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(Lmao)
Tessa snorted, then checked the menu again. "Uuuhhh, damn I don't know. Coffee isn't my language, booze is."
Connor sighed and came up behind her, slinging an arm around her shoulder and bending down so he was at her level. He pointed up at a particular section. "Just pick one of those and be happy about it. We don't got all night."
"alright, once tess picks, we're all good. alex, you ordering?"
"yeah." alex crossed their arms, looking over the menu just to see what tessa was looking at. "awfully complicated, for just coffee."
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Tess stuck her tongue out at Alex, then waved over an employee to order first. She randomly chose one of the ones Connor had pointed out, then backed away to let him order and get them their group discount.
alex raised their eyebrows but ordered for all of them anyway, waving connor up to the front so the staff could see the familiar face.
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Connor smiled at the familiar staff member and chatted idly with them while they got their orders ready. Tessa looked to Nik and Alex and pretended to gag herself, suggesting that he was flirting—which he was, shamelessly.
alex giggled softly, and nik raised an eyebrow at connor.
"man, lauren and connor would really hit it off. like arson and a rich dude's house." nik commented, recalling her incessant flirting with him back when he first showed up. alex sighed.
"yeah, unfortunately."
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Tessa did them all a favor and whacked Conner upside the head. He swore and held the back of his head, giving an incredulous look at Tessa. She rose an eyebrow, unimpressed, and folded her arms over her chest while jutting out her hip.
nik snorted suddenly, ducking to press his face into his bent elbow to keep from laughing. alex offered a high-five to tessa immediately, followed by a
"damn, get him."
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Tessa grinned and high-fived Alex, the action eliciting a protesting whine from Connor, the miserable form of their entertainment.
"I do what I can," she said with a smirk.
"we see that." nik had straightened, folding his arms across his chest again. "you done, connor? let's fine somewhere to sit while they make our drinks."
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"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, sulking away to find a place to sit. Tessa rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Such a baby," she teased, and he turned his head just enough to stick his tongue out at her. She strode by and flicked it without even blinking, and he yelped and stepped back from her.
alex and nik followed connor and tessa to the table, alex openly laughing at their antics while nik sported a crooked but bright smile.
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Tessa glanced over at Nik and came over to him while Connor gravitated towards Alex and started a conversation with them. "Hey," she said, "You good?"
alex looked up excitedly when connor started a conversation, easily getting into a flow.
nik gave a soft chuckle, almost silent.
"i feel like i should be the one asking you that."
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She shrugged and folded her arms over her chest. "I may or may not be trying to cover up anything I feel regarding that situation," she said with a slightly guilty lopsided smile.
"that's fair. it's a lot to happen all in one night. although that was my most successful takedown of a corrupt rich guy yet, so i have to thank you." he leaned on one leg, arms still crossed.
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She shrugged again, though a ghost of a triumphant smile hovered over her lips. "You would've found him eventually, I'd like to think. I just sped up the process."
"although, here's a question. you were planning on taking matters into your own hands, right?" he thought for a moment, and briefly pulled a face.
"i think jail is a rather good place for him, but what's your opinion on that?"
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She smiled softly. "You sound like a reporter." She then looked off to the side and ran her thumb over her bottom lip. "I just… I just wanted him to stop. Dead or in jail, it didn't matter, so long as he couldn't hurt those kids anymore."
he smiled gently, falling into a more casual tone. "i am a reporter, love. that does make sense, though." he paused for a second to look fondly at tessa.
"mission accomplished, then."
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She returned his gaze, letting her guard down somewhat for him and him alone. "Mission accomplished."
"now." he straightened,. "let's go see how those losers are faring. i think at least one of our drinks should be ready by now."
almost on cue, alex bounded up to them holding two cups. "hey! a black coffee and… whatever the hell this is, tessa." they passed over the drinks quickly, and walked back to where connor stood holding his drink.
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Conner was watching Alex as they bounded over to Nik and Tessa, shaking his head with laughter dancing in his silver eyes. Tessa gratefully accepted her cup from them with her tongue stuck out, saying "I have no clue either, but you needn't make me seem like a heathen for picking it.
alex flipped, walking backwards to respond.
"you're not the heathen here, ma'am. i think this place is. judging by just the smell, that thing's gonna cause diabetes on the first sip."
nik had already started drinking, and snorted into his coffee at alex's statement.
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"Well worth it," Tessa said after taking a sip, flashing a grin just above the lip of the cup. It actually tasted really good, surprisingly. She wasn't a huge coffee drinker like Connor was, but she could appreciate a good cup of coffee.
alex shrugged, turning back to their conversation with a smile.
nik, meanwhile, was recovering from straight laughing into his drink, rather grateful that nobody had seen him choke. he was surprised at the quality of the coffee, though, when he had actually gotten a sip.
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Tessa took another sip, curling her nose at how hot it was despite not letting it cool. "I don't know how Connor goes through multiple cups a day. If the boy would just sleep during the night, he wouldn't be perpetually sleep-deprived." She huffed and shook her head.
"yeah. i can't say i blame him, though. i've gone through some times like those." he passed his coffee over to the other hand, shifting his weight.
"god, wouldn't it be nice to just leave? to walk out of neon and never look back?"
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Tessa sighed mournfully, just the thought of that possibility too good to be true. "It would be hella amazing," she agreed, "but also likely impossible. It's just… I dunno, there's a lot holding me back, but just as many reasons to ditch this place."
"yeah. same here. what kinda jobs can a criminal get anywhere else?" nik took a long sip of his coffee, a dark look in his eyes.
"i don't think working the corner in a nicer city will make much of a difference."
