[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

Adaryn, as a creature of habit, found solace in the evening runs at the coffee shop. She wasn't even much of a fan of coffee, but sitting on an inside booth with her laptop out and papers scattered around the table top was something that felt normal. She had been coming at least twice a week for years, and really grew to love the location for more reasons than just the ambiance.  Today, like many others, colorful and imperfectly drawn 'assignments'  decorated the tabletop. Her students had a bit of an art project, where they were to draw their favorite animal. Addie wanted to make a collage of them before she returned them to the parents, but she was attempting to figure out the best configuration in that moment.   She wasn't particularly tidy in these moments, but she was still careful to ensure the earl grey tea that sat in a to-go mug didn't drop and spill over the artwork as she worked them into different configurations, contemplating.  When she finally felt satisfied with the way the images meshed together, Adaryn pulled out her phone and took a photo to finalize the configuration and determine if she liked the layout. Still, as she looked at the image, she felt... unconvinced. So when she noticed the barista passing by, she waved him over, "Monroe?" She called over, "So so sorry, but could I get your opinion on something?"  She paused, "Do you have a minute?"  Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS

[Monroe Montgomery]

and i'm just a little bit ► caught in the middle ◄

It was the evening, and so the cafe was quieter, less busy. The patrons still scattered across the place were mostly students at this point, sipping their lattes and staring into the blue light of their laptops. It was times like these when Monroe couldn't get the word out of his head. Dropout. Most of the time, his brain didn't let him boil down who he was to that one detail, but when he saw other students working, it brought him back to the struggle that was college. He was supposed to be running a coffee shop by now, not being at the bottom of the food chain at one. He let out a breath and and collected a discarded mug and plate from a now empty table, shaking away the anger he had at himself and his gift. While he stacked the clattering dishes, he heard a small voice say his name. Followed by an apology when he looked in her direction. Typical. She was always apologizing and he didn't understand why. "I think I can spare a minute." To be honest, he could probably spare a lot more than a minute. He was mostly caught up on things, due to being constantly moving and busy. That's what kept him alert, awake. And there hadn't been a customer at the counter in a bit, making him restless. He walked over and considered the chair across from her, before taking the risk and pulling it out to sit down. His feet did hurt after all. He set the dishes down and eyed the table, which was covered in drawings clearly drawn by children. Although he would admit that some of them were better than what he could draw. Addie was a kindergarten teacher. Addie had finished college. I mean, he'd seen her in here nearly every day studying. Same blonde hair, same order of an earl grey tea. Sometimes she'd add a pastry if she was feeling bold. "Man, a lot of these kids like dogs," he observed. "So original." He was joking, of course and he hoped by now that she'd gotten to understand his sense of humor, which was often quite dry. Adaryn Breslin   // BOINK OF GS

[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

Monroe clearly had his hands full, busy as he cleared the tables and Addie knew that she was asking him to stop all that just to ask him to rate her collage making skills. She felt a little silly, truly, but she supposed not enough to stop her from asking. They had enough of a history with one another that she felt comfortable in asking, but there was part of her that felt a bit bad. Ever the polite one, ever the considerate one. After all, Monroe had worked at the shop for as long as she had been coming. It only took him a few weeks to learn her order, and even less time to recognize her the second she walked through the door. He would even start making her order before she went to the counter. He would always comment when she changed it up with a pastry. That’s what happened, she supposed, when you spent majority of your college career studying at the same place. Addie shook her head, “You sure? I don’t mind waiting if you need me to.” She didn’t want to force him to stay in the name of good customer service, but when he took a seat, she considered them she very well might be giving him a chance at a break. His first remarks were dry, making fun of the dogs on the page, but she felt the humor in his aura and so she smiled alongside it. “Im more of a cat person, but It’s cute how they each tried to draw their pets from home.” From tiny white dogs to large gold ones, dark to light dogs, the whole nine yards. It was endearing, at the very least. Still, she let him settle in the seat across from her before she continued. “I just, well, I need a fresh set of eyes. Im making this into a collage and… I don’t know if I’m missing something.” She adjusted a picture then, pushing it more to the center. “So that’s where you come in, hopefully.” Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS

[Monroe Montgomery]

and i'm just a little bit ► caught in the middle ◄

Monroe shook his head. The dirty dishes he'd grabbed could wait. "I'm not sure which I am. Never had any pets growing up, and don't have any of my own now." It hadn't really occurred to him, but perhaps a companion like a pet would help keep him company on the long nights he was awake. It was something to consider at least. "Would you have drawn a family pet if this was your assignment as a kid?" he asked her. He wasn't sure what he would have picked.  He considered the drawings in front of him, purposefully arranged in a certain way by Adaryn, eyes wandering over all of the different drawings. "You're asking me? I don't really think I have an artistic eye like you do." When she wasn't studying or now doing teacher work, she was sketching. He'd seen glimpses of her work here and there when he'd come over to top off her hot water on her tea when she got too wrapped up in her work. "But I guess I'd think about proportions? Make sure that the kinds of animals are evenly dispersed. I know it's hard with that many dogs." One of the drawings caught his eye. A colorful unicorn that looked like the kid had taken every item of art supplies possible, including glitter. He smiled. "What if you put the unicorn in the middle?" A unicorn was not an animal, but no person would tell a kid that. Unless you wanted to stop any sort of imagination development. "I'm curious about this kid. They must have quite the personality." He reached out to touch the paper, a bit of pink glitter coming off on his finger.  "Feel free to tell me if I'm not being helpful at all. This isn't really my thing. That being said, do your students do anything but art projects?" he joked. Adaryn Breslin   // BOINK OF GS

[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

Monroe not having pets in any capacity was a surprise to her, if only because there was something about him that screamed that he did. If not dog, he definitely seemed like a cat person at the very least. Then again, she couldn't say it was entirely unheard of to not have pets at least growing up. Addie was in that boat, "If I had one, definitely." Louise was too volatile to keep a pet without risking its harm, and her father wasn't much of an animal person in general. She grew up admiring those who had them, but now? She had two of her own cats, and she regularly had to remind herself she didn't need more.  She followed his gaze when he started to contemplate on the collage of children's artwork pieces, pulling away a colorful unicorn that was drawn by a little girl who absolutely adored anything fantastical. She loved things that glimmered, glittered, and shone, so the Unicorn was not a surprise to her at all.  Addie laughed gently, "She really is. I say this as lovingly as I can - she's like a crow who loves shiny things." She took the paper and and placed it dead in the center, shifting some of the other papers, then stood up and stepped back to contemplate.  It gave a focal point, and also gave some contrast to many of the similar drawings so that it didn't all look consistent. It was actually exactly what she was looking for.  "And you said you didn't have an artistic eye," She mused, looking back at him, "That was exactly what it needed." Addie took a moment to snap the picture so she could keep the configuration intact before she started to collect the papers back up.  "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much that helped."  Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS

[Monroe Montgomery]

and i'm just a little bit ► caught in the middle ◄

“Do you have pets now?” Monroe asked. She definitely looked like someone who would curl up with her sketchbook and a cat. Then again, he supposed he looked like someone who would have pets. A barista who wore sweaters? Definitely. His main worry was that he wouldn’t be able to take care of an animal when he had trouble merely taking care of himself, but the company would be nice. He supposed a cat would be low maintenance. Monroe watched as she shifted the papers around on the table, small delicate hands going to work. “I think that the unicorn immediately catches your eye and then your gaze would naturally fan out to look at all of the other ones surrounding it.” As it came together in between them, a small smile graced his lips. “I mean I definitely don’t,” Monroe said with a shrug. “I got awful grades in art.” Although maybe it was because he was falling asleep at his table, watercolors spilling everywhere. “But I’m glad I could help.” It was nice to feel the least bit useful. He supposed he got that feeling from giving people their much needed pick me up in the form of morning coffee, but it wasn’t the same. That was more mundane. “No problem. It’s nice to switch the gears in my brain once in a while to something else.” He felt like he was mostly on autopilot these days. It was refreshing. For someone who had been coming into the shop for years and who he was friendly enough with, he could know more about her. If he wanted to, if he dared to try and start a friendship and move past the acquaintance with your friendly barista from the café you spent way too much time at, but opening up was difficult for him and it was also hard to muster energy. Most of his “friends” were café customers that he tried to keep up with a little outside of the shop, but he’d admit that he wasn’t good at it. “Do you need more hot water?” He gestured to her mug. tag: Adaryn Breslin  // BOINK OF GS

[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

The conversation with Monroe felt easy, relatively speaking. It was always pretty surface level, not that she was really complaining about that. Small talk, while not her favorite, became somewhat of a skill - Something she needed to develop given her profession and the reality of what living in the world required. What felt tougher was when things fell more into line of deeper conversation. When the conversation steered closer to her, about her.  It was easier to feel comfortable when someone made a judgement on you without all of the information. To her, she chalked it up to an uneducated take - but when people did know? Well, she tried avoiding that if she could.   "I have two cats," It wasn't that Addie wasn't much of a dog person, but cats fit her lifestyle a bit more. Dogs felt more outgoing, extroverted even. Cats, though, definitely felt very much in line with her own introversion.  Addie couldn't help but exhale on a laugh then, nodding in agreement at his assessment of the orientation of the collage. It really did allow the eyes to navigate outward, oriented in an organized and constructive way while still having the fun 'chaos' of a collage.  "Well, you saved me from another hour of looking at this until I started seeing things that weren't there." She said with a slight smile pulling at her lips, collecting all the pictures and placing them back in the accordion folder she brought them in.  When he offered more hot water, she nodded, "If you wouldn't mind. I should probably get going soon, but I'm definitely too lazy to cook tonight so I need to decide what to pick up for dinner. Knowing me, that'll at least take me another twenty minutes." She laughed sheepishly.   Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS

[Monroe Montgomery]

and i'm just a little bit ► caught in the middle ◄

“I’ve thought about getting a pet. Did you adopt from a local shelter?” Monroe asked. He thought of Charlotte’s dog and what a companion he was when she couldn’t sleep. It might be nice to have a pet. Cats were also less maintenance. Usually, anyway. “After you look at something for too long, it’s hard to really see it, if that makes any sense. I’m glad my fresh eyes could help.” Fresh? That was funny. Sure, it was just a phrase, but Monroe’s eyes were often droopy with bags underneath them. He watched as she packed up the drawings into a folder. It was evening now and dark had fallen outside. That’s what happened in the fall. It was dark so early. It didn’t make it any easier to stay awake. “Another twenty minutes you could be drinking some hot tea inside. Wouldn’t want to waste that.” He retrieved her mug and went behind the counter to fill it up. The bell on the front door rang and the closer, a barista with too many piercings to count, came in to start their shift. If they were here, that meant that Monroe’s shift was almost up, and so after he’d filled Adaryn’s mug up with hot water, he made himself a latte in paper cup to go. The other barista’s eyes widened as he kept adding shots of espresso to the cup before topping it off with steamed milk. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t very much a latte as it was a quad espresso with some steamed milk. He took off his apron and slung it over a shelf in the stock room and wished the other barista a good night before slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder and bringing the mug and his cup back to Adaryn’s table. He set the mug down in front of her and sat across from her again, sipping on his coffee. “Have you had the Chinese place a few doors down?” he asked her, thinking of the fried rice and then realizing just how hungry he actually was. Usually when he had it, he picked it up to go, take out containers in a plastic bag, delicious smells filling his Jeep as he made the drive home to his apartment. He fumbled with a loose string on the sleeve of his coat he’d put on, as he inevitably would be going out into the crisp air soon, but something was keeping him here. He’d given Adaryn her refill of her tea, but he had sat down at the table again. Partially because he was tired and it felt good to get off of his feet, but partly because he was trying to work up the courage to ask her to go to the Chinese restaurant next door with him. These things weren’t easy for Monroe, but he was trying. Adaryn Breslin   // BOINK OF GS

[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

"No," Addie shook her head, "They sort of found me and followed me home." She hadn't even thought of getting an animal at the time, at least not at that point, let alone two of them. She heard it was a blessing in disguise though - kittens in pairs always had a way of entertaining the other and also teaching manners kittens who grew up alone did not have.  At least, that is what she was told.  Yet, they were a blessing. For Addie, who did struggle with emotional regulation and general mental wellness, they really did calm her. They also gave her the motivation to continue doing what she needed to. After all, cat food wasn't free, especially lately.  "Definitely not wrong. I appreciate them, for sure." However, instead of focusing her attention back on him, she shifted to her bag as she set the accordion folder with the children's photos into it. She shifted her mental shield up, to avoid further seeing Monroe's emotions in this instance. His nervousness started showing through, and while she had no idea why he was displaying the buzzing green, it started to feel almost... intrusive. "You're probably right," She agreed, handing him the mug and giving him a soft thank you before he drifted off to the counter.  From there, it became about figuring out a spot to eat, and if her own indecisiveness from this collage was any indicator, she would also struggle with the options of what she wanted.  How did she want everything AND nothing at all?  When he arrived back, she offered another thanks, but she paused as he settled across from her once again, apron no longer on and instead looking prepared to head out, with what smelled like coffee in his hand. She didn't know what confused her more in that moment - the fact that he decided, instead of leaving, to come back and talk to her or the coffee late at night. "I've had it a couple times over the years. Comes with the territory of being here so often, I think." She nodded, adjusting slightly in the seat before gesturing towards his coffee with a quick quirk of her chin. "You thinking of pulling an all nighter?" Addie tried to say humorously, but honestly, she was so curious about it.    Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS

[Monroe Montgomery]

and i'm just a little bit ► caught in the middle ◄

Monroe smiled at Adaryn's story of how she'd come to have two cats in her life. They must have been drawn to her energy. At least that's what Monroe's mom would say. Not that he didn't believe her, his mom was just more in tune with the world than Monroe would ever be. Most days he was hardly apart of it at all, but this was him trying.  He tried not to notice that Adaryn seemed a little surprised when he sat back down at the table to chat with her once more. He'd set the mug down in front of her, steam billowing into the air. In the moment of silence, he took a long sip of his latte. She'd responded to his question about the chinese restaurant a few doors down, but it wasn't enough to go off of. How much of a coward was he for hoping she'd suggest it? Being social was difficult. "I guess so. It's a really good local place. I've had it more than I'd like to admit. I was going to pick some up actually." Go home to his small empty apartment that somehow felt huge when he was up all night on his own. "You said you're hungry, so maybe that could help you easily make the decision of where to eat?" He really hoped that she wasn't completely weirded out by his decision to sit here, talk to her more and then invite her to dinner, but chances were low. Monroe was weirded out by himself.  When she gestured to his coffee and made a joke, Monroe tried not to show his discomfort. It was easy to just say that he was pulling an all nighter or that caffeine didn't affect his sleep. Simple explanations that made sense. "You could say that. Have to study." This lie felt much worse. It was implying he was still in school, which he definitely was not. His brain reminded him of the fact that he dropped out all the time. Adaryn Breslin   // BOINK OF GS

[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

There was a suggestion in the words that she didn't realize, when he was opening up the idea of the Chinese food. Call her oblivious, but the idea that he would want to spend any more time with a girl who was essentially no more than a persistent customer never occurred to her.  So when he rephrased, she considered briefly that he was just maybe being nice. He was kind to spend his time after his shift providing her options and considerations. She was sure he would probably want to get home soon, so she didn't want to take up too much more of his time. The idea, though, was a sound one. Chinese food was cheap but filling and oh-so-good, and if she got a meal, it usually lasted her a few days. Maybe she should just bite the bullet and go get some, so at least she didn't have to think about it for a bit.  Of course, until she went grocery shopping, but that absolutely was not a current Addie issue.  "You know, the more you talk about Chinese, the more I think that actually sounds pretty good. I can't eat a full plate myself, so it'll give me leftovers too." She said, taking a sip of her drink just as he sort of shifted a bit away from her, his body language reading uncomfortable. Even without her power front and center, she was essentially trained to pick up those subtle cues. Then, with the way his words essentially brushed over the topic, it sort of confirmed it.   She placed her drink down gently, "Oh, nice. Well, you probably want to get home soon, I'm guessing, right?"    Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS

[Monroe Montgomery]

and i'm just a little bit ► caught in the middle ◄

Monroe smiled, relieved that she seemingly had picked up on what he was suggesting. Social interaction was painful for him nowadays, more so than it had ever been before. Not that he was ever a social butterfly, but at least in the past he wasn't a zombie of a person who had turtled into himself. "That's what Chinese food is the best for," he agreed. He always got so much food for what he paid and then he would eat well for a day or two after that. "But please don't tell me you microwave rice though to heat it back up. You have to get it in a skillet on the stove with some oil." Monroe was now thinking a little too much about fried rice and how good it sounded.  But then, that was really all she said about the matter and it appeared she hadn't picked up on it after all. She'd taken his stupid white lie at face value, which he regretted the second he'd said it and he found himself wanting to correct it but he was already fumbling enough in this conversation as it was. She was asking if he wanted to get home soon and while most might want to after a long shift, Monroe would just go home and stare at his walls in his apartment, try to find something to keep him busy that also wouldn't make him sleepy. Brew pot after pot of coffee, but he'd also set up the expectation that he had to study which made him sound busy which he most definitely was not. Not at all... "Sure," he shrugged. "But I need fuel first." He took another long sip of his coffee to gather the words in his mind that he wanted to say into something that made sense. "Well, if it sounds good and we're both going to go there anyway, we could get a table." Monroe hadn't felt this vulnerable in a while. And it was just about asking someone to share a meal. Adaryn Breslin  // BOINK OF GS

[Adaryn Breslin]

secret jokes, all alone ► just killin' time ◄

Adaryn raised a brow, nervously smiling at the fact that he said there was an issue with microwaving rice for left overs. "What's wrong with microwaving rice?" She asked, almost a bit sheepishly, though lightheartedly. She wasn't offended, and in fact was a little amused. If anything, she added just a small bit of water to get more of a steaming effect, which rehydrated the grain... but it absolutely went into the microwave. Was that crazy?  It tasted perfectly fine to her! Still, she was grateful to see that he eased a bit after she had asked about the coffee. For whatever reason, it seemed like a sensitive topic for him, so she just decided to skip it all together.  Addie expected him to take his leave then, probably because she had set him to feel a bit uncomfortable. She would have just ordered on her phone for take out, and then take it back to her apartment. She figured he'd have done the same, but that is not how it worked out.  Monroe essentially asked her to dinner, and almost immediately she paused, not even realizing that she was staring for that brief moment. Her face felt a little hot, and almost immediately she knew she was blushing.  "Oh, if you're busy, I wouldn't want to impose." She said finally, "I'm sure you've already had a super long day as it is."  But she worried then that maybe her words would be taken in the wrong context, as if there were something wrong with him. She quickly tried to clarify, "Not that it wouldn't be nice to have dinner with you! But, uh - I'm just sure you could get more done tonight if I wasn't taking up more of it."    Monroe Montgomery   // BOINK OF GS