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Cafe Reggio is a nice little place of middling expense. The waiters are in black trousers, white shirts, and red waistcoats, and aprons tied at the hip. They're all cleaned up pretty nicely, too. Even the one with slightly longer than proper blond curls and a sparse beard. Kai looks completely different than usual, moving amidst the cafe with a platter of plates in hand.
*
Loki has come to the cafe, to dine alone, to try not to give away his attachment to a certain server. It is with amusement and affection that he watches though, seated near a window. Someone else tries to serve him and he holds up his hand, regal, and then points at Kai. "That one. He's a friend."
*
Kai's coworker comes to whisper in his ear, and he looks to the table by the window. His dimpled grin could light up the room as he comes over, pad and pen in hand. "Good afternoon, sir," he says all proper-like. "How are you doing today? Would you like to hear our specials?" There's humor in his eyes. This good-waiter act isn't him and he knows it.
*
"Yesssss, I would. By memory, of course." Loki slides the menu between his fingers, then rotates it and puts the end on the table, then slides down again, in a repeating pattern. "How many patrons flirt with such a handsome waiter, I wonder." Green eyes dance.
*
Kai inclines his head and says, "Of course. We have pan-seared scallops on a bed of fettuccine alfredo, a turkey and Swiss sandwich on rye with avocado, and our soup is bouillabaisse. Do any of those sound good?" He flutters his lashes and his gaze lingers on those green eyes. "I do tend to get higher tips from the ladies."
*
Loki makes a humming sound and then runs the menu through his fingers one more time before he answers, "I would like the scallops, seared," he pauses, which makes it allllmost sound like an order before he continues onwards, "wrapped in fresh lettuce, and skewered with baked pretzel balls in between, glazed with honey." Its an Asgardian delicacy…or more specifically, one from Alfheim. Called Meadenlyyn. "But if the chef cannot handle that…the scallops are fine."
*
Kai jots down Loki's order. "Very good, sir. I personally recommend it." Then he laughs and writes down the rest. "I'll write it down, but you're probably just going to get the scallops." He sighs a little, wistful. Meadenlyyn. There were some good things about Alfheim. The order taken down, Kai lingers. "Is there anything else I can get you, sir?"
*
"Wine…whatever you recommend. Not all, but all for the moment. So…you wait tables? Do you ever work the bar?" Loki asks curiously while he has Kai standing there. Its not like he isn't doing something…beneath his station, too. He just never seems to consider Kai like a normal person…like Kai should be being worshipped by this place, not just working here.
*
Kai shakes his head and says, "No, they want me on the floor serving food. I chat too much behind the bar." Big surprise there, Mr. Sociable not getting any work done. Case in point, he should be putting in Loki's order and moving on to another table. Instead, he's chatting. "I'll get you a Sauvignon Blanc. It's crisp but not too dry, and it'll offset the sweetness of the scallops nicely." Alas, there is no worship for Kai here. The hostess seating patrons walks by and tells him, "There's other hungry people here."
*
Loki has to seriously hold himself back from telling the hostess what an amazing person Kai is, but…that would probably get him fired. He does, however, look displeased with her. "Does she get any of your tips?"
*
"All right, Sheila," Kai says, unfazed. To Loki, he says, "Sure, we split them at the end of shift." He says in a lower tone, "Don't think too badly of her, she's right. I should get this in and help that other table." He glances this way and that to look for eavesdroppers. Finding none, he murmurs, "I wish I could kiss you." Then he steps away. A waiter's work is never done.
*
Loki loves it..a little tease…a little…have to wait until Kai is off work. While he's waiting other tables, Loki fidgets with his silverware, but he also does a little counterstrike too. For one, he just seems totally unable to sit with his legs together. Its a side effect of having long legs that don't fit under tables well, but…he's also just…Prince and he sits like a King. But then there's the subtle shirt unbuttoning, is it hot in here, business.
*
Kai eventually returns to Loki with his order. Just the scallops, alas, but they're seared to perfection. He brings the plate by on a platter with practiced poised. "Be careful," he warns. "The plate is very hot." He leans over to set it down, bringing him closer to Loki. "I'm off in an hour," he murmurs. "Just saying." He winks, then pours Loki his wine from the bottle. "Enjoy."
*
Loki cannot stand it. He reaches up to grab hold of Kai's sleeve and he draws in a deep and slightly wavering breath. "Kai…I love you…" more plain and out of the blue than the last time he said it.
*
Kai smiles softly, gazing at Loki with a warmth that would give him away to anyone watching. Fortunately, people here have their own business to attend to. "You're my world," he murmurs. "I love you more than I thought my heart had capacity to love." He grins and adds, "Plus you're out of this world, hep cat."
*
Loki leans back in his chair and sips his wine when it arrives. He listens and overhears all of Kai's workshift and manages to linger there for a whole lot of the time he has left. When its getting more like 10 minutes until he's free, Loki gets up and pays, and his tip is hefty, and has a heart on the receipt as well. They can think its for whoever they want. He just needs to get out of there before Kai gets off, so he can lay in wait for him down the street some and not out him at work. Hands in his pockets, leaning against a wall, that's how Kai will find him later.
*
Kai is a decent waiter once he actually gets back to work. The customers seem to like him, and he does get some interested looks. To be fair, he's a shameless flirt. The best tip he gets is from an older lady who ends up blushing and giggling at whatever it is he tells her when he swings by her table. It's a good day for tips, especially with the dark-haired visitor and old Mrs. Mathers.
Eventually, the scone elf is free! And he comes out of the restaurant, his bow tie loosened, waistcoat unbuttoned. The apron is gone. Waiter is off duty. He whistles as he makes his way down the street, and when he spies Loki, he breaks out in one of those broad, bright-eyed grins. "Hello, stranger."
*
Loki keeps leaning on the building as Kai approaches. When he gets closer, he still stays put, tilting his head as he studies the elf curiously. "Do you enjoy it? You look like you enjoy it…and yet, it does not seem entirely you either."
*
"I hate that I have a job," Kai admits. "It feels like selling out. It's hard to fight the power when you're in it." He leans against the wall next to Loki and gazes up at him. "But I love people, and I spend a lot of time talking to them. We get some regulars that begin to feel like friends after awhile. I like that part."
*
Loki pushes off the wall. "You do not have to have one. Though…I understand if you still want one. Kai…you can have whatever you want. What I provided for myself is enough to keep both of us for a goodly while." He offers, though, he knows its also kind of lame to just live off another person. But, its not like his Princely ass hasn't always done that.
*
"I'll keep it for now," Kai says, "and if it gets to be a drag, I won't worry about making ends meet if I walk away." He pushes off the wall after the prince does, and he touches his arm lightly, arguably innocently. Just a brief bit of contact. "Do you want to come over? I need to take Kevin out and feed him." That little terrier mutt from the other day. Of course Kai insisted he couldn't just kick the animal out to starve.
*
"Kevin? Oh…the dog." Loki knew the name of the dog. He just deserves to give Kai a hard time about him for at least a week. "Of course I want to come over. I…well…I suppose…I do not truly wish that to be a question." Loki flashes a quick grin. Then he comes too close to the other man, brushing shoulder against shoulder. "But I like how you ask. Did you mention having some other new roommate?" A thoughtful frown. "Or did I imagine that?"
*
Kai smiles and ducks his head. He's got Loki's number about the dog. "He's a good dog," he says. Not the world's prettiest dog, all wiry-hair and dirt-brown coat, even when he's been bathed. Kai returns the shoulder-nudge. "Druid," he says. "He crashes there, but if he's out, we could lock the door and pretend not to hear the door." Then he clucks his tongue and says, "Kevin will bark. Why don't we take him to your place? That way I can walk him, and we don't have to worry about getting walked in on?"
*
"Yes…get the dog..and come to mine. Ah…has James returned to the cell he was in? Did you both…settle…things?" Loki asks as he starts walking, this time picking up the pace a good deal, because knowing he has to then walk back to his own…well, its just longer than he has to keep his hands somewhat to himself.
*
"I didn't see him after you took me home," Kai says, "but I think that's where he's headed. He said they were helping him, and he was safe there."
When they get to Kai's, he's quick to get Kevin and come back down. The dog is ridiculously happy, bouncing around on his leash and huffing, tail going a mile a minute. He sniffs Loki's shoes, sneezes, then wanders about smelling things and occasionally leaving a message for other dogs to find later.
"I think he likes you," Kai says as he watches the silly little creature going about his important doggie business.