Reunion In A Restaurant In Michigan

New York

Ivan and Alfred settling into New York. Ivan isn't used to office life and all the social interaction. Alfred is loving the New York craziness and isn't used to so much freedom.

Ivan POV|| The Bronx

"Hey, Braginsky. So you're the new guy from Michigan? Glad to see another fresh fish made it through training! Oooh. What the heck are you eating, dude?"

My coworker Eddie thumps my shoulder as I'm staring absently at my computer screen. I flinch, startled from my thoughts. Slightly annoyed to have someone barging into my cubicle before I've even had my morning syrniki and peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks, I give him a lukewarm look.

Eddie chuckles, thumping my shoulder again. Ow?! "Youch! Don't bother the grumpy Russian dude before he's eaten breakfast. Hey, where's the vodka?"

He can't even stereotype me artfully. What a waste! I inhale through my teeth, feeling my eye twitch. "I'm only twenty."

He shrugs. "Never stopped me. Seriously, you don't drink?"

I finger my wooden Eastern Orthodox cross necklace on its leather cord around my neck. I made the little pendant myself after making a beautiful wooden cross for Kat. "I'm Orthodox. I choose not to drink at all until I am legal." And if I drink on my meds, I'll have a heart attack.

"Aw crap, he's a religious man! Well, nice meetin' ya. I've gotta go do something productive now to make up for lost time spent talking to you."

Eddie whistles as he meanders back to his own cubicle, which...is next to mine. Lovely! Oh, wonderful start to my morning!

Grumbling to myself, I eat my breakfast, smiling at the sweet treat. The hot chocolate restores my mood to a 4/12. It's honestly not good for me, eating and drinking so much sugar this early in the morning. But I love anything sweet. Because of my sweet tooth, I'm paying the price with my waistline. Oh well. My darn medication doesn't help matters any, anyway.

The computer might be bugged.

I mumble in reply, "I highly doubt that."

You never know. You can't trust anyone.

"Not a lie. But it's a lot of work to bug a computer."

You'll be lucky if you keep this job.

"I'm trying my best."

Creeeak. I hear a squeaky swivel chair. "Dude. You talkin to yourself over there?"

Ohh shit...I forgot to whisper. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. I will not hide in my scarf. I will not hide in my scarf. I will not hide in my-

"I didn't hear a phone or anything over there, man. Were you really talking to yourself?"

And into my scarf goes my face. Dammit. I've got to quit this habit. But my scarf is so warm...

"It's okay, man. We all have our weird habits. Mine is that I can't shut up."

That's something Alfred would say about himself. I smile at the thought. Alfred is much more polite than Eddie, though. And Alfred would say it after I insult myself and he tells me to shut up. I wonder if his Captain America good luck shirt that I know he's wearing under his work clothes is working. Oh, Alfred. Please never change.

I force myself to respond, "Yes... we all have weird habits. I...I do talk to myself, it's a habit of mine. I'll try to be quieter next time."

I turn on my computer to distract myself. The Windows music plays, and then it has me sign in.