savethecitydesu | Hark, the smells of coffee beckons to thee!

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Hark, the smells of coffee beckons to thee!

WHO: Niko, Takeo (open, feel free to make threads and hop)
WHAT: Just another day at work
WHERE: Transcend Coffee
WHEN: Afternoon

He'd probably get tired of the smell at some point. For the moment, the smell alone was good for a caffeine fix until he could find time to sneak a cup for himself.

It was routine at this point: dumping his bag and guitar in the back, writing down his shift time and catching up on note tag, avoiding being swept up in their Boss' antics, and sweeping his hair up in a neat, short pony-tail. Same old, same old...

Transcend, being the hipster artsy place it was, was currently having a special of buy a cake slice, get a little flag art work pointing out of it. The art was all donated, varying from intricate landscapes to abstract who knows what to crude stick figures to suggestive topics that were decidedly inappropriate for younger customers and saved for the late night crowd. Having been pestered to add on to the pile, Niko'd folded a mini-airplane and put it in crash fall into a piece of dark chocolate.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ayako cricked her neck. Her whole body was stiff from the ride and she still had at least two more hours and a dozen or so deliveries on her before her shift was over for the day. They had cut her week day hours, but elongated her weekend. Ice coffee was one of the few things that kept her going during the time she had, and the longer her day was the more she needed the caffinee to keep her energy up. The water kept her hydrated, and that was the key.

"Sure, as long as I can make it cold." Ayako told him. Her eyes landed on the remains of his airplane handy work and she chuckled, "Add one of those on there too."

"The older they get the more likely they'll break, unless they were built in the fifties," Ayako said to him as she glanced around for an open seat. "At least that's what my mother told me." She shrugged, "Might be a good idea to clean it daily."

"I'm going to sit by the window over there, can you bring me my stuff? How much do I owe?" She counted out her cash.

It took a second for Niko to realize she was referring to one of his mini-paper airplanes. He stared for a moment but, after a beat, shrugged. Whatever.

"Already do that." At least Niko did; he had a strong feeling who didn't when they were supposed to. "Not like we can go out and change everything up just because it got old either. Besides." He snorted sardonically. "Looks less mainstream this way.

"Yeah, can do. And that'll be 7500."

Edited 2013-03-31 03:43 (UTC)

"7500 yen?!" She sighed and pulled out the money and layed it in the cash tray. "Jeeze, are you charging me for the none existant ice coffee? I would think it would be cheaper given the fact that I'm making my own."

She scooped up the hat that read "Sunshine Courier Services" and snorted, "You do know, for a place that calls itself Transend Coffee, it's not really transending anything. Besides that, if this place is trying to be less mainstream but is serving expresso, it's all fake in that sense."

"So who's idea was it for the paper airplane? Kind of cute."

"Still paying for the coffee, the cup, and the service, and still cheaper than StarDucks," he replied, ringing the order through and passing her the receipt. "Tch. Still a coffee shop when it comes down to it. Getting by on just coffee or tea alone wouldn't do much business-wise."

Niko shifted slightly at the comment. 'Cute' wasn't the word he'd use for it. "Just part of weekly special the boss came up with. Buy a cake, get pretty local art included."

Edited 2013-03-31 04:35 (UTC)

"You guys don't price hike the coffee do you? I hear some places do, and what ever happened to the good old cup of simple black coffee." Ayako shook her head. "Why not? Some places get by on just serving bagels."

"A paper airplane is art? Well if something as weird as a soap bar with hair spiraled on it -which I had to deliver once -is seen as," she used air quotes, "Modern Art, then I suppose anything qualifies right?"

Smiling some she waved to him. "When it's done just bring it over to the table will you? I have to sort through the rest of my deliveries."

With that Ayako wandered over to the empty table and sat down. She put her feet up on the chair opposite her and tossed the hat on the table with an uncermonious thump and started to go through the sheets she still had to get signatures for. How people could send the weirdest things in the mail was beyond her.

Who in their right mind would order twenty issues of porn magazines? Man the stuff I deliver to make ends meet. She thought as she looked over the paper in her notebook.

"Because we're not a bagel shop? And don't think that'd think that'd go over well with the latte addicts," he replied. "And not like you can't order regular coffee."

Niko's lips twitched. "Yeah, well, it's something. Better than just scribbling something down and pretending it's something more than it's not."

It was about five minutes before he came by the girl's table with the carrying tray (and no soap incidents this time). He nodded and said simply, "Espresso, ice, bagel, and water, miss."

The espresso was in a smaller cup decorated with a yellow, sleeping cat; the somewhat melted, small amount of ice in a similar cup but with a sleeping dog; the red mini-airplane looked a bit like a rocket, launching out from the center of the bagel; and both bottles were on the side with the containers for the jam and cream cheese.

Ayako glanced up when he came over. She was well into her notes and had forgotten all about the order. Blinking it took her a minute to register what he had said and then paused when she managed to get a wiff of him as he set out the items.

"Thanks much. Strange aftershave though, has an apple base to it?" She closed her eyes then crinkled her brow. "Smells like a soap I delivered two weeks ago to a beauty salon. You don't go there do you?"

She reached over to the sleeping cat cup and raised a brow at him, a small smile tugged out of the corner of her lips seeing the matching dog. "Seems someone here is an animal lover."

With that she took the ice from the cup and ground them down into the empty bottle, filled it with the expresso and then viggrously shook it as she used her free hand to poke at the airplane. It reminded her of something her brother would do, and this time a smile did come to her tired face for a second. She glanced up at Niko, a child like expression to her eyes, "Can I keep this? The airplane I mean?"

"No," Fucking kyaaing idiots and their fucking soap fetish- "Idiots dropped a bar when they were here. It was probably from that place.

"Tch. It was just what was nearby," he said. "If anyone's the animal lover, it's whoever bought all the animal themed stuff."

...Speaking of animals, those were definitely puppy dog eyes. He blinked, then, after a beat, shrugged. "Do what you want with it, it's yours. It'd just get tossed or recycled otherwise."

A beat and then Ayako laughed, "Wait...Pffft...let...giggle, let me get this right? Someone dropped soap and you managed to slip on it? How...ffffheee...how did you manage that?"

She shook her head, "Well it certainly is different. I suppose that that was the owners choice?"

Carefully lifiting up the plane she examined it, "You make this? Looks like it'll fly damn well."

Edited 2013-03-31 08:36 (UTC)

Twitch. This time it was visible. "It was on the ground and it got underfoot. Not that out there.

"Probably. He's the one decorates the place himself and comes up with all the gimmicks and stuff. Got eclectic taste at least." His mouth twitched at that.

Beat. He ran a hand through his hair. "...Yeah. Probably."

"I'm sorry. But it is amusing, you have to admit. Were you hurt?" She asked sincerly and glanced around the place, taking it in. "Huh, well it is different. Most hipster places I've seen have old music posters and weird french movie pictures on the walls. This place seems down right...cheery."

She flicked the end some and then threw it through the air watching the plane soar for a bit, then land on the counter. Ayako shook her head, "Man, my brother's going to be jealous of that. It's a really good job. You put planes in bagels often, or only to pretty girls?"

"No? Could've been worse." He could've been the guy splashed with coffee and hit with plastic glass. "Yeah, well, the boss isn't into too depressing stuff. Too mainstream for hipster places."

He snorted. His boss had also been the one to go, 'BUT I WANT THE DEARS TO BE HAPPY, TO HAVE THEIR HEARTS WARMED BY OUR AMBIANCE AND OUR DRINKS AND TREATS? HOW CAN I DO THAT WHEN WE'RE TORMENTING THEIR SOULS?'

He blinked, then quickly recovered and scuffed the ground. "Tch. Not like it's extra effort. There or in the cakes, not like it matters,"

"How can french films be too mainstream? I can't even understand what's going on in them even with subs." Ayako pointed out and then picked up her bagel, spread the cheese and jam and muched, "Mmmm, really good."

Ayako smirked a bit, "Ah, so you didn't deny the pretty girl thing. Don't worry I won't tell your boss you were flirting on the job." She waved her hand, "Heaven knows that it's not on a daily basis that I get waited on by a good looking guy, normally I'm stuck dealing with older men who seem to think a nice girl courier means an easy number to get."

She glanced at her list and then at her phone, "Humm fifteen minutes left, then I have at least one more delivery around here."

"Dunno, maybe all the other hipsters made it wrap around the hipster meter to mainstream," he said dryly.

It took a second for her words to catch up. He felt his face heat slightly (though not to blushing) and quickly recovered. "That's not it," he said, suspiciously quickly. A bit more in control, "And probably am older than you." She looked like she could be a bit older but she was probably a high schooler. Probably.

"On lunchbreak?"

Ayako laughed, "Isn't that kind of contradicting what they're supposed to be doing?" She paused and smiled, "Ayako Kobiyashi, I'm kind of new around here, nice to have at least one place I can chill out when I have a bit of time."

She smirked, "How do you know you are? I could be like twenty seven or something and just look really really young. Besides it could be that I like older guys, so how would that be a turn off?"

"Yeah," she munched more, "I don't have too much longer to go today. But man oh man, the last of these are going to be annoying. How long is this place open to? I might stop by after my run and grab another bite to eat."

"Hell if I know." Niko waved his had dismissively. After a beat, "Niko Lovell.

"Gut feeling." He ran his hand through his hair. "Chasing after girls not even legal isn't my thing.

"We're open till 1:00AM every night," he said. "Better places to eat at though."

"So how did someone with your personality get to work in a place like this, Lovell-san?" She asked and pondered the name, "Lovell? American by chance...no..." Ayako bit her lip trying to think, "English then? Or wait...Scottish...possibly scottish?" -Ayako shook her head -"Never mind, my dad's a travel reporter so he's got me trained to identify surnames by region and such. Curious last name though."

Ayako snorted some, "Heh, wish I had your wisdom a year ago about college boys, emphisis on the boy part. Techincally I'm only a short month away from being eighteen, and I look older for my age."

"Eh, ambiance is nice, it's on my route, and the company isn't bad." Ayako waved her hand around the room, then glanced at her phone. "Damn...better get going. Do you think I can have an extra bagel to go?"

"Needed a job, saw the ad, got dragged in and got hired. Nothing special about it. Not like we're like StarDuck's and it's service with a saccharine smile, anyway," he said. "...English. Something Western like that."

That got a direct look. "Still a high schooler then.

"Yeah, can do." He nodded and started stepping back towards the counter. "Need anything else with that?"

"Huh, got dragged in here?" she said following him to the counter. "How does one see an ad and get dragged in?" A sudden shudder went through her and she sighed. "Oh I see, well that's an interesting comment."

"Yes, last year though. Hopefully I have enough for part time classes next year. Reports don't make that much, neither do beauticians, but that's neither here nor there I suppose." Ayako leaned on the counter and raised a brow, "English? Dad's side then? My mom has some western blood in her, I know I have some family in the states. Must be interesting getting reactions from the name though."

"Nope, got water and the ice coffee now, so I'm good. Oh um...got packs of the cream cheese and strawberry jam by chance?"

"Exactly that." He waved his hand dismissively. "Walk by, see, get seen and dragged in. Didn't really ask for the job as much as have it pushed on.

"Right. So still a high schooler," he said. The line of question made him twitch again, his burned hand clenching and un-clenching. "Half American. 'Interesting' as in, people'll never pronounce it properly.

"Yeah, can do." He punched in the numbers into the register. "That'll be 3000."

"Did the owner do it? Kind of pushy then it seems." Ayako stated and then pouted. "I'm mature for my age. How many high schoolers do you know that actually work for a courier service?"

"Cool, and sorry to hear that," she said kindly and took out money, "Here and a tip too. I suppose it probably would be easier for you when it comes to tourist coming in here. I take it you probably speak english? If you do I'm a bit jealous then."

"Yeah, well, it's a job. Could be worse. Could be StarDucks or involve bright yellow uniforms," Niko said. "One at the moment. And considering the maturity of most are your age, being more mature than average isn't a big accomplishment.

"Don't need to feel sorry for it." He waved his hand dismissively, before taking her money. "Get tourists occasionally, but not like we're the hot spot for that stuff. And yeah." His mouth twitched. "A bit. Nothing special about that."

Ayako twiched some at the comment and snapped her fingers some, "Better then wearing a smock and smelling of apple soap. I suppose you probably have a lot of junior highers coming in going 'Kyaaa, he's so hot, the broody type'. I'm sure you looooovveee that aspect of the job."

"As for my maturity at least it's better then idiots who like to pretend to be older by dressing up like they are but having the IQ of a ten year old." she looked at her nails at this and smirked, "But I'm sure you probably know all about that, given you remind me of a sullen fourteen year old trying to be older than he is."

"Really now? Do you tutor by chance?" She asked seriously.

Twitch. "Not broody. And no. That crowd's over at StarDucks and even if they weren't, chasing after junior high schooler's never going to be my thing."

Twitch. Twitch. "Yeah, well, better than keep going on about how supposed maturity." He smirked sardonically as he came back with her bagel and cream cheese/jam in a small take out bag. "'I really am mature for my age, really'."

He stared for a moment, then, "Once or twice in first year. It was a pain."

Edited 2013-04-01 10:01 (UTC)

"And here I figured that's why you worked here," she spat back in a darker tone. "After all easier picking right for guys like you." There was a flash of something edgy in her eyes if Niko caught it at all.

Snapping the bag out of his hand she remarked, "Whatever you say soap boy."

"Lose the attitude and you might get a customer for teaching, I need some lessons for personal reasons." She said quickly and then looked at the sheet on her list. Ayako paused and teched under her breath. Without even a backwards glance she headed for her table, grabbed her hat and other items, walked for the door, threw it open and stepped outside.

Heading over to her bike she took a breath and steadied her self. Then fixed her jacket and set on her hat, making sure her tail came out of the back and that it was secure. The "Sunshine Courier Service" was right smack in the middle and she put on some makeup, as per the rules. Then she hefted a large package out of the back of the rolling carriage she had on the back of her bike and pushed the door back open.

"Good afternoon sir," Ayako beamed, completely different then the girl that was just in a moment before, and gave Niko a snappy salute. "Kobiyashi-san of the Sunshine Courier Service here to deliver a package of farm animal mugs for Transend Coffee Cafe."

Then she gave him the brightest and probably most fasle sincere smiles Niko had probably ever seen, "Service with a smile sir, we aim to please. Where can I set the order sir, and do you want me to unwrapp it for you to check the contents?"

Hark, the smells of coffee beckons to thee!

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