The Magpie Emporium, Thursday (3/21)

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph had recently come across an amusing new indie game that she'd immediately had to get in at the store because come on, she had to. A d6-pool one page game about eldritch chickens? Totally an insta-buy in her book.

And naturally she had to fashion a little chicken coop display out of cardboard boxes to show it off, right? Obviously.

She was pretty sure it was just errant sunbeams casting shadows that looked like waving tentacles in the general vicinity of the display, though Saffron was giving them a wide berth.

[OOC: Yes, I did also drop $5 on a single printed trifold sheet of paper when I saw this game, and no, I am not sorry in the slightest. Open!]

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

This was one of those things that had been hovering in what passed for their shared to do list for a while now. But Steven would get distracted or something else would come up and it kept not happening.

Recently, though, Marc had been feeling a little more... interested in what passed for his neighborhood. Okay basically his home and what rounded the corner on the way to Steven's job but that was like a neighborhood, right?

Point being he'd checked on Needful Things twice now - strictly from a neighborhood perspective, no other reason - and even he had to admit it wasn't sitting right to have done that and not so much as said a word to one of Watts's closest buddies in town.

So after Steven got off work at the Museum and headed home, Marc decided to swap in when they passed the Emporium. Steven had no problem with it. He was thrilled, actually.

Though this did mean it was Marc wearing Steven's clothes and holding Steven's satchel when he walked in. Figuring he might as well make things easy on Steph, he went with, "It's Marc. May as well get that out of the way."

So, yanno, hi Steph.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Mistaken-identity comedy was never my big thing anyway," Steph replied, setting a couple of Kids on Brooms 1000-piece puzzles onto a shelf before she came over. "So, Marc. We meet at last. Steph, in case you didn't already know that."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc nodded, because that was as close as he got to saying some kind of appreciation for a gesture.

"Watts's friend," he said, to show he did know. Also there was an implied meaning that being described as such carried weight with Marc. "Not that Steven doesn't like you too, just -"

Marc tapped his head to indicate that's how he remembered her.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph flashed him a quick thumbs up.

"Yeah, I got you, it's cool," she said. "Heard about you from Llewellyn, and freakin' finally get to actually meet you."

She laughed sheepishly.

"Turns out people really like to play games, and like having a place to go and do that, so I'm... kind of just here a lot. What brings you in today?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Steven's been on me to stop by," Marc said. Which he was initially offering as a general comment but then realized it worked to answer her question too. "Figured may as well."

Which wasn't the only reason but it was the one he could actually define. The rest of it was harder so meh. Not worth bringing up.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"As long as you're not here to yell at me about corrupting people with what we sell here I'm not gonna argue," Steph said, then quickly clarified. "That hasn't happened here, just for the record. A couple of times back in Seattle at the board game cafe I worked at, though."

The roll of her eyes said everything she thought about that.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc's attention did increase when Steph mentioned that, but he nodded at the clarification, going back to his previous demeanor. "Well if anybody tries to bug you, let me know. We'll take care of it."

Steph was a good friend to Watts. That went very far with Marc.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Yeah, the clothes aside there was absolutely no mistaking him for Steven; Steph gave Marc a brief but genuine grin.

"I would be very surprised if that happened here, but I appreciate it."

This place did get the weirdest random invasions, after all.

[hasaknightjob]

Hey, Marc had to threaten to break a homophobe's arm during one such invasion. You never knew.

"The house'll protect you too if you need it," Marc said. "Watts may've already set that up but if he hasn't yet I'll make sure when I get home. Tell it to always let you in and keep you safe if there's an invasion or whatever."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Yeah, Steph remembered that particular invasion just about right after she said it.

"That's..." She blinked a couple of times. "Amazing, thank you. I'd say hopefully I won't need it, but, well. This place."

[hasaknightjob]

"This place," Marc agreed. But it was fine. Surely nothing was going to happen soon right?

Oh hey, speaking of, "We're gonna be out of town next week but, yanno. Place is alive. won't need us there to let you in."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Pfft, next week would just be a totally normal-for-Fandom week! Nothing weird was going to happen.

"So I can just... knock and tell it my name?" Steph asked.

[hasaknightjob]

"Yeah. Or do you mind it - " Marc tapped the side of his head again. "Reading your thoughts? Nothing personal but enough that it'll know it's you? If not it won't."

[giveittoyoursister]

Vi had an assignment that basically boiled down to get someone to take you on a date, and well, there was exactly one person that could involve. "Wanna blow the afternoon off," she asked, leaning in the doorway. "I can totally lie to your boss about a fake emergency."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"It's gonna have to be a really convincing lie," Steph replied, smirking. "Her bullshit detector is pretty good, you know."

It was not that good.

[giveittoyoursister]

"Urgent charity work," Vi replied, grinning back. "Feeding the hungry."

[drumsticksandd20s]

"The thirsty, more like," Steph said with a good-natured snort. "But who will guard the merchandise in my absence?"

Wasn't going to be Saffron. She wasn't doing your dirty work, Food Human.

[giveittoyoursister]

Charity should begin at home, Food Human, by feeding hungry cats.

"I'm sure we can figure out someone for this vital task"

Little Bot rolled up with his Sourcebook of Doom clutched in one servo.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Yeah, well, certain hungry cats had literally just been fed thirty minutes ago.

Steph grinned down at Little Bot and his Sourcebook of Doom, which was no less intimidating for having a gremlin shaped dent in its back cover.

"I'll get Shila from the mini painting group to watch the register. They've been asking about picking up some shifts anyway. Why am I really blowing the afternoon off, anyway?"

[giveittoyoursister]

And Food Human's point was.

"Class assignment." Which Vi technically wasn't supposed to tell Steph. "Makes a good excuse to spend more time with you."

Not that Vi needed one.

[drumsticksandd20s]

That there was maybe a half-centimeter wide patch of empty dish at most! There was still plenty of food!

Steph feigned the most exaggerated disappointed face. "And here I thought you just enjoyed my company that much."

It was fine, Vi, she knew you did.

[giveittoyoursister]

But that didn't mean there wasn't going to be a bigger gap later! Food Human was supposed to be vigilant about there being no gaps. Ever!

Vi leaned in to kiss the disappointed face away. "I mean, I don't get just anyone to help with my assignments."

[drumsticksandd20s]

So Saffron expected her to attend to her food dish 24/7? How was she ever supposed to do anything else -- oh wait.

Steph looped one arm around Vi's neck. "You know how to flatter a girl, you know."

[giveittoyoursister]

Food Human wasn't supposed to want to do anything else. It wasn't Saffron's fault if she went off-script.

"I know," Vi replied shamelessly. "I do think it'll be fun to play hooky though."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Was it that Food Human wasn't supposed to want to do anything else, or that Saffron didn't want her to do anything else? (Or anyone.)

Steph remembered, for a brief moment, her flash of jealousy upon hearing about Chloe ditching classes to go hang out with Rachel, what felt like forever ago. Kind of hilarious in retrospect, really; she chuckled.

"Really adds a certain spicy flavor to the whole experience, am I right?"