2019-11-16 - Scavenging Waffles

Sometime in the morning, a haggard looking Leon parks his self-branded locksmith van in front of the Waffle Shoppe. He gets out, heads for the door. Had it always been here? Was it new? His eyes seem to ask the question as he pushes his way inside and glances around, getting his bearings. He opts to slide into one of the empty bar front stools, after pulling his jacket off, also branded. Leon the Locksmith. He pulls a menu out of the little holder and looking at the choices, a waitresses greeting earning a nod and a quiet order of coffee. No he wasn't picky, yeah he knew the coffee shop was down the street, no cream or sugar. He reads quietly, briefly checking his phone.

Mason comes in, out of the cold morning, speaking quietly with someone at the counter then slipping his guitar and his backpack out of sight and out of the way. He ends up sitting close to Leon, although he leaves one stool between them for the sake of personal space. He orders 'his usual' which turns out to be chocolate chip waffles with chocolate syrup and a hot chocolate. While he waits he sketches in a sketchbook absently with a pencil, though he does look over to Leon and give a little wave of greeting. Because why not. He looks like he could use a friend.

Waffles are amazing, and the waffles here are doubly so. Crispy edges are the key. Zoiya Mae walks in, fresh off her shift at the Cabaret. She drifts up to the counter, pulling out a menu as she attempts to decide if she's eating in or taking out. She lets her gaze drift around the shop, spotting Mason and Leon, letting that hazel-eyed gaze linger for a few beats. Then she turns, making eye contact with the waitress on duty. Yikes. The glare aimed at her is a result of a food fight a month or two ago, apparently old enmity dies hard. She picks up the menu and walks toward the pair, finding a seat nearby. "Can I count on you two to keep the waitress from tossing me out on my ass?" She might be half-joking. Might be serious.

Maggi who had been sitting in the corner passive aggressively waiting for a refill on her coffee, decides 3 minutes is entirely too long to wait for more liquid fuel. Ignoring personal space she leans between the two at the at the counter. Black leather clad elbows give a slight squeak against the cheap counter like a car skidding on the road. Her cup makes a clinking sound with the force of her annoyance as she pushes it forward. Ignoring the cheer of the staff she simply nods when asked if she would like more too-strong coffee. Looking between the three other patrons she greets each with a raised eyebrow beginning to meticulously pour an overly specific amount of sugar into the ceramic mug.

Drawn from his quiet perusal of the menu by the motion of a person joining him at the bar, Leon's eyes briefly glance aside to Mason, seeing the wave, returning a quiet nod and a twitch of the corner of his mouth. His eyes then wheel to Zoiya after, a brow quirking, an inquisitive look on his hard features as he tries to decipher just what would get someone tossed of a grimey waffle place. The last bit of noise actually gets a little bit of a start from him as it was suddenly beside him, his head having to snap in the other direction, eyes a tad widerin surprise at the blond that was now between him and Mason. Slowly, his eyes go forward once more, a thousand yard stare of resignation. So much for a quiet breakfast.

Mason seems intent on waving to each newcomer to the 'conversation' such as it is--Maggi is sorta having her own conversation with the wait staff but nevertheless she's in the general area, and thus deserving of a greeting. Zoiya's question gets a shrug. "Most of the time you can avoid being thrown out of places by being sort of demure and keeping your head down. And by being a paying customer, of course. Maybe once every few hours, order something. If you're nice they won't care too much that you're taking up space. I do it all the time. Especially at night, at 24 hour places. Helps to keep warm." He offers helpfully enough, although certainly his and Zoiya's situations differ.

"I pay." Mae responds, her eyes drifting over to the waitress for a beat before they snap back toward the other people. "I don't know if I can manage demure, but here's hoping she'll give me a chance." She waits a few beats and then peeks up over the booth toward the kitchen. Nobody has a cleaver so it must be working. She eyes Maggi, weighing her choices. "Want company?" She asks, flashing the woman a bright smile. "I don't bite, and I'll overdo the tip. Scouts honor." She crosses her fingers over her heart and picks up her purse, hoping that Maggi will take pity on her.

Maggi sets the sugar down, casting it aside now that it had served it's purpose. Attempting to disperse the sugar within the liquid, she uses a coffee straw which begins to bend with the heat. She curses under her breath before turning to face Zoiya. "Sure, but I'll warn human social skills degrade 22% over the course of being conscious for more than 20 hours, I'm on 23. Might as well bring the kid who lives here and mister 'dead inside though'. One may kill the other and we will have to serve as witnesses." Attempting another straw and receiving the same result she curses again moving to one of the indicated vinyl booths without a backward look. "Who even invented these pieces of crap?" The comment seems directed at the useless plastic object in her mug.

Accepting his mug of black coffee from the waitress, with an apologetic downturn of his face, eyes up, he tries to look innocent, nonthreatening. Just a good 'ol boy needing his Mornin Joe. The demure comment from Mason gets a side-eye, then a returning glance to Mae. Again, the ex-soldier decides eyes-forward is the way to go while wondering if finding cover to escape the blast radius would be needed, but Mae's response seemed to take it in stride, which he supposed strange and somehow relieving all at once. Until Maggi includes him in whatever this train wreck was. He does have to take a covert second look. They all had that... thing... about them, that no one else he'd seen since he walked in. It couldn't be a coincidence. He snorts at the blonde's calculations, stating with another side-eye to Maggi, "I'm fine with my breakfast here, Coyote Ugly." He points to a selection on the menu, then makes a quick motion with his hand. Finger rubbing thumb like money, thumb-point at Mason, thumb tap to his own chest. He wanted to pay for the kids food, as he sounded homeless.

Mason looks like he's about to say something in response to Maggi, but it seems, after a moment, that his voice has left him. He tries to make a sound but nothing comes out. So instead he simply eats his waffle. No point arguing anyway. He 'lives' here as much as he lives anywhere. He sips hot chocolate, and sketches idly. A woman with faerie wings, a man with cat ears. Fanciful stuff. He looks over to leon though, and smiles, signing 'thank you', then returning to his sketches.

Mae gets up, moves over to Maggi's table and takes a seat, crossing her legs. "If you kill me, just bury me outside. I'll be close to work so when I rise from the dead I can just head right in, you know?" The waitress approaches and Mae pretends that she doesn't know her, ordering waffles with fruit syrup. "Oh and coffee, black." She adds, turning to gaze at Maggi. "You want anything else? I'll treat." She gestures from the blonde to the waitress with the fork she just unrolled from her napkin. Her phone buzzes as a text vibrates her phone, but she ignores it for now. She's making a new friend.

The door to the Waffle Shoppe swings open, letting in a quick burst crisp autumn air before it's blocked by the form of Cristobal. "Sweet tits on the Virgin Mary..." Perhaps he should have rethought just tossing a jean jacket over a tank top or wearing something thicker than black warm-up pants. He stamps his booted feet until he's sure he can still feel his toes as his sharp blue gaze sweeps over the room and lands on a certain dark haired, tattooed dancer. "Hey Mae, you left before I could walk you out." A tendency the bouncer has for those that work late. He gives a little up-nod to Maggi before his eyes start to wonder again, drawing down the line of the counter as if considering ordering something off menu.

Maggi gave a behind the back middle finger at Leon's comment, which may have just been another bizarre form of acknowledgement. Having been greeted with Mae's humor as she sits, a small snort causes her to spit a sip she had been taking back into her cup. She is about to respond when she notices Cristobal out of the side of her eye and the edges of a growing smile slightly recede. "This cup is my last ditch effort to not coma for half a day, I appreciate the offer, but diluting it in any way is ill advised." She sits back a bit to watch to interaction between Mae and her stalker, taking mental notes on the interaction. As an aside she adds "You are too clever to murder just yet, I'll get your contact info before I go comatose in case I change my mind." She gives crazy eyes to to Cristobal at the word murder.

"Don't threaten me with a good time," is the flat response Maggi's own form of sign language gets. Mason's actual sign language gets a confused look from the haggard smith, then an awkward, "Oh, uh... I don't actually know..." He waves a hand weakly, sighing at himself, now feeling dumb he said it aloud... Especially when he now realized he actually understood what it meant. "You're welcome. Plenty of my brothers don't have places to stay, and I figure that makes you extended family." He tucks into his delivered plate quickly. Actually only one waffle, but more protein than anything, with a couple eggs, sausage, and bacon. He makes a unpleasant groan of protest at the gust of cold air, tossing a look over his shoulder.

Mason isn't likely to talk anytime soon with all the new people. Too many people and his voice just kinda goes away. But he smiles at Leon, and shrugs, giving the newcomer a small wave--he waved at everyone else, it's only fair--before returning to his sketches, trying his best to not draw too much attention. It was a joke, sure, but he's already had his life threatened, so best to keep his head down, right? In fact, his body language is exactly what you'd expect from someone doing their best to be small and insignificant, hunched over the counter drawing, lost in his own world.

Mae perks up when she hears Cristobal, turning her head toward the door. "I snuck out, because I was hungry. Do you want some waffles, Cris? I'm buying. Look.." She points at Maggi then, who is giving Cris the gimlet eye. ".. I'm making new friends." She waits a few beats and then adds. "They gave me the advice that I should be demure so I don't get thrown out of this place again." She gives Mason a brief look, and then leans a bit to see if she can catch a glance of what he's sketching, no luck. So she just plays with her fork. "You don't mind if my friend from work joins us, do you?" She asks Maggi, wondering if the percentage of human social skills are going to go down more.

Cristobal 's eyes dance over those at the counter, as if silently assessing each of them before he's drawn back to Mae with words he only half heard. "Probably helps you changed into street clothes first this time." His finger reaches out to snag a lock of her hair and run it to the end with a curl of his finger before playfully flicking it back at her face. "Trying to decide what I'm hungry for. Whaddya think? Shy wallflower, busty waitress, or blue collar tough guy?" He smiles toothily across the way at Maggi. "I'd include you, but I think you bite."

Maggi had already decided she disliked Mae less than most people, she also felt kind of familiar in some weird sense. Her expression brightens some at the realization that the man was not a stalker. The crazy wide eyed stare ceases, the grin growing. "Nah, Not if you say he's fine. First round of tests just hit for the semester, the more people you give attitude to, suddenly the more books you need are available. Sometimes I forget to stop..." Her eyes seem to wander off for a moment, feeling the odd pull to so many people at once in a space had not happened in a while, she wanted to ask them questions, but not to come across any more bonkers than she already had. Maggi had been joking when she said the kid lived here, slowly putting the pieces together she felt a pang of guilt, not a strong enough one to make amends with. Snapping back to reality, she looks at Cristobal a bit softer. "I do in fact bite."

Giving a brief sigh, Leon frees one hand up by setting a knife down. Very slowly, one-letter at a time, and pretty clumsily at that, he signs, [You ok?] to Mason. He looks a little frustrated at himself, maybe for literally countermanding his own assertion about his ability to sign... His brain was so weird... Thankfully, it meant he could take as big of bites as he needed, and he munched gladly on the large slices of bacon he had ordered. Ok, maybe sign language had its upsides. Feeling eyes, or maybe just coincidence, Leon tosses a glance toward the table with the newcomer.

Mason may occasionally be without a voice but he isn't deaf. As it happens he hears every comment made about him. 'Shy wallflower' doesn't really do him justice, but he's not going to argue the point, especially while he's still mute." He does pay attention to Leon's fingerspelling, at least a little curious what he could want to communicate without words. But Leon is the only one he's making eye contact with at this point.

"How did I get left out." Mae narrows her eyes at Cristobal. She's tempted to snap at the finger that flicked her hair, but she's saving her appetite for waffles with fruit syrup. When the busty waitress is mentioned, she peeks again to make sure the woman hasn't found a cleaver. "She fights fucking dirty. Fair warning Cris." She scoots a bit, in case the man decides he is going to sit down, when Maggi's words ping her consciousness. She holds up a hand to high five the blonde. "Biters are the right kind of people." She says, and that is when her coffee arrives. She starts to dump sugar into it.

She is staring at Leon's bacon. She forgot to order bacon.

"Don't shit where you eat." Is all Cris responds to Mae before he's turning a polite smile to the one delivering Mae's coffee. "I'll take a cuppa if it's not too much trouble, ma'am." The words delivered with fifty percent charm and eighty percent less asshole. It's the only way to ensure it won't end up with spit in his drink or that cleaver in his skull. He gives a little up-nod to Mae's scoot before he flops down onto the bench with her and immediately throws an arm over the back of the booth and sinks down with knees spreading to take up all the available space. "I like your new friend, Mae. Odds on the use of teeth from those two?" Eyes go back to the counter pointedly.

Maggi, realizing she hasn't actually introduced herself, doesn't bother to. The only thing she liked more than figuring out other people, was being an enigma. Drawing another hot sip of beverage, her icy iris' narrow in contemplation of the counter's patrons. "I think the odds are higher if you irritate that one enough." She jerks her head towards Leon, remembering the good time comment. "Are waffles like the new tinder?" This remark is genuine, she had not dated and some time and a part of her wondered if perhaps the establishment had gotten some sort of low key hook up vibe. She stopped herself at the thought of sanitary regulations. Maggi attempts a winning grin at Mae, unsure of it's success given how tired she felt.

[You ok?] Leon signs again, a little less clumsily the second time around, but still no faster. The kid seemed in some sort of dark mood, and Leon eyes him warily, then once again tosses a look the way of the table. He sighs resignedly, eating his breakfast slowly. He wasn't quite sure why he cared, but he at least had some form of art entertainment with his meal. So he sits and watches Mason sketch, shoveling his food into his mouth every so often, eating with all the grace and poise of a chipmunk, the question of his ability to bite all but answered when he chomps a sausage link in half.

Mason turns to a page in his sketchbook and writes out a sentence to Leon, actually moving one stool closer so he'll be next to him and...well, maybe so it's not super obvious what he's writing. He reaches for his hot chocolate after, and sips, ignoring every comment and look about or to him, not wanting trouble from anyone.

Mae looks from Leon to Mason, and then glances toward the kitchen. She gets up on her knees and yells toward the kitchen. "Hey, brick shithouse, can you please bring me bacon too. Double tip." That waitress is going to start a fight again for sure. She sits back down, bumping gently into Cristobal. "Pardon." She mutters in his direction, stirring the coffee with her spoon. She glances up at Maggi and when the winning grin gets aimed at her, she picks up her coffee cup and grins back. "The waffles here are godly. Again, crispy edges."

"It's a wonder they let us out in public." Cristobal rumbles a genuine laugh as he watches Leon snick that sausage link in twine as he's rocked slightly to the side as Zoiya sits back down. "Rub your tits on me all you want, I can't keep you girls safe if I'm too preoccupied thinking about the piece I'm hitting polishing some customer's belt buckle with her nether hairs." A pause. "No really. Keep rubbing." His eyebrows flash up and then back down in a singular waggle.

"Everything is the new Tinder. Or Grindr. Depending on which way you...swipe." Said across to Maggi again. "So what are you studying, Sweet Cheeks?"

Maggi raises an eyebrow toward Cris, deciding to answer in earnest. They were a funny pair, she still didn't know how entirely seriously she was supposed to take either of them. She supposed social roulette was fine for now. "Human ability to go beyond normal capacity and what makes that a success." That was the least odd way to put it anyway, she honestly hoped Cris did not ask why, her brain was not making connections fast enough to lie at the moment. Sleep deprived, confused, entertained, anddddd distracted by some of the ways Mae moved against her friend...she definitely needed to crash.

[Rough.] Leon spells out awkwardly in response to Mason's writing, then he nearly snorts out his coffee at the second thing he sees, the first genuine laugh heard from the man. The yell gives Leon a start, and as the angry woman would no doubt come storming out of the kitchen after the offensive statement, Leon can be seen reaching out and taking the waitresses's hand. He says something quietly to her, calming, "She didn't mean that. Totally a joke. But she's paying well. Probably good to just bear with it. Extra bacon for the table." He offers an amicable smile, then retakes his seat, quick to bury his attention in his coffee mug. Quiet breakfast... That's all he wanted. In the interest of leaving while that's still technically, true, he takes the last few bites of his foot and fishes out some cash, eyeing Mason's meal and drink for cost, and dropping an above average tip beyond that.

Mason scoots back to his stool and resumes sketching. He wasn't lying about spending hours here. With Leon heading out there's no one else he's interacting with at the moment assuming no one presses him, so he sort of happily fades into the background.

Mae shifts her hazel gaze over at Cristobal, rolling her eyes when he encourages her to rub bodily up against him. If he thinks that's going to make her behave, he's mistaken. If he thinks he's gonna get rubbed against. He's right. She makes eyes at the bouncer and snuggles up to him for a moment, vaguely hearing Leon scoring her extra bacon as he defuses the situation. She won't disturb the peace, picking up her coffee to take a sip. When she locks gazes with Maggi across the table, she winks at the blonde, her lips quirking into a slight smirk. Then she behaves, scooting delicately out of Cris's personal space, just a touch. She gives Leon a thumbs up, and then points toward Mason. "Come sit with us." She offers (orders?), and if she has to use sign language, they're all lost.

There is a rumble from Cristobal as Mae cozies up, part purr of amused appreciation, part note of warning. He gets distracted from the display but a sharp sudden buzzing in his ear, like he sat a little too close to a speaker during a rock concert. All the other noises of the diner and words of conversation fade to the background as if muffled underwater and he slowly turns his head to see Leon placating the waitress. And just like that, the world's volume gets equalized and Cris is left blinking dumbly for a moment at Leon, shifting to the edge of the bench as if he might follow the other man out like he turned into some Pied Piper.

For a brief moment a gray sandy landscape extends before Maggi, the air feels heavier, was she in space? With a jerk of her head Maggi realizes the coffee was nothing but a disappointment, it had failed her. Sleep was her overlord now, she was either to do its bidding at her apartment or in a waffle pillow. Feeling awkward at the involuntary slip she stands up a bit suddenly from the booth, attempting to force circulation. "You are both lovely, I'm just dying like a loser." She takes a pen from her pocket and scribbles some digits on an unused napkin, then placing a crumpled ten dollar bill next to it. "Hit me up a little closer to Thanksgiving and I should be a bit closer to human." She slides both toward the odd couple, hoping the money obviously came across as her portion of bill and tip. Maggi's cheeks hurt, aside from delirium, this was the most she had smiled in a single sitting in quite some time. She waves her hand and moves towards the door clumsily, making a mental note to try making amends with Mason at some point in the future as well.

Leon watches after Mason's exit, the corner of his mouth tucking upward in a bit of a resigned grimace, a 'Can't help them all' sort of expression. He pushes himself to his feet and takes the jacket off the stool, the entirety of his tattoo visible as he raises his arm, then disappearing just as quickly as he pulls the coat on. Zipping it up, he heads for the door, throwing one final glance to the table, a smirk, roll of the eyes, and shake of his head made at the thankful gesture from Mae, followed by a look of confusion at Cristobal's attention. Eyes locking with the other man, he pushes through the door. The timing was a little awkward, but he ends up pausing, letting Maggi stumble past him out into the cold, a quiet grumble wondering, "Are you drunk? You're not driving, are-..." The rest is drowned out as the door shuts behind them.