[OOM: The Hamato Family Suite]

[mnt_mike]

They're going to be here any minute now.
She's going to be here any minute now.
And Mike? Has no idea what to do with himself...so he's pacing. And Stampy, for her part, is watching him pace from the comfort of a corner cushion of the couch.

Lunch is made. Drinks are chilling. Heck even Stampy's had a bath.
All there is to do now is wait...and hope.

Comments

[slayer_fray]

Mel eventually finds a comfortable position lying sideways across the chair, head lolling down and looking at them, Stampy on her stomach.

"Could be useful. Info gathering."

[mnt_mike]

"Even when it's done by creepers who unnerve hard boiled 1970s cops?"

[slayer_fray]

"I unnerve hard boiled 1970s cops."

Well, she'd like to think she does, anyway.

[mnt_mike]

"You unnerve everybody," both Mike and Aang say in unison. The pause to blink, and then look at each other. There may or may not be a fistbump.

[slayer_fray]

Mel laughs dryly, scratching Stampy's ears and staring at the ceiling.

And ignores the way the warmth that brings seems to stab her in the chest as well.

"So that's what's up with me."

[mnt_mike]

Mike and Aang share another laugh before Mike gives Aang a noogie as he rolls to his feet.

"Well that sounds okay then. Quiet, but not in the World Is Going To Hell, Here's Our Handbasket sort of way. You guys hungry? I made spring rolls. Aaaaand I might have talked to a guy about some lychee juice."

[slayer_fray]

Mel glances at Aang.

"One of us is always hungry," she says.

[mnt_mike]

What? he says airbending himself to his feet. I'm a growing boy. And then he smiles at her utterly shameless.

"Uh huh. I've a theory..." Mike drifts off as he wanders his way into the kitchen. Cabinets open and close as he stacks plates and cups and chopsticks and napkins onto a tea tray. "That one of the reasons we don't have a lot of kids you age is because there's a limit to how much food Bar can supply. Here, go make yourself useful and set the table outside, huh?"

Aang sticks out his tongue at Mike, but dutifully takes the tray and carries it out.

Mike just sighs when he leaves. He missed that kid. He missed Mel. He missed this.

[slayer_fray]

Mel.

Mel knows.

"I dunno," she says. "That fund thing? That someone," Mike, "called Phil? I get paperwork for that, and there's a lot of kids eating on it."

She shifts in her chair to glare at Mike, and through him, at bar.

"Why'd I still get paperwork for that? I hate paperwork."

[mnt_mike]

Mike takes a half-step back due to the power of that glare.

"Phi is funny," he says in his own defense, hands coming up on reflex. "It's a Night Court reference." It's like he's squaring off against X, only different.

"Aaaand I don't know. I can make that stop, if you want."

[slayer_fray]

"Make it stop."

Although, she does kind of like knowing whose eating on her account.

"Anyway, there are a few kids around, I think."

[mnt_mike]

"I'll see what I can do. Maybe...maybe I'll make Leo do it."

Leo loves kids! Er...Mike thinks. And the boy does have some mighty fine penmenship.

"Oh yeah, I know, but it made for a funnier story."

[slayer_fray]

"No wait," she says quickly. "Don't make someone else do it. Just make it not need to be done."

[mnt_mike]

Mike kind of blinks at her.
This...is this something he can do?

"Can I do that?"

[slayer_fray]

"I dunno, Boss," Mel says, in a way that might be said to be pointedly. "Can you?"

He'd know, after all.

[mnt_mike]

He gets this look on his face. It's the Choir of Angels are Singing from On High voice.

"Maaaaaaybe."

[slayer_fray]

"I'll do it if I needta," Mel tells the ceiling.

Really, she sort of likes knowing? But. Paperwork.

[mnt_mike]

Mike shakes himself out of his dream of a Paperless Future.

"No no, I'll take care of it. You've got enough with Security Stuff. And besides, it's not like I'm unable."

Unwilling, yes. But not unable.

[slayer_fray]

She glances over at him.

"You're gonna do it yourself, aren'tya?"

[mnt_mike]

Mike half shrugs.

"If I can't automate it somehow, or get rid of it all together, yeah I'll try."

[slayer_fray]

Mel shakes her head, mouth hardening in annoyance.

This is why you can't complain to him, he tries to do it all himself.

"Don't," she says. "I've got it."

[mnt_mike]

"Mel. We both know that you're probably the only person in the multiverse who hates paperwork more than I do. I've got it, really."

He doesn't like the look of that look of hers.

[slayer_fray]

"It's still my job," Mel points out. "S'my money."

Well, it's Rachel's money, but she gave it to Mel."

[mnt_mike]

"But...you just said you didn't want to do it in the first place."

[slayer_fray]

"Yes," Mel says patiently. "But that doesn't mean I want someone else to do it."

She's not a delegator!