Logs:Walking Into Things

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Cast

Calamity,
Mel Joyner,
Nevermore Usher,
Phaedra Lamb

Setting

Fairmount Park

Log

Evening paints the park in inky blacks cut by stark streetlamp beams. It's quiet, though not completely empty. Still, it's unpeopled enough that Phaedra's comfortable climbing her ass up into a tree and perching to watch people, and not really expecting people to look up. A smol blonde woman with piercing blue eyes, she can be a little frightening to those who do notice her. There's something about her gaze that's a little too knowing, like she's managing to look below skin level of those around her. She's dressed in a white peasant blouse, black leggings and a pair of black leather motorcycle boots, her hair back in a braid that's tied off at the end with a scrap of leather shoelace.

(Note: first impression is downgraded a level due to Air of Menace, Phaedra's kinda spooky.)

Nevy's walking aimlessly through the park. In one hand, she's carrying a plain-looking leatherbound book. In the other, a phone with the light on to allow her to read. She's stepped off the sidewalk twice (once almost rolling her ankle) and almost run into a teenager who cussed her out. It seems to have had little effect.

Now that the sun's down, it's not quite so stupidly hot, so Mel can actually enjoy being outside. And while they might not actually have an owl's enhanced night sight anymore, the night time still feels disturbingly more comfortable than the bright day. So they're enjoying the park, hands shoved in the pockets of their black slacks. As they walk, they're... well, it's probably humming, but it sounds a bit more like a low hooting.

They see Nevy approaching, and step slightly out of the way to avoid being run into. "Careful there," they say, "It's a bit dark to be reading and walking"

The hooting sound actually unnerves Phaedra, as she sits on a branch maybe seven feet above the ground, looking down at Nevermore and Mel. Still, Mel's comment is something she agrees with.

"If you don't pay attention, you might make a good target for nighttime predators, yanno."

Nevy blinks as someone addresses her. "Huh?" She lowers the book enough to peer around, then notices the two people who spoke and gives a lopsided smile, actually putting the book down to her side. "Oh, uh, right. Sorry. Really good story, right?"

Mel's gaze is drawn up to the person in the tree and they blink, slowly. "Are you trying to scare people?" Their tone is curious more than accusing. Then they turn their attention back to Nevy. "Good story's no reason not to be careful"

"I was mostly people-watching, but like. Scaring people's a bonus, I suppose. Not that I think I'm scaring Nevermore, we're acquainted pretty well." Phaedra squints down at Nevermore's usual pin. "Can't see. She-ish or them-ish today?"

Nevy smiles. "She - thanks." She looks at Mel. "I had an eye out," She says, sounding just a touch defensive.

Mel shrugs, unfazed by the defensiveness. "Lots of folks like taking advantage of someone distracted." The corners of their eyes crinkle in amusement. "Must be a very good book then."

The relative cool of the evening means that the youth wandering up the path has their sweatshirt on, hood up.

But for those who know them, it's definitely a new hoodie, in a medium heathery blue color that brings out the green-blue in their pale eyes. Their bandanna is the same as always, though, and they stroll through the park with their hands in their pockets, taking in the evening - and keeping a casual eye on the people around them.

It means they catch Nevy, then Phaedra, and hold their hand up in a tentative wave. Mel, on the other hand, gets an appraising look, like they've maybe sizing them up.

Phaedra scrambles back down the tree when she sees Calamity, because being up in the sky is great, but that's Calamity.

"Nevermore, you never woulda noticed me if I hadn't spooken. Erm, spoken. I'm just saying." Then her attention shifts to Mel, giving them a slow once-over look. "So...hi."

Nevy waves to Calamity, then pouts. "But... it's so... I'm learning..." She huffs out a sigh and tucks the book into her purse. "Fine. I'll have to face the torment of leaving it unread for a little while longer. Oh, woe is me!" They throw the back of one hand to their forehead in a pose of universal melodramatic Alasocity.

"...What's with the drama?" Calamity offers Nevy a lopsided grin as they approach, and nudges Phaedra's shoulder. "An' what're you doin' up a tree?"

"Climbing? Look, you can't judge me on wanting to be tol. You like rooftops." She playfully bumps up against Calamity, with the mannerism of a cat brushing against their person's legs. "What were you reading, Nevy? Was that one of the ones I recommended you?"

Mel gives back as good as their getting in terms of appraising looks. "I'm almost feeling left out," they say, dryly. "It seems you all know each other."

"Why should I not be dramatic? I'm being dragged from the tale I hoped to enjoy, pulled into the real world, kicking and screaming all the way!" Nevy holds the pose for just a moment before breaking down into giggles. "Sorry. Sorry. Force of habit. It's... a journal someone brought in at work. It's really compelling stuff." She looks at Mel. "I work at a used bookstore. We get all kinds of weird things in there." She offers a hand. "Nevermore Usher. Nice to meet you!"

Calamity huffs out a laugh at Phaedra. "Fair enough. You should come hang out on rooftops, if you wanna be tol."

Mel's returning look makes Calamity pause, and gives them a curt nod. Clearly a small sign of respect, coming from them.

"Calamity," they say to Mel, with another nod of acceptance.

"Who's pulling you away, Nev? You could go sit by the tree and be antisocial, no one's gonna stop you..." Calamity's tone is teasing.

"Phaedra. Nice to meet you, maybe." The short woman eyes Mel eyeing her for a moment before grinning and turning to Nevermore, wiggling fingers in her direction. "Oooh, journal. Can I...uh. Touch it?"

There's this odd emphasis on the word 'touch', as if that's somehow a sort of euphemism.

Mel takes Nevermore's hand and gives her a friendly nod. "Mel Joyner. They/them please." They give nods to Phaedra and Calamity as well. "Good to meet you all. Its not everyday a random walk ends up meeting a whole bunch of folk at once."

They eye Nevy's journal with a new interest. "Like a published journal, or just someone's personal thing that got shoved in a donation box?"

"It's handwritten. It's also old - like 19th century old - so the owner is probably not around to be too cranky." She considers. "Probably."

Then she blinks at Phaedra. "Um... that could.... you might not want to phrase..."

They abandon that line of conversation.

"...Sure. Be careful with it, though. Mr. Book.... might not know I have it." They look a bit guilty as they hand it over, then look at Calamity. "I could just sit over there, it's true, but the point has been made that I'm not just being antisocial, I'm also being unsafe. I'd hate to have to haunt anyone before my time is come."

Phaedra doesn't open the journal, just reaches out to lay one hand on top, one hand on the bottom, holding it for a moment--looking a little like someone might do when swearing on a Bible in court.

The touch of the book brings with it a single driving emotion. Curiosity. A driving need to learn, to find, to understand, to codify. It's a hunger, in its way, as all-consuming as the Beast's bloodlust - and as potentially destructive.

Nevy's comment about the owner not being cranky draws an amused shrug from Mel. "Was just curious. I know that in old times sometimes famous people just published their journals. Or their descendants did." Another shrug. "But I'll admit I'm not a huge reader of old stuffs like that."

Their eyes narrow at Phaedra's interest in the book. If anyone could see their mein, their feathers were slightly fluffed in suspicion. But they stay silent, preferring to watch and see what happens.

I'll wait!

Nevy nods. "This one is just... hooboy. So good. I'm learning loads, and I can't wait to see how things developed for the author. They were having a romance with a gh... a woman named Emma, and it's so romantic, too!"

Phaedra pulls her hands back from the journal, which seems to suffer no ill effects for having been thus handled, and gives Nevermore a wry little look. "I can see why you'd identify with the author. Pandoran tendencies are a Thing."

Calamity cocks their head, looking curiously between Phaedra and the book. And then they look at Mel, their expression a little more guarded.

"Didn't know you could like...'s it like uh...aura reading, Phae? Or whatever?"

The mention of aura reading draws a raised eyebrow from Mel. "I wasn't aware that was a thing" they say, carefully. "I'd always just assumed it was New Age-y nonsense." They let out a little 'huh' noise. "Learn something new every day"

"Not aura reading, closer to..." A handwave, before she turns to consider Mel.


Nevy looks around the group. "Uh...." They hesitate.

Calamity's pocket starts to ring, and their face goes a little pale as they pull a shitty flip phone out of their pocket. "Fuck, I...sorry I gotta...be right back -" they open the phone as they trot away so they won't be overheard.

Mel tries to give Nevy a reassuring smile, but it's forced. "Learning's a good thing," they say, their attention still mostly on Phaedra. "I'm always in favor of learning more about people I'm talking with."

Nevy seems about to retort about the comparison to Pandora, but the brewing tension between Phaedra and Mel is enough to get her to quiet down. She watches the two, her eyes keen and her expression... curious.

"...psychometry, closer to psychometry than aura reading." Finishing her earlier thought, gaze lingering on Mel while they watch her, as her lips slowly curl into a smile. "Right, okay. What comes next?"

Mel spreads their hands, and gives a very slight nod to Phaedra. Acknowledgement that they seem to recognize each other, at least somewhat. But also that they're not the one who's going to escalate things, at least right now. There's a beat and then Mel's eyes crinkle with amusement as they turn their attention back to Nevy. "Oh heck we must look like two fluffing cats or something. Sorry. The journal sounds pretty interesting"

Nevy glances between the two, and makes a deduction. "Well, the author was in a relationship with a ghost, so yes."

"I always look like a fluffing cat, except when I don't." Phaedra laughs, glancing in the direction Calamity walked off in before her attention comes back to the topic at hand. "The author was pretty much ridden by their curiosity, and I'd be surprised if they didn't die poking their nose too far into something."

"Curiosity did kill the cat" Mel says, with a slight nod. "But I've also heard that satisfaction brought it back." They give a low, hooting laugh. "I suppose it depends on exactly where one's curiosity leads one."

Nevy folds her arms. "I'm not Pandora," She insists. "I'm not that short-sighted."

It's around here that Calamity comes slouching back, their hands in their pockets and their face set in a grimace. "Could'a been a text, the fuckers..." they mutter, and shake their head.

The hooting quality in Mel's laugh seems to put Phaedra on edge--she bristles visibly, unable to conceal that reaction. "I hope you're right about that, Nevermore."

Mel doesn't... quite smirk at Phaedra, but there's a glimmer of amusement in their expression. "Pandora was set up. I mean, the whole story is just setting her up to fail." Their tone turns serious. "Still. There's a lot of dangerous things out there. Ghosts..." a beat. "Vampires"

Calamity's eyebrows twitch upward as Mel speaks. "Sound like you hang out at those horror movie nights Nevy puts on..." They huff in mild amusement, clearly trying to make light of the situation.

Nevy eyes Mel and Phaedra. "You two are okay, right?"

Phaedra tilts her head to one side. "They just called me 'dangerous'. I'm not sure how deeply to read into that at the moment."

Mel shrugs. "Are you saying you're not? In the right circumstances?"

The exchange makes Calamity shift, their shoulders hunching slightly. Uncomfortable with the tension, probably, and they take half a step sideways in Phaedra's direction. Their hand slips into their pocket again as they look between the other three, their eyes slightly narrowed.

Nevy sighs. "Yes, we're all terrifying creatures out of the shadows. But that doesn't mean we have to be mean."

Phaedra laughs. "I mean, sure, I can be, but like. From where I'm sitting, Calamity's potentially the most dangerous one here, honestly. In theory. Not that any of us are going to demonstrate being dangerous right now. Wrong time, wrong place. Wrong situation. Right?"

Without really meaning for it to, Mel's gaze slights over to Calamity and gives them an new appraising look. Then they shrug. "Very wrong. And well," They let out a sigh. "I'm probably just being... prickly." Another sigh, this one to collect themself. "I can behave" they mutter under their breath.

"Fuckin' hope so." There's a quiet clink from Calamity's pocket, before they pull their hand out. "You think I'm the most dangerous one here?" They give Phaedra a tiny smile, like it's a compliment they're not quite sure they're worthy of receiving.

"You're all wrong. Clearly, I am the most dread among our number," Nevy says, placing a hand to her chest demonstratively. "Tremble before me. Go on; I'll wait."

She winks at Calamity. "Most dangerous to me, probably, at least. If all three of you decided you wanted to hurt me--please don't, by the way--even though I don't know what Mel can do, you'd be the one I'd be running away from fastest."

Well aware that they instigated the tension, Mel figures it's only fair for them to be the one to help break it. They give a dramatic gasp and a visible (and visibly fake) shudder. "Oh so terrifying! Truly I am paralyzed with fear. Please don't hurt me oh fearsome Nevermore"

They laugh, and even try to repress the hoot in it a little. "If I'm honest, being scary's what I'm best at. Backing it up... Well, that depends."

"'S fair enough." Calamity's smile is warm, and they brush their hand against Phaedra's as they start to giggle at Nevy. "See I don't try t'be scary - if someone's afraid of me it means they've seen me."

Nevy nods to Mel. "Thank you," She says with stern dignity. "You may stay." Then, once more, she dissolves into giggles. "You may have picked up that I'm not actually all that scary. I can write it or draw it, though, when I want to. And I love me some horror." They pause, considering. "Sounds like you might get along with a friend of mine. He thinks about scary a lot."

"I...hm. My relationship with scary has changed over the past few years. Scary is a defense mechanism for me. And...I guess it also makes me feel, uh. Um. Powerful, or in control, to be scary? Like, I spent a lot of time scared instead, and now I can be not-that. But. Like. Like you said, Mel. 'Well, that depends.'" She lightly takes Calamity's hand in her own.

There's a long moment as Mel considers Phaedra - in a more thoughtful way than a sizing up way. "I... get that. To deal with being scared, it's... helpful to try to be the scarier thing." They nod, still thoughtful. "A defense. And a tool." Their expression turns wry. "And sometimes its good to put the tools away for a while." They turn their attention back to Nevy. "Oh? Who's the friend?"

"You do good scary, Phae." Cal nudges her. "And like...spooky, creepy, otherworldly kinda shit."

"Mearc? He does security consulting work." She looks at Cal and Phaedra. "I agree. you're scary like a cool shower on a hot day is cold. It can be a shock sometimes, but it's usually in a good way once you've gotten used to it."

"You two are biased!" She laughs, and waggles a finger at Nevermore. "You haven't seen me go off, properly, have you?"

"I know Mearc!" Mel says, their eyes lighting up. "I mean, not super well, but we run in the same circles." Or, y'know, Courts.

"Super biased," Calamity agrees with a grin. "Yeah uh...'s not the good kinda scary when she does that," they say to Nevy. "Least 'f it's you she's going off on." There's a beat.

"...Security consulting?"

Nevy nods to Mel, smiling. "That makes some things make sense. He's a good friend." She looks at Cal. "Yeah - companies hire him to break in and figure out where their security needs to get better. It's pretty cool." She blinks at Phaedra. "Um... No, I haven't seen you 'go off...' Is it... what's it like?"

"I've got a temper. And I've been known to let it out. What's that line I read the other night? 'My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.' Shakespeare, that. But after I put someone on blast, uh...well, it can burn bridges, you know?"

Mel nods to Nevy. "That's cool. He's a pretty cool person to know." Then, more to Calamity, "More social circles than professional. Professionally I'm just a cab driver. Which if nothing else has taught me a lot about keeping my temper reined in." A slight laugh. "But I've never really been one with a scary temper. Rage is... not really my thing." There's a hint of hesitation in their voice. As if they're just figuring something out.

"Wait companies hire him? To break in?" Calamity stares at Nevy, eyes are wide with curiosity. "That's fuckin' cool as shit. Yeah she...does the reads she does, digs into all that kinda shit you don't wanna think about, and shoves it in your face." They squeeze Phaedra's hand as they explain, and then look to Mel curiously when they mention rage.

Nevy chuckles. "Yeah. It's like... he gets to be a superspy master criminal, but he also doesn't have to worry about being arrested for it."

They consider Mel and Phaedra. "I've... temper has never been my thing, really. Is it... Do you ever regret it, afterward?"

"...sometimes? Not all the time, though. Sometimes there's a sense of triumph in telling a crusty old bastard that he's a hypocrite who's bought into the sunk cost fallacy and is holding onto it like a life preserver because he's afraid if he'd let go, he'd sink, right? That's kinda satisfying to let out. Even if it means I've got a big strong scarier sort who holds a grudge against me for saying that in public."

She pauses, and looks at Mel. "You have scared more than you have angry, I think. And some of it's good caution, and some of it is really deep-seated stuff, and I'm not going to call any of it out right now, because I don't actually want to make things weirder than they are."

Calamity's gone a little starry-eyed at Nevy's description. "That's...amazing." They settle down as Phaedra and Mel keep talking, assessing Mel as Phae decides not to call them out.

"There's computer hackers that do that too, right? When I was in high school I thought that sounded so cool. But I was never good enough with computers for that sort of thing. Wasn't that good with much of anything in particular." They shrug, and tense a bit as Phaedra proves... more insightful that is really comfortable. "It's probably a good thing. Crusty old bastards are a lot of my fairs, so going off on them'd probably get me kicked out of the union." There's amusement in their voice, though it's slightly strained. But they meet Phaedra's gaze and give a slight nod in appreciation of not being called out

Nevy chuckles. "Want his professional contact info?" She riffles through her pockets to see if she has a business card.

"Well, if you ever want someone to go off on them for you, I'm your huckleberry." Phaedra grins at Mel. "Also if you ever want to, like...get together and actually talk-talk. I mean, up to you, of course, but. But."

"Sure." It comes out fast - Calamity is too excited to worry about things like politeness, at this point. "'F you want a less awful kinda thing, she does tarot readings, too...pretty damn good ones."

Nevy chuckles. "Just a sec." They pull out their phone, having apparently given up on the card.

"I'll... think about it." And they will. Things are shifting Mel's worldview and it's not comfortable. They look like they're about to say more, but the Pokemon theme starts playing from their pocket. They sigh and pull it out, turning away slightly to answer. "Yes?... Again?... Fine. I'll be right there." They hang up and pocket the phone before turning back to the group. "Speaking of work, apparently they need me. It's been... interesting meeting you all. And if you ever need a ride, I can probably discount the fair"

"You be safe out there, Mel. As you said, there's dangerous things out there in the night." Phaedra's tone of voice is sincere, and perhaps even...gentle? Yeah, gentle.

Then her attention turns to Calamity. "Are you saying my tarot readings aren't awful? Those can be hard callouts, too. The cards are brutal. Especially that damned Usher deck. Whoever came up with that musta been completely evil." A blep is directed at Nevermore.

"You gave me a talking to without the cards just fine." Calamity bleps at her. "An' the reading you gave me was pretty okay. Just talkin' about the shit I know about."

Nevy chuckles. She pulls out a different book (a sketchbook) ands tear out a scrap of paper, and writes out a phone number and name before handing it over. "Mearcstapa's his name. Let him know you're my friend." She looks at Phaedra, blepping right back. "I'll have you know that I invented the Usher Deck for a completely different reason. If they're being that vicious, it must be operator error."

"Clearly the proper thing to do is to see how the deck acts in the hands of another experienced reader, at some point." She smirks. "That's how you do a science, right?"

"Only if you write it down, too!" Calamity grins. "You used that deck for me, right?"

"Yeah, pretty sure that was the deck I was using. Nevy made it and it's awesome--I don't use it at work, though, because it's...ana-thingy. That word."

Nevy grins. "Ah, the Mythbusters approach to Science." She looks to Phaedra. "That's a show that needs to be on your list." She considers. "Anachronistic?"

"Yes - god I fuckin' love Mythbusters. Anachronistic?" Calamity doesn't seem to recognize the word.

"That's the bitch!" She grins, pointing at Nevermore. "It means the cards are wrong for the time period. Though the Rider-Waite deck is Edwardian period, not Victorian, but it's closer."

Nevy nods. "It would be like seeing a movie set in ancient Greece, then realizing the main character's wearing an apple watch."

"Ah - and 's all about the aesthetic where you work, yeah?" Calamity smirks. "That'd be a great movie though, somethin' about time traveling or something. But yeah I get it."

Oh look, there's that same ringtone again, and Calamity growls in annoyance. "Told 'em not to call me 'les it's an emergency, fuckin'..." they squeeze Phaedra's hand again before disengaging, and give Nevy a little wave. "Might's well go smoke, too. Prob'ly be back soon, I dunno..."

Nevy shakes her head, chuckling, then looks to Phaedra. "So the deck's treating you well?"

"Yeah, it really is. It's not actually all that mean. Blunt, though. It's not a deck that pussyfoots."

Nevy nods. "I can see that. I kind of had a thesis of 'bad stuff happens. you can find good stuff in it anyway' in mind while I was designing the cards."

"That's kind of a very you philosophy, Nevermore." Phaedra laughs.

Nevy looks wry. "I wonder however that might have come through in the work that I designed?"

Phaedra lightly elbows at Nevermore, grinning.

She chuckles, joshing back. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. It's been doing decent sales online, too, which is nice."

"Good. You deserve all the attention for that deck." Beat. "Among other things."

Nevy raises an eyebrow. "Other things?"

"Your art. Your...you. You're pretty cool, Nevermore. I'm just saying. Smart, curious, considerate, warm." She smiles gently. "And I don't think you hear that enough."

Nevy smiles at that. "Thank you." The smile goes a touch lopsided. "People don't usually say otherwise, as such..."

Phaedra reaches out and touches the sleeve of Nevy's coat gently. "Then I'll remember to say it more."

Nevy glances down, then takes the hand - slowly, letting Phaedra abort the procedure if possible. "You're pretty cool, too," She says. "And I get the impression not enough people have said that to you either."

Phaedra doesn't pull away, watching Nevermore's hand move thoughtfully. "Oh, some people do. Didn't you hear Calamity playing hype...enby?"

Nevy nods. "But the voices you hear now aren't always the loudest ones. And echoes may never fade." She smiles, a touch sadly, and squeezes the hand just a touch. "You're smart, you're way more savvy than you let on, and you're pretty darn cool."

Phaedra leans in slightly, resting her forehead against Nevermore's shoulder. She's cold and not breathing, so this might be weird.

Nevy glances down at her, then does what Nevy does and wraps Phaedra in a hug.

Phaedra hugs back when this happens. And like, she's stronger than one might expect on first glance. Oh, it's not a boa constrictor hug, but it's definitely a squish.

Nevy grunts slightly at the squish, but does her best to give as good as she gets. She does not have Vigor, but she does have a body type designed in a laboratory for comfy cuddles.

"I can't help but wonder...are you someone who decided to be nice to all the world because it's what you needed and never got?" This is whispered softly. Not a hard loud callout, but a bit of one all the same.

Nevy's quiet for a second, then gently extricates from the hug to look at Phaedra, her expression searching.

"I think...you're really strong, and really brave. To leave your heart open and hold onto hope like that. It's...kind of really amazing. I admire you, Nevermore." Still speaking at a low volume, looking Nevy right in the eyes.

Nevy gives a little chuckle. "Honestly... when it comes to pain in the past, I kind of had it easier than some of my friends. My parents never really got the goth thing or the gender thing, but they accepted them. My grandmother was around while I grew up, and if there's a kinder way to be introduced to mediuming, I don't know it. Heck, I was lucky enough to go to a school that had a pretty active queer identity community in High School, so I didn't even have to face too much of that kind of bigotry." They shrug. "I'm not sure if it's bravery, or if I'm just sheltered."

"Okay. Seriously? Take the compliment. You're deflecting because you don't see yourself as special, because you've spent your entire life being yourself and points of comparison are weird and hard."

Nevy looks down, chuckling silently through her nose, then back up. "Thank you."

She gently squeezes Nevermore's hand, before disentangling. "Now, imagine me doing that, but harder at someone and with anger. That is what Calamity meant by seeing me 'go off'."

"...Hey." Calamity's voice is quiet, as they return, and they look between Nevy and Phaedra, mildly concerned. "...Everything good?" They may have seen the extended hug on the way back. Given where they went to go, they don't smell too much like an ashtray.

Nevy nods. She considers Phaedra for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face, then looks over as Cal comes back. "We're all good. Everything okay on your end?"

"I'm pretty okay, yeah." Phaedra nods, then looks at Calamity. "Reminds me, anything from the guys with the yellow bandanas lately?"

"Yeah, the guys're just being...mmmph." Calamity waves a hand, annoyed. "Nothin' 'bout the Yellow Jackets, nah. 'S been pretty fuckin' quiet. I'd be gettin' a little bored," they say with a chuckle, "'f I didn't have..." they give the two of them a shrug as they trail off. "Anyway. Keepin' my head down an' shit, tryin' to keep outta trouble." The trying to keep out of trouble, at least, is a big ol' lie, as evidenced by their grin.

Nevy raises an eyebrow. "Am I stepping on Phaedra's toes if I call BS on that last one?"

"Look, they named themself Calamity. Seriously, I'm just saying. That's a pretty light callout." She favors Calamity with a fond grin.

Calamity giggles, and leans to nudge Phaedra with their shoulder. "Yeah. I mean I'm not tryin' all that hard. Haven't been caught yet, so 's basically the same thing, yeah?"

Nevy eyes them. "Be careful, okay? I don't know many other people like me. I'd hate if something happened to you."

Phaedra nudges back and slips her hand into Calamity's. "I'll try to at least keep them warned if troubles are coming."

"Don't have'ta worry 'bout me, 'm pretty good at takin' care of myself." Calamity shrugs, and eyes Phaedra with interest. "You had breakfast yet?" It's a pretty clear subject change.

"Not yet today. Though I fed pretty heavy over the weekend with the Lammas celebrations going on. So...it'd just be a very light nibble."

Nevy chuckles. "My best friend is half the TV show Leverage and I still worry about him. Sorry, Cal. I'm a worrier."

Calamity wrinkles their nose at Nevy. "Bet you do a lotta worrying, 'f you do it 'bout him and me." Phaedra gets a shrug and a nod. "'S fine, just offering if you wanna. Prob'ly should head out soon otherwise, I maybe kinda got some shit to do. Nothin' that couldn't wait 'til tomorrow, 'f food ends up happening, though..."

Phaedra laughs, and glances at Nevermore. "Will you excuse us?"

Nevy makes an "After you" gesture. "Do what you need."

"Thanks for the phone number - I'll let him know it was you who sent me to 'em." Calamity grins wide at Nevy. "Seriously, I didn't even know that was a thing."

She gives Nevermore a smirk. "No, no. This is doing what I want to."

Nevy laughs. "You're welcome, Cal. Hope you learn something interesting." Then she smirks. "All right, then I'll say have fun instead."