Hailey will pick out the first open spot where they won't be bumping into people once seated, at least, and lead the way there. Occasional bumps against seated people count as her-initiated and she can cope with a handful just by digging her fingernails into her palm sharply. It's fine.

...well, all right. He follows her to the table she chose.

A bright-eyed, grey-furred mouse-girl with her matching grey hair bound up in a high ponytail informs them that tonight's dinner is crispy-fried bean curd with mixed greens on the side. She's small enough to make it between the close-packed tables unscathed.

Lucky her. Hailey thinks that sounds excellent for dinner and nods in agreement with a thin smile.

Once that's handled, she unclenches her hands and stretches them out against her side of the table, exhaling slowly and tightly. Torok can maybe get a brief view of nailmarks in her palms if he's paying attention.

"...you okay?"

"As long as I brace by doing something like that, I can handle touch from strangers fine enough." She shrugs. "I'll be fine."

He hesitates for a second, but then settles on saying, "Sure, okay."

The mouse-girl is already headed their way with two plates, lifting them over her head as she weaves between tables; presumably with only one item on the menu they can just keep it coming as people keep sitting down.

She leans back to let the waitress set the food down without any accidental contact, and smiles appreciatively. "Thank you," she says sincerely.

"Y'welcome!" she chirps, silver ringlets bobbing like a fountain of springs behind her head as she heads to another table to tell the next set of guests what to expect for food.

Torok smiles. It's just nice when people are happy.

Hailey smiles lightly as well. It really is.

"I can explain why I'm like this, if you really want to know. Easier to gloss it as Weird Brain Stuff though."

She digs into the food. It's pretty great.

"I mean, I wouldn't mind knowing, but not if it bugs you to talk about it, you know?"

The food is pretty great, it's true.

"I don't mind telling it. It's just a terrible memory that isn't contiguous with the life this body has lived in any sense, and yet feels like it's mine regardless."

"Huh. Sounds rough. So it's 'cause of where you came from?"

She nods. "I have fragmentary memories of my alternate timeline of the story I came from. Just bits and pieces. Including plenty of the shitty memories."

"That must suck. I hope you've got some nice ones too."

"It does. I do have a few nice ones too, though." She smiles softly, remembering a few choice moments. "At some point we may try to fill in the gaps. There are other priorities for now, though."

"Makes sense. I'm glad you have nice ones." Om nom dinner.

Om nom dinner. It's pretty great.

It's good stuff and he's pretty cheerful about it!

And when they're done, "Time to find our new room?"

She nods and gets up with him. Has the room cleared out enough to maybe be less unpleasant for a Hailey to navigate?

Yeah, the seating area has progressed from late-dinner rush to post-dinner lull and it is totally possible to chart a course from their table to the stairs that intersects zero people.

This will notably improve the Hailey's mood for a moment. She grins a bit as she heads stairward.

Torok perks up in response.