Giving and Getting [Video/Text] (forward dated to tomorrow morning)

[latteheart]

[The post starts with a video as Alpha holds the communicator out at arms length. She's grinning hugely, but the focus is on what's behind her - her newly renovated shop, and specifically the sign that hangs by the door. (Don't even ask how long it took her to find the paint for that, either. She was thrilled that she found it at all.)]

Ta-da!

[After

Comments

[prodigal_axe]

What... you're open right now?

[latteheart]

Mmhm! It's as ready as it'll ever be, so...

[prodigal_axe]

[Not even five minutes later, Shinjiro heads into the coffee shop and plunks down into the nearest seat. His cheeks are flushed with cold--he's been out all day dropping off presents. Or, rather, leaving them for people to find.]

Could definitely use a cup of coffee, if you've got that right now.

[latteheart]

[She grins as he takes a seat and grabs a cup from behind the counter. After not doing it for so long, it amused her how easily she fell back into the motions.]

How do you take it? Black?

[prodigal_axe]

Yeah... how'd you guess? [Well, she'd definitely be seeing plenty of him. He worked right next door and he went in early a lot of the time. A steady flow of caffeine was exactly what he needed.]

Any food around here, or are you just serving drinks for now?

[latteheart]

Heh. You just seem like the type. [She hums absently as she prepares the drink and brings it over, setting it in on the table in front of him.]

Ah...there's some little snacks I threw together, if you'd like. It's not much. I wasn't really sure what to make, actually.

[prodigal_axe]

[Shinjiro lifted the mug and sipped the coffee slowly. Didn't want to burn his tongue. The hot, bitter stuff went right to his stomach, and he could almost feel the energy coursing through him already. He'd need that... he still had a lot of presents to drop off after this.]

... [Oh yeah, Alpha was talking about snacks. He blinked and set the mug down to think about it.] It's no big deal. You can just save that for your other customers. ... Uh, I might have some extra cookies at the 'Lights. Want me to bring some of those over?

[latteheart]

If you're sure...oh, and I'd really appreciate that, of course! Thanks again.

[As she speaks she pours a cup for herself as well, stirring in a few spoonfuls of sugar before heading over and casually taking a seat across the table from him. She did it without really thinking - she had been sitting down with her customers for so many years that it would have felt weirder not to do so.]

[prodigal_axe]

Don't worry about it... what exactly are you charging, anyway?

[Shinjiro puts both hands briefly around the mug to get them warm. He glances up and double takes when Alpha sits down... it's a little surprising, but why not? He shrugs and takes a careful sip of the bitter stuff.

He blinks at it. Not bad at all...bitter just the way he liked it, and it was already warming him up.]

[latteheart]

Today, it's on the house! After that...hmm, I guess I'll decide when the time comes.

[Meaning she'll probably end up giving most of it away for free unless she needs something at the time. What am business skills. She takes a drink of her own coffee, watching him over the rim of the cup.]

Well? How is it?