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 Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 10:16 am
Work should have never run so late! From dawn, until dusk he had been fiddling away at this program assigned to him, fighting the ever looming threat of missed deadlines. Normally, Nischal would be far better than this. He once prided himself in his punctuality and prompt responses but somehow along the way, he found himself lagging.
At home, at work, everything seemed so draining.. But there was one blessed thing that helped stave off the dragging claws of exhaustion. A delicious, dark liquid only made better by the sweet, sweet mixture of various syrups and sugars.
Of course, that was coffee. Even just its aroma wafting through his home would be more than enough to perk him up, at least a tiny bit before the desire to consume it hit harder than one could imagine. Only this night, he was severely lacking in that sweet nectar of the gods.
Keurig pods? Out. Grounds? Out. Cheap instant stuff from when he went to the markets and had a feeling of 'oooh, what's this'? All of it gone.
Part of Nischal wondered if he had started to develop a bad habit, downing ounce after ounce of coffee, but it was something he simply pushed aside, the same way he pushed away from his desk and stretched a good long moment before standing up. Even if it was late, surely some place had to be open... Right? Scrolling through his phone long enough gave him his answer, a small, local place seemed to still be open this late. And it was in a somewhat familiar place, not too far. It was fate, he smiled to himself.
Fate that he would get that coffee tonight!
And yet, by the time he finally pulled himself together, got dressed, and made his way to the place, the guilt was starting to settle in.
Five minutes from closing? What sort of horrid person went in that late for coffee? A cruel, awful jerk like himself. But the sudden wave of tiredness proved enough for himself to swallow up that guilt and go through the door, hearing its little bell ring.
"Excuse me..." There wasn't anyone in there except the one man at the counter. By the moment, this was looking worse and worse. Whatever tip jar this man had, it was bound to be full before this night was over. "You... Um... You haven't closed everything down yet, have you? I'm sorry for coming in so late..."
EchosSweet We'll edit the tag of the RP if it changes!
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 8:05 am
Basyl always kept late nights. Sometimes at the hospital, where even though he wasn't a fully realized doctor, he was expected to behave like one. Doctors didn't have 'summer vacation' or weekends, where people magically stopped becoming ill or getting hurt. Neither did Basyl. At this point in his studies, he was preparing for what his life would be like after graduation. He was still seeing patients, still providing care, still on call when he needed to be. Sometimes he showed up at six in the morning and didn't make it out until ten at night.
Nevermind that he had to study for his internal medicine exam at the end of June and research care proposals to present to his attendings for patients that he was currently seeing. The board exam was in a year, and-
He was still so ******** broke.
No matter how his mother assured him that she would never ever allow him to go without, she was only very solidly middle class, certainly in no position to pay for medical school. Basyl had loans to cover most of the cost of living, but they were loans, and lifelong debt wasn't something he was super comfortable with. Everything he'd read had said he was likely to be in debt not just during his residency after graduation, but into attending as well. That was years from now. Years.
For all the work involved in them, rotations didn't pay. He needed some kind of renewable income that didn't involve plunging further into debt. Most everyone he might have asked had admitted that this sounded insanely foolish. He shouldn't be working, he should be studying. There just weren't enough hours in the day to do both, and this program was too difficult to try and devote hours into anything else.
...But he couldn't not. He wanted the security of income. It comforted him. He found a job at a local coffee shop that was very lenient with his schedule and hours. As long as he gave two days notice of his availability, he could otherwise do what he wanted.
So he typically worked evenings. If he was going to be awake anyway, he may as well be getting paid for it. And it was usually quieter in the shop the later it got. Not everyone wanted a caffeine high at midnight, though Basyl certainly wasn't opposed. As long as he was sure to clean up shop during the downtime, he could do whatever he wanted after all his tasks wee taken care of.
He'd propped his laptop and an open book on the back counter, fingers curled around a caramel macchiato with a double shot of espresso, long lavender hair pulled up into a loose bun, a dark apron tied around his waist as he poured over the day's lessons.
At the tinkling sound of the bell over the door being rattled, Basyl cast a tired glance over his shoulder, observing the man through sunken eyes darkened by sleepless bags. He shot him a jittery grin fueled by caffeine and little else. "We're still open, aren't we? I can't shut everything down until one. Did you know what you wanted?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 9:54 am
"Err... Yes... Yes, I suppose you are, aren't you?" The sign clearly said they were open but there had been times where certain places would close down bits of their shop before they officially closed. Helped with the final shut down, as it were. Then again, those were more like big burger joints, rather than small, cozy cafes.
"Well then, I would like a... Macchiato with an extra shot of espresso with... Caramel. That sounds very good, yes. Thank you." Not his standard order, but the idea of the sweetness of it all sounded simply wonderful. He could use all the energy he could get.
With the order in, he took a quiet moment to get a better look at the man behind the counter... Poor thing looked like he would be better suited on this side of the counter, getting his own coffee rather than serving it up. And that brought up another thought. Was no one else here? A quick glance around did tell him that he was the only one in the shop right now... No customers, no coworkers.
Somehow, that made Nischal more anxious than it should.
"They don't have you working this shift all alone, do they? It's one of the safer parts of the city but... It seems unwise."
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 11:08 am
He nodded along at the other man's order. "Sure thing. That'll be $4.89." After ringing him up and processing the payment, Basyl moved to collect a cup and set the coffee machines to working. "You know, that's what I'm having too," he said after a moment, letting his fingers nudge against his own cup still sitting on the back counter. "I can barely get through an afternoon without something to help me along."
It was fortunate that he wasn't the only one in his field who needed a little liquid energy. There was always a pot at the ready at the hospital, at home, and of course, at work.
The coffee spewed from the machine in a thin, smoking stream, and once it was done, he poured in a little milk, a shot of espresso, a little whipped cream, and an artful drizzle of caramel. The steam snaked up enticingly. No matter how many times he smelled it, it was always so good. Basyl couldn't help but take a deep inhale as he covered it with a lid and moved back to the front counter.
"Hm?" Basyl blinked as he passed the man his order, unsure how he should take the offhand commentary about the store's staffing. It was probably harmless, and this was a safer part of town. But Destiny City had so many accidents, and he didn't want to fall prey to someone fishing around for information on which family-run businesses would be the easiest to target. It seemed safer to just say what sounded best. "Er, well, n-not usually," he replied, now fidgeting slightly with the end of his apron. "I don't work very often at all, so there's usually someone scheduled alongside me. This is just how it ended up tonight."
He shrugged. "It's... not something I mind." He tucked a loose strand of hair that had escaped his bun back behind his ear. He beckoned to his books and laptop behind him. "The less that's going on, the more time I have to study, so I can't complain."
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 4:24 pm
”I know that feeling all too well. Especially these days... Deadlines will be the death of me one day.” There was a tired smile he shared with that, one likely known all too well by someone who worked in a coffee shop.
As he moved to sit down at a counter nearby, he listened to the other man and nodding along with his answers. It was fascinating watching the process of the steam rise from the machines he moved to, one by one, and the smell of fresh coffee filled the already coffee-laced air. A comforting smell, by all means.
“I apologize, that was rather sudden to ask, wasn’t it? I’m upset on your behalf though, working here so late. I have half a mind to call the manager and give a lecture on employee safety.” Nischal quickly put his hands up, waving them in front of him with a sheepish smile. “I kid though, I kid! I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble. Though I am still uneasy seeing you here alone.”
A thought crossed his mind, perhaps a little forward but it was a solution that he could live with. “I’m working on my own project, and I have my iPad in my bag... would you mind if I decided to take a seat out here in the lobby then? I won’t bother you, and... I would feel less worried for you being here alone. Though... I’m sorry, that is forward too, isn’t it?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 7:59 pm
"Uhhhmm..." Basyl's finicky gaze darted between the open lobby and the man standing before him. He definitely couldn't tell anyone they weren't allowed to enjoy their purchase in the shop while it was still open, and he didn't even see a need to. It was just weird and unexpected to be asked, especially when he didn't share the man's worries. He gave a nervous laugh. "I don't think there's any reason to be upset over it," Basyl replied. "I need whatever hours I can get, and I'm not afraid of the night. I'm usually up anyway, y'know. It's probably not much safer to be alone in my apartment compared to being alone here." His lips quirked up. "Besides, if something were to break in and cause a scene, I'd prefer it was just me. I wouldn't want any of the others getting hurt or scared."
Narcissus would fare better against any trouble than the girls who worked here. Allegedly. He supposed he couldn't be for sure that any of them weren't wrapped up in all, uh... this, like he was.
Not that Basyl really thought he could do much of anything against something supernatural, but he hoped he could hold his own against any standard mugger. There hadn't been any issues during the night in the shop, yet, at least. "But you can stay, if you'd like. I don't think we'll see much more business tonight, and I'm going to start shutting down in half an hour or so, anyway."
He tried a hesitant smile, dulled by tired, sunken eyes and an edge of sallow greyness creeping along the edge of his cheekbones. "Thank you for your concern."
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:16 pm
It had been an issue. It was clear as day on the man's face. A sense of regret, seemed to crawl up the back of Nischal's neck, but he had been lectured far too many times to about regretting his actions. No, he said something so he must stick to it.
"I suppose that is true... Still, I can work a little outside of my own home. It's probably nice to have a change of scenery anyway." ... Even if it was awkward. He just had to remember to reassure himself that this was out of concern. Not just the magical side of things but.. People couldn't be trusted. He could get robbed! Or assaulted! There were too many things that one shouldn't face alone... Rather an awkward stranger, than facing danger with no help!
"I'll stay out of your hair, promise. Once you're able to close up and lock the doors, I'll feel better, and leave." With that, he took a seat away from the man while the drink was still being made, facing out towards the darkness through a window rather than keeping his eyes on the man. That was more polite, and less awkward than staring him down.
He hoped.
Out in the darkness, he swore he saw something move... But... It couldn't be anything, he was sure. It was still too busy in this area for something to be lurking out there.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 12:45 pm
Basyl shrugged. He didn't mind if anyone wanted to sit and drink their coffee and work on anything they needed to work on. It was just strange anyone thought to ask his permission for it, or thought he needed protection from potential dangers-
Well. Hold on.
He turned away from the counter, making to look busied by packing up his personal items in preparation for getting the shop ready to close. But really, it did give him a more private moment to consider the potential that the guy wasn't a would-be robber (as had been Basyl's first thought. Suspicious people did strange things without an explanation, and bringing up that he was concerned about a robbery just made it feel like something was coming), but that the man may just genuinely suspect danger.
Basyl was sure some civilians had witnessed any manner of terrifying activities in the city. Maybe some of them really did fear over leaving people alone or being left alone. How many had actually seen or been attacked by a monstrous youma? And how many others actually knew? How many others were a part of those dangerous activities?
He tried to very casually assess the man from the corner of his eye, but Basyl had pretty much no idea what physical features would make someone look like they not only knew but were involved in this senshi war. The man definitely didn't look unfit. Maybe he did spend night fighting monsters and agents- Or White Moon.
There was really no way to tell.
Feeling flustered, Basyl shoved his laptop and books into his bag in a rush, before floundering to give the counters one last wipe down, discarding any leftover treats that remained on display, and flicking off the machines. He circled around the counter to set any chairs atop the tables so the morning girl would be able to do a quick sweep of the floor. It would only be a few minutes before the official closing time, and a quick glance out the window didn't reveal anyone heading down the sidewalk toward them. It was pretty late... People rarely came in at this hour. Basyl slung his bag over his shoulder and flicked off the back lights, leaving only the ones in the front windows on.
"Okay, well... It's getting to be that time," he said as he scratched at his chin. "Were you able to get anything done that you wanted to do?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2020 1:58 pm
Despite the excuse to do extra work here while he sipped on his coffee, Nischal found it incredibly difficult to do anything except to watch the darkness outside of the window beside him. This sort of paranoid thought never bothered him in his high rise; the likelihood of anything spawning that high up seemed ridiculous, even to him. This feeling though, it was new and uncertain and with Basyl nearby, it seemed foolish to ignore that gut feeling of anxiousness.
And he was right.
Just as Basyl was finishing up, there was a crash behind the glass, something glowing and long slithered its way back behind the building.
In an instant, Nischal was on his feet, leaving his bag and laptop on the table and racing towards the door.
"Stay inside! There's something dangerous out there!" Ignoring his own advice he ran out, disappearing out of sight of the windows.
EchosSweet And now the fighting shall begin! Soon!
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:16 am
Basyl jumped at the sound of a crash, and his magenta eyes popped wide as they followed the trail of something slithering around the corner of the building before it slipped out of sight. His lips parted in a startled 'o,' and his twitchy gaze darted from Nischal back to the glass in the second before the other man stood and-
"Wait, wait," Basyl squawked as the other man bolted for the door. "Maybe we should bothstayinside!" The tone escalated in volume and frequency and speed as the sentence went on, as if blurting it out more quickly would make the older man hesitate just a moment longer so they could pause to think about what they were doing- But it didn't matter. He was all but gone before Basyl could finish speaking, and for a long moment, Basyl was frozen to the spot.
Even if he knew some of the dangers that Destiny City faced, it didn't mean he knew how to handle them. He was still just a basic senshi with almost no experience under his belt! And a man in his shop had just run outside looking for trouble!
What was he supposed to do?
A high-pitched warbling sound spilled out of his throat, and Basyl smacked his palms over his eyes, peeling his hands down his face and dragging at the sunken bags under his eyes. He didn't know what to do, or what he could do.
But he had to do something.
He slipped out the door, being careful to duck outside the view of any of the shops cameras or those on the street before he powered up and slunk silently around the back of the building. "Excuse me? Sir?" He hissed softly, eyes darting wildly around in the dark. "Did you come back here?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 9:13 pm
Unfortunately, Nischal did not, in fact, hesitate in the slightest as he bolted into the alleyway.
He had never truly been one for caution either. His pen was already in his hand, ready to power up, but holding out just long enough to spot whatever it was that decided to come up and appear out of nowhere. And once he did, in an instant, he was no longer that meek man who poked his computer in the cafe. Black wings popped out from his waist, and a somewhat dwarvish looking garb darned his body, where once was a simple pair of jeans and t-shirt.
And in that moment he powered up, he felt another like him nearby, and whipped his head around, trying to see who it could be. No one else he was aware of came about this way these days...
"Hello? Who's out--" A strong, spiked end of whatever that creature was came slamming towards him, catching him on the arm. "AH!"
So much for having the element of surprise!
"Whoever you are, if you're ready to fight, be careful! This thing, it's sharper than it looks!" ... This certainly wasn't the time for dad jokes, but it came out regardless, and Avior simply smiled at his own dumb self.
EchosSweet I'm so sorry for the wait!
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