The Magpie Emporium, Thursday (3/5)

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The Magpie Emporium, Thursday (3/5)

Last week, Steph had ordered several copies of a game about cat rescue somewhat on a whim, because as an inveterate cat lover who happened to run a game store it seemed like the kind of thing she had to do. (Also because, well. Cats.)

She probably should have expected that as soon as she put them on the floor today, the copies she'd reserved for the in-store game library would have been the source of the most high-intensity play of any of the tables -- and that was with two tables booked by her most competitive wargaming nerd regulars and a mini TCG tournament going on.

Steph was seriously convinced that someone would end up flipping at least one table before the day was over, and it was not going to be by one of those groups.

[OOC: Open!]

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You know, Vi had been planning on spending a quality lunchtime with Steph, instead she found herself standing next to the tables. Just standing. Very pointedly.

Steph was not above standing at the counter with her chin propped up on her hand, watching Vi with an exaggerated dreamy look on her face, just saying.

I think the gremlins have it covered, babe, she texted Vi, though it was clear that the pointed standing had already gotten the would-be cat rescuers to simmer down a bit.

It was a good thing that the standing had worked, because there was absolutely nothing intimidating about vi's grin when she checked her phone.

"Hey," she said, coming over to join Steph at the counter.

"My badass hero. What would I do without you?" Steph asked, as if she hadn't defused her fair share of conflicts through sheer use of her scary stage manager voice. "I'm going to have to put disclaimers on the box reminding people that it's just a game. The enthusiasm is nice, I guess."

"I'm sure you'd have handled it," Vi said, the stage manager voice having caused its own share of dreamy looks.

"So long as the enthusiasm doesn't cause a fistfight."

"Maybe the enthusiasm can be channeled into something more productive," Steph mused as she scooted over to lean against Vi. "Like... adding contact info for Furnado and a few mainland shelters if people want to volunteer for real."

Don't think she didn't know what kind of effect her voice could have. On Vi.

"Probably accomplish more than throwing punches," Vi said, laying her chin on Steph's shoulder, deeply aware of the irony of saying that. "I do it enough to know."

Vi suspected as much.

Steph pretended to sigh resignedly and slipped her arm around Vi. "I mean... that would benefit more people than just me, I guess. Watching you be muscle girl works out nicely for me, but nobody else really appreciates just how good you look throwing punches, anyway."

Nobody should get to, if you asked her.

"I don't need anyone else to," Vi assured, cheerfully, deliberately oblivious to the audience that gathered everytime she worked out in public.

The other reason Steph's scary stage manager demeanor hadn't gotten rusty, really.

"Good." Steph turned her head to steal a kiss. "How's your day been, babe?"

Pity some of Vi's audience were into that.

"Good," Vi said, stealing her own kiss in return. "Better now."

It was like they attracted a type or something. Who knew?

"Bet you don't say that to all the girls," Steph said with a chuckle. "I can definitely say my day has gone way uphill since you walked in."

Truly, no one could've seen that coming.

"Only the cutest ones," Vi said cheerfully. "You mean leaving you hot, sweaty, and put of breath?"

Least of all them.

Steph snorted and nudged Vi with her elbow. "That's definitely a state I'm aiming for, but don't get ahead of yourself yet."

Look, everyone had their blind spots.

"What position would you prefer me in." Butter would not have melted in Vi's mouth. Somewhere across the island, Aphra was developing an eye-twitch.

Sure, maybe it was a blind spot because they were too busy ogling each other but details.

"I'd hate to ruin the spontaneity of the moment," Steph replied with an equal amount of deadpan innocence, "but one with approximately zero distance between you and me is always a good start."

Poor Aphra. It was probably chronic at this point.

With the occasional break to glare at the other's admirers.

"I think we can manage that," Vi said with a grin.

It had taken less than a week of close contact with them to kick in to boot.

It was funny how one of them always insisted that nobody else in the world appreciated the other one as much as they deserved, and then got grumpy about said appreciation. But see above re: blind spots.

"How else am I supposed to get through my afternoon, anyway?" Steph teased, taking a light hold of Vi's shirt to tug her in closer.

It hadn't even been that close of contact, either, given that for basically any time that they weren't in their cabin they'd been off the boat. So that was... impressive.

They could admire from a distance. A far distance.

Vi cheerfully shifted closer. "I can think of a few things," she murmured.

Aphra was possibly just a naturally grumpy person when things didn't go her way.

Or at least out of their line of sight.

"As long as all of them involve both you and me, I'm a hundred percent open to any of them," Steph replied, slipping her arms around Vi's neck.

A naturally grumpy person whose choice in music Steph might be judging if she knew.

They had to keep away from their salads.

"Good thing more me they do," Vi said, leaning in to nuzzle Steph's ear.

Like Steph had never had a teenage phase.

Wouldn't someone think of the salads?

"Had a feeling." Steph sighed happily, tilting her head to the side for Vi's convenience. "Because I know you."

Well, of course she had, but it wasn't like she was going to admit to it.

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The Magpie Emporium, Thursday (3/5)

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