Chapter Text
Closed
Wait, why? The man wondered as he stood in front of the coffee shop he visits almost daily. How could it be closed? I wonder if everything is okay. The owner was a nice older lady. She was kind and very generous and always chatted with him in the morning while he waited for her to craft his favorite morning coffee. Sometimes even tossing a pastry in for free. Of course, he always left tips for her.
I hope she is okay. He turned around debating on where he should go next. He definitely didn’t like going to the bigger chains. He only had about thirty extra minutes to spare before he made it to work. And that’s pushing it.
Pulling out his teleslate, running a quick search on Georios Maps would tell him if any other small business type coffee shops were along his path. I better hurry though, don’t want to be late and have Aglaea yell at me. He sighed.
He wanted to hurry for another reason. The weather was picking up quite the chill. A bit earlier than normal for the Month of Strife. The cold didn’t usually start kicking in till the end of the month. Curse Nikador, he thought. Maybe this was just true to his nature being born during the warmest time of year. Silently wishing the Month of Freedom. Wishing for Summer to be back in full swing. I miss the sun. I miss the warm weather.
Finding a shop that was only a block over was a bonus. Seeing a review score of 4.5 stars is hard to beat. Walking his way there won’t take too long and it’s on the way anyways. Once in front of the store confirming with his teleslate again that it was the right place. Chalice as it was called was positioned on the corner of the chain of buildings giving it windows along both sides. Having an Ancient Kremnoan touch to the decor outside, the storefront made it feel as if he had stepped back in time. How fitting finding a place like this on a day like today. He thought. After all, Ancient Castrum Kremnos worshipped Nikador the Titian of Strife.
Opening the door, the robust smell of coffee beans hit his nose along with the fresh scent of baked goods. Noticing the decor along the walls, this shop sure had interesting taste. Lined with swords, spears and shields all of them intriguing. One of the corners was lined with a decent sized bookshelf and a cute little reading nook next to a couch and chairs along with a fireplace that was lighting up the area with a nice glow. Some patrons were already enjoying their breakfast among the tables and chairs.
Satisfied with taking in the surroundings, the man made his way up to the front counter after noticing someone behind it. As he walked closer he realized just how attractive this man was. He might as well have stepped out of the old history books from the Castrum Kremnos golden age. Blond hair was up in a bun, with one lock hanging out that was braided, the tips seemed dyed a strawberry blond color, almost pink. The man had a tight black long sleeve turtleneck on and was wearing a brown apron. His strong gaze and piercing amber eyes were almost hypnotic. His Kremnoan roots prominent in his nose, tying his looks together.
“Morning, what can I get started for you?” A strong deep voice. The question pulled him out of his daze. He hadn’t even looked at the menu.
“Uh yes, good morning! Sorry, I am just a bit out of sorts today, give me just a second to look at your menu.” He said bringing his arm up to scratch the back of his head with an apologetic smile. The man nodded and turned his back to him to continue what he was working on.
Finally looking up at the menu he decided, I might as well try their pastries too. After a few minutes he decided. “I would like a Flat White and your most popular pastry.” He spoke. The man turned around and rang him up on the register.
“Okay, feel free to have a seat. It will just be a few minutes.” Moving to the closest seat and pulling out his teleslate to check the time. Thank Oronyx, he still had plenty. Still pondering over what could have happened to his regular spot, he at least hoped the old lady was doing okay.
“Phainon.” Ah, he recognized me. The white haired man thought. Well, who wouldn’t? His image had been posted around the whole city over the past year. People had started to notice him everywhere. Coming up and asking for autographs and photos. Guess it would be more shocking if anyone didn’t know who he was or at least seen him before. His snow white hair and striking blue eyes were hard to miss. Let alone his height.
Standing to grab his breakfast over at the counter, “Thanks…” He didn't see a name tag so he met his gaze.
“Mydei.” He said shortly.
“Thanks Mydei, I look forward to seeing you next time then.” Smiling at him before turning and leaving, heading to work.
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“Put this on then get in front of the Camera.” Aglaea was very to the point today. Her strict yet professional attitude usually kept him pretty grounded. Her fair features and blond hair were really striking and he had learned so much from her since coming to Okhema. She was a model herself back a few years ago when she was trying to fund her boutique and brand. Sometimes she even models own creations herself which is refreshing in this line of business.
Phainon had luckily made it in time to finish his pastry before starting work. That was one of the best things I had ever eaten, he had thought to himself. Definitely going back there, plus the eye candy doesn’t hurt either. His wonderful breakfast had been a scone filled with raspberries and a nice cream cheese glaze drizzled over the top. He might even dream about it, that's how good it was.
Posing for the camera had become second nature to him. His mind being somewhere else didn’t actually slow him down. Which was good cause he really didn’t want to be on Aglaea’s bad side. His thoughts drifted off to that hot barista. I wonder if he would let me get to know him.
“I sure don’t know what you are thinking about but keep thinking about it because your expression right now is just perfect for these photos.” Aglaea’s new photographer said so matter of fact. She's a short girl with pink hair, very friendly and not afraid to state her opinion openly.
“You know March, I was thinking the same thing although, I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it could be.” Aglaea’s tone held inspiration. “Oh, take a bunch now with that shocked and dumbfounded expression.” The camera clicked so fast several times before Phainon could even react.
“Hey wait, what?” He asked
“Quiet you, and let us work.” Aglaea said.
“That work involves me, thanks.” He said dryly. “What do you mean my expression is different?” He asked March.
“You just had this faraway, dreamy look on your face.” She said snapping a few more photos. “Better be careful. If you walk around Okhema like that you might just cause a catastrophe with your looks.” She joked with a sly smile.
“You are exaggerating.” Phainon said with an eye roll.
“Sorry my dear Phainon but she’s not.” Aglaea said “Anyways, it’s in your favor cause now we only need a few more shots and we can wrap up early. This is the last of the Winter seasons shots. You get two weeks off after this before I want you back in here ready for the Spring line up. Expect lighter wear.” She told him directly.
“So soon?” he inquired. Usually he would get about a month off before coming in for the next seasonal shots. They were just now into Autumn. The last of the Winter shots would be released soon.
“Yes, I have events to attend in Dawncloud later in the season so we need to get the early seasonal shots done even earlier than normal. Luckily you are not needed at the event at Dawncloud this time. It's the women's line this cycle.” She stated. “Expect the men's line to be right before the start of Spring when the weather starts to warm. The location has yet to be announced.” She informed me. “Anyway, let's continue.”
A few more shutter sounds. “Alright, I think that's plenty.” March stated. “I will have lots to look through and edit and worse case he and I can always come back and get any extras we may need while you are busy getting ready for Dawncloud, Aglaea.” March said looking down at her camera scanning through the photos she just took.
“Its nice to know you both are so reliable.” Aglaea said with relief. He took that as his cue to go change back into his own clothes. Finishing up in the dressing room, then making his way back out to the studio. He noticed Aglaea was already packed up to leave for the day. March was just finishing up with her camera equipment, organizing it back into her backpack.
“Phainon, you will be getting extra pay for coming in earlier than normal for the seasonal lineup. Also if you have to come in to redo anything, let me know so I can pay you for it. March will contact you if that is needed. I probably won’t have time to respond if anything urgent comes up so feel free to reach out to Hycelins. Since I will be busy getting ready for the trip.” She told him firmly. “I plan on doing all of Spring's first phase clothes in three days instead of the normal five. So be ready in two weeks. Get lots of rest and please visit the gym every day.”
“Lady Aglaea, please. There is no need to pay me extra. You definitely pay me enough already.” He smiled at her.
“Trust me boy, it's money you deserve with how much you bring in for wearing the clothes I design.” She told him firmly before turning and walking away. “See you in two weeks!” Still he was grateful for sure.
“Good work today, Phainon.” March has started. “Its always nice to see a model in a good mood.” She smiled. “You got any plans after this? Or plans for the next two weeks?” She asked him.
“You know March, I sure don’t. I wonder what I should do…” He grabbed his chin, pondering.
“Well if you are up for it, I am meeting some of my friends for lunch after this.” She offered. “They have been wanting to meet you. Oh! But I promise they won't be weird about you being a celeb. They are actually pretty chill and down to earth type of people.” She said quickly. “I promise they will treat you like a real human being instead of a Titan or Aeon.”
Laughing at that statement, Phainon answered, “Sure March, I would love to meet your friends.” He smiled.
“Great. Let's go! We are meeting for lunch at a cafe nearby.” She stated.
“Sounds nice.” He replied as they were walking out of the building. “Speaking of cafes, I had to visit a new one this morning. My usual place was closed for some reason.” He mentioned. “Luckily I found one on the way here.”
“Oh yeah I remember you saying you hate going to the big chains.” She continued the conversation. “Is there a reason for that?”
“Yeah, if I get caught by paparazzi or a fan I don't want me going to a big chain to be associated with it. It would surely show up in an online article as ‘Look here! StellarBucks is Phainon’s favorite coffee shop.’ or something ridiculous like that. If someone is going to catch me at a coffee shop, it's going to be a small business that could benefit from the attention.” He explained. “Besides, bigger coffee chains don't make as good coffee as the locally owned shops.”
“I can't agree with you more. My friends feel the same. We have been going to this one for a while now. I think you will like it. The owner is our age and very nice. He’s thoughtful too. Plus the vibe there is just… I don't know… different? I don't know much about Amphoreus’ history but I am sure it's historical.” March was not from this country so she didn't know as much on the history side of things. Wait, historical? Could it be?
“Okay, now I have to ask. Is the place you mentioned Chalice?”
“Oh so you do know of it?” she looked over at him excited.
“Yes, that was the new place I just found this morning.” He smiled. “Must be a coincidence.”
“That makes this way easier. They have more than just coffee. The owner also makes sandwiches, salads and soups too for lunch. He also has a variety of teas.” She said looking ahead. They were almost there now. “Its a nice spot to hang out and chat.”
They entered the shop and March scanned for her friends. They were all seated by the fireplace in the little reading nook area. It had two couches facing each other perpendicular to the fireplace with a low coffee table in the center. At the end of the coffee table was another large chair facing the fireplace. It was a nice cozy area for sure.
Sitting on one of the couches were two guys, the other couch had a girl. “March!” She exclaimed. Looking excited.
“Hey guys. Let's get introductions out of the way.” She stated. “This is Phainon Khaslana of course you all know him.” She turned to Phainon. “The dark haired guy sitting closer to the fireplace is Dan Heng. The one with gray hair next to him is Caelus, his boyfriend. And this gray haired girl is Caelus’ twin sister Stelle.”
“It's nice to meet you all, thanks for inviting me to join.” Phainon was truly happy. He hadn't really made many close friends in Okhema since moving here after his graduation from the Grove of Epiphany. He only took the basic college courses and decided that was it for him. While he did talk to some of his friends he met there, most of them were still working on their degrees, so they were busy with exams and studying. Some of them became awkward towards him or changed their attitudes when he left and became more famous.
His home town Aedes Elysiae didn't have a college. His only friend from home was Cyrene and she was also still busy at the grove. Can your cousin count as a friend? Aglaea had poached him within the first week he got here and he had been busy with modeling gigs ever since. A country bumpkin like him didn't really fit in the first few months with all the other models and their gossiping.
“Of course. March vouches for you so you must be a good person.” Dan Heng said calmly with a smile, pulling Phainon from his thoughts. He had only known March for about two months now but he already knew what type of person she was. She wouldn't surround herself with people who weren't worth her time. These people are probably good friends to make.
“Everyone moved here recently through a relocation program in our country known as the Trailblaze. We signed up to be relocated in a new country for a challenging yet fun way to change our lives. We did it all together.” March explained. “Learning Amphoreus customs and way of life has been challenging but we have met a few along the way that help us out.”
“That's awesome there is a program like that. Amphoreus is rich in culture. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Although, I am not exactly an expert.” He said with a shy smile while scratching the back of his head.
“No worries!” March exclaimed with a big smile. “Anyways, let's go order some lunch.” She turned back to the group. “Have you guys already ordered?” She asked.
“We only ordered drinks so far. Mydei basically knows all of our orders by heart at this point so I am sure he has already started. Just let him know we are all ready when you get up there.” Caelus informed her.
March and Phainon made their way up to the counter where Mydei was. He was accompanied by what seemed to be a coworker. Her long purple hair was tied up into a large bun covered by a hair net. She had her back towards the front counter and seemed to be making a chain of salads and sandwiches.
“Mydei!” March said excitedly.
“Hey March.” He then turned to Phainon, “We meet again. Sooner than I expected.” He stated, slightly amused.
“I would have to agree with you. Truly must be Fate’s Design.” Phainon said with a smile.
“I heard you met my coworker this morning. His usual place was shut down this morning unexpectedly so he had to improvise.”
“Oh? This is the model you take photos of? I had no idea you had such talent, March? I don't think you bragged hard enough.” Mydei joked with her dryly.
“It’s not like just anyone would believe me if I informed everyone I was the photographer for THE Phainon Khaslana.” She retorted. “Alas, he is honestly a pretty normal guy. Definitely not like those stuck up rich people he and I are forced to hang around.” She wrinkled her nose. Phainon laughed at this.
“Well Pretty Normal Guy, what can I get started for you?” Did he just emphasize the pretty or was that Phainon’s imagination?
“Hmm, let's go with some tea, the Chalice House Blend that you have, the wedge salad and a cup of the soup of the day.” Phainon decided, looking at the menu. March put in her order and told him the rest were ready as well with their usual. Phainon paid for her before she got the chance to say no or realize. Everyone else had already apparently paid for their food.
“Alright, go have a seat and enjoy your conversations. Castorice and I will bring these all out shortly.”
Walking back over to sit with the others, they immediately jumped into random questions with Phainon. Not that he minded though. “So, is modeling the only thing that you do, Phainon?” Caelus asked, as Phainon took a seat in the oversized chair facing the fireplace.
“While it’s my main source of income, I do have a few hobbies on the side. Now that the brand Goldweaver is one of the top in the country right now I get to work less and get more breaks. I really like visiting museums and getting to look at ancient artifacts. If I am home I might play a game or two on my PC. I also go to the gym almost every day but that feels more like a work task than an actual hobby.” He finished.
“That’s awesome! I love games too. My PC set-up at home is pretty crazy.” Caelus bragged a bit.
Dan Heng sighed. “I still can’t believe how much you actually spent on that.” He said looking down.
“Oh come on! It’s where I spent most of my time.” Caelus pouted, earning a “There, there.” From March.
“What about a partner or significant other?” Stelle asked this time.
“Nah, I got nothing like that.” He said calmly. Honestly between work and being famous he felt a bit weird trying to date anyone.
A sudden movement from his left side surprised him. Mydei was suddenly right there next to him. Leaning over to put his tea and his meal on the coffee table in front of him. Oh, I didn’t even hear him walk up. The angle was just right so that he got a full side view of Mydei’s profile, a glimpse of red caught his attention. He could see just the slightest tip of some tattoo peaking out from under his turtleneck. Phainon averted his eyes quickly, feeling a tingling sensation on his cheeks. Shit, am I actually blushing over that? Mumbling thanks as Mydei stood back up to turn to his tray for more of their food, trailing the scent of sweet bread along with him.
“Do you have a reason?” Stelle asked, not noticing his internal strife, continuing the conversation. “Oh, if you don’t mind sharing that is.”
“Well, I didn’t really have the time for dating up until like six months ago. Also everyone in the field is kinda… how should I put it, born from money and they all kinda have shallow attitudes? That’s not really the type of person I am into.” He swears he heard a small pffff from Mydei when he said the words ‘shallow attitudes’. Phainon continued, “Besides most people that meet me now act all weird because I am famous. I didn’t grow up with money so it just makes me feel awkward.” He finished with a hesitant laugh scratching the back of his head, moving then to take a sip of his tea. Holy titans, this is good.
“Sorry to pry, I was just curious.” Stelle mentioned noticing his discomfort.
“Nah, don’t worry about it.” He assured her he was fine sharing, she smiled at him.
Mydei had finished placing everyone’s food and was starting to walk away when Stelle caught him by the arm, “Thanks again, Mydei.” He turned to her.
“You guys need anything else.” He looked around at all of them and asked.
“I think we are all good.” Dan Heng stated.
“This looks great! Thanks!” Phainon said excitedly looking down at his food. He had already whipped out his teleslate and started snapping photos.
“Great, let me know if you need anything.” He walked away.
“Ohhh, Phainon made Mydei blush.” A hushed voice. What? He froze.
“Heh?” He couldn’t stop the sound from slipping out of his mouth.
“You didn’t see?” Caelus said, “He gets slightly embarrassed when people compliment his food so openly, especially when they take photos.” He finished with a giggle.
“He likes to act like a tough guy but he’s actually really sweet and caring on the inside.” March said. Moving on to eat her food.
“I…didn’t mean to make him feel uncomfortable.” Phainon said, quietly.
“Don't worry, he appreciates all the compliments, just a little shy to take them so directly.” Dan Heng explained.
“It’s honestly adorable.” Stelle said so matter of fact, with a small smile.
They ate their meals and chatted a bit more. Phainon learned some things about them as well. Like their hobbies and preferences on some things. It was a lot of information to take in. I hope I can remember it all. They seem like really good people.
They wrapped up and decided to take off. March insisted they meet up again in a few days and that she would text him the details. Phainon made sure to get everyone else's number as well.
“Great, we can add you to the group chat we have! That way you can get to know all of us even better.” March mentioned.
“Sounds like fun.” Phainon replied, smiling at her.
Before leaving he made sure to walk up to the front and leave a tip in the jar. Castorice caught him even though he was trying to be sneaky. She smiled politely thanking him. Mydei was nowhere to be seen now.
“It was a great meal, thanks again.” He told her. And with that he left. Not wanting to be caught looking for Mydei.
Saying his goodbyes, the walk home to his apartment was short, maybe because his thoughts were wandering. It had been an eventful day. His thoughts continue to spiral as he changes into his gym clothes, trying to keep his promise to Aglaea about going to the gym.
Thinking back, he feels he hasn’t smiled this much or has enjoyed a day like today in a while. He was looking forward to hanging out with his new friends. Blushing slightly at his next thought, plus the chance to see Mydei again wouldn’t be bad.