Caritas; Wednesday [04/16].

[somethingwithturquoise]

So Summer had turned back to herself from being a squirrel that morning, and thankfully, it had very conveniently happened while Stark was off doing radio, which meant that she was spared at least a little bit of awkwardness, of the kind that had nothing to do with the usual things that made this animal transformation bullshit so obnoxious. Honestly, in a way, she was kind of grateful for the timing, even if it had taken its sweet time making it happen the night of, but it gave Summer some time to think about things, actually.

Unfortunately, now that she was human again, she had to actually do something about those thoughts. It was enough to make her want to take a quick jump home and start poking through Rick's stuff to see if he had anything to make being a squirrel a little more perminant, tbh.

Anything to avoid having to confront what she'd been staring down the barrel of before she turned.

(Which was the root of the problem, though, wasn't it, Summer??)

Whatever. She was going to put it off as long as she could, all the same, and Stark doing radio while she change was perfect for that because she could just send him a quick text letting him know she was back, but, hey, it was Wednesday, she really needed to get her jello started! And that meant she could spend the rest of the day groaning and swearing and commisserating and probably drinking, let's be real, without the pressure of keeping anyone else's dumb, stupid feelings in mind.

(She did apologize to Pancakes, though, but also, like, how was Summer supposed to know that she was going to be in the path of whatever she was throwing at the time? Come on.)

Either way, she was herself, venting while making jello had....sort of helped, and she was now sulking behind the bar a little as she got ready for her shift, and trying to figure out just what she was going to do about things now that she no longer had the comfort of just being a squirrel as an excuse.

Featured Cocktail
Pink Squirrel

Featured Jello
Fuzzy Navel
Korean Acorn Jelly
Nutty Irishwoman

Caritas is open!

Comments

The Stage - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

One of the zombies' new obsession with the Squirrel Nut Zippers is definitely a targeted attac, right?

The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

No, Summer doesn't appreciate the theme she leaned into, either.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[thatwaslucky]

"You're back," Rey greeted her as she took her seat.

If she hadn't been, Rey would have turned around and gone home right away. Sure, she could have texted to check. Details.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

If she hadn't been, Rey would have to deal with Tino, and, so, yeah, no, legit.

"I'm back," Summer confirmed, with a nod and a smile that was probably more than a little bit too slight for what the context would normally merit. "Just in time for Jello Day, too, so the universe can remain stable after all. How's it going, Rey? What are we getting?"

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[thatwaslucky]

"I'm pretty good. And I think I'll get the- you were really on theme- the acorn one?"

And because she noticed that smile, she asked, "Is it weird being back?"

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Yeah, well," Summer shrugged and rolled her eyes at the Specials board before getting the shot for Rey, "I only turned back this morning, I still had squirrel brain when trying to think of what to make.

"And it's no weirder than any other time I've turned into a squirrel and back, I guess," she added, in a statement that didn't really answer anything and was probably also a little untrue.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[thatwaslucky]

"You just seem a little off," Rey noted.

And she didn't need to talk about it if she didn't want to, but it had not gone unnoticed.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

Which only prompted a swirl of a finger and another roll of her eyes. "Squirrel brain strikes again, I'm suuuure."

Forget the fact that Summer was actually still very much herself on squirrel form, especially compared to most animal transformations.

"Did I miss anything good while I was squirrely?" she then asked, eager to try and shift thr conversation elsewhere.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[thatwaslucky]

"Honestly, not much," Rey said after the slightest pause. "More lava-related activities?"

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[suitably_heroic]

please remind me that enrolling in fandom summer workshops would be an incredibly stupid idea, Jack texted her, stretched out on the sofa. i think at least one or two squirrels still think i'm dead

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

enrolling in fandom summer workkshops would be an incredibly GREAT idea

Summer, that's not what he asked for! But, look, if it was something that was putting a small smile on her face after the awfulness of being back to human when being a squirrel was actually serving a helpful purpose for a change, she was going to pounce on it.

at least one of these squirrels also thinks they have a snowball's chance in hell with me after like 7 years too so who cares? let them think ur a ghost

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[suitably_heroic]

the ONE TIME I need you to yell at me.

Jack reached for his soda.

... also leroy is still on that wtf

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

and miss thr opportunity to see your adorable scowling face on a more regular basis? Fat chance!

But I do think it's a little preemptive, I mean the classes aren't even out yet what if they all suck??

And he's gotten better over the years but I just spent the last week as a squirrel again so I think he got his hopes up that it might be permanent this time, I'm sure he's crying into his rum somewhere now that I'm human again

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[suitably_heroic]

i havent done anything yet but i was just thinkin about festival logistics an if i have a portalocity sub for the summer anyway that might make things easier, Jack typed.

Which was leaving off the 'and then I'd get to hang out with you more' of it all, but if he ever said that out loud, he assumed Summer would know to show up with a gun and demand to know what alien had taken his place.

i still dont get the leroy thing tho like has he seen your relative size?? htf does he think thats gonna work if ur not a squirrel all the time

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

Yeah, that would seriously be some 'welp, gotta go save Jack from a brain slug' kind of bullshit right there.

i literally would rather gouge my intestines out with a plastic spoon and a pair of rusty tweezers than to even begin to think about that some questions are best left way unanswered

And unasked

Festival logistics tho! 1000 x better topic omg

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[suitably_heroic]

yeah were gonna record soon and hopin to be done in time to hit the circuit, Jack texted. trents got some leads already, if you wanna help with the shrewd negotiating.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[stykera]

"Missed you," Stark said softly when he walked up the bar and offered a kiss hello.

"Hi."

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

There was a completely normal, totally not out-of-the-ordinary hesitation from Summer, who seemed to remember that she was not being weird as she gave Stark a quick and fleeting kiss back and gave her best smile, too.

You know, a part of her seemed to have genuinely thought maybe Stark, you know, the guy who was here pretty much every Wednesday since the dawn of the Time of Jello Shots, would skip out on today, and that part of her was very, very stupid.

And the other parts were still scrambling of what to make of the events of the last week, so she stolidly chirped out her "No, not yet!" and there in a "But, hey! Look!" She stepped back....not for distance! Don't be silly! She could just better show off her current state of being better this way!...to gesture at herself. "No more squirrel! So that's pretty awesome! In time to make jello, even, too!"

Here, Stark, have jello, a nice line-up of shots while she went to work on a cocktail for you, too, totally normal, everything is just fine and not weird or awkward or anything.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[stykera]

Why would it be weird or awkward? Nothing to be weird or awkward about! Just two people having a very normal Wednesday after one of the was a squirrel for many days.

"I like you best like yourself and not a squirrel," Stark said. "Leroy disagrees, I'm sure. But he's Leroy." And who cared what Leroy thought?

"But...maybe later, for the other? I know it's been...a lot of days." He'd been counting but last year he'd hovered too much over her squirrel-self and he'd really tried, this year, to make sure she had space.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Leroy can go get sucked into a jet engine," Summer stated as she set down the drink, which was, honestly, a very good step toward the normalcy.

Which wasn't needed, of course, everything was fine.

She did sigh a little, though, looking and feeling very tired.

"It Has been a lot of days," she agreed. "But not as many as some other times, I don't think. And at least I turned back before Sunday."

If she missed another important holiday (no, you guys, not Easter) due to squirreling, she was really going to lose her shit.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[stykera]

"That would improve the island," Stark mused, picking up his cocktail.

"I'm glad you're back now. I wouldn't have wanted to take a squirrel to the dance...And yes. There's Sunday."

He had grand plans to make brownies, Summer! Maybe with some easter candy mixed in.

Re: The Bar - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

There was a slight wrinkle in Summer's nose, as that very stupid part of her had also been thinking that maybe Stark would forget about that dance, too.

But, hey, you know, in that part of Summer's defense, it did seem like they were both conveniently forgetting about what happened pre-squirreling, so it wasn't like she was putting those hopes and dreams out of thin air here!

"I'm sure there are worse things," she offered, conversationally, "to take to a school dance than a squirrel."

The Lounge - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

There may be a very disappointed radio squirrel sighing a lot into a tiny bottle of rum under one of the tables, though.

The Back Room - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

Hey, it's, like, there and stuff.

OOC - 04/16.

[somethingwithturquoise]

My brain is still not ready to return to the world.