[Closed]

[justscribing]

WHO: (fussiest), (justscribing), (cashewlater), & (wreatharrow)
WHAT: Sumeru crew have a little huddle.
WHERE: Some little cafe with outdoor tables.
WHEN: Early July
WARNINGS: N/A







[It's been a couple days for them all to try and orient themselves in this situation. And, given it's already a strange situation, it might as well just get stranger when Alhaitham is the one who makes a decision that they need a gathering between the four of them that already know each other and have the same place to get back to.

In the morning, he scouts nearby blocks until he finds a small cafe, empty as every other place is but with small tables outside which are a suitable meeting space. Also, maybe he can take some coffee bags to go.

Then, he sends a message to Tighnari and Cyno:]

You're not busy this afternoon, right? [Trick question none of them are busy.] Come meet with Kaveh and I around 1 pm. We should establish a routine with each other and share what information we've found.

[And he'll send along the location, and a photo of the cafe front. Just in case.

Kaveh gets less warning, because Alhaitham decides to just tell him in person when he catches him: they're meeting with Cyno and Tighnari (did he know they were here? Well, anyway,). They'll walk there together. Alhaitham brings one of those blank books and a pen, because he's sure he'll want notes.

And slides into one of the cafe seats, just a bit before the designated hour.]

Comments

[fussiest]

Obviously, the good people of this place. The ones that aren't ready for your idea of an interesting time.

If you involve any of us here, I'd least have the comfort of knowing we're used to you.

[justscribing]

[That's going to get blown out of the water in about two weeks. It turns out Alhaitham isn't near the biggest lunatic here.]

We did already agree to your involvement if I'm remembering correctly.

[fussiest]

[ god. ]

Of course I'm involved. You can't be left unsupervised; I said that already.

[justscribing]

Of course you're determined to take up some completely unnecessary responsibility for someone else. Why don't you use that enthusiasm to stay out of trouble yourself?

[What will happen: they will both get in and possibly cause lots of trouble.]

[fussiest]

You- [ !!! ] The lip on you! I stay out of trouble just fine! What trouble have I gotten into in recent memory? Name it, and I shall show you where your definition of trouble has been stretched so egregiously that the material of it is practically see-through.

[justscribing]

Fainting in the desert. [It's too easy.] Some people would consider smashing the Interdarshan's prize causing trouble.

[fussiest]

Incorrect. Neither of those things were trouble. [ with the stubborn lilt of his chin: ] And both were the right thing to do. Try to tell me otherwise.

[justscribing]

Are you suggesting stopped Azar wasn't the right thing to do? Since you've been able to stop talking about how much trouble I caused in that affair. I was under the impression that the consequences weren't absolving the supposed chaos.

[He bites down, barely, the urge to snap about the whole desert affair, because he's not about to hash out "it's trouble for you to endanger your life" in front of Tighnari and Cyno and they didn't exactly come around on the topic last time.]

[fussiest]

[ the red of kaveh's eyes narrow. ]

That's because every time you cause trouble, you involve more than just yourself. [ kaveh draws breath. the argument is disingenuous. the real one goes something like this: that to this day, kaveh has not heard it from alhaitham's lips the way things had gone. kaveh will forgive anyone; kaveh will not forgive alhaitham for it. ] But look, I'm not arguing that with you here. Tell someone at least when you do things, if not me - is that too much to ask for?

[justscribing]

Telling people would be involving them, wouldn't it? [Second argument, same as the first. There's a paradox between what Kaveh says and what he means, and Alhaitham can't help but prod it.] Something you were just complaining about.

[Too much to ask is them bothering to talk directly and not argue semantics around it, clearly.]

[fussiest]

There are degrees to involvement that forestall future trouble, and that includes disclosure. Or was that entire debate we had on frequency and severity just a fever dream?

[ why would two scholarly graduates of the akademiya ever use real words to communicate??? seems sus. ]

[justscribing]

[There are only two adults at this table, actually. It's not Kaveh and Alhaitham.] I remember that but since you've decided that endangering your own health doesn't count as trouble, it's clear you can't be relied on to accurately measure either of those metrics.

[fussiest]

- didn't I just say I wasn't going to argue with you about this here?

[ and then, immediately: ] And both of those incidents were settled. Their consequences were contained to me alone - or did three desert foxes nip at your heels when you were out in the desert last? Is that why you won't let it go?

[justscribing]

[The twitch of his expression before his brows furrow. The consequence is never Kaveh alone. Even if were, that's consequence enough.]

You're the one making it an argument now. I was only explaining my rationale for why I won't be taking your suggestion seriously. [But he knows the well worn path this argument will go.

He pushes his chair back, to grab the handle of the ice chest and drag it closer. Pulling out the layered cream chiffon cake slice in its plastic container. Apparently he's claiming this as his now.]

[fussiest]

Oh? And it has nothing to do with how you turn every rationale into a fight?

[ kaveh rests his head on a pillow of his arms. he observes the filching of the cake, and because he can, makes a face. ] You're going to eat that after drinking the liquid orange? You're going to give yourself nightmares tonight.

[justscribing]

If you wanted it, you should have grabbed it first. [He pops open the container, taking the little (extremely little) plastic fork included with it.

He stabs the cake with his dainty, cheap, disposable fork and takes a bite.]

[fussiest]

[ kaveh's eyes narrow. ]

I hadn't wanted it until now. Give me a bite.

[justscribing]

[Alhaitham just stares as he takes another bite.]

[fussiest]

[ oh, that's it.

kaveh looks. and then, because he is kaveh, he immediately looks for an available fork, snatching it so that he can stick it in the cake's general direction for a carved bite of it for himself. ]

[justscribing]

[Kaveh swipes the bite, and Alhaitham makes a show of wrinkling his nose even though he didn't make a single move to try and block Kaveh from the cake. Nor will he be blocking the second or third attempt.]

[fussiest]

[ the second attempt: kaveh makes a face. it's not as if the first bite was pleasant, but the second one had just been to prove a point. ]

... this is far too sweet.

[justscribing]

[Alhaitham nods slowly.] It takes like sugar.

[Like, just sugar. The baker should consider a change of profession.] And the cream is dry.

[fussiest]

And the breading is more air than breading. [ kaveh slides his fork back onto the table. the curl of his wrist is like finality. ] The only passable part was the strawberry, but even that was too sweet. First the orange, now this. What do they have against fruits tasting like fruit?

[justscribing]

I wonder how old that strawberry was. [It wasn't molding but it sure didn't look fresh.] We don't really know where these come from. Could be this is the result of another place's cultivation to get oranges and strawberries tasting like this.

[fussiest]

[ kaveh makes a face. ]

I seem to recall there being a pack of strawberry cookies at the bottom there. Open those and see if the strawberry tastes the same, would you?