Hal is, as always, a creature of habit. Settling into new habits in Baedal has been a process, however, particularly since he's taken up a position as Martel's butler. He works as consistent a schedule as he can reasonably manage--go to work at particular time, down a particular path, work for a certain number of hours, and walk back to the Inn at the same time every day--which is not always as consistent as he would like. There are things that need doing, sometimes, and that's fine, he's fine, and anyway isn't it better to deal with a little stress and keep this job, versus the alternative?

And so he's running a little late today, which would have been fine had he not also run out of tea the preceding evening and needed to stop at the store as well. He hasn't the time now to go that far off his route (there is a particular store, a particular tea) and still make SMB2's seven o'clock broadcast. Not that he's particularly desperate to brush up on local politics, but his life is a kind of balancing act and that's a full hour to fill. Instead, he sees the sign for the donut shop around the corner and decides to stop in.

He gets just through the threshold before he realizes who it is at the counter.

Oh. Well.

It would be rude to turn right back around, although he would if he thought he needed to, but--fine, what's the harm in a brief transaction? She hadn't seemed so bad when last they spoke, and he does want that tea. His pace slows for a second, but he keeps on toward the counter.

"Hello again."