The Perk, Sunday afternoon

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

Sunday should be a day of rest, which for Ichabod meant that drinking coffee and eyeing through some of the books he had borrowed from the library made perfect sense. While occasionally taking notes and concentrating on what he was reading, he found his thoughts wandering more than usual. He had spent Friday on the mainland with Celia, which had included a visit to the Science museum as well as stargazing. The girl who had quickly become his closest friend on the island was more than a friend, perhaps, and he alternated between a warm tingly feeling at the thought of her smiling at him, and a more concerned sentiment that perhaps this wasn't the best situation to develop a deep affection for a young lady. However, he felt he had little control of the matter.

On a less complicated but more annoying note, he had managed to get into an argument over the price of water in this establishment. Apparently it was expensive and sold in bottles. One would think that in a time where man could fly though the air with the help of machines water should be freely available in coffee houses.

[open!]

Comments

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Sleeping in the Preserve meant that Nathan was just a little closer to town when he decided to rejoin civilization and deal with the technology that set off the buzzing in his head.

It was another warm day so Nathan donned his sunglasses but left the tattoos and scars visible. No one seemed to care so hew as trying not to. When he stepped inside the Perk, he had to take a minute to adjust to both the air conditioning and the renewed buzzing in his head.

Once that had passed, he blinked and nodded when he noticed Ichabod since Nathan remembered meeting him and didn't want to be rude by just ignoring him either.

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

Ichabod looked up and noted Nathan, whose scars and tattoos were no stranger than his sunglasses, in the opinion of someone from the 18th century.

"Good afternoon," he greeted him. "Please, join me if you like. Although I have to say that the price of water here is exorbitant."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan paused at that and tilted his head, thoughtful for a moment.

"What could make it so expensive?" he had to wonder aloud. "It's not the same thing that you found in rivers and creeks and lakes?"

Perhaps a little less dirty and a little more filter but still. Nathan made his way towards Ichabod's table.

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

Ichabod cleared half the table from books to make space for Nathan and whatever he would decide to get for himself.

"I have no idea," he replied. "The staff did not take kindly to my attempts at haggling. I have to admit that the coffee is quite tasty, however, although I have not tried the ones with Italian names."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I think I might have to stick to what comes out of the tap," Nathan decided, taking a seat so he could give himself a moment to decide on what he wanted. "I don't have enough money to pay for something that comes free."

He glanced back at the menu and shook his head at himself. Couldn't read anything up there anyway.

"Would you recommend anything specific when it comes to the coffee?"

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"Just ask for coffee is my suggestion, although I don't claim to be an expert," Ichabod said, then added: "Is there a problem with your eyes?" Perhaps that would explain the dark glasses.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"What?" Nathan barely even realized he was still wearing the sunglasses since he was just so used to them being on all the time. "Oh no. Sorry."

He pulled the sunglasses off and settled them on the table in front of him. "Sun's bright outside so I tend to keep them on a lot. It saves me from squinting and getting too many headaches."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"No need to apologize. There are no glasses like that in my time, but I can see why they would be helpful if you suffer from headaches," Ichabod said. He paused for a moment, then said, pointing at the sunglasses: "May I try them?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, sure," Nathan said, nodding and sliding the sunglasses towards Ichabod. "You'd be the second person I'd recommend into getting a pair. They're cheap and they really do work."

Plus, they hid your eyes if you were trying to hide something yourself and weren't good at it. Not that Nathan knew anything about that...

"Give it a go, see how they feel."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

Ichabod put on the glasses and looked around the room. As expected, things got darker. That wasn't quite necessary inside, but he could see the point in bright sunlight.

"I'm not sure I have the need for them," he finally said, taking them off an returning them to Nathan. "But I see why they help."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Don't spend a lot of time outside?" Nathan wondered. "Or maybe your eyes are stronger than mine?"

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"Less sensitive to light, perhaps? Although the sun is stronger here than at home." Ichabod took a sip of his coffee. "Do you find that you are able to settle in here?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"As much as I can," Nathan replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's hot here. But, air conditioning is pretty nice."

His grandmother's house hadn't really been equipped with the luxuries that he'd been able to experience here. "It's still strange to me but I'm trying to relax and accept it for what it is."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"That is what I aim for too," Ichabod replied. "Some days are more of a struggle than others, but I have been lucky enough to have someone to guide me. And I have even visited the mainland, transported by a car and visited a museum."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"That's good," Nathan said and meant it. Gabriel had been his guide once and he felt a momentary pang of guilt for sitting here while Gabriel was missing. He swallowed.

"I've experienced some new things but I don't know if I've got any kind of guide or anything," he added after a moment. "I've had some help in learning to swim a bit. And I visited the local bar."

Edward was maybe not the kind of guide that would take anyone to museums.

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

Swimming and going to bars might not be Ichabod's first choice, but that was hardly the point. He would be highly suspicious of Edward as a guide, however, considering the man's manners.

"Miss Bowen, Celia," he was still not used to using her first name with others, "Kindly took me to the museum, and recommended me to explore the wonders of computers," Ichabod said. "How was the local bar?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Not as bad as I expected," Nathan replied. "The band, they are...they take some getting used to."

Considering they were dead and all, they took a lot of getting used to.

"But, it was clean and bright. Nothing like the bars I'd been in before."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"I haven't heard any music from this time. Are they bad?" Because Ichabod did not know about the zombie band. "And clean and bright doesn't sound like the bars I'm familiar with either." Not that he had been to a lot of them. "Would you say it is worth a visit?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I think it's worth a visit, yeah," Nathan decided after a moment. "Just make sure you have a strong stomach. The music isn't bad but the band, I think they might be a bit unwell."

Very unwell.

"They look dead or something."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"Dead?" Because that made little sense. "But they are playing?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, they are," Nathan said, frowning. "It's really like nothing I've ever seen before. It's a complete band but I'm pretty sure the guy playing the guitar lost an arm and had it taped back on while I was there."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

If this wasn't Fandom Ichabod would naturally consider Nathan quite mad. Now he just nodded slowly. "I see. And no one seemed to care?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Well, I did," he said with a slight shrug. "But no one else did, no. It seems like it's a common thing here. Something no one blinks an eye at but...dead people. It's dead people. How can that be normal?"

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"It makes little sense to me as well, but now I am tempted to go and see for myself," Ichabod said. "Perhaps not in Celia's company however. It doesn't sound like a place for a young lady."

[good night!]

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Maybe not," Nathan said with a quiet chuckle. "Not sure how many girls like dead musicians. Not sure how many guys like it either."

Hmm.

"I'm in no way experienced but if you ever wanna check it out, let me know. I'll come along."

[Night!]

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"I would appreciate your company," Ichabod replied. He would; Nathan didn't seem easy to truly get to know, but not at all in an unfriendly way. "Going to a bar should be done in company, after all."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I agree," Nathan said, nodding once. "I would have been a little overwhelmed without someone there with me the first time. The bartender was unhelpful. And the band are...well, you'll see."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"I have to confess I am rather curious about this band," Ichabod told Nathan. "Even if they require a strong stomach."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Hey, you might even be better than me and not stare for the entire time," Nathan said, joking a bit. "I'd still recommend not getting too close. They smell."

[not-called-icky.livejournal.com]

"I will keep that in mind," Ichabod replied. "I believe I shall find dead people moving even more disturbing," he added, looking amused.