Re: Allen code-switches to street Clovennian when he speaks in all-lower-case text
Though it felt like he had swallowed rocks, Henri's stomach rumbled, and his mouth filled with water. He had spent his fair share of time hungry, and it felt wrong to refuse an offer of food. "Yeah, two. Just don't puke on 'em, pepper's plenty."
He posted up nearby, watching his brother work. An offer of help would have been insulting, and neither man cared to be coddled. They both held the same tradition handed down from the Rue Farine, both prayed at the altar of Endurance, May We Suffer Well. Once he was certain Bell wasn't going to collapse, Henri checked on the water, and nodded to find it simmering.
The pot was replaced on the burner with the pitcher, and Henri poured just enough hot water over the grounds to make a muddy slurry when stirred. When that bubbled, he poured the rest, gave one last spin of the spoon, and put the pot in the sink to cool.
"Doc got you on the shit for a spell, no doubt, but you say the word, I'll find some 'Rell medicine, rub you with a rock or somethin'." Leaning against the counter, Henri took a deep breath of the vapors that had begun to rise from the pitcher. "Be your very own Euphrasie, kiss all your boo-boos and cradle your head on my big ol' tits." He tapped his chin with the spoon. "Gonna need to get a dress made, though, so you gotta give me notice. An' the hat."
The mixture in the pitcher began to bubble vigorously, and Henri watched it carefully. "So, Deputy gonna be running the show, hey? You need me to run any messages her way, I do that, too. Just maybe pin a note to me, case she cuff me on sight- yeah, now we go." The coffee foamed, almost threatening to spill over the curved lip of the pitcher, but a practiced hand lifted it from the heat, gently agitating the grounds until they settled before returning to the heat. "Rumor says there's a lot of shit went down after you did, so she gonna be busy. Maybe she find them pills."
As the coffee heated again, he tipped a cigarette out of his case, knelt down to light it on the burner, and held it out to Bell without looking. "Here. Calm down your stomach. Doctor's orders."