undergrounds | [OPEN] March Post

Guilty Pleasures
March (alternate Fridays), open to all.

[There are closer bars for him to be visiting after work. His colleagues have even invited him to one. Instead he's here. Alone. Not for the strippers (though from the way he keeps looking at them from the corner of his eye it's fairly clear he's not uninterested), but because its location and reputation. He wants to make friends. Connections.

Which he would probably have a lot more success with if he could get up the nerve to talk to someone. He sighs, loosening his tie even further and summoning the bartender to order himself another Maker's Manhattan.]

Westminster
Throughout March, open to all.

[Since Oliver works in Westminster it's not unusual for him to be out on his lunch break in either a small cafe or a bench, weather depending. He likes to get out when he can, take some time away from his desk. Maybe he'll even get some time away from a screen, though he'll frequently have his phone out too, either texting or checking the Facebook app.

Sometimes he'll grab a coffee when he finishes, taking advantage of how many establishments have free wifi. He's not always quite done with the work day, just eager to be somewhere he's not quite so unenthusiastic about being. He doesn't actually have to be there to fix all the help desk problems. Some are quite easy to fix through remote access. Especially with a decent coffee and a fancy pastry to make the tasks less mind numbing.

Not that he's always working. At times the coffee's just a nice way for him to unwind before he has to face up to the crowds of the tube in rush hour so he can get back home. It's easier to catch up on news articles on a laptop screen in a comfortable coffee shop than it is on his phone crammed up against ten other people. Sometimes all he does is take the time to browse period dramas on Amazon, picking one out to rent for him to enjoy when he gets back home.]

Wildcard
Throughout March, open to all.

[Choose your own adventure! PM me or ping me at my plurk [

technobabbled] if you want to plot something.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[God, she must have "new to London" stamped across her fucking forehead, for all her wandering. How she ended up in Westminster, she'll never be able to answer, but she plays it off well enough as aimless, curious wandering. As if she hasn't done enough of that in her life.

Can't find a job. Can't find the right tube station. Can't even find a coffee, though not for lack of trying. It's embarrassing. She tries to put on a poker face, though, because letting on about it would only be worse.]

Okay, so. [Sorry, Oliver, she's zeroed in on the cup in your hand, so she sits down right beside you on the bench outside one of the coffee shops.] I count...four cafes within eyesight. What made you choose this one?

[Being asked questions by people not used to the city isn't exactly unusual in London, and at least in this street he could list the pros and cons of each cafe without thinking. He's been the guy with "new to London" stamped across his head before so he's more than happy to help people out where he can.]

They make great lattes, plus they have these amazing fresh baked cookies. They're kind of pricey, but on the plus side my loyalty card is only two stamps away from getting me a free hot beverage of my choice. [Maybe he sounds a little too pleased about that, but it's going to be the highlight of his work week when it happens, okay?] If you're more into chocolate I'd try that one, but if you're looking for something cheaper and still decent then the one to its left is your best bet.

[He points out each cafe as he lists them, then points out the last one in eyesight.]

Avoid that one at all costs. They're overpriced and nothing they sell even tastes that good.

You had me at "amazing cookies." [There is the slightest, slightest hint of sarcasm to that tone, but she does genuinely mean it in a lighter way. The guy seems...nice. Earnest. And human, from all she can tell, which is a major plus right now for someone who has stringently been avoiding "anything and everything supernatural."

Not to mention, something about talking to him makes her a little nostalgic.

She listens intently as he reviews each of the cafes, looking a bit like she's etching each of them into her mind. Her eyes linger on the last one he mentions.] Bad and expensive. The cardinal sin.

[He doesn't miss the sarcasm. He's self-deprecating enough he looks for it, even expects it at times, though on the plus side she doesn't sound like she's being mean about it.]

Hey, come on. My job's really boring. I have to find something to be excited about.

[Even if it is just cookies.]

I guess it's not the worst, but there also way better places. Right next to it. It's not worth giving a shot.

[No, she's certainly not being mean about it -- he hasn't exactly given her a reason to. It's just that "dry sarcasm" is sort of her default mode.]

S'pose there are worse things to get excited about, anyway.

[A bit of a smile.]

Don't bother with it, then. Got it. Thanks for your in-depth review.

Probably. I know that doesn't stop it being boring.

[He shrugs, taking a sip of coffee.]

That's okay. I know how it feels to not know where to start here. Might as well save someone the trouble of working out everything for themselves. Even if it is just coffee.

Well, now you know you've got a backup career as a cafe reviewer, if it gets too boring.

[The observation is sort of surprising, but...it probably shouldn't be.]

That obvious? [Her expression turns a bit rueful.] It must be a popular place for starting over. Maybe someone should start making a guide for it.

That's probably more exciting than IT at least.

[He smiles apologetically.]

In fairness it was mostly a guess. Usually people only ask when they're tourists or new.

Think anything's more exciting than IT.

[Sitting in a room staring at a computer all day? Anything but that. Literally. Please.]

Wow. Good guess. [She suppresses a slight cringe.] At least now the important question is out of the way.

Wow. Thanks.

[Not that he didn't just strongly imply he felt that way himself...]

Right. Nothing's more important than the best place to buy your coffee.

[A slightly apologetic look. She probably didn't need to take it that far -- just because it'd drive her mad doesn't mean it'd be the same for everyone.] Sorry. I'm sure there's loads of interesting stuff about it.

[No, Effy, that doesn't help.]

Some people really do feel that way, though. [She shrugs, watching someone go through the door of the overpriced place down the street.] Bit scary, really.

[OPEN] March Post

Westminster

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