Work Text:
They never should have given Susa free reign over the coffee beans. That was her excuse, and she was sticking to it.
‘Think of it as a… social experiment,’ she’d told Lyngsath, with a very straight face. ‘People will want to know where you can get this kind of coffee, share it on the aethernet, and boom! Most popular coffee house in Eorzea!’
Her boss had rolled his eyes and muttered something about food poisoning, but the daft sod was never here anyway, too caught up with his gastropub in the nicer bits of town. Plus they were always scheduling her for the night shifts, where her only company might be a stray cat wandering in for crumbs. Maybe a rat or two.
Which was how they’d ended up advertising pumpkin chilli lattes on the board outside.
Carline Coffee was a recent import from the more rural parts of the country, working in conjunction with a part of their world famous botanist’s guild that grew nothing but coffee plants. Apparently the founder was some weird lalafell who actively encouraged people making increasingly ridiculous blends, to give their cafes a kind of organic vibe. One crash course later, she’d had a certification and freedom to order whatever she wanted from the suppliers. No pay rise, but at least the uniform was cute – the skirt was just short enough to make her legs look longer, and she was already on the tall side for an elezen.
Now if there was anyone ever around to actually appreciate this, it would be better. The middle of the night was always dreadfully boring when you had to be stuck at work. Maybe this part of Eorzea was too posh to get the weirdos you got in the early hours clubs in Limsa.
It was at precisely that moment, as if Nald’thal themselves had heard her prayers, that the shop door opened and set the wind chime jangling. Susa jumped and tapped the screen in front of her, switching on the ECHO tech as an automatic force of habit, scrambling to get down so it wasn’t obvious she’d been perched on the counter.
“Welcome!” the machine chirped, the pre-programmed greeting sounding obnoxiously cheery for this time past midnight. “What can I get for you?”
She glanced up when she didn’t immediately get a reply, which was fairly unusual for impatient coffee drinkers, and immediately felt her mood brighten when she saw who it was.
‘Ah! My favourite customer!’
‘Why am I your favourite?’ the man groused back, which only made her grin grow wider. It was rare she got to talk to people that made their tone so obvious, even through sign language.
‘You saved me! From killer boredom!’ she signed theatrically, sending her numerous piercings jangling as she accidentally clipped her overlong ears. ‘You want the usual?’
‘With double shots. I’m working until seven.’
Susa took the money, then shooed him over to what she knew was his favourite spot. Her friend did so without a word or a second glance, but he was enough of a regular for Susa not to take offence. She wasn’t even entirely sure if he could speak, but his sign language was perfect. Using the ECHO worked fine as long as she could sign fast enough for it to translate, but it was always a little awkward. Paper and pen would have worked fine if she didn’t keep losing the damn thing, so anyone that could speak her language was always a treat.
The other hazard of this job was that you never got to know anyone’s name – and on the flipside, her boss was never around to make sure Susa wore a name tag. It didn’t really bother her – it wasn’t as if the guy had offered to share his name, either, and Yaeri would know exactly who she meant by “Perpetually Sleep Deprived Lavender Latte Guy,” was when she texted her later on. She still hadn’t met the cute redhead miqo’te her friend was nuts about, but maybe he just came in during the day like a sensible person.
It didn’t take long to make the drink – lavender latte with yak milk, and of course, the double espresso shots. This was a creation she’d been particularly proud of, and they’d planted several boxes of lavender outside to promote it, citing that it would save the bees as well as attract customers. Looking at it, she wondered if this guy was Ishgardian; milk tea was their kind of thing. Not personally to her taste, but he ordered it every time he came in so she must be doing something right.
He was certainly living up to his name tonight – the dark circles under his eyes could almost be smudged eyeliner, and his salt-white hair was impatiently yanked up into a bun that was only just about holding it together. As per usual, he was completely ignoring her, focus completely on a thick book with bright spaceships on the cover. If he’d been a bit more open to conversation, she would have tried asking him what he was always reading a long time ago, but alas. This week was spaceships. Last week it had been people firing laser guns and a painting of Dalamud in the background. Personally, Susa was waiting for him to show up with one that had the moon rabbits lovingly detailed on the front cover.
When he failed to notice her, Susa gently tapped him on the shoulder, setting the cup down gently in his line of vision. That finally got his attention, and he managed nothing more than what she presumed was a grateful nod, then back to total silence. Pretty par for the course, so she left him to it, distracting herself by sending out a couple of to-go orders and tying her hair back up, because as much as she might internally make fun of this guy’s ratty hair, her own twin buns were already starting to show signs of wear and tear. By the time that was done, she glanced over at the clock and sighed. Inching ever closer to 3am but never quite fast enough.
Gods, but this place was boring. Maybe she should start learning another skill on the side. Literally anything would be more interesting than staring at the wall for hours until another drunk customer stumbled in to sober up before their morning lecture. Maybe carpentry? Leatherwork?
She was jolted out of her thoughts by the soft clink of a cup being set down on the counter in front of her. Had it really been an hour already?
‘Thank you,’ he signed, and Susa beamed back and gave him a wave. He stared at her for a moment, pale eyes deep in thought, and for one glorious second Susa finally thought he was going to ask for her number.
‘Why are you… always here?’ was what she got instead.
‘I work here?’
‘In the small hours of the morning?’
Ah. ‘It’s corporate’s idea,’ she told him, silently bemoaning this guy’s lack of mind reading abilities. ‘We’re 24 hours, all day, every day.’ She thought he would have figured that out, what with it being 3am and all. Maybe lack of sleep killed brain cells.
‘And you have pumpkin chilli lattes?’
‘Yeah. You want one?’
‘… No.’
Perpetually Sleep Deprived Lavender Latte Guy blinked at her a couple of times, then nodded like she’d said something particularly profound.
‘Thanks,’ he signed to her, then promptly vanished out the door and into the night before she could reply. Susa stared after him, bewildered.
What was that about?
Ambling down the road, Estinien, who was quite unaware of his nickname as “Perpetually Sleep Deprived Lavender Latte Guy,” dug out his phone from his jacket, and opened the house chat:
< (82 unread messages) idiots
EV: @aymeric. found a 24 hour coffee place. has weird drinks. 10 mins from your office. (02:50)
Aymeric: Define weird??? (02:51)
EV: you could probably ask for sharlayan spiced tea with vodka shots and ten espressos. insufferably cheerful barista wouldn’t even blink (02:51)
EV: dont think they care if it’s legal or not (02:51)
Aymeric: Interesting… (02:52)
Haurche: Where’s mine??? (02:52)
Aymeric: Why are you awake? (02:52)
Haurche: My sleep schedule is a cryptic, beautiful thing. Much like myself. (02:52)
Haurche: I must admit I am intrigued. It sounds like these drinks will be the most sublime or disgusting thing I’ve ever tasted. (02:53)
EV: do i look like your errand boy
Haurche: yes (02:53)
did I tell you you’re my favourite brother?
<3 <3 <3
EV: shut up and go to sleep haurchefant (02:54)
Haurche: but my coffee ): (02:54)
EV: dont make me block you again (02:54)
Haurche: we live in the SAME HOUSE (02:54)
EV: mores the pity (02:54)
Aymeric: No fighting in the group chat, children (02:55)
With one text, Estinien Varlineau had set in motion one of the stupidest games imaginable. And it all started with pumpkin chilli lattes.
The next night, once more on the wrong side of midnight, the wind chime sang again. Only this time, it was someone far more interesting. The elezen man standing in her doorway was wearing an impeccably clean suit despite the late hour, dark hair adorably rumpled like he hadn’t slept in a week, and eyes so blue she was half certain he was wearing contact lenses. On any other person, the dazed look on his face might have been off putting, but this was just endearing.
‘Welcome!’ the machine said, prompting a very confused look from the newcomer. ‘What would you like to order?’
‘Where… where do I order from?’ He was looking at anywhere but her, craning his neck to see if there were cameras hidden in the rafters or behind a potted plant.
“From me!” Susa relayed to the ECHO, and then gave him a wave. “Hi. If you understand sign then I’ll give you a discount, but don’t tell my boss that.”
He had the decency to look embarrassed, that handsome face blushing red.
‘Oh gods, you must think me incredibly rude.’ Then to her amazement, he effortlessly switched to fluent sign language, tapered fingers forming shapes and sounds like he’d been doing so all his life. ‘May I ask, are you deaf? Is this easier? Or would you need me to speak at the same time – do you lip read?’
‘Don’t worry about it, I can hear you fine,’ she replied, giving him a big grin. ‘Congrats, you earned your 10% discount. What can I get for you?’
‘Well, that depends. How strong can you make the special? The one you’re advertising outside?’
‘Oh, you mean the pumpkin one? I can make it double strength, if you like. Not sure how it’ll taste if you do that, though.’
‘At the moment, I care not for the taste. Triple the caffeine, please.’
‘Technically I’m supposed to warn you that this kind of thing is dangerous,’ she warned him. ‘So at your own risk.’
He just smiled, which lit up his entire face, overwriting the exhaustion and making his eyes shine, and Susa couldn’t help but stare. There was good looking, yes, and then there was beautiful, that rare, ethereal vibe that some people had that made you remember them long after your paths had crossed. Normally you were only afforded glimpses of them, on the train or briefly crossing your path on the street, but now this mesmerizing, hypnotic face was right in front of her and not going anywhere.
‘I think my boss will be the far greater threat if I don’t turn up some useful information soon,’ was his reply, a faint, low chuckle accompanying it. ‘I’ll take the risk.’
‘Right-o.’ She mentally tried to rid herself of the sneaky thought that was rattling around in her head, namely that she wanted to hear that rumbling laugh again, and got to work. If she took extra care with the latte and added more chilli than usual, just to make sure he could properly taste it, that was between her and the gods.
That being said, she would absolutely be lying if she told herself she hadn’t deliberately handed him the cup, just to feel his hands brush against hers. He took a tentative sip, and didn’t wince or immediately start coughing, which was always a good sign.
‘Thank you,’ was his reply, shifting the cup a little so his hands were free. ‘Hopefully this will keep me awake until my tyrant of a boss decides to let us have a few hours’ sleep.’
‘Do they often make you work this late?’
‘Most nights, I’m afraid. I wasn’t aware you were open so late until recently. It looks like you’ll have another regular customer…?’
‘Sussiluna. But Susa’s faster to say, either works.’ Oh gods, she was babbling. She was babbling wasn’t she?
‘Susa, then. I’m Aymeric - it was lovely to talk to you. No doubt I’ll see you again soon.’ That gorgeous smile was directed fully at her, soft as the sun from behind a stormcloud, the bright blue of his earring perfectly matching his startlingly perfect blue eyes.
‘It’s a date!’ she signed as he turned to go, and on the bright side she was rewarded with that gorgeous laugh again. The second he was out of sight, though, she smacked her forehead and buried her face in her palms. A date? Really? You’d spoken to him for all of five minutes! her internal voice shrieked.
But he’d laughed, and he’d smiled. He’d taken the time to figure out the easiest way to speak to her and asked which she preferred. He’d drunk her quite frankly insane coffee mixture and had promised to come back for more.
Maybe there was hope yet?
Her next attempt was something floral, for the New Year and the theme of spring. Lyngsath had requested decorations, so Susa and some of the others had spent a fun few shifts mapping out and going nuts with the company credit card. Whilst full planters of blooms probably hadn’t exactly been what her boss had in mind, there was no one around to stop her as she merrily strung fresh blossoms on the back of the chairs. The grand opening was tomorrow morning, and despite her half-hearted protests, she really hadn’t minded picking up another load of night shifts.
“You’re deluding yourself,” Susa said to herself firmly, tying off another garland with a pretty pastel pink ribbon. “People say they’ll come back all the time and never do. He was probably just being polite.”
As if he’d been summoned, the door rang again and the object of her affections walked in. Sorry, Exhausted Lavender Latte Guy, you’re being replaced with someone who can actually string a conversation together.
‘I wondered if I had perhaps walked into the wrong shop,’ Aymeric said with a chuckle, staring wide eyed at the clusters of byregotias that she’d put on to every available windowsill. ‘You’ve outdone yourself.’
‘Aymeric! Hi!’ she signed, whirling to face him and completely dropping the string of flowers she was holding, which only made him laugh again. ‘You actually came back!’
‘It’s rare I find somewhere that can keep up with my hours,’ he signed back to her. ‘Plus I have to admit, the interesting flavours are a bonus too.’
‘You want to try the newest one?’
‘Very much, but don’t stop on my account. I’m sure the office can spare me for a few more minutes.’
He picked up the fallen garland and offered it to her, those spectacular eyes of his intently on hers. Susa stared back for a second, dumbstruck, then blurted out the first thing that came to mind –
‘I like your earring! It’s pretty.’
‘Oh, this?’ Aymeric touched the gem like he’d forgotten it was there, the smooth glass sending azure ripples across his fingers. ‘It was a present, from my brothers after I graduated from university. Possibly also because Haurchefant wanted to make up for the wonky piercing.’
He lifted the earring a little to show her the slightly off centre piercing, and Susa couldn’t help but giggle. Gods, he was too cute. This level of dork yet stunningly handsome should be illegal.
‘You did those yourself?’
‘Unfortunately,’ he said with a rueful sigh. ‘Never underestimate the power of bored, unsupervised teenagers and a sibling who can charm the moon out of the sky.’
‘I hate being an only child; I had to pay to get mine done.’ She raised a hand to gesture to her own long, pointed ears, currently adorned with about seven rings and some wickedly sharp studs. ‘How much trouble were you in when your parents found out?’ He grimaced as he remembered, Susa moving behind the counter to flip on the espresso machine as he thought.
‘I’m fairly certain we were given kitchen duty for a month. Estinien wouldn’t talk to me for two days because he got the blame too – the nuns just said he was encouraging us by sitting there and scowling because all it did was spur Haurchefant on.’
That caught her attention, and Susa raised an eyebrow as the coffee machine wailed to life behind her.
‘Wait, nuns? Where do you even find nuns anymore? Oh gods, please don’t tell me you’re a monk.’
That startled the gorgeous laugh out of him again, warm like honey and settling around her shoulders like a blanket like it was something she could keep and treasure.
‘Not quite; Ishgard State Orphanage. We grew up there and solemnly vowed to be together for life – well, as solemn as twelve year olds can be, anyway. Now we’re all in our thirties and I haven’t been able to get rid of them since, and rent’s cheaper when shared.’
‘So you’re not an order of monks?’
‘Absolutely not, perish the thought.’ Aymeric idly watched her and Susa silently prayed that this wasn’t going to make her trip over her own feet or pour water all over the floor. ‘Why, is that a problem? Are you afraid of virtuous men of Halone?’
‘I just think it’d be a waste, someone as pretty as you, holed up in a monastery.’
‘Oh, you think I’m pretty?’
She made a strangled sound and put down the cup harder than she needed to, her face undoubtedly as red as her hair. He had an infuriatingly cute smirk on his face, and Susa had to tamp down on the gremlin part of her brain that wanted to vault over the counter and kiss it off his lips.
‘And so what if I do?’ she demanded, raising an eyebrow. ‘I have eyes. You, sir, are very pretty. Same way the sky is blue and those flowers are green. Sort of.’
‘Do all the pretty customers get discounts?’ he teased. ‘I mustn’t fall for this – you must surely say it to everyone who walks through the door.’
‘Oh, because you’ve never been called good looking before? Riiiight. And I’m queen of the elves.’
‘Would you believe me if I said I’d never been on a date?’
Okay, that was just a bold-faced lie, and it was her turn to smirk as she pushed the finished drink towards him.
‘You’ll need to start addressing me as Queen Sussiluna,’ she warned him. ‘I’m not that easily fooled.’
‘I mean it! The stars never really aligned, as it were. Always too busy with something or another, keeping my brothers out of trouble or working. It all somewhat… fell to the wayside.’
‘And I’m meant to believe no one ever asked you?’
‘Not to my face. Lots of giggling, lots of whispering, asking me if we could get lunch together at work… the word “date,” never seemed to come up. Too interested in getting a career boost I can’t give them or my fictitious money. Which, clearly, I must be drowning in. I’m not even entirely sure if this is my shirt.’
He lazily indicated his crumpled outfit, the soft, sooty black of his shirt wonderfully complimenting his hair, jeans that were smart but just a little worn at the knees. Incredibly corporate with a slight twist to it, barely visible dragons neatly embroidered on his tie in a minutely paler shade of silk that ever so slightly caught the light and gleamed a pearly grey; chunky, tightly laced boots with a surprisingly high heel to them, disappearing under his trouser cuffs. It was almost deliberately plain, his demeanour carefully designed to look like any other office drone until you looked closer, saw the earring gleaming under his mop of curls, noticed the braided bracelet under his shirt sleeve, or spotted the faintest chips of black varnish clinging to his nails.
Susa forced herself to look up at him, heart hammering away in her chest.
‘Well, you came back for this one,’ she signed to him, hoping her face wasn’t betraying her by glowing bright red again. ‘So do I get a second date?’
‘If you keep making me… whatever this is?’ He’d taken a sip of the drink and was staring at it curiously, having prised off the lid to see what was inside. ‘It’s certainly interesting.’
‘Gridanian coffee beans with rosehip and thistle extract. I was thinking of doing an iced rose drink too, ‘cause y’know. Springtime. Flowers. That kind of thing. I’m changing it up every week or so.’
‘Well then, you’ve talked me into it. Third date sometime this week?’
‘On one condition.’ She held up her pointer finger, her other hand on her hip in an attempt to look playfully stern. Aymeric raised an eyebrow at her, seemingly content to play along for now. ‘Talk to me.’
‘I am talking to you?’ he signed back, confused, and Susa shook her head.
‘No, with your voice. I can hear you just fine, I just can’t talk back. You have a lovely voice – I want to hear more of it.’
A strange request, but not one she felt was unfair. Susa had never had her own voice, just down to sheer bad luck and unfortunate quirks of genetics, so she collected ones she liked. Yaeri’s was high pitched and lilting, had her Limsan accent tracing through it like colourful thread through cloth; Lyngsath’s rough and deep like boulders grating together, his words nigh on incomprehensible when he got excited. The music she’d put on during the slower periods of her shift ranged from screaming and eclectic to dreamy and slow, their voices surrounding her and exploding in bursts of colour. Often Susa would mouth along to them, borrowing their voices just for a little bit, imagining those sounds were pouring from her own throat, crashing effortlessly into the world like every other creature on this star.
‘If… if you’re truly sure?’ Aymeric asked, watching her face intently. ‘It is no hardship to talk to you this way, Susa. Whichever makes you feel more comfortable.’
‘I like to hear people talk; it shows me more of who you are. The person behind the hands.’ She gave him a smile and did her best to make sure it looked genuine. ‘Gotta make up for being so quiet somehow, right?’
‘Then if you really do wish to hear me talk, I’ll gladly do so. I’ll see you again?’
A smile bloomed across her face. ‘You’d better do. Who else is going to be my guinea pig for the new flavours?’
His laughter followed him out into the night, sweet as honey.
After that, he started coming by at least twice a week, materialising in her doorway like a particularly pleasant spectre. Always in the middle of the night, always looking totally harried and frazzled, but always with a warm smile on his face. That was when they started trading stories, as well as coffee, because what were dates if you didn’t get to know each other?
He’d asked about her voice, because of course he would after she brought it up last time. The answer as ever remained a rueful shrug and a cobbled together explanation of “no one really knows.” She’d been born without one and that’s how it had always been, despite multiple scholars dredged up from the depths of Sharlayan and all the spells they’d cast on her. Her eyes were perfect; her hearing unobstructed; her brain just as normal as any other child’s, so silent she’d stayed.
‘I made up for it by being a horribly mischievous child who made as much noise as possible,’ Susa told him, perched on a chair next to the table he was occupying, keeping half an eye on the door but most of her attention on Aymeric. ‘My uncle gave me a drum kit one Starlight and I’m fairly sure my mother banned him from the house. Also d’you know how many people assume mute also means deaf so they just start gossiping about you, to your face? I had one woman call me stupid and I wanted to be like, hello? I’m right here?’
Aymeric nodded, stirring his coffee thoughtfully as she ranted. ‘I hope you didn’t mind my asking; not to pry or anything like that, but to try and help. My sign language is probably better than my Eorzean, some days. One of my brothers is deaf, and I’ve watched him struggle far too much. I’d hate to do it to someone else.’
‘You learned sign just for him?’ Susa asked, touched. ‘You’re a good brother.’
‘In fairness, I didn’t have much of a choice. I didn’t make friends easily and Haurchefant decided to take on that burden about five minutes after we met.’ Aymeric shook his head, but his tone was light and his voice fond. ‘He taught me in bits and pieces, and Estinien afterwards. We all became very good at signing filthy words at each other in a silent classroom. I lost count of how many detentions we got for laughing.’
That made her start giggling so hard it became nigh impossible to stop, Aymeric tumbling into the same trap not long afterwards. How long had it been when someone had made her smile this much, willing to stop and work out what she was trying to say without the benefit of the ECHO? It got lonely in such a noisy world sometimes, like she was stuck in a rip current that was desperately trying to yank her down. The smaller, softer moments, where someone stopped and held out their hand? Those were the ones she was living for.
She gave him this week’s offering – black truffle, buffalo milk, and cinnamon – almost reluctantly, because it meant he’d have to go soon, their little pocket of peace drawing to a close.
‘See you soon?’ she asked, because to let go of this was something she wasn’t willing to do quite yet.
‘Oh, undoubtedly. I’m curious as to what you’ll come up with next.’
‘Sea salt and alligator pears,’ she told him with a straight face. ‘With beet sugar in there too.’
He snorted, a nice break in his clean cut manner that sent coffee slopping over the side of the paper cup.
‘I’ll hold you to that, Susa.’
A mix of desert saffron, galago mint, and kukuru beans had them trading job stories and dreams. Susa told him she wanted to run her own bakery, eventually, and the barista courses would help with that. In kind, she found out Aymeric was a paralegal, albeit not that high up on the ladder yet. A cut throat industry that stuck the newbies with the crappy jobs, trawling through files and thick legal documents until late into the night. It didn’t sound like something she envied.
‘I did wonder,’ she confessed, after a long shift of washing up cups and being glad for the distraction. ‘You could have been a serial killer for all I knew.’
‘And you still sit here talking to me anyway?’ Aymeric asked, eyebrow raised but hiding a smile behind his drink. ‘You’re a brave woman.’
‘Some might call it stupid,’ Susa signed back. ‘You’re too pretty for your own good. Besides, I have it on good authority that most other jobs don’t have you working until gone midnight. Why not go somewhere that treats you better?’
Aymeric sighed. ‘It’s not that simple. I realised a long time ago that if I actually wanted to make a difference on this star, it unfortunately comes with a lot of long hours and paperwork. Unless you’re wealthy and with a ton of nepotism backing you, that means you start at the bottom of the ladder. The very, very bottom, in my case.’
‘If it makes you feel better, I’m right there with you. Pretty sure “barista,” is on the list of unskilled minimum wage jobs. I was never much good with school.’
‘On the contrary; coming up with your own coffee blends is far beyond me. Hardly unskilled work and most certainly valuable work.’ His tone was entirely one she couldn’t argue with. ‘I spend most of my time reading over phone records and watching security camera footage.’
‘Oh?’ she asked, raising an eyebrow. ‘And what kind of horrors would you come up with if you were left to your own devices?’
‘Probably something along the lines of maple syrup and whatever I could find in the back of the larder, truth be told.’
Two days later, she plonked a mixture of cloud bananas, maple syrup, and night milk in front of him. Aymeric gave her a smile as sweet as the coffee, soft as the moon emerging from behind the midnight clouds.
The mix of nutmeg, Othardian plum, and palm sugar brought tales of their childhood – Susa’s of rural Yanxia and exactly how much trouble you could get into in the middle of nowhere, and Aymeric’s of Ishgard and how a war torn city could wreak havoc on its children. Pearl ginger and pixieberry finally got him talking about work, about how frightfully dull it was trying to prove that some celebrity had cheated on his wife, and Susa told him the story about how she’d been fired as a chef two summers ago because she accidentally on purpose tipped a drink in a particularly unpleasant customer’s lap.
Steppe candyfruit mixed with steppe milk, seasoned with clove, was the accompaniment for a very heated discussion about TV shows, because Aymeric was of the firm opinion that CSI Eorzea was total garbage and the police were never that thorough, and just because that was true didn’t make it any less enjoyable to watch on Sunday nights. He’d tried convincing her that Sharlayan poetry really was the perfect way to relax, and there really were some interesting works coming out of Garlemald, these days. Susa had just shoved her latest invention at him (sweet cream milk, white peach, and white truffle) and told him with a poker straight face that the only poetry she read was ones scrawled on the back of public toilet doors.
He was undoubtedly refined, very educated, and much more elegant than Susa could ever hope to be; on the bright side, she was fairly certain Aymeric didn’t know how to have fun outside of his stuffy lawyer’s office and fancy poetry. Every time she made him sputter and his eyes widen as he translated her undoubtedly uncouth signs counted as a win in her book, loosening the ties of corporate and legal jargon until the man underneath emerged. For all his dedication to his job, she somewhat got the impression he missed being Aymeric, rather than hotshot lawyer turned celebrity stalker.
… she was rather hoping that he liked Susa, too. After all, it wasn’t like she could be anyone else.
It was a dreary, rainy night on this particular Friday, and she had to stop herself staring at the door. Aymeric was late, 2am having come and gone long ago. Spring was fading into summer, the nights already getting shorter, the sun high in the sky as she walked home at 6am. It felt like the start of something, that hint of potential in the air that was shimmering into something solid.
All you have to do is ask him if he’d like to go on a date with you. In daylight hours. Just to prove you’re not some creepy vampire, she told herself, wiping down the counters. It was easy; she’d had no problem flirting with men before this, playing up the ditzy act so they’d leave her a few extra gil in tips. But this was… she wasn’t entirely sure what this was, only that she wanted to keep it. Even if dating fizzled out into nothing, as it was often wont to do, she genuinely enjoyed Aymeric’s company. Lonely wasn’t the right word, but it wasn’t often that someone went the distance to speak to her properly. Sometimes internet friendships and text messages didn’t quite cut it.
Today’s offering was vanilla beans, peppered with various bits and pieces she’d dredged up from the storeroom, the last little bits before she had to order more. Sun lemon extract, persimmon rind, the tiniest bit of crushed pineapple. It had an oddly final feel to it, which she really didn’t like. Ingredients could always be ordered again; the combinations only limited by her imagination, so why would the feeling of anxiety not leave?
Lack of sleep. Too much caffeine. Being too far gone on pretty elf boys, her mind supplied, and she found herself humming in agreement. Honestly, didn’t she have a rich and fulfilling life without Aymeric? You didn’t need a partner to be happy, as she was constantly having to remind Yaeri. She was fine. Absolutely fine. Watch as she went a whole five minutes without even looking at that door –
‘Sorry I’m late! My manager called me into his office right at the last minute; I swear the man doesn’t understand the concept of mandated lunch breaks.’ Aymeric shook out his umbrella, the raindrops in his hair glittering in the café lights like tiny jewels. ‘Am I to be drinking stale coffee beans with tomato juice as punishment?’
‘Yes,’ Susa told him with mock outrage, eyebrows reaching into her hairline. ‘Expired tomato juice. Warmed up in the microwave.’
‘Oh gods, I think I’d rather you threaten to kill me.’ He set his umbrella aside, collapsing into the nearest chair. ‘When do you get to take your breaks? Would you care to join me?’
‘Pretty sure I could get away with having nothing but breaks, this time of night. Give me a minute, let me make some drinks.’
The music in the background was soft, guitars twining their way through drumbeats, ebbing and flowing through the room like a pulse. It made the café feel safe and warm, where anything was possible and it was just the two of them, the last beacon of hope at the end of the world. Aymeric’s eyes were half closed, resting his chin on his palm, freshly applied nail varnish gleaming in the gold light. Susa slid into the seat across from him, feeling uncharacteristically nervous as she put the drink down in front of him. He stirred as soon as the precious caffeine was within arm’s reach, taking a deep drink without even asking what was in it.
‘It tastes like summer,’ he remarked thoughtfully, studying the foamy mixture. ‘Vanilla was an interesting choice.’
‘Definitely wasn’t me using up the last of the stock.’
‘Resourceful and creative. You really should open that bakery, you know. I think you’d make a wonderful patissiere.’ He was rambling for a change, fiddling with the chunky rings on his fingers, not look at her properly. She frowned and reached across the table, tapping him gently on the arm.
‘What’s wrong?’ she signed, tilting her head at him. Aymeric sighed.
‘I have to tell you something,’ he said with a sigh, finally looking up to meet her gaze, and Susa did her best to shove away that feeling of dread.
‘Is this where you tell me you really are a monk after all?’
He gave her a wan smile. ‘Not quite that bad. In a sense, its good news – remember the case I told you I was working on?’
‘Yeah, glorified paparazzi, I remember.’
‘Well, we won the case. Finally dug up an inconsistency in his testimony and matched it up to the dreadfully dull security footage, broke the whole thing open. His ex-wife is very pleased; had some very kind words for me that got passed on to the higher ups, so I might get to look at something interesting next. Not just entirely newbie work.’
‘That’s fantastic!’ Susa told him, face lighting up. ‘You’ll get to tell me all the gruesome details of your murder cases.’
‘Ah, well, that would be the thing. I won’t be working as many nights anymore – any on the job training would most likely be during civilised hours. Perhaps when things get really busy and needs must, but the bulk of it will be foisted on to some other poor intern. So I think our late night visits won’t be for much longer.’
Susa bit her lip and looked away, fiddling with the coffee cup lest he see the surprising amount of tears that had sprung to her eyes. Of course this would happen. It was to be expected, after all. Lawyers did important work and didn’t spend their time talking to café girls who couldn’t hold their end of the conversation and had never seen the inside of a university in their life. It was just the way the world worked.
‘But – and forgive me, if this is too forward – as glad as I am to finally be doing something useful, my immediate thought was how much I’d miss these meetings, our conversations. I’d like to stay in contact, if I could? Perhaps we could get coffee at some time other than the witching hour?’
Susa actually jumped, meeting worried blue eyes with her own startled ones.
‘You mean that?’ she asked, stunned. ‘You’re not just messing with me?’
‘Why would I do that?’ he said, sounding genuinely confused. ‘My apologies if I’ve misread the situation, but I’ve been looking forward to seeing you when I come here – ‘
‘I have too! You’ve not misread, not at all!’ She could feel her face heating up in a violent flush. ‘Just… surprised. In a good way! Just surprised! I don’t seem like your type.’
‘And what would that be?’
‘Smart. Probably carries around armfuls of books, could write essays that win prizes. Glasses.’
Now he was smirking at her in an undeniably teasing way, trying very hard not to laugh.
‘I’m certain I can find you a pair of glasses to wear, maybe even a baggy sweater or two,’ he said lightly. ‘Or does that say more about you than it does me?’
‘Oh shut up you’re insufferable – ‘
They were both laughing now, the kind of laughter where it became hard to breath and impossible to stop. Aymeric was the first to calm down, scrubbing at his eyes with his sleeve.
‘Well, now we’ve established that – could I have your number? Not that anything could surpass the coffee you make for me, of course, but I would like to try some at a time that doesn’t wreck my sleep schedule.’ He handed her his phone, and Susa smiled when she saw he’d already opened up a new contact, with “Susa,” and a little coffee cup emoji next to it.
‘So when do we go on our first real date?’ she asked, after tapping in her details.
‘Well…’ Aymeric looked slightly hesitant, but carried on after she prodded his arm impatiently. ‘If you’re comfortable with it, I was going to have some friends come over for drinks and a meal. My way of saying thank you for putting up with my unreasonable work schedule these last few months. Haurchefant will undoubtedly drag Francel along, and we’re all waiting to see if Estinien has the courage to text Ysayle – they’ve been dancing around each other for gods only know how long. I’d love for you to join us; I doubt I can make a dessert as well as you’re used to, but I can give it a damn good try.’
‘That sounds wonderful!’ Susa signed back. ‘Of course I will. I won’t judge your cooking skills. Promise.’
‘I’ll text you the address? Saturday evening, roughly five. You’ll have to excuse my idiot brothers teasing you about being my date.’
‘I’ll defend your honour with all my strength, my lord,’ Susa told him solemnly. ‘I’ll bring my axe.’
It made Aymeric choke on his drink, but it was worth it.
Two days later, she was waiting outside a scruffy block of flats, patiently waiting to be buzzed in. The building was nothing to write home about and truthfully looked no better than hers, but she would have shown up to a tent in the woods if Aymeric lived there.
She wandered her way up to the second floor, hoping that she had the right flat number, and her thoughts were immediately confirmed when she found Flat 14, and locked eyes with an immediately familiar face.
‘What are you doing here?!’
‘I live here – what are you doing here?’ Perpetually Sleep Deprived Lavender Latte Guy signed back at her, bewildered. ‘How did you get my address?’
‘I’m looking for Aymeric – ‘
He blinked at her for a second, then turned and yelled Aymeric’s name behind him into the flat. The man himself appeared not a minute later, looking remarkably confused.
‘Why are you making her stand out in the hall? Come in, Susa,’ Aymeric said, patiently shoving the other man out of the doorway. ‘Forgive Estinien, he’s scared of girls.’
‘I heard that,’ his brother barked, following them into the front room. ‘Why didn’t you tell me your girlfriend was the weird barista?’
‘… I told you weeks ago, did you pay no attention?’
Susa spun around to face them both, hands on her hips. ‘Why did you never tell me you could talk?’ she signed to Estinien, trying very hard not to laugh as his face rapidly turned red.
‘I thought you were deaf!’
‘I thought you were deaf!’
‘Neither of you asked?’ Aymeric said, his lips twitching with amusement. Estinien and Susa looked at each other, and shook their heads. ‘Absolutely ridiculous, the pair of you,’ he said fondly, shaking his head. ‘Anything else we should clear up, while we’re here?’
A silver blur suddenly appeared between them, slinging arms around both Aymeric and Estinien’s shoulders, completely ignoring Estinien’s good natured eye roll and Aymeric’s yelp of surprise.
‘I do,’ the silver blur signed, rapidly morphing into a gangly young man with a crop of silvery blue hair, a bright smile, and long, pointed ears that had delicately sculpted hearing aids made specifically for elezens. ‘Are you still making pumpkin chilli lattes? Aymeric never did bring me home one.’