The Magpie Emporium, Thursday (10/10)

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph had been awake since far earlier than she would've preferred, but under the circumstances -- namely being vigorously and repeatedly pounced on by a wildly purring pink kitten -- it really couldn't be helped.

"You know, Vi, I'm starting to wonder if you're doing this on purpose on some level, just to help me get through the shittiest month," she said as she bent down to scoop up the kitten who was determined to scale her leg and very vocally indignant about being thwarted. "Which would honestly be pretty fucking sweet of you. Claws notwithstanding."

She was in for a busy few days of having to keep Saffron from absconding with kitten!Vi, and it was a little bit unsettling that she considered this a bit of a routine by now.

[OOC: Open, though I may be even more sporadic than usual. Kitten!Vi modded with permission.]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"Afternoon, Steph," Watts, with slightly less vigour than usual, made his way in to the shop, two mochas from the Perk carefully balanced in a tray in one hand and a bag containing a loaf of bread slung over the other shoulder.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Afternoon, Llewellyn," Steph returned, glancing over her shoulder as a small pink streak went in hot pursuit of a giant bouncing d100. Well, as long as Saffron didn't try to catnap her again. "Watch your ankles. The plush mimics are a little feisty today."

[pocketpretzels]

Which of course had him glancing down that way even as he was putting his hat up on its usual tentacle. "Noted," he said, holding the drink tray out in her direction.

[drumsticksandd20s]

One of the plush mimics had been getting ideas right about the time Steph issued the warning, so when that glance caught it mid-sneaky shuffle it froze in place, trying to look innocent (difficult when you had a lid/mouth full of pointy plush teeth) before caaaaaaaaaaasually scooting sideways instead.

"It doesn't hurt or anything," she clarified, taking the tray and setting one of the drinks on the counter before she took a sip of the other. "They're just fabric and stuffing... as far as I know. Didn't want you to get surprised by it though."

[pocketpretzels]

"One or both of us may well have ended up wearing the coffee, had it succeeded. Painless or not," Watts told her, taking the other cup and a long sip of its contents.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph eyed the steam coming off her coffee cup. "Maybe not necessarily painless, so good point. How's your week?"

[pocketpretzels]

Nearly anyone else, and he would have gone with a 'Fine'.

"Exhausting," he said instead. "I have- not slept well, these past few days."

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph made a sympathetic, concerned noise.

"Fallout from last weekend, or something else?"

[pocketpretzels]

The specifics were, of course, Arden's business and he wasn't about to go broadcasting that. But luckily the way Steph worded her question meant he didn't have to. "The former," he said, wandering over to the dice to pick out a few to fiddle with in his free hand. "Some- unpleasant memories were brought up that my subconscious has seen fit to dwell on." Which he figured she would understand given the general October of it all.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph hadn't been about to press for details anyway; other people's business was other people's business and she was perfectly fine keeping it that way.

"It's kind of inevitable on weekends like that," she said with a hint of wry resignation. "Whether or not you have guests show up, seems like there's always some kind of fucked-up-ness that'll come for a visit. If you want to talk about it, I'm here, but that's in no way an obligation."

[pocketpretzels]

"To be honest, your company alone is more than enough," Watts said. "Hence why I stopped by."

He'd made a similar offer to her last week, after all.

[drumsticksandd20s]

"Works for me," Steph said, glancing across the store to make sure a certain kitten wasn't getting into too much trouble -- which she wasn't, since she was happily riding around on Little Bot. "Always down to play a round or two of whatever board game catches your eye, if you think you want to. Or we can just chill and get caffeinated."

[pocketpretzels]

"These are hot beverages, Steph."

Was that a joke?

Very likely. He absolutely knew what 'chill' meant in this context by now.

[drumsticksandd20s]

Steph laughed and mimed a rimshot. "Ba-dum-tssssss. Nice one. I walked right into that."

Because there was no way he could have known her, let alone anyone else, this long without picking up on the colloquialism by now and she knew it.