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 Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 5:28 pm
It was a slow evening, which was a startling change of pace for a Monday evening in the summertime. The mall was usually flocked with teenagers there to loiter or catch a flick - most all tended to stop by The Sugar Cube for a snack or coffee, if they hadn't already sold their souls to the large corporate java shops dotting the other sections of the mall. The only thing that set the Cube apart from the others was their selection of sweets - a big hit among everyone (save for the poor diabetics, alas!) and what kept the small cafe in business. Daniel couldn't remember the last time he'd literally had nothing to do at work. He'd already polished the tables ( twice), rearranged the display case, cleaned all of the machines and had cleaned the windows leading out into the parking lot entrance of the shop. Glancing at the clock on his phone, he gave the device a strained smile. There was still an hour or two left in the evening and he was quickly regretting sending his other staff members home for the night. Prissy had been whining about how boring it was and the others were loitering, playing on their phones while their cleaning was half-hearted at best. They'd been grateful and dashed out the door the moment he uttered the simple word of yes, leaving Daniel alone in the store with only himself and his reflection in the espresso machine to keep him company. Hm. Idle time was a foreign concept to him. In the past, he always used the time to try to catch up on responding to his girlfriend's plethora of texts, but with Amber now out of the picture... there was no one to bother texting. Flipping his phone open, he glanced at the empty inbox and then at the fairly empty contact list. With work being his primary focus, especially after the attack, most of his social life had disappeared in lieu of more time at The Sugar Cube. Maybe he'd take a day off soon and go to a movie or something.... Or something.....whatever somethings tended to be, these days. Shaking his head, he laughed softly at himself. He was twenty-five years old, not some old coot! Surely he could figure out how to have a decent time out on the town, right? Pocketing his phone, he plucked up the broom from the back room and returned to start sweeping the floor. It didn't matter that it would be the third time he'd swept for the night... busy work helped him keep his mind clear and content. Mostly because there wasn't anything else that did.
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Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 8:06 am
There were very few days that Tristan went about the world on his own or without his camera.
Most of the time, he spent holed up in the room Fiona so graciously offered to him when she had come to his aid when he had purified. Sometimes, when he was feeling confident, he would text Charlie and ask her if she was free to spend time with him. Those were some of his favorite days, because the woman was a brightness in his life he didn't think he deserved.
Breathing was always easier with her and he could stave off the crippling darkness that tried to wrap it's hands around his throat in her company.
His nightmares and paranoia had increased since that day in March, when he had caught a glimpse of the only man he thought, currently, capable of paralyzing him with fear. Luckily, the grim reaper looking general had been too preoccupied to see him and he was momentarily spared.
But, the ramifications of his return were surely to come back and -
No. Tristan refused to let the what if deter him from his task at hand. He was out, having left the developing lab two hours prior, looking for something he could purchase for the two women who made readjusting to life and figuring things out a little easier. Outside of photography, Tristan felt like he had very little skills that would provide worthy gifts and that's what led him into the relatively empty cafe called The Sugar Cube.
His movements were uncertain and cautious and he paused just as the door shut behind him as he looked at the case, then the menu.
Second guessing himself, Tristan wondered if it was better to leave and return home empty handed and just ask Fiona or Charlie if they wanted to go out with him instead. It would save him the trouble of having to pick and choose something they might not like.
But then again, both were so kind hearted he knew they'd love and appreciate whatever he got them.
So, while he debated what he was going to do, he stood there, awkwardly, looking impossibly uncomfortable.
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Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 10:19 am
He heard the chime of the door go off, his back turned from the parking lot's entrance as he continued to sweep away at nothing in particular. Green eyes searched for any particle that he could have missed... even if his second sweep-through had done just that, as well. Leaning against the broom, he turned to greet the newcomer with a cheerful, "Good evening - welcome to The Sugar Cube!" The young man who stood by the door didn't look like he had his mind set on anything in particular. Usually when gentleman arrived at his store, it was either to escort female companions in and cater to their sweet tooths or else make a purchase for the same reasoning. Every now and then, he had a few regulars that dropped by for particular favorites, but Daniel had to admit, he'd never seen a more panicked look on a young man's face after entering his quaint little shop. Smile never wavering, his eyebrows creased downwards as his head tilted. "Hey... are you alright?" With his hand still gripped to the broom, he took a few steps in the potential customer's direction. His volume softened, as did his forwardness as he attempted to make a lighthearted joke. "I promise you don't lose any masculinity points just because you're standing around a bunch of lace and frills."
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Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 12:00 pm
Tris's own green eyes widened as he was addressed, the other man popping up with some broom and for one terrifying moment of panic, he thought he was going to be shooed out of the store. Had he come at a bad time? Was the shop closing?
Oh, he thought he had a few hours but maybe they'd decided they wanted to close early -
"Are you alright?"
He seemed to relax at the question because it implied that he was not, in fact, being that a*****e customer that showed up minutes before close. "Oh," he mumbled, ears going red as he offered a hesitant smile.
"Yes, I'm fine." He answered. The laugh that followed was more polite than anything else and Tristan inched away from the door and towards the case. "I'm not worried about my masculinity," he replied, fidgeting hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans. "Just second guessing my choice to come alone, but, ah, company is hard to find some days."
He found himself glancing from the case to the blonde. "I have these...important friends, who I wanted to surprise with a treat but I'm afraid I'm in over my head."
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Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:08 pm
How curious! He noted the reddening ears but said nothing, smiling cheerfully as the other man laughed and made his way to the brightly lit case covered with doilies, decorations and mostly importantly: sweets. "I can understand you there, I'm afraid." All too well, in fact, he thought to himself, a momentary second of gloom coming over him as the similar pang of loneliness hit him. Giving time to pause, he shook his head at himself. No. No one wants to hear anything depressing, so what good were letting depressing thoughts fester? Sliding into the counter area of the shop, he propped the broom against the side wall and made his way towards the pristine, silver sink. "But alone time gives a person more time to themselves, after all. I've had some of my best thoughts while thinking to myself." He made quick work of washing and drying his hands, then turning towards the tall brunette who exchanging glances with both himself and the array of cookies and sweets that stared back at him from behind the glass. Moving to lean against his side of the display, he tilted his head and lifted his chin. "Delighting important friends happens to be a specialty of ours, if you didn't know. And, you're in luck - I happen to be a master of figuring out people's favorite treats." Tapping his name badge as if there were an invisible acknowledgement for Master Treat Determiner, he nodded his head sagely. "Now. Do you happen to know any of their preferred flavors?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:23 am
The blonde was incredibly cheery and Tristan wondered if it was the forced positivity that Charlie sometimes put forth, or if it was sincere and natural. It was difficult to tell, because the brunette knew that people in industries such at The Sugar Cube were paid to be pleasant and happy to their customers, but the man behind the counter seemed genuine enough and it helped him relax a little.
Sure, he didn't go out that often on his own where he actively interacted with someone, but he was there. He could do this. (Probably.)
"Such is the way of days," he sighed, offering a half shrug as he tried not to think about how small his world had become since the beginning of the year. He had more enemies than friends and that, alone, was troubling. Tristan could only hope that one day, he would remedy that.
"Too much time alone leaves a person restless and listless. There is such a thing as too much time to one's self." He knew that all too well.
Attention was drawn to the name tag, Danny written in legible script and when Tristan's gaze met the man's similarly colored one, he decided that Danny seemed like a perfect name for the other man.
"Ah," the question had his ears reddening again and he waffled between admitted that he knew very little about his friend's taste pallet and making something up. "'Fraid I'm going into this rather blind."
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:39 am
"Then I suppose it's a good thing, coming across strangers in a cafe - hm?" Giving the brunette a friendly wink, the display door was slowly slid open from his side of the counter and the blonde bent down to retrieve a plate from the nearby shelf by his hip. As easy as it would be to simply pick a sweet based on their appearance, pastries were like people - their outward appearance didn't always depict an accurate description of what lay within. Something cute and innocent might hold a world of spice beneath the flaky surface or something that looked decorative with pizzazz might end up being nothing more than a plain vanilla wafer. He didn't seem deterred by the other man's statement, either. "That's alright - tell me about them, if you feel comfortable enough to do so?" Plucking up the tongs with his free hand, he pursed his lips and began to take stock of the options in the case. "And yourself, while you're at it. It'd be fun, trying to guess what sort of things you're into." Green eyes froze for a moment, gaze hovering over nothing in particular as he realized his wording may have been a bit too forward. "I-I mean, sweets wise. It's a game I like to play - guess what people like." While his cheeks began to tinge the faintest shade of pink, he began to busy himself by pretending to rearrange some of the stacks of pastries as he await the answer.
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:09 am
The way Danny was speaking, when coupled with the sudden and out of the blue wink, was starling. Confusing, even, with Tristan having no idea how to take or respond to it.
"Depends on the stranger," he said, cautiously. He wasn't a man who enjoyed thinking the worst of people, but with everything still painfully fresh and his memories a scattered mess of what puzzle piece goes where he found himself unable to help it. Stepping closer to the counter and the case, Tristan peered around the glass to watch the blonde was he worked.
He couldn't help but wonder what it was like to work in a place that put one directly in the path of others.
Once, he would have loved that, but his readjustment period was taking far longer than he expected. Then again, trauma always made things more difficult.
"Fiona is very kind hearted, gives far more than she gets back with no expectations." When she had found him, she had taken him immediately, no questions asked out side of what do you need?. Even then, as he started to develop this new identity of himself, she had approached everything with a caution and gentleness he didn't know could exist. "She's got a mean bite sometimes, when it's warranted."
For all her kindness, she didn't hesitate to call people on their follies when needed.
"Charlie - " his voice caught in his throat, mangling the second half the woman's name.
Tristan didn't know how to begin to describe Charlie.
"Bright." It was the first word that came to him and he found himself swallowing hard after it left his mouth. "Not bright as in clever or smart but bright as in...something about her shines nearly as bright as the sun. She's like the first sunrise after what feels like an endless storm. Warm, because no matter what's going on she's projecting this bubbly front because life's not as good if you're only focusing on the bad and none of the good." Fingers reached out to steady himself against the counter.
He had never really thought about the kind of person the women were until now. Both of them made him breathe a little easier and gave him hope.
"Inspiring, both of them draw out a hopefulness even when you're convinced that the world is a desolate wasteland." He knew, in that moment, without them, he would have already crumbled and become a victim of the things that haunted him.
"Ah, sorry. That's probably not what you're looking for." He looked embarrassed, fidgeting where he stood. "And I'm afraid there's not much to know about me. I'm still figuring out a lot of it myself."
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:44 am
The tongs hesitated as he listened, Daniel caught completely off guard by the response he'd been given. Eyes moved from the trays in front of him to the brunette standing on the other side of the case, his own expression reading nothing short of baffled. He'd expected simple responses. She likes cats. She gardens. She tends to tease.He hadn't been expecting... well, all of that. Suddenly, his guessing game technique had taken on an entirely new level of seriousness. He wanted to pick the right ones for this man, if only to help him on his quest to impress two individuals that seemed to have touched his heart in vastly profound ways. No wonder the poor guy looked so anxious coming into the store. "They sound like very lucky ladies," he mused softly, a renewed strength finding its way towards his grip as he guided the tongs towards his first thought as his own heart fought away the jealousy that began to take hold. A year ago, he might have said something similar of the woman in his life - the same woman who'd abandoned him when he'd needed her most. Perhaps love wasn't meant for all people. Perhaps he was just better off, spending his time picking out cookies for other people's loves. He laughed at himself under his breath. Ridiculous. He was being ridiculous again - shame on him. Pulling a brownie from the top of the pile, he held his hand beneath the tongs as he carried the precious delivery towards the plate on the counter top. "There's a hint of chili pepper in this one, for your friend with a bite." He gestured towards it, explaining his reasoning. "It's got a kick, but it works well with the chocolate surrounding it." For Charlie, he pulled out a dark looking cookie, setting it beside the brownie. "Dark chocolate and marshmallows, something sweet - but not too sweet - for the friend that seems to shine a light in the darkest of... what did you call it, an endless storm?" The plate was nudged forward on the counter before Danny pulled back and dropped his hands into his apron's pockets. "Try them, I insist. I want to make sure we get these right, for your special girls."
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 11:25 am
When Tris finally looked back at his companion, he could see the bewilderment in the man's face and his awkwardness grew. That probably wasn't near any of the kind of information the blonde had expected to receive but for the brunette, everything about the women and his attachment to them was wrapped up in how they impacted his life. Trivial things like, favorite colors or flowers, weren't something he thought to prioritize.
He knew that Fiona drank tea and Charlie liked hot chocolate, but that sort of information seemed mindless. Not nearly as important as what he had shared.
"I'm afraid I'm the lucky one," he admitted. His grin was sheepish, but more authentic than anything else he had offered to the other man the entirety of his time in the cafe. "They do far more for me than I'm capable of doing for them." He looked at the blonde with contemplation. "But I hope that one day, I can do even half of what they've done for me for them."
The day would come, he was sure as long as he kept trucking on day by day. Life had a bright side and he needed to keep clawing his way out of his life's dark side. Slowly but surely, he'd be free one day.
"Without friends like them, I don't know if I would be half the man I am today." He would probably still be a shell of a person struggling to figure even the basic parts of his life out.
Eying the brownie, then companion cookie, Tris looked at Danny with a raised brow. Hesitantly reaching for the brownie first, he took a bite as insisted. The sweetness of the brownie surprised him, coupled by the sudden flare of spice. Yeah, that tasted like a treat worthy of his fiery redhead. The cookie took more consideration, but he bit into it carefully, chewing slowly like he needed to savor the taste.
This one was for Charlie and though he would be ashamed to admit it aloud, it was more important to him to get her treat just right.
"Can I get a small box of each? Uh, six?" Six sounded like a nice even number without being too much. "You have good taste," his gaze flicked to the name tag, "Danny."
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 11:52 am
His shoulders straightened up and his chin lifted ever so slightly as he silently prided himself on his pastry decisions. Granted, the seemingly lost soul in front of him probably would have taken anything he offered, but Danny wanted to do his best because happy customers made for a happy store owner. Or something like that. "I'd say that you're well on your way to doing just that, friend." He tried to sound reassuring as he knelt down to retrieve two of their thin, white cardboard boxes, bringing them up as he meticulously began folding them into place. Paper was set down in the bottom of them before each one was brought to the display case, where he carefully arranged the half dozen treats in them, the brownies and cookies nestled in their own individual, perfect positions. "If they're anywhere as close as to how you described them, I'm sure they'll be delighted." Sliding the packages towards the register, he took his time punching in the codes for the purchases. "I'd like to think that I do," His answer was genuine, thoughts of Amber darting across his mind as he bit the inside of his cheek to shove the ghost away. The register dinged and bright green numbers popped up, displaying the total owed. "Sometimes I fear I'm a bit too presumptuous, though. But we all have our faults, right?" Pausing, he glanced up at the customer and narrowed his eyes for a brief moment. He was clearly thinking about something, but the mystery revealed itself as he fetched one of the small paper bags from beneath the counter, moving to swiftly drop one, then two cookies into its fold from the display case before sealing the bag up with one of their logo'd stickers. The bag was gently set atop the two boxes and Danny gave the stranger a grin. "We'll have to see how good of a taste I have with my blind guessing as to what you like. Maybe you can drop by and tell me how the ladies liked them and at the same time if my guessing was anywhere near close, with yours?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:10 pm
Smiling around Danny grew easier and easier the more time he spent across from the other man. There was a softness to the blonde that helped him feel like breathing didn't need to be so hard all the time.
"I hope so." He was fishing for his wallet while the treats were boxed up. It was almost mesmerizing, watching the careful and meticulous way Danny folded the boxes and put them together. "To err is human," he recited, thinking of one of the old books from Fiona's expansive library. "If we don't stumble, we'll never learn who's willing to help us up or if we can get back on our feet on our own."
Life was an ever changing landscape with new obstacles sprouting from the ground or rising tides. Learning to adapt wasn't easy but boy was Tristan trying. "You still want to guess something for me? I really don't need anything, but the thought is generous."
Why was he lucky enough to meet such pleasant people? He didn't deserve any of this, the weight of his sins and the red in his ledger a heavy weight on his heart.
"My name is Tristan." He figured properly introducing himself was a start. "I - " he had to pause to remember the background he and Fiona and worked tirelessly on to establish. "I moved here from France at the beginning of the year. The only solid fact about me is that I prefer tea to coffee." Everything else was a lifelong taste test of things to find out what he did or didn't like.
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:40 pm
Taking the cash from the outstretched hand, he politely laughed at the surprised tone that came from the other man's words. "Of course I do - I told you, I'm a master of figuring out people's favorite treats." The register opened and he slid the dollars into their appropriate slot, fingers deftly pulling out coin after coin in return, scooping them into his open palm. "How can I get better at my talent if I don't get some decent practice in?" His hand returned to Tristan's - Tristan, it sounded like a name straight out of a fantasy novel - skin gently brushing against skin as he transferred the change from his hand to the other's, followed by the receipt. At the mention of his likes, the smile on his face perked up even brighter. "Try the pistachio one, then, if you like tea. I figured you might enjoy the green, y'know...." He shrugged nonchalantly, gesturing to the bag on top of the boxes, which apparently held at least one green-themed cookie within, "...it goes with your eyes and all."
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:21 pm
Tristan couldn't help but appreciate the kind confidence that Danny was extruding. It was hard not to appreciate someone who took their job seriously but also seemed to enjoy it the way his companion appeared to.
"You're certainly dedicated to the task." He tried to be a bit coy with the statement but found that he couldn't keep the amused grin from his face. Enthusiasm like the man's was contagious and it was refreshing. So far, only Charlie had made things so freeing for Tristan. Cerrise made for excellent company but it wasn't as easy as it was with some others.
Then again, there were few things that didn't seem easy to the brunette when he was with Charlie.
Fingers grazed his palm when he accepted the change and he nearly dropped the coins on the counter top as he was startled by the simple brush. He needed to learn how to not be so jumpy as a few coins rolled out of his hand. "Shoot - sorry!" He hastily tried to capture the runaway change only to knock the bag and nearly sent it toppling over.
Long limbs hurried to try and wrap back around the back and keep it from falling over and he sighed, feeling his cheeks go red at the display he managed.
"Oi," he groaned, carefully peeling himself back and re-stacking the boxes in their bag. "Maybe I shouldn't have left the house," he laughed, dropping a few dollar bills and the coins into the tip jar. The rest went back into his wallet with Tris deciding he would arrange the bills later.
"Is that how you make most of your guess?" He wrinkled his nose at the idea. "Our eyes are pretty similar, surprised you didn't offer me something pink - " He trailed off, looking a little troubled.
Pink goes good with green, right?
The flickering thought distracted him and he had to shake his head. "Do you always...sneak extra cookies into customer's bags?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 3:09 pm
Eyes widened at the suddenly flailing, Danny startled and immediately leaning forward to try to help with the roll-away coinage. The bag went flying, the boxes were jostled and poor Tristan looked far worse for wear by the time he'd turned back around, cheeks having flushed the color of raspberry jam. Daniel, you've got to get out of the cafe more, he chided himself quietly, smiling at the silliness of his comparison. Leave it to the barista to equate everything to cookies, these days. He couldn't help but feel the sadness returning as the customer picked up his bag from the counter. No one else had entered the cafe during their conversation, so it appeared that he'd be stuck, once again alone for the evening. Maybe he'd find a book to read - surely he'd still had one stowed away in the back room, right? Thoughts returned to the conversation as the brunette took a stab at his guessing methods. His head tilted and his hands found his hips, fingers dipping in slightly towards the apron's pockets again. "I have a few different ways to guess, really. And you don't seem to be the kind of guy to stick with pink, although I admit we have plenty of that shade to go around." The Sugar Cube indeed found itself covered in a healthy amount of pink, although Daniel's heart was ironically always in the richer, more dark tones. Curious of why he'd bring up the color, Danny didn't press. He also wouldn't reveal the fact that he'd tucked away a Blondie, right next to the pistachio cookie. Let clever Tristan try to figure out that reasoning when he got home, ha. He shrugged his shoulders and stepped away, moving to close the back of the display case as he answered honestly,"Sometimes. Most of the time, it's only the ones I'm trying to impress."
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