Log:Coffee At Cafe

Coffee At Cafe
Participants Haruki, Oberon, Dielle, Cian, Rorschach, Billy Ray, Hazel, Ian, Franklyn, Oliver, Zillah, Gisa	30 April, 2017 Just a bunch of people hanging out at the Crossroads Cafe.
Location Crossroads Cafe
Haruki's sitting in a window seat, watching the world go by. His black coffee is barely touched. He has been munching on some vegetable soup though. There's also origami paper on the table, which he's been folding into shapes. The back door opens and from there comes a skinny man with a very long beak-ish nose in punk outfit and, behind him, Oberon. The Fairest, today, is wearing a black skirt, combat boots and a white simple t-shirt under suspenders. His hair, short and cream pink is set in a pompadour style and, on each ear, he has a tiny shinning crystal earring. When he sees Haruki in a booth, he says something to the skinny punk guy and changes his path to get to Haruki's table."Hi." Haruki looks over at Oberon, his eyes widening at the change of style. He doesn't comment though, knows better than to do so, instead he smiles. "Hello." His smile is soft, warm. "Join me?" "Sure. What are you having?" He asks as he turns to look at the young blonde waitress that smiles to him and nods to let the man knows she knows what he wants. He then turns to look back at Haruki."So. Are you dating Rorschach? He is a nice guy." Straight and direct like an arrow. "Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" Haruki asks, shaking his head. "I'm not..." he looks down. "I meant it when I said you're the only one I've ever really dated. I still want you," he sighs. "How could I want to date anyone else? Even knowing you don't feel the same way." Oberon bites his lower lip in hesitation at the same time as the waitress comes and delivers a mug of tea with flushed cheeks. He smiles to her in a thanks and waits until she leaves."Who is his girlfriend, by the way? Is that Zillah he talks about?" He asks ignoring the other man's feelings to avoid making it even more awkward. "I thought so," Haruki replies. "I haven't asked him." He sighs softly. "If I make a promise, can you take these feelings away so they never trouble you again? I think I'd like for it to go away. Can you do that?" Oberon arches a brow lightly."What? What are you talking about?" He asks a bit concerned. "No more love," Haruki says. "No more bothering you. Just empty it out and make it go away. No more desire. I suppose I could go back on the pills." Oberon tenses now. He glances around and leans forward to get as close as he can to Haruki. But there is no desire in his cream pink eyes."I will tell you it just once and you better pay attention to me." The Fairest with cream pink short hair then whispers something to Haruki. Oberon today is wearing a black skirt, combat boots and a simple white t-shirt under suspenders. Haruki and he are sitting in a booth by the window. There is a few origami animals and a mug. Haruki gazes back into those eyes and sees it, oh so clearly. And there's pain that washes right over his face He nods, once and listens for what will be whispered. Dielle comes into the cafe. She's been jogging, it looks like, from the teal leggings, sneakers, and neon green athletic shirt. (Really, where did she get a shirt that eye-blindingly bright?) She's pulling out her earbuds as she comes inside, her hair in a pony tail that swings behind her, and a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. She looks happy, which is rather to be expected, what with the running and all. She looks around, then remembers she gets to seat herself, which she does at a table. It's not close enough to Oberon and Haruki to eavesdrop, which is likely just as well. She's an inveterate eavesdropper, but that conversation looks like one it's well to stay out of unless asked. Oberon whispers "Emotions are very, very expensive. Specially the strong ones like Love. Never give them up for free. It's stupidity."" At your booth, Haruki sighs softly. "So I sell my love then. I trade it for something else? First love. First heartbreak. A rare priceless gem? Not diamond, but quartz. I didn't think I was able, and now it's there I do not wish it. For it's so much pain. What would you give me so I may never feel this way again? No more love. No more desire. No more troubling you anymore. What's that worth?" Cian has not been jogging, in fact it looks like he's on a casual stroll. Nothing entirely out of the ordinary really, unless you count the fact that one can nearly see through him. No bones or viscera, just a fuzzy reflection of what he passes by. There's an easy smile on his face as he passes the table with a jogger, followed by the table with .. huh. Maybe his gaze lingers a little long on the Flowering and his companion. Either way, he slides into a table not too far away. His eyes instantly distracted by the brightly colored menus and table signs displaying the specials. Haruki's paying the newcomers little heed, his attention focused upon Oberon. His words are so very soft, a murmur of 'love' that word spoken several times. Along with desire, and pain. Oberon whispers something else to the mortal in front of him before he leans back against the back of his booth and shakes his head. When Dielle comes, the Fairest wiggles his fingers in a silly girl-ish hello. Then comes the translucent man. That one gets a longer look of curiosity. His cream pink eyes follow the unknown Lost until he takes a seat somewhere. The Fairest them gestures to the waitress that comes quickly and smiles with fluhsed cheeks. He whispers something to her that even Haruki can't hear before the girl goes away. Oberon whispers "My world will not touch yours, remember?" At your booth, Haruki nods. "It already has. I will take the oaths to you and yours if I'm allowed." Dielle looks around again, waving back at Oberon, a larger, floppier wave, then sees The New Guy. Well, Dielle's not shy, not really. She points at him. "YOU. New Guy. Haven't seen you around before! Come sit down while I scope you out from top to bottom!" Ok, it's not her job, but it's Dee and she's been running and it puts her in better touch with her smartass side. She doesn't think about what she said, either. She's just letting her mouth run. Cian blinks when he's passing the whispers, the hushed tones, his ears pricking just a little. It's the focus of Oberon and Dielle that cause him to make a slight face. "It's impolite to stare," he mentions to the Flowering until he's literally put in the hot seat and he squirms just a little bit. Those pitch black eyes focus in on the shouting female and he just smirks, "I've already sat, you'll have to come closer if you want that good of a lookeeloo," he says rather bluntly. When Oberon dashes off to take care of brief business, to the toilet, Haruki's left on his own. He looks over at Cian and Dielle curiously, absentmindedly folding some origami. Dielle thinks about that. "Yeah, that's fair," she says, and gets up to move. Once she sits down, she adds, "I'm not on the prowl, I'm just nosy. I'll try not to be too much of a jerkface, though, seeing as how you're new in town." She waves at Haruki, too, because she's seen him, but can't for the life of her remember if she's met him properly. The confusion shows on her face, as she sits. Cian watches Oberon flit off with those oil-slick black eyes and gives a soft chuff. When the waitress finally comes by, he orders brunt toast along with wiggly bacon and runny eggs, because he's strange. With a nod he gives Dielle a curious looking over as she shifts from her table to his. Really it gives him the opportunity to do what she wanted to, looking her up and down with sharply focused gaze. "I'll believe that, when I see it," he quips before glancing over her shoulder at the abandoned Haruki, "Poor guy," yeah none cooth about this or tact, considering Haruki can hear. Haruki's expression mirrors Dielle's. He waves back though. "I'm Haruki, the Magician." If he heard the 'poor guy' comment he makes no sign of it. Dielle calls out, "Hi, Haruki! I'm Dielle." She orders a bacon waffle with extra bacon, fruit on the side and coffee from the waitress, and sits down. If Cian's lookover bothers her, she doesn't show any signs of it. "That's ok, you'll see it soon enough. So, been in town long? Oh, yeah. What I said to Haruki. I'm Dielle." She's got a Southern accent and slurs her consonants together so "Dielle" comes out like a slurred "D.L." Cian gives Haruki a polite nod and a smile before his attention rotates back to Dielle. It's a subtle motion that follows, snaking a hand to the edge of the table and Poof! the salt shaker is missing. Don't mind that, he's looking right at Dielle as he smiles, "Cian, it's a pleasure to meet you," he intones before looking up in time to receive the black coffee he asked for along with his meal. Looking back he shakes his head, "Only about a month or so?" Haruki notices that sleight of hand is it, with the saltshaked vanishing, if not how it was done. His eyebrows arch up, he's busy watching, for all that it's intruding. He smiles at Dielle as she introduces herself, but he doesn't seem to have much further to say other than, "nice to meet you again." "Cute. Real cute." Ok, Dielle might be a bit wide-eyed at that, for all that she's trying not to seem so. Then she gives in. "That was cool, how do you DO that?" Her coffee being here, she does terrible things to it with the milk and sugar. "Are you gonna pull that salt shaker out of my ear? Because if you try to pull it from somewhere else, I might have to smack the crap out of you." But she smiles as she says it. And while everyone's distracted with the salt shaker, the thief is doing what he does and pocketing something else. Fucking klepto. There's a slow blink at Haruki before his gaze settles on Dielle again, "Salt shaker? Wha'?" he's genuinely confused before he turns and looks and startles some. "Hey miss?" he grabs the waitress, "Missing a salt shaker," he informs her and she promptly goes back to fix that. Meanwhile he's just looking at Dielle with a bit of a head tilt, "Don't threaten me with a good time," he coos at her. Haruki's watching. Sleight of hand is his thing. He seems to find Cian fascinating. Dielle is suddenly glad she's sitting on the opposite side of the table. And doesn't have a purse, or at least, not one with her. "My boyfriend seems to think me smacking the crap out of him is a good time, too," and she sounds both pleased and disgruntled. "Never did figure out why. But what the hell, it makes him happy." See? Not on the prowl. She drinks some of her coffee, trying to puzzle out the ways of men and failing dismally. "What brought you to town?" Cian smirks just a little. "Some of us like a little fire in our partners," he explains as casually and without sexism as he can. There's a chuff though, just because she has a boyfriend doesn't mean she isn't thirsty, he's been around long enough. "New opportunities and openings. Couldn't help myself really." Haruki folds some more origami, waiting for Oberon to return, hoping he hasn't slipped out the back way. Dielle takes a moment to sip her coffee and can't quite stop herself. "Haruki, you ever done that thousand crane thing? Does it work?" She looks back to Cian and says, without sounding judgey, "Oh, got run out of other towns?" It's weird how she manages to make that sound everyday and normal, but she does. Cian headtilts at Dielle at her question, "Thousand crane thing?" he asks curiously before just shaking his head, "Nothing like that, I assure you," he's not overly defensive, just stating a fact. He's never been run out of town, he's never been caught. Haruki smiles and nods. "I've done a thousand cranes, but not in exchange for a wish. Wishes are dangerous things. You've to be oh so careful of them." He's folding a crane now, almost automatically, not needing to look at the paper to do so. "But it's peaceful, a meditation of sorts to make them." He then explains to Cian. "There's a legend that if you fold a thousand cranes within a year, that you may make a wish and it will be granted." Dielle looks rueful. "Got a point on the wishes. I always wanted to learn origami, but I have a tendency to go wonky at it. I get three folds in and start cussing. Not very zen for me." She hmmms. "Hey, if your friend don't come back, you could join us." Meaning her and Cian. She's just expansive, today! "I'd say it seems strange to choose a small town instead of a big one, but...well, I used to live in NYC, and here's mostly better. Even if everyone does know everyone else's business." Cian looks at Haruki carefully for a long few moments before nodding, "Wishes are always tricky, especially if you leave fate to decide any piece of it. Tends to get twisted, mm?" he seems to speak from experience, but he levaes it at that before nodding to the Magician in gratitude for the story. Attention wavers and then shifts back to Dielle for a moment, "Who says this isn't a bigger town than where I was?" "It's practice," Haruki says. "The first ten, hundred, might be wonky, but once you get beyond that you can do it automatically." He smiles, and picks up his things. "Thank you." He takes the coffee and origami paper over to them. "It's really different a small town from a big one. Everyone seems to know everyone here, whereas the bigger places you're invisible. What brought you here from New York?" He nods at Cian. "They are." "Seriously? Because this town is tiny. It's so small, it's two towns." Dielle isn't even exaggerating. "Pigeons and snow. The snow got in my pants and boots all the time, and the pigeons act like freaking gangsters. I got fed up with it. So I moved. And I don't actually like heat, and it gets freaking HOT in New York. All that concrete." "There's pigeons and snow here," Haruki points out. "Not quite so much concrete though." Dielle says, "Yeah. But the snow isn't polluted and the pigeons behave like pigeons, not birds that are going to mug you if you don't give them your pizza crusts." She shakes her head. "Seriously, they're diseased, flying rats in New York. They're at least decently behaved, out here." Haruki laughs at this. "Everything's politer, even the birds? It is rather lovely here. So what's it that you do?" Dielle says, truthfully, with a lowered voice as Cian leaves for the bathroom, "I used to be a bartender at a strip bar." SHe goes back to normal levels. "But now, I'm a fill-in bartender, occasionally, and mostly a personal trainer at Aspire Arena. Although, sometimes I fill in making smoothies. How about you?" "Ah, good tips in bartending?" Haruki asks. "I liked watching the fancy ones where they throw the shakers into the air and mix drinks like it's a performance. That's fun. I love Aspire Arena. I went to the opening, didn't get a chance to try anything, but it's full of so much fun. I'm definitely planning to go back when I can squeeze in the time. And I love smoothies. I'm a Magician," he repeats again. "Oh, I..a stage magician, right? I thought I saw you at Aspire, but I wasn't sure. It's been a while." Dielle grins at Haruki and says, truthfully, "The money's better at places where guys are trying to impress the girls who are getting naked. Around here, there kinda aren't any high-end strip joints, so the tips were kinda crappy. Better at a regular bar, but still, not that great. So I'm moving on. There's more exercise in personal training and less with the uncouth idiots wanting to see the goods for free." "Yes," Haruki says. "Stage. I do youtube stuff. I can do a few close up tricks but it's not my favourite. I like the big performances and the showmanship and the gasps of awe and wonder." He nods at that. "I wouldn't know," he admits. "I can't say I ever looked to see what strip clubs were on offer here. I did look for nightclubs but..." he shrugs. "I haven't even visited those yet either." Dielle says, seriously, "Sometimes, Jon and I go for a weekend to New York, if we want to go dancing or something. Or the university sometimes hosts a rave." She shrugs a bit, then says, "You have a YouTube channel? I love stage magic. I don't even want to know how it's done, most of the time, because it's so much fun just watching it!" Haruki nods. He scribbles down the address of his youtube channel for Dielle. The top videos linked are of an act he had with a girl named Zelda in Hollywood. They were never bigtime, and they focused on geeky topics and cosplay, and she tended to be the shining star of the videos. The videos of just his own magic are lacking that spark of originality, and are mostly just him doing the same tricks any of another hundred youtube magicians also do. He smiles and nods. "I wanted to know how it was done, but so I could do it myself. It should be about the performance though, not trickery, or trying to work out a secret. The best magicians you can watch, even knowing how the trick is done, and still be amazed by their performances." Dielle takes the address, and says, "Thanks! I honestly don't know jack about stage magic. Just that I love watching it." She grins at Haruki and says, "Are you from here? Or are you a blow-in, like me?" Haruki smiles at Dielle. "You're the first one to ever ask that, and not just assume. I'm from Okinawa. I'm here with my brother. It's such a nice change of pace from the big cities. Far more relaxing." Dielle grins back at Haruki. "Everyone knows I'm not from here, the accent lets 'em know. But it's damn dumb, in this day and age, to assume that just because someone looks different, they're not from here, wherever here is. Who's your brother?" "He's Itsuki," Haruki says. "He's a Magician too. We're going to do an act together. Or well, we'd planned but I've had no luck at all with the theatre here, and the night of the stars keeps getting cancelled too. So it's been childrens' parties. Itsuki loves childrens parties." Dielle nods and says, "I don't think I've met him, either. But...wait. We have a theater? Man, you'd think I hadn't lived here for over a year, it's pathetic! But children's parties are good. Seems they'd either be easier to wow or harder because they're looking for the catch." Haruki nods. "There's one, but I can't get hold of the proprieters. I've left messages and things but no luck." He shakes his head. "Children are completely different. I think we both prefer performing for adults. It's a completely different skillset really." Dielle says, thoughtfully, "Well, adults going to a magic show /want/ to feel all the wonder and awe." She thinks about that for a while, then smiles at Haruki. "Anyway, you can post a poster at Aspire, when you manage to get a show going." Haruki nods at this. "Some do. Others are trying to look for the trick of it." He smiles. "Thanks, I appreciate that. You've a climbing wall there, and the obstacle course as well? Are the outside ones open yet?" At this point, Cian's in the bathroom and Haruki's come to sit at the same table that Dielle's at, and Cian will be. "I don't think the outside ones will be open until May...wait. That's tomorrow. I think they open tomorrow. I could be /really/ wrong." Dielle's food comes and she brightens up. THere's very little in the world that doesn't look better over waffles with bacon inside and on top, and fruit alongside it. Haruki beams at this. "I know what I'll be doing tomorrow then. Although it'll likely be busy I suppose with everyone else having the exact same idea." Oberon finally comes back from the bathroom with a big grin on his face as he types something on his phone. When he reaches the table, he glances from Haruki to Dielle."You're getting good at making new friends." He says to the small asian man. Then, he turns to Dielle."Do you mind if I join you?" He asks and without waiting her approval, he does sit."We met before briefly, right?" Dielle grins at Oberon. "Very briefly. Like, brief enough that I don't remember your name." But she beams at Haruki, too and says, "I dunno. I'm not entirely sure how many people will show up tomorrow." Haruki smiles softly at Oberon when he returns, and then he glances away. He picks up another sheet of paper to make yet another origami animal, this time a fox. "Please do." There is their earlier conversation. "Will you arrange things?" he asks, referring back to it. A cute little fox forms. He nods at Dielle. "I'm Oberon. Way...hrm." He was going to say more but suddenly something came to his mind and he cleans his throat."What is going to happen tomorro?" He asks glancing between Haruki and Dielle. Dielle is checking her phone, ignoring the bacony goodness for a moment. "Ooops. Tomorrow's thing at Aspire Arena is the indoor obstacle course race. Sorry, Haruki, the outdoor might not be open yet. Spring. Mud. Cold. Things like that." She shoves the phone away and adds, "Dielle. In case you're as good with names as I am." Haruki looks a little disappointed at Dielle's news, but only a little. "I haven't tried the indoor one either. I'm not very competitive or into racing though. I don't mind mud. It's squelchy. Cold's not so good though." Oberon, Haruki and Dielle are sitting all in the same table. There are origami animals, bacon and a mug of tea over it. Oberon grins at something that Dielle said."Oh. That place you always wanted to go, right, Haruki?" He asks to the little asian man. Dielle says, truthfully, "I don't really like most obstacle races. Too much climbing, not enough jumping and I can't jump as well as I used to, anyway. But hey, I'm an employee, maybe I'll just get to work it, right?" She's got waffles with her bacon and fruit, and coffee. THere's a place set for a fourth, but he doesn't seem to be around. Rorschach cam into the cafe, with a ding heralding his arrival from above the door. Speaking of mud. He looked decently cleaned up but as per usuaul on the tail end of a scrap. The bruising was still subsiding near the clean gash on his jaw. Still though, in spite of this he smiled at the gathering. Like all roaches he invited himself over. Haruki nods at Oberon. "It's more fun to do that sort fo thing with friends though. And I've had no friends who've wanted to go." He smiles at Dielle. "I like climbing and jumping. For the fun of it though." He smiles at Rorschach as he enters. "What you having? My treat." He offers. Oberon nods to that bit of information from Haruki and then glances at the Rorschach. To the bug, he grins."Hello, Rors. Do you already know Dielle here?" He asks being all Spring-ish. Dielle snickers. "You could say that, yeah, we know each other. Hey, Rorschach! You look like you tangled with something. I assume they got the worst of it?" She takes another bite of her waffle, after dipping it lightly in syrup. Yum. Rorschach wobbled his head to teh side. At Haruki's offer of food BOTH antennae perked up. A hand fell on Dielle's shoulder giving it a squeeze as he dropped into his seat. The menu was grabbed and flipped open. One must choose wisely. He dropped it down and tapped his finger onto the page excitedly. That! That right there! That one! Want! The Monte Cristo sammich with pickle and fries it was. Well then at least the man was clear on his wants in life. That decided he borrowed a napkin and dabbed it into the fourth glass of water that was brought and then pressed it to his jaw where something neatly sliced his face chin to ear and was repaired with a bit of medical tape. He wasn't fancy. Haruki smiles at Rorschach, and will pay for his meal. "Are you okay?" he asks, concerned. "You need your own personal nurse." It's a light jest. Oberon grins at Rorschach and turns to gesture to the cute young waitress that quickly comes to the table to pick another order. Oberon tells her what the other man wants and asks her to make it quick. When the girl is finally gone, he turns his attention back to the bug to listen his explanation about the bruise he got. Dielle also raises her eyebrows at the bug. She offers him a slice of bacon, it must be true caring. She doesn't offer bacon to just anyone! Rorschach signed, as always <<Fine. I'm fine>> It was a canned answer but he hated complaining. There...was bacon. It was stolen in a flasha nd the Unicorn got a smooch to teh cheek and whatever was haunting him was blissfully drown in bacon. Apparently they knewone another. Curiously he pointed to tehm all maybe deflecting, or maybe avoiding, but he was inquiring about what was happening at the table. Haruki looks at Rorschach, concerned. But he's not going to push, nope. Not when bacon seems to be doing the trick. "You sure you don't want a plate of bacon too?" He doesn't tend to eat meat himself, but seems to have no moral issues buying it for others. "I'm doing okay." In a corner of the Cafe, Oberon, Haruki, Rorchach and Dielle are having breakfast. Or something close to it. There are origami animals around the table, waffles, bacon, mugs and chatting. Like a normal group of people would do. Except, most of them are not that normal. Oberon grins upon seeing the others taking good care of the Moon courtier and picks his mug to sip from it briefly since he has nothing important to add to the conversation at that point. Dielle says, in response to Rorschach's obvious deflection, "There's an Aspire Arena event tomorrow. Obstacle course. I'm kinda hoping that, as an employee, I get to judge it, but if there aren't enough people to make it a good race, I'll probably join it. Other than that, it's been fairly quiet. Other than me wanting to slap the ever-loving shit out of someone for being mean to Gisa. But that's neither here nor there." Rorschach had a nasty incision that was made along his jaw with something rather sharp from chin to ear adn was presently taped with medical tape mostly. It was hasty. More... bacon? Mre bacon was a thing? Fingers plucked the creamer cups from tehir bowl and made a <3 shape with them. That meant yes. Hell Haruki's diet was limited but the bug would eat all sorts of things, many of which ought not to be discussed at the table. His brow furrowed and he rearranged the creamer cups into a :( shape. Oh this was going to be fun. Haruki puts a paper frog down on the table. He presses its butt and causes it to sproing up into the air, across the table, hopefully not into someone's cup or food, but who knows, there's little aim with it. He flags down the waitress and asks her to add a stack of bacon to the order. Bacon comes in stacks, right? There's Cian's congealing food left on the table too, with wiggly bacon and runny eggs and slices of burnt toast, which doesn't look any more appetising now that it's cold. The waitress might try and take that since he's gone now. He beams happily at Rorschach. And then there's Dielle saying that. "That's not nice. At least she has there to stand up for her. It's good to have friends like that." Oberon, with his hair set short and colored in creamy pink matching his eyes in the same colour stays quiet as people talk. The Waykeeper is, strangely quiet and observant instead of being the center of the conversation as he usually is. Dielle does ask the waitress to remove the cold food. Her own waffles are done, but now she's happily nibbling on the fruit. "Yeah, well, some people ain't got any damn manners." As she eats her fruit with her fingers. But from the look on her face, she knows /exactly/ what she's doing. "Other than that, same old, same old. Work. School. Sleep. Try to figure out what the hell I want to study because I know now that it ain't business. Maybe just go for the associates in Liberal Arts. Or learn to fix cars instead." Ian makes his way into the cafe. A regular, he is recognized by those who are there. There are the usual mix of stares, disparaging remarks, and friendly waves depending on how the cult leader is perceived among the mortal populace. He notes those gathered at their table and gives a bit of a nod and a small smile in greeting to Rorsch, Oberon, Haruki, and Dielle before he makes his way over to another table to sit. Rorschach might bite the waitress if she tried to take Cian's congealeaging eggs. Instead she got the most pitiful look and a shake of his head nuuuu. And he did, in fact, adopt the plate. Haruki's statement got a nod and the punk extended a fist across the table to bump Haruki's. He pointed to himself, then Haruki, and then gave the thumbs up. Seeing Ian he grinned from teh good side of his face and pointed to space that could be made if he wanted to join. It's Ian, guys! Oh shit. As an after thought he rearranged the creamers in a :) shape again. Creamer emoji day. "What do you love doing?" Haruki asks Dielle. "Study that. It seems like the best idea. I tried business I think it was as well." He seems a little uncertain. "It was so very boring, all numbers and spreadsheets and... college wasn't for me. But I loved studying magic, completely different that, when you're doing something you're passionate about." He spots Ian enter, and looks over that way, distracted. "Hey... join us?" he asks. Rorschach has him beaming, oh so amused, and there's fist bumps back. Although he does make an ewww face when he goes to eat the food. Still, he's not going to judge, nope. Oberon watches the socialization going on as he idle drinks from his mug here and there. When Ian comes around, he offers the man a grin and a nod."Hey, Boss. How goes?" Billy Ray makes his way into the cafe, talking on a phone. "Uh huh. Uh huh. Yeah, yeah. Ah think so. Gonna need to lap th' bolt a' make sure an' those lugs look damn near shredded, man." A pause as he listens. "Lemme get to JP an' ask 'em? Ah'm sure it's okay. But y'gotta do me a solid, bubba, ah ain't gonna make this for no militia dude or some whacked out fella lookin' to do somethin' stupid. So you do yer ah, whatya call it, due diligence an' whatnot and make sure he ain't part of no group with a stupid-ass name like Pride a' America or America First or God forbid, anythin' involvin' the words white an' pride in any combination. Uh huh. Sure. Uh huh. Cool," he says as he hangs up the phone and steps further into the joint. A point at Rorschach and he grins, "Ey Bubba-R, please tell me you know a guy who c'n get me some mint yet vintage M14 gas piston parts, yeah?" He shrugs off his light coat - doublestack semi auto on his hip, and makes his way to a table. His Spring mantle is in full effect; all spring early rain and flowers, growth. Dielle gets a deer-in-the-headlights look when Haruki asks her what she likes doing, and she goes very still for a moment. Then she gets her face under control and says, "Ain't that always the problem? Sometimes, it's just hard t'find something you like doing, right? Hey, Ian! Hey, Billy Ray! How y'all doin'?" Look! More people! "Uh...dude. Hide that thing. If Hazel comes out, she'll shove that thing up your ass and make you eat it, some fuckheads tried to rob her while I was here a few weeks ago." Hazel comes through the door from the cafe's back room. When the others seem to wave him over, Ian rises from the seat that he'd chosen and makes his way over toward the booth, instead, sliding into the spot that the bug indicated he should take and making himself comfortable. Long slender fingers, green-tipped at the ends fold on the table in front of him after he takes his customary look at the menu. Franklyn enters after Billy Ray - totally by coincidence, and notable because she lingers in the doorway for a moment: half-hanging on the outside as she takes what will be her final drag on a cigarette, before flicking the butt back out into the street. Litter bug! Turning to step into the cafe properly, her nose wrinkles and she stares at the ol' gunslinger Billy as she eavesdrops on his conversation - a plume of smoke exhaled with an audible snort. Did she just roll her eyes? Only to look over to Rorschach and stare she attempts to cut in front of Billy and make a b-line for the hostess station - wincing and muttering to herself as she turns and hastily rummages through an oversized carry all. Billy Ray was in the process of reaching for his shirt, yanking the 'Earnhart Jr 2013' shirt out to cover the pistol as he does, "Ayup. Ah got it. Thanks though Miss Dielle!" he calls as he eyes focus on Rorschach. He frowns, approaching the other man and pointing at his chin, and the global, well understood redneck gesture for 'WTF Dude' and 'Please tell me you saw a doctor' and 'Let me check you'. Haruki, Oberon, Dielle, Rorschach and Ian are sitting in the same booth. There is food, coffee and even origami animals over the table. Standing by the table side there is Billy Ray carring a gun. A few feet away, Franklyn just arrived. Oberon is one of those that get a little bit warry when the gun appears, but unlike the others, he doesn't make any comment about that. Instead, he focus on his coffee. The keen-eared may hear Franklyn mutter to herself, mid-rummaging: "/Jeee/-zuss; this town is all maple syrup and mac-tens? Lord have mercy..." Rorschach looked up from a face full of bacon and sammich as Billy spoke and asked about an acquisition. His head tilted and there was a nod that suggested 'meybbe'. As an after thought he took his little finger and made the creamer cups into a ?. While Ian looked over at the menu he shared his acquired bacon. Awww. He sat quietly and listened to Dielle and seemed curious for the answer of what she was interested in. Haruki does his best to ignore the guy with the gun. Yeah. Pay attention to those at his table. Don't anger the guy with the gun. Staring is bad after all. He does look relieved when Dielle tells him to put it away though. "Oh, are you all right?" he asks Dielle, concerned. "I heard about the robbery." He looks over at Ian, then says, quietly. "You got time to talk later?" And then. "How're you?" He's a little on edge now, picking up some more origami paper to fold a little bird now. It's the waning hours of Hazel-as-elderly, her usual way to roll through her days; when the night shift comes on, one might see a very different side of her, but for now, this is still a serious Mom Voice coming from one who looks like she's earned it: "Anyone causing trouble out here?" Maybe her ears weren't keen enough to land Franklyn's muttering, but she may have caught the gun discussion, though there's a visible relaxation when she sees Billy Ray -- he's an expected armed-and-ready individual, in her book, unlike...certain past troublemakers. It says something that she's on edge enough to be ready to react. Then out she comes towards the hostess stand, pad in hand. "Ah was slow gettin' my piece all hidden Miss Hazel, that's on me. Ah'm sorry," says Billy as he offers a wave and a grin is directed at Franklyn. "Miss, y'all don't want no Mac Ten. Can't hold it for crap and worse it's all kindsa Not Good - that's pretty technical gun talk, there, but ah think you get what ah'm layin' down. Now, a nice MP7, some case hardened armor piercing five point seven millimeter rounds, who-eeeee bubba, yer off to th' races there!" he says. A nod to Rorschach, "Y'see a doc, Rory?" he asks the other man, pointing to his own cheek. "Fer that. Or y'just tape it up yerself?" A smile to the others, "Heya, sorry t'interrupt, that's plumb rude a' me. The man an' ah go back a bit here. Lemme get y'all a piece a' pie each as an apology. In fact, on account a' me forgettin' AND getting an' order done for some hunting dudes this week, pie for everyone, on me!" A finger point at Rory, "But y'all pay fer yer own French style ala mode, ah ain't got no dot com, money, y'all hear me?!" Oberon turns to look at Hazel and casts her a brief smile. Then he turns to look at Billy. His eyes narrow as he was making extra effort to understand what the other man is saying. And when he's done talking, Oberon just retrieves his mug of coffee and sips from it once more. The whole pie thing being ignore, apparently. "No ma'am," Franklyn replies quickly to Hazel, hot-stepping it up to the hostess stand -- but not looking up from rummaging in her bag, bracelets jingling as she does so. Rude lil' millennial. She keeps chattering, sans eye-contact. "I called in, earlier? With a pick-up order? For Garreau." So presumptuous - there's a non-stop quality to her voice, like she's in a rush or something. "And like, is there any way to get extra bacon or---" Franklyn stops short, blinks, and looks up. Billy is speaking to her. He gets stared at, like he is possibly from Mars; her eyes glazing over with all the Gun Talk. At least it's shut her up for a second or two. Franklyn turns and gives Hazel a look that could be classified as 'nervous', although there's a smile spreading on her face. "...Do you do gluten free pie?" She asks eventually, then glances to Rorschach with a wince - adding to Hazel; "Or like, is this not the kinda, like, place?" The black carry-all is hugged a bit closer. Dielle says, quietly, "I'm fine, Haruki, thank you. I mean, someone did get shot, but she's fine, now." There's some inflection to her voice that indicates some anger, but who it's aimed at is questionable. Could be the robbers. Could be someone else. There's a sense that it's not Haruki, however. Ian reaches over and takes a piece of the shared bacon and gives the bug a nudge of thanks with one shoulder. He chews thoughtfully as he considers his own order and then turns his attention to Haruki at the question. Nodding, he says. "Sure. You know where to find me." When the server stops by the booth he puts in an order for waffles with strawberries and whipped cream and a cup of coffee with extra creamer -- he wouldn't want to mess up Rorsch's emojis. Gold eyes flicker over toward Billy Ray, as though just noticing the man, his gun, and the offer of pie, a small smile tugging at the edges of his lips. He reaches up a finger and tips a hat in the man's direction that he isn't wearing. Haruki shoots Rorschach a quick smile. "You want an animal?" he asks. The table's covered in origami animals of all different sorts. It's keeping his hands occupied in a way similar to how his magic does. He shakes his head at the offer of pie. When Franklyn mentions gluten free though his interest perks up. He never even thought to ask. It's still a no though. He nods at Ian, and there's a slight look of worry. "Thanks. You free after breakfast?" Is it breakfast? He does look concerned with what Dielle says, but nods anyway. With all these people he is a bit overwhelmed. "I could do a gluten-free pie, but I haven't had much call for it. Special order, I definitely can," Hazel answers Franklyn. Despite the pie-for-everybody makeup call, her first attention is on that phoned order. "Garreau? I've got it up for you," she calls to the woman with the black carry-all, as she heads to where the phoned order is bagged up in the cafe service window. Rorschach looked to Billy Ray guilty and blinked at him. No. No he never got a professional. Munch munch munch bacon. The boneless bug man slouched in his seat. Evade...evade... he wasn't turning invisible was he> Well damn. Finally he shook his head. At the thoughtfulness to the emojis. At the question of origami he nodded and put his fingers up by his antennae and wiggled his fingers. Yeah, make him a bug. Oberon continues sipping calmly his coffee until it ends. He then frowns at it and bites his lower lip as he stares at the empty mug. He turns around looking for the waitress and, when he gets her attention, he lifts his empty mug before turning back to continue paying attention at the conversation that is going on around him at the table. "Ooohmygawd, that'd be amazing yanno? Oh yeah, perfect." Franklyn chatters on to Hazel, "Thank you, thank you -soo- much." She resumes rummaging through her bag - pace upping towards frantic territory. Miscellaneous bag debris are starting to accumulate: phone charger wire, a mini notebook, some crumpled candy packets, keys... But no wallet. Not so far. A nervous glance around - Oberon and Haruki get a quick look, but it's back to rummaging in no time. The young woman beings grumbling to herself, cursing under her breath. "C'mon now bubba, ah know y'done know better'n -that-." says Billy Ray to Rorschach with a shake of his finger. He digs into his pockets, coming out with a card and pen, he scribbles his number and email on it, putting it in front of the bugman. "Call or email me bubba. Ah know folks, get ya all fix'd up but that ain't no bandaid there, y'feel me?" he says. A smile to eveyone and he pushes out one lanky, skinny hand at Oberon to offer a shake. "Billy Ray Johnson, at yer service, bubba. Pleasure t'meet ya. Pies on me, what's yer poison? Pecan? Peach cobbler? Apple? Cherry? Pumpkin? Ah'm whatya call pie-curious, ah'll eat jes' 'bout any damn pie, any damn day of the week, pardon mah French!" A grin at Franklyn. Dielle reaches over and pats Haruki's shoulder, and nods at him. It's suddenly very crowded! She thumbs up Billy, about the pie, and waves at Hazel. "Wait. They have peach cobbler pie? Hazel, is this TRUE?" It's like someone just offered her a drink from the Holy Grail. Bugs are easy! Haruki makes a shiny black cockroach out of the paper, fingers moving dextrously as he makes the intricate folds required to form the creature. He hands it over once he's done. "Can do some gluten free recipes that even those who eat gluten can have. There's a lot of people going gluten free for health reasons nowadays too. Oat crusts. Or nuts." He looks at Franklyn, concerned. "Have you lost your wallet? I can get whatever you want?" Which doesn't sort the problem if the wallet's lost. He gives Dielle a smile. "In the summertime, Dielle, honey," Hazel says. "Though some years I make it as early as May, so you might see it in the next month or so. It's a good one, i'nnit?" There's some pride in the little drudge's face when bringing up Dielle's grail-pie. She studies Franklyn and her predicament. "You need me to set up a tab? Garreau, you may already have one and just don't know it yet," she says with a kind of wryness. Ian nods to Haruki an says, "Sure, after breakfast would be fine." It doesn't really matter what hour it is. The food is breakfast, and it is fantastic. Glancing over at Oberon, he studies him for a few moments, glancing from him to the mug. He then pushes his full mug over in that direction, not yet doctored with anything to render it un-customizable. He then orders another cup for himself when his waffle arrives. Oberon sees the mug being offered to him and grins to Ian."Thanks, Boss." He says and sips briefly from it to have check on how hot it is and how sugar does it have. When realising it's all good, he sips it again and smiles. Rorschach looked to Billy with that look of a grown man chided. Yes, he was manythings, but he was professional at being on teh wrong end of a rolled up newspaper. They seemed to know one another, but hey it's a small town. The punk held his fingers like a phone to the side of his head and shook it. He didn't have tech to do that with. Aside from that he was focused on his food. Sweet dregs of coffee and charity breakfasts. It wasn't hard to keep him out of trouble. Franklyn looks up from her quasi-frantic bag search to peer at Billy Ray: eyebrow raising as her mouth stretches into a slack grin of shock. Her eyes pivot around to the gathered folk - looking from Billy to Rorschach then Dielle and Haruki, like she's trying to confirm Billy's just said what she thought she heard. The nervousness doesn't quite evaporate though. Haruki is given a once-over: wariness not quite melting away, as Franklyn speaks to Hazel in an semi-embarrassed tone, "Crap--yes, but, uh, it's alright ma'am. I think this dude's like, gonna help me stay outta hot water with the family creditors." Haruki is peered at again, but Franklyn gets distracted by all the origami on display. "Thanks, stranger. Do me another solid: what's with the paper army? You starting a revolution?" "You an' ah will go see someone ah trust, an' we'll get ya all handled, kay?" says Billy Ray to Rorschach. "Y'all jes' enjoy yer breakfast and pie, bubba. It's all good! And ah got a puppy. Y'should meet scout!" To the table, "Y'all mind if'n ah join you fer some pie an' coffee? It's done been one of those days. Someone wanted a fifty caliber pistol for a self defense handgun. Sometimes ah wanna find the folks that made those Matrix an' Underworld movies an' shake some sense into 'em." Haruki pushes the bug over to Rorschach once it's finished. He smiles at him again. He nods at Franklyn. "Something like that." He looks about as utterly harmless as possible. He'll take out his wallet to pay for her food. "Wait, you're Franklyn Garreua, just the lady I've been looking for. You have a theatre?" he picks up the swan he made unfolds it a bit, scribbles down a number and hands it to her. "Can you call me some time?" Dielle stares at Billy. "Oh my god, you've got to be...no, people really are that dumb. Never mind. Yeah, pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable! Hazel, you should, too! By the way, if you make peach cobbler pie, I will be HAUNTING this place. Although, rhubarb should be seasonal right now, yeah? Do you have any rhubarb pie? That stuff is the bomb!" She pats Rorschach on the shoulder, and under the table, spells something out to him using her newly acquired sign language. It's a bit slow. "Just so long as you're covered somehow. Do you need help looking for your wallet or your money roll or whatever you got that you don't have this second?" Hazel asks Franklyn, a question that she waves off a moment after as Haruki comes to the monetary rescue and corners Franklyn a little about the theatrical connections. Since others have said 'coffee', the proprietress heads to the drinks station, and is momentarily en route with a carafe, seeing as it's popular. "Rhubarb and strawberry-rhubarb both," she confirms to Dielle. "If you want rhubarb, I'll have it right up. A la mode?" she inquires. Busy, busy night. The door opens letting in the night air and the tall slender Olly in the long black vinyl rail slicker walks into the room stepping across the floor in high-heeled black leather boots. His face is made up for the night with black lipstick and heavy mascara and his nails are a glossy black as well. He spot some of the people he met the other day and flashes them a smile. Rorschach, Oberon, Haruki... But then the new faces get his attention too and he studies them a moment. Franklyn gives Haruki a small smile as his wallet is taken out - but that look of gratitude is nothing in comparison to the twinkle that crosses her features as she is Officially Recognised. Vanity is a sin that can't quite be hidden by a casual shrug and gentle laughter of faux-humility as she nods. Theatre nerds, ugh. "Oh darlin', of /course/. What did you wanna talk about?" She moves, stepping over to the table to retrieve the swan-note. Hazel gets a thumbs up, and a sheepish grin. "You're a total peach - thanks, like, for the five-star customer service." At least she has the good sense to be polite, even if she's now distracted with looking the origami swan over. There is a sudden ringing on Ian's cell phone and he glances down, lifting the phone to his ear. There's a few murmured words and then he is getting his waffles put into a box to go along with his coffee. Sliding out of the booth, he gives Rorschach's shoulder a squeeze as a silent goodbye, and then he does the same for Oberon. Haruki, he says "I have something to attend to back home. Come by later this afternoon if you wanted to talk." Then he makes his way out of the diner. Rorschach took the origami bug and grinned wide on teh undamaged side of his face and signed <<Chet's going to be jealous>> He looked up to Ian and signed to him something about swinging by later. He did look confused to Dielle and scribbled on a notepage to answer because. face. Voice. Kinda compromised. It was a good evening in the diner. Nothing was blowing up, getting beat up, or being shot at. Banner fucking day. Haruki tenses a little as Oliver enters. He doesn't quite glare but he does pick up his paper to make another bug, a different sort of beetle this time. Super-focused on it in a way he hasn't been on the other things he's making, but his hands aren't quite managing the folds right. He sighs, puts the paper down and starts gathering everything up to stuff in his bag. "I'm a Magician," Haruki says to Franklyn. "I was wanting to discuss the theatre, and some performing space." He nods at Ian. "I will. See you." Then back to Rorschach. He doesn't understand much signing, alas, but he grins back anyway. "Ah wish ah was jokin', ah truly do Miss Dielle," says Billy Ray to Dielle with a grin that's both sardonic and bemused. "And ah," he says as his phone buzzes and he reaches for it, "Dadblast it. Alright, ah should take this, it's our powder guy," he says as he rises. He reaches for the phone, tapping it and putting it up to his shoulder and then ear, "One sec bubba," he says as he reaches for his wallet. He pulls out two twenties and a ten, handing it over to Hazel, "Fer the pies for everyone," he says to her, with a grin, before he begins to head for the door and out. "Yep," he says into the phone. "Yessir, Mister Jackobs. No sir, bubba ain't no swear word, it's a ... well, it's a word. Uh huh. OK. And the pistol powder?" he asks as he steps out. Oberon gives Ian a smile and wiggles his fingers in a child-ish bye. Then he turns to look at Oliver."Hi, man. Do you want some coffee?" And then he notes Haruki's nervousness. He leans closer to the man and says something. "A magician?" Franklyn replies to Haruki, eyebrows raising. There's some hesitation as Billy Ray makes his last stand of the evening - but once the gun totin' roughneck has departed, Franklyn visually calms - exhaling deeply, albeit with the scent of former cigarettes on breath that would otherwise be cinnamon scented. Haruki's tension at Oliver's entrance either not noticed or just overlooked, as Franklyn looks at Rorschach, Oberon and Dielle - all smiles, although when she speaks to the Magician there's a note of challenge in her voice. "Well you know what they say: there is no time like the present, eh? Show me some magic! Let's see what razzle-dazzle you can whip up." Her smile intensifies, as her head cocks to the side. "Please?" Oliver moves up to the third booth to shake hands with the three that he knows there. "Good to see you all again." he tells them. To Oberon he says, "Thanks for showing me the garden. It was... sen-sational." He smiles widely and asks, "Mind if I pull up a chair?" Dielle giggles at what she reads from Rorschach, and says, "You may have a point, there." Then she politely asks the waitress for what seems like a LOT of pie: for here, one each of rhubarb and strawberry rhubarb, heated. Then for home, two of each of those and two of the chocolate cream. She looks from Franklyn to Haruki, shakes her head. "Hazel, I'm gonna get fat and it's gonna be your fault." She pauses, then says, "Please keep it up!" Rorschach looked back to Haruki and sighed into his sandwich. His shoulder nudged Dielle's and sighed. He rearranged the creamers in three lines. -_- and looked to his understudywith a curious expression before focusing very hard on his plate. Haruki's tidied all the origami away into his bag, but sure, magic. He searches inside his bag, and takes out another white sheet of paper and he starts folding it, intricately, more confident now. The shape of a ballerina takes form. He sets her dancing upon the table, spinning as if of her own accord and then with a flick of his wrist she flies up into the air, only now it's a snow-white swan, not a ballerina at all that flutters down onto the table in front of him. It's all very elegant and beautiful, the transformation, if perhaps not overly flashy. He's so focused on his magic that he barely seems to pay attention to anything else. He cups his hands around the swan, lifting them up, opens them and white confetti snows down upon the table like feathers. He blows upon it, lightly, and there in the midst is the paper dancer, lying there. Hazel shrugs. "I just keep people fed, although I advise you to have some protein with your pie," she says to Dielle, not without some humor. Her dishing-up of pie slices gets slowed down, however, by watching Haruki work to produce his little paper flights of fancy. "Say,' she breathes. "Just lovely, that is. You're a talented fellow." Oliver gets a bit more watching; a less-familiar face, as a newcomer, and she's still on edge even if that magic act loosened her up a little. Dielle grins at Hazel and says, "Oh, I will. Not all of that pie is for me. I'm feeding a linebacker, too. And possibly two other people, if I can't get out of it." Then she watches Haruki's performance and starts applauding. "Haruki, that was amazing!" She takes a few creamers and adds them to Rorschach's emoji, to make it a :) instead of the -_- that it was. "That performance deserved some extra creamers," she says, softly. His question being ignored by all the occupants of the booth, Oliver shrugs and moves away. "As you were then." He gives Hazel a glance and finds a booth of his own. He takes a seat, putting his cellphone down on the table and picking up a menu. He persuses it distractedly, looking up once in a while to see if anything's changed. Oberon gestures in silence to Olvier takes a seat and turns to watch the paper show. When it's done, he clasps his hands and smiles brightly."This is lovely, Haruki. You should teach me at some point." He says as he retrieves his mug of coffee and sips from it. A second later, he glances at his phone to check on something and arches a brow."I need to get going. A pipe just broke back at the Wayhouse." And with that warning, he heads outside without even paying for his coffee. Franklyn's expression shifts as Haruki weaves his magic: what was first playful scepticism quickly changes into shock, then something close to astonishment - eyes widening, mouth going a little slack as she watches the transformation. It takes her a moment to compose herself, but when it happens she is laughing and reaching out suddenly, trying to grab the little paper dancer. "No WAAAAY!" The mortal lass turns and looks at the gathered folk: impressed! She's nodding along to Hazel's words before speaking again, "Did you all -see- that? Damn! I'll give you a call -- if that's what you do on small scale, I can't wait to see the stage act... Uh..." She glances back over to where her bag of take away is, then back to the group. "Sorry, what's your like, name again?" Hazel moves swiftly enough from dishing up Dielle's orders to tilting her head down at Oliver. "Welcome, honey. What would you like to drink?" she asks. "Today's special is pot roast --" She no sooner says 'tonight' as something seems to occur to her, and there's a flicked glance towards the kitchen, as if her waitress radar senses where she's going to be needed next, a glance shaken off as she continues: "That comes with hand-whipped potatoes, veg and bread basket. We've also got goulash and mediterranean omelet on special." Haruki smiles at the applaue, perhaps a little shyly. He gives Oberon a 'look' but just nods. He lets Franklyn take the paper dancer, as he sweeps the confetti up into his hands and looks for somewhere to dispose of it. It's just an origami dancer. "Haruki the Magician. My brother, Itsuki might want to come along too. Stage magic's different. I love doing it." Oliver pushes the coffee cup closer to the server as coffee is poured into it. He looks a big glum now, chin resting in his hand. "I think.. a chicken fried steak, two eggs, and some homefries." He blows some confetti off his shoulder that managed to get onto him and then stirs some cream into his cup slowly. "Haruki the magician, brother of Itsuki. Great. Okay, okay, this I can't forget..." Franklyn takes another deep breath, then ooofphs and steps backwards - gesturing towards where her take away bag awaits. "Like, ya gotta excuse me now, Haruki. I've got like the most wicked of hangovers," Still? At -this- time of day? Must be a whooper. "And like, you know how it goes. I'll be in touch darlin', keep the magic flowing!" Moving away, she pockets the swan-note but keeps examining the little paper dancer like it was something precious. Does she pay for anything, as she makes her exit stage left? Of course not. Haruki's got that covered. Rorschach reached up to his spiked black hair and forked his fingers into it thoughtfully staring at the ruins of what was once a sandwich and pickle and fries and was now Cian's remains of his breakfast. He made one sign back to Dielle and blinked noticing the changed arrangement of the creamers and managed to let out a soundless chuckle. Dielle calls out to Oliver, "Hey, sorry for being rude. You can sit with us, if you still want to. Hazel, you wanna take a load off and come sit with us, too?" She grins sideways at her mentor and nods at him. "It'll all work out," she tells him, full of shit as she usually is. Hazel glances back after Franklyn with a look that is not so admiring; theater people do not seem to necessarily earn her fine and fawning attention. Oliver's order gets more care taken. "You want any sauces with that? Cream gravy on the steak, or hot sauce, ketchup, anything like that when I bring it out?" she asks the man with the horns. Dielle gets a momentary and fond glance. "After I serve everybody? Sure. I'll make someone else cover tables after. Let me get everyone square, I'm in the middle of an order." Oliver picks up his coffee and carries it over to Dielle's table. "Yes, ma'am All those things." he tells Hazel. He takes a seat at the other booth, removing his top hat and placing it under the seat. "Hello. I'm Olly." he tells her. He gives Haruki an impenetrable gaze for a moment and then nods to Rorschach. "Howdy." he tells the Harvestman. Haruki gets smaller beneath Oliver's gaze. His shoulders slump a bit and he sighs. Not the most welcoming. Rorschach looked up to Olli and seemed to have had a hell of a day already with a slash to his face unneatly taped up. He was distracted and he finally signed to Oliver after an upnod of greeting waiting for someone to translate. Dielle notices a few things. THe first is Haruki's reaction, which she glances at, and goes a little still. Rorschach's sign has her looking over, and then she says, "Rorschach says to kindly knock that shit off, and to get your sprinkles off another cupcake." She says that to Oliver, without a lot of knowledge about what she's talking about, but she says to Haruki, afterwards, "Hey, Haruki, that stuff you just did? That was fuckin' amazing." She's not even attempting to moderate her language. "I think Haruki might be one of the most talented people I've ever known. And I've met a lot of dancers in my time." She turns to Haruki, and says, "I just gotta tell you, you are amazing. Any time you need something, you let me know, yeah?" She's not going anywhere, she's just making an offer. "And if you ever need me to beat someone up for you, it will be my pleasure." Hazel just takes the order back to the kitchen, and then she's off to clean things and eavesdrop,working on getting out last orders before she comes to snoop and participate more obviously. Winters, right? Sometimes they're just so darn happy to sneak their information rather than sit and have an average conversation, although she at least has the excuse of being on-duty. Oliver looks at Roschach, "You've got me all wrong Rory, besides I already did." He sips his coffee, pleased with himself. He puts the cup down and plays with the salt. "I really don't know what the young illusionist is on about." He looks to Haruki. "Maybe he'll tell us?" His black lips part in a smile. Haruki's blushing to the tips of his ears at what Dielle says. He does look up at Rorschach a moment too, and then suddenly he smiles, bright. He gets a piece of paper from his bag, scribbles something onto it, hands it over to Rorschach with a mischievous grin. Then he downs some of his own previously untouched black coffee. It's long since gone cold. To Dielle he says. "Thank you. I've been working on that one. I love dance. I love dancing. I wish Oberon did as much as I thought he did when we first met. I love that blending of music and magic and dance together. But can't really do that here." He blinks at Oliver. "What?" Rorschach gave Oliver the look of 'dude' He knows what creeping was. He was a goddamned bug. He sure as shit knew when it was deliberate. He didn't seem to have anyparticular desire to do much other than call him out on it. He did take teh note though and arched an eyebrow, looked back to Haruki and considered something and nodded. He looked to Oberon on that note (literally) and scribbled something on a napkin to the tune of: Dude, I finally got my guitar fixed. (see what we did there? note.. tune... man. Tough crowd) Dielle intercedes. "Actually, me offering to beat people up for Haruki's a me-thing. I do that. You can ask my roommate, I keep bruising the poor bastard. But if you want to ask for an explanation, I'd ask Rorschach, since I was translating his sign language." She looks over at Haruki and says, "Dancing's amazing. I wish I was better at it. Good dancers make it look so...free. Kinda like how I feel when I'm running. Or fighting. Except fighting isn't usually set to music if it ain't a movie." Hazel returns at last to the table with Oliver's dinner -- chicken fried steak, home fries, a couple of eggs. The steak's got the cream gravy drizzled nicely, and she pulls a generic squeeze ketchup bottle and a hot-sauce bottle out of the pocket of her apron for the intimidatinng man. "Anyone else need anything while I'm here?" she offers the busiest booth. Oliver thanks Hazel and picks up his steak knife and looks at Haruki. "Look, whatever's got you upset, I'm sorry." He cuts into the meat and pops it into his mouth, chewing and he watches Haruki for a moment. "You're just so timid. I don't know what to do with someone like you." He washes the bite down with some water. "I'll be as nice as I can. Promise." "There's a scene in Kingsman, with a fight that's set to music, have you seen it?" Haruki asks. "But yeah, that's not real life. I think as long as you enjoy it, well, then that's what matters not how good you are. But if you do want to get better, take lessons. Or well, sometimes I just watch the music videos and copy." He smiles. "I love running too though." He blushes at Oliver's words, and nods. "Ah... okay. Thanks." Rorschach scribbled in his notebook for Oliver, 'We'll chat later yo. And find you the guy you want to talk to about that thing. Also just like 'Hi' works. We'll sort it out' There was a nod and frankly, he looked a bit tired. Being around a lot of people when one was perpetually in a state of high alert was trying. At the apology the Roach seemed to stand down. Apparently that was acceptable as he offered Oliver a piece of cold bacon. Hey it's what he had to work with, folks. Once more, Zillah's dressed like she went shopping at Stevie Nick's yard sale. The shadow is wearing a burnout velvet kimono of deep purple, a black velvet crop top and a pair of leather pants. Her boots are shiny. Oh so shiny. To mortal eyes, they're just black with glitter. To Lost eyes, stars dance and blink within them. SO SHINY. She pushes up the brim of her oversized hat, to get a better look around, and then makes a beeline towards that busy table, spring in her step. Dielle says, "Aw, shit, that's easy. With timid people? Talk to them. Like they're...I dunno. People. Use courtesy. Please. Thank you. Hi. How are you. Get to know them. Don't beat 'em up unless they start acting like shitheads." She grins happily, with some barrier inside her let down. "Just act with honor and integrity, same as you do with the assholes like me." Much like Rorschach, that apology went a long way. Then Zillah comes in and Dielle looks entirely delighted! "Zillah!" She's sitting next to Rorschach, but she gets up and moves so she's sitting next to Oliver instead, leaving her seat for Zillah. She does take her coffee. It needs a refill, but that's ok. She also takes her pie, she's not /that/ nice. "Dielle, I'll refill that." Since Hazel got no other answer, but noticed the emptied cup; still, she casts a fond enough smile on Zillah. "Get you anything to drink or to start, since you're joining 'em?" she offers to the shadowy girl. Oliver continues to eat his platter while he listens. When there's a lull he says to Rory, "You know Byron, right? Can you tell him I'm looking for him?" He wipes his mouth on his napkin leaving a black smudge. It's alright, he'll reapply his lipstick later. It's the boots! The boots! Haruki stares at the boots. Oh so shiny! Spellbinding. Boots! Of course there's a person attached to said boots, Zillah. "Hi," he greets with a smile. Nope not staring at the boots. He goes back to his cold coffee. Rorschach held a fist out to Oliver to pound in agreement. The roached-out assaing stopped thouugh mid-bacon setting it back on his platewhen Hazel called attention to Zillah and Dielle was moving. Where was his appren- oh. OH. oh dayum. The downside of being a bug was one generally lacked guile. Wasps were assholes, ants were overly analytical, and moths will never give you a straight answer. Whatever static was fogging up his evening came to a halt and he just stared for a moment at the swooshy-hippie be-booted Shadow merrily traversing the room. The better side of his face split into a skeletal grin. He signed to her though it wasn't hard to guess he was excited about the hedgespun shoes too. There's a bright grin from Zillah to Dielle, as she both greets and makes space for the shadow. Even if there isn't pie left behind. But then there's Hazel, offering drink, and she bobs her head. "Tea? That'd be great. Anything not blueberry." Haruki gets a waggle of brows as yes, he's totally staring at the boots. But they're pretty, she gets it. "Evening," she offers to the table as a whole, sliding right in beside the roach. Fingers start to move in reply, before she notices that...wait. There's only one good side of his mouth. Brows furrow, shadows swirl, and fingers instead take Rorschach by the chin - gently, to turn his head and get a better look at what's going on with the wounded side. Hisshiss, goes the shadow, before she deposits a kiss on his nose. "And of course I wore them." Hand leaving chin, and then a little more signing. Dielle beams, watching Rorschach and Zillah, unashamedly. She does duck her head: somehow, she failed to notice the boots before, but once she sees them, she stares. "Holy fuck, that is some quality footwear!" She finally tears her eyes away and says, with a stupid, fond smile, "Almost as nice as my dress." Then she realizes that a few minutes back, Hazel offered to freshen up her coffee. "You are a goddess, you realize that, right?" she says to Hazel, holding out her cup. "And you make a /damn/ fine cup of coffee." Hazel retreats to get her coffee pot, and to pour the tea, something orangey-spicy, for Zillah; she returns with the water-pot for the shadow and the carafe for the rainbow unicorn. "Practice, practice, practice," she tells Dielle. "And --" And then there's a shout from the kitchen. "And no relaxation for me after all," she states. "Sad to say. Might be back around later if any of you need me." With that, she bustles again for the back. Hazel goes through the green door to the cafe's back room. Haruki's a bit more relaxed now Oliver's gone. Although he is getting a bit tired, never mind the time of day. He stifles a yawn. He watches Rorschach and Zillah, and he's smiling, happy warm fuzzies. Rorschach seemed to come down off the ledge a bit withthe exodus of persons to keep tabs on. all at once. all. at. the same. time. Ugh. Right now though? None of that shit mattered. There was a break in static. Olli apologizing to haruki helped loads though. He blinked and paused and the bug recalibrated. He looked at his plate and though there was a bite taken from it he held the second-hand bacon out to her. He didn't have to offer her hsi soul as a bribe. She already had em. Oh eyah he was at the table. There were people here. He pointed to Zillaha nd then Haruki fingerspelling his name for her by way of introduction following also up with a few gestures, none of which looked at all like a middle finger. He looked at Dielle and then Haruki taking a deep breath and nodding. Yup. That last hour was a helll of a thing. There's tea, and Zillah is prompt to lift the cup to her tea for a slow sip, a happy sigh. Tea is good, yes. She watches the bug, the unicorn, and the Haruki with a silent, thoughtful, and smiling demeanor. She's definitely in a good mood. And there's bacon, which she also takes to nibble on. "Good to meet you, Haruki. And thanks, Dielle. They were a gift from a guy. Knows the way to a girl's heart, clearly." One hand lowering, to settle lightly on the bug's leg. Dielle grins. "Clearly." She's got a dumb, sappy look on her face. Definitely some warm fuzzies going on. "My guy got me a dress, once. Because I'd started an argument with him about something he said that I misunderstood. It was...I still don't really understand why he did it, but someday, we're gonna get married. And that's the dress I want to wear." Haruki smiles softly, warmly. "Nice to finally meet you too," he says to Zillah. "I've heard wonderful things about you. And he is an amazing guy. You're both really lucky. Anchors in the stormy seas." He stifles another yawn. He smiles at Dielle's words. "Mm, that's nice too. Was it a beautiful dress?" Rorschach was in leave of his senses a bit. though he did pause, furrowing his brow faintly and signing something and gesturing to the slash that was taped up on his jawgiving the briefest of rundowns before finishing Cian's cold rubbery eggs. The nice part about bugs was for many quality wasn't a concern. Present vs. not-present was really the important factoid here. He scribbled on a note showing the table, mostly for Haruki "H- meet my imaginary girlfriend from Canada ^_^" "That's incredibly sweet," Zillah comes close to gushing towards the unicorn. Little hearts in her eyes, as she looks over to Haruki, giving him a brief study. "Has my inkblot been telling stories of me, again?," she asks, amused. Resting her chin on said bug's shoulder for a moment, as he signs, before she's taking another peek at that wound on his cheek. No words or signs, just that little hiss again. Dielle grins at Zillah. Comradeship and lack of competition are wonderful things. So is a lack of insecurity. "Just a bit," she says. She looks over at Haruki and says, "Do you have someone, Haruki?" She sympathizes with the yawning. There's been a LOT of people through here today. "She doesn't look like an Alberta," Haruki replies, still smiling, nice and happy. "Just good things, all of them true, I'm sure. Hardly stories." At Dielle's question, he looks pained suddenly. He tries to find the words. "It's horrible. I don't want it. He said I could sell it, and never feel that way again..." the words tumble out and they're not what he meant to say and he's looking horrified and then sighs. "Sorry, tired. Speaking nonsense." The four people are sitting in a very large booth, with the remains of a lot of meals on it. Haruki's looking tired, and Zillah is adorably mother-henning over Rorschach. Rorschach smooched Zillah's cheek where her shin was on his shoulder. On a good note whatever cut him was ridiculously sharp so it was liable to heal pretty damn fast and didn't seem to his anything too functional. At Dielle's question he gave Haruki a sympathetic look and scribbled on the page, 'Dude, so been there. Still old shit still fucks me up somedays but things can get better. Until then it will suck. But you don't have to have it suck all by yourself.' Sage words from the hobo. His hand found Zillah's and gave it a squeeze and he held the bacon up for her if she wnated another bite before eating any more of it himself. Priorities. He will survive, but he will eat second. Out on an evening walk, the golem arrives. There's delicious food, and coffee, so what more could be wanted? For those who can see such things, Gisa's shin glows with a slow, steady light, and for those who have seen her before, well, her shirt's new. The Favorite Green Sweater she seemed to have been wearing pretty consistently since she got here, or maybe she had several of them? Well, she ain't wearin' it anymore. It might be Kyle's fault that she has a t-shirt now that reads SHOMER FUCKING SHABBAS, or maybe she just grabbed one from the store. In any case, no more sweater, t-shirt, and she trundles toward the table with Dielle at it without much pause once she comes in. Maybe she saw her bestie from outside, who knows. Zillah's cheek is given a kiss, and it makes the shadow brighten. "I'm really a moose," she mock-whispers to Haruki, a light shining in those dark eyes. But as he continues, there's a flicker of concern, a sidelong glance to Rorsch. Hand squeezed in return, she leans in and takes a tiny nibble of the bacon before gesturing that the rest is all his. She, she has zesty orange tea to live off of, for now. Dielle reaches over, as if to pat Haruki's hand. But then she stops, because she doesn't have permission, and instead says, "It'll get better. Eventually. If you need a shoulder, I could give you my phone number. If you want. Because before it gets better, it's going to blow chunks, and no one should have to go through that alone." She sees Gisa and pats the chair beside her, but most of her attention stays on Haruki. Haruki nods at Rorschach's note. He pats Dielle's hand when she reaches for his. Wrong way around and all but oh well. And then he scribbles down his own number and hands it to her. "I'd like to keep in touch." He stands up. "I'm going to head home." He smiles faintly at Zillah's comment. "Moose are huge and scary! Beware." Rorschach pointed to Zillah and noded to Haruki. Yup. TOtes scary. Given permissionto keep the rest of the bacon he stuffed it into his face and greeted Gisa with a sign <<Peace. Hi there>> to her. He looked between them and zigned <<Gisa, Zilla...there we met>> His apprentice looking after the masses though? Turned the good side of his face in a little smile. For Gisa's sake he was still healing where he took on their encounter the other night, though it was taped up a bit at least. Another briefly concerned look to Haruki, and the shadow nods. "Be safe, be well. And yes. I'm scary as all hell." Zillah seems amused more than genuine, especially with the dainty way that she's holding her tea cup. It's not pinkie up, but still, super classy. "Hello, Gisa," she offers, as she leans into the bug, her head going back to his shoulder. An occasional flicker of her gaze to the new cut on Rorschach's cheek, displeased, but it mellows out soon enough.