that i dropped right off the map

kayl nodded his head and sat down at the table next to anya. " oh good. how are you feelin'?" he asked, handing over the cup of fresh coffee to her. she looked in better spirits than when he had left them, so that was something. it didn't even occur to him until he had finished building a plate that they he seemed at home here. more than he had ever felt on cantonica. he didn't think too much about it as he took a bite of bacon and went to sip on his own coffee. anya gratefully took the cup and took a large sip. wrong choice. she definitely burned the top of her mouth, but couldn't be bothered to complain. " better now. coffee's good, " she said with a thumbs up to kayl. " food and coffee help. what would i do without you two? " she asked before continuing to scarf down everything on her plate.

anya gasped and popped her head up. " hey! " she said, tossing her napkin across the table to hit ander on the cheek. " that's not nice, " she said with a pout. it wasn't necessarily wrong but still. she had a hard time making friends. with ander and kayl though, it was easy. kayl chuckled softly and shook his head. " be nice you two, " he chided playfully, taking a slow sip of his own coffee as to not burn his mouth.

anya nodded. " yes. i certainly am, " she said. maybe if she was more cognizant, she'd have picked up on the nickname. her cheeks would flush with embarrassment. now, however, she was too focused on the plate of food he was putting in front of her. " you glorious, glorious man, " she said gleefully. she fixed a plate, making sure to leave some for kayl. as she took her first few bites, the door swung open and in walked kayl, balancing three to go cups in his hands. " sorry it took me a minute. had to put a sign out that said we'd be closed this morning. here you are, " he said as he passed out coffee to anya and ander.

kayl nodded his head and sat down at the table next to anya. " oh good. how are you feelin'?" he asked, handing over the cup of fresh coffee to her. she looked in better spirits than when he had left them, so that was something. it didn't even occur to him until he had finished building a plate that they he seemed at home here. more than he had ever felt on cantonica. he didn't think too much about it as he took a bite of bacon and went to sip on his own coffee. anya gratefully took the cup and took a large sip. wrong choice. she definitely burned the top of her mouth, but couldn't be bothered to complain. " better now. coffee's good, " she said with a thumbs up to kayl. " food and coffee help. what would i do without you two? " she asked before continuing to scarf down everything on her plate.

anya glared and blew a raspberry in his direction. " you're being sarcastic. i don't like you as much when you're sarcastic, " she pointed out. she was feeling something like a human again. at least, she would feel more human once kayl got back with the caf. " you know you'd be bored without me to corrupt. " she was joking of course, so that was a good sign.

anya nodded. " yes. i certainly am, " she said. maybe if she was more cognizant, she'd have picked up on the nickname. her cheeks would flush with embarrassment. now, however, she was too focused on the plate of food he was putting in front of her. " you glorious, glorious man, " she said gleefully. she fixed a plate, making sure to leave some for kayl. as she took her first few bites, the door swung open and in walked kayl, balancing three to go cups in his hands. " sorry it took me a minute. had to put a sign out that said we'd be closed this morning. here you are, " he said as he passed out coffee to anya and ander.

anya frowned at that. she didn't mean to make him feel bad! she was barely functioning as it was. " no don't do that! " she said, a little too loud for her liking. " i didn't mean anything by it. you're wonderful too. the most wonderful. no worms for you. "

anya glared and blew a raspberry in his direction. " you're being sarcastic. i don't like you as much when you're sarcastic, " she pointed out. she was feeling something like a human again. at least, she would feel more human once kayl got back with the caf. " you know you'd be bored without me to corrupt. " she was joking of course, so that was a good sign.

at the sound of caf, anya raised her head. " i'd kiss the ground you walk on if you bring me some caf, " she said, feeling like her head was going to explode at any moment. maybe the caffeine would make the pounding stop. kayl chuckled and shook his head. " no need, little one. i'll be right back, " he said before disappearing down the stairs. he didn't bother asking what either of them wanted, he had a good memory and could remember their usual go-to orders.

anya frowned at that. she didn't mean to make him feel bad! she was barely functioning as it was. " no don't do that! " she said, a little too loud for her liking. " i didn't mean anything by it. you're wonderful too. the most wonderful. no worms for you. "

kayl chuckled softly in response. “ well at least now the first time is over and done with. that’s always the worst one, “ he mused. it’d been a while since his first hangover but he remembered it being hell. “ how about some caf? i can pop downstairs and make us all something? “ he was trying to be helpful after all. in whatever way he could be.

at the sound of caf, anya raised her head. " i'd kiss the ground you walk on if you bring me some caf, " she said, feeling like her head was going to explode at any moment. maybe the caffeine would make the pounding stop. kayl chuckled and shook his head. " no need, little one. i'll be right back, " he said before disappearing down the stairs. he didn't bother asking what either of them wanted, he had a good memory and could remember their usual go-to orders.

kayl chuckled softly in response. “ well at least now the first time is over and done with. that’s always the worst one, “ he mused. it’d been a while since his first hangover but he remembered it being hell. “ how about some caf? i can pop downstairs and make us all something? “ he was trying to be helpful after all. in whatever way he could be.

kayl sighed softly and shook his head. he supposed it wasn’t the worst reason to go on a drinking spree. and at least ander was there to keep an eye on her. he’d grown quite fond of anya and didn’t want to see her get into too much trouble. he nodded his head and moved to where the bowl was. “ well it must’ve been a successful night then, “ he said as he stirred the batter. “ depends on your definition of success, “ anya grumbled from her spot at the table. her head was throbbing but she couldn’t totally tune the two out. honestly she’d take going back to bed over anything at that particular moment.

kayl blinked in sheer bewilderment. he hadn’t known anya that long, but they spent a lot of time together. he knew she didn’t tend to venture out of her norm and kept a very simple life. so the idea of her getting drunk to the point of a hangover was astounding. his brain also might’ve stopped working at the nickname bestowed on him by ander but that was something else all together.

Ander had woken up the following morning with a chuckle when Anya dragged herself out of her room with a groan and a whimper and he immediately offered to make breakfast to help with the pain. Fill her up with grease and carbs to offset the pain of everything else. It was part of the education, and coping with a hangover is the most important lesson.

Ander metaphorically kicked the door open, realistically checked the door open with his shoulder into the coffee shop. “Ans, I have an idea, and you have to hear it all the way through before you call it insane, then you can but we don’t really have time for that.” He said as he strode into the coffee shop, scooping up Oliver and giving him scratches on his tummy and acknowledging Figaro as he wove around his feet. He then stood in front of the counter, settling onto it by leaning over it and grinning at her. 

anya giggled softly at the image. “ maybe not for you, but i bet it was funny to watch, “ she yawned. it was a strange sensation she had. it was like her whole body was warm and tingly all over. she didn’t realize how tired she had been. for the first time in a while, she didn’t have to go to bed anxious or worried about things. was this how normal people felt? as she yawned, she couldn’t help but think it had been a good night. it was the last thing she remembered thinking before sleep finally took her over.

Ander metaphorically kicked the door open, realistically checked the door open with his shoulder into the coffee shop. “Ans, I have an idea, and you have to hear it all the way through before you call it insane, then you can but we don’t really have time for that.” He said as he strode into the coffee shop, scooping up Oliver and giving him scratches on his tummy and acknowledging Figaro as he wove around his feet. He then stood in front of the counter, settling onto it by leaning over it and grinning at her. 

anya let out a soft laugh at the image of that. “ sounds funny, “ she murmured as she nestled down into the covers. she nodded her head at the compromise of sorts. “ that’s fine i guess, “ she agreed. 

Ander metaphorically kicked the door open, realistically checked the door open with his shoulder into the coffee shop. “Ans, I have an idea, and you have to hear it all the way through before you call it insane, then you can but we don’t really have time for that.” He said as he strode into the coffee shop, scooping up Oliver and giving him scratches on his tummy and acknowledging Figaro as he wove around his feet. He then stood in front of the counter, settling onto it by leaning over it and grinning at her. 

anya rolled her eyes. “ lighten up, buzzkill, “ she pouted. she promptly crossed her arms over her chest and let out a very dramatic huff. turns out anya was cuddly when drunk. who would’ve known? it wasn’t like she had basically been touch starved since her uncle died a few years ago. “ it’s not like i’m askin’ you to kiss me or anything. it’s just snuggles. “

Ander metaphorically kicked the door open, realistically checked the door open with his shoulder into the coffee shop. “Ans, I have an idea, and you have to hear it all the way through before you call it insane, then you can but we don’t really have time for that.” He said as he strode into the coffee shop, scooping up Oliver and giving him scratches on his tummy and acknowledging Figaro as he wove around his feet. He then stood in front of the counter, settling onto it by leaning over it and grinning at her. 

if anya was sober, she’d be embarrassed as hell that she just tripped and collided with ander. but drunk anya? she didn’t give a fuck. it was so different than anything she’d ever experienced before. not caring was such a freeing state of mind. she’d probably die of embarrassment in the morning, but that was a problem for the next day.

Ander metaphorically kicked the door open, realistically checked the door open with his shoulder into the coffee shop. “Ans, I have an idea, and you have to hear it all the way through before you call it insane, then you can but we don’t really have time for that.” He said as he strode into the coffee shop, scooping up Oliver and giving him scratches on his tummy and acknowledging Figaro as he wove around his feet. He then stood in front of the counter, settling onto it by leaning over it and grinning at her. 

anya scrunched her face up in disgust. “ that doesn’t sound fun, actually, “ she huffed. she had seen plenty of hungover people come into the cafe after a night out at the cantina. they always seemed grumpy and ill. she always wondered if getting drunk was worth it - now she at least had a little more insight. so far, the answer was yes.

Ander metaphorically kicked the door open, realistically checked the door open with his shoulder into the coffee shop. “Ans, I have an idea, and you have to hear it all the way through before you call it insane, then you can but we don’t really have time for that.” He said as he strode into the coffee shop, scooping up Oliver and giving him scratches on his tummy and acknowledging Figaro as he wove around his feet. He then stood in front of the counter, settling onto it by leaning over it and grinning at her. 

a wide grin spread across anya’s face. “ peachy keen, butter bean, “ she giggled. she felt lighter, almost as if she was disconnected from her body. she had this sense of confidence that made her feel like she was ready to take on the entire galaxy, let alone whatever he had in mind next.