entranceway | 002 ✦ Video/Action for Coffee Shop

Ok, I'll try and keep this short and sweet. There should have been a little gift outside your door in the form of chocolate with a nifty logo on it.

[A task that would have been ridiculously annoying if she hadn't had help in the form of one Percy Jackson.]

Since I've been here for like 6ish months, and it's clear I'm not going home any time soon - I figured I might as well do something semi-productive.

[No, this has absolutely nothing to do with her recent death - nope. Not at all.]

Coffee shop's open for business on the 1st floor. You can't miss it - it's right next to the training center so stop in and get your java fix sometime. Also, I guess if people want to help out, I def won't say no.

[It's not like it's a legit legit business with paperwork and things like paychecks. Makes things way less messy that way.]

One more thing before I forget - if I'm not around, I don't object to people doing their own thing as long as you don't burn it down or break everything and leave a mess in your wake. That happens and I'll find you and I will kick your butt. Don't think that I won't. Because I will.

[Or she'll call for back-up to do the butt kicking. DETAILS.]

I'll be here hanging out so stop in and say hi. We also have pie courtesy of Ned, so that's a thing. There's also non-caffeinated drinks like tea and decaf if caffeine isn't your thing.

Oh!If anybody's up for it, I'm totes looking for guinea pigs to test coffee things out on so just let me know if you're game.

[And with that that, she ends the feed and returns to setting up various colored coffee mugs behind the bar.]

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Yeah, about that. Is the espresso machine supposed to burst into flames like this?

[ he has some personal drama going on that he needs a little time away from still to think about. both Hazel and Frank have told him that he needs to choose who he has feelings for, but he can't. so he's avoiding the whole thing by helping another friend out with delivering chocolate and taking up her offer for free coffee. he didn't actually set her espresso machine on fire while her back was turned but that would have been pretty funny. ]

What?

[She spins around so fast, her hair hits her in the face. There's a breath of relief when she realizes he's not serious, grabbing a nearby towel to snap at him.]

I'm pretty sure you just took a year off of my life.

[Distractions were good. She liked distractions, especially after the message she found in her mirror earlier today - yes to all the distractions.]

[ he tries to jump up on his tiptoes and lean out of the way. demigod reflexes, don't fail him now! but she's pretty quick and he's laughing, so the towel snaps him. ]

Only a year? Man, I'm losing my touch. [ he wipes down the steaming wand like she showed him earlier and pushes it out of the way to pour some milk in his cup with the espresso shots. sweet caffeinated goodness, get inside of him. ] How do you think people reacted to all the chocolate?

[There's a pleased smile when the towel connects, shaking her head as she watches him. She's good with only losing a year, nothing more.]

I think they liked it a lot. Who doesn't like chocolate?

[Certainly not people she wants popping into the coffee shop. She hops up onto a nearby counter, letting her legs swing a little.]

I just hope it works out - people could use something semi-normal like getting into a coffee routine - a balance to the chaos.

People who hate happiness? [ or without a sweet tooth. that's what dark chocolate is for, some people might say. not Percy. all of the sugar or nothing. he leans back against the opposing counter and blows into his cup, cooling it off some. ] I don't think you have to worry about that. I mean yeah, they could get coffee from the closets or the kitchen, but it might be nice to get people out and about. Into an actual coffee shop with real people they might not bump into otherwise.

It's nice to be surrounded by the noise. [ and before she can pick that apart or linger on it, he pushes his cup to his mouth and takes a sip. nope, nothing personal here. ]

[Surrounded by the noise... It strikes a chord - one he may not know. People had a lot of things they don't talk about, especially here. Not everything can be rainbows and sunshine all the time.

Instead of ignoring it, she delves a little deeper. Not asking outright, but also letting him know he's not alone.]

There's something to be said for busy work - steady pace to occupy your mind. Keep things on track - keep it all from wandering. Added bonus, if you even want to call it that, of a social setting - almost forcing you to talk to other people.

[Or avoid it entirely in the back when it all got to be too much. Take breaks to regroup.]

It's better than the weird, almost creepy quiet that comes with sitting in a dark room.

I've never had a problem with that. [ it's a nice atmosphere. looking around at a coffee shop that looks like it could be tucked away down a dusty street in Manhattan is as great as anything else he can ask for. ] Talking to people is second nature to me by now.

[ especially the ones that look like they don't have anyone else to talk to. ]

But standing in a coffee shop reminds me of home.

I used to not, but this place... [She gives a small laugh, the sound a little empty.] It changes things.

[Changes people. Something she needed to get back on track.]

Maybe when I get home, I should open up a coffee shop. Too bad it won't be this easy.

[Or she could just go back to following Jane around and making sure she was well fed - although, with Thor coming back that could all change again.]

Tell me about it. [ an empty sentiment in most cases, but he doesn't have an empty sentiment in his body. he is attesting to her comment. Percy agrees with her. in the same breath though, he doesn't mind hearing about what's going on with her if she wants to talk about it. ]

Or this cheap. [ money: the struggle. ] But that's what friends are for.

[Yeah, that's what she's hoping it is because she's not sharing the deep and depressing details of her life here.

Although there was a serious truth to his words. Friends. They were what had gotten her through the past few months. Old and new.]

Money is so stupid. Friends are not. Unless they're actually stupid, then it's just sad when it's not funny.

[She fishes out some whipped cream from one of the little fridges, spraying it onto her finger. What an adult.]

002 ✦ Video/Action for Coffee Shop

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