Sad Warrior In Snowstorm, Warm Kittens in Café [Semi-Open]

[notbert]

Who: Elidibus (As Ardbert), Leslie - Purramid Café Purrveyors? (That is to say you're welcome to pop on in!)
When: First week of Feoveuer as the snowstorm finally hits.
Where: Purramid Café /Aefenglom
What: First Encounters. Cat study. Warm drinks.
Warnings: Cuteness. Lots of it.



Snow has been threatening all day. Everyone said it was coming, so there's likely fewer people on the streets right now other than those who absolutely must or those last minute people looking to pull in supplies to wait out the storm.

Elidibus is one of several folks out there performing patrols. Or out on business or running an errand. Whatever the reason that he passes by the Purramid Cafe today, however, has nothing to do with why he goes in. The wind's picked up something terrible and the snow has finally decided to unleash itself upon Aefenglom. Even with the comfortable fur and leather layers of his gear and the winter cloak, he recognized there was a dire need to find some shelter. Perhaps something warm to drink. Definitely something warm to drink.

He knows enough to shake off any snow from the outside out of the cloak and bind up his weapon- more on that in a moment. Any sort of chime that announces the arrival of a customer's arrival will be set off as he opens the door. There are a few reasons Elidibus stops there. First for practical matters. What he does carry is a large axe, given his patrolling ways and the recent kidnappings. A very large one, strapped to his back. He's aware enough to know that immediately marching in with it is... rude, at best, without checking for policy.

Secondly, he had been planning to make use of the take-out counter. But then another look around reveals the nature of the establishment. Tiny sphinx kittens, filled with a galaxy. 'Stars of the cafe' indeed. Confusion over an eatery that has small beasts running around and is not run by the Fae melts to interest in the nature of the creatures themselves. Perhaps he will stay, if he's not fussed back outside because he's got a weapon, suitably wrapped up or not.

Third, it's just in his nature to survey a new location and get a good first impression.

Comments

[foundfamilies]

Sad? Sad person?? Her mascot senses are tingling.

Okay, not really. Her attention is initially occupied by a fake mouse on a string that she is dangling in front of one of the sphinx kittens from her place on a floor pillow, but the sound of someone entering makes her glance up.

For a second or two, she does tense a little. It’s not the axe, really — her former guardian carried around an axe all the time, and it’s not an uncommon sight especially in these times — so much as it is “someone I don’t know in the middle of a kidnapping epidemic.” (Working at a service industry business outside of the Haven has been a little worrying, even if she knows that neither gothdad or sundad Hubert or the owner of the café would ever leave her in a situation where they don’t think she would be protected from anything short of an insurrection. Even not then, possibly.)

It’s only for that brief moment, though, as his outfit doesn’t really scream “local,” particularly compared to how much it suggests “Mirrorbound.” And Leslie firmly believes there’s no such thing as a bad Mirrorbound.

This gives her the mental space required for her to notice the bad weather outside the window and put two and two together about the state he was probably in pre-cloak-shaking out. By the time she’s done that, she’s realized that he has yet to move from the door.

So, while interacting with customers might not actually be in her job description, she lets the kitten catch the fake mouse, stands up, and walks towards him.

“Aren’t you cold? Did you want something warm to drink?”

There’s a pause for a moment as she thinks that she might have forgotten something. Ah, yes. Saying hello. But saying hello after two questions feels a little awkward, so she compromises with: “Welcome to the Purramid Café.”

[notbert]

Such a sad person! Well, not really. But it definitely looks very cold outside and while the snow might not yet be heavy, the way the wind whips it around makes the visibility rapidly dwindle. Seems the new customer(?) has made it just in time.

One who, on pushing back the cloak, has indeed revealed that the clothes-- armor really-- underneath it are not reminiscent of the British Victorian era (whatever in Zodiark's name that means). At least he had on layers. Look at all that fur trim!

He's maybe a little above average for a human in height. No towering person here, though! While he seems to keep a clean-shaven visage, he's got that 'not quite polished' look about his person that you don't see among the nobility. Well, normally don't see.

On entering, Elidibus had not immediately considered Leslie an employee of the café. She might be wearing something to indicate otherwise, but still, she was laying on her stomach and playing with the kittens. This and her apparent age of eleven or twelve didn't indicate barista. Aefenglom didn't seem to have many children workers after all. At least not in this part of the city. That she's surprised and a little tense is only reasonable, given she seems to be alone.

Perhaps someone's in the back? In any event, he's quick to make sure his expression is friendly and patient, complete with a faint grin. He'll let her engage and give no sign he's about to pounce. But he's also watching her with interest. Did someone did leave this child alone? Does that mean she's more capable than first appearances suggest?

"I can't say I'm warm," Elidibus offers glibly, as though making a joke of it. "And I would find a hot beverage most welcome. Sorry about my sudden interest. I didn't mean to startle you."

'Welcome to the Purramid Café', the child says. So she 'belongs' here, whether she's an employee or the child of one of the workers then. Elidibus takes a moment to secure the now-wrapped axe to his back- it'll be easier to carry until he decides just where he's going to sit down- and then steps further into the warm business. "Forgive me, but I hadn't expected such a young clerk. Are you here alone?"

It's with just the right amount of concern, suggesting something that any adult in the middle of citywide kidnappings might be shocked to have to consider. And behind the outward expression and nature of the warrior, there is absolutely no malice.

But there isn't exactly anything that could be called emotion either.