The Perk, Monday Afternoon

[suitably_heroic]

Class was over with, and with it, the week or so of hiding out in the apartment that Atton'd been doing. It'd been nice, for as long as it lasted, but getting out of the house that morning had felt better than he'd anticipated.

So instead of heading home after class, he took a detour past the Perk. He ordered something caramelly and sweet at the counter - once again swearing the barista to secrecy about the drink's contents - and then set up shop at the edge, waiting for his drink to be finished.

"So how much longer until you guys hit the Pumpkin Spice again?"

Sigh.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[future_sandworm]

Leto kept making excuses to visit Fandom. And during visits, it had become a habit for him to visit the Perk for a coffee. It was oddly relaxing, just sitting there, watching people walk past outside and listening to the baristas trying to deal with whatever strange orders they got today. Or find that someone he knew was there, although that was becoming increasingly rare. Today turned out to be one of those days though.

"So, are you a regularly here?" he greeted Atton, grinning.

[suitably_heroic]

"I live here and it's the only place that does decent coffee," Atton said, turning away from the counter. "Leto. On vacation again?"

[future_sandworm]

"I am," Leto said, not offering further explanation. "And you are right about the coffee." After a pause, he added: " What are you having today?"

He wouldn't judge him about the caramel, if that was the case.

[suitably_heroic]

There was a long pause.

"Coffee."

Sure. Leto would buy that.

"Strong, black coffee."

Yep.

[future_sandworm]

No, Leto didn't buy that, but he made no sign not to. He ordered a black coffee to himself, then said:

"A good choice. So, any news on the Island, apart from it being back in its usual place?"

[suitably_heroic]

"If there is, I don't know about it," Atton said, shrugging. "I haven't been back long."

And had not been paying enough attention to notice the whole wedding mess.

[future_sandworm]

"Sparkle mentioned that you were away in your own universe when he came to visit." He picked up the cup the barista placed in front of him.

[suitably_heroic]

"I had some things to take care of," Atton said vaguely, and took the coffee he was offered. "Then I stuck around for a while, sine I didn't have a class anyway."

[future_sandworm]

"Are you teaching now? My sister just left Dune to return here to teach, after a summer at home."

He gestued towards a table, should Atton want to join him.

[suitably_heroic]

"Just started again today," Atton agreed. He crossed the length of the Perk and sat down at the table Leto had pointed out. "But the first week is always the easy one. What's Ghanima teaching this go-around?"

[future_sandworm]

Leto sat down opposite him. "Introductions? Ghanima is teaching what not to do in a fight." He smiled a little. "And you?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Sounds like she's got her work cut out for her," Atton said frankly. "Me, I'm teaching probability." Beat. "In a practical sense."

[future_sandworm]

"Practical probability?" Leto looked at Atton. "How would you determine it? What is probable in a specific situation?" He grinned. "Theoretically, I suppose."

[suitably_heroic]

"You could use math," Atton said, "But that only gets you so far."

He took a sip of his coffee.

"Especially practically," he said. "In practice, some of us have good instincts, and some of us don't. Yet."

[2_old_for_this]

Peter was sticking with tea again today; it seemed to be harder for the baristas to mess it up.

He nodded at the guy he didn't recognize. "Hi."

Yeah, his conversation openers hadn't improved much since Saturday.

[suitably_heroic]

Atton raised his eyebrows at the guy. "Hi," he echoed dryly. "What are you staring at?"

[2_old_for_this]

"I didn't think I was staring," Peter said, a bit taken aback. "Sorry."

[suitably_heroic]

"You were nodding at me, anyway," Atton muttered. He squinted. "You're new. Or newish."

[2_old_for_this]

"Yeah." Peter nodded. "I've been here since the cheese planet. Should I not bother you?"

[suitably_heroic]

"We were at a cheese planet?" Atton asked, ignoring the latter question entirely.

Because god forbid he ever be straightforward about anything.

[2_old_for_this]

"Yeah, the whole thing was made out of cheese," Peter answered. "Are you new, too, or were you not here?" Or was he really unobservant?

[suitably_heroic]

"I was away for the whole... summer," Atton said, shrugging. "I was here maybe... one or two times in that whole period? Don't remember anything about cheese, or I might've gone and gotten some lunch."

[2_old_for_this]

"I don't know if you'd have wanted to eat the ground," Peter said. "But it smelled very...cheesy." Like, overpoweringly so.

[suitably_heroic]

"So you're, what, a cheese planet guy?" Atton asked, raising his eyebrows.

The guy did feel kind of weird in the Force.

...But not cheesy.

[2_old_for_this]

"No," Peter answered, "I'm from Earth. I just...ended up here then."