[open] ☽ Tea Room Mingling Log

[judgmental]

Who: Anyone who'd like tea or company.
What: An open mingling log.
When: In the days shortly after Baldr's post
Where: the Hrafn Tea Room (in Odin District, near the library)
Rating: Likely G, but PG at most?


The Hrafn Tea Room's design is simple and shows its owner's taste for blues, greens, and grays. It's only here and there that the warmer color of Odin district shows itself in brief glimmers, such as on the aprons of the staff. Most of said staff are natives, but they have rather more color than most. Perhaps it's Yuri's influence, but like him, they are also quite polite, prompt, and dedicated to their jobs. They are welcoming in manner without being overly cheerful.

Located so close to the library, the tea room is very friendly to readers. Off the main seating area is a separate, quieter reading room, with many comfortable chairs for the use of those who wish to read or study in relative peace and silence.

There is a hand-lettered sign in the window that reads "Help Wanted", in neat, elegant script.

The proprietor himself can be found at a table at times, sitting alone more often than not, thoughtfully enjoying one of his own blends and perhaps a book.

[[ooc: Open for all to linger and mingle, to relax after recent troubles. Anyone in search of employment need only approach the counter and ask for the owner, and he shall appear. If you'd like to have a closed thread with someone, no problem! Just mark it as such.]]

Comments

[uglyinside]

Oh no. [ He says it as expressionless as possible, taking a pastry in defiance of that suggestion. ]

Now I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

[hotshit]

But it's true! [He slaps a hand on the table, swinging his legs off his chair in an attentive gesture.] If you don't eat right, all your muscles will turn to jelly! There's a saying around here that you end up turnin' into what you eat.

I bet you got tons of body fat!

[uglyinside]

Oh yes. Tons. [ For once, the smile he gives Claire is one that shows his pearly whites. ] It's a source of constant embarrassment for me. Do you think you could overlook such a flaw?

1/2

[hotshit]

[Claire zones out and thinks about stupid things, like is it possible to stab through a guy's hand with a dull pencil? Maybe he can try that on Johan one day.]

[hotshit]

[Taking a pastry, he stuffs it in his mouth.]

You can stchill be schkinny and be fat at the schame tchime ya know!

1/2

[uglyinside]

...

[uglyinside]

Okay, Claire. [ He opens another book, letting out a small sigh. ]

[hotshit]

Hey, that one was pretty good! [Claire... reaches for the plate, dragging it over and picks through the pastries.]

[uglyinside]

[ He flips through a couple of pages, keeping his attention fixed on it as his hand moves over to where the plate was, and notices there's nothing there.

So it just ...drums its fingers on the table once, before slipping back on the spine of the book.

But his stomach growls. ]

[hotshit]

... Was that you? [Callin him out on dat stomach noise.]

[uglyinside]

[ ... ] Of course, it would be kind of you to leave me some, as I've said.

[ He pretends to be particularly interested in what he's reading now. ]

“To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.”

Hmm, I remember you speaking of love. I think if I were writing a book, you'd -- yes. You'd certainly be the love interest. [ He looks up at Claire expectantly. ]

[hotshit]

[Claire shrugs and throws his hands back behind his head, folding them together, as a way of showing Johan that he won't stop him if he reaches for one!]

Would the protagonist be Anna? [He has a genuine curiosity here, since he can picture Johan using his sister as the POV, since he seems to have a complex regarding her.]

[uglyinside]

You enjoy mentioning her to me. Are you searching for some sort of reaction? Perhaps some information...? [ His expression becomes calmer, which is the outward sign of him controlling it more, of course. ]

The answer is no.

[hotshit]

Nah, I asked because I was pretty sure that if you were gonna use real people for reference, the heroine would be Anna. You're obsessed with her, aren't you? Although, I bet obsessed wouldn't be the word you'd use.

[Tipping his chair back, he balances on the hind legs.] Who would be the protagonist if it wouldn't be her?

[uglyinside]

Hmm. I haven't given it too much consideration. [ He pulls his tea closer to him. ] Diva, I suppose. [ Is he joking?

Lulz. Also, ignores Anna subject forever. It's not like I like her or anything, baka. ]

[hotshit]

Ah, now how'd that work? Wouldn't you be a better candidate for the love interest, in that case? [He lets the subject roll, none too invested in Johan's sister complex.]

[uglyinside]

[ "How interesting that you would suggest that, since you believe I am using her" he thinks. However, he doubts Claire could keep the volume of his voice down, and he decides to steer the conversation so it would not be as revealing to a third party. ]

I prefer tragedies. Besides, I believe inserting yourself in such a way is ... [ Pause. ] verboten.

[hotshit]

Is it? Well, I'm no author, so I guess I wouldn't know. I believe everybody puts a bit of themselves into the characters they write, anyway, since they're based off of what you know. [SHRUGS.]

[uglyinside]

I was wondering, briefly, what kind of stories you would like, if any at all.

[ His smile leaves his eyes as they narrow, but stays sweetly on his face. ]

“You see, I don’t know any stories. None of the lost boys know any stories.”

[hotshit]

[His eyes widen a fraction, instantly remembering that line from his favourite book!]

Ah... Peter Pan, right? I haven't read that one in quite a while! It's actually my favourite, if you can believe that.

[uglyinside]

I thought it would be. [ His smile gets a bit smaller as he leans forward, eyes widening slightly. The tone in his voice is lifted in a second. ]

It's a wonderful story. It says so much, and all wrapped up in a great adventure. What a lovely place for a child to escape to. You remind me a bit of him.

[hotshit]

[Claire's expression immediately brightens, mouth falling open in a broad smile! Peter Pan used to be his hero, and though he outgrew his idolization of the character, he still takes it as one of the highest compliments. Peter Pan was perfect, just as he was. Happy, without any remorse for his past actions or past tragedies. He could move on from anything, going from adventure to adventure. That was the life!]

I do, do I?

[uglyinside]

[ So much clicks about this man before him. Suddenly, previous notions fade away in silence, and from the horizon comes clarity. ]

The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings. [ The line is said with a nostalgic fondness, and he looks up as he speaks it, as if to recall it from the deep recesses of his mind, before he rests his chin in his hand. ]

You do, indeed. An insatiable exploratory nature, a strong sense of adventure, a loyalty to the idea of showing people unseen worlds, and playing by your rules.

That was a very nice story... [ He looks down at the table. ]

1/2

[hotshit]

[Claire blinks slowly as Johan recites a line that had gone forgotten by him. It doesn't take too long for the wheels to start turning, though, and he remembers it as a quote direct from the story.

Ooh. Claire rests his cheek against his hand, staring at Johan intently as he continues.]

[hotshit]

[Claire is fixated on that quote, and not for reasons Johan probably thinks. He can't believe he had forgotten that line from the book! He remembers having most of the story memorized, but with time, the memories had become hazy. He will have to go to the library afterwards.]

Hah... it still is!