The Pickle Hut, Los Angeles, Thursday Afternoon

[spin_kick_snap]

The Pickle Hut was quietly popular; it had a normal crowd and a decent-sized rush around lunch and dinner, but there were definitely parts of the day that diners could head in and have the restaurant to themselves. Nick, having grown up not far away, could practically set his watch by those times. They were his preferred times to eat there, since he was getting to be a well-known agent for a very known firm. And in LA, where an agent went, the paparazzi had learned that stars often followed after. So days when Nick wanted to lunch in relative peace, he headed down to The Pickle Hut during one of those empty time slots and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Those dead times also came in handy when you were a superhero meeting up with other superheroes to discuss a zombie invasion over delicious burgers and brined foods. It was pretty inevitable that they'd all find themselves here; Nick had introduced Kathy to it a year ago and sometimes their schedules overlapped enough that they'd end up catching a meal together. So when Max had started complaining about needing to eat, they'd both suggested The Pickle Hut in unison. It was close, cheap, and filling; Mona was content to leave them alone to talk with only the occasional interruption for refills; and they had the chance to eat truly addictive pickles and talk about hordes of the undead without being overheard.

The Mighty Dragon (who just as often went by George) and Stealth (who remained Stealth and had yet to be seen unmasked), had elected to stay and talk strategy. Zzzap had flown back to Boston or wherever, and the rest of the heroes were still at their day jobs. That left Kathy, Max, Nick, and Josh to head to the diner and continue to go over the information they'd gathered during the last few days--while enjoying amazing burgers, giant milkshakes, and random pickled sides--including authentic kimchi which delighted Kathy to no end.

[For the two aggravated ones, please! Link to Dante at the club]

Comments

Re: The Pickle Hut

[not_every_mage]

Anders gave Dante a curious look out of the corner of his eye -- what had that been? -- before turning his attention back to Nick with murder in his carefully averted eyes. It was a lucky thing someone dropped a plate in the kitchen just then, and Anders heard a soft crash and a rush of laughter. It reminded him that there were other people in the restaurant, people who didn't know about magic and probably shouldn't find out by watching fireballs whiz through the air.

(He was too angry to have good control, anyhow. Likely to burn the whole place down.)

He allowed himself to hit out at Nick's stomach with eyes closed and a carefully placed fist. He hadn't fought with his fists since he was a child, but he suspected it was still going to hurt.

"Never mess with a mage," he said between heavy breaths, not particularly caring whether Nick understood the warning. "It won't end well."

Re: The Pickle Hut

[rebelseekspizza]

"What the fuck," Dante breathed.

He wasn't even paying attention to Nick - which was a pity, because he'd have viscerally enjoyed the sight of Anders punching him like that. Just-- what the fuck? What the fuck had that been? Where the fuck had that come from? What did it-- fuck.

(If Cairax Murrain wanted a piece of him, he could get in line.)

He took a few steps back and nearly hit the table behind him.

Re: The Pickle Hut

[spin_kick_snap]

Okay, Kathy viscerally enjoyed that punch and she liked Nick!

She slammed Nick's shades back onto his face. "Don't you ever do that to my friends again," she said in a quiet snarl. Between the punch and the thing with Dante, Nick was probably not even registering what she was saying, but she didn't care. She was going to make her point. "Ever, Nick. Or I swear to god the zombies will be the least of your worries."

Today was a fucking disaster and she was pissed at pretty much everyone in the diner but Mona. But none of that was stopping her from slinging an arm around Anders' waist with a quiet, "You can look now."

And then she was tugging him over towards Dante who was also looking a little pole-axed by what happened. Dante? Nearly back into a table? Unheard of.

"Let's get out of here," she said. "My motel isn't far. We can talk there."

Re: The Pickle Hut

[hollywoodex-tra.livejournal.com]

Nick sank back down into the booth. His gut hurt. So did his head and he had a funny feeling in his face that might be the beginnings of a bloody nose. He just waved Kathy on in a gesture to say he'd heard her.

Honestly, after a reaction like that, he wouldn't be using his powers on the kid in the coat anytime...ever. It was like trying to drain the ocean into a shotglass.

Max flung himself to his feet. "Wait!" he said. "You can't go yet!" Looking directly at Dante, he breathed, "What are you?"

Re: The Pickle Hut

[not_every_mage]

"A better man than you'll ever be," Anders told Max, still glaring at Nick. His fist stung but it had been worth it. More than worth it.

He groped for Kathy's hand. It felt funny, to want to hold her hand so desperately when he was still so furious at her, but he wasn't about to fight the instinct. "Fine," he said. "I think we've seen enough of this place for now anyhow. Dante, are you all right?"

Re: The Pickle Hut

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante wanted to spit out a None of your fucking business, but his head was swirling and Anders' response was nicer anyway. "Yeah," he said, which was a lie, but it was the easiest way to get this train moving to something useful so he wouldn't be freaking out on either of them. "Let's move."

He was moving. He had that going for him.

Re: The Pickle Hut

[spin_kick_snap]

"He's my friend," Kathy said, her glare suggesting that Max had better back a few steps up. "It'd be best if neither of you forgot that again."

And then she was herding them out the door, Anders' hand warm in hers, spitefully leaving Nick to pick up the tab for her lunch. Petty, yes, but she was more focused on getting the guys back to her place to do much else.

Re: The Pickle Hut

[hollywoodex-tra.livejournal.com]

Nick just slumped in the booth, head back. He needed like thirty aspirin and a glass of ouzo to wash it down with. Max, thankfully, was silent, watching the three teens depart with narrowed eyes.

And when he did speak, it was without the sly amusement that normally characterized his tone. "This was interesting," he murmured. "I need to check my books." And then he was up and gone, too.

...Also without leaving cash for lunch. And swiping the money that Josh had left behind.

Groaning, Nick pulled out his wallet. Fuck going back to the office; he was taking a half-day today,