[sub] A collab with [@Athinar], [@GrafRoy Zeppeli] & [@Snagglepuss89][/sub] Almost immediately after Anthony reached the shop, Axel showed up. Smiling back, and waving, he listened to Axel's banter, then said, [color=Khaki]"Good morning, Axel. And sure, why not. You're a grown man. Do what you want."[/color] [color=red][b]”Then we are cool dude.”[/b][/color] Axel smiled back at Anthony. “Sup, dudes. Welcome to whatever...” Anthony barely noticed the girl approach, but when she spoke up, he turned to her, and smiled, nodding for her to lead them on. He recognized her, one of the Reese's. However, from what he could tell, she wasn't in all that often, and when she was, things got... interesting. He didn't blame her though. Some people were just like that, y'know? Okay, what was with the teetering mess that this girl was? Axel couldn’t help but laugh at her approach. She wanted to look rude, but the hesitation moments before that didn’t escape Axel’s eyes. And Skrillex, huh? He hadn’t been called that in a loooong time. Mainly since the guy stopped being mainstream. The girl was cool, though, trying to be tough like that. Gerard Way? Anthony wasn't quite sure who that was. However, he didn't hold her clumsiness and possible rudeness against her, he just wasn't that kind of guy. Anyway, Anthony accepted the biscuits with grace, and said, [color=Khaki]"Thank you. I'll have a plate of pancakes, plea-"[/color] he was interrupted by another Reese, one of the older ones, running out and taking charge of the situation. Her name was... Sophie, if he remembered it correctly. She was one of the reasons he kept coming back, in fact, because her service and management in the restaurant were usually phenomenal, and good service, while not unusual, was appreciated by Anthony. Didn't hurt that she was pretty cute, too. [color=red][b]”Well, I like my biscuits with protein, but glass is a bit too much for me. Got anything less… crunchy?”[/b][/color] Axel said back to the redhead, after her blunder and attempt to recover the biscuit from the floor. Filled with glass. At her offer to sit by the seat with a window view, he stood up, and saying, [color=Khaki]"Thank you,"[/color] followed her over, looking back at Axel with a shrug. It wasn't a big deal for him, these sorts of things happened. Taking a seat, he listened to Sophie, and smiled as she said the meal was on the house. See, this was the sort of customer service that kept people coming back. However, he shook his head, still smiling. He wasn't going to let her give them the meal on the house, even if his budget didn't account for paying for Axel's meal as well. [color=red][b]”Yes, she’s a natural born clown.”[/b][/color] Axel smirked at the interference of the big sister. [color=red][b]”But you should also lighten up, or you’ll sprout gray hairs. Let’s get to that table, then.”[/b][/color] Axel followed behind Anthony once he also headed for the table with the panoramic view. [color=Khaki]"Thank you again, Miss Reese, and I would like some pancakes and orange juice. However, I won't accept a meal on the house."[/color] Looking back apologetically at Axel, he said, [color=Khaki] "Although, Axel, if you want a free meal, I'll pay for yours as well. No reason to make her lose money."[/color] “[color=dodgerblue] No, no, I insist! I won’t give you the receipt.[/color]” Sophia joked, beaming a smile at him. “[color=dodgerblue] Order whatever you like, even the most expensive items on the menu. You should try our Mimosa’s, they’re delicious![/color]” She laughed, completely thrilled to finally be having a conversation with this dark haired man, despite his friend sitting across the booth. “[color=dodgerblue] So, what’ll it b-[/color]” Suddenly, a small blonde girl made a squealing noise and interjected herself into the conversation. “[color=orchid] Excuse my manners as well as interrupting your breakfast.This will only take a second! I'm sorry!! My name is Miyasaki Ami! My new friend over there said that you might be the people occupying apartment 2B?[/color]” Sophia stepped to the side a bit, trying to get a little further away from the girl completely invading her personal space. She stayed silent, her blue eyes going from the girl back to the two men at the table. “[i] So he lives in an apartment…With this other man?[/i]” She took note, hoping that her little crush hadn’t just been ruined. Hopefully he wasn’t gay. “[color=orchid] If that’s true and you’re in need of a roommate, I will gladly take that spot. I am in desperate need of a new place to stay.[/color]” “[i] Damn! He needed a roommate? And I’m stuck living with my train wreck of a family again?[/i]” She nearly sighed out loud in disappointment, but realized that she shouldn’t be thinking those sort of things. Her family was going through a rough time, it was best for her to be with them. Even if Kylie made it a living hell at times. Even so, she wasn’t sure if she would have wanted to live with the man sitting across from Anthony as well. He seemed rather…. sketchy, in her opinion. Although at least this guy would probably let her get more than a few hours of sleep. “[color=dodgerblue] Uhm,[/color]” She paused, interrupting the conversation, “[color=dodgerblue] I will leave you three for a moment… It seems you have some things to discuss. I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order. Remember, on the house! [/color]” One more bright smile and Sophia regrettably turned away, leaving Anthony once again. [color=red][b]”If the guy doesn’t want the meal on the house, then I’ll treat him.”[/b][/color] Axel smiled as he turned over to Sophi and then to Anthony. [color=red][b]”I’ll have pancakes too, with some bacon please. Make them extra greasy, I could use the extra fat.”[/b][/color] He simply said while flashing a smile at Sophi, or at least where Sophi should have been. [color=red][b]”Well, that was fast. The girl broke the record on how fast they run away from me.”[/b][/color] He then turned to the newcomer. A blonde girl. With a frigging complicated name. Goddammit, the weed would certainly backfire here. Axel wasn’t confident at all of his pronunciation skills right now. [color=red][b]”Pleasure to meet you, tongue twister Ami.”[/b][/color] Axel shot a side glance at Ami, [color=red][b]”Why not sit with us and have a pleasant chat with us? I’m sure we can arrange your need for somewhere to sleep like that.”[/b][/color] Anthony nodded, and pulled out a chair for Ami. Seemed like a nice enough girl. It was then that Axel’s eyes caught a redhead storming out of the place. My, what had happened with the star waitress of the place? [color=red][b]”Actually, hold that thought.”[/b][/color] He stood up, wobbling a bit before he headed outside behind Kylie, not quite at the same speed as her, though. He arrived outside to see the girl calling an Uber. Axel was surprised to see the girl already planning to take a cab to wherever she could. [color=red][b]”Hey, what’s the rush? Did they really make you THAT angry? More importantly, do you even have cash on you? If not, how are you going to pay for that overpriced taxi service? Why not chill down a bit and think things through?”[/b][/color] [sub][@Viciousmarrow][/sub] [hr] After Axel had left the table, Anthony shrugged apologetically to Ami. He didn’t know why the redheaded girl had stormed out, nor why Axel followed. Tapping his fingers on the table absently, the dark-haired young man looked the other girl over. Seemed… innocent. [color=Khaki]”So you’re in need of a room? I don’t know about Axel, but I’m fine with you moving in. Although, from what I know about him, it’s most likely cool with him, too.”[/color] Drumming his fingers on the table some more, Anthony stared absently at Ami, contemplative. What would life be like, now, with a third roommate? Particularly, a [i]female[/i] roommate. Shouldn’t change much, but… Anthony worried what people might think about her and Axel. Some people were cruel, Anthony knew that. Rumors flew like birds, especially in towns like this, and his hometown. He would be doing her a disservice, if he didn’t think about this. [sub][@sakurasan][/sub] [hr] As Sophia left the table, she noticed a man near the podium where Kylie was supposed to be. Of course, no one was there. The glass had magically been cleaned up, though. Perhaps Kylie had actually done something right. At first she smiled at him, ready to greet him as a normal customer, but her smile slowly faded with each step closer. “[i] Why does he…. look so familiar?[/i]” Her steps slowed, until she finally stopped about five feet in front of him. Her heart sped up at first, her face blank, and then her heart sunk into her stomach. “[i] That’s…[/i]” “[color=mediumspringgreen]Excuse me miss, I was wondering if you were hiring here.[/color]” “[color=dodgerblue] ELLIOT?![/color]” She nearly screamed it, her eyes narrowed on him as if she didn’t believe what she was seeing. It couldn’t be! The guy was a ghost! Poof, gone! Out of her life like a damned imaginary friend. Suddenly, the realization came. “[color=dodgerblue] Elliot Longstreet?![/color]” She took another step forward, her hands slowly clenching into fists. She hadn’t seen his face in years but she would have loved to put a fist in it at this moment. He had disappeared from her life five years ago. After graduation, suddenly he was gone without a trace. His parent’s wouldn’t say anything to her despite countless efforts. Sophia had searched for him online dozens of times throughout the years, but never found anything. It was like he never existed, and he didn’t care. At one point he had thought he was dead, but came to the conclusion that his parent’s would have told her that at least. Something was up, but apparently she wasn’t important enough to know. Eventually she had to let it go, but it took some time. “[color=dodgerblue] Where the [i]fuck[/i] have you been?[/color]” She moved in closer now, not even noticing the cane he leaned on. Tunnel vision was real. As he opened his mouth to speak, her hand came flying at his face. A hard open handed slap resounded through the nearly empty diner. “[color=dodgerblue]What is WRONG with you!?[/color]” As if he was the one who had just slapped her. In her defense, Elliot had probably been one of the greatest feelings of betrayal that she had ever felt. She had been his best friend for nearly seven years, and he did this. As this happened, Anthony’s eyes focused on Sophia, beginning with the loud, “ELLIOT?” As the events unfolded, his eyes widened, and he stood up from the table, and moved over to the conflict quickly. He didn’t know what the guy had done, but he saw the cane, and if he didn’t do something, the guy could get injured. However, his concern for the cripple’s well being didn’t stop him from getting slightly annoyed at the man. Whatever he had done, he had caused Miss Reese to yell at him and slap him in the middle of the diner, for crying out loud. Swooping in to the conflict, he helped stabilize the man, and looked at Miss Reese, hoping she wouldn’t make any more of a scene. Was he prepared to die? It was a question Elliot only had a few moments to come to terms with. At her first scream, her reaction could easily have been mistaken for a joyous shock. However, it quickly became apparent to him that what lay behind her eyes was mostly rage. Well, all rage. He had to stop himself from involuntarily taking a step back as she approached him. “[color=dodgerblue] Elliot Longstreet?![/color]” [color=00FFBF][i]This[/i][/color] “[color=dodgerblue] Where the[/color]” [color=00FFBF][i]Is[/i][/color] “[color=dodgerblue][i]fuck[/i][/color]” [color=00FFBF][i]Not[/i][/color] “[color=dodgerblue]have you[/color]” [color=00FFBF][i]Going[/i][/color] “[color=dodgerblue]been?[/color]” [color=00FFBF][i]Well[/i][/color] [b][i]SLAP[/i][/b] His medication dulled the pain of the blow, but he had to scramble to keep his balance, leaning hard on his cane to prevent himself from falling over. He was saved from his inevitable fate of falling on his face by one of the strangers who were ordering when he arrived. Elliot had no idea who this guy was, but he was winning more points than Elliot’s old friend at the moment. “[color=dodgerblue]What is WRONG with you!?[/color]” Truly, this was the definition of a disaster, and he held his stinging cheek while he tried to desperately find some way to smooth over the situation. Surely he had seen her this angry before. He had to find some way to calm this beast before he ended up served in a dish here. Instead he said something stupid, like: "[color=00FFBF]Geeze, I missed you too Sophi.[/color]" Immediately afterwards he flailed his hands in front of him defensively, trying to ward off any more blows. Blood was already starting to pool on his face where the slap connected, and he wanted to avoid having a fist in his eye as well. Surely she was overreacting a little, right? Maybe? He had felt bad about it for so long, seeing his fears confirmed about the affect it had hurt far more than any slap could. "[color=00FFBF]I mean, look! It was a dumb decision then, but I can explain! And I'm sorry! Really really sorry![/color]" “[color=dodgerblue]You’re a liar![/color]” Her voice cracked, clearly becoming choked up. Finally, she glanced over at Anthony who looked aghast at what she had done. This day was going well. “[color=dodgerblue] Take your “sorry’s” and shove it up your ass, Elliot![/color]” With that, she turned, blue eyes filled with tears seconds from falling, and stormed off toward the kitchen. The big double doors slammed and swung a few times as she disappeared behind them, leaving the diner with an awfully tense atmosphere. Seeing Riley in the kitchen preparing something with Ron, Sophia wiped her eyes and continued storming off towards the back door, very obviously distraught. Acting lessons weren’t helping her in this situation. “[color=dodgerblue] I’m taking a break!![/color]” Anthony had no idea what was going on, but it was clear that “Elliot” was at fault. For what, Anthony didn’t know, but he was very much annoyed at the man for making Miss Reese upset. Not even her sister’s disaster had appeared to make her this angry. Looking at Elliot somewhat accusingly, Anthony asked, [color=Khaki]”So… what did you do?”[/color] The simple question hung in the air like a grenade, with the pin waiting to be pulled. [sub][@lovely complex][/sub]