Mal has shown up early to breakfast -- on the theory that there probably aren't mals lurking on the very first day -- and claimed an entire tray of blueberry muffins, hauling it over to a well-placed table.
He might share, if people sit with him and ask nicely. Or if they barter with him. Or if they threaten him. Who knows! It's a mystery.
Malak slides onto the bench next to him.
"Those free to a good home?"
"There's some mighty fine competition out there," he says, but he also hands over a muffin.
"Probably not by the standards of blueberry muffins. What's your deal?"
"Mal Mendoza. Honest crook, straight shot with a BB gun -- hell of a lot of good it does me in here -- an' purveyor of fine-ass blueberry muffins. You?"
"Haniyah Malak, also, apparently, an honest crook." She grabs a second muffin and stands up.
"If I were a worse person I'd've taken the whole tray as soon as you said they were free to a good home. I sure thought about it. Next person along will probably try."
(She is not confident she could've taken the whole tray without starting a fight, which is why she only took two. She is not a bad person but this is the scholomance and he did say they were free to a good home.)
"Sounds like someone who ain't a good home, way I figure it. Enjoy your muffins, Haniyah Malak."
"Alright," she says, and sits down and takes a muffin. "Pitch me on whatever's so important as to merit free muffins." She unwraps it and takes a bite. She is going to sit here and eat muffins and not hazard the line and he has until she is done eating muffins to talk to her.
"I ain't said they were free, you know. Just 'cause you came up and helped yourself..."
"I saw the other girl," she says around a mouthful of muffin. "If you're not going to defend them, they're free."
"You're not doing anything to me either. Do you wanna try to convince me to pay for it?"
(Malak, who has neither bitten into her muffins nor completely left earshot yet, is feeling quite vindicated.)
"You sit at my table, you steal my breakfast, and now you're complainin' about the conversation?"
She raises an eyebrow at him. "I spent last night minioning for an enclaver with more clout than sense, and she was a much better conversationalist than you."
"I suppose."
What a baffling boy. She finishes her muffin and stands up and grabs another.
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