The Perk, Monday Morning

[smilestopscars]

If anyone had spotted black fox running about yesterday, chasing gremlins and generally looking like it was having the time of his life, yep, that had been Ezra.

He was back to being a guy today. And he felt he had more than earned the hot chocolate monstrosity in front of him on this fine morning. As well as his pre-class lounging at a table at the Perk just in general. Also he thought of it as making himself available. So really, it was like a public service.

... Mostly he was distracting the barista with idle flirty glances.

[ooc: Open post, for your Ezra-bothering and other Perk needs!]

Comments

[future_sandworm]

"We don't all have the freedom to choose what we want our life to be," Leto pointed out. "I chose the path that destiny pointed out for me, but at times, such as this weekend, I leave all that behind and enjoy the pleasures of life."

Such as flirting with a very pretty boy, who at least wasn't one of his sister's students.

[smilestopscars]

Ezra's freedom was largely make-believe as well. But whenever he wasn't actively on a mission from the Coterie, he could pretend he wasn't under a blood pact contract.

He tilted his head to the side. "And what path did destiny pick out for you, hmm?"

[future_sandworm]

"Oh, I am the Emperor of the Known Universe," Leto replied lightly. "Destined to rule for millennia and set humanity on a course not heading towards extinction." Ezra could take that as serious as he wanted. "Luckily I also have a wife and daughter who will not let that burden become too heavy."

A wife who didn't have any objection to her husband flirting with pretty boys in a café, luckily.

[smilestopscars]

Okay, even Ezra's eyebrows ended up raised a little bit at that. It was hard to tell how seriously he was taking it.

"Impressive," he said. "No wonder now about that 'enjoying the pleasures of life' thing you said before. Sounds like a situation where stress relief is warranted."

[future_sandworm]

Leto gave a small nod. "Yes, it does, doesn't it?" He took another sip of his coffee. "How would you enjoy yourself if you were in my position?"

Which was very hypothetical, of course.

[smilestopscars]

"Earthly pleasures." Well, that had sort of been covered already. "Good, easy company."

[future_sandworm]

"And do you find a lot of it here?" Leto asked. "I remember offending people as a student, because I didn't find expressing feelings for one person excluded doing the same for someone else. Perhaps times have changed."

[smilestopscars]

"Feelings?" Ezra asked, raising one eyebrow. "I think we've already pinpointed your problem."

[future_sandworm]

"I don't find 'feelings' and 'pleasure' mutually exclusive," he said with a laugh. "Hide from your feelings and they return to stab you in the back. Fear most of all, of course. So, how do you discern which paths of pleasure to pursue if you do nor rely on feelings?"

[smilestopscars]

"I didn't say I don't rely on my feelings," Ezra replied, leaning back in his chair a little. "I just don't let anyone think I'm in too deep. It's worked out very pleasurably for me so far."

[future_sandworm]

"I'm glad to hear it," Leto said. "Although we might have different perspectives on what constitutes depth in these matters."

He added some melange to his coffee, stirring it slowly and taking in the cinnamon-like scent. His body needed the drug to sustain itself while the slow process of transformation took place.

"I take it you find it easy to make all kinds of friends here, then."