The Magic Bean

It was a bright, beautiful Saturday afternoon, just after the start of the school year, and more than anything, Ineo was thrilled to be back in Lakeshore. As much as she loved her mother and father, neither Arcadia nor the United States ever truly felt like home to her—not the way that Lakeshore did.

She wished that she could convince her father to move here with her, but she had a feeling that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

Ineo settled into her quiet routine of brewing the coffee, swirling intricate patterns into the foam of each latte, each one tinged with just the slightest hint of faerie magic. As the warm, nutty scent of coffee filled the air, Ineo gave an almost imperceptible smile.

More than anything, she was glad to be home.

Sam tried her best to not sneak glances at the barista while pretending to browse the menu. It was her hands that were distracting, really. Also her smile. Also everything else. Ineo, in general, was very distracting.

Sam didn't even like coffee. But she had been in the Magic Bean more in the past few months than in her entire six years in Lakeshore. At least Sam had managed to avoid spilling or breaking anything in Ineo's presense. Another thing she had managed to avoid: having the balls to strike up a conversation with Ineo that didn't involve the menu or the weather.

And now it was her turn to order. Sam gave her hair a nervous ruffle and braced herself to make the english.

Ineo dusted her hands off on her apron, bits of pixie dust still clinging to her slender fingers, as she approached the register. She gave a small, knowing smile when she saw the other girl. She'd been here nearly every day for the past month, and always on Ineo's shifts. It was easy enough to put two and two together.

Ineo had to admit, she was kind of cute.

"What can I get you today?"

Sam felt a smile automatically curl the corners of her lips. She glanced at Ineo's hands and felt her ears grow warm. "Can I have the Neverland with cinnamon syrup? And a glass slipper, please."

She bit her lip as she reached for her wallet with her own blackened fingertips. "Also..." Gulp. "You look like you're having a good day today. I saw that smile when you were making lattes."

"You know, if you bring a date, you get a second glass slipper for free." Ineo glanced up at Sam through her lashes as she tapped the order into the cash register. Her tone was casual, but her eyes betrayed her interest.

"Oh?" Ineo let her fingers linger on Sam's momentarily as she took the other girl's money. "Have you been watching me?" she teased.

Sam's expression melted into a crooked little smile when she made eye contact with the barista. She felt like she had just taken a huge swig of the hot chocolate that had yet to be made.

Her fingers tingled at the contact with Ineo's. Endued with a sudden, tentative sense of courage, Sam chuckled in response to her question and murmured, "It's kind of hard not to."

And then the courage was gone. She made a face. "...That sounded a little creepy. I'm sorry. I just-- it-- I like seeing you when I come here."

Ineo covered her mouth with her hand as she tried to stifle a melodic laugh. She had to admit a certain partiality to Sam's crooked grin, but more than anything, she found it adorable how flustered she seemed to make Sam without even trying.

"It's not creepy. It's kind of cute, actually." Ineo smirked as she slid seamlessly toward the espresso machine to steam the milk for Sam's drink.

Remembering seeing Sam with her drink and how she seemed to savor the whipped cream on top, Ineo piled the topped high on the drink before covering it with a thick layer of cinnamon syrup.

"The glass slippers are still in the oven, but if you're eating here, I can bring it out to your table when it's ready."

Sam slid a tip into the jar on the counter while Ineo prepared her drink-- a five dollar bill, folded into a flower. She gave another crooked little smile as she was presented with her hot chocolate and its mountain of whipped cream.

"You, madam, are an artist." She curled her fingers gingerly around the cup and nodded at Ineo's offer. "Yes, please. Xie xie."

With her ears still tinged pink, Sam loped off to a table by the window to people-watch. Her first sip of the cinnamon Neverland deposited a glob of whipped cream on the end of her nose, which she didn't notice until she took her seat. Sam wiped the cream away with her index finger, popped it into her mouth, and then glanced around to assure herself that no one had noticed.

Ineo watched Sam slip the neatly folded flower into the top jar and hid a smile behind pursed lips. It was clear that it had been a (rather adorable) pre-planned move on Sam's part, and a very sweet one at that.

She caught the sight of the whipped cream clinging to Sam's noise and turned away quickly to stifle a giggle behind her hand. She certainly hadn't been watching — oh, no, she was far too busy with the pastries to pay attention to such things.

After about five more minutes, the pastries were ready. Ineo slipped the biggest, fluffiest one out of the oven and drizzled it all over with the warm sugar, which gave it the glassy appearance of its namesake.

"One glass slipper, fresh out of the oven!" Ineo called, slipping out from behind the counter. She set the plate on Sam's table with a small smile.

Sam was spacing out, watching passers-by through the window with her chin resting in one palm, lightly biting on her fingertip. She flinched at the clink! of plate on tabletop, and gave Ineo another crooked little grin when she looked up at her. Her gaze lingered for a moment longer than necessary, during which the corners of her lips curled further upwards.

"Thank you," she rasped. She tapped her fingers against the sides of her half-full hot chocolate and sighed happily at the perfectly crafted glazed pastry in front of her. "The glaze is perfect."

"I'm glad you like it," Ineo replied, her voice low and sweet. "If you want fresh ones, I usually make them about this time any day that I'm working. Come back tomorrow and I'll make sure to have one waiting for you."

"Ah, that's good to know. I'm working tomorrow though..." Sam's brow furrowed for a split second. "But, ah... Would it be okay if I swung by on my way to work? To say hi?"

The corner's of Ineo's eyes crinkled from the size of her smile. "I'd like that," she said. "I'll have your usual waiting for you, on the house. Just don't tell my boss that I'm giving things away for free." She winked at Sam.

Sam's eyes shone at Ineo's smile and her ears grew warm once more. She gave a nervous chuckle and damn near spilled the rest of her drink when the barista winked.

"A-Are you sure that's okay, Ineo?" She was having a very difficult time keeping the grin off her face.

"That tip was more than your whole order cost, so just think of it as a thank you," Ineo said. "Not to mention that pretty flower."

She glanced down, then back up at Ineo through her lashes. "Besides, I want to make sure you come back and see me."

Sam brought the back of her hand to her lips in an attempt to hide her ecstatic expression. "I'll come back every day, if you like. And eventually work up the courage to ask if the free glass slipper rule applies when the intended date is an employee."

Ineo giggled, and she felt a slight warmth flood her cheeks. "I suppose you'll just have to ask me and find out, won't you?" she teased.

Sam straightened as she bit her lip, positively glowing with pride. "I'll have to practice my approach for tomorrow then, won't I?"

"I look forward to hearing it," Ineo purred. She held a hand to the air above Sam's hot chocolate, tracing a heart in the air above with her finger that immediately reflected itself in the thin remains of the whipped cream on the top of her cup.

"I should get back to work, but I'll be waiting right here for you tomorrow."