Gin yelped and hid behind Sade, who shrank back from Seige. It took him a few moments to get words out. “It’s okay Seige… she slaps me for this all the time. I shouldn’t have been smoking.” He held up his hand in defeat.

At Zink’s words, he glared. “Shut up,” he growled. “Don’t make me come up there."

“Hmmm. Ok.”Seige made a face. The remembered how human feet were. ”But seriously. Your feet must hurt by now. Do either one of you want a ride back?”

Sade raised a brow. "Why would our feet hurt? And a ride to where?"

Seige looked confused. "Well. They're all soft and fleshy. And so fragile. You can't walk very far without them starting to hurt." Then he made another face. "The coffee house."

They both laughed. "Really? Is that what you think?" Gin peeked over Sade's shoulder and then rested her chin there. "That's why we have shoes. And besides, this is a city... we're used to walking."

Sade shrugged. "What she said..." Wait, his coffee house? "You're bringing that guy," he pointed at Zink, "To my place?"

A cold metal brushed Gin's hand, and she glanced down at her friend's back pocket. "What the..." She pulled it out and turned it over in her hand. "A gold spatula? Where'd you get this?"

"I stole it from a grave robber," he answered, turning his head a little to glance at her.

"Wow..."

“Well, yes that is what I thought, plus I was trying to be nice but never mind, and yes I’m bringing Zink with me, unless you don’t want us there. I need to keep an eye on him until I can find his wife, Yolam. We won’t stay there for long since you probably won’t want us to, we’ll be out of your way by morning.”

Seige watched the two for a second before turning away.

Gin punched Sade’s arms. “Seige, we do want you.” Okay, so that sounded kind of strange, but she meant it in a friend kind of way. “Sade’s just a grouch. He doesn’t really mind having everyone at his place. He just doesn’t like all the commotion. It’s throwing off his normal lifestyle.”

He crossed his arms. She was right. There was no reason to argue. “But we’re still walking.”

“Fine with me.” Seige said walking away.

“What are they talking about?” Zink whispered to Seige.

“I don’t know but get off, you’re getting heavy.”He replied, twisting around to grab his mother while Zink slid off his back.

“Mom? Are you ok?” He asked her giving her a hug. “What am I saying? Of course you’re not.” He told himself. He picked her back up and carried her in his arms afraid that if he let her ride on his back that she would fall off and get hurt.

“I’m going you guys.”He announced to everyone.

Sade was relieved to be back in the coffee house. Hopefully no customers had come by while they were gone. Gin seemed to read his mind and patted him on the back. “I wouldn’t worry about business. I used to be the only one that came in this late until Seige showed up.”

“True,” he said with a sigh, going to his place behind the counter. He had forgotten about Chum, who sat up from where he had fallen asleep on the counter. “Oh yeah…”

“Welcome back,” he said excitedly, floating around him.

Seige set Velige down at one of the tables and asked “Velige, do you need something to drink?”

She nodded. “Can I have some coffee?”

“Certainly.” He replied.

“Hey…Siege, my man. Have you seen Pijn lately?” Zink asked sliding his arm around Seige’s neck.

“What?! Stop get off!! What the hell?!” Seige yelled, flailing his arms and shoving Zink away.
“Alright, sorry, but have you seen it lately?”

“Yes. My father has it.” Seige said walking away toward Sade. “Sade? Can I get a cup of coffee for Velige?”

Zink walked over to where Chum was and started chasing him around.

Sade poured coffee for Velige and then asked Seige if he wanted any. He had given up on trying to run everyone off with his usual attitude. “Made plenty,” he said.

“Oh!” Gin sat down at the counter. “I could use a cup myself.”

“Sure thing.” Well, he would have a few more dishes, but that wouldn’t be so bad.

Zipper spotted Gin sitting and glided over lazily to rest on her lap. “Oh hey,” she said softly to the thing and scratched her head.

“Hiiiiii,” Zipper yawned.

The door suddenly opened and in walked Mark. He looked around the room at all the new customers and shook his head. “Wow, it’s quite a zoo in here… not that I mean anything by that…” His eyes fell on Seige. “You look like a praying mantis. What happened?”

“No thanks, I’m allergic to coffee, I appreciate the offer.” He told Sade.

“I hatched.”Seige replied to Mark sarcastically, rolling his eyes, taking a cup of coffee to a very confused Velige.

“But, you were…”Velige started to say but stopped, when Seige smiled and shook his head at her. “Oh” she said.

“Here, drink up. It’ll make you feel better.”He tuned back to Mark and smiled widely.

“Then… why?” Sade didn’t finish the question; he just shook his head and put a cup of coffee in front of Gin, who looked as if she might fall over. “Geeze… you need sleep.”

She shook her head. “No. I got sleep.”

“Get more.”

“You hatched? Really?” Mark pushed his classes up the bridge of his nose. “That’s awesome!” He looked excited. “I’d ask more questions… but I’m sure you’ve gotten many of them already. I’ll have Gin fill me in.” He spoke so fast that his words nearly ran together.

Seige laughed heartily, and loudly “No, actually, I was born from that woman over there. You should try talking to her, it might do her some good. And since she’s my mother that means she’s like me, so you can quiz her and she’ll know all the answers.”

Seige then turned to face Zink ,who was still following Chum, and loudly told him “Zink. Stop, come here. You need to stop acting like a three year old and act the full thousand and some odd years of your age.”

“Awww!! Ok, if I have to.” Zink whined.

Gin looked over at his mother and smiled. If she had a little more energy, she might strike up an engaging conversation or crack a joke or something more impressive than just a slight wave. Sade shot her a concerned look as she turned back around.

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“So you didn’t hatch?” Mark laughed good heartedly. “Well… you sure got me with that one.”

Everyone stopped as Seige announced Zink’s name. Mark was, non too surprisingly, the first to say something. “You’re joking, right?”

“No. I’m not joking. He’s just acting like this because someone gave him sugar. He’s normally quite smart, and a little more mature. He’s not human, you know. He’s like a living vampire, without all the bloodsucking.” Seige replied, surprised no one noticed.

“Yup! Just call me Count Dracula!! Muahahaha!!” Zink interjected.

“Sure, he’s pale, but wow…” Mark walked towards Zink as if to get a closer look.

“You’re taking this all so well.” Gin tried to sound light hearted and joking, but her voice came out faint and tired. “Couldn’t you freak out just a little for me?” She pouted playfully.

He shrugged. “I guess I just… don’t find them that weird.”

Sade rolled his eyes and turned to clean the coffee pot for no reason at all. He found it best to stay silent sometimes, especially when circumstances couldn’t be changed. It looked like he was stuck with new regulars.

Gin looked at Zink with a hard gaze. “So you’re usually not such a jerk?”

Zink leaned forward and sniffed the air between him and Mark, “You smell funny.” Zink told Mark pointing at him with conviction.

“No, Gin, he’s never as much of a jerk as when he’s had sugar.”Seige made a twisted face. ‘Did that make sense?’

Seige, who had heard Zink's comment, walked up to Mark, and sniffed the air. “He’s right, Mark. I didn’t notice it before but you do smell funny.”

"Oh dear," Mark scratched his head. "I hope I don't have body odor."

Gin crossed her arms and nodded. "Right." She then spun around in the bar chair to take a drink of coffee, forgetting that Zipper was on her lap. The creature floated up for a moment and then settled back down, closing her eyes and going right back to sleep.

Chum floated up to Sade and bobbed around his legs. "Can I have more coffee?" His begging made Sade grit his teeth.

“You smell like wet dog.” Zink stated bluntly.

“Yes. You smell like dog.” Seige said realizing how hungry he was, his stomach growling loudly, the sound filling the room for a second. ‘God it smells so good.’ he thought licking his lips and taking a step toward Mark.

“Oops, sorry.” He apologized when he realized what he was doing.

Mark held his hands up a little as if to calm the air in the room. “Um… heh. I don’t think that’s really a good thing. I hope I don’t offend.” His eyes squinted shut nervously.

“I honestly don’t think I can drink all of this,” Gin said, surprising herself as she gazed down at the coffee.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Sade said, quickly turning around. “You never refuse coffee.”

She sighed and looked over at Mark. “Who's a dog? What's eating it? Blue?”

“He’s a dog, and I’m eating him.” Seige replied jokingly, pointing at Mark.

“He smells…”Seige breathed in the aroma, “just, mmm…yeah.” His mouth started to water.

Zink laughed.”Looks like someone’s hungry.” He commented pointing at Seige.

“Heh, well… um…” Mark backed away a little and finally decided it would be safer to sit next to Gin.

Sade leaned over the counter and sniffed the air. “You don’t smell like dog, by the way,” he assured him with a laugh. “Then again, I’m not known for having sharp senses.”

Gin patted her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry Mark, I don’t think Seige would actually eat you. You’re too nice. He might eat Sade, though.” She stuck her tongue out at the coffee house owner. If it had been anyone else, he might have been offended, but since it was her, he only smirked and shook his head.

“Ohhh, but he does.” Seige said, grinning wickedly, sampling the air trying to get another whiff of dog, his stomach growled again. ”I think I need to find something to eat. Zink, could you?” He stated not trusting himself to move.

“Sure, what do you want?” Zink asked.

“Meat. You know what I can stand.” Seige said, glancing at Zink, realizing, not for the first time, how young he looked. He looked no more than fifteen.

Seige went over to a table almost across the room. And sat down facing everyone and announced that he was extremely sorry. "I get a bit crazy when I'm hungry."

“That’s alright, Seige,” Gin said warmly before resting her chin on the counter. Zipper shifted in her lap, and she reached down and scratched her back as if she had been doing it for years. Sade’s hand suddenly flew to her forehead and she grumbled a complaint. “I’m. Fine.”

Mark’s brow wrinkled with concern. “What’s going on?”

“She’s acting all…”

Chum cut him off. “Coffee?”

“Right.” He turned and poured a cup for the thing, which he placed on the counter. “Anyways, she’s acting all down and groggy.”

“She’s tired,” Mark said simply.

“I can figure out what I am on my own,” she growled.