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[m_pinocchio]

Mornings are quiet. He likes mornings. He likes the quiet in mornings because he's quiet more lately, quiet in a way he doesn't think he ever has been. It's a cliché, to think of calm after storms, but that's still what he finds himself thinking of, when he thinks about it at all

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[abbysciuto]

Abby kept up with her yoga even after Will left, although she admitted she didn't always do it every day like they used to. Still, more mornings than not, she was out greeting the sun and mentally preparing for the day ahead, whatever it happened to involve.

When she was done, she went up to the compound to grab some breakfast and more importantly some coffee. She spotted Mike sitting outside the compound and detoured. Friends trumped coffee, even if she was in yoga pants and a sports bra. It wasn't like Mike hadn't seen every inch of her anyway.

"Morning" she greeted him quietly.

[m_pinocchio]

"'Morning, yourself," he says, everything snapping from diffuse back into focus again. He smiles faintly. "Nice one, too."

About as sedate as anything around here ever gets.

[abbysciuto]

"It is," she agreed. "I think fall's probably coming, or as much of fall as we ever get here. There's a little bit of a crispness to the air, like a really good ripe apple. Don't you think?"

Without being invited, she sat down on his good side so he could see her without turning his head.

[m_pinocchio]

"Could be." He slides over a little to make room and closes his eyes briefly, takes a breath. "Halloween, then. Mack and Flo are really old enough to get it now, too."

[abbysciuto]

"What do they want to be this year?" Abby asked, relaxing onto the bench a little bit.

"They don't like matching recently, so probably not something that would be a together costume like two peas or two lambs or something. I could be wrong, though. They definitely have unique opinions sometimes."

Unique was a good synonym for "ornery and contrary" which was probably a better word for it.

[m_pinocchio]

"Mack was talking about being a dinosaur when I mentioned it the other day," he says, and chuckles a little. "She's going through some kinda phase. Or maybe it's not a phase. Who the hell knows. Flo..." He tilts his head on one side, thinking. "Didn't seem like she was sure."

He pauses a moment, then shakes his head. "Just hope nothing ridiculous goes down."

[abbysciuto]

For that, Abby thwacked him in the arm.

"Mike! Why would you say something like that? Don't know you know that's just asking for something ridiculous to happen? It's like saying it's quiet when you work in retail or customer service. Never do it. Sheesh."

She was a little superstitious about this.

"If we all get turned into gummy bears, I'm blaming you."

[m_pinocchio]

"Jesus!" He laughs, half in surprise, half because, now that he thinks about it, she's probably pretty much right... "Sorry. Anyway, gummy bears wouldn't be the worst thing ever." Preferable to some of the other things that have actually happened in the past few years.

[abbysciuto]

"You only say that until someone starts eating your ears," she pointed out in a dire voice. "Or your feet. Or whatever other wacky way people like to eat gummy bears, because no one ever just eats the gummy bear. They always bite bits off to draw it out."

[m_pinocchio]

He shoots her a horrified look, only half kidding. "God, that's terrible. You're worse than I am." He takes another sip of coffee, shaking his head again. "And here I was having this really nice morning."

[abbysciuto]

"Sorry," she replied contritely. "My mind has a mind of its own. I didn't mean to change your nice morning or anything. How bout those professional sports team players we don't have?"

[m_pinocchio]

"Think they might lose that big game that isn't happening," he murmurs, amused. "You didn't change anything that much, though. I can be morbid with the best of 'em."

[abbysciuto]

"Yeah, they're really hurting after losing that one player in their out-fense," she agreed. "I don't think they're gonna reach the pennant game that can't occur."