The Perk, Sunday morning

[future_sandworm]

It was a good thing that no one have come to visit him, even without the timeline dangers. Leto didn't want to think about introducing aunt Alia to this place and having her talk to his teachers. Even Stilgar or Harah would have been a little difficult, and he could imagine endless tirades from Harah about wasting water.

He had ordered a coffee and

Comments

[fancypantsdoc]

Seeing all the visitors in Fandom made Simon feel lonely. He wasn't one to brood though, rather the type who turned to too much work when feelings like that hit, but today wasn't his day at the clinic. Instead he had at least decided to leave the house, and after ordering a large cup of tea he sat down at a table, idly skimming through a medical journal, making exclamation marks in the margin at all the faulty conclusions.

[blondecanary]

"Simon!" Dinah came in with Helena, and brightened when she saw him. "Hi! Helena, this is Simon, I told you about him."

[gothamlights]

"You did," Helena agreed with a grin as she pointedly, and teasingly, looked him over.

[fancypantsdoc]

Simon looked up, a little surprised at the sudden interruption. "Hello, Dinah!" he said. "You did?" Then he looked at the woman with her, and rose from his chair, extending a hand. "Simon Tam. I don't know what she told you."

[vanillajello]

It was a habit of Kate's, coming to the Perk after restless nights, so it wasn't really surprising she found herself coming here this particular morning. She'd been reminding herself that this was the last day of the ordeal the whole way over. She could do this, she could keep it together. She could act like nothing was wrong.

...She got little marshmallows in her hot chocolate without even asking. If the waitstaff here of all places took pity on her just because of the way she looked, she knew she'd have to focus on seeming upbeat even more.

[future_sandworm]

Leto watched her from the table while she ordered, noting her state of mind. Then he called her name and gestured for her to take a seat if she wanted to.

[vanillajello]

Kate turned around at the sound of her name and, spotting him, made her way over to the table and sat down.

"Hi," she said with the most convincing smile she could muster. It felt important, to try to keep a happy face straight from the morning, even with people she knew could read her better than that.

[future_sandworm]

"Good morning," he replied, more amused at her attempt than anything else. "Bad night?"

[sorella_vecchia]

When Triela entered the Perk this morning she wasn't alone. She was followed by a tall, dour-looking blond man who was, in turn, followed by a short little blond girl who seemed to look in every direction at once with wide-eyed wonder.

They quickly obtained drinks, tea for Triela, coffee for the man, and hot chocolate for the other girl, and found seats. Triela looked just the tiniest bit tenser than usual as Jean began quietly grilling her on the situation in Fandom.

[Open for anyone who wants to meet Jean.]

[future_sandworm]

Noticing Triela and her friends, Leto wasn't sure if interfering would be a good idea, but eventually he called out her name in greeting.

"Triela! Good morning!"

[regno_del_sole]

Rico grinned up at the newcomer and beamed, but her eyes were dangerously flat. She had to make sure whoever this boy was he wasn't a threat to her handler. Jean glanced up at the young man and quirked an eyebrow. "Introduce me, Triela," he ordered softly.

[sorella_vecchia]

Triela's tone was flat and had a practiced cadence. "Leto Atreides. Student here. Skilled close combatant." Rico shifted at that but Triela reached out to touch her shoulder lightly. "Not a thread without provocation."

She was glad that none of the weird feelings she still felt around Jean leaked through.

"Leto, this is Jean. Head handler at the Social Welfare Agency."

[irulan_atreides]

"Good morning, Leto," Irulan said, greeting her step son.

[future_sandworm]

"Hello, Irulan," he said, offering her a chair. "How is your weekend?"

[irulan_atreides]

"It's been interesting," she replied. "And you, how do you find this weekend?"

[future_sandworm]

"Likewise. I've met the relatives of several friends, and I'm increasingly relieved that some of mine hasn't come to visit." He smiled at her.

[notyourpawn]

"I should hope you haven't any visitors," Alice announced, taking a seat near his with little by way of actual introduction. "Not that I don't wish you visitors, as that's terribly unkind, but I would be quite hurt if you had very important loved ones stop in and had not informed me of such. Good morning."

[future_sandworm]

She certainly didn't need to introduce herself. Leto leaned close to kiss her lightly. "I'm lucky to have family here," he said. "And no one else showed up to complicate the timeline. And you? There was no cat this year who would question me of my intentions?"

[notyourpawn]

Alice frowned, faintly, at that, as she leaned into the kiss. "No," she said. "I confess, I'm quite surprised. I can't help but wonder if he's been delayed. Something's ... a bit off."

It was hard to explain how she knew that, but she did. One could feel it, as though one's toes had a cold.

[future_sandworm]

"Off?" he asked, taking another sip of his coffee while his other hand reached for hers.