Logs:Holland Holland (& Holland)

Holland Holland (& Holland)
Dramatis Personae Holland, Joshua, Kitty, Spencer
In Absentia	2020-12-06 "Who thinks about accountants?"
Location <NYC> Evolve Cafe - Lower East Side
Spacious and open, this coffeeshop has a somewhat industrial feel to it, grey resin floors below and exposed-beam ceilings that have been painted up in a dancing swirl of abstract whorls and starbursts, a riot of colour splashed against a white background. The walls alternate between brick and cheerfully lime-green painted wood that extends to the paneling beneath the brushed-steel countertops. There's an abundance of light, though rather than windows (which are scarce) it comes from plentiful hanging steel lamps. The walls here are home to artwork available for sale; though the roster of prints and paintings and drawings and photographs changes on a regular basis it has one thing in common -- all the artists displayed are mutants. The seating spaced around the room is spread out enough to keep the room from feeling cluttered. Black chairs, square black tables that mostly seat two or four though they're frequently pushed around and rearranged to make space for larger parties. In the back corner of the room is more comfortable seating, a few large black-corduroy sofas and armchairs with wide tables between them. There's a shelf of card and board games back here available for customers to sit and play. The chalkboard menus hanging behind the counter change frequently, always home to a wide variety of drinks (with an impressive roster of fair-trade coffees and teas largely featured) though their sandwiches and wraps and soups and snacks of the day change often. An often-changing variety of baked goods sit behind the display case at the counter halfway back in the room, and the opposite side of the counter holds a small selection of homemade ice creams. A pair of single-user bathrooms flanks the stairway in back of the cafe; at night, the thump of music can be heard from above, coming from the adjoining nightclub of the same name that sits up the stairs above the coffeehouse. Sunday evenings aren't the busiest of times at Evolve, but there's the usual spread of regulars plus a few on this chilly December evening. Spencer is technically a regular, but as the owner's little brother he's not necessarily regarded by either the staff or the other regulars as a customer. He's been here a while, curled in an armchair trying to finish a bowl of pumpkin soup while simultaneously trying to not fall asleep in it, looking terribly pale and sickly. He's wearing a purple t-shirt features a brightly smiling Glimmer from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power over a gray waffle thermal shirt, newish, heavyweight blue jeans, and gray canvas sneakers, all of which hangs loose on his skinny frame. On his head is a black Bucharian kippah embroidered with stylized stars and planets in many colors, and despite its large coverage it's still obvious on close inspection his head is shaved. Joshua has only recently shuffled in from outside, a little bit of a slouch in his posture, a little bit of drag in his step. He's still wearing his FDNY Paramedic uniform, kind of rumpled, a black and red kippah on his shaggy dark hair, his face as ever set into a resting hangdog sort of mournfulness that has nothing to do with How 2020 Is Going; his features have just been that way since birth, probably. He doesn't smile when he sees Spence but once he collects his food (tomato soup, a large coffee, a grilled eggplant panini, a large oatmeal chocolate chip cookie) his path does reroute itself towards the back. He takes a seat on one end of the couch nearest Spencer, setting his food down and glancing at the teenager without offering any immediate greeting. Holland slowly made her way into the shop wearing a face wrap of worn and torn ace bandages and a mask around her face, she was shuffling in to avoid the cold for a bit as she wore a patched up hoodie her body shivering as she welcomed the warmth. She welcomed a mutant friendly place of stay but even she was still in a slump of finding food and surviving as she walked to the counter to order a burger with a crumpled up and used ten dollar bill and a assortment of change [ $12.76] Her face held little emotion as one set of her eyes peered out behind the bandages as she shuffled in worn sneakers over to the waiting area for her order [double cheeseburger]. She spoke very little often pointing to what she ordered and to gesture to things she needed as her teeth chatter as a cold spike hit her still warming up body. Behind Holland in line, Kitty is also just coming into Evolve, shrugging out of her black coat and blue/white striped scarf while in line, holding her book bag awkwardly with one hand. Her brows furrow, watching the girl count out her change. When it’s her turn at the counter, Kitty glances at the girl before adding to her order, “Add a hot chocolate for her, if she didn’t get a hot drink already.” She steps away with her own order (large coffee, cherry danish) and moves away, giving a small wave to Joshua and Spence when she sees them. Settles on the other side of Joshua’s couch and begins to pull out her laptop, though she does offer a soft “Chag sameach!” in greeting. Spence looks up from where he'd been zoning out into his soup and smiles thinly at Joshua when he arrives, then at Kitty. "Hey," he pipes -- nowhere near as cheerfully or energetically as usual. "I am even a little ready for Hanukkah can I just like. I dunno sleep for eight days maybe?" He stirs his soup and seems to at least consider taking another sip, though ultimately he does not. "You all done work slash school for the day or just taking a break?" "Your teachers might object, but I don't see why not." Joshua glances up, tipping his chin up to Kitty as she draws near. He eyes Spencer's unfinished soup skeptically before starting in -- with considerable appetite -- on his own food. "You already have a million incredibly tacky pieces of Jewish clothing. How much more ready for Chanukkah, could you be?" He's looking to Kitty as if for confirmation of this opinion. Holland looked at kitty and smiled under her mask as she took her food and shuffled over to a bench near Spence and joshua. She removed her mask as her large teeth are exposed and she holds the burger followed by a low growl she chomped it cleanly in half as pieces of cheese and lettuce remain skewered on her teeth as she watched the small group of people with interest. She herself found other religions interesting and since she still believes in hope her faith in her god has faltered to a extent. but she keeps her faith as she chews the burger with internal jaw with occasional licks of a long ash black tongue to collect the bits of burger and food on her exterior teeth. “You only need to be awake long enough to light candles,” Kitty offers. “No rule against Chanukah naps.” Her head tilts, catching Joshua’s look and then looking back at Spence, eyebrow arching slightly. “You’re probably the most ready of any of us, but -“ she grins, “have you decided where you stand on this year’s latke debate? Ketchup. Does it belong on latkes.” Her eyes slide over to Holland, eyes only widening a tiny bit as she watches the girl eat. Eyes back up to Joshua with a questioning look. "I can look pathetic enough to get by my teachers," Spence confides, perking up just a touch at the mention of tacky Jewish clothing. "But if I sleep through it no one will get to see my Hanukkah sweaters and that would be sad." His face contorts with some discomfort he tries to hide. "I'm usually pretty open minded about that, but I'm gonna stay above the latke toppings fray this time." That uncomfortable look returns redoubled as he watches Holland eat, and he grows a few shades paler before blushing and looking away. Sets his soup aside decisively now. "Hey there!" he says, trying and not completely failing to sound chipper, trying and mostly failing not to look at her jaws (plural?) again as he addresses her. "I haven't seen you around before? I'm Spencer." "I don't get why there's a fray. Is it delicious with fried potatoes? Then it goes on a latke." Joshua's hands spread as if this should be self-evident. His gaze also stutters on Holland, hitching there. He blinks slow. Looks down at his own food. Back up at Kitty with a minute shrug. "Sup," is all he ventures, aloud, for the moment. she Looked at them and waved as a soft voice replies. "H-Hello, I am Holland.. N-nice to meet you Spencer." she ws shying away as she didnt expect to get noticed eating.. but even her mutation is odd to a extent as she finished off the burger as she sips the hotchocolate with a straw. Kitty shakes her head. “Logic like that gets people putting bacon on latkes. Slippery slope.” Her tone is light, teasing, as she flips her laptop open. Takes a sip of her coffee, moves her gaze from Joshua and his ever-so-helpful shrug to Holland. “I’m Kitty,” she says after a moment, taking care to smile at the girl and speak with a gentle tone. “First time at Evolve?” Spencer brightens at the introduction. "Oh! Oh! I'm a Holland, too! Well, it's my last name. Is it your last name whoa maybe we're cousins!" He doesn't disguise his grimace at that suggested topping, but then his eyes widen. "Wait is that a thing? I guess if someone eats bacon anyway...?" His shrug is small and uncertain and rolls forward into a hunch of skinny shoulders as he crosses his arms over his stomach. Joshua doesn't offer Holland a smile. Not any further greeting past his initial one, either, when the girl shies away; he just settles a little bit back into his seat, pulling his food slightly closer to himself and tucking more comfortably into his own corner of the couch. His mouth presses thin. Twists a little to one side, then back to neutral. "Bacon on latkes is not my jam. Probably some heathen out there loving it, though. Who am I to deny them their vices." His brows pinch for a moment. "-- How many cousins you got, man?" "..H-holland is my first name...sorry" he replied as she set her hotchocolate down looking at kitty and smiled. somewhat "thankyou for the hotchocolate miss." she slowly put her mask back on as she listened them tak holidays.. how long has it beens ince her last proper holiday. “I’m sure if you eat treyf already you wouldn't care, but -“ Kitty, too, is grimacing at the thought of it - “if there is a line. That’s where I’d draw it.” Her eyes flit to Spencer’s arms, to the unfinished soup, brows scrunching together. Her attention whips back to Holland - “Oh!” Kitty’s cheeks go a little red. “Don’t worry about it - warm drinks are essential this time of year.” Looks at the thread-bare hoodie again. “Pretty sure there is always a suspended drink at the counter, too. So you know for next time.” "I've got so many," Spencer gushes. "But it never hurts to have more, right?" He could also, ostensibly, be talking about his collection of tacky Jewish clothing here. To Holland, earnestly, "Oh, don't be sorry! It's a great name either -- whoa that means there could be someone out there named Holland Holland!" His eyes have gone huge with this evidently exciting revelation, even as he slumps harder into the curve of the armchair. "The suspended ones are the drinks you don't have to pay for," Joshua supplies absently. He's washing some of his (already mostly gone) sandwich down with a large swallow of coffee. Grimacing at the suggestion of Holland Holland. "Sounds like a cartoon character. Supervillain or accountant? Wait. Maybe both." She giggled softly att he Holland holland idea. "Or maybe a super spy." She sipped her drink as she looked at them "...I know of the suspended drinks but i.i dont feel right taking something i didnt pay for free...i am drinking the hotchocolate at of the kindness and gratefulness of a gift." She looked out the window and saw the families walking the streets. she sighed as she slumped into the booth she sat in. "Holland H. Holland out there too. The H standing for Holland." Kitty grins over her coffee mug. “Accountants would make good super villains slash spies. Who thinks about accountants?” Kitty, at the least, seems quite amused at the idea. Her brows furrow further. “Sure, I get that feeling. There’s pay-what-you can, too. Just for reference.” "They could be like, an accountant for supervillains, but they're actually a spy for the superheroes!" Spencer seems well pleased with the character who's emerging here. He bobs his head. "Well, you gotta do what you're comfortable with." Joshua only blinks again. The sweep of his eyes over Holland is very brief; he looks back to his own food quickly with a quiet and noncommittal, "Mmm." He stacks his half-finished soup bowl atop the now-empty sandwich plate. Continues inhaling his dinner. "Whatever else is going on, Holland, Holland and Holland is definitely the firm all the villains go to for their tax evasion needs." Now he glances to Spencer. Deeply thoughtful. "Makes me wonder what your family's getting up to on the sly." holland went quiet as she listned to their conversation. She had very little ways of adding input to it as she twiddled her thumbs slowly. she was waiting until she felt warm enough to go find shelter somewhere in the cold city that is newyork Kitty nods at Joshua’s assessment, the corners of her lips still pulled upwards in a small smile. She looks back to Holland, smile being slowly replaced with a slight look of concern. Glances fleetingly at Spence, then down at her laptop. Tears off a piece of her danish. Back up to Holland. “I’m gonna be here a while. Let me know if you’d like a top-up on the hot cocoa. In the spirit of the holidays.” Spencer shrugs expansively. "You found us out. Pa's actually a secret superaccountant." He finally works himself up to picking his bowl back up, but makes a face when he tries to take a bite. "I'm gonna go heat this up," he declares gamely. Then immediately hedges, "Maybe. Anyway it was nice see you two again," to Joshua and Kitty, then to Holland, "Nice to meet you! Hope we see you around!" And with that he just vanishes -- Joshua looks unsurprised when Spencer disappears; whatever goodbye he was going to offer is swallowed back as he polishes off his soup. He stands with a small grimace, collecting his dishes and tugging his rumpled uniform back into -- it's not really neatness, but it's some semblance thereof. "Gonna be a latke bar in here on the first and last day. Can put all sorts of arguments to the test." He lifts the remnants his coffee in a vague sort of salute to Kitty and Holland, and then he's heading off too, much more prosaically than Spence at a casual amble to dump his dishes in the dirty dish bins and wander back out into the cold. Holland watch one poof from existence and the other one walk out she merely looked at kitty and shyly waved. "Well...what now?" She was comfortable but she was slowly putting her mask back on to cover her face. She was not use to this and even she a 15 year old was surviving barely.. Kitty gives a little nod to Spence before he blinks away, frown pulling across her face as she looks at the armchair he just vacated. To Joshua, she offers a “see you there,” with a slightly distracted tone. Her eyes drop back to Holland just for a moment while she fishes her headphones out of her bag. “First night is Thursday, if you want to come back for potato pancakes.” Headphones into the aux - Kitty brushes her curls out of the way, popping each bud into her ears. Looks down at her screen and grimaces. “I think now,” she says slowly, “I try to catch up on email. And you let me know if you want more hot cocoa.” A click and her focus changes, eyes trained exclusively on the work in front of her. "W-will do.." she stands up calmly as she begins to shuffle out as she looks at the suspended drinks and decides to ask for one before she heads out into the cold again. She waited for it for a moment waving goodbye to kitty before shuffling out. She didnt want to take up to much time and burn what daylight the city had to find a place to sleep for a while. She made her way out as she headed down the side walk.