burger flippiiiiin

[nyxus]

Who: Nyx & Anybody
When: Morning and Evening, end of May
Where: Pax Hamburgana
What: Working hard, or hardly working? Stop by for service with a smile! :D
Warnings: G. I will switch to brackets if you prefer that!


e a r l y.

The diner didn't serve breakfast, though understandably there still had to be someone there relatively early. Prep work needed to be done: goodies baked, beans boiled, dough kneaded, pickles sliced, and so on. Nyx wasn't really a morning person but he didn't mind taking the early shifts. One benefit was that he could play music as loud as he wanted to and sing along while he worked without worrying about anyone interrupting his (non-existent) musical talents.

This morning in particular a song with a heavy beat and danceable melody came on, which had Nyx not only singing along but dancing back and forth around the kitchen as he put together the ingredients for the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Personally he hated the taste of the pie, but it sure did smell wonderful baking. He was in a good mood, and entirely unaware that he hadn't locked up the diner after himself, nor did he hear any sounds of anyone coming in.

l a t e.

Nights like this reminded him of the bar he and Libertus ran back home. It was dark outside, there were only a few stragglers left eating or drinking, and the mood was super mellow. He was tired; it had been a long day. It had been a profitable day though and Nyx was pretty sure that Kaz Grumpyface Miller might even be pleased with the ledger. No new customers had come in during the past half hour and he began his nightly cleaning ritual.

Nyx might have not had the most spotless apartment but when it came to his job, he was meticulous. He loved the idea of every piece of cooking equipment from the stove to the spatula being shiny and glittering clean. There was something therapeutic about it. Or, maybe, he told himself that because going home alone to an empty apartment really sucked after awhile. Whatever the reason, Nyx was not afraid to use all the elbow grease he had to make sure the stove had not even a micro-atom of grease anywhere on it.

Comments

[nyxus]

Nyx was glad to see her sitting calmly once he came out with the two bowls of soup. He gave her a nod as he set the bowls down, and midway through sitting down next to her she switched them with a challenging look towards him. Nyx raised his eyebrows slightly and looked to her, then he chuckled with a little snort. "Alright."

He shook his head and chuckled a little more as he swished the ingredients around with his spoon and leaned on the counter over the bowl, before bringing up some tofu to gently blow on to cool it down. "This is Miso soup. It's amazing. The best soup I've ever had. My boss came up with the recipe. You ever met him? He owns this place. Kazuhira Miller." Everyone seemed to know Kaz! Nyx waited for her answer as he took the spoonful into his mouth.

[handofrapture]

The man seems neither impressed nor alarmed by her switching the bowls. She’s a little disappointed, but at least it means the food is probably safe. She still doesn’t eat quite yet though, instead keeping a watchful eye on the man as he sits down beside her.

His chatter provides some distraction from her impatience to eat. She shakes her head at his question. She’s heard of a “Kazuhira Miller” on the network, but she’s never met him. She watches the man raise his spoon to his mouth, observing closely. It’s not until he swallows a spoonful and spends several seconds not dying terribly that she picks up her own spoon and pokes at the contents of her bowl with interest. Thin green clumps and soft white cubes float in the broth—neither are familiar to her. She spends a few seconds breaking one of the cubes up into pieces, before the smell finally convinces her to lift a spoonful to her mouth.

The flavor is rich and slightly salty. She waits a few seconds and then tries another spoonful. And then another. After a few more spoonfuls, she looks up at the man and, after a moment of hesitation, gives him a nod. It’s thanks and wariness and also agreement; this is the best and only soup she’s ever had.

[nyxus]

Nyx left her in piece after his barrage of quick, short sentences. He took to his own soup, savoring each brothy spoonful after the next. He had never much appreciated tofu back home, having been more of the type to go for greasy meals out or whatever slop Crowe or Libertus had cooked up. At home, Cup Noodles were the norm. When he and Libertus had ran a bar it was bar food. None of that meant very healthy heating and nothing hearty and soul strengthening like this. Kaz had been a good influence on the young man.

When she finally ate, he glanced over a few times but kept to his own eating. Once she nodded he gave her a brief grin, a little relieved that it was to her approval and liking. Another minute would pass before he bugged her again, while they both ate in silence.

"I'm Nyx. What's your name? Do you live around here?" Why were you creeping around the restaurant at this hour and is there someone responsible for you? were questions he didn't ask, not yet anyway.

[handofrapture]

[The man seems pleased at the nod—almost suspiciously so, but the food doesn’t make her feel pained or dazed, so she keeps eating, telling herself she’ll kill the man if she feels the first sign of something off. But she never does.

She eats quickly, so she’s almost done by the time the man asks his questions. She shakes her head again in response—to both questions. She makes a habit of drifting from region to region, often staying for days at a time, but right now, her home is in Region 4. As for her name… She raises one long, thin finger to her mouth in a gesture of silence. Even if she had one, she couldn’t tell him.]

[nyxus]

[Nyx is impressed with how quickly she eats, and he spends more time than he normally would watching another person eat. He chuckles now and again. When she answers, it takes a moment for him to understand the response.]

Oh...

Oh! You can't speak? But you can hear. Hmm.

[He thinks for a few moments. His own bowl is half empty too and he glances at her nearly empty one; probably should have made more, he thinks to himself, before looking up to her youthful face again.]

Do you know how to read and write? We could communicate like that.

[handofrapture]

[The question gets a defensive squaring of her shoulders and another shake of her head. No, she can’t read or write either. It had never been necessary for her to learn—until she came here, where people inexplicably expect her to have something to say.

She turns her attention somewhat sullenly back to her food, finishing off the last of her soup. She had briefly possessed the power to communicate some weeks earlier, when she could make her own thoughts heard in the minds of others just like she could with her own Sisters, but that time has passed. No longer having that ability to make herself understood leaves her feeling handicapped in a way she isn’t accustomed to.

After a moment, she looks back at the man and, hesitantly, raises her hand as if she’s holding a pencil, before moving it in a sketching motion. It's a counter-offer, to his suggestion of writing.

She can’t write—but she can draw.]

[nyxus]

[Nyx feels self-conscious about the pity he feels for her. Obviously she gets along just fine not having to read or write but he still feels badly for her, even if it's not his place to, even if she may not want such sympathy.

It takes him a moment to figure out what she's trying to communicate to him but when he does, he hops off of his chair and moves back around the counter. Nyx is promptly back with a notepad and a pen for her. In those few seconds, he's been thinking hard, and as he slides over the pad and pen he speaks up.]

I'm no teacher, but, I've got a lot of spare time. If you want, I could try and teach you a little.

[handofrapture]

[The Big Sister watches him as he stands up from his seat. She’s not quite as tense as before, but still vigilant as he produces something from behind the counter. A pen and paper. Just like in the hospital with that woman before.

She takes the items as she listens to the man’s suggestion. It comes as a surprise and not one she’s sure how to respond to. Reading and writing are not skills she will need when she returns to Rapture. And yet, they would be undeniably useful here.

She doesn’t do anything with the notepad and pen yet. Instead, she points to the cash register on the counter and tilts her head in question. Will she need to pay him for teaching her?]

[nyxus]

[Nyx watches her, looking over as she points. For a second he thinks she's pointing at the canister of drinking straws and he smirks with amused confusion.]

Wha-- oh! Uh.

[He sometimes isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. When he gets it he laughs softly at himself, and looks back to her with a shake of his head.]

Naw don't worry about it. I'm not worried about it. We'll just see how it goes, alright?