Chapter Text
A balmy wind drifted, so warmly entwining itself though the azure firmament above- racing the breadth of clouds and dancing through the waves, a warm breeze frolicking in the sunlight’s radiance. It swept in off the coast, laden with the refreshing hint of salt and brisk oceanic aroma, twirling through the spray of elegant fountains and stately architecture, passing above the scattered crowds of tourists, skimming along the canalfronts in eager exultation-
That warm wind, gentle and vast, passed by two towering pillars adorned with ancient and noble visages. It passed by the statues of the Lati- and swept with but a whisper through the achingly beautiful city of Alto Mare.
Tucked away in one of the corners of that edifice of human artistry, towards the end of Hyacinth Street Canal where the flowers grew rampant and the streets showed the wear of their age, sat a small cafe. Weeping bouquets of stark floral color spilled out from beneath the windows, swaying gently in the unseen breeze as the low bushes astride the canalfront rustled the same. Dappled sunlight, the shadow of old willows planted long before living memory played themselves across the similarly ancient brickwork, flowering vines clambering up the stoic walls- only the recently installed patio doors broke the ageless image, cutting perfectly from the cafe’s rich interior to the cobbled patio.
Above it all, wreathed in verdant leafage and half shaded by a drapery of pastel petals, hung a sign emblazoned with the smiling face of a tropical pokemon and just enough words to perfectly describe the quaint business: the Comfy Comfey Cafe.
Leo sighed contentedly, watching the wind tussle with the floral arrangements out of the corner of his eye as he leaned against the counter. He loved this place- its coffee had been excellent back when he was a highschooler who’d dodged a pokemon journey to get an education, and now that he worked here it’s charm had only grown on him all the more.
The cafe was quiet, for the moment. For the most part they attracted a fairly low number of patrons- their reviews were great, income stable, but they rarely did get those hectic rushes, those long lines and crowded rooms… and that was just how he liked it. He’d been working there for what… two years, and while it might not have been a dream job, it was certainly something he enjoyed. Nice and relaxed.
Leo dragged a hand through his hair almost absentmindedly, ignoring the pull of tangled bed head he couldn’t quite ever escape. Comfey gave him a reassuring trill from where he’d been restocking the roaster, tinged with that breath of almost-laughter at his hair’s eternal misfortune. The little pokemon had been with him his entire life, and yet still-
A chime sung through the cafe as the door creaked open, shaking Leo from his reverie. He glanced toward the door- only to blink in surprise as a nervous young girl in a green shirt inched her way inside. She couldn’t have been older than five, but no parent followed her as she slowly wandered around, gaze eventually landing on Leo at the register. By the time she got to the counter her diminutive stature was fully apparent- the top of her head still had a few inches to go until it even reached it.
At second glance he noticed the girl was soaked , a long trail of water puddling behind where she’d moved. Leo made a mental note to clean that up later, but before he could finish the thought he was interrupted by the clatter of coins on the counter as the girl stretched over the countertop to drop the handful of drenched metal in front of him. Even his cursory glimpse at the small pile of coinage was enough to tell him she’d given him an eclectic variety- he spotted Alto Mare’s currency alongside Johto’s, with even a few Kanto coins thrown in.
Leo frowned in faint incredulity as he stared at the money. “Kiddo, do you… want to order something?” The girl nodded with earnest enthusiasm, and Leo couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Even if she was a bit… young. “Look, I’m sorry, but you should probably hold off on the coffee until you’re older. At the very least get your parents, okay?”
The girl looked up at him, confusion to dismay slowly bleeding across her face in the form of an adorable frown. Evidently she’d realized he wasn’t going to give him anything, as she’d chosen to resort to the super-effective strategy all children knew worked- puppy dog eyes.
“Oh, c’mon, don’t give me that look.” The girl nevertheless continued, building up the act even more until- when it looked like she was on the verge of tears- Leo relented. “Fine, kid. I yield.” Her mood immediately shifted, sadness evaporated beneath the light of a fierce joy and exuberant grin. Leo swept the coins off to the side- though they probably weren’t enough to purchase anything- and waved down Comfey. “Can we get her a latte?” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Lots of milk and sugar. You know why.”
Comfey bobbed in acquiescence and immediately set to work getting the necessary ingredients as Leo turned around to prepare the beverage. They’d done this for years together, and it only took a few minutes before the pokemon was hoisting the cup over to the eagerly waiting girl. The moment he set it down beside her a rainbow of excitement erupted across her face, the brightest smile yet lighting the room as she darted over to one of the cafe’s seats.
Leo chuckled as he watched the girl’s attempts to drink the hot coffee as fast as she could, endlessly stymied by the beverage’s latent heat. Children… endearing, in a way, though at the same time… what was she doing alone?
His train of thought was interrupted by the sudden screech of one of the blades in the grinder getting loose. The girl jumped back- nearly spilling her coffee- as Leo hurried to the back to unplug the machine. That was the third time this month he’d had to realign the blades- he’d have to ask Carmine to fix the whole thing later, or maybe buy a new one…
After a few minutes of fiddling around with the machine’s inner workings, he sighed and abandoned the lost cause. He knew his boss hated having to do this, but fixing these things was a hassle that wasn’t in his job description. Carmine had been pondering giving him some more training, but with the new hire and all she never seemed to find the time.
Leo turned around to see what had happened to the girl, but found that she had vanished. The cup of coffee, completely finished, sat alone on one of the nearby tables. He ran a hand through his hair in faint bewilderment for a few seconds, then shrugged. That had been unusual.
Anyways, it wasn’t worth thinking about much. After all, he still had to clean up that mess of water before the evening folk started to trickle in. The flowers could use a bit of care too- Comfey would take care of that- and there were a couple of tasks the new hire probably wouldn’t be able to do that he could frontload. A good day’s work at the Comfy Comfey Cafe, in the end.
Damn did he love the place.
###
Evening’s fiery sunlight set over Hyacinth Street, the faint remnant of a seaside breeze tugging at the inflorescent blooms of riotous color that cascaded alongside the canal. Long shafts of illuminant radiance beamed through the windows, catching off the empty wooden furniture and rich flooring, sharp shadows stretching long over a room all but empty.
Leo hummed an old tune beneath his breath as he wiped down the counter, making sure to catch those little bits of stickiness that clung to the chips and dents likely older than he was. He’d be here for some time yet, night shift and all, but there was something that never got old about watching the sun set over the canal, molten incandescence setting the skies alight and dying the clouds pastel red. Perhaps it had to do with the fact he was never that busy around this time- as it was now, the cafe was usually empty.
His gaze shifted to a single figure, silhouetted against the dying daylight, and he silently amended that sentiment in his mind. The cafe was usually almost empty. The young girl with the coins had been spending a lot of time at the cafe over the past few months… it felt like almost every other day she’d come with another handful of eclectic currency before retreating to sit on the patio beside the canal for what felt like hours. At least she’d stopped tracking in so much water. How such a little girl could get so wet, he had no idea.
The cloth slipped neatly over the counter’s end, marking the conclusion of his final task for the evening. Tables fully wiped and inventory set, he leaned contentedly on the counter to watch the advent of dusk, relaxing in the quiet atmosphere.
Comfey brushed past him with a squeak, and Leo couldn’t help but smile softly at the pleading look he sent his way. Most of the floriculture was done by Comfey, but whenever possible the Pokemon tried to get him to help out. With nothing better to do, Leo slipped out from behind the counter, following Comfey out to the patio to pull some weeds.
The repetitive task reminded him of his childhood, long hours spent carefully pruning the miniature jungle of potted plants and vines inside their small apartment, Comfey always there to make sure he didn’t mess anything up too badly. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory while he carefully weeded the cafe’s significantly larger flowerbeds.
The rhythmic hum of an old tune hung at the corner of his mind as a quarter hour passed slowly, violet darkness racing the crepuscular fade as a river of stars slowly began to twinkle in the night sky, but eventually he was done. He spared a moment to stretch languidly before he had to go back inside- and in that short second caught the cafe’s sole customer in the corner of his eye. The little girl had been watching him intently- for how long he couldn’t say, but she flinched back with a soft squeak of surprise the moment their gazes met.
Leo tried for his best reassuring smile as he walked over to the girl’s table. “Do you like the flowers, kiddo?” A few long seconds passed as she stared up at him with wide eyes, frozen- before, slowly she nodded. “Hold on a second.”
Comfey perked up as he quietly whispered an idea to him, before bobbing eagerly and darting off. Only a few seconds later he returned, carefully depositing a cluster of indigo blooms into Leo’s outstretched palms.
“See these?” The girl nodded earnestly, leaning in close to get a better look. “These are hyacinth flowers. Back in the day the entire canal used to be lined with these- it’s actually how the street got its name! Pretty cool, right? Here. Do you want ‘em?” The girl looked at him with eyes wide in disbelief before a radiant grin blossomed on her face… but despite it all, though, she didn’t say a word.
Leo had suspected that, to an extent- not once over the past few months had he ever heard her speak. He’d taken it as an artifact of her timidness, but as he watched her fiddle with the flowers there was that ever-nagging hint of suspicion that there was something more to it.
“Hey, kid.” The girl paused, dropping the flowers she’d been fiddling with. “If you don’t mind me asking, where are your parents?” He only got a blank look in response, as though the question was utterly unfathomable to her. Stifling a sigh, Leo tried again- a simpler question this time… “what’s your name?” She opened her mouth to respond, then paused and slowly shook her head. “You can’t talk, can you?” A shy nod. “I’ll be right back.”
Giving her his best reassuring smile, Leo quickly strode to the back of the cafe, rummaging through the drawers for… aha! They didn’t have much, but Carmine had always been a bit of a stickler for having paper on hand.
Notepad clutched in hand and sharpie in the other, he made his way back to the girl’s table with a triumphant smile. “Here!” She looked at him with faint confusion as he tossed the notepad down in front of her… she was pretty young, he supposed. She could use an explanation of what he was thinking. “If you can’t talk, you can write it down. Like this-” he flipped it to an empty page and carefully wrote down three letters- ‘ Leo .’ “That’s my name.
The girl looked at the paper in astonished bewilderment, carefully staring at the marker for almost a minute before poking at the paper as though it was a foreign concept to her. Leo watched carefully for a bit, but a gaggle of customers forced him back to the bar- and by the time he managed to make his way back to the girl’s table, she was gone. All that was left was a finished cup and an empty notepad, the only things that even indicated that there was a person there at all.
###
A week passed quickly, blurred between teaching a few of the harder aspects of the job to the new hire and the sudden onrush of summer tourists. The entire incident with the girl a few days before had more or less slipped his mind. There was always something to get done…
The door chimed brightly as the girl stepped into the cafe, glancing around before heading confidently towards the counter. “Hey, kid. The usual?” She nodded rapidly, an evident eagerness beneath the energetic bounce of her step.
It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her since their awkward conversation- she’d come every other day or so, always with a handful of coins and a pleading look, but she seemed especially excited today. Comfey quickly whipped up the typical coffee with extra milk and sugar, but when he placed it down in front of her she didn’t run off to a table like she usually did.
She just… stood there. Staring at him. “Do you… need something?” She nodded her head, pointing at… him? No, something behind him, except he’d already given her coffee, so he had no idea what she was trying to say. After a few more seconds of fruitless pointing she frowned, miming an odd movement on the counter… “writing? Oh! Do you want something to write on?” The girl nodded, cheer returned in a moment. “Alright, hold on.” He ducked into the back, returning moments later notepad in hand. “Here you go!”
The girl grinned, excitedly running over to a table in the corner of the cafe and waving for him to follow. Making sure there weren’t any customers inbound, Leo slipped out after her, watching as she flipped to a blank page, clenching his sharpie in a small fist. Each large letter was scrawled down achingly slow, her unsteady hand almost rendering them unreadable- but as he waited patiently the message slowly began to become clear. ‘ Mi nam is Lat- ”
She paused, flinching sharply enough to scratch a line across the entire paper before looking up at Leo with wide, almost terrified eyes for an interminable moment. Leo frowned, trying to understand why she stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Despite the gentle tone of his voice she shied back, nervous- “don’t worry. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
The girl shot a nervous glance past him, then shook her head resolutely, gaze hardening as she turned back to the paper. ‘ Mi nam is Lat- t t e. Latte. ’
Leo blinked in surprise, then put aside his confusion at the strange name to give Latte his best reassuring grin. “Well, then… nice to meet you, Latte.”
She looked hesitant for a moment… but as the shadow of sunlight gleamed in the cafe’s corner, as did the waters of Alto Mare glitter cerulean- as the sun rose to its zenith, she grinned back, looking as happy as he’d ever seen her.
It was always nice to make a friend.
###
Expresso steam hissed as it sputtered out of the machine, triple strong with a quick dash of cream and a no sugar- snap on the lid, and done!
“Order for Mr. Sprigg!”
The elderly man who’d been waiting patiently for his drink gave him a polite smile as Leo passed over the beverage to Mr. Sprigg, who wandered off to grab one of the cafe’s empty seats.
Morning shifts had a certain undeniable charm to them. He’d gotten to know a lot of the regulars somewhat well, and the canal itself was beautiful in the crisp dawning light, flowers edging with nascent illumination. Just a few sparks of color warmed the whole place as he set back to making the next coffee for whatever sleep deprived trainer had stumbled past their cafe and decided they needed something to wake them up.
A dull voice cut through his reverie of tranquility, and Leo couldn’t help but reflect on his least favorite part of morning shifts. “The machine’s out of milk, and we have an order for two cappuccinos.”
Leo fought back a sigh, plastering a smile across his face and moderating the frustration out of his voice. “You know where the milk is, Brad.”
“I don’t know how to fill the machine. That wasn’t part of my training.” Of course it wasn’t, because the instructions were clearly printed on the machine . Leo rolled his eyes- where Brad couldn’t see, of course- and trudged off to rummage through the fridge for what they needed. Blinking away the harsh lighting and breath of chill, he rummaged through all the random creamers and bags of coffee until he found where they’d stashed the milk in the back - he just bet Brad had known this when he’d sent him to refill the machine.
He pulled out a gallon jug, efficiently following the very simple instruction on refilling the machine. He’d just about finished when Comfey grabbed his attention with an urgent squeak, motioning to where Brad was scowling at something beneath the counter. “What? You have to speak up. You can’t just drop a bunch of coins on the counter and expect me to know what you want.”
“Hey, Latte!” Brad turned his scowl from the girl to him as he stepped up to the counter, sweeping the pile of coins into his hand and separating them into neat piles with practiced efficiency. “The usual?”
“How the-” Comfey bounced into his head before he could say what he was going to say in front of Latte, which only served to make his frustration even more evident in the exhaustedly harsh lines of his face. “How was I supposed to know she wanted a latte? She literally said nothing!”
Leo shrugged, shooting Latte a reassuring smile and receiving an excited bounce in return. “She can’t speak.” Even Brad looked momentarily chastised at that. Only momentarily, because he was Brad , and ultimately too much of a bastard to care. “Plus she doesn't want a latte- that’s her name.”
“...that’s a stupid name.” Comfey bounced off his head again, laughing squeakily as Brad ground his teeth in frustration for a long second. “Fine. Not my job, not my problem. You do whatever, I have more orders to fill.” Leo ignored him as he stalked off to make whatever handful of drinks the other customers had ordered, quickly making Latte’s usual order.
He handed the drink to the girl, who’d perked up considerably after Brad had left. “Here you go, kiddo. Have a great day.” She hesitated for a second, looking at him with some unreadable emotion, before nodding solemnly. Leo laughed at her earnest concern, resisting the urge to ruffle her hair like his mom used to do to him. Talking to her was almost like talking to Comfey- a lot of guesswork and interpretation based on how emotional she was acting. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Brad can be a little… rough and standoffish… at times, but he’s a decent coworker.” Last year’s hire… he shuddered to think about it. Professionally standoffish was something he could deal with if the other options were that.
Latte darted off to a table by the canalfront, leaving him and Comfey to continue working at the bar. She was a delight- he kept glancing over to where she sat, framed by the morning’s crystal sunlight, watching as she curiously poked at the floral arrangements Comfey had set up for the day.
So the sun rose and hours passed, slowly- flowers catching the sunlight in riotous color as the gnarled willows cast their gentle shade, morning’s cool air replaced by noontide’s salty warmth. A few customers stuck around- the odd high school student working on assignments, a businessman or two using the free internet to call into work- and Latte, of course. She’d taken the noon’s heat as a chance to dangle her legs in the water beside her favorite flower bush, occasionally poking at the water in her inscrutable curiosity.
She’d brought a fair few extra coins today- not enough for an extra drink, but he could spare a couple cents to round it out. Latte had been out there for a while, and with how hot the afternoon was looking to be, an iced drink would be good for her.
Something in the water beside her splashed away with a loud squeak as he knelt beside Latte. “Hey, how’re you doing?” Latte didn’t respond for a long moment, staring out at the canal’s aquamarine depth- “It’s for you, kiddo.” She blinked, then slowly wrapped her fingers around the condensation-soaked cup. It wasn’t the first time he’d done something like this- she should know what he was trying to do, making her hesitation… concerning “Hey… are you doing okay?”
Latte hesitated, then reached out to pluck the notepad and marker he kept on him from his apron, scrawling out a word in her sloppy handwriting. ‘Yes. ’
That was… unconvincing. “If you say so… if there’s a pokemon bothering you, don’t hesitate to ask. Comfey can always drive them off for you!” Latte’s eyes widened as she rapidly shook her head, looking almost scared for a fragment of a moment. “Alright. I won’t have Comfey scare ‘em off, kid.” Latte relaxed in an instant- “don’t be afraid to ask for help, though. Comfey’s a pretty strong pokemon. There’s not many wild pokemon in Alto Mare he can’t face.”
Latte just shook her head again, scrawling two words more on the notepad- ‘ please don’t. ’ Leo just shrugged, and nodded. She was probably fine… but he’d keep an eye out, just in case. As it was, there were a few things he needed to get done before the evening rush…
###
Latte didn’t come by the next day- which wasn’t altogether unusual- but by the third day he started to grow concerned. She did stop by eventually- a handful of coins exchanged for her usual sweet coffee, but for once she didn’t stick around even long enough to drink the whole thing. She could be surprisingly stealthy for a not quite six year old kid.
Four days passed until he saw her again, and she only stayed for half an hour-
Five days, the next time. Her favorite seat sat empty, wrought-iron filigree barren and so indescribably empty against the stark sunlight. Nobody else paid it any mind- none of his usual customers interacted much with the silent girl, Carmine wasn’t present often enough to know all but the oldest regulars, and Brad could care less- but her disappearance diminished something about the cafe he’d barely realized had grown in the first place.
Three days, a brief few minutes stolen at the end of the night- she slipped in, evanescent beneath starlight, and left with little but a earnest smile and a handful of coins remnant in memory-
Four days, again. She stayed a little longer, and Leo almost had the hope that things might return to how they’d been, but something caught her attention out by the canal. She left minutes later, leaving her coffee half drunk and Leo well and truly concerned.
There was something going on.
………
Six days. Leo heaved a sigh as he pulled down the final patio door, screwing in the lock with enough force to lodge it tightly shut. “Alright, Comfey.” The floral pokemon trilled in quiet determination, floating over to hover above his shoulder. “Let’s see what we can do.”
Six days since he’d seen Latte, even in passing. He was worried - it just seemed out of character for her to spend so much time away. A faint breeze rustled through the willows as he stepped out onto the street and locked the cafe behind him, ashen shadows of foliage hovering past the edge of a street lamp’s warm glow. This late at night Hyacinth Street felt almost dead - a corpse of a backwater, set to resurrect with the far-off dawn.
He set off down the darkling canalside path- not to his home as he usually did, but further down the opposite direction, toward the dilapidated trail of old homes and abandoned warehouses that clung to the canal’s tapering end. Even the street lamps flickered off towards the end, leaving an inky darkness only cut by his small flashlight.
Comfey squeaked in faint uncertainty as he paused at the last bridge before the sidewalk’s end. Only the canal remained after that, aged brickwork abutting starlit waters in perfect solemnity.
“We’ll find her, Comfey… don’t worry. Whatever’s going on, it won’t hurt us to check.” Comfey fluttered anxiously, but didn’t tug him back… because in the end, they wanted the same thing.
The two of them stepped into the alleyway’s looming shadow- the far ends of Alto Mare- and began their search. Comfey flitted up to each window they passed that bled pale gold illumination onto the street below, each time looking only more disappointed.
Leo chuckled softly as the pokemon butted against his hand- and continued deeper into the warren of long-neglected alleys. “ You were the one who told me she lived this way- don’t give me that look. I’m an adult now.” Comfey rolled his eyes, obvious frustration bleeding away into a simple… exhaustion. “Not many people live down here. It can’t be too hard to find her.” Yet- as the night grew long and the minutes passed beneath the moonlight- they didn’t.
He slept poorly that night.
………
Latte came by- once or twice, enough to reassure him she wasn’t dead , but the long days between each visit- the faint atmosphere of nervous near regret she brought into the cafe each time- never failed to make him afraid … It wasn’t every day, but Leo found himself passing by the far end of Hyacinth Street a lot more often than he used to, hoping for a glimpse- anything to tell him she was okay.
Perhaps he’d let himself get a lot more attached to her than he’d thought.
Comfey spent a little time searching the far alleys, but no matter how much he assured Leo he’d checked every house- no matter how many times he resolutely, adamantly stated she lived there- he found nothing. So passed long weeks, slowly returning to that old normal- long days spent lounging behind the counter as flowers bloomed and the wind played its endless games- alone.
Sometimes, though- he still searched.
It was barely even an unusual activity anymore to take a right down Hyacinth Street towards canal’s end- it’d more or less gotten incorporated into his daily walk. It might have been less appealing than the overflowing floral bounty closer to the city proper, but near every place in Alto Mare had some beauty in it waiting for someone to just see -
Comfey trilled in alarm, piercing screech echoing sharply off his ear. “Not on my shoulder , please…” his voice trailed off as his eyes widened, gaze dragged inexorably onto the small figure standing in the center of the alley- a child, oh so familiar , those two hair-tufts he’d never be able to mistake. “ Latte .”
She shook her head, and in that disdainful glare Leo knew immediately something was so deeply wrong with the person before him. She didn’t speak, but Latte had never been that coldly disdainful about anything .
“...do you know where Latte is?” They looked almost exactly the same- there was absolutely no way they weren’t related.
The girl who wasn’t Latte growled , a sharp sound that felt very out of place coming from such a young child’s mouth, and Comfey darted between them with an angry squeak- and Leo could almost see the fight as it built.
“Comfey. That’s enough.” Comfey squeaked angrily- but backed down, leaving Latte’s… twin, perhaps, to stare at them in bewildered confusion. She pointed to Comfey, then herself, making an unmistakable clawing gesture in the air that had Comfey bristling. “Oh… I’m not going to attack you. No matter what- it would be unconscionable to have a pokemon attack a child-” Latte’s twin scowled- “but more than that… you’re Latte’s family, aren’t you?” Hesitantly, she nodded- “and that’s reason enough to try and solve this peacefully, isn’t it? I don’t think I could bring myself to hurt Latte’s sister. For her sake, if nothing else.”
Latte’s twin stared at him with wide eyes, slowly, almost fearfully inching closer to him. Comfey tried to hover between them, but Leo waved him off to the side- he didn’t need Comfey to intimidate the child. She paused only a foot away from him, just… silently they stared at one another, a moment frozen in Alto Mare’s furthest reaches. With a breath- almost a squeak- near too quiet to be audible, she reached out and hand to poke his face.
For a moment there, her fingers almost felt sharp .
She skittered back, momentarily wondrous before a scowl flicked back over her face and she started the retreat. Leo blinked- then leaned forward, an ache of old fear burning in his chest as he saw her start to leave. “Wait!” She paused, looking back at him with- a war of emotions flashing through her form before her expression settled on judgmental . “If- if someone’s hurting you, or your sister, then… don’t be afraid to reach out to me. I’ll always try to help, no matter what.” It felt… poignant, saying that.
He blinked, and Latte’s sister disappeared.
Comfey squeaked in alarm as he glanced around to try and catch her retreating form, but no matter where he looked she’d simply… left. Perhaps one of the houses around them were hers? Shrugging and with a heavy heart burdened by all those things impossible to know… of a mystery so close to being solved…
He supposed he’d have to content himself with not knowing.
###
Overcast skies hung over the city the day after, dark streaks threatening rain as the fall’s first bite rustled across the city. He had the opening shift today, so he and Comfey had woken before dawn’s first light and he was tired . It didn’t help that the cafe, for all it was normally relaxing, felt stifling as he filled out orders for the morning crowd-
A small hand reached over the counter, the clatter of coins against winds shocking him fully awake- “Latte?” The girl bounced excitedly, just clearing the counter enough for her bright smile to drag a bubbling laugh from him. “What’re you doing here, kiddo? I was worried!”
It was only as Latte tugged her twin forward that he noticed the second kid. She motioned for the notepad, and Leo surrendered it without a care for the customers he was holding up as she sloppily scribbled down a simple message. ‘ Brought. Brother. His name is Tio. ’
“Nice to meet you, Tio.” Tio scowled, but in that adorable sort of way that kids could accomplish effortlessly. “Do you want one of Latte’s usual?”
He shook his head, grabbing the notepad out of his sister’s hands to the tune of a light pout. ‘ No sgr. No mlk. Dsgustng.’ Leo shared a nervous glance with Comfey, who reluctantly went to grab a cup of black coffee while Leo made Latte’s usual. Latte gave him an excited wave as she ran over to her usual table, leaving Tio behind to roll his eyes and stalk after her.
The rest of the morning rush almost felt interminable, the occasional glance at Latte heckling her brother turning the handful of minutes into what felt like days . Eventually Brad managed to finish whatever had taken him thirty whole minutes in the back, meandering back out to the bar to start pulling his weight. Right, if his co-worker could take a half hour break, then so could he. “Brad! Man the counter, please.”
“Wait what? That’s my line-” but Leo had already slipped out around into the cafe proper, half-jogging over to Latte’s table.
“So, kid.” Tio scowled at him, but Latte all but cheered as he stopped beside them, waving her arms excitedly until some of the disgust dropped off her brother’s face. “I didn’t know you had any family- it’s nice to meet you, Tio. How are you finding the coffee?”
Tio grabbed the notepad, shakily scratching out a simple message. ‘ bad. hate-’ but before he could finish Latte stole the marker, scribbling all over the note and pointing at her brother, who’d tried to surreptitiously take a sip of his beverage. Leo deftly fished out a second marker from his apron, handing it to Tio who’d looked ready to beat up his sister to steal it back. ‘ Cofee is OK. ’
Leo bit his lip, trying to hide his wry smile. “Well, then- don’t be afraid to come back for more.”
Latte crowed, looking way more smug than a not quite six year old should… and as the sky hung gray and vast above them, as the flowers yet bloomed and Latte laughed- something about the cafe felt right.
###
Tio continued to return to the cafe more and more frequently as the days fled by, chasing the breath of springtime breezes and warm coffee. The kid constantly gave off a sort of ‘no, I’m not enjoying this, how dare you assume so?’ sort of look, but it was at best a particularly unsubtle face- and as time went on it only became less and less prominent. If anything, with how he refused to swamp his coffee in morasses of milk and sugar, Tio became even more into coffee than his sister’d ever been.
It was no different today. They’d entered in the early hours of the dawn, forms framing sunlight, glittering off the canal behind them as they paid with eclectic coinage and took their usual seats on the quaint patio. He could see their mouths moving… but, mute as they were, nothing of the conversation carried over to the counter.
Having served them for so long, the inaudible conversation served to remind him of a particular point of concern he’d been beginning to wonder about- their parents . Tio was responsible, yes, but also Latte’s twin - clearly more of an overprotective brother than a parental figure, even if he was the closest thing he’d seen of the sort.
He sighed softly half an hour later, rubbing away the blossoming headache and vainly wishing that action didn’t ruin his hair. This was going to bother him until he got an answer, wasn’t it? If Carmine didn’t bug him about it sometime in the future, then some of the other customers would. Silent though they might be, there was only so much oddity the regulars could overlook.
Counting the surplus coins and judiciously deciding he could shill out a few coins to round off the price of some iced coffee, he whipped up the drinks and slipped out from behind the counter. By the furrowed glare Tio sent his way the kid was still a bit wary of him, but he allowed him to take a seat regardless, quickly grabbing the drink he’d brought.
“So… a question.” Latte just looked confused, but she did nab the second drink. “Just to clear some stuff up before anything happens. Where are your parents?” Latte tensed , Tio glared, and it didn’t take a genius to know that he’d struck a nerve. “Sorry, sorry… if it’s a sore subject, you don’t have to say anything. Trust me, I get it. Just wanted to know, in case I needed to make a call or whatever.”
Tio looked at his sister with an inscrutable, distant gaze, and she, in distinctly childish seriousness, nodded. She motioned for Leo’s notepad, and he quickly handed it over for her to scribble on. ‘Pairants gon. For ever. Gramps loks after us. ’
Leo looked at the note and nodded gravely, ignoring the long buried, never forgotten ache in his chest at the memory. He understood . “Alright.” He sighed, sorrow peeking out from behind the demure smile he gave the twins. “I didn’t mean to bring up anything you don’t want to talk about. Truth be told, I get how you’re feeling.”
Latte cocked her head in confusion, and Tio-side-eyed Leo while looking out over the canal, finding one of the willows just utterly fascinating, and fooling nobody as to the true locus of his attention. Leo couldn’t help but smirk slightly at the kid’s stubbornness.
Still… it was for the best if they heard this. Even if it was so uniquely his tragedy, it would help them to know. “You’re not alone.” Leo leaned against the table, almost wishing he’d made a coffee for himself- and even Tio turned his attention back to him. “I won’t say I know what you’ve gone through, but… a long time back, when I was younger, my pops went out on a sea voyage. Alone. Didn’t tell us why, left Comfey- just said it was important he went.” Leo’s smile dropped, leaden… it was not a happy memory. “He said it’d be fun… and he never came back.”
Latte grimaced as Tio glanced down, a thoughtful look in his eye. Leo only sighed, breathing- settling his nerves in the floral air- giving Comfey some scritches as the little Pokemon floated over to offer his support.
“After that, my mom had to return to my home region, Alola. Some big property conflicts or whatnot, and while we kept the farm she was too old to really make the trip back to Johto.” He remembered that phone call, and the bitter emotions therein. He’d been a young adult by that point, but there were some things you weren’t prepared for at any age. “She decided to settle down and retire there, which… pretty much just leaves me and Comfey here… by ourselves. We’ve been holding down the fort pretty well, though I don’t know if Mom’s going to appreciate the sheer quantity of flowers you’ve grown in the apartment, Comfey.”
The little floral pokemon smiled somberly as he pouted, and Leo couldn’t help but return the gesture with a wan grin of his own. Leo made a move to get up from his hair, scratching his head in mild embarrassment and half a desire to undo his earlier hairstyle ruination.
“That’s the story, kiddos. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.” Leo bent down to ruffle Latte’s hair, earning him a glare from her brother and gaining a few light giggles from the girl in question.
Somewhat oddly, she motioned for him to kneel until his head was at an even level with hers. Then, in a shocking betrayal she leapt to the tips of her toes and ruffled his hair, quickly giving him a light embrace before she sat back down, beaming.
It was impossible to remain upset at such a bright smile, even if Comfey’s giggles and Tio’s smirk were trying their best to make it so. “Wow- and as if my bedhead wasn’t bad enough.” He chuckled, though, and Latte did the same. Turning to get up, he paused- to give one final message, a parting with so deep a well of sincerity … “thanks, kid.”
###
Another day, and again the familiar clatter of coins dropping onto the cafe’s counter, as ever from the same source- the girl, Latte. It was a particularly wide variety of coins today- some Sinnohnian and even a bit of Unovan currency mixed in with the typical damp Johto-Kanto mix, enough to pique his curiosity. He sometimes wondered what job their guardian had that made paying in such an odd way feasible, much less practical .
Just as he swept the coins away into the register, he noticed that Latte had slipped a note in amongst them. He tried to look it over- really, he gave it his best attempt- but he physically could not read her handwriting. Steeling himself, he sent a quick glance towards where she’d taken a seat, then back at the note with a sigh. He really hoped he got this right, because what she wrote was near illegible.
Plus annotations, he handed the paper off to Comfey, who barely glimpsed at it before squeaking in startled alarm and sending him a look that asked if he’d gone insane. “Just… try your best, please.” Comfey poked at the note doubtfully, but joined Leo as he prepared the beverage regardless
A few minutes and an eclectic mix of random, remarkably unusual ingredients later, Leo handed the finished drink to Latte, who happily accepted. Frankly, he had no clue if he’d gotten it right or not, but six-year olds had odd tastes anyways. Thinking back to his childhood, he supposed he could honestly see himself ordering nutmeg and mango just to see what it tasted like, and from what he knew of Latte’s… energetic… personality, she was just the sort of kid to do something like that.
Latte chugged down her drink, only to reflexively spit the whole thing out with a grimace of absolute disgust . His apron was the next casualty, grabbed by Latte in her hasty attempt to wipe her recovering tastebuds clean before she glanced at where she’d spat her drink and paled in horror .
She’d sent her regurgitated drink straight into Tio’s face.
Tio blinked, grabbed Leo’s apron from Latte, and began to try and clean himself up with a… less than amused look on his face. Part way through what was turning out to be a painful cleaning for the lot of them, he glanced up at Leo- who’d already given up on the apron as a lost cause- shooting him a glare before he elected to go outside.
Latte drooped in sadness at her brother’s departure, before glancing curiously at Leo. He just chuckled, rubbing his head in embarrassment. “I, uh, sorry kid. I couldn’t really make out what you wanted.”
Latte blinked, as if registering what Leo’d said before turning to the window and squinting at something in the distance. Before long she started to giggle, which- despite Leo’s confusion- only intensified over time. There was a brown stain on the window from the earlier… disposal of her drink, which Comfey was already on top of cleaning, but nothing he’d pin down as distinctly funny . Though one of the willows was dripping… perhaps one of the local flying types had gotten wet?
At least Latte didn’t seem to bear any ill will towards him. “Hey, kid. What were you trying to order?” She made grabby hands for her notebook, which he quickly relinquished for her to scribble down… another completely unreadable sentence. “Now I’m not an expert, but your writing is nigh-indecipherable. I’m sure you’ll learn with time, but you must be pretty far behind your classmates already with writing like this.” He hesitated for a moment, wondering how she’d react to his idea, then pressed forward anyways. “Would you like to write a little better?”
Latte cocked her head, evidently confused by Leo’s request, so he reclaimed his notepad and jotted down a few neatly scribed sentences.
“There.” The difference between his writing and hers was night and day, though he supposed it wasn’t that fair to hold her to an adult’s standard. “Take that, and hand it to me if you want to take me up on my offer in the future, alright? You know how it is here- I’m sure I could fit a lesson or two into my downtime.”
Latte took the paper, eying it for a few moments before almost immediately offering it back to him. Leo blinked, reclaiming the note as the young girl grinned eagerly in her seat.
“You.. want to start right now?” She nodded, and Leo sighed. After glancing around to ensure there was nothing else that needed his attention more, he sat, gently putting his notepad on the table between them. “Alright, then… let's begin.”
###
Radiant sunlight cast Alto Mare aglow in its ascendancy of molten waters, gleaming brightly as the coffee shop buzzed with activity. It was a busier day than usual- between Brad’s failure to show up and the first brisk winds of fall, the rush of customers meant that he’d needed to call his boss in for some help. She’d told Leo that she never begrudged filling in if needed, though he did always feel bad about making her come out.
The two had worked hard through the inundation of orders, and even though Mrs. Carmine had made it her constant job to point out minor flaws in his routine over the course of the day, they made it through the day with nary an incident beside that one entitled mother… though the less he thought about that, the better. The sun was starting to set, and the two needed to start preparing for the night shift.
“Comfey, can you check the machines, please?” The floral Pokemon happily saluted, darting off. As Leo bent down to grab the table-cleaning supplies he heard the jingle of the door opening, and in standing he saw the familiar sight of Latte running into the cafe, happily skipping up to the lineless counter. She dropped her standard pile of coins in front of Leo, giving him an adorable grin. “The usual, then?” The girl cheerfully nodded, and Leo couldn’t help but smile in return. “Alright then kiddo, just give me a second. I’ll be with you shortly.”
The girl nodded eagerly, heading over to her seat on the sunset-soaked patio. Carmine politely nudged Leo in the arm, looking with uncharacteristic incredulity at Latte’s scant frame silhouetted in the dying daylight. “Leo. Was that a child? ”
“Yep? What about her?”
Carmine raised an eyebrow. “Is she picking up something for a parent or sibling?”
Leo shrugged as Comfey returned from the machine-work, motioning towards Latte in silent notification of the girl’s order, watching him spring to work in an instant. “Well, she does have a sibling, but he isn’t here today.”
His boss somehow managed to look both concerned and irritated at the same time. “So. You’re telling me that this child comes into the cafe, alone, orders a coffee, and you see nothing wrong with this?”
“She’s been doing it for over a year now. If it were a problem, then I’d have done something about it by now.”
Carmine gaped for a long second. “Little over a- Leo!” She flicked her gaze down at the coins on the counter, observing one from the Unova region. “Most of this isn’t even legal tender in Alto Mare. You’re seriously trying to tell me this is a regular occurrence?”
“Hey, would you deny such a cute kid a drink? It’s not a whole lot of hassle to get these coins converted at a currency exchange.”
Carmine glanced at Latte, who was happily waving out the window at something in the canal, though neither she nor Leo had the vantage to see what it was from behind the counter. Endearing didn’t even begin to describe Latte at that moment. “I… suppose not.” Carmine grabbed Leo’s shoulder before he could return to work. “I trust you but- please, be responsible? The cafe can’t afford a criminal case right now- I’ve already got enough paperwork as it is.”
There was a tense second between them before Carmine’s serious mask cracked, a slight smile leaking through, mirrored by Leo. “Don’t worry about anything , Mrs. Carmine.” He glanced at the kid. “Irresponsibility wasn’t on my to-do list.”
###
Comfey had begun to disappear.
It wasn’t altogether unusual for the small mon to grab a breath of fresh air, but recently he’d been leaving for upwards of a few hours at a time, and whenever he asked about it the small mon was extremely reluctant to tell him. Simply put, Leo was concerned.
In any case though, he found it hard to delve into Comfey’s private matters. It felt more than awkward getting on the case of a Pokemon who’d half raised him, and the little guy could handle himself. Perhaps he’d found a hobby? Leo had no clue, but it was Comfey’s business and Comfey’s business alone. He would respect that.
Didn’t mean it was any easier, in the long hours alone, to stop worrying . The behavior persisted over the next several days after he’d noticed, exacerbating even- the small Pokemon had begun to leave for longer and longer periods, sometimes even dropping out during work shifts and forcing Leo to pick up the slack.
It wasn’t any different today, and Comfey had gone and wandered to wherever he liked to go, leaving Leo alone to man the counter with Brad . Leo was… not particularly fond of Brad, and his coworker had decided to continue reinforcing that by taking a suspiciously long bathroom break just as the line started to increase. Leo sighed… one day that kid was going to bite off more than he could chew and get fired. He was lucky the job market was so bad for employers at the moment.
As he finished cashing another patron’s order, the familiar sound of coins being dumped onto the counter rang in his ears. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked down at the eager-as-ever Latte, who returned the grin in her particular, adorable manner. “The usual?” Latte nodded silently, though Leo had begun to note her order down before she’d even responded. Unfortunately for the girl, the order was fifth in the line of drinks he had to make… all by himself.
He really hated Brad right now.
Leo’s work was arduously slow, courtesy of lacking both Brad and Comfey, and it took him a while to cycle through all the orders. By the time he’d finished the next batch, several customers in the line had vanished- a disappointment, though only a mild one against the relief he felt about not having to make their orders.
As Leo delivered the drinks to the customers, Comfey fluttered in through the open patio door, though he did look pretty tired. Leo gave the floral pokemon some light scratches where he knew he liked it best. “Took you long enough. You just missed the lunch rush.”
Comfey muttered some apologetic noises before grabbing one of the drinks Leo held, quickly joining him in the task of passing out all the beverages. Leo grinned as he brought Latte her drink, in his own anticipation of- that beautiful smile as she turned from the window she’d been staring out, perked up in interest as she grabbed the saccharinely sweet drink.
Comfey arrived soon after, contentedly chirping. Leo chuckled, and- noticing that no one else was lining up to order- gave Comfey a quizzical look. “Seriously, I’m starting to wonder where you go every day that’s so important -”
Latte tapped him rapidly, pointing at his notepad and making some grabby motions. Curious, Leo handed it to her, watching as she began to scribble out a message. ‘ Don’t wory. hes dekorating my hom. ’ She gave him a nervous smile as Comfey happily nodded, and Leo merely sighed.
“Well, if it’s helping you out kid, then I have no problems with Comfey sneaking off for a bit- maybe when you’re not supposed be working though, right?” Comfey ducked sheepishly, an emotion that fled with Latte’s wide, beaming smile, the small pokemon dancing circles around her for a moment before Leo motioned for him to return to the counter. Comfey waved at Latte one last time, and she returned the favor as she began to gulp down her drink.
Leo was glad Comfey was helping her out… but when had she even recruited him? It wasn’t his business to pry, so he didn’t- but when did she show him where she lived? It was a good thing she even had a home, but he couldn’t help but wonder …
It just felt off.
###
The dull, artificial lighting painted the room, not quite dispelling the shadows permeating throughout the empty cafe. Outside, an empyrean dark settled past the windows, thick and heavy against the faint illumination of Alto Mare’s streetlights, dark and dim across the waters of Hyacinth Street Canal. The creeping winter-cold, mild as it was, nestled in the now-silent corners of the cafe, singing the empty hymn of solitude, a solemn, tired end to an exhausting shift.
Night shifts were the best for meeting uninterrupted with Latte, but he couldn’t say he liked them all too much. They weren’t particularly strenuous, but the atmosphere of Alto Mare at night, especially at this time of year… He sighed, glancing up at the Cafe’s clock, which showed that the end of his time here was fast approaching. Comfey was already showing his particular brand of fatigue, and despite the elation he should have felt at the reminder that he didn’t need to stay much longer, he was still concerned.
Latte had stayed after their short lesson, diligently practicing her writing in the corner and just… waiting. The streets, even those of Alto Mare, weren’t the friendliest at this time of night, and he was concerned she’d have to walk back to wherever her home was in the crushing dark.
Comfey tugged on Leo’s hair, snapping out of his reverie as he motioned towards the back of the Cafe. Leo sighed and followed him, noticing the problem almost instantly. The used boxes had been knocked over by someone - Brad- on the way out, left scattered across the floor… but it was the end of his shift, and he didn’t really care enough not to clean up.
As he moved to pick up the boxes, he heard the soft chime of the door opening. Though curious as to who'd enter so late, he couldn’t leave the boxes where they were, so he ordered Comfey to head to the counter and man it in the interim.
After a few moments, he could just barely make out the sounds of voices talking to someone. They seemed stern, yet kind- paternal in a way. What would a parent be doing here this late at night, much less a child?
“...come on now, we need to get back home.” He paused with a box precariously balanced against the wall, straining his ears to listen to the rest. “It’s dangerous for a… someone like you to be out so late and away from the Garden.” He heard some indiscernible sad noises, and the older voice released a tired sigh. It was clear this wasn’t a lone occurrence. “Look, if you don’t go to sleep, you’ll be tired tomorrow. Do you want your brother to get on your case for that?”
The protesting voice this time was younger- feminine and remarkably upbeat despite the time of day. “But Gramps! I wanted to-”
“No buts, young lady.” He could almost imagine Latte’s pout there. “You’re both going home right this instant. I don’t want either of you to get hurt- you especially L… you know what the consequences would be.” Leo frowned. Consequences implied a lot of things, certainly beyond the scope of merely getting to bed on time.
He couldn’t quite place a finger on what could be so dangerous . Sure, he was worried about Latte, but any dangers on the streets weren’t that bad in comparison to what the voice was insinuating. Perhaps they were a helicopter parent of sorts?
Leo finally put the last box in place, rushing around the corner to greet the new company. However, the moment he stepped out of the backrooms he only found Comfey, a displeased look on his face as he managed the cash register… and the door, ever so slightly ajar. Nobody aside from them, not even Latte, remained in the cafe.
Had she gone with the strangers? It would certainly explain a lot. He wouldn’t put it past them being some sort of family - she had said her grandfather took care of them, hadn’t she…
It didn’t quite sit well with him, but it wasn’t anything too far out of the ordinary for the girl. Only… as he finished up the last of the closing duties, locking the door behind him and standing, lonely along the canal’s expanse. Why hadn’t they ever showed up in the past? It wasn’t anything sinister, surely…
It just struck him the wrong way.
He sighed, putting it out of his mind… it probably wasn’t important. Probably…
###
The coffee machine whirred in the background, followed by the hiss of steam as a cappuccino sputtered into the empty cup placed perfectly beneath it. Comfey darted over with the syrup, and Leo deftly added the last few parts of the order, handing it off to the customer who’d been waiting for it. Shivering a bit despite the cafe’s warmth, he plodded back up to the counter to answer the next order- and glimpsed two tufts of flaxen hair, sparkling eyes poking above the tabletop.”
Hey, kiddo!” He rubbed at his throat a bit, trying his best not to wince… he’d thought it was just a bit of soreness, but he was more sure by the moment that he’d come down with something. “Sorry- the usual, right?”
Latte nodded, spilling a handful of coins onto the counter as usual, waiting with bated excitement as Comfey started making her cup and he sorted out the monetary mess. Sometimes he wondered where she found some of these coins… Latte would be Latte, he supposed. She was an odd little girl.
A squeak from Comfey was his que to finish up his part of the drink- the coffee machine hadn’t been made with the floral Pokemon in mind. Inconsiderate of them- the thought elicited a short chuckle, aborted before it could turn into a cough. “Alright, here it is. Have fun!” Latte nodded eagerly, grabbing a table nearby to sip at her drink. For all it’d been years it almost felt like just yesterday she’d singed herself trying to drink her coffee far too fast…
Good memories, and a nasty cold. Swallowing thickly, he scowled- one of those overruled the other, and for all he loved the cafe things were not looking great for him. He filled out a few more orders hoping- perhaps naively- that he’d feel better, but by the time Carmine finished up with whatever she’d been doing in the back he looked like death warmed over. His boss clearly noticed, by the way her steps faltered the moment she saw him. “Leo. You look terrible.”
He heaved a sigh, slumping against the counter in a way that only seemed to make his body ache more. “I feel terrible. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make my next shift if this keeps up.”
Carmine furrowed her brow in concern, looking at Leo as though he were insane. “Your next shift? Leo, stop lying to yourself. If you think you’re going to make it through this shift you’re delusional. Get out of my cafe, you idiot.”
Leo snorted- particularly unimpressively, with how congested his sinuses were feeling at the moment. “Is this a roundabout way of saying you’re firing me?”
“No, I’m trying to keep my business free of a dead body in the ground.” She sounded stern, but Leo had spent enough years working for her to see the faint twinkle of humor in her eyes. “It’s bad for reviews if you up and perish on the job. Save that for when you get home.”
“So I’m not-” his voice died in a scratchy wheeze, transmuted into a hacking cough for a long few seconds- “fired?”
“You’ll be fired if you don’t go and get some rest. Get out of here. Go. Goodbye.” She’d already started organizing the counter, fiddling with the machines like some sort of coffee god as she effortlessly filled out orders while still managing to give Leo a judging look. She made it hard to remember sometimes that she used to run the place by herself. “Seriously. Staring’s doing you a fat lot of good. Go home, get some rest, don’t come back.”
“Fine, fine.” He heaved himself off the counter, bemoaning the loss of that beautiful, cold wood against his skin. Air… legendaries, he really hated air right now. The outside would be worse, with wind … shivering he stumbled into the back to peel off his apron and throw it in the general direction- the little… hook, things… he was too tired to think about this right now. The apron would live.
Comfey tugged him out of the room after he stood there for a few seconds, and Carmine all but shoved a glass of ice-cold water down his throat before he made out from behind the bar, muttering about how sick idiots needed to stay hydrated. Her own particular brand of care, he supposed.
Biting back a laugh and a cough he plodded out of the cafe- tried to plod out of the cafe, only to find someone holding resolutely onto his shirt. Too delirious to connect the dots and realize who it was, he gently pushed a small hand away, eliciting a startled squeak from Latte as she darted back quickly. “Oh! I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Latte shook her head, but didn’t smile, hastily scribbling out a note to hold up in front of his face. ‘ You don’t look good. Are you feeling okay? ’
“Don’t worry about it, Latte.” The scratchiness of his voice somewhat undermined that particular point. “It’s just a small cold. Sorry kiddo, but I probably won’t make it for tonight’s lessons… gotta get my rest before Carmine decides to really up and fire me, right?” Latte did not laugh at the joke, and it struck Leo the mere fact he found that funny was probably a bad sign. Grave humor always came out when he was feeling the worst . “Sorry. I’ve got to go, Latte. Stay safe!” Latte tugged at his hand in some probably not inscrutable, but definitely uninterpretable by his sickness-shot brain emotion, but Leo paid it no mind as Comfey more or less dragged him out of the cafe.
Maybe he’d feel better after some sleep.
###
He wished a simple nap had been enough to rejuvenate him. Three days later, a visit to the doctor, and some prescriptions he was still feeling like he’d been run over by a Sharpedo, but at least it wasn’t terrible anymore. More a dull ache than the sort of delirious fugue state he’d been languishing in earlier. Honestly he just wanted to get out of the apartment, and the cafe was as good an option as any. Damn was he glad he loved his work so much. Getting paid for relaxing- and occasionally helping Latte- was the greatest life decision he’d ever made.
Throwing on his uniform and silently thanking Comfey again for doing the laundry while he’d been laid insensate from disease, he headed out with a bit of pep in his step and a smile on his face. Brad wasn’t there, and Carmine was- an almost perfect shift. A brisk fall breeze kicked through Alto Mare’s streets, rustling the vegetation as Comfey used him as a windbreaker, but even that wasn’t enough to bring his mood down. He was feeling good!
“Leo. What are you doing here?” Carmine’s suspicious glare right off the bat was enough to punch the elation right out of his guts.
She really always had been good at replacing all confidence with sheepish nervousness. “Don’t worry. I’m feeling a lot better.”
Carmine rolled her eyes. “Of course you’re feeling better. You took the night shift yesterday. You know that means you shouldn’t be coming in for the morning.” For an eternal second Leo just stared at Carmine, unable to even form a sentence- because he hadn’t gone to work the day prior. “Whatever-” Carmine’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. “I can always use an extra pair of hands. Get your apron.”
He ghosted through his job mechanically, unfocused, pondering in fathomless incredulity something impossible - something wrong.
###
Latte looked inordinately relieved to see him later that night as he stopped at the cafe’s entrance, jumping up into an embrace the moment she saw him, squeaking breathily to match his grunt of pain as all the air was expelled from his lungs in an instant. “You’re getting a whole lot bigger, Latte. One day you’re gonna lay me out.”
Latte flushed in embarrassment, then perked up and ran back to their table, fiddling with her notepad and pen. ‘ You’re okay! I was worried.’
Leo hummed in appreciation at the elegant precision of her handwriting. She’d improved drastically- actually, Leo was somewhat certain by now that she was better than him. “Why so?”
‘ Carmine was going to kill you! ’ Leo paused for a second before bursting out in laughter to the tune of Latte’s pout. ‘ It’s not funny! She was going to burn you alive! ’
What? Leo had no idea how- oh. Oh . “You heard Carmine and I joking about me getting fired earlier, didn’t you?” He restrained himself from rolling his eyes as Latte nodded. “She wasn’t serious, Latte, and she wasn’t talking about burning me either.”
‘ She said so though! ’
“Carmine was talking about ending my job here-” Latte gasped in horror- “and that was a joke too.” The girl sighed cutely in relief. Leo chuckled, ruffling her hair as he pulled out some of the books she’d gotten for her. “Okay, let’s see where you’ve gotten so far.”
‘ I-’ she paused for a second, pen hovering above the page- ‘ I didn’t get enough time to do much work recently. I was. Busy. ’ She flushed as Leo gave her a look - there’d been a promise to finish everything he’d gotten for her by the next lesson, if he remembered… ‘ It was important! I couldn’t let you die- ” she immediately jerked her pen back from the paper, then scratched out the words for good measure, but they burned in Leo’s mind; hot coals of a sentence smoldered as impossible ideas started to fit together before he almost dismissed them out of hand-
Latte couldn’t have been responsible for his mysterious presence the past two days. For however much he believed she was an intelligent young girl, she was too young and adorable to impersonate him for two days. It was literally impossible.
Yet, as the night grew longer- as Latte returned to her mysterious home and he to his- thought refused to escape him. He wondered .
In that, a spark-
Leo started to doubt.
###
Leo scrubbed at the table’s edge, erasing the last of the sticky syrup-stains that’d accumulated over his short break. If there was one thing Carmine used her position of privilege for, it was to avoid cleaning the tables. She’d always hated doing that… he let the thought tumble through his head, a moment of levity as Comfey readjusted the floral arrangement for the midday rush.
It was a peaceful, balmy day for so late in the season, the large door to the patio rolled up to suffuse the entire cafe with the brisk late-winter air, the scent of first blossoms faint beneath the remnant of chill. The tables outside didn’t even need to be cleaned, on account of the recent rains, but with nothing better to do Leo gave them a once-over, only pausing at Latte’s seat.
It was a normal chair, of course, but so many nights spent practicing handwriting as the stars glittered sharply above, to the gentle lapping of the canal… and the nagging thought that still hadn’t left him. Doubt, that everything wasn’t as it seemed. He shrugged away the uncomfortable thought, balling up his rag and returning to the counter to wait for the next customer.
It was an uneventful shift, ultimately, as the sun ascended to fall- he couldn’t help but think about how Latte could possibly impersonate him. It just… didn’t make sense. There had to be something else there that he’d missed, like Carmine pulling a prank or Brad being helpful for once…
He snorted with barely restrained laughter, which drew an odd look from Comfey. As if. The idea of them doing that was almost humorous in how clearly wrong it was… but that left the question, still, nagging incessant at the back of his mind- who did?
No matter how long he pondered the thought, though, it eventually returned to Latte.
###
Weeks passed quickly, and eventually, as the spring weather warmed and vines erupted abloom, a tenuous normalcy returned. Leo didn’t bring up his concerns in his lessons with Latte, and the delight of a girl kept stopping by with a smile and a handful of coins, ever eager for her usual coffee. Tio too, of course- it was always a highlight when he got to see their adorable interactions…
Birds chittered lightly above the canal, the faint sounds of water-types drifting on the sea-breeze as he and Comfey weeded the rampant new growth from the flower beds to the solemnity of a hazy sunset. Every so often he’d stop to glance at whatever antics Latte and Tio had gotten up to, or to just… absorb the atmosphere of exuberant tranquility.
He smiled as Comfey bopped him lightly on the back of his head, returning his attention to the garden he’d set to weeding. They were a precious pair of twins… he always found it somewhat amusing that for how nigh identical the two of them looked, a mere glance was always enough to tell them apart. Tio had the dour part of childhood down to a science…
Leo frowned faintly as he stumbled across a thought, fingers drifting to a stop around a weed unpicked- because they really were similar, weren’t they? He’d seen identical twins that looked less exactly alike, and the first time meeting Tio he had … the thought was pointless. Of course they looked similar- there was no reason for them not to. They were siblings, after all.
The edge of a different thought, that one mystery not yet solved reared his head, and he quashed it with prejudice, neatly, near angrily plucking the weed. Latte was Latte, and that was that. There was nothing unusual about her… well, beyond the litany of unusual things.
Sun set sanguine orange behind them, shift hours passed, and he wiped the edges of dirt from his hands as he waved the twins goodbye, a genial smile on his face that drooped as they walked out of view.
The thought of fingers he could have almost sworn were sharp- a thought from so long ago- hung in his mind for the rest of the night.
###
“...and there you go. You had just enough for the extra cups, though” he gently ruffled Latte’s hair, eliciting a squeak of embarrassment- “I suspect you knew that.” He grinned as he set the two coffees on the wrought-iron table, stepping back and watching the twins work the magic only kids could pull off. Making sure he never gave them boiling coffee was definitely a good choice.
Latte nodded eagerly, holding up the cup in silent thanks that somehow always managed to set butterflies of happiness aflutter in his chest. It almost boggled his mind to look back and realize he’d known Latte and Tio for years now. Between the ever-passing march of time, betwixt those stolen moments teaching her handwriting beneath the empyrean firmament stretched crystal glittering clear above Alto Mare… it felt like no time at all and forever.
The two of them must have known him for a significant portion of their life by now. What, like… forty… thirty percent? He didn’t really know their ages, so it wasn’t that important. A few last moments hung as he watched the two siblings bicker silently over coffee, before slipping back into the store to make an espresso for Mr. Sprigg.
Just another day. Another thought- clawing, insatiable seething past the dark edge of uncertainty mind working though dreamt remembrance- impossibility , that close-embraced friend that’d never left him since he’d first drawn that one, terrible conclusion-
Leo slept, and woke, twice over again with a bit of work between, the thought light on his mind. Fleeting, in the moments of lonely silence at the dark end of the cafe where tables met shadow, the seconds where the wind swept down Hyacinth Street and ruffled his hair in the early-morning silence.
For the most part, though, he forgot about it, giving Latte a genial smile when she dumped a pile of coins onto the counter. With her increased literacy had come improved payment skills- wet coins were still her tender, but she usually got the price right. Leo wouldn’t admit it to the long hours spent counting out the eclectic varieties of foreign coins, but he still somewhat missed the days when Latte would slap down a handful of esoteric currency…
He frowned slightly, remembering and dismissing a thought in an instant, but Latte- observant as ever- had paused on the way to her usual seat. Her head tilted up just slightly, eyes-wide in concern. Leo sighed, futility fiddling with his hair in pointless procrastination. “It’s nothing, Latte, just a thought.”
Latte frowned, shaking her head as she walked back up to the counter, and Leo couldn’t help but smile at how earnest she was. He must be really out of it if she was able to realize that he was lying.
“It’s not important.” That was the truth, because it really wasn’t. Just an idle curiosity at most… Latte pressed up against the counter, and Leo got the message that he’d really not be escaping this one so easily. “Alright, alright. I was just wondering… how old are you and Tio?”
He chuckled softly as Latte slumped in disappointment at the mundanity of a question, then restrained a laugh as she made the adorable grabbing gesture he’d long grown to recognise as a request for his notebook and marker. Ever eager, she snapped them up the first moment she could, neatly printing a simple sentence- ‘ Tio and I are thirteen. ’
Leo blinked, reread the paper, then blinked again in delayed surprise. That was… older than he’d thought. Somewhere along the lines of five years older. She certainly didn’t act like a thirteen year old. For a moment he opened his mouth to ask a few more questions before he snapped it back shut, giving Latte a reassuring grin. Latte didn’t need him getting on her case. He trusted her too much to do something like that.
Still, as the young girl hopped off to drink her coffee, the revelation stuck with him… Leo tried to put it out of his mind, but even long after she’d left, the cafe cold and dark as he closed up for the night- it simply did not make sense.
###
Days to weeks to months, sun rising, summer floral blooming in the vast depths of color- Hyacinth Street bedecked in flowers both namesake and not, vines crawling, willows swaying the endless susurrations of an Alto Mare breeze. The grand verdancy of a city so ageless in its beauty, so weary in its age, overflowing the roofs and spilling across the stonework in emerald stark vibrancy, a beauty so naturally serene.
Leo worked, despite the warming weather and Comfey’s seasonal obsessions, alongside Brad when he grumpily showed up and Carmine when he didn’t. Sometimes with nobody else at all. Latte kept improving quickly in her late-night lessons- and everything was normal. No more disturbances, nothing major…
Leo couldn’t help but think.
As the months swept past, he started to notice even normal behavior from the twins as… odd. The way they never spoke to each other but seemed to understand, laughing in their cute, squeaky way whenever they tussled.
Once, when the two of them came to purchase their usual, he thought of the coins, and wondered if Carmine’s old mention of just how unusual it was had some merit after all… he thought of tracked-in water, of Comfey’s rare disappearance to their mysterious home.
With the endless days and in the moments at the edge of sleep and waking he thought of their silence , so pressing- two children who couldn’t speak, identical yet not. He thought of the impossibilities, of form and impersonation; he still couldn’t shake the implacable certainty of Latte’s fault in that…
Leo paused at the end of his short walk, down the route that’d become habit when he was searching for Latte a few years past. The thought was stupid , but… by the terminus of flowers and where the sidewalk ended, he couldn’t shake the impossible thought. It would explain so much - and even then it nagged at him like little else.
Sighing, he turned back. After all, he still had a shift at the cafe he needed to take care of, and a lesson with Latte after that. It could wait.
###
Later that night Leo leaned against the wrought railing of a historic bridge, staring in the silence down the canal- watching the waters glitter with so much gentle light. Alto Mare lay aglow beneath the bespeckled dark as he simply lounged languidly, only half-aware of Latte’s approach. “So.” It was so obvious, in retrospect, enough that even in something so mundane as motion…
Latte stood still next to him, and despite having doubted so much , Leo couldn’t bring himself to doubt that innocent joy that underwrote the very base of who she was. That more than anything else he held fast to, at this terminal end to logic he hadn’t even wanted to explore.
“I’ve been thinking for a while.” He ran his fingers across the cold, smooth stone of the railing, refusing to just… turn and look at Latte. He didn’t know if he’d be able to continue if he did. “Know that… no matter what, Latte, I love you like family. No matter what .” He laughed, just a second, breathy and incredulous and freeing .
Latte squeaked in concern, and the faint, gentle touch against his arm was almost enough to undo his conviction entirely. She was a nice girl…
A sigh, and too much curiosity for his own good. Hyacinth Street was a beautiful place, wasn’t it… for something so important as this- his eyes hooked against the cafe’s entrance, still and abloom in color against the cold dominion of night, and he smiled. Perhaps things would be different, if it was true, but… he wouldn’t let them be too different.
For Latte’s sake. For his own. He turned and looked into her eyes, gaze both as serious and warm as it’d ever been. “You’re a Pokemon, aren’t you?” Latte flinched back, but then ever so slowly nodded. “It makes the most sense…” Latte shied back, and Leo gave his best reassuring smile. “It’s not too important, I suppose. I won’t press further.”
The silence between them was distinctly awkward for a few long seconds, before Latte frowned, earnest excitement replaced with a depth of resolute determination that was almost breathtaking as she shook her head. She said nothing at all, but Leo could almost hear the refusal- for things to stay like this, against the last of mistrust.
She glowed luminescent white, a sheen of starry refulgence drifting off from her form, and when the light died down Leo found he still had it in him to be surprised. He laughed, radiant and enraptured by everything, the liberating relief and total stunned shock, as he leaned down to ruffle the feathers of a being Alto Mare venerated as the next best thing to a god .
Latte’s feathers.
Silken soft beneath his hand, to the squeaking of laughter, to relief and revelation-
Latias’s feathers.