(Untitled)

[not_british]

Chase is around, and he's sitting by himself, just enjoying the atmosphere.

He has a cup of coffee before him, thinking that Wilson was right when he had said it was the best coffee.

Feel free to disturb him.

Comments

[_estsanatlehi_]

Well we can't just let people go sitting by themselves forever, no matter how good the coffee is.

Therefore, Ana setting a plate with two corncakes, still steaming, on the edge of his table, "Morning."

[not_british]

Chase raises both eyebrows, slightly startled as he gazes at the steaming corncakes.

"'Morning," he returns. "Those smell good."

[_estsanatlehi_]

She laughed softly, smile gone tilted, "They are. One of my specialties, honey or no?" Because, well, she had some, and corncakes were better with honey, but some people liked them plain, so she always asked first.

[not_british]

"Oh, you made these?" Chase asks, quite impressed. He sits up a little straighter in his seat and gives her a half-smile. "Honey'd be great, thanks."

[_estsanatlehi_]

Another soft laugh, setting the jar of honey on the table as well, it was one of the old-fashioned crockery kind with a dipper, "there you are, and yes I did."

She extended a hand then, realizing that, as usual, she'd forgotten, or simply neglected, to introduce herself, "Estsanatlehi." Another smile, "You can call me Ana if you like, most do."

[not_british]

Chase takes her hand. "Nice to meet you, Ana. I'm Robert Chase; most people just call me Chase."

He gestures to her to take the seat across from him.

[_estsanatlehi_]

"Well then it's a pleasure to meet you Chase." She was still smiling faintly as she settled, stooping only a moment to pick up the spring green duck who'd been following at her heels.

Once she'd set him down he scrabbled his way up to the tabletop, flippy-flapping his way over before extending one webbed foot to the man, whonking solemnly.

Ana laughed again, "And that's Duck, who wants to introduce himself as well."

[not_british]

He's dealt with a lot of interesting people over the years, each with their own strange quirk, but a woman with a pet duck? That was a new one.

He nods, one eyebrow slightly raised. "I don't suppose he speaks English, does he?"

[_estsanatlehi_]

Duck leaned forward, just a little, offering the lifted foot more insistantly.

Ana shook her head, "No, but he understands it well enough."

And he wasn't a pet so much, more like an experiment and self-designated bodyguard.

[not_british]

"Ah, well that's good," Chase remarks, awkwardly barely touching the duck's foot with his two right fingers, just to appease it.

[_estsanatlehi_]

That worked well enough, Duck whonked again and hopped down into Ana's lap, rubbing his head up against his back and wings, just spreading the oil really, though it looked odd, "Been coming here a while? Or one of the new ones?"

[not_british]

He gives her a small shrug, looking away from the duck.

"I've been here once or twice," he answers, "a long, long time ago. And I haven't really thought of this place again since I left until I opened a door one day into the bar."

[_estsanatlehi_]

She nodded, "Sometimes the door does that." She shrugged, "I wound up here by accident the first couple times, until I figured out how to get here on purpose."

[not_british]

"That's how I've been getting here," Chase admits, looking behind him. The door was still there and would be till he was ready to leave.

"And how'd you manage to figure out coming here on purpose?" he asked.

[_estsanatlehi_]

She shrugged, "It's all a matter of perspective, opening the door the right way, just a bit of a twist and a bit of a tug and the right idea in mind and bob's your uncle, which is a phrase I've never fully understood."

[not_british]

Chase laughs.

"I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I feel like coming here but can't see a door."