Friday, glorious Friday. Or at least glorious if you're in school all week and you aren't counting any study classes that happen on Saturday. Besides the point, totally. Because Friday.
A friday that finds Naru having taken over a table at the Crown, already with a milkshake.. medicinal you know.. and her bag conspicuously taking over a seat such that it's saved for Ami when she gets there.
Naru sips from her milkshake, doodling in her sketchbook, happily ignoring the schoolbooks that are taunting her from her bag. Taunting!
Ami has found time to change outfits, between School and Crown. Her blue hair is vaguely damp, implying she recently showered or swam. She's dressed, now, in a blue skirt and a white sweater, with a pair of tights for warmth beneath the skirt.
At the counter, Ami orders her own milkshake, a cheeseburger, and some french fries. While the food cooks, she takes her shake and slides into the bench next to Naru, bumping hips just a little as she settles in.
"Hi," says the bluenette, setting her leather satchel down with Naru's. The flap falls open just so to prevent Naru's taunting books from distracting her further. Safe!
"Whatcha drawing?" Ami inquires, leaning over Naru's sketchbook curiously.
It's not raining. There are breaks in the clouds. There is sunlight. Obviously it is glorious!
There's someone who came in while Ami was at the counter, but he hung back near the door till she settled down at Naru's table. Now he makes his way over himself, inclining his head to Motoki (long white hair pulls its weight over his shoulder in the process, slithering down) and waiting his turn. The nod wins him a smile and a glance past him, but Kazuo shakes his head no: no Mamoru today, apparently. Motoki gives a Tragic Sigh (TM) and turns his attention to the next of the incoming student flood.
Hope Kanata needed time to sort things out in his head since Valentine's Day. Music, reminding him of home, being played by someone who seemed to have little of anything good in her heart. A 'Princess of Despair' of DysDark. He's very glad Haruka-chan was there for many reasons.
Earth people seem to like to come here to unwind. He's chosen to do so as well. He's found himself ordering a hamburger. (No cheese.), onion rings- and a whatever the cola of choice is here. He turns back around after ordering somewhere perhaps after Kazuo.
His eyes scan the room. Naru seems familiar. Kazuo is aswell. Amu isn't. He nods to Kazuo respectfully, as he decides to walk over to Naru's table.
"Hello again. Would you mind some company?" he asks politely to the two.
Glorious Friday indeed! Coming over from the side of Infinity, Seth is dressed in the issued uniform, coupled with a satchel with the sewn logo on the cover.
He's not in the best of looks, though; as in, he's visibly tired, and pale. So much so, that he looks for a seat where he could sit first, and then he'll proceed to make his order.
And, as he looks for a seat, he sees who's about. Naru and Kazuo are the familiar faces, here, and a wave is offered to them, afterwhich he approaches the familiar face at the table.
"Hello, Naru-chan. Mind if I grab a seat?" Even his voice shows fatigue.
"Hey." Naru greets, looking up with a smile as Ami settles next to her with a bump.
The sketchbook holds fairly abstract colourwork at the moment, swirls and twists of colour morphing into other colours. "Just doodling, really." She sounds almost sheepish about the admission. "Mundane interpetation of some of the practicing I should get to tonight."
There's a little wave towards Kazuo as he makes his way to the counter, but no call out to him.
Naru looks up again as Hope approaches the table and she smiles. "Ahh, hello again." She pauses just a moment and then chuckles softly. "I don't think we ever properly met.. you were on the roof at the apartment in a kafuffle.. yes? Which I appreciate doesn't narrow it down even a little." She shakes her head a little, amused at that reality. "I don't mind if you join us.. Ami? Do you mind?" She looks to her table companion. "I'm Naru, by the by." She introduces herself to Hope, just to solve any awkward of unremembered names. "Ahh, Seth. You look tired. Long week?" She asks, as he too joins the table. Apparently Naru knows everyone.
Ami misses Kunzite's entrance. This is probably just as well, for now. She's busy staring at Naru's artwork, curiously; almost to the point she doesn't notice Hope or Seth coming up, until Naru starts asking her questions about them.
"Hmm?" Ami asks, as she looks up from the art towards the boys. She looks from one to the other. T he other to the first. Th en she blinks again in confusion. "Um. Hi? I'm Mizuno Ami," she introduces herself. "I don't think we've met."
After a few words exchanged with Motoki -- probably fewer than Motoki would like, but that's probably again related to the aforementioned absence of Mamoru -- Kazuo collects his traditional coffee (food in public is as ever for other people, and after a few moments also collects the first tray of food for the table. He walks the assortment of burgers, liquid sugar, fried things, and Medicinal Liquefied Ice Cream over to the group, and sets it on their table for appropriate internal distribution. Obviously tall boy is not actually trying to join the conversation. Only to enable it. Clearly.
Hope Kanata says. "On New Years, yes." he says. "Sakura-chan had gotten upset." he says.
He looks at Seth and head tilts curiously at him. "Are you okay?" he asks. "You look tired." he says with a a little concern. He looks back at Naru and Ami and smiles. "Hello. I am Hope Grand Kanata." he says as he sits down with his very boring hamburger, onion rings and soda. "Kanata, alone, is fine, and my preference however." it is a silly name for Earth otherwise.
He clearly missed the memo about milkshakes.
"Hello then, Mizuno-san." he says politely. He looks over to Kunzite and nods again.
"You don't know the half of it, Naru-chan, believe me", Seth replies with a bit of sadness and even some level of... acceptance(?)... in his voice. "And you won't want to know."
He looks at the new faces, and replies, "I'm Seth Katsumoto Locke, Infinity student. Seth is just fine by me."
As he grabs a seat, he just about slumps into it. "Just lemme catch my breath...", he mumbles to himself. And that's when Kazuo comes into view, "Hello, Takeba-san."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kanata-san; Locke-san," Ami says, smiling just a little at them both. Then her food is delivered, and Ami turns to reach for it, only to stop short when she recognizes the deliverer. Ami blinks up at Kunzite, wide-eyed and uncertain, then blushes a little and looks away. "Kunzite," she greets him, as she takes her burger and fries off the tray. "Hi."
Ami's blue-deer-in-headlights look prompts a brief drawing-together of Kazuo's eyebrows and a faint, perplexed frown, but he adds her milkshake to the assemblage in front of her either way. "Good afternoon," he says, possibly to Ami and possibly generally. He nods to Hope silently, then reclaims the empty tray, though whether he intends to go back for Seth's order or leave that to the staff isn't entirely clear. Mostly because he pauses to eye Seth for a few moments. "Unfortunate occasion," he asks, "or has this been normal lately?" ... Kanata's version was definitely more polite.
Hope Kanata looks between Kunzite and Ami, and that slight blush and look away she gives Kunzite but says nothing. His head never actually move. His eyes do. If he has comments, he keeps them to himself. This is not a man who likes to make people's lives more harder with embarrassing situations. If he can help it.
He looks to Seth. "Why would we not want to know... was it... Seth-san?" he says, hearing Naru say the name. He smiles a little. "I find problems shared are problems that have the potential to no longer be problems." he says.
Seth Locke looks at Kazuo, the fact that Ami uses the name 'Kunzite' when addressing him does not go unnoticed by the american boy. In regards to the question, Seth just shrugs - not much in the mood to talk about that, it appears. Or it could speak volumes, really.
He looks at Hope, "This is my own burden to bear, and nobody else's, Kanata-san." His eyes show resolve enough to ask for this matter to be dropped.
"Far be it from me to badger anyone into sharing more than they wish to." Naru pipes up after introductions ahve been made, and quiet thanks of her own go over to Kunzite. "That being said, I tend to agree with Kanata, that burdens that seem unbearable or need to be stoically shouldered alone, rarely actually are." She reaches for her milkshake, to take a sip and adds a highlight of colour to her drawing.
"You were hoping to catch me with a question.. ages ago now, Seth, do you still?" Naru asks curiously, offering the other three at (or near) the table a touch of an apologetic smile as her queries all fall upon Seth for the moment.
Ami gingerly accepts her milkshake from Kunzite, then wrinkles her nose and motions to a seat. She doesn't verbally invite him to join them, but at least she's implying he should.
Shaking off her discomfort, Ami looks to Seth, then notes, "If you prefer to bear the burden alone, you're best off not telling others it even exists. A lot of people in Tokyo have a tendency to try and lift those around them up. Shouldering part of the burden isn't the same as bearing all of it, but eventually the loads will even out."
-- it was almost an escape. Kazuo inclines his head silently to Ami, but doesn't ensconce himself at once; he extricates himself from the current topic, instead, but returns shortly thereafter with Seth's order. Then places himself where Ami indicated, angling so that his folding himself into place does not result in any risk of too-long legs tangling with anyone else's. Coffee occupies hands, as if more a prop than something to actually drink. Not a word spoken. Either he agrees with one side or the other of the conversation about Seth's troubles, or he's managing to bite his tongue. -- okay, it's Kazuo. Both is entirely possible.
Hope Kanata nods matter of factly with Naru and Ami. "I have a feeling if you didn't want to talk about it... you uh. Wouldn't had talked about it. So to speak." he says with a short smile. He looks to Kunzite and frowns. "Has, Haruka-chan dropped by to warn you all at the apartment about. A situation yet?" he asks Kunzite. A situation. A 'can't talk in front of normal people, problem'.
"If not, she should soon." he says.
He smiles to Ami. That's a good description of what he and Naru are saying.
And here is Seth trying to bite his own tongue, so he won't say the wrong thing. Okay, step back. Take a deep mental breath. Keep the posture. "You're right", he replies to Ami, "my apologies." He shakes his head, "I'm not well, and it's physically taxing." There; said in a nutshell.
He turns to Naru, nodding, "Yes, I was. And I still am, but I doubt this is the right place to talk about it." And he discreetly glances between Ami and Kanata, then back to Naru; are they in-the-know about magic? Because Seth doesn't know if they are.
Seth just takes some water, and produces two pills from a bottle, which he takes and swallows with a good gulp. Then, he asks, "So, what've you all been doing?"
"I hope you heal soon, then." Naru replies calmly and quietly enough to Seth. "Or learn to manage it, if it is an ongoing issue."
Naru gives Ami a little gentle nudge with her shoulder, an absent bit of touch and notes to her. "At some point in the not so distant future, I should probably have you around when I'm doing evening practice, just to see what you can see. I would be curious."
Naru looks to Seth and nods. "I tried texting you to ask you at one point, but you never replied. Is that a good way to get a hold of you?"
Ami gives a nod to Seth. "I'm sorry to hear that," she suggests politely. "I hope whatever it is you recover from, or learn to manage, quickly, so that it disrupts your life as little as possible."
Then she startles as Naru nudges her, and t urns to smile at the girl. "Sure, we can do that if you like," she suggests, then glances sideyes towards Kunzite.
"Are you going to remain creepily silent your whole trip here?" Ami asks him challengingly. "Or did you actually come here for a reason?"
Hope Kanata looks to Seth and purses his lips. "Yes. Please try to rest, if you're not well." he says with sympathy. He looks over to Naru and back to Ami. He looks to Kunzite and smiles as Ami asks that question.
"Well it's obvious." he says.
"He likes the atmosphere." he insists.
This may be an attempt at dry humor.
"She may have," Kazuo says to Kanata, "but I don't recall hearing about it. That's not unusual the last couple of weeks; I've been occupied with a full-time project that keeps me somewhat more separated from most of the household than usual. I can check with Mamoru, if you like; I'll certainly keep an eye out for her as I can." That sort of answers Seth's question, too, if without quite admitting what the project is. And if his eyes flicker down to the bottle Seth takes his pills from, well, it's half reflex, and he doesn't try to crane his head to see the label, or stare to see if Seth's hand moves.
Ami's challenge, on the other hand, wins her a momentary blink. "I came because Naru managed to make me admit that I needed to get out more," he says to her. "And because I thought I should make sure that Motoki wasn't worried about Mamoru's health having gone again. I came to this table because I wanted to make sure that he wouldn't take the excuse to worry about Usagi at you; it seemed unlikely that either you or Naru would be in a mood to put up with his fussing."
... then there's a blink at Kanata, in his turn. Joke, as often: over Kunzite's head.
"I'll drink to that, Mizuno-san", Seth replies, raising the bottle of water a little in a silent toast, and he gulps it down. The pill bottle? He puts it back into the pocket it came from. When he's finished, he looks at Kazuo enigmatically.
Looking at Naru, "Hm, I must've missed those messages. I have been swamped with work lately, plus exams,and I didn't text back." He sighs, "Busy life became busy, and hectic to boot."
"I am pretty sure it's the scintillating company." Naru quips back to Kanata with a flash of a smile. Someone is fluent in dry humour, clearly. "And sparkling conversation."
"I'd appreciate it." Naru nods to Ami. "I've already had one safety lecture after an unfortuate incident, and I'm not sure I can take another." Her flicker of a smile turns to Kunzite at the mention of 'saafety lecture' before resettling on Ami.
Naru nods to Seth. "It happens. Most of us are pretty busy. Is that a good way to try and get a hold of you for this elusive quesiton that you've been holding onto for oh so very long? You have my number, or you should, you can text me at your convenience too, for that matter."
Ami sniffs amusedly at Hope's suggestion, but her eyes remain on Kunzite. "Typically, 'get out more' doesn't mean 'leave this place' so much as 'go see people and do things with them.'" She smiles at Kunzite. "Your problem is that you don't interact with people,m enough."
Hope Kanata mmms to himself a little as he eats his burger. Okay it needs ketchup. He reaches towards it and squirts a little zig zag across the patty as he closes it and takes another bit. That's better. He looks between the two.
"Getting out is important. Though admittedly, there is also something to be said for enjoying time alone or in a more quieter place. That's not something I've had for a very long time before I came to Tokyo." he says.
"At the moment I'm trying to find a more proper place to live than the Hotel Augusta. I've not found a place to my liking yet. I may have to go towards the limits of the city at this rate- which is further than I'd like to be. I may have to settle for 'good enough'." he says.
He looks to Seth and eyes the pill bottle. He does wonder what Seth's condition is- but it'd be rude to ask, well. 'What's wrong with you' in a blurt out.
"One lecture," Kazuo says gravely to Naru. "Only one." There's an odd little gleam in his eye that's remarkably like amusement; he tips his head solemnly to Ami thereafter, though, as if to yield some obscure point or other. "There's quite a bit that you'd be interested in seeing, though, I think. And I know Naru's been looking for ways to improve in her practicing for the triathlon; I can't help her more than I have with that, but I understand you might be able to give her some tips on her form."
A pause. "Sadly, my interaction or lack thereof needs considerably more than tips. I prefer to think of it as my problem being that I'm required to interact with people, but I'm aware that I'm an outvoted minority on that subject. Of one."
He angles his attention toward Kanata, then. LOOK AN ACTUALLY PRACTICAL PROBLEM. "Do you have particular criteria that you're looking for, in a place to stay?" he asks of the one experimenting with ketchup.
"Life is beautiful", Seth presents in a form of dissertation. "It's a beautiful event, a wondrous blessing. A mysterious mechanism, and the biggest conundrum of all." He chuckles. "You go from a single-celled organism to a baby in nine months while you're in the womb, and most people don't know that this process recapitulates the whole evolution of life on Earth." He chuckles. "And the moment you're out, your journey begins. From your first cry, to your first glimpse of your mother, to the feelings of warmth that come with being held in the arms of your parents, to your first word, and your first steps, and your laugh, and your tears, and your kindergarten days, and your school days, and the friends you meet, the books you read, and your first crush, and your first heartbreak, and on and on and on..." He shakes his head, chuckling. "/Everything/ is an adventure, something of your own to treasure, that makes you who you are, that sets bounds for you to evolve past."
He looks between everyone here gathered. "Isn't life a unique, magical gift?" He finishes his bottle of water.
"This time." Naru amends upon Kunzite's insistance that it was just one lecture, but her smile says that they are accepted in the spirit in which they are given. "I made an appointment at the bike shop tomorrow, if you happen to be both free and curious." She adds to Kunzite a moment after.
Naru nods to Ami as Kunzite mentions what she's training for this time and her smile turns vaguely rueful. "So far, the swim section is going to tank my time. Pointers would be very welcome."
Naru's attention settles upon Seth as he waxes poetic about the glories of life as we know it, and the mysteries within. "That was extremely poetic, and exceptionally random in the current conversation. I'm glad that you have a strong sense of wonder for the world around you."
"For swimming, at least," Ami agrees with a nod. "I didn't know you were competing in a triathalon," Ami adds, turning to Naru. "I wish I actually had time for that sort of thing. I wish I had time for a lot of things, lately that I don't." She lets out a soft sigh, mourning the time lost.
And speaking of lost time, Ami finally realizes there's a cheeseburger in front of her. Suddenly, there isn't a cheeseburger in front of her anymore. Dabbing at her mouth with a napkin, Ami turns back to Naru, "Any limitations on stroke, or is it just 'get from point a to point b while in water'?"
Hope listens to Seth as he leans forward as he waxes psychological. He shakes his head. "I don't agree with the end statement. Life is what one chooses to make it, from their own experiences. For example, I would not call the last ten years of my life an 'adventure'. It would be more apt to call them a 'Nightmare'. A 'Bad Dream'." he says.
He looks over to Kunzite and says. "I would like a place with enough space to be comfortable- I do not do small places very well and a garden area that- has not been readied yet, or, a fairly boring one that can be improved upon." he says. There is, after all, a Princess of Flowers he is fond and keeps close to his heart. She is supposed to have a wondrous palace of flowers in the Hope Kingdom. He of course, takes all fault for this non-existence. He can offer something else.
He looks between Naru and Ami again. There's a cheeseburger and suddenly there is not. He's pretty sure he just blinked. He's about done with his. Sometimes an onion ring disappears.
Kazuo does not start Seth's speech out by looking at him. Kazuo never, in fact, turns his head far enough to look at Seth directly. But by the time that one long sentence begins, he's studying Seth out of the corner of an eye, frowning slightly.
He doesn't say a word about it. There is coffee. Coffee turns out not only to be a prop; drinking it, apparently, is a mechanism for postponing saying things until he can say something else instead. In ths case, to Naru, "I'll arrange to be." And then to Hope, "Tokyo is made of small places, unfortunately. I believe some of the people we know made a list of certain types of places available recently, at somewhat more reasonable prices -- I'll see if they kept it, if you'll permit, and if any of the places they were looking at might suit you."
The fact that the list in question was of places that were going for under market value due to rumors of hauntings or inexplicable deaths is completely irrelevant to this conversation! Obviously.
"Well", Seth admits to Naru. "I was trying to get into the conversation, and supporting your opinion that Takeba-san could perhaps lighten up some and interact more with people." He sighs, "Instead, it turned into a dissertation on life, that may've been utterly out of context, so my overall apologies to those here present for that, plus my presumption."
He leans back in his seat, sighing. A few moments of staring into a fixed dot in the ceiling, and he looks at the people here assembled. "Sorry, I need to get some food in me."
He motions to the bar, visibly wincing when he gets up.
"I can't do longer races 'til I'm over eighteen, and 10k wasn't much of a challenge. I do longer runs just for training, but triathon? That sounded like an interesting new challenge. And it has been so far." Naru explains to Ami and then grins. "I was running most mornings anyhow, now I just mix up if its a run, or a bike, or a swim." She sips a bit more milkshake and then shakes her head. "No stroke requirement, point a to point b, fastest time, no drowning. And leave some energy for the cycle and the run, because the swim is first."
"I'd argue that life experiences that qualify as 'nightmare', are still an adventure." Naru points out to Kanata. "There's no requirements that everything in life be a /good/ adventure, although ideally there's enough of a mix and a balance to be able to look back on the lows when you're in the highs and vice versa."
"Gardens are often hard in Tokyo." Naru mmms thoughtfully. "Rooftop garden, perhaps. Where are you coming from, Kanata? I don't think I entirely registered that you were relatively new to Tokyo."
"Random isn't terribly unusual around here." Naru notes to Seth with a quirk of her head, thoughtful. "Although I have found that answering questions posed, and making comments on the direct topics on hand tend to integrate better than poetic license, but I'm hardly about to argue with a reminder to appreciate life." Naru frowns a little as she watches Seth's painful expression when he stands. If he doesnt' want to talk about it, she's not going to ask.
Ami sits quietly for a moment, pondering french fries and milkshakes. She doesn't, it seems, have anything to offer on the topics of philosophy, adventure, or gardens. Perhaps this is due to a recent over-abundance of both in her life.
Hope Kanata plainly says. "No, it was quite a nightmare." he says. "Ah, you mean like Mamoru-san has on his roof? Well that could work." he muses a bit. "Ground level. On the Earth, would be more preferable, if possible however." that connection is important, to him. But well. Tokyo. A place of steel, cramped spires.
He head tilts. "Ah. I am from a... place." he's careful not to use the word 'world' here for others benefits. "Called the Hope Kingdom. Tokyo..." rather than 'Earth'. "...is not my birthplace, no." he says softly. "Home is not a pleasant and welcoming place right now." he says dryly.
"Ground-level gardens are rare, and well out of the reach of most people on the occasions they come available," Kazuo says to Hope. "Though indoor gardens are often cultivated -- and, of course, you are not necessarily 'most people.'"
He might be about to say more, but instead he rises and steps to clear Seth's way. "It's good to hear that you still hold such an opinion, at least, Locke-san." His precise inclination of his head does not actually say 'I'll lighten up when I die,' if only because Ami might call him on that one.
Seth Locke stops in his tracks when he hears about the Hope Kingdom. He turns towards Hope, "Hey, I heard about that place. Wait right there, I might have some info for you, I'll be right back." And he goes to make his order: orange juice with a sallad. Veggies and vitamins! Yummy!
Once he comes back, he replies to Kazuo, "Well, it is kinda sad though, that you only reach certain conclusions when it's..."
Okay, somebody stop him now, there's blood coming out of both his nostrils.
Naru glances to Ami as she settles quiet and then her attention moves over to Kanata thoughtfully. "Is that something that you hope to change? The unwelcoming nature of your home, that is." She pauses a moment. "Er.. no pun intended.. hard to speak of the Hope Kingdom without running inot that approximately a million times, long after it's gotten old."
Naru watches Kunzite rise and she smiles in his direction. "I didn't order myself any food when I got here, just the milkshake, would you be willing to grab me something? Or I can, if you'd rather sit and be social." Because /that/ seems oh so very likely out of Kunzite.
Naru looks up at Seth as he returns and she arches a brow and then passes him a napkin. "Your nose is bleeding." There's no sound of panic, or concern, it's a matter of fact statement, much like the weather, or killer plants, or that economics papers still suck.
Naru talks and he frowns. "I can't change it. Not alone. That's why I sought... the people who are said to combat, what has made my world 'not so nice'." he says. The Seth says he has information and he turns to him. "Truly?" he asks. "What is it you heard, exactly?" he asks curiously, wondering what this boy has heard.
"You're bleeding." he offers. Naru is already on it however.
He turns to Kunzite. "Mmmph. Open Air. Courtyard. Maybe I can hope for that much." he says to himself. "But I perhaps will not get it." he says.
Kazuo glances after Seth as he hints at information for Kanata, then departs; but he reorients to Naru before he says anything. "If you make no requests," Kazuo tells her, "you'll have to live with 'something.'" At least he pauses long enough to offer to Kanata a reiteration, "I'll look over that list. There's at least a small chance something might suit you. And might actually still be available. It would probably need repair of some kind, but odds are good we can find someone to take care of that."
Repair might mean 'eviction of hive of despair demons living thirty feet below the property,' in this case, but really, after what Kanata's been through already, that's almost an insignificant issue.
That also means that he pauses long enough to examine Seth for a moment. Naru and Kanata have the bleeding concern handled for the moment. It's only the other part that has him studying Seth with the faint bemusement some people save for 'help, I am trapped in a gallery and have to look like I'm interested in this modern art piece to impress my date.' After a moment, he just turns and goes to consult with Motoki. Whether or not Naru's given him any specifics by then.
The american boy finally feels the drip of blood over his lips, and there's a widening of his eyes in panic. "Dammit..." He grabs the napkin with a 'thank you', and quickly covers his nostrils. "I'm so sorry about this." He rests the tray on the table, and again he winces to sit back down.
He rolls up his sleeve, and looks at a bracelet he has on his wrist, as calmly as possible. He takes deep breaths, covering his nostrils with the napkin.
"I am willing to accept 'something'. I don't think there's anything here I won't eat, and I'm hungry without knowing what I want, which is why I didn't order food to begin with." Naru replies to Kunizte with a flash of a smile and then a little laugh at that bemused look. She knows that look.
"I think we've already had the 'teamwork' speech portion of this afternoon's conversation, so I don't really need to rehash that on your account. If I can help, let me know." Naru offers with a nod. Granted, what she can do, probably largely a mystery.
"No apologies needed." Naru assures Seth, fairly confident that he did not prompt a nosebleed on purpose, just to be irritating in public. "Do you need anything beyond more napkins?" She nudges a few more of those closer, just in case.