Post by Emily on Sept 27, 2015 15:19:06 GMT -8
CAST: Jasper Cross (ofnoends@aol.com), Hannah Fein (scalesenpointe@aol.com), Nero Dollarhyde (hatecuiture@aol.com)
SUMMARY: Old friends Jasper and Hannah make an awkward attempt at superficial chit-chat in the wake of love lost and found in the same man. Nero shows up for tea just in time to make things a little weirder.
TW: none
[Hannah] You'd think that summer would be Hannah's favorite season; you know, reptiles and heat. It isn't. She likes autumn best. She's never been sure why, exactly. Maybe it has something to do with the way the whole deciduous world goes all to golds and oranges and reds like it's on fire. Like her. The long, copper crash that usually set her apart in a drab English crowd -- she could lose it among all that majesty. She could become another buttoned-up coat against the London skyline. The idea comforted her, which explained away at least part of the way her eyes widened all the way from brown to blue and black pupil to take it all in and in taking it all in, she smiled at nobody in particular. It was just a smile, subtle on a full mouth, pink-peach and vanilla-cinnamon balmed like it always was. The newly 19-year-old ballerina even hopped up onto the sidewalk from the street. It was largely unnecessary, but it felt like the right thing to do. A small, simple hand reached out for the large, ornate door pull-and-latch that would let her in to see Andy and the gang. Andy and Tucker would probably be cross with her for having broken her nightly routine without calling or texting. Any other attempt to look after her was met with a scowl and eyebrows turned down over a warning glare, so her coffee habit was really the only thing outside of classes that the average Joe -- seewhatIdidthere?! -- could use to clock her movements through the city. Sure enough, a tall, lanky man with warm, blue eyes spied her coming through the door and went ramrod straight behind the counter, hands on his hips, eyebrow raised. He's waiting, Hannah.
[Jasper] Autumn. The very scent of it made the girl smile. It was the promise of falling leaves she could scatter or pounce. Sweater weather, long nights, and all the little festivities. Not that she needed sweaters when the cold rarely bothered her anymore. It had almost promised to be a not so enjoyable fall this year, what with everything that had gone on. Jasper had had every intention of simply staying in her room until the entire season passed. But then..something had changed. An entire mood and outlook adjusted by some unexpected wisdom. And then? The girl was out doing things, being social, and living. Tears turned to smiles, with frowns turning upside down as Ash liked to say. New friends and a new view of life. Mabon had really been a turning point in proving she had every ability to go out, be social, and even have a bit of fun! The day after had been spent nestled in the quad with a surprise, brief visit from that tempting girl with fire in her dark eyes, but the little minx just simply couldn't repeat that today. With a chill in the air she slipped into a loose fitted sweater that hung off one shoulder and fell low on her hips to nearly hide away the shorts beneath. These days garters were replaced with high fitting socks that hug just above the knee, a slid black knitting to complement the black and red striping of the sweater. Once dark hair was back to the color of fresh blood, much like those lips. Some things changed, others simply returned to what was natural and belonged. Spindly fingers grasped at the door before they gave a pause at the sight of copper lengths. Her very heart froze for a moment at the sight while she lingered just outside. No. She wasn't going to avoid her. She wasn't going to pretend like she didn't want to know if Hannah still cared of not. She knew what was up with Nero and the red head with a few puzzle pieces fit together. It stung, but there was really no surprise for it anymore. Whatever. She wasn't going to let the mutt get in the way of one of the closest friendships she'd had since Tae. Through the doorway she moved once the door was pulled open, slipping just inside while she caught the look on Andy's face. Maaaaaaybe that cup of something warm could wait. Ahem.
[Hannah] Andy didn't speak. It was so rare that he ever spoke, in fact, that nobody Hannah knew could remember if he ever had. A sheepish sigh lowered her shoulders as cold fingers started down the line of buttons keeping an ugly mustard yellow pea coat fastened around her. "I know, I know," she apologized. A few tugs and a few footsteps brought her belly-up to the counter, which she tossed her coat over the edge of before assuming a lean over that. Her elbows settled onto old, lacquered wood while she looked over brightly colored chalk listing specials that both she and Andy knew she wasn't going to order. "But I have my phone, now. I stopped off at Turner and got it." It didn't placate the barista completely, but at least he dropped his hands from his hips and reached behind him for the plainest, prettiest French white coffee cup in the rack. Hannah thought it was the prettiest, anyway. That was why she always asked for it and that was why he knew she'd want it. She watched with a growing smile as Andy filled it up with nothing special, which was an imported medium French roast that she didn't know was imported, or else she'd have shied away from it. Imported = special. One of his eyebrows still rode high on his forehead, but Hannah wasn't ready to spill the proverbial beans, just yet, so she let him wonder. Back upright, then, and folding her coat over a forearm. She reached for her cup of coffee with her free hand, mimicking Andy's facial expression. "What? I'm alive, aren't I? Pipe down, Andy." Pipe down, she said, to someone who says even littler than she does. A sparkle of humor landed in her right eye before she took off for her chair. The ugly one, lemon-lime faux velvet that was coming undone at the right arm's seam but might have been a nice vintage wingback with different upholstery. Ugly coat. Ugly chair. Plain cup. Criminally inclined werewolf. Sometimes there just isn't any sense to the things she decides she needs in her life.
[Jasper] If the dragon had her phone then it meant she'd been to the quad. And apparently Jaz had just missed it! Kind of amusing that she ran into her now at the coffee shop. At least it was neutral ground for them both. Booted feet shifted weight side to side while she watched and allowed herself to be left unnoticed. Even with all they had been through and the awkwardness that remained it was good to watch Hannah be Hannah. Sometimes you didn't get to choose who you loved, or when to stop loving them. With folded arms she leaned against the wall beside the door, just observing with a muted smile. Simple cup, for a modest but not so simple girl. Yes, Hannah was alive. She was a strong girl despite her arguments. She's survived so much. The cat knew the dragon's strength more than her friend might like to admit. All those thoughts ran through a mostly sober mind while she watched the exchange and waited. At long last it was her turn to order, booted feet skipping up to the counter with a lift on tip toes to view a menu she really didn't need to bother with. "....I wanna try that coffee stuff again. Lots of cream and sugar. And...whipped cream? Can you put that stuff on there?" The look Andy gave her made it hard for her to decide if she was happier about the idea of whipped cream coffee, or the way he lifted a brow with a tilt of chin. She was ruining this coffee before it was even ever poured. "Sweet." Literally! While the man went about making the abomonation of a cup, Jaz looked over her shoulder toward the red head in her aging green chair. Why did Hannah like the thing she liked? If you asked Jasper, it was because she loved the things nobody else would. Hannah loved what others would have left unnoticed. That which would not typically be appreciated. It was a very Hannah thing to do, and even a bit of a reflection. At least that was her thoughts, when the cat actually took the time to ponder such seriousness. That black rimmed gaze tore away when her coffee was ready, the heat of the cream paled liquid already melting that mountain of whipped topping. "Ooooh...you're the best!" Beaming, she took the random black cup he served to her and turned about. Once more came a pause. Did she try to join the girl she wasn't even sure considered her a friend any longer? Hiding or retreating wasn't in her nature when actually face to face with a situation but...this was a little bit different, wasn't it? Swallowing slightly, each booted step came in a slight shuffle as she chose to approach. With a breath she stopped a brief distance from dragon and dying green chair, taking a breath before glancing at the big leather chair nearby. "....can uh--..y' want--..." Ugh! Spit it out! "....mind if I sit here? With...you? Hann..ers?"
[Hannah] It was hard to ignore the sinking feeling that... well, sank, her stomach just as she was curling into her chair. She'd have known Jasper's voice anywhere, and the tell-tale addition of a heart attack's worth of sugar and dairy to the order being given in that recognizable purr only served as back-up intelligence. Her curl tightened up, knees bent into the inside of one chair arm and flat-shoed feet tucked under an ass outfitted in dark, snug denim. Hannah stuffed her coat down into the empty space between a twisted hip and thighs that had tensed as though something in her wanted to be ready to run, if she had to. Ash was right. Hannah ran a lot. She'd never let him have the satisfaction of having pegged her with that, though. Footsteps. Little ones. Little cait sidhe ones. The other girl's pause and subsequent question forced Hannah's hard swallow down and her eyes up out of her cup. They were large and shiny with guilt before she could even get them onto Jasper's shrapnel-strewn face. "... w-what? I... uh... yeah. Okay." Okay. Have a seat. Get cozy. Let's pretend that nothing is wrong, for a little while, and maybe at some point we'll both believe that, and maybe at some point I'll forget that he was yours, and maybe at some point I'll let you see it; how desperately I love him. And maybe then what ever's left of our friendship will finally just stop fighting and die over what we swore we'd never let kill it too many months that feel like lifetimes ago. Okay. "You look good, Jas."
[Jasper] Let's just start with coffee. "..cool." What else could she say? She'd taken the first steps but she hadn't been sure how it was going to end up. Slowly shifting into the oversized chair, the girl crossed her legs onto the cushion and set her cup down. For the moment she wasn't totally sure she was ready for her drink. It was that incredibly awkward moment that was bound to happen; that had to happen. Couldn't avoid each other forever, right? One day they would have to face one another and figure out if anything was salvageable. You look good. A pang in her heart spurred a wince of a smile. She was fine, really. Actually, she wasn't but she was better than she had been a few weeks ago. Or a week ago. Or even just a few days ago. Looking at Hannah now as a reminder of everything she loved in the world, but also how very much it hurt her. Yet she swore it was just a bump in the road to her recovery. In her long nights alone, when nobody even so much as bothered to check on her, she'd find a sense of resolution and logic. Life just wasn't fair. The why and what for didn't matter, did it? The whole thing was a mess and there was no fixing that. So she'd do as she was meant to. Move on. Grow. "Thanks.." The cup was at last picked up, hiding the down turn of her lips behind a sip of hot, sugary liquid. It was definitely better than her first attempt the night she'd unwittingly tried it black while in Alice's body. A bit of whipped cream caught her lip before she licked it away. Hannah looked.. okay. More than okay. Beneath the layer of jitters and nervousness around the little cait sidhe there was...something. Jaz knew what it was. She didn't want to, and a part of her sure as hell fought to acknowledge it.. but she knew. She knew because it was the same 'something' she'd felt for the same damn person not long ago. A real awkward place to be in, kiddies. Seeing your best friend finally happy beneath the surface after such a long time of seeing her practically hollow, and yet loathing the source. Fuck. This was terrible. "..so do you, Hannah." Another sip, though the hot liquid did little to ease the chill in her spine. She could do this. They could do this, damn it. Their friendship was stronger than some brutish, selfish fucking mutt. It was stronger than demons, and death, and all other sort of worldly horrors. "So...you got your phone. I'll uh...I'll clean the kitchen. Promise." A ceiling stained with remnants of the failed attempt at a fishie and vanilla milkshake. There were reasons she wasn't allowed to operate kitchen appliances!
[Hannah] It was peace. There was no stupid, girlish fantasy in it, like there had been with Okto. There was no frightened denial in it, like there had been with Soren. It wasn't nervous and it wasn't timid, not like the dragon herself. There were still many things that Hannah didn't know about Nero and that he didn't know about her. There were still many conversations to be had and many arguments to suffer before they could fill in all the little nooks and crannies that still left the thick concrete under her feet, so to speak, not quite complete. Still, there was thick concrete under her feet where there had been only quicksand, before. For the first time in a long time, she could move freely without fear of what darkness lurked around the next corner. They were darker. He was darker. He'd eat it alive and follow it with two fingers worth of expensive scotch and a cigarette. Man and monster, like she was, plus a w-o. Nero was the safe place she'd been trying to find in years worth of nightmares. It killed her, just a little bit, that he was. Things weren't supposed to be this way. They weren't... were they? Everything had gone all topsy turvy and upside down and leftside right in the discovery of touches that shared too much and kisses that weren't blessed. "Thanks." Oh, God, that kitchen. Who had let Jasper do anything in the kitchen? She knew it had to have been Jasper; vanilla and fish. Everywhere. Just everywhere. She'd turned her nose up and grimaced, and for a second she'd even considered staying to clean it up, but she was trying to get used to the idea that she wasn't going to live at Turner Hall, anymore. Or at any hall, anymore. "Yeah, I got my phone. You... got a milkshake craving again or something, didn't you?" The smile that cracked her poker face wasn't altogether humorless. It may have even held some fond familiarity.
[Jasper] One day they would have to talk about that, too. One day it would all have to come out in the open. But not yet. Not now. Hannah wasn't ready, and Jasper really wasn't ready. As it was the girl was tense, half expecting for the wolf to come swaggering in and ruin the moment. The only moment she'd had with Hannah since the girl had stormed out without so much as her phone. A night Jasper still regretted for what she almost said. She'd said enough as it was. At least they had now. They had now, without Nero or really anyone else. They had coffee and maybe could forget everything else and share just a second of their old connection over her kitchen disasters and love of odd things. Really everywhere. At least it wasn't going to leave a colored stain? Vanilla was white and the fish didn't have much color themselves. When Hannah smiled Jasper couldn't help but do a little bit of the same. Fuck, she missed her friend. The one that tolerated her demand for contact, and was always patient with her unusual antics. The person that simply didn't judge her. In turn Jasper had never judged her, but she did call her on her shit. They were good at that with each other. The humor only lasted a moment before she was seeking to sip her coffee. The girl hadn't even botheed to think what it would do to her in her own body. Nobody had ever let the hyper little minx drink the stuff before! So far though she seemed okay. "So..." Shit. Topic. She needed a topic. "..how...was your birthday?" Almost half afraid to ask for fear of the answer, she chewed on her bottom lip while looking toward the other nervous girl in her unfortunately green chair. "..I kind of left you stuff. On the table. But...I didn't do anything else. I left right after." Don't worry, Hanners, the cat didn't let her curiosity get the better of her or invate your privacy.
[Hannah] It hadn't been so bad, really, being weeks without her cell phone. Who had she really needed to talk to? She was hiding from Jasper and her whip of a tongue, she was hiding from Nero and his Earthquake of a gentle kiss... her only other regular social contacts were Mackie and Ash. Mackie had the attention span of a gnat and probably wouldn't even notice she'd been gone from 1B for a while when she went in there to see Solomon. And despite an awkward hug, recently, Ash didn't seem to like her much because she'd shut him down for her phone number, once. The only reason they talked was because they got stuck together in a partnered dance class. He was going to drop her, some day; she just knew it. No, hiding, it hadn't been too bad, really. She'd been found, anyway, of course. She'd run into Alex by crazy random happenstance -- oh, and Jasper would have been so proud, she'd actually let him pay for her coffee! -- and then she'd been sniffed out by the elephant in the room, whose scent was probably all over her temporarily rented condo in Lambeth. An absent tuck of red-orange behind an ear revealed that she had in fact received the birthday gift, by the way. Old gold and older opal, hanging prettily there from an alabaster earlobe. "My birthday was... quiet," and so did her smile turn. When she lifted her cup to sip at its rim, old gold and older opal encircled a finger, too. Last year's birthday gift from the girl sitting nearby. Maybe. Maybe they'd talk about Nero, some day. Maybe Hannah would be able to share everything she'd kept secret from everyone but Horse with the person she was supposed to have been able to share it with. "I got the stuff. Thanks." Her thanks might have been more gracious if she wasn't holding back laughter. But... I didn't do anything else. I left right after. "You didn't peek in the back bedroom? Too bad. That's where I keep all the charred half-corpses of knights who have tried to scale my condo thinking I'm the princess." Instead of the dragon, which she wouldn't say aloud, but...
[Jasper] The earrings looked perfect on her, just like Jaz knew they would. It made the girl smile just a bit more. Of course they went lovely with the ring. "Cool. They were my Grams. I was named after her." No, she wasn't the first Jasper Cross, but she was the most tenacious. "And quiet's good." It could have meant a lot of things, but she didn't really inquire. Some answers were not quite worth having yet. Another long sip was taken from her cup as she kept her mind from wandering too far. There was a lot to say, but neither girl had it in them to say it yet. Maybe in time. At least they both had time, given their species. "Dude. Like I didn't see enough of them under your bed, already? Come on, Hanners.." Another small flicker of light hearted joking and familiarity. If they could hold onto that maybe the night would be okay. "..I'm glad you like the earrings though. They look really good on you." It was really a pleasant surprise to see her wearing them. Jasper hadn't even been sure she'd open the gift. What she didn't ask about was the card. Writing out that message had been so odd, trying to keep it sentimental yet light hearted and without hidden meaning. But hey, she liked the earrings! A light tap of nails found the edge of her cup, head tilting as she tried to think of what to say without it being anything that would spoil the mood. She..was kind of failing at that very moment. "So..."
[Hannah] Reading that little card had probably been almost as hard for her as writing it had been for Jasper. If anyone knows how to read between lines, it's someone who writes between them more often than not. She could feel the care that had been taken in choosing some words and leaving others out; in trying to stay on topic; in trying not to just spill emotion into it and slap a seal on the envelope. Among many other things she could feel that most could not was palpable restraint. Quiet meant quiet. As usual, she hadn't wanted a rowdy celebration or a grandiose gesture, for her birthday. She received a letter from Jude like she did every year on her birthday, no return address, no signature and postmarked nowhere near Amsterdam, which meant he'd probably had it sent to friends in two or three different countries before having the last of them send it to her. They were always so careful. They had to be. She went to her classes. Then she went back to Lambeth, where her night had ended with a book and a lemon cupcake. And him. Glamour and excitement; that was Jasper's bag. "Hey! Hey, there weren't any charred half-corpses under my bed. Only charred quarter-corpses." Either living in the dormitories made her hungrier or her room was just smaller, there, and she had to think compact. Her smile held steady, somehow, through all of the awkward gratitude and compliment. So... "So, I saw Nika, last week."
[Jasper] Wasn't that why they were best friends? They could read right between each other and their lines. Sometimes they called it out and sometimes they knew just when to let it go. In all her awkward silence the little cait sidhe sipped at her coffee, licking at the whipped cream from time to time. So far the night wasn't as bad as she had expected it might be. Hannah wasn't running and she herself wasn't full of righteous upset. They were..almost-kind-of-not-really-okay. There was even a genuine smirk at the correction. "Yeah, yeah. Details, shmetails. Don't go getting all size queenie, lady." A chuckle. The quip came followed with a chuckle and even the glimmers of a real smile. Humor helped so much. A more casual lick of the whipped cream was mde, her body leaning back against the chair. Slowly some of that tension was bleeding away. Nika? A brow quirked and she seemed to perk up a bit. "Oh yeah? How is she doing?" What Jasper didn't ask but was almost dying to even though she knew the answer, was if Nika knew about Hannah's little 'accident'. Sure, she was still a little upset by that whole thing. Could you blame her? It was a dumb little miss Hannah. Dumb-uh. "I haven't seen her in....a while. Is she still in town?"
[Hannah] "She…" She murdered her mother and is keeping her father in a garden full of wolfsbane. You know, because Nika. "She looked nice. More grown up than before. We had tea, and... oh, she mentioned that she was renting the flat a little while longer. I think she still had some business in the city. I'm not sure when exactly she was going back to Durham." And yes, Nika knew. The Little Bird had little birds. She knew everything and if you weren't paying attention, you'd never know she knew everything, not the way she inquired politely after Hannah's health or the way she glossed over a glossed over response with something like, 'oh, he's been attentive. good.' She knew, though. One of the reasons the ballerina and the apothecary got along whether near or far was because neither needed to say much for the other to understand her. It was almost as though they spoke the same strange, sometimes silent language and things like absolute clarity were considered overrated between them. Hannah didn't suggest any of this aloud. "Mrs. Godwin passed away."
[Jasper] More grown up. She wasn't sure that was how she wanted to imagine the unusual little bird. "Oh yeah? Good. It'd be cool to hang out with her while she's here." There were bonds there, some from being a founding family member, and other facts simply born of the things they had went through. It was a time none of them talked about now. Some memories were just left unsaid it one could help it. Jasper didn't quite speak their language, but she and Nika had their own sort of communication. The silent looks and non-verbal checks ins and invitations. Funny how people could do all the subtle, private things so easily but it was the out in the open things that were hard. "She...Oh." Maybe Jasper should have been sadder about that, but she'd never been a huge fan of either Godwin adults. "..that's a shame." Sip. There was plenty to be said for the way she glanced about and then back to Hannah. What to do in a moment like that? Sip some more coffee. Although her cup was getting kind of low. "...I thought this stuff like..gave you energy or something? I don't feel shit.." Not even with all the sugar and caffeine!
[Nero] About that time here came the very same wolf whose ears must've been burning earlier. Long, confident strides carried the Romanian brute down the concrete walkway. A cigarette lit and burning betwixt pale lips, its cherry red ember glowing brightly in the dead of night. It was easily identified as his trademark; who else could pull off chain-smoking while wearing a three-piece suit. Nero reached for the door as he neared it, issuing a firm yank to jerk it open wide enough for him to waltz on in without actually getting struck by the door on the back swing. He did, however, have enough common courtesy for his fellow coffee addict by flicking his coffin nail out into the street before he ducked his head in. On his way to the front counter, he did catch wind of two clashing scents; a mercurial cat and a simmering dragon. It didn't take him long to identify Hannah, because he had already caught sight of her in his peripheral vision. Jasper came soon enough when he finally readjusted his focus onto the reunion between friends. "Bollocks." Nero muttered under his breath, pulling the collar of his pea coat further up to partially conceal his features. Like that even had a snowballs chance in hell of ever working. "Uh, I would like a Chai latte—as soon as humanly possible. Thank you, my good man." Nero immediately started counting out the correct amount owed from his money clip full of banknotes.
[Hannah] Jasper's reaction didn't exactly startle Hannah. Neither of the recently departed Mrs. Godwin's children seemed especially grievous, either. As Hannah had never met either of the elder Godwins, she could only guess at the reasons why until Nika made it clear in a rare moment of straightforwardness. The woman had been trying to kill her for most of her childhood. The 'self-harming,' the 'accidents.' It wasn't that Nika wasn't crazy; she was. She just wasn't as crazy as her mother was, according to the horror stories that had been shared over Earl Grey, hint of lavender. "Can't feel shit? There's enough cream and whipped cream in that thing to get Sol wasted," she quipped into another sip at nothing fancy, black. The jingle of the little golden bell that was tied to Joe's front door year round pulled her attention in its direction, an all subconscious habit formed over countless nights spent sitting there, alone, reaching out into her observations of strangers for something to help her sleep. The smile on her face softened as she laid eyes on him. Oh, look at him, hiding behind the collar of his coat. She couldn't help smothering what she knew that Jasper would know was a case of sputtered giggles, even if she didn't sputter or giggle. She only cleared her throat. "Look. Think it's the sight of us sitting together that's got him spooked?"
[Jasper] "You'd think!" Maybe it all counter acted itself. Or maybe it just didn't hit yet. Either way Jasper was kind of disappointed in the fact something once practically forbidden her was..so not worth the hype! "Maybe I did something wr...ong.." The pause came with the very scent she picked up. When you spent years being so familiar with it there was no real drowning it out or ignoring such a thing. There was a quick moment of excitement in her eyes where she seemed to forget the current situation. It was incredibly brief, and almost sort of sound how the light snuffed itself out. She maintained the smile, but those prismatic hazels did dim a little. Hannah's expression and that smile..well..it did a number all its own. But there were precious gifted words than helped her resolve. Lucifer was so right. They were fine, she could be too. It didn't mean she had to force herself to stay around for too long, but why should she think about running off? It was fine. The smile rose to a smirk and the little fae simply rose her glass for another sip of the disappointing elixir. Whipped cream licked from the top of her lip and she even spared a a glance in his direction before giving a dismissive lift of brow with a chuckle to pair with Hannah's unsounded giggles. "Could probably make it worse." Leaning forward, a bit of that spark returned to her eyes just like old times. Heartache turned to mischief in some odd manner of coping. A glance given to the ballerina's lap and a cant of head given. "What do y' say?" It was totally up to Hannah by that point, but if allowed? She was totally claiming some well missed lap time, while being careful of skin contact. If not? Well, she was at least scooting her damn chair closer. See? It was all fine!
[Hannah] Er. There was a... cait sidhe... in her lap? Hannah's arms lifted to either side of her so that her coffee wouldn't be spilled as she became a piece of furniture -- again. That was starting to happen a lot. "You be nice," she hissed a whisper at Jasper, brow furrowing. "He's been working almost around the clock. He's probably exhausted."
[Jasper] There was! If she let her! Which apparently she did. The warning to be nice was met with a scrunch of nose but not verbal retort. Mentally she was giving a very adamant jerking off gesture to the very idea of compassion. Meh!
[Nero] Great. Wonderful. He stood there waiting for his order. Idly drumming his hands against the countertop as if that would expedite service. Sooner rather than later he came to the realization that it just wasn't avoidable. So, instead he performed an about-face, immediately shoving both of his hands inside the front pockets of his coat. A final glance given to the barista. "Also. Be a good chap and make that to.. gooooo." He trailed off, and completely derailed after looking back to see Jasper in Hannah's lap. "Just great. We'll never succeed in washing the stench of vodka and tuna out of that." Again, he was reduced to muttering while his eye twitched ever so slightly. Nero was careful so that no one else heard him, except for the barista who received a dirty look just then. He made strides over in their direction, and ultimately settled himself into Jasper's leather chair; the one she all but abandoned in search of greener pastures, or redder in this instance. "Ah, you two certainly look—cozy. Have you two reconciled yet?" He asked, knowing full well it was bound to happen sooner or later. Assuming they could find common ground on which to stand.
[Hannah] A cat, a dragon and a werewolf walk into a cafe... there has to be a joke in there, somewhere, especially where these three are concerned. Hannah just kind of sat there with Jasper perched atop a side-curled thigh. Her arms came down eventually, but the hand in which she held her cup remained extended over the arm of the chair so that all it would hit was old wooden floor if things went haywire. "I..." Blink blink. Reconciled wasn't the word she'd have used. They'd struggled their way through a polite, superficial how-are-you, at best, and no mention of Nero had been made prior to his arrival, so there really hadn't been any opportunity for true reconciliation. "Uh... don't... know?" Hannah tossed an awkward glance up to Jasper.
[Jasper] As if it wasn't quite well aware at this point of accute hear through both her lineage. Nero should have known better..unless he simply intended for her to hear such things. And Hannah told her to be nice? It didn't matter. Save for the faintest twitch at the corner of her lip? The girl managed to give no indication of emotional reaction. Instead her attention settled upon the red head beneath her. Nero himself was acknowledged with a basic nod and a shrug while she reached for her drink to take another sip. Reconcile? They weren't quite there yet, but they did seem a bit less hurty with one another. "Gettin' there?" Another casual sip of her drink while she looked back toward Hannah. Was that about right? One baby step at a time? They were able to have coffee and hold a conversation that went from civial to almost friendly. It was a pretty good step from the last time they saw one another. And it was vanilla and sardines, thank you very much!
[Nero] That's even nastier.
SUMMARY: Old friends Jasper and Hannah make an awkward attempt at superficial chit-chat in the wake of love lost and found in the same man. Nero shows up for tea just in time to make things a little weirder.
TW: none
[Hannah] You'd think that summer would be Hannah's favorite season; you know, reptiles and heat. It isn't. She likes autumn best. She's never been sure why, exactly. Maybe it has something to do with the way the whole deciduous world goes all to golds and oranges and reds like it's on fire. Like her. The long, copper crash that usually set her apart in a drab English crowd -- she could lose it among all that majesty. She could become another buttoned-up coat against the London skyline. The idea comforted her, which explained away at least part of the way her eyes widened all the way from brown to blue and black pupil to take it all in and in taking it all in, she smiled at nobody in particular. It was just a smile, subtle on a full mouth, pink-peach and vanilla-cinnamon balmed like it always was. The newly 19-year-old ballerina even hopped up onto the sidewalk from the street. It was largely unnecessary, but it felt like the right thing to do. A small, simple hand reached out for the large, ornate door pull-and-latch that would let her in to see Andy and the gang. Andy and Tucker would probably be cross with her for having broken her nightly routine without calling or texting. Any other attempt to look after her was met with a scowl and eyebrows turned down over a warning glare, so her coffee habit was really the only thing outside of classes that the average Joe -- seewhatIdidthere?! -- could use to clock her movements through the city. Sure enough, a tall, lanky man with warm, blue eyes spied her coming through the door and went ramrod straight behind the counter, hands on his hips, eyebrow raised. He's waiting, Hannah.
[Jasper] Autumn. The very scent of it made the girl smile. It was the promise of falling leaves she could scatter or pounce. Sweater weather, long nights, and all the little festivities. Not that she needed sweaters when the cold rarely bothered her anymore. It had almost promised to be a not so enjoyable fall this year, what with everything that had gone on. Jasper had had every intention of simply staying in her room until the entire season passed. But then..something had changed. An entire mood and outlook adjusted by some unexpected wisdom. And then? The girl was out doing things, being social, and living. Tears turned to smiles, with frowns turning upside down as Ash liked to say. New friends and a new view of life. Mabon had really been a turning point in proving she had every ability to go out, be social, and even have a bit of fun! The day after had been spent nestled in the quad with a surprise, brief visit from that tempting girl with fire in her dark eyes, but the little minx just simply couldn't repeat that today. With a chill in the air she slipped into a loose fitted sweater that hung off one shoulder and fell low on her hips to nearly hide away the shorts beneath. These days garters were replaced with high fitting socks that hug just above the knee, a slid black knitting to complement the black and red striping of the sweater. Once dark hair was back to the color of fresh blood, much like those lips. Some things changed, others simply returned to what was natural and belonged. Spindly fingers grasped at the door before they gave a pause at the sight of copper lengths. Her very heart froze for a moment at the sight while she lingered just outside. No. She wasn't going to avoid her. She wasn't going to pretend like she didn't want to know if Hannah still cared of not. She knew what was up with Nero and the red head with a few puzzle pieces fit together. It stung, but there was really no surprise for it anymore. Whatever. She wasn't going to let the mutt get in the way of one of the closest friendships she'd had since Tae. Through the doorway she moved once the door was pulled open, slipping just inside while she caught the look on Andy's face. Maaaaaaybe that cup of something warm could wait. Ahem.
[Hannah] Andy didn't speak. It was so rare that he ever spoke, in fact, that nobody Hannah knew could remember if he ever had. A sheepish sigh lowered her shoulders as cold fingers started down the line of buttons keeping an ugly mustard yellow pea coat fastened around her. "I know, I know," she apologized. A few tugs and a few footsteps brought her belly-up to the counter, which she tossed her coat over the edge of before assuming a lean over that. Her elbows settled onto old, lacquered wood while she looked over brightly colored chalk listing specials that both she and Andy knew she wasn't going to order. "But I have my phone, now. I stopped off at Turner and got it." It didn't placate the barista completely, but at least he dropped his hands from his hips and reached behind him for the plainest, prettiest French white coffee cup in the rack. Hannah thought it was the prettiest, anyway. That was why she always asked for it and that was why he knew she'd want it. She watched with a growing smile as Andy filled it up with nothing special, which was an imported medium French roast that she didn't know was imported, or else she'd have shied away from it. Imported = special. One of his eyebrows still rode high on his forehead, but Hannah wasn't ready to spill the proverbial beans, just yet, so she let him wonder. Back upright, then, and folding her coat over a forearm. She reached for her cup of coffee with her free hand, mimicking Andy's facial expression. "What? I'm alive, aren't I? Pipe down, Andy." Pipe down, she said, to someone who says even littler than she does. A sparkle of humor landed in her right eye before she took off for her chair. The ugly one, lemon-lime faux velvet that was coming undone at the right arm's seam but might have been a nice vintage wingback with different upholstery. Ugly coat. Ugly chair. Plain cup. Criminally inclined werewolf. Sometimes there just isn't any sense to the things she decides she needs in her life.
[Jasper] If the dragon had her phone then it meant she'd been to the quad. And apparently Jaz had just missed it! Kind of amusing that she ran into her now at the coffee shop. At least it was neutral ground for them both. Booted feet shifted weight side to side while she watched and allowed herself to be left unnoticed. Even with all they had been through and the awkwardness that remained it was good to watch Hannah be Hannah. Sometimes you didn't get to choose who you loved, or when to stop loving them. With folded arms she leaned against the wall beside the door, just observing with a muted smile. Simple cup, for a modest but not so simple girl. Yes, Hannah was alive. She was a strong girl despite her arguments. She's survived so much. The cat knew the dragon's strength more than her friend might like to admit. All those thoughts ran through a mostly sober mind while she watched the exchange and waited. At long last it was her turn to order, booted feet skipping up to the counter with a lift on tip toes to view a menu she really didn't need to bother with. "....I wanna try that coffee stuff again. Lots of cream and sugar. And...whipped cream? Can you put that stuff on there?" The look Andy gave her made it hard for her to decide if she was happier about the idea of whipped cream coffee, or the way he lifted a brow with a tilt of chin. She was ruining this coffee before it was even ever poured. "Sweet." Literally! While the man went about making the abomonation of a cup, Jaz looked over her shoulder toward the red head in her aging green chair. Why did Hannah like the thing she liked? If you asked Jasper, it was because she loved the things nobody else would. Hannah loved what others would have left unnoticed. That which would not typically be appreciated. It was a very Hannah thing to do, and even a bit of a reflection. At least that was her thoughts, when the cat actually took the time to ponder such seriousness. That black rimmed gaze tore away when her coffee was ready, the heat of the cream paled liquid already melting that mountain of whipped topping. "Ooooh...you're the best!" Beaming, she took the random black cup he served to her and turned about. Once more came a pause. Did she try to join the girl she wasn't even sure considered her a friend any longer? Hiding or retreating wasn't in her nature when actually face to face with a situation but...this was a little bit different, wasn't it? Swallowing slightly, each booted step came in a slight shuffle as she chose to approach. With a breath she stopped a brief distance from dragon and dying green chair, taking a breath before glancing at the big leather chair nearby. "....can uh--..y' want--..." Ugh! Spit it out! "....mind if I sit here? With...you? Hann..ers?"
[Hannah] It was hard to ignore the sinking feeling that... well, sank, her stomach just as she was curling into her chair. She'd have known Jasper's voice anywhere, and the tell-tale addition of a heart attack's worth of sugar and dairy to the order being given in that recognizable purr only served as back-up intelligence. Her curl tightened up, knees bent into the inside of one chair arm and flat-shoed feet tucked under an ass outfitted in dark, snug denim. Hannah stuffed her coat down into the empty space between a twisted hip and thighs that had tensed as though something in her wanted to be ready to run, if she had to. Ash was right. Hannah ran a lot. She'd never let him have the satisfaction of having pegged her with that, though. Footsteps. Little ones. Little cait sidhe ones. The other girl's pause and subsequent question forced Hannah's hard swallow down and her eyes up out of her cup. They were large and shiny with guilt before she could even get them onto Jasper's shrapnel-strewn face. "... w-what? I... uh... yeah. Okay." Okay. Have a seat. Get cozy. Let's pretend that nothing is wrong, for a little while, and maybe at some point we'll both believe that, and maybe at some point I'll forget that he was yours, and maybe at some point I'll let you see it; how desperately I love him. And maybe then what ever's left of our friendship will finally just stop fighting and die over what we swore we'd never let kill it too many months that feel like lifetimes ago. Okay. "You look good, Jas."
[Jasper] Let's just start with coffee. "..cool." What else could she say? She'd taken the first steps but she hadn't been sure how it was going to end up. Slowly shifting into the oversized chair, the girl crossed her legs onto the cushion and set her cup down. For the moment she wasn't totally sure she was ready for her drink. It was that incredibly awkward moment that was bound to happen; that had to happen. Couldn't avoid each other forever, right? One day they would have to face one another and figure out if anything was salvageable. You look good. A pang in her heart spurred a wince of a smile. She was fine, really. Actually, she wasn't but she was better than she had been a few weeks ago. Or a week ago. Or even just a few days ago. Looking at Hannah now as a reminder of everything she loved in the world, but also how very much it hurt her. Yet she swore it was just a bump in the road to her recovery. In her long nights alone, when nobody even so much as bothered to check on her, she'd find a sense of resolution and logic. Life just wasn't fair. The why and what for didn't matter, did it? The whole thing was a mess and there was no fixing that. So she'd do as she was meant to. Move on. Grow. "Thanks.." The cup was at last picked up, hiding the down turn of her lips behind a sip of hot, sugary liquid. It was definitely better than her first attempt the night she'd unwittingly tried it black while in Alice's body. A bit of whipped cream caught her lip before she licked it away. Hannah looked.. okay. More than okay. Beneath the layer of jitters and nervousness around the little cait sidhe there was...something. Jaz knew what it was. She didn't want to, and a part of her sure as hell fought to acknowledge it.. but she knew. She knew because it was the same 'something' she'd felt for the same damn person not long ago. A real awkward place to be in, kiddies. Seeing your best friend finally happy beneath the surface after such a long time of seeing her practically hollow, and yet loathing the source. Fuck. This was terrible. "..so do you, Hannah." Another sip, though the hot liquid did little to ease the chill in her spine. She could do this. They could do this, damn it. Their friendship was stronger than some brutish, selfish fucking mutt. It was stronger than demons, and death, and all other sort of worldly horrors. "So...you got your phone. I'll uh...I'll clean the kitchen. Promise." A ceiling stained with remnants of the failed attempt at a fishie and vanilla milkshake. There were reasons she wasn't allowed to operate kitchen appliances!
[Hannah] It was peace. There was no stupid, girlish fantasy in it, like there had been with Okto. There was no frightened denial in it, like there had been with Soren. It wasn't nervous and it wasn't timid, not like the dragon herself. There were still many things that Hannah didn't know about Nero and that he didn't know about her. There were still many conversations to be had and many arguments to suffer before they could fill in all the little nooks and crannies that still left the thick concrete under her feet, so to speak, not quite complete. Still, there was thick concrete under her feet where there had been only quicksand, before. For the first time in a long time, she could move freely without fear of what darkness lurked around the next corner. They were darker. He was darker. He'd eat it alive and follow it with two fingers worth of expensive scotch and a cigarette. Man and monster, like she was, plus a w-o. Nero was the safe place she'd been trying to find in years worth of nightmares. It killed her, just a little bit, that he was. Things weren't supposed to be this way. They weren't... were they? Everything had gone all topsy turvy and upside down and leftside right in the discovery of touches that shared too much and kisses that weren't blessed. "Thanks." Oh, God, that kitchen. Who had let Jasper do anything in the kitchen? She knew it had to have been Jasper; vanilla and fish. Everywhere. Just everywhere. She'd turned her nose up and grimaced, and for a second she'd even considered staying to clean it up, but she was trying to get used to the idea that she wasn't going to live at Turner Hall, anymore. Or at any hall, anymore. "Yeah, I got my phone. You... got a milkshake craving again or something, didn't you?" The smile that cracked her poker face wasn't altogether humorless. It may have even held some fond familiarity.
[Jasper] One day they would have to talk about that, too. One day it would all have to come out in the open. But not yet. Not now. Hannah wasn't ready, and Jasper really wasn't ready. As it was the girl was tense, half expecting for the wolf to come swaggering in and ruin the moment. The only moment she'd had with Hannah since the girl had stormed out without so much as her phone. A night Jasper still regretted for what she almost said. She'd said enough as it was. At least they had now. They had now, without Nero or really anyone else. They had coffee and maybe could forget everything else and share just a second of their old connection over her kitchen disasters and love of odd things. Really everywhere. At least it wasn't going to leave a colored stain? Vanilla was white and the fish didn't have much color themselves. When Hannah smiled Jasper couldn't help but do a little bit of the same. Fuck, she missed her friend. The one that tolerated her demand for contact, and was always patient with her unusual antics. The person that simply didn't judge her. In turn Jasper had never judged her, but she did call her on her shit. They were good at that with each other. The humor only lasted a moment before she was seeking to sip her coffee. The girl hadn't even botheed to think what it would do to her in her own body. Nobody had ever let the hyper little minx drink the stuff before! So far though she seemed okay. "So..." Shit. Topic. She needed a topic. "..how...was your birthday?" Almost half afraid to ask for fear of the answer, she chewed on her bottom lip while looking toward the other nervous girl in her unfortunately green chair. "..I kind of left you stuff. On the table. But...I didn't do anything else. I left right after." Don't worry, Hanners, the cat didn't let her curiosity get the better of her or invate your privacy.
[Hannah] It hadn't been so bad, really, being weeks without her cell phone. Who had she really needed to talk to? She was hiding from Jasper and her whip of a tongue, she was hiding from Nero and his Earthquake of a gentle kiss... her only other regular social contacts were Mackie and Ash. Mackie had the attention span of a gnat and probably wouldn't even notice she'd been gone from 1B for a while when she went in there to see Solomon. And despite an awkward hug, recently, Ash didn't seem to like her much because she'd shut him down for her phone number, once. The only reason they talked was because they got stuck together in a partnered dance class. He was going to drop her, some day; she just knew it. No, hiding, it hadn't been too bad, really. She'd been found, anyway, of course. She'd run into Alex by crazy random happenstance -- oh, and Jasper would have been so proud, she'd actually let him pay for her coffee! -- and then she'd been sniffed out by the elephant in the room, whose scent was probably all over her temporarily rented condo in Lambeth. An absent tuck of red-orange behind an ear revealed that she had in fact received the birthday gift, by the way. Old gold and older opal, hanging prettily there from an alabaster earlobe. "My birthday was... quiet," and so did her smile turn. When she lifted her cup to sip at its rim, old gold and older opal encircled a finger, too. Last year's birthday gift from the girl sitting nearby. Maybe. Maybe they'd talk about Nero, some day. Maybe Hannah would be able to share everything she'd kept secret from everyone but Horse with the person she was supposed to have been able to share it with. "I got the stuff. Thanks." Her thanks might have been more gracious if she wasn't holding back laughter. But... I didn't do anything else. I left right after. "You didn't peek in the back bedroom? Too bad. That's where I keep all the charred half-corpses of knights who have tried to scale my condo thinking I'm the princess." Instead of the dragon, which she wouldn't say aloud, but...
[Jasper] The earrings looked perfect on her, just like Jaz knew they would. It made the girl smile just a bit more. Of course they went lovely with the ring. "Cool. They were my Grams. I was named after her." No, she wasn't the first Jasper Cross, but she was the most tenacious. "And quiet's good." It could have meant a lot of things, but she didn't really inquire. Some answers were not quite worth having yet. Another long sip was taken from her cup as she kept her mind from wandering too far. There was a lot to say, but neither girl had it in them to say it yet. Maybe in time. At least they both had time, given their species. "Dude. Like I didn't see enough of them under your bed, already? Come on, Hanners.." Another small flicker of light hearted joking and familiarity. If they could hold onto that maybe the night would be okay. "..I'm glad you like the earrings though. They look really good on you." It was really a pleasant surprise to see her wearing them. Jasper hadn't even been sure she'd open the gift. What she didn't ask about was the card. Writing out that message had been so odd, trying to keep it sentimental yet light hearted and without hidden meaning. But hey, she liked the earrings! A light tap of nails found the edge of her cup, head tilting as she tried to think of what to say without it being anything that would spoil the mood. She..was kind of failing at that very moment. "So..."
[Hannah] Reading that little card had probably been almost as hard for her as writing it had been for Jasper. If anyone knows how to read between lines, it's someone who writes between them more often than not. She could feel the care that had been taken in choosing some words and leaving others out; in trying to stay on topic; in trying not to just spill emotion into it and slap a seal on the envelope. Among many other things she could feel that most could not was palpable restraint. Quiet meant quiet. As usual, she hadn't wanted a rowdy celebration or a grandiose gesture, for her birthday. She received a letter from Jude like she did every year on her birthday, no return address, no signature and postmarked nowhere near Amsterdam, which meant he'd probably had it sent to friends in two or three different countries before having the last of them send it to her. They were always so careful. They had to be. She went to her classes. Then she went back to Lambeth, where her night had ended with a book and a lemon cupcake. And him. Glamour and excitement; that was Jasper's bag. "Hey! Hey, there weren't any charred half-corpses under my bed. Only charred quarter-corpses." Either living in the dormitories made her hungrier or her room was just smaller, there, and she had to think compact. Her smile held steady, somehow, through all of the awkward gratitude and compliment. So... "So, I saw Nika, last week."
[Jasper] Wasn't that why they were best friends? They could read right between each other and their lines. Sometimes they called it out and sometimes they knew just when to let it go. In all her awkward silence the little cait sidhe sipped at her coffee, licking at the whipped cream from time to time. So far the night wasn't as bad as she had expected it might be. Hannah wasn't running and she herself wasn't full of righteous upset. They were..almost-kind-of-not-really-okay. There was even a genuine smirk at the correction. "Yeah, yeah. Details, shmetails. Don't go getting all size queenie, lady." A chuckle. The quip came followed with a chuckle and even the glimmers of a real smile. Humor helped so much. A more casual lick of the whipped cream was mde, her body leaning back against the chair. Slowly some of that tension was bleeding away. Nika? A brow quirked and she seemed to perk up a bit. "Oh yeah? How is she doing?" What Jasper didn't ask but was almost dying to even though she knew the answer, was if Nika knew about Hannah's little 'accident'. Sure, she was still a little upset by that whole thing. Could you blame her? It was a dumb little miss Hannah. Dumb-uh. "I haven't seen her in....a while. Is she still in town?"
[Hannah] "She…" She murdered her mother and is keeping her father in a garden full of wolfsbane. You know, because Nika. "She looked nice. More grown up than before. We had tea, and... oh, she mentioned that she was renting the flat a little while longer. I think she still had some business in the city. I'm not sure when exactly she was going back to Durham." And yes, Nika knew. The Little Bird had little birds. She knew everything and if you weren't paying attention, you'd never know she knew everything, not the way she inquired politely after Hannah's health or the way she glossed over a glossed over response with something like, 'oh, he's been attentive. good.' She knew, though. One of the reasons the ballerina and the apothecary got along whether near or far was because neither needed to say much for the other to understand her. It was almost as though they spoke the same strange, sometimes silent language and things like absolute clarity were considered overrated between them. Hannah didn't suggest any of this aloud. "Mrs. Godwin passed away."
[Jasper] More grown up. She wasn't sure that was how she wanted to imagine the unusual little bird. "Oh yeah? Good. It'd be cool to hang out with her while she's here." There were bonds there, some from being a founding family member, and other facts simply born of the things they had went through. It was a time none of them talked about now. Some memories were just left unsaid it one could help it. Jasper didn't quite speak their language, but she and Nika had their own sort of communication. The silent looks and non-verbal checks ins and invitations. Funny how people could do all the subtle, private things so easily but it was the out in the open things that were hard. "She...Oh." Maybe Jasper should have been sadder about that, but she'd never been a huge fan of either Godwin adults. "..that's a shame." Sip. There was plenty to be said for the way she glanced about and then back to Hannah. What to do in a moment like that? Sip some more coffee. Although her cup was getting kind of low. "...I thought this stuff like..gave you energy or something? I don't feel shit.." Not even with all the sugar and caffeine!
[Nero] About that time here came the very same wolf whose ears must've been burning earlier. Long, confident strides carried the Romanian brute down the concrete walkway. A cigarette lit and burning betwixt pale lips, its cherry red ember glowing brightly in the dead of night. It was easily identified as his trademark; who else could pull off chain-smoking while wearing a three-piece suit. Nero reached for the door as he neared it, issuing a firm yank to jerk it open wide enough for him to waltz on in without actually getting struck by the door on the back swing. He did, however, have enough common courtesy for his fellow coffee addict by flicking his coffin nail out into the street before he ducked his head in. On his way to the front counter, he did catch wind of two clashing scents; a mercurial cat and a simmering dragon. It didn't take him long to identify Hannah, because he had already caught sight of her in his peripheral vision. Jasper came soon enough when he finally readjusted his focus onto the reunion between friends. "Bollocks." Nero muttered under his breath, pulling the collar of his pea coat further up to partially conceal his features. Like that even had a snowballs chance in hell of ever working. "Uh, I would like a Chai latte—as soon as humanly possible. Thank you, my good man." Nero immediately started counting out the correct amount owed from his money clip full of banknotes.
[Hannah] Jasper's reaction didn't exactly startle Hannah. Neither of the recently departed Mrs. Godwin's children seemed especially grievous, either. As Hannah had never met either of the elder Godwins, she could only guess at the reasons why until Nika made it clear in a rare moment of straightforwardness. The woman had been trying to kill her for most of her childhood. The 'self-harming,' the 'accidents.' It wasn't that Nika wasn't crazy; she was. She just wasn't as crazy as her mother was, according to the horror stories that had been shared over Earl Grey, hint of lavender. "Can't feel shit? There's enough cream and whipped cream in that thing to get Sol wasted," she quipped into another sip at nothing fancy, black. The jingle of the little golden bell that was tied to Joe's front door year round pulled her attention in its direction, an all subconscious habit formed over countless nights spent sitting there, alone, reaching out into her observations of strangers for something to help her sleep. The smile on her face softened as she laid eyes on him. Oh, look at him, hiding behind the collar of his coat. She couldn't help smothering what she knew that Jasper would know was a case of sputtered giggles, even if she didn't sputter or giggle. She only cleared her throat. "Look. Think it's the sight of us sitting together that's got him spooked?"
[Jasper] "You'd think!" Maybe it all counter acted itself. Or maybe it just didn't hit yet. Either way Jasper was kind of disappointed in the fact something once practically forbidden her was..so not worth the hype! "Maybe I did something wr...ong.." The pause came with the very scent she picked up. When you spent years being so familiar with it there was no real drowning it out or ignoring such a thing. There was a quick moment of excitement in her eyes where she seemed to forget the current situation. It was incredibly brief, and almost sort of sound how the light snuffed itself out. She maintained the smile, but those prismatic hazels did dim a little. Hannah's expression and that smile..well..it did a number all its own. But there were precious gifted words than helped her resolve. Lucifer was so right. They were fine, she could be too. It didn't mean she had to force herself to stay around for too long, but why should she think about running off? It was fine. The smile rose to a smirk and the little fae simply rose her glass for another sip of the disappointing elixir. Whipped cream licked from the top of her lip and she even spared a a glance in his direction before giving a dismissive lift of brow with a chuckle to pair with Hannah's unsounded giggles. "Could probably make it worse." Leaning forward, a bit of that spark returned to her eyes just like old times. Heartache turned to mischief in some odd manner of coping. A glance given to the ballerina's lap and a cant of head given. "What do y' say?" It was totally up to Hannah by that point, but if allowed? She was totally claiming some well missed lap time, while being careful of skin contact. If not? Well, she was at least scooting her damn chair closer. See? It was all fine!
[Hannah] Er. There was a... cait sidhe... in her lap? Hannah's arms lifted to either side of her so that her coffee wouldn't be spilled as she became a piece of furniture -- again. That was starting to happen a lot. "You be nice," she hissed a whisper at Jasper, brow furrowing. "He's been working almost around the clock. He's probably exhausted."
[Jasper] There was! If she let her! Which apparently she did. The warning to be nice was met with a scrunch of nose but not verbal retort. Mentally she was giving a very adamant jerking off gesture to the very idea of compassion. Meh!
[Nero] Great. Wonderful. He stood there waiting for his order. Idly drumming his hands against the countertop as if that would expedite service. Sooner rather than later he came to the realization that it just wasn't avoidable. So, instead he performed an about-face, immediately shoving both of his hands inside the front pockets of his coat. A final glance given to the barista. "Also. Be a good chap and make that to.. gooooo." He trailed off, and completely derailed after looking back to see Jasper in Hannah's lap. "Just great. We'll never succeed in washing the stench of vodka and tuna out of that." Again, he was reduced to muttering while his eye twitched ever so slightly. Nero was careful so that no one else heard him, except for the barista who received a dirty look just then. He made strides over in their direction, and ultimately settled himself into Jasper's leather chair; the one she all but abandoned in search of greener pastures, or redder in this instance. "Ah, you two certainly look—cozy. Have you two reconciled yet?" He asked, knowing full well it was bound to happen sooner or later. Assuming they could find common ground on which to stand.
[Hannah] A cat, a dragon and a werewolf walk into a cafe... there has to be a joke in there, somewhere, especially where these three are concerned. Hannah just kind of sat there with Jasper perched atop a side-curled thigh. Her arms came down eventually, but the hand in which she held her cup remained extended over the arm of the chair so that all it would hit was old wooden floor if things went haywire. "I..." Blink blink. Reconciled wasn't the word she'd have used. They'd struggled their way through a polite, superficial how-are-you, at best, and no mention of Nero had been made prior to his arrival, so there really hadn't been any opportunity for true reconciliation. "Uh... don't... know?" Hannah tossed an awkward glance up to Jasper.
[Jasper] As if it wasn't quite well aware at this point of accute hear through both her lineage. Nero should have known better..unless he simply intended for her to hear such things. And Hannah told her to be nice? It didn't matter. Save for the faintest twitch at the corner of her lip? The girl managed to give no indication of emotional reaction. Instead her attention settled upon the red head beneath her. Nero himself was acknowledged with a basic nod and a shrug while she reached for her drink to take another sip. Reconcile? They weren't quite there yet, but they did seem a bit less hurty with one another. "Gettin' there?" Another casual sip of her drink while she looked back toward Hannah. Was that about right? One baby step at a time? They were able to have coffee and hold a conversation that went from civial to almost friendly. It was a pretty good step from the last time they saw one another. And it was vanilla and sardines, thank you very much!
[Nero] That's even nastier.