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 Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:50 pm
(Set a few weeks after this.) The spring to early summer tourist season was looking to be a pretty average one. Traffic and profits weren't far off of the average, and Jethro was content with that. While more business meant more profit, it also meant being just generally busier, and running a business in one of the many big tourist centers of Destiny City could be crazy enough on an average day. Today though, it was nearing the end of what had been a fairly easy day. The typical rush had ended, and now it was just a few curious folks poking in from time to time. Jethro had finished things in the kitchen and gotten it cleaned up well ahead of schedule, even allowed the other employees to go home early if they wanted! Despite the offer, one did stick around, so he took the task of straightening up the place - putting displays back in order, wiping down tables and the like. Snuggle, who had been happy to nap in her special little kennel area beneath the window of preserved, display-only cakes and treats, happily trotted along side her daddy, supervising his work like the expert on cleanliness she was. Teddybear's Picnic was a very unique establishment - soft pastels and teddybear motifs created a very soft and child-like atmosphere, while the displays of baked goods showed a number of expertly made confections resplendent with cute bear designs. Near the display window there were two round tables topped with delicate-looking glass domes which showed off many adorable sugar-sculptures, almost too cute and delicate to even contemplate eating. From sweet, to savory, and even themed drinks at the coffee bar, Jethro's theme-ing carried through strong as the man himself. He was proud of the establishment he had created, even if not a soul who stepped through that door would have likely ever though that it was his place to begin with! A big burly bear like him!? Surely he belonged to the wood carving shop next door! Or maybe even the hotsauce shop further down! No, Jethro had a thing for cute. Speaking of cute....
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:15 pm
Why had it taken so long for December to work up the courage to make it to a cafe, he'd never know. Having met Jethro at the little vet clinic he worked at, nothing seemed intimidating about the kind man at all, Except maybe his height, but more than that, he had been impressed. There was more too him than those simply kind eyes and gentle actions with his precious little pup, he could tell. But December had become jaded, weary of anything that could be seen as kindness these days... It could be warped, twisted, made out to be true only to be found out that it was truly just chains holding you down in place, manipulating you to the point that you didn't know who you were anymore, you're entire life focused instead on making someone else happy. In a way, it was for that same reasoning he loved animals... Yes, it was sorta the same thought, your life focused on loving and caring for them, but they were simple creatures that wanted to love you back. ... He was over thinking things, and he knew it. It took the gentle coaxing of his coworkers who had seen the way he starred after the retreating man's massive back to finally get him to go after work one day. Weeks later. Another sort of anxiety hit him, one that left him anxiously biting his thumb s he walked just the little ways away from the train station to the bakery. Would he even be remembered? Would he be just another customer? That wouldn't be so bad thought, he thought to himself, after all, if that was the case then he could slip in and slip out without being noticed at all. Then he would have gotten what he wanted, whatever that was, and not have to worry about anything at all. Yes, that would be the perfect scenario. December didn't need to be noticed, he didn't need that extra attention when he was doing just fine on his own. As determined as he was to simply keep a strong face and go in and out, he simply paused and stared hard the moment he walked into the place. Cute. Everywhere he looked. Cute. Adorable, soft and warm and inviting, and sweet and he felt his heart thud hard against his chest. Words couldn't describe just how much he truly found himself adoring it and he couldn't bring himself to walk around too much further, enamored by everything and gazing inch by inch with an owlish expression.
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 8:40 pm
When Jethro looked up from what he was doing to greet the customer that the door's bell announced the arrival of, he lit up. He stood up straight from the table he was stooped over, and placed the drying rag in the pocket of the apron, adorned with the teddy bear head logo of the bakery, he wore. He maintained the giant smile on his face as he watched the wonder that seemed to encapsulate the much smaller man. It made his heart thump - sure, a lot of people had the same look of wonder when they entered the shop for the first time, but this was different. Not that he could say exactly why though... "Hey! You made it!"Jethro greeted....he never did get the guy's name..... "I'm glad you came by! Hey, feel free to look around. Lemme know if you want anything - I'll take care of it!" Was he too enthusiastic? Oh, maybe he was. But he was glad December had stopped by and not simply forgotten the place, or their chance first encounter. He was sure it was easy to do when you saw so many people and their pets every day... Speaking of, Snuggle trotted up to December and wagged her tail, staring up with those cute button eyes. A dainty little paw gently tapped December's shoe.
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:41 pm
December visibly jumped at the sudden pull from his thoughts. He was absolutely smitten with the place but the voice, for some reason, was entirely unexpected. It seemed like the man truly did remember him. Him of all people! It was not as if he was incredibly memorable or stood out at all. And even Snuggle knew him. His stomach seemed to do a quick flip as he tried to stammer out a proper thought. "Y-yes! Hello Mr. Kodiak! I uh.. I'm so sorry I haven't had the chance to come by sooner! With work and all of that it got busy I just.. I uh.. Needed to find the time to come by!" He quickly blabbered out, trying to hide his flushed cheeks by squatting down to gently pat Snuggle on her fluffy head. "I um... Would you...? Do you have maybe any recommendations? I don't often go new places so... Who would know better about the best thing in here than the owner themselves?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 3:50 pm
"Oh, Call me Bear! Everyone does! It's all good - life happens!" He replied jovially. Snuggle's tail wagged as she received the pats, which she sat and accepted happily. "One 'Teddymisu' coming up!" Bear said, giving one of the tables a hearty pat and heading behind the counter, but still in view. He plated the piece of the teddy-head shaped tiramisu along with some fruit on the side to compliment the flavor - some strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries - and then headed to the cafe side to prepare a beverage. A simple light roast coffee boasting of a tea-like body to bring out the espresso flavors of the dessert. The delicate body and flavor would contrast the richness of the cream and cocoa of the tiramisu. He soon made his way over to one of the tables with the plated desert and berries in one hand, and small cup of coffee in the other. It was kind of a bold choice, but it was both light and a real pick-me-up. And he could only guess how much December needed it with such a busy job at the vet clinic. He just hoped the guy liked coffee. No sugar should be needed, since the dessert itself would have plenty. "Here you go!"
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 9:06 am
"Bear it is then." December nodded to himself, and to the man, and then to Snuggle. The names were all too fitting for both the pup and the Baker. He himself seemed to be an appropriate somewhere in the middle of sizes between them both. "Teddymisu?" He could kinda guess what it meant, but peeking at it while it was prepared made it seem so much fresher than the store-bought, mass made ones he would occasionally try. They were always far too strong for him, leaving him with caffeine headaches, but he wondered if maybe be different, if only because of how flustered he still seemed to be when the man drew closer. He would never admit of having a type, or finding anyone attractive at all, but there was something about Bear that made him want to linger a little longer. "I'm happy to try anything once," He stood up from his petting and made to take a seat where Bear was. There was no doubt at all that this was a beautiful sweet. And so, so, SO very cute. "It's hard to even eat it, it's so adorable!"
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Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2022 6:27 pm
"You know what they say - people eat with their eyes first! But you really should eat it, trust me -- we put just as much work in to making sure everything tastes just as good, if not better, than it looks!" Many places went so heavy on making sure their theme was on point that they didn't care about taste - loading things up with so much sugar that it didn't matter. Bear, on the other claw, didn't believe in sacrificing flavor for art. If he couldn't make it taste good and look cute, then he'd work at it until he could. Fondant was a forbidden word. As Bear sat across form December, he propped one of his arms up on the table and leaned his chin on to his hand. Snuggle jumped up on to his lap, so his other was quickly occupied by petting the pretty pupper. 'I like to think I have an eye for adorable and cute, so hey - if you're ever looking for a different job, you'd be a great fit." Aww s**t. He didn't mean to flirt. At least, not so flagrantly. "That is, uh, I mean, you seem like you'd be the type to enjoy cute things too and uh how's the Teddymisu?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 10:52 am
December had given then little slice of cake a poke with a spoon and watched with delight as the creamy inside allowed it the tiniest bit of a wiggle. Those videos of wiggly flans and jellos online always had him grinning AND drooling at the same time! How could somewhere so cool have been so close all this time! The taste of it was divine. The sweetness of the ladyfingers matched and complimented the light and airy espresso. It hardly made sense, but it made him touch his cheek and delight! Up until the point where Bear gave him a rather obvious compliment, causing him to choke on the bit he had in his mouth. "I.. Huh?" Was that what this was all about? He wanted to snipe him from the veterinarian clinic to work here? Ah... So that's why he gave him a free slice of cake and invited him over. It all made sense the more he thought about it. "I... I don't think I'd say no to that offer. I may not know much about baking, but I can cook pretty well! And I do like cute things... The vet has been really sad lately and I don't think I really intend to work there for much longer, so... So if the offer is real then... Maybe we can have an interview...?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 3:42 pm
Bear watched, trying not to make it too awkward in the fact that he was watching to see how December liked the sweet. Honestly, he hadn't expected to get a bite on that half-serious job offer, but... His eyes softened, smile warm; "I can understand how that kind of job can be a lot - sure, being around the animals is nice, but they're rarely there for anything good. It can be a real heartbreaking place - I know I couldn't do it. Tooooo much of a softy for that. So tell ya what, think on it, and I'll see what I can do. There's always something to help with around here, from managing the store front, making drinks at the cafe bar, decorating, serving~" If something didn't fit, there were plenty of other stations to try! If all else failed, there was even dishwasher - the real unsung hero of any food establishment! "Buuuuut, I mean, I don't want ya to think that's why I wanted you to drop in for a visit! I sure didn't do it with any intention of stealing you away from the clinic. I'd be just as happy to have another regular local customer stopping in!"
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:18 pm
"Mhm... You're very very right about that..." The only time animals ever came in for *good* things were when they used their grooming services. It was an emergency clinic after all... No one would really need them if all was well. The sweetness of the dessert seemed to lift his spirits away from the dreary topic, and the more Bear spoke, the more he seemed to atleast become a little excited at the job. "You didn't? A-ah, then I'm sorry, I guess I misunderstood! It was just the cute comment and the immediate job offer, I just... I don't think I mind if I was kept around for my looks to better help a business. I just... Um..." The very idea that his face could be anything but a target to beat seemed odd... off... And Nearly wrong, but whatever threatening Aura he had once felt around people seemed to not even exist with Bear here. That must have been a good sign, right? "I should atleast interview somehow... I.. I could uh, maybe cook for you sometime? Or maybe do a sample deep cleaning...?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 10:23 am
"Ah~" Bear blushed lightly and a hand rubbed at the back of his head, "I don't mean to come off so strong - that ol' brain-to-mouth filter sleeping on the job again!" he laughed it off as best he could. He could be an honest guy, to a fault even. He was never good at being the 'bad guy' and was even worse when it came to evaluating people for interviews. Being a softie, he wanted to give everyone a chance. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't. He'd been pretty lucky that it had never resulted in any huge set backs for the business though. That said, sometimes being stern and discriminating was needed, and had lucked in to at least one employee who had it in them to be the backbone when needed, and usually left being the 'bad guy' and interviewing to them. "Well, think about it a bit, and if you're still interested, we could set up a job shadow day, see what catches your eye or you think you would like to do, then apply from there if still interested!"
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Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:32 pm
"It's alright, Bear, really! It's flattering, really, being wanted like this enough to get a free treat and a job offer. It's... Different, hearing something like that from someone other than family. I really... Really appreciate it." December's cheeks began to turn a rosy color, gaze cast down while he poked and prodded at the last bit of cake remaining on the plate. He could nearly call it overwhelming, the pressure and the kind gaze he seemed to get from Bear. What other word could describe other than soothing? "I'd like that alot. Do you know what day would work for you? I don't work weekends, but I worry you'd be very busy then..."
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:08 pm
From December's words, Bear could infer a lot about him; So unused to praise that it was almost overwhelming.. Bear noted that he needed to be plentiful with the encouragement and praise, but not overly exuberant or showy with it, but offer support and help December to grow their confidence... That in mind... "Yeah, it can be very busy here most days - the afternoons tend to be slower, so if you'd like to start out by dropping by in the afternoons, I can arrange that - no problem!" Better to start him out in a less overwhelming and demanding part of the day, rather than going from the freezer and straight to the frying pan, or so the saying went. Especially if he was as shy and anxious as Bear sensed. Bear reached into the pocket of his beige cargo shorts and after pulling up the contacts app on his phone, laid it on the table and pushed it December's way. "If you don't mind adding yourself to my contacts-" Bear's smooth, big-brain, way of getting December's name...cause somehow he still hadn't managed to get that. He was sure it had probably come up that day at the Vet's office but honestly, for the life of him he couldn't remember. He hadn't exactly been focused on any of that at the time anyway - he'd been too worried about Snuggle! And now, after going so far as to offer 'the cute smoll guy' a job, it was a bit awkward to ask.
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Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 7:36 pm
December nodded and took the phone he was offered. A few button presses later he slipped the phone right back, now with a new number and the name "December Bloom" added. If it was a job thing, they'd need his full name, right? The rest would come with the actual job application, he was sure. Or atleast that's how it should be if the business was legal. "I put December in there, but you can call me Dessy, I don't mind. I think that's what most people call me these days. Since I'm not too far away, just let me know when you're available, and I'll pull away from the clinic, if I'm there." He had sent himself a text message as well, a simple 'hi' from Bear's phone, so he could immediately save the number. With the cake and coffee gone, his hands almost seemed too empty, and he sorta just poked at his phone a bit with is thumbs, not even looking at the screen. "Everything was really delicious, Bear... Truly, it was... And this place is just... It feels happy. I like it here, so I really hope I'm a good fit."
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Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 7:57 pm
Bear happily tucked his phone back in his pocket, and Snuggle made her way back over to give December's hands something to do. As far as she was concerned, he was already hired - official Snuggle Snuggler! "Sure, whatever is good for you, we'll work around that. I'm always here, since I kinda do live just up stairs," Bear made a small motion with his hand, "So if you feel like dropping in, just let me know. Or if you're just dropping in for a bite, that's cool too. I'm glad you like the place. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the rough adult life and regress a bit back in to something cute, and safe. Sometimes it's nice to just come down here early in the mornings before things open up and sit with a coloring book while the morning goodies bake, and the whole place starts smelling of fresh bread~" Simultaneously adulting, and not adulting at the same time. It was great, and he knew just how lucky he was to have the opportunity. Bear smiled, "I'm sure you'll fit right in!"
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