Re: coffee: sam & neil
What he was passionate about shouldn't have been a difficult question. At this point in his life, Neil was fairly certain he was supposed to know. And he supposed he did, more than he did six years ago, but he didn't think he had an answer to give that would satisfy her. He was no hero, he wasn't passionate about helping people or anything like that. "It's not so much what I'm passionate about as it is what I like doing," he said with another shrug. "I like watching my ideas become reality. I like watching businesses flourish instead of fail. I like being in control." Which probably fed into his hatred of feeling helpless, of spending so much of his life under his father's thumb. He tipped his head to the side when she talked about Meredith, looking for any sign of hurt, because he knew he hadn't been forward when he was with her. "I did. It was a couple years after I'd gotten sober. Things were different." He couldn't stay still, he couldn't go back, and so he moved forward instead.
He knew he should go see Louis. He knew, but Zatanna was doing... whatever she was doing and he didn't want to get in the way. "A little of both," he sighed. "I just... really think it's better if I wait." He laughed when she whispered that second hella, willing to seize upon the distraction. "Lin really did rub off on you." It was a very young-sounding word, he thought. Careless in the way of youth who had nothing to worry about. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Her imitation made him laugh, the sound genuine. It was comical, her accent trying to mix with his, and he didn't bother trying to hide it. As for her eyeroll, he just pretended he hadn't noticed. "That's not why I'm here," he protested. His expression became something more serious, less teasing. "I appreciate you wanting to help. I do. But you can't make Louis like Mere. Though... I'd take them being civil, at the very least," he admitted. "I think I just need to show her that there's nothing to worry about. That we don't dump our respective partners and get back together." He smiled. "The tired thing will get better."
Admittedly, it wasn't easy to keep from reacting. This kind of attention wasn't the sort he relished. "Some effort," he chuckled, and he sat up quickly when she hopped off the table, making room for her to stand on the chair rather than on him. It involved spreading his legs to do so, but people were already staring. Neil looked up as the manager approached, an apologetic smile already prepared. "I'm sorry," he said, as the disgruntled man slowed. "She gets a little... overzealous in public." He stood carefully, easing himself up over the back of the chair. "We'll be out of your way shortly." He held out a hand to Sam. "Won't we?"