Re: log: louis & ren - diner
The easy brush of finger on thumb softened Louis' expression a little. He was a strong person than he had once been. In difficult situations in his career, he had held a brittle, stubborn line. Standing up for himself and holding his own with friends, family, and lovers had never been so simple. The self-confidence he had gradually developed was not so shrill and defensive as his old fallback position. Now he could work from a place of real strength, when the need arose. It didn't always work, and it wasn't perfect, but it made hard conversations and hard moments just a little easier to bear.
He added a liberal amount of sugar to his coffee and flipped the menu open flat, but he didn't look at it. "You're very kind," he said, taking a long sip. "They're a legitimate choice at any time of year," he scoffed. "Don't let yourself be bullied by the seasons." He leaned back a little. "Dominion, what a wonderful world. Yes, I imagine it would. So much responsibility."
Thew waitress came for their orders - pancakes and poached eggs for Louis - and he waited until she was gone to speak again.