The Perk | Thursday Afternoon

[begmetwice]

It seemed that summer was extending its stay a bit, and while Irene had a homesick inclination towards cool and rainy weather, it seemed like a waste to not make the most of these last few warm days.

...by getting her pumpkin spice chai iced. It wasn't as though she was going to spend time outdoors, please. This was Armani. She found her way to a table with laptop in tow, and set about working on the Dite's bookkeeping. She could hire it out, in theory, but these days it felt just a touch too difficult to trust someone else with her money.

And besides, this gave her the opportunity to post up at a window and enjoy the late-summer sun while she worked. (And, as always, the people-watching.)

[open!]

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[sword_chocobro]

Gladio had thought about going and crashing in his office to get some reading done, but honestly? That place was almost too quiet sometimes. It was almost a little eerie. And, sure, there was the apartment, too, but if he was on island that afternoon, might as well make the best out of it, be out and about, and hit up the Perk for a nice coffee to go with his book. He'd even try one of those Pumpkin Spice Latte things he'd been hearing so much about!

And, with that, he grabbed his drink, offered a polite nod of greeting to any of his fellow patrons that might have one, and found a good place to settle in and get comfortable.

[begmetwice]

Irene raised her own drink in a little salute to Gladio, eyeing him with interest as he found his seat. "What're you reading?" she asked, happy enough to mind her own business if he put her off, but naturally curious (read: nosy) enough to ask, anyway.

[sword_chocobro]

It would be a little counter-intuitive, wouldn't it, to pick a public spot to read and then get annoyed to be interrupted? Gladio definitely didn't mind, grinning back as he lifted the cover so that she could have a look.

"Brushing up on a little local history," he offered.

Look, when you were from an entirely different planet, Boston could definitely be considered local. Or at least local-adjacent.

"You familiar with Boston?" he then asked, because books were great, but personal testaments could be just as good, if not better.

[begmetwice]

"I visited about half a lifetime ago," Irene offered, leaning over to peer at the cover with a smile. "But I remember it's a beautiful city. And just absolutely brimming with American history, if that's your thing. I'm an import myself, so I found it tremendously interesting."

Funny how that whole colonization-through-revolution period had been covered a touch differently in British schooling.

"You're going on the school trip, then?" she added. "Those are a lot of fun -- they'll probably have a whole itinerary of offerings figured out for you, if it's like the few I've been on."

[sword_chocobro]

Considering that it had been the use of the word empire in particular that drew Gladio to this particular title, that perspective would be an interesting one, for sure.

"It'll be my first one," he said, his grin gaining somewhat of an almost boyish eagerness to it. "Though I've heard some stories, seen plenty of pictures, of previous ones. Don't get a whole lot of time for vacations, so it'll be a nice change of pace."

[not_a_goddamn_princess]

As far as Margo knew, Eliot had’t walked into any freaky fear demons lately, so she felt kinda safe carrying her big tome of a sci-fi novel into the Perk this time. “Hot girl in Armani chilling behind a laptop at a coffee shop,” she called, as she leaned against the counter with a smirk. “Be still my heart, I almost feel like I’m back in New York.”

She was wearing a nice black-and-white jumpsuit herself. Not every day was skirt day.

[begmetwice]

"Might even pass for Los Angeles if I said I was working on my screenplay," Irene teased, glancing up with a smile. "Though in my experience, hardly anyone talks to each other in cities, and it's a shame."

One of the things she really liked about the island, despite everything that she found frustrating. The friendliness might have been a bit of a joke by now, but it was still nice to be able to strike up conversations with people without, generally speaking, being told to sod off.

[not_a_goddamn_princess]

“Ah, LA,” Margo sighed. “Now there’s some nostalgia for me.”

She looked at the barista. “Yeah, I’ll have a mocha frapp,” she said. “You can take it to that table over there, ’cause it looks like I’m talking to someone in a coffee shop today. Talk about old school, right?”

[begmetwice]

And bookkeeping could wait, in light of that. The figures weren't going anywhere, and Irene even closed up her laptop and shoved it aside, her smile widening.

"Your book won't miss you?" she asked, nodding to that rather large volume. Ugh, be still her heart, because hot girls with big books were totally a thing.

[not_a_goddamn_princess]

“I took the day off. Unless you’re about to spring on me that you’re some kinda Terror Tuesday monster of the week in disguise, I figure I’m not gonna come out of this chat so pissed off I don’t wanna read for the rest of the afternoon,” Margo said.

She dropped her novel on Irene’s table, and grabbed the seat in front of her.

[onlyajones]

Classes were over for the week so it was becoming a habit for Jo to come by the Perk and get her usual hot cocoa. She had received a letter from her friend back home so she was planning on writing back to her.

“Hello,” she said in greeting as she made her way over to a nearby table, so she could start writing.

[begmetwice]

"Afternoon," Irene greeted her with a little smile, watching the girl head to her table. A moment later, she couldn't help herself. "Are you writing a letter? A proper letter, instead of an email?"

Look, not Irene's thing at all -- you would pry her gadgets from her dead (but still beautifully manicured) hands -- but there was certainly a hint of admiration in the question.

Ooh, though perhaps she was old-timey. Hard to say, yet.

[onlyajones]

“Afternoon,” Jo said with a smile, she nodded, “I am,” she said, indicating the stationary set, “I’m from 1952 and my friend goes to boarding school in England so writing is still the only way I have to communicate her,” she explained.

[begmetwice]

"And where in England, may I ask?" Irene replied, her smile widening slightly. "I'm from London, myself. Belgravia."

And by the looks of it, this young lady might well be old-timey, though not by much. Mid-century, perhaps.

[onlyajones]

“I’m from South West England,” Jo explained, “near Cornwall, that’s where my last school was,” she paused, “and I’m Jo by the way, Josephine Jones,”

[sharp_man]

Hannibal came in, picked up some fresh beans, and ordered an espresso.

He smiled at Irene as he passed. "Good afternoon, Ms Adler. That is lovely Armani. How have you been?"

[begmetwice]

"Very well, Dr. Lecter, and thank you." Irene plucked a bit of imaginary lint off her sleeve, beaming up at him. "It's last season, but no one around here would notice but you, I think. How have you been?"

[sharp_man]

"I'm a firm believer in updating my wardrobe," Hannibal said, "but there is something to be said for a classic as well. I've been well. Considering whether I should schedule a trip of my own while the school is out, or simply enjoy the emptiness. And I believe I'll plan a dinner party around Halloween. It's been some time since I've had one."

[begmetwice]

"Will costumes be required?" Irene asked, leaning her chin in a hand. "Because I have quite the selection at the shop."

Not that she would ever go to a party as Sexy Wizened Shark Hunter, personally, but it existed.

[sharp_man]

"Oh?" Hannibal grinned. "Suggested but not required. Have you got anything particularly interesting?"

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon was here for tea. Again. Honestly, he probably shouldn't come so often, but it wasn't as though he had much else to spend his new salary on.

He nodded to the barista and ordered English Breakfast with a bit of milk.

[begmetwice]

"Hello, Jon!" Irene called. She wasn't as aggressively friendly as some of the people here, no, but -- call her sentimental, but she had such a soft spot for awkward Englishmen who looked like they got far too little sun. "Doing well?"

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Hm? Oh, hello, Irene." Jon nodded back and even tried a little smile. It really was nice not to be surrounded completely by Americans. "I'm...well enough? And y...erm, I hope you're doing well."

[begmetwice]

"I'm doing quite well," Irene assured him, smiling brightly in return. "School's all right? I know start of term isn't always the easiest, but these are good kids, generally."

Not that she knew more than, like, two of them.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"It's been going well, yes." Jon nodded. "They do seem to be, erm...well behaved. And some of them are interested. And your, um...your business, I hope it's going well."