Luke's, Tuesday

[geniuswithasmartphone]

It was bound to happen someday. Hardison, happy at being back in his own body again, had grown careless. Lax. Let down his guard. It had happened all very innocently; he'd been playing his 3DS and accidentally dropped his stylus. The kind of thing that could happen at any time and to anyone. A little more annoying because it roll under a booth instead of staying where it had landed, but, in the grand scheme of things? Not that huge a deal.

Except as Hardison had reached for his stylus, the busboy had yelled, "No! Not that booth! It's too close--"

A shocking pain in his hand, like needles sinking into his skin. A sharp burn of--something. Dizziness. A slight feeling of euphoria.

"--to the vents," the busboy sighed, realizing it was already too late. "Never mind."

Don't worry, young busboy. Father Alec didn't mind. In fact, Father Alec was filled with warmth and forgiving as he pushed himself back to his feet. "I say," he said, his voice now touched with a faint British accent. "Does anyone have a napkin. I seem to be bleeding."

"Do you think Eliot's gonna yell at us for this?" the dishwasher asked, worried.

The cook shrugged, handing a napkin over to to the busboy to give to Hardison. "Depends on what the hallucination is, probably."

"Thank you, my son," Father Alec said, accepting the napkin and holding it to his hand. "Give me a moment to staunch this and then find my collar, and then we can continue with the blessing of the food. Amen."

"...That's probably a yes," the cook sighed, turning back the food. Hey, yesterday's strawberries weren't going to eat themselves.

Today's Specials
Chilled Strawberry Soup
Strawberry Turkey Brie Panini
Goat Cheese and Strawberries Grilled Cheese
Strawberry Sugar Biscuit Trifle
Blessings, weddings, baptisms, we do it all!

Comments

Mod Your Diner

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Possibly for the best

Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

You want a prayer with that?

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

Eliot was too busy giving the special's board a very sharply raised eyebrow to notice Hardison behaving oddly at all, just yet. "Man, the hell is this? This town has a perfectly good chapel, you know."

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"There is no reason for that kind of language, my son," Father Alec reproved gently, from where he was sitting in a booth, sipping at his tea. "And, yes, while there is a chapel and I will be happy to hold a sermon there, I believe that the most emotional of all the sacraments deserve to be held in places of true communion, where we may partake of the Lord's bounty and blessings and feel most at peace."

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

Eliot stopped in his tracks and blinked at him.

". . . What?"

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Churches are important and they move the spirit," Father Alec continued, assuming that the poor soul simply didn't understand. "But in places like this, in restaurants built on the love of food and the desire to share that love, that is where true spirituality can be found. Sermons are all well and good and churches can foster community, but to get someone to truly believe--" he saluted Eliot with his teacup, "--you find where people are most comfortable, where they feel closest to the Lord and there you invite them to share in His mysteries."

Umm, obviously, Eliot. Keep up.

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

Eliot looked beseechingly back at the kitchen staff, who all tried to look innocent.

"Hardison," he said. "What the hell are you -- are you bleeding?"

And here he'd been in a good mood, earlier.

RE: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"It's nothing," Father Alec said, because Hardison downplaying an injury was certain not to set off Eliot's panic buttons. "I just caught my hand on something under the booth over there." With his good hand, he gestured over to the booth that sat directly under a vent grate. Most Fandom regulars knew to avoid places like that. "I doubt I'm bleeding any more, I just tied this handkerchief over my hand to keep it clean. I'll understand if you'd prefer not to shake, though." He chuckled at that. "Please, call me Father Alec."

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

Yeah, that wasn't happening. Eliot wasn't actually listening to Hardison past the 'it's nothing' comment. He grabbed for Hardison's hand to check the wound out himself.

"Did you at least clean it? Jesus, man!"

He was also not about to stop taking any names in vain, either.

RE: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Eliot, you could try the patience of a saint. Not that Father Alec was inviting the comparison, of course.

"I was--I'm going to have to ask you not to use that kind of language," he said, a bit more sternly. "There is no reason to abuse the First Commandment, even in concern."

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

"'I am the lord thy god,'" Eliot quoted. "'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Takin' the name in vain is the second commandment. Or third, dependin' who you ask."

Eliot had been a good Christian boy, once upon a time. Of course he could quote the ten commandments. He finished looking over the mark on Hardison's hand and sighed heavily. "So this must be what a gremlin bite looks like."

RE: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

I knew I should have double-checked that!

"I'm sorry, did you say gremlin?" Father Alec asked, brain eliding right over the correction. Of course he'd gotten it right, just like of course the flash of white at his throat was a proper collar, and not a napkin. "That's absurd. I caught myself on a sharp edge of a booth or a spring or somesuch."

Because the cuts in his hand looked absolutely nothing like a ring of bitemarks, really.

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

aw, but him getting it slightly wrong is SO PERFECT.

"Uh huh," Eliot said, expression entirely torn between a frown and a smirk. "Right, my mistake. 'Father Alec', was it?"

It was best to just play along with these sorts of things, right? Eliot would just stick close to Hardison and film him make sure he didn't injure himself further.

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

Parker'd had a great day swinging from branches, walking on wires, and jumping out of trees.

Okay. Hunh.

"Should I get my nun habit?"

RE: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Father Alec jumped up with a grin. "You're a Sister of the Faith?" he asked. "Yes, please! By all means! I'm so pleased to see another member of the Church here, to help me spread God's divine message!"

Re: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"Um..." What? Parker looked around, expecting an audience. Or a hidden camera. "I was a nun the last time you were a priest, yeah."

RE: Re: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"I'm sorry, Sister," Father Alec said, brow furrowed. "Have we met before? I'm afraid I don't recall. Perhaps because you're not in your habit? You are...?"

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"Soooooooo confused. Or maybe concussed?" Maybe it happened when she wasn't paying attention. "I don't have the habit here, you should know that, you said I could get another one if we needed it, Hardison...?" HALP.

RE: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Are you hurt, Sister?" Father Alec asked, excusing her confusion that way. "Do sit down, I will fetch you some water. I am Father Alec and I will make sure you're well taken care of."

Re: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"Okay! Thanks that's really nice of you but you don't have to do that--" Parker sat on the counter, and scooched down. "ELIOT! WHAT IS GOING ON?"

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

"Parker?!" Eliot hurried over from where he'd been talking to the kitchen staff, then looked from her to Hardison. ". . . Ah."

RE: Re: Talk to Father Alec

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Do you know this Sister?" Father Alec asked. "She seems to be in some distress, mentioned a possible concussion...?"

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"Why is he talking like that?!" Parker hissed. "I thought it was a con at first, but he doesn't know who I am and it's freaking me out!"

Re: Talk to Father Alec

[vdistinctive]

"I am so sorry," Eliot whispered to her. "Yeah, this is my --" He almost went for sister, just from Hardison having said it a second ago, but changed his mind at the last moment. "Girlfriend. She's a little. . . ." He made a face and then looked wide-eyed back up at Hardison. ". . . 'cause our boyfriend got bit by a gremlin and isn't really feelin' himself."

There. Intel shared with Parker without undermining Hardison's delusion (and finding out where Hardison's delusion stood on non-traditional relationships). All while accidentally walking himself into calling the two of them his boyfriend and girlfriend.

Yeah, he'd worry about that part, later.

OOC

[geniuswithasmartphone]

I have a bunch of disguise icons! Might as well use them!