Chapter Text
'What the hell happened here?!'
Ollie's mouth fell open as she took in her home. It was the same old building, in the same place, even if the buildings around it had all been turned into tall apartment blocks. There was no way she'd taken a wrong turn or anything, not when she could still see the gouges in the wall from that time she got Anya mad.
So why were there people queuing up under a black sign full of Japanese letters? And who'd even put that over her front door?
Okay, so she'd been dead and buried for a good three decades. Maybe it was a little unrealistic to expect a nice downtown property to be left untouched. Heck, maybe it was weirder that her old home was still here at all, even if it'd been turned into a restaurant.
But, she'd come prepared! She patted her dress, making sure the property deed was still safely tucked into her waistband. Whoever was running this Menya Botan place would regret taking her home!
She squared her shoulders, and headed towards the light and laughter spilling out of the open door.
Thankfully, the queue moved pretty fast, and ten minutes later she was seated at a simple but well-polished bar, suspiciously glancing around what had once been her living room but now looked like she'd stepped right into a Tokyo backstreet.
'Can I help you, miss?'
She turned back, and her mouth promptly fell open again. A long white mane, cute ears peeking out from under her black bandana and a short-sleeved shirt and apron that didn't even try to hide her big chest and strong arms…
'Holy shit, you're gorgeous!'
Wasn't there supposed to be some shady, mean back-alley cook? Why had someone this pretty stolen her home? Or did she just work here? Was the real villain counting his money in the back while he made her slave away here? He had to be, right?
Soft, beautiful giggles interrupted her thoughts, and for a moment it felt like her heart was stuttering back to life as the woman smiled at her. 'Thank you, but what would you like to order?'
'Ah,' she said, glancing back to see half a dozen more people queuing up behind her already. 'Um, I'm not here to eat! I need to talk to your boss about something important, just point me his way and I'll be out of your hair!'
'Well, that would be me,' she calmly said. 'But I'm a little busy right now, so can it wait until closing time? Shouldn't take more than an hour.'
'You run this place?' Ollie exclaimed. 'Huh?!'
'Yep,' she replied, popping the 'p' with an unperturbed smile. 'Oh, you can wait in the staff room,' she added, pointing at a door in the back. 'Feel free to take some drinks from the fridge, I don't like most of 'em anyway.'
Ollie just nodded, and dazedly wandered off into what had once been their pantry. She sank down on a cheap folding seat, and let her head drop on the metal table.
How the hell had this cool beauty ended up squatting in her home?
And could she really throw her out?
The door swung open, and the pretty woman stepped in, already tugging off her apron and bandana as she walked over to the fridge and took out a bottle of iced tea.
Ollie tried not to stare as she pulled out another chair and joined her. She really tried. But when the woman tilted back her head with that damp shirt clinging to her amazing figure… suddenly, she was glad she couldn't blush anymore.
The lioness just drained her bottle, seemingly oblivious to the impact she had on Ollie as she sat forward to her relief and disappointment both. 'Haaah. That really hits the spot,' she sighed, finally meeting her eyes with a lazy grin. 'I'm Shishiro Botan, by the way. But just call me Botan.'
'Ah, I'm Ollie! Kureiji Ollie!' she quickly said. 'It's nice to meet you, Botan-san!'
'Pleasure's all mine,' she smiled. 'But, you wanted to talk about something?'
'Ah, yes!' she said, pulling the property deed out of her dress. She smiled sheepishly as she held it out. 'The thing is, you're kind of in my home...'
Botan just hummed and calmly took the papers, clicking her tongue a few times as she flipped through the few pages. 'Property of Kureiji Olivia, bequeathed to her by Kureiji Sallie in 1982…' she read aloud. 'Huh. This looks legit.'
'Well, yeah!' Ollie huffed. 'I lived here before I got hit by that darn truck!'
She slapped her hands over her mouth a moment later, but the lion just raised an eyebrow. 'I guess that explains why you look like that, and why people told me nobody has lived here for decades,' she mused. 'But this sure is annoying...'
She put down the papers and leaned back, folding her hands behind her head as she levelled a calm gaze at her. 'So, what now, miss Olivia? Do you want me gone?'
'Ah, just Ollie, please,' she quickly said. 'And it's not that I want to, but I don't have anywhere else to go, either. This sword and the deed are literally all I have right now…'
'Well, I guess that's it, then,' she said. 'Mind giving me a bit to pack up, at least? I'll be out of your hair tomorrow. Oh, and I guess you can keep the furniture. Not like I really paid for most of it anyway.'
'Aren't you taking this too calmly?' she confusedly asked. 'Aren't you sad about losing your shop? Or mad at me?'
'Would that change who owns the house?' she shrugged. 'Figured my luck would run out eventually, and I still have my street cart stashed in the back. I'll manage, somehow.'
Or so she said, but even Ollie could hear the tired resignation in her words. She didn't know what kind of hard life she was used to, but to just throw her right back into it?
She remembered how Botan had smiled before, when she first came in. How she'd been happily serving her customers, and the obvious pride she took in her ramen. Maybe, if there was a way to let her keep smiling like that… could she really bring herself not to?
'Is there really no other way?' she desperately asked. 'Can't I just live in the attic or something? I totally wouldn't mind, it's not like I need sleep anymore! And I'd be really careful to be quiet!'
Botan blinked slowly, seemingly lost for words. 'You… why would you go that far for a total stranger? I stole your house.'
'I don't care! You can have it, just as long as you let me stay!'
For a long moment, she just stared at her. Then, a slow grin spread over her face. 'Hey, if you don't have a job either, why don't you come work for me? That'd solve a lot of our problems in one go, wouldn't it?'
It took her a few moments to realise what Botan had just said. Then her mouth fell open. 'Wait, can I really?
'Sure, why not?' she said. 'I've been looking for help anyway. You probably noticed the queue before, and it's like that almost every day.'
'So you're saying I can live with a beauty like you, and we get to spend all day together too?' she exclaimed. 'Sign me the fuck up!'
Botan just laughed. 'Well then, I guess you're hired,' she amusedly said. 'Welcome to Menya Botan.'
'Aye aye, Botan-senpai!' Ollie grinned. 'I won't let you down!'