In Search of Sweetness

Du breathed deep as she stepped into the Magic Bean. This place always smelled amazing, especially when the autumn and winter seasonal stuff was being made. She pushed her braid back behind her head and caught Ineo's eye with a smile as she approached the counter. The older lass was just as pretty as ever.

Autumn was in full swing, which meant everything in The Magic Bean was filled with the warm, fragrant aroma of pumpkin spice. It also meant that the coffee shop was bustling with people, now that school was back in session and the chill of winter's return was starting to blow back into Lakeshore.

Ineo's soft, melodic humming died down as the other girl approached the register, and Ineo graced her with a small smile. She was a regular, and another student at Dunehelden, though she couldn't quite remember her name.

"Good morning," Ineo said, in her low, sweet voice. "What are you having today?"

Du pursed her lips slightly in thought as she glanced over the menu on the wall behind Ineo. "I'll have an Oogie Boogie, no worm, and a Red Riding Hood. Please and thanks."

"An Oogie Boogie without the worm is just an Evil Queen with spun sugar on top." Ineo glanced up at the other girl through her lashes. The corners of her lips turned up slightly. "If you order it that way instead, it's fifty cents cheaper."

Du laughed. "Really? Alright then, I'll have the Queen instead." She tilted her head with a slight smirk. "I thought retail workers were supposed to upsell, not downsell. Not that I'm complaining if it saves me money."

She dug in her pocket and pulled out some coins, then slid a few across the counter. "On second thought, keep the change as a tip." It was a little more than the standard fifteen percent, but she doubted Ineo would mind.

Ineo gave her a small smile before palming the coins and sliding them into the register. "Much appreciated. Give me just a few minutes and I'll have your coffee ready."

She slipped off to the side, her attention focused intently on the espresso as she worked. She could use the machine easily, of course — most of the other employees didn't have her talent for manipulating water — but there was a reason so many customer's specifically requested Ineo's coffee. No one made coffee like hers.

"One Evil Queen with spun sugar on top." Ineo smiled as she placed the coffee on the counter.

Du grinned as she lifted the cup in a toast. "Slainté!"

She took a sip and sighed in contentment. "Mmm, perfect. Almost as sweet as you are." She looked at Ineo through her lashes.

One of Ineo's eyebrows quirked slightly at the compliment. While she was used to being flirted with by customers, and she had begun to get the impression the other girl might have been interested in her from how often she came around, but she hadn't been bold enough to directly say anything to her so far.

Then Ineo gave a small smile that just barely touched the corners of her eyes. "I bet you're only saying that because of the tip about your drink order."

Du's eyes narrowed slightly as she tipped her head forward a little. "Not only. There's a reason so many people come specifically to see you, you know. You really know how to make your customers feel welcome. That's good for business. Keeps people coming back."

Keeps people coming back.

Which reminded Ineo, Sam should have been here by now. There was a Neverland latte (aka, a hot chocolate with steamed milk and cinnamon) sitting on the counter, slowly losing its heat, right next to the biggest, flakiest glass slipper in the latest batch, wrapped in thin tissue paper to be eaten on the go.

She couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment roll over her. Had Sam gotten cold feet?

Realizing that she still hadn't responded, and was likely being quite rude to her guest, Ineo turn back to the other girl and gave a smile that was too cheery to be genuine. "Well, you know you're welcome to come back and see me any time, you know."

Du noticed the too-cheery smile, but didn't draw attention to it. She must have struck a nerve or something somewhere, but she couldn't put her finger on how. So she smiled and nodded in response, then picked up the mocha and her cake. "Definitely will. But I'm not leaving just yet. When's your next break? You can join me if you like." She glanced toward the table she intended to occupy.

Ineo watched the second hand tick by on the clock, and she pressed her lips together in thought. Perhaps Sam had been running late and hadn't gotten a chance to come by? She could always run by and deliver the drink and pastry herself — she remembered Sam mentioning working at the pet shop, as a matter of fact — but the only chance would be on her break, since once the mid-day barista left for the day Ineo wouldn't be able to leave the store until they closed.

"I'm actually planning to meet someone for my break today, but maybe next time?" She felt a bit guilty for brushing the other girl off, but only a little.

Du tried not to let her disappointment show in her face. She nodded and smiled, stepping back from the counter. "That's fair." She knew better than to ask who Ineo was meeting; whether Du knew them or not, it would only make things worse. "Hope you have a good time. Thanks again."

She went to her chosen table and sat, feeling more and more awkward by the second. She should've brought something to work on, like homework; then she wouldn't look so strange sitting here by herself.

Peace had been half-watching this from the back while he put in another batch of glass slippers. Yet another cute girl had come in to flirt with Ineo. She was like a female Kuma-kun, but at least Kuma-kun only got it once a month or so. Yeah, he was jealous. Not super jealous- it was really hard to be mad at Ineo, she was so stupidly pretty and friendly and stuff- but having girls hit on him regularly would basically be the highlight of his school year. And guys. He was also okay with guys.

But then she brushed the girl off, and- well. Peace poked his head out. "Are you leaving?" He tried not to get too hopeful about a girl he had yet to see who may or may not have been into guys or remotely his type based entirely on his hot co-worker turning her down, but he was a 16-year-old boy, so it crossed his mind.

Ineo looked a million miles away, her gaze flitting back to the drink and glass slipper.

"If you don't mind," Ineo said, looking back at her co-worker. "Do you want me to pick anything up for you on my break? I'm going down by the pet shop."

She wrapped the glass slipper up and slid it into a paper bag.

Then Ineo remembered the other girl. She looked back at her and offered her a small smile. "I'm sorry for running out like this. Why don't you come back tomorrow and I'll give you an unbirthday cupcake on the house? We're doing strawberry tomorrow."

Du looked up as Ineo spoke to her again, and smiled at the offer. "Aye, I'd like that. Thanks."

"I'm good. Have fun at the pet shop." Peace grinned at Ineo.

Still in the back, he shoved a couple pieces of hair back into place and hung up the apron he had to use around the ovens. There wasn't exactly a mirror, so he had to check in the shiny side of the oven.

He strode out, looking as nonchalant as possible, and looked over to Du. ...Okay, kinda cute. That was good! He gave her a broad grin.

"Hi! Are you one of Ineo's friends?" It was a terrible intro question but all he could think of.

Du looked up from her cake as someone else spoke to her, and blinked at the question. "Well... we don't really talk much outside of here, honestly." She wasn't even entirely sure Ineo even knew her name. That just made her earlier flirting feel all the more awkward. "Why?"

Peace shrugged. "I dunno. Just curious. I don't think I've seen you before."

He got the feeling she was sad, or otherwise not in great spirits, so he decided to manage his expectations and just be kind. "You go to Dunehelden, right? My name's Peace. I'm a werewolf. Mind if I ask your name?"

Du nodded slowly as he spoke. "Aye, I do. I'm a mage. Most people call me Dubhiarr, or Du. It's nice to meet you."

Dubhiarr. Huh. Her accent sounded kind of Scottish or Irish or something- he wasn't sure of the difference. It was a nice name, though.

"Nice to meet you too. It's usually kind of slow this time of day. This isn't really a lunch place, I guess." He gave her a warm smile. "I don't mean to bother you while you're eating, though. You just... look like you might want conversation? Feel free to tell me to bug off."

Du smiled and shook her head. "No, you can stay. I'd appreciate the company." She nodded for him to sit in a free chair. "How long have you been at Dunehelden?"

Peace glanced around to make sure there was nothing work-related that desperately needed done, and there wasn't. The slippers would have to come out of the oven in a bit, but there was a buzzer for that. So he slipped out from behind the counter and went to sit in the chair. Customer service and all.

"About a year and a half. I'm, uh, still a sophomore- I'm 16 though. My birthday's just really late in the year, and stuff." And werewolf stuff. He left that unsaid. "It's really nice here though, don't you think? Where are you from?"

"Aye, it is. I'm from Aberdeen -- lived there all my life, right on the coast. My family's owned the same land for generations. We have a deal going on with the local Merrow." It had been all kinds of weird and awesome to find out at least one of them was actually family. "How about you?"