Logs:Taking dinner down to size(s)

From From Dusk till Jawn
Jump to navigation Jump to search


Cast

Anneliese Kiel,
June Desrochers,
Nevermore Usher,
Sturm,
Teagan

Setting

Maddy's

Log

Hey look it's Maddy's! Everyone knows Maddy's! It's been a pretty slow night thusfar. As as a result, Sturm's pretty much the only server working the floor -- and at this exact moment, she's not really even doing that. The grumbly frost giant is sitting up at the bar, making casual conversation with one of the cooks through the window as she takes periodic sips from a cup of coffee -- and fires off the odd text or two.

The Jotunn looks a little bit ridiculous - muscles, tusks, scars, horns, and scowl - wearing a frilly blue apron atop her street clothes. Oh, yeah, and she's got a saniderm patch over a brand new tattoo on the inside of her forearm. Isn't that cool?

June comes in through the magical portal to waffle land carrying a Teagan piggyback, which doesn't seem to be giving her any trouble. She comes through the portal with a little hop, like she's trying to be sure she doesn't step on the line of the portal itself, and then looks around for Sturm. "I can't decide if I want waffles or pancakes," she's saying to Teagan at the same time.

The tiny woman is in a green sundress and sandals, because it's too warm to wear any more clothing than a furry red panda lady absolutely needs to.

"I want waffles and pancakes," Teagan answers, their arms wrapped around June's neck lazily, leaning their head against her red curls. "I'm hongreh. I always am hungry the day after a new tattoo." They're wearing their heavy leather coat, of course, and seem contented to be carried by June as she hops through the portal. "Bacon is good, too." Their mirrored eyes glitter sharply as they spot Sturm.

"That apron looks very fetching on you, doll," they call by way of greeting, and kiss June on the top of the head before loosening their arms.

Annie's not at work tonight for a change, but since she had a late class and doesn't want to have to cook (or get Eugene to do so for her), she's visiting Maddy's again. The Nymph's dressed fairly casually as she enters a moment or two after June and her Teagan backpack: knee-length denim skirt and light green teeshirt reading "פיקוח נפש" around a rainbow magen david. Glancing around, she smiles slightly as she spots the other Changelings. "Hey, you lot. How have you been?"

Nevy walks in, her satchel bulging with the peculiar square lumpiness of a bag stuffed with books. She glances around and waves to Annie and the one or two faces she's familiar with.

"Honestly, I prefer when it's slow-" the sound of a new arrival cuts her off mid-sentence, and she holds up a finger to the cook -- because that's just how it always happens when you work in customer servce. Though, when she turns to see June and Teagan, a big dopey grin spreads across her face, and she slides off her barstool. "Junebug," the red panda gets a lil smooch on the top of the head - then Teagan gets one on the cheekbone. "Sweet Tea." Beat. "Kind of you two to show up and ruin my slow day," she sticks out her tongue.

... though her cutesy demeanor immediately disappears when actual customers come in behind them, and she clears her throat before speaking. "How're you two doing tonight? Can I get'chy'all anything?"

"Hi Sturm!" June exclaims when the jotunn greets her, and since her hands are occupied and she can't kiss that high she just leans against Sturm for a moment. "I figured I'd come and be the most annoying customer possible, and then not leave a tip, but then I realized that a lot of the annoying requests would be annoying for the kitchen too, so I decided not to." She turns to look behind her and smiles at Annie and Nevy. "Hey!" she exclaims after a moment passes and recognition dawns. "Churro bowl person! I went back and tried those later. So good. I wonder if they could do churro waffles here."

They hop down off June's back, tipping their chin up to kiss Sturm at the corner of her mouth. "Hey, doll. You look cute." They sling off their heavy leather coat and drop it into a booth, leaving their ratty t-shirt, jeans, and, you know, the machete hooked to the left side of their hip on view, like that's normal. In Maddy's, it certainly is, as long as they don't do anything with it. "Hey, Annie," They offer, tipping their chin up toward her, and then posit, "Prolly could do churro waffles." A slight uptick of their chin toward Nevermore, and they slide into the booth they've claimed, raising a hand as if to scratch at the saniderm patch on the inside of their left arm, and then forcibly putting their hand down on the table. Don't. Scratch.

Annie glances between June and Nevy, a slightly confused expression on her face. "This sounds like something with an interesting story behind it."

Nevy chuckles. "Hey! It was... June, right? Yeah, those things were good." She considers that. "I mean, I can't imagine it'd be too hard to dust a waffle with cinnamon and sugar, right?"

She looks at Sturm. "I'll need a few minutes to decide what I'm eating, but I'd love a coffee, please."

She chuckles to Annie. "There's a craft ice cream food truck. With churro-seasoned ice cream bowls. It's dangerous.

To the rest, she gives a florid, overelaborate bow. "Good evening! Please, call me Nevermore Usher. At your metaphorical service."

"Yeah, and I mean. I'm in your motley so it's not like tipping me actually... does anything? It's all the same pool of funds, so. Technically, even though you're tipping me with your money, you're also tipping me with my money." Her cheeks flush ever-so-slightly at Teagan's comment, and she brushes on past the comment without a verbal response - just nudging Teagan with her elbow. "I'll see what we can do on the churro waffles front," she offers a wink. "If not today, then next time you come in."

There's a pause as she steps away from the cluster of people to put in their order and converse with the kitchen - and she returns with mugs for the group, and a pot of coffee.

"Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be too hard! But there's kind of a texture thing that seems to be important to churros too, right?" June says of the cinnamon and sugar dusting. "Anyway, yeah, that's the story!" June slides into the booth beside Teagan and gestures as she invites Annie and Nevy. "Come sit with us! Thank you Sturm," she says when the coffee shows up. "Do I want french toast or waffles?"

A sort of wry look at Sturm as they pick up their coffee, smiling up at her as she blushes just a little bit. "Thank you, doll," they offer back at her, and don't doctor up their coffee (because it's already doctored perfectly). "I'm sure they could figure it out. I guess you'd have to like... I dunno. I'm bad at cooking. I set cereal on fire." They raise a hand and wave it at Nevermore. "Teagan. They/them." The palm with which they wave has a thick, old scar horizontal across the palm.

Annie shrugs one shoulder. "I have not had churros yet, so I will take your word for it." She glances at Sturm, then. "Could I get a glass of water, please? I do not drink coffee very often." And then her attention returns to June. "Yes," she deadpans, taking a seat opposite the Direct Action members. "To be honest, though, everything I have tried here has been excellent."

Nevy grins as she sits. "Have them make a waffle, batter it in french toast batter, and put it back in the press. Then, have them coat that in cinnamon sugar." Her grin is positively wicked. "It will be delicious until the diabetic shock kicks in." They nod to Teagan. "Nice to meet you. She/her for me - today, anyway." She gestures to her selectable pin.

"Yeah, sure." Sturm grumbles, topping off her own mug while she's at the bar - and delivering it to the table with Annie's water. "I'll join y'all as soon as I put your order in - and sorry, June. No luck on the churro waffles today, but I made sure it was in the suggestion box, so it oughta happen sooner or later." Beat. "Cream and sugar's on the table for anyone who needs it."

"Thanks, cutie," June says to Sturm with a grin. "I think I'll have a tiramisu waffle today. And a side of bacon, please! Oh, and an orange juice." She looks around and suggests, "my treat today? Well, Sturm's treat, since it's our money, as she pointed out." She laughs and leans over to hug Teagan. "You do burn cereal, but we love you anyway."

"The churro bowl thing was good. We went back there. Me and June. Another time." Teagan seems content to just sit there and sip their coffee, looking between the people gathered. "A tiramisu waffle and bacon sounds amazing. Extra crispy bacon. Like, the shards of Narsil bacon." Not that they need to explain this to Sturm, who knows how they require their food cooked. Weirdo. The hug from June makes them smile lazily.

"I shall have to try it out some time, then," Annie shrugs. "For now, though, I think I will have my usual Green Forest omelette with scalloped potatoes on the side." There's a brief pause, then, as she glances between June and Teagan. "What have you two been up to? I do not think I have seen either of you in a while."

"French toast for me, please. Extra bacon, please, and eggs scrambled with cheese?" She smiles and puts down the menu. "I don't think I've seen you since the ice cream," She says, indicating June.

Sturm nods along, taking notes on the group's order on a little notepad that she pulls out of the front pocket of her apron. As the group continues to chat, she adds her own food order to the list, and then stalks off towards the kitchen to put the food in.

... and when she returns, she slides into the booth beside Teagan / June - whichever is closest to the aisle - and she looks quite pleased about it.

"You and your burned bacon," June laughs, but she doesn't mind it that way, so she's not really objecting. "I've been working on joining the fire department," June says to the others, since multiple people have commented on not seeing her around. "I passed the civil service exam a couple of weeks ago, and now it's on to firefighter training!"

She's tiny, like a couple of inches under five feet, but she's also solid muscle... a fact that Nevy can tell, but her fur hides for everyone else.

When Sturm comes she slides over so that she's quite happily squished between Sturm and Teagan. "I'm glad it stayed quiet," she tells Sturm.

"I've been busy," Teagan offers somewhat cryptically, but then, the Mirrorskin never was a share-and-share alike sort of person; their hands stay curled around the mug of coffee, and they scoot in a little more to give room for Sturm and June.

"Oh? What does that involve?" Annie asks June, sounding genuinely curious. "We did not have any such organised groups, in my time."

Nevy blinks, then smiles. "A firefighter? Really? That's neat! Are you one of those people who dreamed of riding one of those trucks as a kid?"

"Yeah, I'm glad it stayed quiet, too." Sturm wraps an arm around June and Teagan - 'cause she got big beefy arms and she can do that, okay? Mostly, she just seems content to listen to the conversation - she's not really a small talk person, but it's pretty obvious from the look on her face that she's just happy to be here. "I was thinking about taking that test, too, June. Was it hard to pass?"

"I did not," June tells Nevy with a laugh. "Not even a little bit. I've happily been a beekeeper for years." Which doesn't explain at all why she made the decision to change careers. "Mostly it involves a lot of learning about how fires work, and making sure I can pass physical fitness exams. My height's not technically an issue, as long as I can pass the tests, and I'm not worried." She wrinkles her nose and tells Sturm, "I mean, I technically didn't finish high school, so... yes, but I managed it on my first try."

Nothing from Teagan: they're busy sipping their coffee and not interrupting June. "Most of us technically didn't finish our schooling in one way or another. Or didn't have much to begin with. Ain't no thing."

Annie nods. "Most of what organised education did exist in my time was not open to most people, and the content they did offer was very different to what is taught these days."

Nevy shrugs. "I have an American public education and an art degree. It's not the same thing, but it's probably not much more useful, all told."

"Yeah," Sturm grunts in confirmation of Teagan's statement. Otherwise, she just sips her coffee in silence - only stopping briefly to ruffle June's fur.

June looks around the table and then at Nevy. "I'm sorry if this comes off a little rude, I promise it's largely just curiosity, but what are you? Since you're here and all, and not reacting to some of what we're saying as if it's that unusual." She turns to grin at Sturm and then leans against Teagan while the conversation continues.

Annie shrugs in turn. "That still gives you a better understanding of modern pop culture than many of us find easy to acquire." She falls silent at June's question, sipping on her water while waiting for Nevy to answer.

Nevy raises her hands in wiggly-fingered spoooookiness. "I hear dead people," She says in an eldritch tone, then gives a smirk. "Well, them and spirits. I'm a Medium."

"That's cool," Sturm offers in an absolute deadpan. "I'm large, and June is small."

... and then, before there can be any pun-ishment for her actions, the kitchen hollers that her table's order is up, and Sturm extricates herself from the booth to fetch the group's food.

"I'm an extra-small," June corrects with a toothy grin. For Nevy it's normal teeth, for everyone else they're a carnivore's. "That's cool, though. I've never seen ghosts. Well, not this world's ghosts.

Annie doesn't seem especially put off by June's teeth, but then being a Changeling means people with carnivore teeth aren't that uncommon a sight. "What size I am depends on where I am shopping. And what for. And the phase of the moon, it feels like, sometimes." Annie rolls her eyes. "I have tried two different shirts, in the same size, from the same company, and had only one of them fit at all well."

Nevy rolls her eyes. "That's why I buy mens' pants whenever possible. What size Large means in any given situation can only be determined with the i ching and a Howdy Doody decoder ring, but 40 inches is 40 inches. Plus, you know, pockets."

"Amen to that," Teagan agrees lazily, taking a swallow of their coffee. "Though, you know, I've found that plus-size women's pants in Walmart? Actual full-sized pockets. There's some sort of class-based observation to be made there." A vague shrug, and they scoot to let Sturm out.

... it isn't long before Sturm comes back with five plates - each balanced on her beefy forearms rather than a tray, because she can fuckin' do that - setting each down in front of their new owners before stepping back away to get the coffee pot, and a pitcher of water to top off drinks.

"I have to do a lot of my shopping in the junior's section," June grumbles. "On the other hand, there are some adorable t-shirts designs." She beams at Sturm when she brings the meals and grabs a piece of bacon to get started with. "The problem is that the pants are never designed for muscular legs."

"Truly?" Annie asks Teagan. "I shall have to check it out sometime. I am not plus size by any reasonable definition, of course, but when did the mainstream clothes industry last have reasonable definitions of women's sizes?"

Nevy has gone quiet, focusing on her meal after an unexpectedly subdued "Thanks" to Sturm.

Reaching to take their plate, Teagan offers mildly, "The regular-sized and junior's at Walmart, not so much with the pockets, but... " A vague gesture. "The things you learn, I guess." Of course, Teagan's long and lean, made of muscle. Why they're shopping in the plus section is anyone's guess. "Thanks, doll," they offer to Sturm.

"No problem," she nods. "It's literally my job." Beat. "... and you're fuckin' telling me," Sturm slides back into the booth beside Teagan and June - grabing her fork and digging into her migas immediately. "Nobody makes fuckin' anything for women of my height, or build - let alone flattering shit." She shovels food into her mouth. Eating fast is just something you do when you're on the clock. Customers always come in at the worst times. "There's a reason most of my clothes are the same shit I wore in my twenties."

"What's the matter, Nevermore?" June asks, since Nevy seems to be unusually subdued. She nibbles on her bacon, but seems more concerned about Nevy than about her food right this moment.

Annie watches Nevy for her answer to June's question.

Nevy looks up. "Hmm?" She gives a little smile, slightly strained. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

Sturm just munches on her food, pausing to take a drink of coffee -- and fix Nevermore with a look over the rim of her mug.

"Alright," June says, because she spends enough time around ANGERY Summers to avoid digging at things when someone suggests they don't want to talk about it. That way leads to explosions. She finishes that strip of bacon and grabs her fork and knife to start on her waffles.

"Or the stuff we went and got for you that's custom," Teagan offers to Sturm, flashing her a brief, bright smile. They crunch on their bacon, which shatters as they do it, and they make a satisfied little sound in the back of their throat.

Annie considers Nevermore for a moment, taking a sip of water as she does so. "So, in other news, the trip Lif, Aurelio, and I took to Dover over the weekend went well."

Nevy looks up at her. "I'm glad to hear it," She says with a little smile.

"Lif is the one that me 'n Sig ran into in the Hollow the other day," Sturm grumbles around a mouthful of food. "Something about a meme well? I don't know the norse bullshit like Sigrun does."

"Oh yeah? That's good," June says, though she doesn't really know much personally about what's going on with all those. She shovels some more waffle into her mouth and makes delighted sounds.