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 Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:38 pm
You can read, but don't post unless you've been asked to do so. Thanks!
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:46 pm
 Another business day had clattered to a start at a curious coffeehouse. Better than usual, it seemed, with how uncompromised the owner's focus on working looked to be. The obscured reality of the matter was difficult to swallow. It was an irritating thought. Is that all it took? Amarante took her work quite seriously anyway but since being scolded about how she chose to address her stress she'd focused all of that energy into her work. It was for the better. It benefited her. But that any one person's words could hold that much power over her just felt dangerous.
A cart being hauled through the back doors was a welcome distraction. The manager alone could have handled the situation just fine, but curiosity overrode necessity. Both women approached the shipment, one signing and the other discerning. "This must be the city roast we requested." She was quick to swipe a bag, open it, and reach in with a gloved hand. "Looks like they did a great job on this batch." The size of the beans she was scrutinizing was considerably bigger than anything that could be grown through earthly means but still very much recognizable as coffee. "Good texture... good creases... good expansion. Very good." With a satisfied smile she returned the beans to the bag and resealed it. "To the back, as usual. Thank you." With that, she was quick to discard the glove and proceeded to take some notes. Going through the dull motions of everyday work did nothing to kill the anxiety building in the back of her mind, but having the pretense in place so no one could see it was good enough.
(( ...I'm hoping I did okay and it's not too confusing. orz ))
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 11:37 pm
Coffee! First thing on his mind, coming from a household that either cooked orange juice or motor oil. And today he was lucky, he had not been called in for intern work just yet, so he had the morning off. Or at least, until someone found him and dragged him back to work. Better get ready for that time, then. And what a better time to check out that coffeehouse card that Marie got? A jump through a portal later and he was back on the familiar streets, and easily enough he found the building. Nudging aside the door - ooh, pretty! - he ended up in front of the counter, thinking about his order already. ((Nah, it's fine. XD Just wondering, do I put in a picture of Mophead every post I make, or is it a one-time until I change or something?)) Hinazuki Lilina Quoteback, just in case. ouob
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:25 am
A quiet guest made for an inattentive host. The redheaded cyclops was still looking over her notes while the green-haired green-eyed manager helped with the counter. "Hello and welcome to Caffè Sospeso! How may I help you?" What was a better roast for iced coffee anyway? Dark roast was out, with choices of either fruity or caramel notes as recommended. She scribbled out her plan of attack and listlessly started to make her way along the back counter when her peripheral vision caught something. Was that... ? She wasn't particularly far away or hidden but found it difficult to offer anything other than an almost disbelieving stare. That is, until a sharp pain assaulted her face. "H-hey, that hurt!" The manager, unable to break her stare otherwise, had pinched her cheek. "Please don't stare Ms. Irazoki, it's bad for business!" And with that, she raised one hand in either surrender or greeting, depending on the perspective. "H-hello." Her bit of an apologetic smile might have made it a little less awkward, but not much.
(( Up to you. She just has a lot of different outfits. XD And between all the different things she's involved in it's simple enough for me to include an avatar to establish what she's supposed to be wearing. :3 Though I definitely won't for every post haha. ))
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:12 am
Not a very fast thinker outside of work, he dawdled on trying to pick a choice of coffee. He had not encountered so many different kinds to pick - mostly it was just limited to whatever instant powder he had available and the nearest tin of sugar. But of course, being the fellow with the eccentric choice in dishes...
".... One cup of ice coffee, please. And um..."
Not that he wanted to disrespect the owner, he uneasily left out the usual large helping of the sweet stuff with an aside glance. He hardly expected anything out of the ordinary with that, except - Oh, a familiar face! He nodded politely to Amarante, facial features still as frozen as ever. So this was where she worked, huh... Now he realised how the card may have fallen into that little girl's hands.
((Then seeing as his outfit is pretty much constant I don't think I'll need to elaborate. XD If needs be I'll swap him out of his outfits and make a mention, if not then there's only so many things in his closet that he could wear outside. 8'D))
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:18 am
Before any sort of embarassing outburst could occur on her part, her mind and eye caught the irregularity of the situation. What presently was a ridiculous coffeehouse owner used to be a keen army general, after all. Once his order was prepared and offered forth by the manager, the two women made an exchange of glances and gestures that was quickly understood and accepted. Nothing out of the ordinary for the owner to make a gratis request, after all. What came next was a little unusual, but nothing especially suspicious. She took and held out a sugar shaker to grab his attention as she made her way to leave the counter area, beckoning for him to follow her.
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 7:58 pm
Puzzled, his gaze followed her, as simple as a moth following a flame. Was she going to drop in the sugar after all? Maybe.... Ack! Godot must have told her about their spats over coffee or something. Bracing himself for the usual berating about how he was destroying his 'kidneys' and that he should know better, working in the medical department and all, he walked after her quickly.
"... U-Um..."
Still too nervous to say what he wants, even though he's perfectly fine with raiding the pantry and using all the sugar, much to the chagrin of his co-workers.
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:50 pm
She was quite pleased with herself. She was right, after all. She'd remembered the amount of sugar involved in preparing the contents of certain can and had decided that the way he took his coffee had to be the same. She said nothing as she led him away from the others, through an elevator and a hallway, and into her apartment. Only when she had locked the door behind them did she make a sound... a sigh of relief as she collapsed into the sofa face-first, placing the sugar shaker on the coffee table just before she did so. "That was close. Now they'll just think that I'm weird, and they think that anyway!" Wait, that wasn't good. A triumphant smile faded into a dissatisfied frown. "No matter. They know who signs their paychecks." A return to a devious smile, with a bit of a cackle. Wait, why was she talking to herself, face buried in a sofa, when there were far finer things to be doing and looking at. She scrambled into a more normal seated position, bearing the usual amount of enthusiasm she had when she saw him. "I'm so glad to see you. Are you well? Did you want something to eat? Anything else?" Too many questions. Oh, right, the sugar. "Is this enough? There's more in the kitchen, if it's not." Other than spiriting him away from the rabble nothing really seemed to be amiss, as her smile was as cordial as always.
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:07 pm
Somehow he'd managed to fall for the bait and walk unknowingly into her house. Oops... Never mind, his coworkers had no access to this part of the world anyway. And better here than getting the side glances of all the people in the coffeehouse judging the customer who ordered an obscene amount of sugar.
"As... As well as I'll ever be, I guess." He cringed at his own attempt of a joke, still standing awkwardly at the door. "I'm not really hungry, actually. Just wanting coffee."
But a friendly visit is a friendly visit, so he should warm up a bit. Like he knew how to.
"... H-How are you feeling, then?"
Noooo, he'd gone and mucked that up. Tone's all wrong, like he was still talking to a patient. Try again.
"I mean, um, how are you today, Ama?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:26 am
The situation was awkward but still a little amusing. "Heh... sorry." She scooted over on the sofa she was bogarting. "Please sit down?"
"Hnn~" Someone was feeling a little arrogant, for little to no reason. "Well, my coffee is the best after all. Even when overflowing with sugar!" She couldn't help but smile. She didn't mind, after all. "You should come here more often! As often as you like~" Though. "I'd say, I promise I won't steal you away every time..." She bowed her head a little with an apologetic expression. "But it's not like I actually have to work the counter anyway... I just do it to stay busy. And I like it. Sometimes." Making excuses, but honest ones. "Besides. You're special. Reason enough, I think." Her closed-eye smile indicated she was satisfied with her own answer for her selfish behavior. "You're always welcome to my company, as long as you'll have me."
"Ah, me?" The squeak of surprise in her voice was a little more ridiculous than usual due to the fact that there was no one else there he could be asking. And he said her name. That too. "I am... that is... well..." No use hiding it. "Overwhelmed." A sad smile punctuated her answer. "I wanted to talk to you, actually..." She was quick to put up her hands defensively, lest he think she was trying to remind him of something else. "It's-it's not that serious! It's... silly, really..." It was rare to see such a look of shame on the face of someone so brazen.
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:38 am
He quietly sat down beside her, as stiffly as anyone entering a new area would.
"On the free days, I suppose. Even then, 'free days' aren't exactly 'free' either. But I'll keep this shop in mind, not to worry."
But whenever someone said 'not that serious' he was inclined to think otherwise. Oh well, spent too much time in the clinic it seems. But still confused, as Ama certainly wasn't a patient. Pushing aside the internal lecture from a certain person now!
"Ask away, then." He is surprisingly curious. Something must be pretty trivial enough to get her flustered, he wondered what it was.
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:22 am
"Ah, I'm glad~" Usually that tone of affection present in her voice went along with hugging him reflexively before she realized it, but the heaviness of her mood otherwise was helping her keep her hands to herself. The fact that she was wringing said hands also factored into that quite well.
He was kind, to hear out her selfishness. "Mostly, no matter what..." Her smile was gentle. "I wanted you to know that I'd be gone for a few days this week." Not a big deal, but there might've been some guilt leftover from the last time she'd left without a word. "But, even more than that..." Was it really a good idea? Didn't matter at that point, as the inner torment started to become visible upon her face. "I can't stop thinking about it. I know that you're probably too busy..." Probably shouldn't ask. "And I know that you probably just can't, or even if you could, you..." Definitely shouldn't ask. Even so. It hurt to ask, it hurt to not ask. No choice. "I wanted to ask... if you'd come with me." She buried her face within her hands, unable to face him. Usually, her personality and voice compensated for her size. But with her voice hushed and her limbs held close in a protective fashion, she looked very small indeed. She finally removed her face from her hands, but still couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm really sorry to ask such a thing of you, but... it's..." 'Important' wouldn't be the wrong word to use, but it wouldn't be a fair one either. The truth of the matter was simple enough. "I'm paying my respects. At the mausoleum of my master. On the day of his death." Her smile was subdued and small. "He is important. You are important. Surely, even if you can't, you... you understand my reasoning for asking, I hope."
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:33 am
".... I can't guarantee it, but I can try."
Because that was the only answer he could ever give. He knew very well the consequences of trying to go anywhere even slightly further than his usual routes to work or home, but if she was going to be away for a few days it ticked off an alert that it might be very far. Perhaps not as close as a coffeehouse or the plaza he frequented.
"... But that's beside the point. Why bring me along all of a sudden, anyway? If it's particularly important to you, then um, don't mind me asking, but why bring me?"
Gee, need her to spell it out for you? But perhaps a workaround might be possible. A method he usually used in conjunction with his roommate to avoid a particular kind of 'home visit', but it was an emergency measure. It might just serve him well enough, however. Just needed a.... oh!
"I don't think I can be there in person, Ama. But if you so wish for me to come along, there might be another way. Do you still have the empty can?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 11:08 pm
Anything other than a flat 'no' was probably too encouraging to her. Still, she tried to play it cool and keep herself grounded about the matter. Which was probably a pointless effort because she was failing at hiding that bright look in her eye.
She was, as always, unbothered by his lack or refusal of understanding. "Heh. Well~" She turned away a little, with quite the thoughtful expression. Perhaps there was clarity to be found in a careful explanation. Or maybe it would simply complicate things further, but... she was already too deeply mired into the situation anyway. No escape. "I'm not proud of what I did, running away from you and my feelings." There was a bit of a laugh, of resignation. "It failed miserably, anyway. I won't waste away on the days I can't see you, but purposely keeping myself away was foolish. Madness. Just, misery. But~ It made me realize something, well, important." There was that word again. "I said that I like you. And that's true. But there's more to it than that, isn't there? I'm protective of you. I worry about you. I accept you. I want you. I trust you. I'm happy just to be around you, really..." So many words. She hadn't expected to feel dizzy, but it didn't cause her to feel any sort of alarm. She sighed. "It is inconvenient. A heavy burden on both of us, surely. But there is no point in hiding it from you. Because I do. I love you. And so..." Oddly, that wasn't the hard part. There was a sudden pain in her voice and expression. "It is unbearable. This vulnerability... it is only you that's allowed to see it. And only because of you that I tolerate it. Similarly... it is incredibly difficult to go to that place, no matter how many years pass, so I thought... well. As someone of importance to me, I really... I really wanted to include you in something that is important to me. Something incredibly private." She tilted her head a bit, indicating to the cafe staff downstairs. "They know that I always leave for a while around this time of the year, but they don't know where I go. No one does. No need." She shrugged off that responsibility with ease. "Besides. It is selfish, but..." The usual bright disposition she had towards him couldn't stay hidden away for too long. "I find your presence comforting. There is that, too." Probably far more of an answer than he had bargained for or wanted, but she seemed quite content to explain repeatedly and in great detail whenever questioned.
"You can't have it back!" Of course that'd be the first thing she'd say. The can wasn't the significant issue at hand and she'd do well to keep that in mind. "I have it. And I do. If you're willing to come with me. What's the relation?"
(( @_@ She had so much to say lolol orz ))
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:30 am
Oop.
Well, just like the previous time, he'd lost it the moment she spoke those words. The only saving grace was when he suddenly blinked - curse you, lights! - and the general air around him dropped a couple of degrees. A second too late and his entire head would have been encased in ice, and ticked her off. None of the entities in the room would have wanted that to happen, right?
So! Composing himself, and hoping that Ama wouldn't notice the sudden switch in eyes - still red! But perhaps a shade or two darker - he nodded, listening carefully to the rest of what she had to say.
"... I see. I had no idea I would be this important to somebody. But hi - my offer of an alternate way to bring me along still stands. And, it might just save a travel ticket's cost if done right or travel vehicles are involved in any way!"
With that and another blink, the original entity dropped back into place, still trembling a little, but far from sealing himself in ice.
".... B-But to do that, I'll kind of need to borrow the can. I think I can make something makeshift enough to serve that thing's purpose."
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