J,GoB, Tuesday Morning

[hasaknightjob]

Once again Marc was in one of the local establishments pondering buying things for more than himself for reasons he was not examining too closely.

Which was a shame because if he had he might be doing better than last time. As it was he was staring at the offerings at J,GoB and thinking okay, chocolate doughnut for Illyana, muffins for Steven and Watts, and...

Shit, there was something Arden wasn't good on in the sweets department, right? Vanilla maybe? Cream cheese?

Asking was cheating so of course Marc wasn't going to do that. Instead he was going to stare at what was on offer and see if inspiration came to him. Either that or he'd bribe the person behind the counter to come up with something. One of those.

[open]

Comments

[totalwildcard]

Harley wasn't really looking for more than sweets to start her day with. Something to keep her going while she finalized her big heist plans. And, as usual, she got more than she bargained for, immediately upon entering the bakery, seeing him.

Although, it was kind of darkly funny that after the past couple of weeks, her first split-second thought was actually, 'Jesus, if that's Steven, I'm walking'.

But, nah. For what felt like the longest time, she'd always gotten butterflies in her stomach whenever she'd see Marc. And they were most certainly still there, instantly telling her who this was - only right now they felt like they were made of lead, and were just sort of... dropping into a big heavy pile in the pit of her stomach.

She felt terrified.

(No, not like that.)

And after a hesitation of a few seconds at the door, she chose to push past the feeling. (Could she even trust a door to let her escape without incident, after last time? She wasn't about to find out!) Harley took a breath, squared her shoulders, and sauntered right up to the counter right next to Marc, like it was no big thing. Even though it felt like a huge thing.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc spotted Harley coming in. He glanced at her, trying to get a feel for how she was doing.

[totalwildcard]

Harley was more or less right next to him now, so at least the view was... unobstructed, or something? She looked put together (hair, makeup, clothes, all in the usual style), pretending to eye what was on offer, putting on a brave face.

Maybe ruining the effect with how her eyes darted a little skittishly in his general direction once, twice, before they actually dared catch his face.

And then to the pastries again.

A beat went by.

"You wanna talk?" she asked, with a light tone she really wasn't feeling. "'Cause I do."

[hasaknightjob]

"I never wanna talk," Marc said. Then he grimaced because why was he going for jokes right now?

[totalwildcard]

Excellent question!

Because Harley heard that and didn't parse it for an ill-timed joke, and some of her resolve immediately crumbled. "Oh."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc shook his head. Mainly at himself. "I was joking. Bad idea."

[totalwildcard]

Harley blinked.

And then she, too, shook her head. "You are so fuckin' bad at jokes," she said. Murmured, actually. Soft.

Adding 'sweetie' at the end there was so reflexive it almost slipped out, but she managed to swallow it just in time.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc kept his eyes on the pastries.

"I'm aware."

[totalwildcard]

The pastries were getting so much attention right now. Harley was looking at them, too.

She was absolutely not actually seeing them.

"You didn't answer the question."

[hasaknightjob]

"We can talk," Marc said. He looked to see if there was a place they could sit while they did it.

[totalwildcard]

Harley let him worry about that. For her part, she gave a tiny nod, then pulled herself more upright from the tiny slouch she'd been sinking into.

"Two coffees," she told the person behind the counter, "and two of... those, sure." Completely random point at something on offer. "Thanks."

They were getting cronuts, apparently.

[hasaknightjob]

Eh, not like Marc would have been less random with the choices right now.

He got his wallet out to pay.

[stykera]

Stark, if he happened to catch Harley's eye, offered a crooked smile and a soft hello.

He had felt similar feels, after all, and they had been awful.

[totalwildcard]

Unfortunately, in this situation? From the door to the counter to finally the table, Harley only had eyes for Marc, and noticed nothing or no one else at all.

Also the player didn't want to risk breaking the space-time continuum, omg.

[stykera]

The last paintball session of the summer was happening later and Stark, having failed utterly last week, was hoping a baked good or two would help him succeed this week.

Or maybe he just wanted something chocolate this morning. One of those things, anyway.

He nodded a hello to St-, wait, no. That was Marc.
"Hello, Marc."

[hasaknightjob]

"Stark," Marc replied in kind.
He wasn't Steven so the rhyme was not on purpose.

"How's it going?"

[stykera]

Good thing they were in the bakery and not in the Park or the rhymes would be writing themselves. And what if it were after dark?

"All right," Stark said. "And you? Are you all right?"

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave him a wry look. "Interesting times."

But it was Stark and Marc didn't think that made him a minefield so he added, "I'm okay. Had worse."

[stykera]

Stark was probably not a minefield at this time, no.

"All right," he said with a nod. "I can be decent company, if you ever need it. Even just sitting quietly." He might even buy you a drink, Marc.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc nodded. Because saying "thanks" out loud was for other people.

"You can talk if you want."

[stykera]

"Sometimes I talk too much," Stark said. "Often, really."

[hasaknightjob]

"Not doing it now," Marc pointed out.

[stykera]

"Not yet," Stark said, almost smiling.

"I don't always do it but I do it often enough. I babble." That was just how he was.

"But not always, no. Nothing much to talk too much about right now."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc had some theories about why Stark felt that way, but he wasn't going to get into it. Not normally his thing. Plus he had more reasons than usual to not try - well, being human.

Instead he went on another track. "You know what Arden's food thing is?"

What? It wasn't cheating if he asked Stark. For... reasons.

[stykera]

"Arden's food thing?" Stark repeated, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"