Fancy Seeing You Here!

Summer 2021, Week 5

Saturday morning

Thanks A Latte, The Heights

Percival Palomo

The last few days had been a ton of work, but now, it was Saturday, and the article that Percival had been working so hard on was nearly finished. It hadn't changed the fact that he had been stuck in his apartment for the last few days, though, not venturing out much apart from collecting books for his studies. A change of pace was something that was desperately needed.   So, he had slipped from his apartment, tail flicking and wings dragging ever so slightly as he made his way along, heading towards the cafe that lie in The Heights. It was pro-evo, one of the cafes in the city that very clearly had that stated on the door at opening. A sleepy look graced his face as he pushed the door open, slipping inside the cafe.   It was early. Early enough that dawn had just brushed over the horizon with pastel pinks and oranges that danced along the sky. It was early enough that Percival didn't see too many people on the way over here- just how he had hoped. There were few glances on the walk over, and fewer thoughts- most people still tucked away in their homes, not yet awakened.   He made his way to the barista, holding his wings closer.   "A white chocolate raspberry coffee for me, please."   "May I have your name with that?"   The barista was the smallest bit surprised at his appearance- but he could tell she was more tired than anything. It was one of the reasons he found himself liking this cafe so much- the staff were quiet about matters such as being an Evo. Shit, he was certain some of the staff themselves were Evos.   "Percival. Thank you, Lara."   The barista nodded, and Percy found himself settling at a table by the window, looking out at the sunrise as the glow poured over the horizon between buildings. He slipped his laptop out of his saddlebag, opening the interview document and beginning his final proofread. He had already went over it twice- but three's the charm, right?   Time to get to work.  

Bee

Saturdays were good. They were good because she had the morning off and was able to sleep in. Bianca would look forward to Saturdays because of that reason exactly. So when she woke up before the sun and was unable to fall back asleep, she already knew her special Saturday was already off to a rocky start. Rather than lay in bed and mourn her lost couple of hours, she decided to get up and be somewhat productive.   She headed towards some shops in the heights, the area is her apartment. She had planned to restock on some groceries and had the grocery list in her hands when she entered a cafe. She hadn’t heard of this place before, but it was on her way back home and she was on the edge of starving and passing out. She needed the caffeine, plus a pastry or two wouldn’t hurt her hunger.   As she pushed past the door, making her way in, she yawned. Doing her best to not bump into anyone or run into anything. Knowing her, she would have fallen over 4 times over if she wasn’t actively trying not to. She walked up to the counter, going towards the register. It looked like someone else was ordering there, but it looked like he had already finished giving his order and had moved to sit down.   “Can I get a venti blonde roast with oat milk, please?” She gave a tired smile to the cashier as she took the order down. Once the total had shown up, Bee had reached into her bag to grab her method of payment, but in the process she had dropped her grocery list at the foot of the other patron. She signed, of course. That was her luck.   “Hi, Sorry, Do you mind, I dropped my paper right near you. I’m just going to get it” She gave the man a heads up, as she didn’t want to scare him by just randomly kneeling down near his feet and picking something up. She stood up, paper in hand, giving the man a little nod. “Thank you.”   She looked at him a little closer. He seemed…familiar. Like when you read a book and you imagine a character- she was seeing that image in person. She was thinking for a second as she was placing the face and- that's right! This guy looks just like her friend-   She was interrupted from the thought when she heard the barista ask, “Can I have a name?” She turned from her trance to look at the barista, “Oh right! Bee. Like the insect.” She flashed the same tired smile from before,  

Percival Palomo

Honestly, he was on the edge of falling asleep himself. He lifted a hand to rub at his eyes, the sleepiness and exhaustion of almost non-stop work for the last few days causing his walls to be let down slightly. He could already feel a slight migraine coming on as thoughts all around him wormed into his mind- people thinking about coffee, work, how they needed to go to the grocery later, how they needed to pick up kids from daycares, how it was much too early to be out and about, how familiar Percy looked...   ...   ...Huh. That last one was weird.   Golden eyes slid up from where he was staring at his computer, still rimmed with exhaustion as he looked towards the owner of the thought. There was a slightly dulled detection of her emotions- but he could still sense the odd feeling of familiarity she seemed to have directed towards him. The angelic-looking Evo glanced up with those sleepy eyes, tail curling slightly around the chair leg as he glanced down at the grocery list she had dropped.   "No worries," He responded tiredly, golden eyes meeting hers. She looked at him a bit closer- and he definitely noticed, giving her a sleepy look in response with one raised eyebrow. What was she thinking, anyway...? Him, looking like her friend? He was the only Evo he knew with an appearance like his- oddly angelic and borderline demonic at the same time with those silvery horns of his.   Maybe she was mistaken...?   ...Still, weird.   He blinked again as the barista spoke to her, and he looked first at the barista, then at her. Bee. He knew that name. "Interesting, I know a Bee," He pointed out, raising a brow. This couldn't be-- was it? He could be mistaken, but she seemed to know him, and now that he was thinking about it...   "...Huh."  

Bee

While it would be extremely easy to spot someone with her friends description, Bee would blend in more. She had golden blonde hair, right now it was tied back in a pony tail. Her eyes were a dark brown and otherwise she looked like a regular young adult woman- a little shorter then the median but not by much. She couldn't imagine seeing someone who matched the description of her long distance friend that wasn't him. It was a little hard to match someone who hand literal wings, silver horns, and everything else that made up his whole ensemble.   "Yeah- Bee is a nickname. It's short of Bianca." She dropped more hints. Her friend would know that, and while she was still apprehensive to connect some pretty obvious dots, she was sure to give some clues out to the man in front of her, lest he be who she assumed him to be. The last thing Bee needed on her already wonky day off was to accidently misidentify someone at a cafe she had never been too. That would be embarrassing enough that she would consider never coming back. And she really didn't want to emotionally block herself from this place before she had tasted their drinks.   The suspected friend in question's location wasn't directly known by Bee, she had never asked for it in fear of coming off as a creepy internet stalker. And for all that her friend knew, she was still living with her family several miles away. This would be just too great of a chance if it was true- hope bubbled in her chest along with excitement.   She opened her mouth to speak, ask a question, but she stopped when the barista called out a name behind her. 'Percival.' She turned to the barista, looking at her then back to the angel looking dude in front of her. She pointed her finger a bit.   "Wait, Percy?" She eyebrows scrunched up as she fumbled for her phone in her pocket, pulling out and sending a text to the person saved in her phone  

Text Message

To: Feathered Friend
yo dude is that u????????lmao??   She send the text quickly looking up from her phone to see the reaction she would get- see if the mans phone would show notification. She had excitement bubble more and more from her, she was almost praying this to be true.  

Percival Palomo

"...Odd," He hummed, tipping his head slightly. An inquisitive look slipped into his eyes. Well. This was her, right? She seemed to recognize him. He and his closest friend had talked quite often, almost daily- a mix of brief chats and late-night musings. Things he enjoyed in a friend- his only friend.   And now she was here! He wasn't used to being partially in her head, but he could definitely detect her thoughts and emotions, and they seemed to indicate that this was her. Between the excitement that seemed to mirror his own, and the thoughts that were very indicative of her knowing him... This had to be her.   He opened his mouth to confirm- telling her that Hey, we do know each other- before his phone interrupted him with a buzz. He glanced at his phone,   "..."   "...Yep, it's me," He replied. Despite the small, warm smile on his face, it didn't quite reach his eyes- which were quite possibly too exhausted to reflect his emotions. Or, maybe, they just weren't used to emoting with the rest of his face. He stepped forward to take his coffee just as the barista called out "Bee!"- taking both coffees and offering Bee's to her.   His expression was warm and borderline excited- and while he would've probably hugged her in private, maybe acted more like an excited golden retriever, he was much too tired to do so. Then again, he usually was.   "I didn't expect to see you here," He started, that soft, teasing smile still on his face, "I guess we both have stories to share, hm? Want to sit?" He gestured loosely with a wing towards the window table he had claimed, his laptop sitting closed before a chair with a saddlebag slung across the back of it.  

Bee

"Oh my god" She laughed gleefully, as her laugh left a permanent smile one her face. She did have it reach her eyes, because she was most likely more rested then him. She had already forgotten the fact she didn't get to sleep in on her day off. She remembered back home- with her family, she had plenty of friends she could have interacted with, but none of them knew her like Percy. And now that she was away from home with no connection to any of her old friends, She had truly come to appreciate his friendship.   Was this the universe saying sorry for all the stuff it put her through in the last year?   She would accept this apology swiftly.   While Percy might have been apprehensive about hugging her while tired and in public, she sure was not. She moved forward, giving her best friend a hug, careful to not touch his wings as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She wasn't much shorter then him- just around 9 inches shorter, but she still stood on her tippy toes as to not pull him down when she gave him a hug. She pulled back and put a hand on his shoulders as she studied his face.   "You look absolutely trashed- have you been getting sleep? You've been eating, right? Please tell me you are eating and sleeping, Perce." She removed her hands, knowing her friend, she wasn't going to overwhelm him when they just had met in person for the first time. The smile was replaced with a flash of concern, but quickly replaced back with glee.   She sat down across from him, her smile still reaching as high as it would go once more. "Thank you." She took her drink and took a small sip, cringing immediately "Oh- Hot." She shook it off and set her cup down to cool off. "You go first, You always had more interesting stories then me" She kept her smile, but inside she was dreading have to tell her best friend she was a coward.  

Percival Palomo

The big smile on her face only made his own grow, the expression finally making it to his eyes- at least a little- as much as it could, with Percy being Percy. He held both coffees- and looked as though he'd start making his way over to the table- the hug taking him completely off-guard. His wings ruffled slightly, and his eyes blinked open a bit wider- looking a bit shocked. He focused on holding the coffees- awkwardly trying to not spill them all over the both of them. Luckily for him, he was good at not doing that. Enough coffee experience gave him the ability to not spill a single drop.   One wing unfurled slightly to wrap her in a half-hug, and as she pulled back, it retracted as well- folding back where it belonged.   "Damn, you meet me for the first time, and the very first thing you do is chide me about how tired I look? Wow, Bee." He chirped in response, taking a deep breath. Despite his seriously he seemed to say that, the slight smirk on his face- as well as the teasing undertone that Bee could probably detect- were definite signs that he wasn't actually offended at all. He knew he looked like shit. Alongside the fact that he looked tired, the tips of his wings and the feathers of his tail were dusted almost a saturated cream with dirt from them dragging on the ground, too tired to hold them up properly.   "I've been eating. Sleep- I need to catch up on, but I've been writing quite the article. Should cause quite a number of ripples throughout the city if I'm lucky enough." He hummed softly, taking a seat himself. He shifted awkwardly in his spot, wings ruffling as he attempted to get comfortable in a chair not meant for a person with wings.   "Oof- yeah, be careful, it's hot-" He hummed as he took a sip of his own- immediately recoiling because of the heat himself- sticking his tongue out as he fanned it with a hand. Dumb bird. "I wouldn't be too sure about that," He sighed, shaking his head slowly. Life at the estate was slow. And boring. The most interesting stories he had were ones of him falling out of trees in attempts to learn how to fly, his mother having to scoop her poor winged son up as she tried to figure out how to mend the fragile bones. Well, that, and the few times he managed to get out and about. Him being in the spotlight of the press for a while was shocking in its own right. Maybe that was why he took a career in journalism himself...?   "It's far from interesting, though. Uh, just got in an argument with my dad." He grimaced, looking back at the coffee. "It was the worse than any of the other arguments I've told you about. I just... Got pissed, I guess. Can't really blame me, though. I was never really good enough for that bastard anyway. Figured it was about time for me to head out on my own- I don't think I should have to deal with the bullshit he kept laying on me." Percy paused, taking a deep breath as he stared thoughtfully at his coffee.   "...As for how I got here, that's another story. Airlines are surprisingly adverse to passengers with wings. I had to road trip the entire way. At least it wasn't too long of a drive from New York."   Assuming his coffee was cool enough now, he took a sip- wincing once again and swallowing hard. Nope. Not cool enough.   "...And you? I'm guessing your story's probably nowhere near as fun." He sighed bitterly. He could still sense her emotions- her thoughts- and he could tell that whatever story she had to tell, she didn't want to tell it. "You don't have to say, if you don't want. I get it. Stories can be a pain in the ass."  

Bee

She snorted when he mentioned the first thing she did when she saw him was bother him about his sleeping habits, how terribly in character for her. She would always bother him with 'why are you awake' messages when she got a message with a timestamp that was definitely suppose to be during sleeping time. She knew how dedicated he was. She understood it- she had a job that demanded a lot of her too. At least for her, there were clear cut clock in times and clock out. And she could not take work home with her, not really.   She was about to say something about it to, but Percy had just burnt his mouth after telling her that her drink would be hot and she had to laugh so hard that there wasn't any sound, just the occasional inhale. That lasted for a few seconds before she was able to shake it off.   "Damn, You know that offer to beat that asshole up still stands, y'know? I'll do it" She grabbed a napkin from the table, picking up her drink and then putting it on top of the napkin, like a coaster. "Man, who knows? Maybe we got her around the same time. We could have road tripped together" She joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit, she did have underlying concern still present. She always wish that her friend was better taken care of- wished he had more then the world had dealt him.   "I- uh" She took a deep breath in, her shoulders hunching over. She hadn't talked to anyone about it since she left. Percy was her best friend- if she wasn't able to tell him she wouldn't be able to tell anyone. And then she would shoulder this pain for way too long until it turned her bitter. And she did not want to turn bitter. "No it's fine. I probably need to confront it. I've been doing a great job at ignoring it"   She moved so her back was to the back of the chair, crossing her ankles. She looked at the ceiling of the cafe. "You know how June had been more and more of any asshole?" She cringed, thinking back to her older sister. June was her older sister who hated her guts. She knew siblings tended to not get alone, but June abhorred her.   During one particular argument with her sister, she can't even remember what it was about, it was something better, June revealed that she was adopted. "She was the one who told me I was adopted. Told me that she wished they never found me, that I don't belong in the family. Of course Dad was pissed at her and they fought. A lot of things kinda fit in- I had a lot of questions about... things about myself. And I had been looking in all the wrong places because I thought I was related to them. It was a lot. I know I try to ignore June but...god" She put her head in her hands. "It was so stupid, Percy!" She gave herself a moment to the pain in her chest under control.   "I was done with her, I guess. Mom always took June's side and Dad never went against Mom- they aren't even my mom and dad I guess- I left. Just packed up and left. I work as an EMT here, had a decent apartment that has like, no furniture." She chuckled at her attempt of a joke.   "But thats out of the way- I wanted to talk about it. Just didn't feel right, plus I was overwhelmed with the move. How are you doing now though? Being on your own without your dad?"  

Percival Palomo

"Yeah, I know," He snorted, smiling slightly in response to her saying she'd beat him up. Honestly, beating the shit out of that bastard wouldn't be something he'd be opposed to. He was a pain in Percy's ass. That being said, Percy had never been someone violent. As badly as he wanted karma to fuck his dad over, he didn't necessarily want the man to sustain any serious injuries.   Damn his merciful nature.   Bee began to speak, and he tipped his head. His tongue still stuck out of his mouth as he listened to Bee's story- he seemed to be listening intently- to the point he had forgotten he was sticking it out, almost like a cat who had been stopped mid-lick. Despite the goofy look he had on his face, his expression looked thoughtful, looking quizzically at Bee as she explained herself.   "...Yeah, I know," He replied in reference to June's asshole-ery. She'd gotten worse? The angelic Evo dropped quiet again as she continued, going on to talk about what June had said- his nose wrinkling up in a look of disgust- his tongue slipping back into his mouth as he finally seemed to remember that it had partially been poking out of his mouth in an attempt to cool it off from the heat of the coffee.   "...Sounds fucking ridiculous. What a piece of shit." He muttered, letting out a huff of annoyance at the thought of June. He only knew what Bee had told him- though he had overheard her once when they were talking on the phone. If her thoughts were even half as annoying as her voice, Percy thought he might finally invest in a tinfoil hat in an attempt to make it stop. "Don't blame you. I would've left, too." And he did leave. Both of them had. Two Evos from shitty families, running away to New Victoria in an attempt to start anew. "It's alright, don't worry. You don't have to tell me shit if you don't want to." But, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't know. As much as he attempted to keep everyones private thoughts out of his mind, it was often impossible. Other pathers were a bit easier to keep quiet, but even then, there were times the thoughts poked into his brain regardless. He shifted in his seat again, still clearly uncomfortable between cramped wings and attempting to find a good spot for his tail.   "I'm doing... Hm. It's complicated." He spoke softly, taking a deep breath, "...Things aren't as quiet here. Cities are like that, though. It's hard not to get overwhelmed. Not to mention, the anti-Evo protesters after the shit with that one guy. I've been carrying pretty much everywhere nowadays, just in case," He sighed, patting his side, "But it's nice. I like being able to go wherever I want to, talk to whoever I want to. It's freeing, being out in the open, meeting a bunch of other Evos. I changed my last name, and luckily, my reputation from New York didn't follow me. I don't think anyone's recognized me yet." He was sure he wouldn't get that lucky in the future, but it still applied.   "My journalism career is taking off, I'm scheduled for a raise soon, all is good." He said with a soft smile, "And now that I've got at least one friend here, it's even better. How have things been for you, settling here? Apart from the empty apartment, that is." He joked, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table before him.  

Bee

She smiled as she heard him talk, she had known Percy for a while, albeit through a screen for most of their interactions, but she had grown fond of him. Kinda like a brother she always wanted but instead got June. She wondered if maybe, out there, there was a sibling she had that didn't hate her guts. She was adopted, so she had to have a biological family out there somewhere. Maybe if they kept her, she would have realized her ability much younger and had gotten help with controlling it- instead she was force to figure it out herself, causing her to faint several times. She hated waking up after draining herself- she would always have a headache and feel like she was going to throw up. June was sure to mention that Bee's biological family abandoned her, to rub in the fact she was unwanted. God she hated June.   "Oh don't get me started on those Anti-Evos fuckers, They are on my shit list. I would kick them into next week if I saw 'em." She shook her head. For all that Percy knew at the time, Bee was not an Evos. She had always been supportive, she wasn't one to discriminate. When she figured out her abilities, she became more nervous to confront those assholes, knowing now she was directly part of what they were against.   The sting in her chest was pushed to the side as she faced her friend, "I bet it's a lot. Have you found anything to help block it out? If not I can start on my never ending quest to figure out how to help my homie, I wouldn't mind. It would be nice to have a side project." She moved her elbows to the table, resting her chin on her hand as she picked up her drink and took a sip. It was still hot but it was cool enough that she could handle drinking it without being in pain.   "Really? Thats amazing!" Excitement that was first there when she hugged Percy was back, "I need you to send me everything I want to read it and tell you how great you are! You have always been so gifted at writing, I'm super jealous. Is that what your doing right now" She pointed down to the laptop in front of them, "Writing?" She smiled putting her hand down so it rested on the table.   "I haven't really gotten around to meeting anyone besides my coworkers. They're nice and all. I'm still getting use to the city too, I have gotten lost a few times. I'm so happy that you're here Percy. How did I get so lucky?" She kicked her legs under the table as pent up excitement leaked out of her.  

Percival Palomo

Anti-Evos fuckers. Yeah, he agreed. Mentioning that it was a lot only made Percy grimace, giving a loose shrug and averting his gaze, resting one hand on his cheek as he looked outside. There was a lot he wasn't supposed to know. There was a lot that he did, thanks to his power. There were things he wished he didn't know, but did. Things he wished he hadn't experienced in both his own and others' minds, but had to nonetheless. The migraine that had been forming earlier started acting up again, and in reply, he took a deep swig of coffee, attempting to distract himself with the pain of scalding hot liquid against his tongue rather than the pounding in his head.   "...No." He muttered softly, letting out a sigh and a hesitant smile. "It's exhausting. I can tell you what anyone in this cafe is thinking right now. I can tell you what everyone walking by is thinking. It's a constant cacophony, only made worse by the fact that my brain's trying to process all of it at once. It's like hearing a billion separate conversations, and somehow understanding every word. It's a massive flood of information that I can barely stop. I have to put effort into not hearing everyone around me." He explained, looking down at the coffee, "...It's pretty fucking painful, the more people there are." Perce kept that sleepy smile, giving a thumbs-up.   "Hard to sleep hearing my neighbors through the walls, too. Wild shit goes down in the apartment next to mine. It's like a soap opera in there, I swear." He joked, letting out a soft, semi-pained laugh.   Another wave of excitement, and he smiled a bit brighter. After a brief moment of silence to seemingly catch his bearings, he replied. "Editing, actually. Like I said, I'm writing quite the article. I interviewed a pretty big figure in the city, so I've got to make sure it's formatted perfectly. A lot of people are probably going to read it," He paused for a moment, "...Not to sound pretentious. I'm just excited." He let out another soft laugh, this one lighter and more excited.   "That's good, the city's great. It's fun to explore around." He hummed, tipping his head a little, "I'm happy you're here, too. And honestly, I've got no clue how we both got lucky enough to run into each other. I'd say fate, but you know how I feel about that. Nice to think about, though." Another pause, and he took a deep breath. "Least now we can have movie nights without having to use Hyperbeam. That'll be nice. Imagine- a lag-less movie night. No weird internet problems."  

Bee

Her face soften, there was no way she could related to him and how he was feeling. While part of her abilities involved emotional transfer, she was just able to conduct her emotions. She could make other people feel how she was feeling. She hadn't yet mastered how to use it voluntarily, but she had seen it in action. It wasn't as much as a priority when her other ability was causing her to pass out at the worst times.   While she couldn't completely relate, that didn't mean she felt any less bad for her friends. She cared about him, and anything that was hurting him was something of her concern. She didn't want him hurting, suffering, or loosing sleep. It sounded like his power was taking a hard toll on him and there were no obvious solutions. She could try to feel calm and project that feeling to him- but whos to say he would be able to tune everything else out? No, as much as she wanted, she didn't know how to fix this. Fixing things and people was what she was called to do- it's why she was an EMT.   "Ah, well you are a busy bee. Is the writing and stuff keeping you up. I know how you get when you are working. Or is it everything else? We need to find you a quiet place away from everyone so you can sleep well." She noted this in her head to start looking for places. Maybe a little cove she could hang a hammock. Her best friends welfare was a priority in her mind.   "Oh you are right! I've been bothering you to watch Encanto, we need to watch that soon. I have listened to the soundtrack and it sounds so good. We will have to watch it at your place because I do not have a TV at my house." She scrunched up her nose, remembering the fact that she have lived in her apartment for a good while and still had no gotten comfortable. Maybe it was the feeling that she was going to have to pack up and run away again. "Oh and that means you are forced to listen to me sing along to the musicals- and I can throw popcorn at you. This is perfect. Man we are going to have so much fun! We can go out for lunch, I can crochet you things!" She was really hyping herself up, her legs kicking again with excitement. She picked up her coffee and took another sip, even though it was clear she had enough energy from excitement and would not need the help of caffiene to remain awake.  

Percival Palomo

"Both." He hummed, giving a soft sigh, "There's a lotta work to do, plus the thoughts." A half-assed shrug, and he leaned back into the chair- immediately wincing as he accidentally crushed his wings. Ow. The feathers ruffled as he let them fall to his sides, resting against the ground as he stared at the coffee. "Eh, it's fine. Not a huge deal. Nothing I can't deal with." He gave a small, hesitant smile- gentle eyes falling on her own.   Maybe that was a partial lie, but it was fine.   "I've heard good things," He hummed, pushing himself back in the chair- balancing on the back legs and rocking a little, "Especially about the soundtrack. Good stuff, right?" He asked, tipping his head. She kept going, and the flood of thoughts in her head rushed into his excitedly, almost overwhelmingly. He let out a gentle laugh, and after a moment, a voice echoed in her mind-   Excited, hm?

[Path: Telepathy: x1 Minor: -1 EP (24/25)]

  Crocheting would be nice. I definitely wouldn't be opposed, especially once it starts getting colder. He didn't open his mouth, but his voice still echoed in her head, a soft, tired smile on Percy's face. Honestly, I'm down for fun in general. Anything to spend time with a homie.  

Bee

Another thing that would be different with them being face to face is the fact that Percy would be able to use his ability- no problem. She jumped at first when she heard someone in her mind ask her if she was excited, almost spilling her coffee on herself. She looked around for a second before she came to her senses and remembered her she was sitting cross.   She furrowed her eyebrows and stuck out her tongue. She grabbed the partially wet napkin under her drink, crumpling it up and throwing it at Percy. "You could have just spoke you little shit." She said this with a smile on her face, she didn't really care. In fact, it was kinda cool to be able to see how her friends powers worked, front and center.   She picked up her drink, chugging the rest of it and letting it sit back on the table. She had made quick work of her coffee.   "Well, I was thinking we could look around the heights a little more, everything down here is so artsy and cute. I know there is a park near by, so thats worth checking out! We could go downtown- Oh we could have sleepovers! Remember when we first started talking and I told you about how I wanted to make a room-sized pillow fort? We could totally do that. And- I can finallly make some of that mac and cheese I was always telling you about. You know that kind I make with the red pepper flakes and onion powder- Man this is going to be great." She sat back in her seat with a sigh. She looked out the window, the sun had finally made her full appearance. She gave a small smile. She felt okay.  

Percival Palomo

One thing that was a double-edged sword about having an online friend was the fact that his abilities didn't work. The good thing about that was that he felt like a normal fucking person. The bad thing about that was that he couldn't hear anything from the person on the other side of the screen. Sure, Percy felt overwhelmed from too much stimulation from the thoughts of those around him, but there was an anxiety that came with the absence, as well. Like something that was awful to have around, but you just can't get rid of it, he found himself worrying over others' thoughts. He'd never know them the way he did people within his vicinity. He would be a liar if he didn't admit that not knowing made him as anxious as he'd be if he did know.   Bee's thoughts were odd. Not in terms of him not knowing her, but not knowing her mind. It worked in a way he wasn't familiar with. The fact that he knew the way she thought didn't matter- in practice, the way she thought felt different than he expected. It gave him whiplash, in a way, but he shrugged it off. It was whatever.   I could've, but I know you know it's cooler this way. He thought in return, I can sense it. Weird telepath bullshit, remember? Percy did the same as she did- basically picking up his coffee, and doing it almost like a shot- in one big gulp, the rest of it was gone. He set it back down as she did with a clunk, offering her another sleepy smile. "Sounds nice," He replied- verbally this time- "Yeah, I remember that. Guess it can be a reality now, huh? You'll probably have to bring all the pillows and cushions from your place to make it work, though, otherwise we might not have enough building material." He smiled at the idea of macaroni, letting out a little sigh. "Sounds good. You know macaroni's the way to win me over," He let out a soft laugh, glancing out the window as she did. "I should really get this article done, but after that, I'm down for anything. We should hang out more. In person, now that we can."  

Bee

Bee kept her large smile, it only grew as he talked about how he would totally do all the fun things she just suggested. That was a dream come true to the girl who had imagined what it would be like if her best friend ever had been around her. She wondered what it would be like if they had grown up near each other. Maybe they could sneak out of the house when their respective family member annoyed them and consoled each other. Bee had never really gotten her parents census on how they felt about Evos, but she was scared to find out now that she was considered one.   Not that anyone besides her knew   Just the thought of it filled her with anxiety.   "You and your weird telepath bullshit." She rolled her eyes, a little jealous she couldn't talk into peopls head at will like him but thankful she didn't have to deal with the complications that came with that power. She had some complications with her power, but they were able to be turned off. And whats a lil involuntary nap between friends?   "Oh right-" And she needed to get her groceries and get back home to make sure she could do laundry and all the other little things she needed to get done before she had to restart the work week. She sat up, moving and throwing her coffee in the trash. She hadn't planned on staying at the shop to drink it, but since she had run into her friend she decided to stay. She walked back over to the table, ruffling his hair a bit with a smile.   "Promise to catch up on some sleep once you are done editing?"  

Percival Palomo

The shitty thing about being a telepath with particularly strong abilities meant that he was in everyone's head at once most of the time. In this case, it meant he was hearing Bee's thoughts- which he was desperately trying to ignore. There was a hint of anxiety, things he shouldn't know, and he gave a soft nod.   "Yep, me and my weird telepath bullshit."   He lifted a hand, rubbing at a temple before looking back to her as she ruffled his hair, giving her a soft smile and a thumbs-up.   "Will do. I think I might just hibernate for a month." Percy muttered, letting out a soft laugh. "Guess you've gotta go? You better text me later. We'll have to set something up now that we're in the same city."  

Bee

"You know? I wouldn't be against it. You look like you need to sleep for a month. Just make sure to wake up every so often and message me that you're okay. Or else I will miss you too much" She remembered what it was like when she didn't have contact with Percy for two months. She remembered how worried, scared, and a mess she was. And she couldn't explain to anyone why- they wouldn't take her seriously. So instead she would sit next to her phone, begging for a sign that he was around. Part of her questioned if he was okay and just decided to drop her. She tried not to think like that- she was here now. That had passed. Percy was okay and he was here.   "I was going to get some groceries, and I want you to finish up that editing stuff as soon as possible so you can catch up on some sleep." She stared at her, her smile changing from one of pure joy to the kind you give out of pure affection- its more of a straight line then a curved smile. She was so greatful her best friend was here. It was a warming feeling.   She pat him on the shoulder. "I'm going to go looking around some health food shops, do you need anything? I can pick something up for you. It's no probably and will help me feel more comfortable knowing you are eating healthy!" She chuckled a bit. She thought she was funny  

Percival Palomo

"I definitely do." He muttered, pausing for a moment to think- once again, he knew what was on Bee's mind. Something he most definitely did not want to consider right now. Still, the very fact that it was slipping in there was something that made his feathers ruffle, and he picked up his coffee again, taking another sip and looking disappointed and uncomfortable when there wasn't any more coffee within. His tail flicked rhythmically against the chair, his other hand coming up to pick at the feathers at the edge of his jawline near his ear, forcing the facade of a soft smile.   "Groceries..." He echoed, "...Does macaroni and gummy bears count? The sour Haribo ones." A pause as he set the coffee back down, looking deep in thought before looking back up at Bee, making eye contact with her, his head still tipped. "...Do health food shops even have those? They should. Gummy bears are great for your mental health, can confirm." That soft smile grew on his face, more genuine and more playful.   "If you can get those, I'd appreciate it. Or- you know what- if you get some eggs, wheat flour, and meat, I can make you some fresh beef bolognese when you come over for the first time. The good shit. Fresh tagliatelle and everything. I should have the rest at the house." He gave a sleepy thumbs-up, opening his laptop again with the hand that wasn't picking at his feathers- a few of which had been plucked out, currently laying on the table before him.  

Bee

"Well- uh. let me see." She pulled out the list she had shoved in her pocket. On the paper, there was a list of everything she wanted to get from the grocery store. It had been written in pink pen, her handwriting was close to that of a toddler. You could barely make out everything but there was clearly the essentials, like 'milk, eggs, toliet paper' but there were some fun ones like 'strawberry oatmilk, fruit leather, tapioca flour" She looked down at her list, she add macoroni noodles and mozerella and cheddar cheese to the list. She wrote down gummy bears??   "I am sure I will probably stop in a non-health foods store. For things like milk and eggs I usually just go anywhere so I don't get way overcharged for them. I have all purpose flour at home but I guess you really need wheat flour huh," She side eyed him with a smile and shook her head, writing it down.   "Fresh- what? sorry. No idea what you just said. Tag-leah-telly? Write it down" She put the paper on the table and handed him the pen. "I will messaged you where I live so you can- oh if you tell me where you are I could drop them off on my way to work tomorrow." She had never questioned that when she met Percy, that they would fall into line as best friends outside of the screen. But it was great for her to see how they just picked up and translated their friendship.   She looked at his feather for a second. She knew the difference between them, that was not why she was staring. She was thinking of how funny it would be if he had a pillow filled with left over feathers. Would it be comfy? Or not?  

Percival Palomo

"Eh, makes sense. I just go wherever's cheapest." He shrugged, still pulling at his feathers. As the thoughts faded, he slowed his picking- glancing down at the new small pile of feathers on the table and rubbing at the reddened skin that lay where the feathers had been pulled out. He rested his hand against his jaw, covering the red patch from view as she asked about tagliatelle.   "It's a type of pasta." He smiled softly, "Mom taught me how to make it a long time ago." Before he left. Oh well. He scribbled down the word- tagliatelle- his handwriting neat but quick- clearly trained for note-taking. "I'll text you my address later, that way you've got it on your phone. Easier to add it to the contact." He gave a little thumbs-up, golden eyes glancing between the opalescent feathers, and his best friend. Speaking of, he gave another little peek into her mind through the unbroken mental link.   Huh... A pillow filled with his feathers? Heh, that'd be funny. He definitely had enough feathers for it, considering how often he had to preen. He had boxes and boxes of feathers he didn't know what to do with- unsure about how to discard them.   "And I do need wheat flour. It's a very light pasta! Won't be nearly as authentic if anything else i used."  

Bee

"Alright, Alright fancy pants. I'll get you your wheat flour. Want truffle oil on the side?" She joked a bit, taking her list back and folding it into her pocket. She took a deep breath in, she had walked into the store feeling like the day hadn't started and now she felt like she was half way through given the amount of stuff that just happend. She found her best friend, who apparently lives in the same city as her, as well as finally confronted why she left her family who raised her.   A typical Saturday morning.   She looked over at the counter, deciding if she should get a coffee to go or just leave it. She didn't need any more caffiene, the joy of seeing her buddy had given her enough energy, but it did taste nice and she wondered if she really wanted another.   "I should head out if I wanna make it back to my apartment in time to do laundry. Good thing about my job is most of the time I spend the whole week in a specfic outfit, only have to do like two loads of darks. It's great" She laughed a bit, seeming to have a good time. "You staying here until you finish? I can buy you another drink and something to eat before I go, gotta make sure you are healthy" She turned her head back to the counter  

Percival Palomo

"Truffle oil? Now you're talking." He hummed softly, a teasing smile warm on his face as he looked back at his laptop- beginning to type again. He had work to do- papers to finish editing- and he was willing to sit here until he was done. The man looked as though he was somehow managing to keep his concentration split between his work and his best friend, however, as he responded to her quickly-   "Alright. Also, you should really get more outfits. You know, the same clothes multiple times in a row isn't great." He hummed, continuing his typing, "I'll probably be here until I'm done. I need a change of scenery- sitting in my apartment all day doesn't do me any good." Percy offhandedly brushed the feathers off the table. "I can get stuff for myself, don't be using your money, Bee. You should save that for yourself." He pointed out, a gentle smile on his face.   "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll probably get another coffee here in a minute, though. And maybe a pastry or something."  

Bee

She rolled her eyes with a chuckle as he agreed with the truffle oil. She remembered when she was in training to become and EMT, she would tell herself that she would only have to live like this, paycheck to paycheck, until she got out of school and could work full time. She was going to become a full fledged paramedic, but before she could enroll in classes, she had run away from home. With the uprooting of her life, she had put most of her dreams to the side while she regained her footing on her own.   She had little to no support system here.   Or at least she use to.   "I'll think about it. I have like, besides work uniforms, a week and a half worth of outfits. I probably should go shopping. When I moved I uh.. packed light." She chuckled a bit, putting her jacket on as she was getting ready to leave now.   "Fine, fine. You still have to make the beef balona thing- or whatever you called it. I'm looking forward to it. Make sure you are taking care of yourself and please dont hesitate to text me if you need anything." She gave a warm smile, different from her excited smile, it was a smile that's purpose was to show how much she really cared.   "I'm going to head out okay, I'll see you later"  

Percival Palomo

He let out a gentle sigh, accompanied with a nod. Packing light. Yeah, he knew what that was like. On one hand, it was weird, going from a life of luxury to one of labor. He didn't mind it, truthfully- it was good to keep his mind busy rather than being given the ability to lounge about, his mind stuck on any variety of things. He much preferred it, if anything- as surprisingly lonely as things could get.   But now, Bee was here. Things were a bit less alone.   "Beef bolognese. Yeah, I'll make it. And I won't hesitate, don't worry." Despite the fact he seemed focused on his laptop, he glanced up for a moment to return her smile. Even if he had only seen the warm expression for a moment, it was impossible for him to ignore the waves of warmth and kindness radiating off of her like a warm fireplace.   "See you later, Bee. Take care of yourself, too." He shot a gentle, though stern, look at her before looking back to his work, quickly getting back to typing.  

Bee

Bee pat the top of his head- she was always someone who was affectionate- always hugging on to friends or grabbing on to arms as she walked. It was a grounding thing for her. When she first discovered her ability to transfer her energy, she couldn't touch anyone. If she made skin to skin contact, she would drop down, unconscious. She would have to explain to the person she touched, it must have been the adrenaline of seeing someone faint that gave them that much energy.   She knew she was lying.   Now that it was more controllable, she had savored each physical contact she had, knowing what it had been like to loose that aspect of her life.   "I will, you too. I'll be checking in later to make sure you eat. I can't wait till we have our first home made dinner." She snorted as she headed towards the door, waving to her friend as she opened the door and headed out.