[open/active] It's all a game, avoiding failure

[godofcologne]

Characters: Thomas Raith and whoever the hell wants him
Location: Starbucks
Time: Some time during the week
Content: Coffee. Whipped cream. Naked jello wrestling. Flirting. Issues.
Format: People's Choice
Warnings: Thomas' Issues, let me show you them.

Comments

[vidate_ensenara]

Feuilly was early for work. His shift didn't start for another forty-five minutes, but this was a lot closer to the rec center than his apartment and he didn't really feel like taking the extra trip for a few scant minutes at home before he had to turn around and go right back to work. Besides, an extra forty-five minutes wasn't going to kill him.

He slipped in from the freezing cold. Most people who worked at restaurants often got sick of the food and beverages they served, but for Feuilly, coffee was coffee regardless of where he worked. He looked around the mostly empty cafe as he walked behind the counter to grab a cup.

"Looks like it's going to be another slow night," he said, filling the cup with a dark roast coffee and then adding a double shot of espresso.

[godofcologne]

The fact that Feuilly was forty-five minutes early for his shift didn't really surprise Thomas. By now he had gotten used to the other man's depressingly straight-laced work ethic. "You think so?" Thomas asked, finishing pouring the tea refill for the waiting soccer mom. He handed it over and complimented the woman on some inconsequential thing, her hair, her jewelry, something, before turning to his co-worker. "So you'll cover for me if I want to take off early?" he asked, half-joking.

[vidate_ensenara]

Feuilly raised an eyebrow at Thomas and then shook his head. "No, that's not what it means." Unless they got hit by a blizzard, but then Thomas wouldn't be going anywhere anyway.

He wasn't really paying attention to the other man as he grabbed a lid without tossing any cream or sugar into his drink, but the moment the soccer mom left (obviously very flattered with Thomas's flirting), he leaned against the counter and gave him a concerned and curious look. "You've been too distracted lately anyway."

[godofcologne]

Not including himself and Feuilly, there were currently five people sitting in the Starbucks, three of them obviously studying for something or another, judging by the number of books spread out between them, one of them typing away at a laptop, and one of them just staring out the window, occasionally sipping his latte. There were, also, a man and a woman in the bathroom. They'd been in there a good five minutes, and if they didn't reappear soon, flushing and disheveled, somebody was going to have to bust up that particular exhibitionist party.

The running tally floated along in the back of his mind as Feuilly spoke and Thomas made a show of washing his hands. "I don't know what you're talking about," he answered blithely. Thomas shot his co-worker a grin, fluttering his eyelashes as he did so. "Have I not been paying enough attention to you, Nicky?"

[callmedora]

Dora was using any excuse at all to get out of the school. She hated being so close to Remus after the constant rejection. So, she opted for coffee tonight. Coffee and a stupid romance novel. She entered the place and grinned brightly as her eyes landed on Thomas.

She was wearing her hair pink and in a ponytail, tattered jeans and a comfy looking pink sweater. She leaned against the counter and offered him another grin. "Wotcher."

[godofcologne]

Thomas had noticed Tonks even before she pushed open the door, but bright pink hair had a tendency to stand out on a dreary winter's night, even to somebody who wasn't working with a massive dose of paranoia. "Tonks!" he exclaimed, instinctively moving to wave before he realized he had half a cup of hot water in his hand. Thomas set it down hastily and gave her his most charming grin. "Haven't seen you in forever, dollface. I was hoping you hadn't forgotten about me."

[callmedora]

Bright pink hair also had a tendency of making her feel better on dreary winter nights. She tried her best to match that charming grin. "Don't think I could forget about you if I tried. Sorry about that, yeah. Been busy over at the school..."

[godofcologne]

Thomas waved a hand, as if brushing away the apologies. "No worries, you're here now. What more could I ask for?" He rested his arms on the counter and leaned in towards Tonks, his tone conversational. "Trust me, I understand being busy at work. Christmas was murder. A high strung woman threw her coffee at my head."

He gave her a wink. "So, what can I get for you today? And how's the work, any good gossip to share?"

Couldn't keep her away

[plzpookie]

It was just after the Yoga class she had started teaching at the Rec Center, and since she was already in town she couldn't pass up going to get some coffee. Her duffel bag over her shoulder held her yoga clothes and she had already changed into some skinny jeans and a tank top.

Bingo! She held her hand up, several bracelets jangling. "Hey!" she grinned as she walked up to the counter. "Long time no see, babe."

Who'd want to try?

[godofcologne]

"Been far too long," Thomas agreed, snapping a lid back on the tea refill. His eyes swept over Maureen, at once appreciative and cautious. Those jeans couldn't hide anything, but all manner of sharp, pointy, and just plain painful things could be hidden in a duffel bag.

"I'd give you a kiss, gorgeous, but then everyone would want one."

Not me. xD

[plzpookie]

Maureen faked a pout at his comment. "Well, I guess I'll have to get one some other time."

She leaned on the counter and rested her chin on her hand. She was completely oblivious to any form of caution he took to her duffel bag, since really, just her sweaty yoga clothes were in there. "I'm thinking I should come in here more often... Just got done teaching a yoga class over at the rec center."

[godofcologne]

The way the bag moved on Maureen's shoulder made Thomas relax, just a little. No telltale shifting of something heavy, which just meant it probably didn't carry anything harmful. If anybody knew what he was doing, they'd probably have him committed, but really, having the family chauffeur he'd known for five years suddenly pull a gun on him on the way home from school one day soured Thomas' thoughts on who couldn't be out to get him via his father.

"Any other time," Thomas promised. The mention of yoga made Thomas raise an eyebrow, curious. "You definitely should. Post yoga coffee is great for the blood pressure. And the skin. All those antioxidants and the opening up of energies and all that." He ran a hand through his hair. "So what can I get you, and are you going to make me do some yoga pose if I don't get it right?"

[musikjugend]

Honestly, Roderich wasn't totally over his cold. But he was sick and tired of being in bed and taking medicine so he had escaped his room, bundled up in his warmest coat and called a cab so he could go into town with his laptop and a novel he had been reading. Even if it was cold it was better than sticking around the school for much more and he headed into the Starbucks almost without thinking about it, forgetting for the moment that Thomas worked there. He just wanted something hot and sweet before he found a a corner to curl up in.

He didn't walk so much as shuffle, head tucked down into his scarf as he went up to the counter to order a hot chocolate. He knew tea was better for him, but he had drank so much tea in the last week that he had actually managed to get sick of it. He wanted variety damn it, and he was going to get it by hook or by crook. He sniffled as it got to his turn "Hot chocolate with whipped cream please." He hadn't even really looked up to see if it was Thomas that was serving him yet.

[godofcologne]

Roderich walked like the shuffling dead, or at least the shuffling ill, and Thomas winced in sympathy as the young man made it to the front of the line. "Whipped cream? Anyone ever tell you you're a cruel man when you look like death warmed over?" he asked, picking up a paper cup and writing the order on it.

[musikjugend]

Roderich started when he heard Thomas's voice, looking up from the little cloud of misery he had been sitting in and trying to decide if he was relieved to see the older man or what. He had unfortunately managed to remember nearly everything about the party, at least until he had started dancing with Kirk, and then when he had kissed... someone at midnight, but he wasn't really sure who. The redness on his cheeks could have been attributed to the cold he had just come in from, but given it's quite recent appearance, the chances of that were unlikely. He sniffled, looking down at the counter again "You can skip the whipped cream, do you have any sort of hazelnut syrup? Or maybe caramel." Either would be fine, and as amusing as it might be to see Thomas get splattered with whipped cream, Roderich wasn't very much in the mood for Schadenfreude.

[godofcologne]

"How about both hazelnut and caramel?" Thomas suggested, hiding a grin at Roderich's sudden blush. He hadn't seen the young man since New Year's, and the details of the party had mostly faded from his mind. Just another night, another party. But he'd probably said something lewd or embarrassing at some point, given the blush.

He gave Roderich a sympathetic look. "You caught the plague too?"