Even if that was about the only thing Fandom didn't have.

[necroslacker]

"Not yet, at least." But he thought it'd happen one day. "Almost brought taco too but he breaks magic. That'd be disastrous here."

[whenshewasnice]

"Probably," Natalie agreed with a thoughtful little nod. Trying not to be too obvious about how she was watching him. Taking in the details.

It had been a while since they'd seen each other. Her feelings were mixed. "I don't think Fandom needs any help with that. It breaks on a regular enough basis as it is."

[necroslacker]

There weren't huge differences on the outside. Longer hair, stubble, maybe some exhaustion around his eyes but everything else was internal (besides the tattoos that were covered up).

"Something I don't really miss," he remarked with a snicker. "I'm fine with hanging out in Seattle where I don't have to worry about waking up a girl. I just worry about werewolves moving into lofts around the Space Needle."

[whenshewasnice]

"I woke up a kid once in Haiti," Natalie offered, with her tone approaching wryness. Carefully. "Other than that, though, Fandom wacky doesn't seem to have followed me."

She didn't even want to think about how awkward turning into a guy would be.

[necroslacker]

"Mm. Don't jinx it," Sam said and took a few sips from his coffee. "It'll happen now."

[whenshewasnice]

"It better not." She paused to reconsider. "I feel like I should have a plan for how to handle turning into a man, just in case."

[necroslacker]

"Sure you wouldn't be the only one," Sam told her, shrugging. "It's probably a common thing amongst alumni."

[whenshewasnice]

"Not a lot of Fandom alumni working for us in Brazil," Natalie pointed out. "And Peter transforming is, of course, unthinkable."

[necroslacker]

"Meant alumni in general," he said, shrugging. "I don't know, Natalie, stay hidden if it happens."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie didn't think she was quite in the same situation as most fandom alumni, but she let that go.

"That's the plan, I guess. It helps that there are two of us over there."

[necroslacker]

"Well, good luck with that," Sam said, glancing out the window and sliding a finger around the rim of his cup idly.

[whenshewasnice]

"Mm."

She didn't know what to add to that. But she had coffee to sip on, so she did that.

[necroslacker]

"Yeah."

Well, it was always fun when they came to these parts of their conversations. Where neither of them continued the conversation for whatever reason.

[whenshewasnice]

They'd run out of their old usual things to talk about when they'd broken up. And now they didn't even really have their breakup to talk about anymore. So, awkwardness was what they had left.

"I got Moxy back, now that I've settled in," Natalie shared after a moment, looking down at her cup. "He destroyed a plant as soon as he got there, but he seems fine now."