cian_oneill (cian_oneill) wrote in birthrightrpg, @ 2020-07-25 10:34:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | nesryn rowan, ~cian o'neill |
Good burgers and pie
Who: Cian O’Neill, Nesryn
What: When Cian checked out the Roadhouse
When: Present day
Where: Terrible’s Roadhouse, Searchlight
The heat outside was a little oppressive, but Cian preferred it to the humidity he’d been dealing with down in the Caribbean for the last few years. One thing he’d always had since he’d been turned was no lack of body heat, and keeping cool was more the challenge in the tropics. It was another of the attractions of returning to Cottonwood Cove, and the family he’d developed there.
He shrugged off his leather jacket as he walked toward the doors into the Roadhouse, taking in the Denny’s that was next door. It had been enough of a surprise to see the new names on a good number of the businesses in town, but that it was all the same name was what was a little off-putting. Gone was the Golden Nugget, now it was all Terrible’s. Cian still wasn’t sure why someone would choose that name, but he figured the minds of the big franchise owners was always something beyond his capacity to comprehend.
His eyes quickly adjusted to the difference in light and he made his way to one of the booths, dropping his helmet and jacket on the seat before sliding in and grabbing the menu, while looking up to see what was displayed on the ‘Specials’ board.
Nesryn blinked.
She looked up at her supervisor as he explained that she was going to have to stay and work another shift because the girl who was scheduled called in. While she didn’t mind as a single young woman who could use the extra money, she found that she preferred to be asked instead of being voluntold to remain until closing.
As the boss spoke, her dark brown eyes would drift to the older man who entered the restaurant side of the place. Instantly she caught a familiar scent - feline in nature that reminded her of Abby - and Nesryn would catch the customer’s eyes, hold up a finger and offer a genuine smile.
“Excuse me,” she murmured to her boss, twirling around him in mid-sentence to get back to work.
Pausing to scoop up a roll of utensils and fill a glass full of ice and fresh water, she nearly danced over to the booth where the man had settled.
“Welcome,” Nesryn greeted warmly. The glass and utensil roll would be set down and pushed toward the man. “Can I get you started with something?”
Cian smiled a greeting to the young woman as she approached, his senses already detecting another were, wolf if his nose was to be trusted, which it usually was. “C’n y’ tell me what’s good? I haven’t been here for a few years, so any help would be a great help indeed,” he replied, glancing down at the menu then up at the ‘Daily Specials’ board. “Nothing like gettin’ some inside information,” he added with a wink.
His smile made hers widen and grow warmer. But that accent was unique and it cascaded into her sharp ears. There wouldn’t be any forgetting it - she couldn’t place it exactly though if she had to guess it would be Irish or maybe Scottish. It was rude to ask so she didn’t. Instead she obliged the answer to his question.
Her laugh at the comment and the wink was bright. A nod. “Oh of course, let me share this delicious secret with you.” Holding back a giggle, Nesryn began to tell him what was on special that day.
They operated on fill menu all day terms.
“If you’re craving breakfast, we have Migas. For lunch, Ronnie is whipping up his famous Hangover Burger - it comes in a full pound, a half pound, or a quarter pound with a fried egg and all of the fixings. Fries of course. We have Chicken Noodle soup, and then a Caesar Salad too. Anything sound good?”
Usually the burger of the day was the popular choice, and if her nose had any indication as to what he happened to be she guessed he would probably lean toward the meatier side of the menu.
“Well, I didn’t enjoy m’self that much last night that I can do the name justice, but I like the sound o’ Ronnie’s burger,” he grinned, giving her a wink as he put the menu aside. “Make it the larger one, with all the fixings, and a side of fries.” A glance at a passing tray reminded him to add “‘n if y’ have any cider, apple, that’d be good too,” he added.
It had been a few hours since he’d eaten breakfast, missing Sylvia’s usual batch of muffins as it was her day off from the resort kitchen. “And some more water, when y’ get the chance,” he added, his fingers picking up the frosty glass she’d placed on the table, downing its liquid contents without pause.
A pad would appear in her fingers - with a pen, purple, she would jot down the order in the pristine and flowery cursive. A little burger was illustrated with an egg, sunny side up, and fries. “You got it,” she confirmed, smiling. The cider and water was noted, too. “How do you want your burger cooked?” She had to ask for legal reasons, some people preferred theirs more done than others.
Ronnie was known for his burger of the day. The cook was newer to the Roadhouse and yet he’d made a name for himself with the locals. They even boasted a challenge that not many could feat - the consumption of the seventy two ounce steak and fixings in an hour or less and it’s free - that kept people coming back to try it.
When she got her answer for the burger, Nesryn twirled away to put the order in. Moments later she would return with more water and the apple cider.
“Enjoy. Your food will be out soon!”
Cian nodded, downing the second glass of water before taking a sip of the cider. It had been a particularly warm morning, and one of the things he’d noticed since being back was he needed to keep up the hydration to avoid the cracking headaches he would get if he didn’t. Even shifting didn’t alleviate them as much as it usually helped any sort of physical ailment. And he didn’t think Siofra appreciated being landed with dealing with the sore brain.
As he sat at in the booth watching the other patrons and the goings on he mused to himself how different it was being back here this time. Meeting Rhiannon was starting to brings some pieces together, but the trouble now was the whole picture was still out of sight, and that frustrated him a little. His fingers twirled the water glass, the wet circle on the tabletop starting to grow, first one way as he moved the glass, then the other. His gaze was transfixed on it, his fingers moving the glass in what appeared to be random patterns that created a different shape with each move. He was so focused he didn’t hear the waitress approach.
The food wouldn’t take long. The diner would be filled with the aroma of beef cooking, fries simmering in oil, the noise of eggs sizzling on the flat top grill. Nesryn found herself salivating a bit at the scent but she kept that to herself and as the bell in the window chimed she plucked up the warm dish and carried it to the man in the booth.
As the images in the condensation formed on the table she pretended not to notice and set the plate down. “Here you go! I’ll go get you some ketchup,” she murmured, nearly apologetic at interrupting his focus.
With the plate down she would move away, as if to music nobody else could hear, and before too long she was back with more water and a bottle of HEINZ ketchup.
Cian glanced up, and was about to ask something when the waitress did move away, returning with exactly what he wanted.
He chuckled and arched an eye brow as he looked at her. "Didn't know we had some kinds who could read minds too," he teased. His senses could detect her primal interest in the content of the burger.
Her cheeks would redden a bit. “Call it intuition,” she offered, coupled with a small smile. It was what she would’ve chosen for herself and while she understood the bare necessities of eating, she also understood that the animal was just as much a part of someone as the human and both needed nurturing.
Thank goodness she couldn’t read minds; that sounded like a terrible, powerful thing to be blessed and cursed with.
“Anything else I can get for you?”
“What sort of pie do you have?” he asked, picking up a few of the fries and holding them for a moment before popping them in his mouth. “If there’s some pie you can recommend I wouldn’t mind a slice of that,” he added.
A nod.
She took a moment to recall exactly what they had. “A lemon meringue, chocolate cream, and apple.” It wasn’t uncommon for them to have a variety on hand - some people came in not just to get personal with the slot machines.
“Any of those sound okay?”
“When you’re ready I’ll try a slice of the lemon meringue,” he decided. “See if it’s as good as m’ ma used to make.” He gave her a wink as he chuckled softly. He turned his head and had a quick look around the establishment to make sure he wouldn’t be keeping any other customers waiting before asking, “And d’ y’ mind if I ask, d’ you live locally? Here in Searchlight?” he asked, “I don’t recall many wolf packs here a few years ago, but I did spend most m’ time down at the Cove. But I did know a young woman, moved here from the East, and I wondered if she w’ still around.” He took a large bite from the burger as he waited for her to answer.
Nesryn blinked.
The way he inquired was so casual she wasn’t quite sure how to take the question. This was the second time someone had brought up what she was before she even knew anything about them. Though she supposed it was something she needed to get used to, here.
“I just moved here a few months ago,” she explained, making herself smile. “But I guess that would make me local to Searchlight. I’m originally from Portland.” She wasn’t familiar with any other wolves outside of herself and Brian. She hadn’t really been looking for any other wolves, either. Encroaching on someone’s territory was liable to get you killed.
“I’ll go get you some of that pie,” she said kindly, moving away from the table to get the slice of lemon meringue.
Before long she was returning with the piece of pie, setting it down on the table. “There you go.”
Cian had watched her go, and made inroads into the burger. A drip of egg on his chin was wiped away with a paper napkin, then scrunched and laying on the plate where the burger had been.
“Thanks,” he said, picking up his glass and taking a swig of the cider. “And I hope I didn’t upset you,” he added, voice a little softer.
At the last comment, Nesryn smiled and shook her head. “You didn’t. I’m just not used to people knowing,” she explained, keeping her voice down. She knew she should be used to it considering the amount of other scents around - this place wasn’t full of just regular humans the same way Portland and anywhere else wasn’t either.
Any dishes that seemed done with would be taken up and whisked away to the kitchen for tending to. She came back with another glass of water just in case. The desert air could be dry and unforgiving and hydration was important.
Cian's next question had been swallowed when she flitted off again, and he figured it was him, and didn't want to cause her any more discomfort with his questions. He nodded his thanks for the fresh glass of water as he pulled the notes out of his wallet that would cover the bill and a tip, and put them on the table.
"Tell Ronnie he flips a good burger," he said as he stood up, his helmet and jacket in his hands. "Might be back for another some day."
He smiled and nodded his head then turned and walked out of the cool of the diner into the afternoon heat.
“I will, thanks,” she offered.
She offered a wave as the stranger left, and went about cleaning the table and settling the bill. Rewinding the events in her head she found that maybe her behavior came off as rude or flighty - some people didn’t like to chatter or be bothered when they ate but this didn’t necessarily feel like that. She hoped next time they ran into each other that there would be time and discretion to be a bit more honest, forthcoming.
With that, Nesryn finished cleaning up and ran off to tell Ronnie the good word about the food.
(Fin)