[OTA] I will eviscerate you in fiction

[dreamsofwords]

It's a foggy, rainy, less than pleasant sort of day to be sitting at an outdoor cafe with a laptop, but that's where you can find Alasdair DeWitt today, tapping away. The assumption from nearly everyone is that he's writing his latest magnum opus; perhaps a story of love and life and coming of age in Barcelona (everyone uses Paris and New York)

Comments

[sirforawhile]

Clearly the moment at which Iggy should put a new cup of coffee down next to Alasdair and sit down with his own cup. One must be silent as possible when inserting oneself into the vicinity of a writer. Iggy knows this.

[dreamsofwords]

Alasdair holds up a finger - got to get through this scene, in which Dabney was watching the scene at a charity ball in Chicago - but then he looks up, picking up his coffee.

"You're free of the circus," he says. "They aren't all napping are they?"

He is frankly terrified of the day when any of the Xiu children enter high school.

[sirforawhile]

"No, Zach got the short straw this time. I'm free of the thundering horde today." He smirks a little, sipping his coffee. "'Spect he'll demand retribution in the form of baked goods, but eh. If he can't take care of his own kids and nephews and nieces once in a while he'll never learn to handle them."

Beware, Alasdair. Jedidiah and Mei Lan (who steadfastly refuses to go by Hephzibah) will enter high school in only three years. The flood is not long in coming.

[dreamsofwords]

"Well, some of them are his." Alasdair shuts the laptop and moves it out of the way so he can actually hold a proper conversation without getting distracted by word choice. "It's probably time he learned to deal with what happens when chaos reigns."

He remembers. He fears.

On the other hand, they might make class interesting, and therefore his freshmen might pay attention. One can hope at least.

[standlikestone]

"... erotic asphyxiation? You're kidding me, Allie." Riley rests her chin on top of his head, raising her eyebrows even if he can't see it.

[dreamsofwords]

"I'm, um." This is why he shouldn't do either Jamie MacDougall or Kathleen Masters writing in public. But then, everyone knows about his little altercation with The Magician, so he can use that. "Getting revenge in a way that doesn't involve me dying horribly or being turned into a frog?"

[standlikestone]

"... he's dying from erotic asphyxiation, Allie. Think about that for a moment. Pretty terrible revenge." Riley can't help snickering, reaching to tap on the down arrow and read more.

[dreamsofwords]

"He's already dead, actually, and it's autoerotic asphyxiation, RiRi, which means he had to do it himself. And everyone's going to know about it." No avoiding this, he thinks. Well, maybe she doesn't read Jamie's books. "His lasting memory will be 'Oh, yeah, he was that guy who got off on choking himself.'"

[indeliblespade]

Its amazing how life can shift so much in a matter of days. He'd gone from misery as a page to a rather happy existence being surrounded by pastries in the nice shop in town, owned by the japanese family.

Alasdair had been sitting outside, alone with his laptop for a while now. So, when he could have a minute to do it, he picked up an eclair (because it kind of rhymed with Alasdair), and brought it out to him in a small plate, setting it up beside the computer without trying to disturb him.

[dreamsofwords]

He'd been mumbling under his breath, words that seemed ridiculous, considering what most people knew about the things Alasdair wrote. But In Su didn't yet, so he probably wasn't as surprised as most.

Still, Alasdair jolted as the plate slid into his line of sight, looking up with a stare before he offered In Su a smile. "Oh, hey," he said. "...I didn't buy this."

[indeliblespade]

In Su could only understand half of the words coming out of Alasdair's mouth, and he wasn't nosy enough to pry.

Still when he seemed to notice the treat, he stopped in his tracks and smiled at him right back "Hi, no... I know." He blushes, gesturing 'please have some'.

"You've been here, working hard for a while, so I brought this for you. It's a gift. Take a break, and enjoy it ok? Or would you like a different pastry?"

[dreamsofwords]

It was probably just as well. Several of them were pretty disturbing; Catherine Towers wasn't having a very nice end.

Alasdair finished his sentence, though, rereading it once before closing his laptop. "No, this is fine," he said. "So this is where you work?"

Mmmm A Kight's Tale quote

[heartshy]

Jinx didn't usually work as a waitress in the coffee shop, but she was on loan for the day - one of the few things she manages well, waitressing.

It was something about being discreet and quiet, she managed to slip in and out without bothering anyone. Didn't make much of an impression, so the tips weren't usually all that good. But... A Three's gotta do what a Three's gotta do.

She sets a hot beverage just to the side of his elbow with only a quest clink, and then makes sure to be where he can see here while she waits for him to tell her if he needs anything else.

Have the brightest of bright smiles.

It had to be done. XD

[dreamsofwords]

It takes a second. Someone's dying, you see, and it takes concentration, but once Keegan Pope had bit it, he looked up with a soft smile. Jinx reminded him of some of the really shy girls he taught.

"Working in Town today, Jinxy?" he said lightly as he shut the laptop and picked up his coffee. "Cooper must be missing your sunshiney face."

[heartshy]

Jinx doesn't mind waiting, and she just rocks back on her heels, eyes turned to the sky while she does.

When he spoke, she giggled at him quietly, blushing in pleasure. She wasn't that much help, she was sure there were plenty of other Cards who did whatever needed to be done that much better.

" Cinnamon buns are fresh?" Does he want one? Waitressing always took a little bit of talking, and she's been practicing recently, trying to get volume up a little bit (less repeating) and stuttering down (less embarrassing).

It was debatable how much the practice had been helping, though.

[dreamsofwords]

The cafe is, at least, quiet, and her whisper isn't quite lost to the wind, considering how close she's standing.

"Ooh." Alasdair grins as he presses a hand to his heart. "You just know the way straight to my heart. I'll have one. And I should probably consider actually getting lunch, or Mama will be giving me the Look when I get back to the Castle tonight and she hears about it."