Chapter Text
Fire Spirit was on the way for his morning shift. Walking through the gloomy morning, he was whistling a soft tune, hands buried in his pockets. He was dressed in a comfortable t-shirt with a varsity hoodie on top, smart enough for his job while still being a bit breathable. As an experienced barista in the cafe, he knew how hot it could get in the autumn and winter when they turned on the heater. He twirled his sharpie around his fingers, other hand fidgeting with the corner of his jumper. Breath fogging in the slight morning chill, he stood outside the coffee shop, glancing up at the sign which said “Hearth & Grind” in bold letters, a logo featuring a steaming mug underneath it.
He paused at the entrance for a second, then unlocked and pushed the door open. The coffee shop was unusually quiet, like a ghost had come through here and stolen all the customers. Which reminded him he needed to open up the cafe. He looked up at the clock. 06:00 AM. Plenty of time to lounge around while cleaning up leftover mess from yesterday.
A broom was shoved carelessly into the back storage room corner, and Fire Spirit grabbed it with a sigh before starting on the floor. Sweeping under plush couches, mismatched chairs, and low coffee tables, he found a multitude of crumbs on the ground, a sugar packet here and there, and a lost napkin. “How on earth did they miss all of this…?” Fire Spirit muttered under his breath, silently cursing whoever cleaned up the night before. “It must have been Vampire… that guy could sleep through his entire shift and call it a productive day at work.”
After a while, Fire Spirit finished cleaning the floor. “That took longer than I expected. Nobody even closes OR opens right and yet they still get paid the same as me,” he grumbled. “How unfair.” Continuing his complaints, he proceeded to do the rest of the work. He went to the back room and switched on the winter heater. The blast of hot air filled the cafe, warming up the place.
Next, Fire Spirit went toward the espresso machine. It was massive, able to brew two cups of coffee at once. He walked behind the counter, flipping the switches to wake the machine up. It responded with a low, mechanical hum, vibrating on the countertop. He hoisted a huge bag of coffee beans, slicing it open with a cutter. Then, he dumped the contents into the plastic hopper on top of the grinder, keeping careful watch of the landslide of the dark beans until it hit the two kilogram line.
Fire Spirit ground a double shot of espresso, locked the portafilter into place, and watched as cream-coloured liquid streamed out into a tiny glass cup. He took a quick sip, mouth contorting from the bitterness of the coffee. It was exactly what he needed to survive the morning rush.
Finally, he walked towards the door, flipping the sign from “CLOSED” to “OPEN.” Fire Spirit looked up at the clock. 07:00 AM. He could only wait until he could swap places with Croissant and stop pretending he actually LIKED customer service.
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Meanwhile, freshmen were flooding the campus, clunky suitcases in tow. Parents were handing over huge move in boxes, filled with all sorts of things. Loud music played from somewhere, clearly from an orientation event intended for the freshmen to settle in. Upperclassmen volunteers were everywhere, giving help to any freshmen lost on campus. Orientation banners were strung up on every possible surface, including tables, lamposts, and even the volunteers themselves.
And Wind Archer hated it.
He had arrived later than expected, a result of traffic on the highway. It was jarring how much it affected him, and just how overwhelming all the chaos felt. Students were milling about, chattering and getting to know each other better, and some of them actually already knew someone from their previous school. But Wind Archer was completely, and utterly, alone.
“You okay son?” his father, Millennial Tree asked, concern evident from his voice. “Do you need any help with carrying anything up to your dorm?”
“No need, Dad. I’ve got it covered,” Wind Archer said, a fake smile lighting up his face. “My dorm isn’t too far from here.”
Sugar Swan frowned. “You sure honey? We really don’t mind, you know.”
“Yes I’m sure mum. I can work it out myself.” Wind Archer said, once again smiling that fake smile of his.
“Okay, well, here are your suitcases and boxes to bring up...” Sugar Swan smiled, handing Wind Archer his belongings. “Call us if you need anything, okay hun?”
“Of course mum.” This time Wind Archer genuinely smiled. “I’ll call you at least once a week, I promise.”
Wind Archer took his luggage. Walking away, he took one last glance at his parents. Sugar Swan was leaning against Millennial Tree, happy tears streaming down her face. Millennial Tree was facing toward him, a proud smile on his face.
Wind Archer looked forward, mentally steeling himself for what was about to come. Lingering near the check-in table, he rehearsed what he was going to say. My name is Wind Archer. I'm in dorm 237, Clover Hall. My name is Wind Archer. I’m in dorm 237, Clover Hall. Finally, he thought he was ready and walked towards the table.
A long folding table had been set up in advance, right outside the dormitory entrance. It was covered in towers of folders, lanyards, and cardboard boxes filled to the brim with different keycards. Manning it were a few upperclassmen in matching orientation t-shirts, all of them overly cheerful despite the gloomy morning.
“Next!”
Wind Archer stepped forward, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes.
“What’s your name?” one of the volunteers asked.
“Wind Archer.”
The upperclassmen flipped through a folder of pages. “What dorm building are you in?”
“Clover Hall.”
“Room 237 right?” They fished through the boxes for his keycard, then handed it over alongside an orientation packet. “This is for you. It has a guide to the campus, orientation schedule, dorm information, WiFi setups, and all other information you could possibly need.”
Wind Archer accepted the folder. “Is there anything else I would need to know?”
“Yes! Your student ID pickup is tomorrow morning at the student center,” the volunteer added. “There is also a welcome party tonight at 7 PM if you’re interested!”
“I see. Thank you.” Wind Archer said politely.
“Welcome to campus!” they chorused, smiling up at him. “Enjoy your orientation!”
I won’t, Wind Archer thought as he made his way to Clover Hall. He lugged his two suitcases, hoping he hadn’t forgotten anything important. Avoiding the crowds of freshmen, Wind Archer went up the stairs, repeatedly checking the numbers on the door. Everyone seemed to be at home already. Open doors showed light-hearted scenes, freshmen greeting each other with warm grins. Loud chattering filled the halls as roommates conversed with the other students, everyone pairing up immediately, desperate to not seem alone.
At last, Wind Archer reached his dorm. Room 237. Hand lingering on the handle, he hesitated for a moment before swiping his keycard on the reader. The door clicked open quickly.
What met him was a mountain of plushies. In the center stood a short girl with long hair tied with rainbow-coloured scrunchies into little pigtails. There was a blanket pile in the corner, all of them covered in patches of multi-coloured fabric. The fridge and cupboards were open, showcasing a collection of emergency snacks.
“Oops! Sorry, sorry, I’ve only just unpacked,” his roommate apologised. “By the way, my name’s Milky Way, but you can just call me Milky”
“Hello, Milky Way. My name is Wind Archer,” he said stiffly, unsure what to make of this whirlwind of a dorm mate.
Milky Way blinked at him before grinning brightly. “You sound like you’re introducing yourself for a presentation.”
Wind Archer froze. “I do?”
“A little,” she admitted. “But that’s alright! Orientation day is terrifying after all.”
Wind Archer didn’t know how to respond to that. So he settled for dragging his suitcase quietly over to his side of the dorm.
Compared to the rainbow explosion occupying Milky Way’s half of the room, his side looked boringly plain. There was a neatly folded blanket at the edge of his bed and his textbooks were stacked carefully on his desk.
“Sorry about the mess,” Milky Way said sheepishly, kicking away a star-shaped pillow. “I got a bit carried away with all the decorating.”
While Milky Way was essentially the equivalent of a glitter bomb with a plushie addiction, Wind Archer couldn’t help but feel comfort in how calm the dorm was, at least compared to the chaos outside. It was nice for a change.
For the first time since arriving on campus, Wind Archer felt himself relax a bit. Not all the way, but getting there.
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By now, it was the afternoon, right after lunch. Wind Archer had just finished unpacking in his dorm. Milky Way tried to include him in a conversation. Most recently, she had asked if he was going to the welcome party.
He did NOT want to go.
So now, escaping the awkwardness of his dorm and the suffocating noise of orientation day, Wind Archer was outside, enjoying the scenery on campus. The leaves were turning brown, a clear sign autumn was rolling around. The air was chilly but not frosty yet, still transitioning from the heat from August to early September.
Wind Archer unrolled the map from the orientation packet. He figured while he was out here, why not explore campus a bit? Apparently, there was a coffee shop not too far from where he was right now. I’ll just get a quick drink, Wind Archer thought. A medium black coffee.
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A chime ran through the cafe.
Fire Spirit was at the counter, whipping up a jellybean latte for a customer. The smell of earthy, bitter coffee mixed with the sweetness of vanilla and caramel. Light chatter echoed through the shop, background noise for the barista.
The door chimed once more before swinging shut again. In walked a leaf-green cookie, clothes and posture immaculate. His hands were in his coat pockets, expression unreadable. He scanned the little cafe then went to wait at the line to order. Fire Spirit slapped a plastic lid on a coffee then slid it over to a waiting customer. “Enjoy your drink,” he said distractedly. “Next!”
“Welcome to the Hearth & Grind! How may I help you?” Fire Spirit said with a cheeky smile, sharpie in mouth. He leaned his arms on the wooden countertop, eyes brimming with mischief.
The student didn’t flinch at the barista’s too loud voice. Verdant green eyes locked with amber red ones, a look that meant don’t look at me too closely. Naturally, Fire Spirit wanted to look, even all the layers underneath the cold exterior.
“A medium black coffee please.” His voice was flat, completely indifferent.
“Really? Not even caramel or hazelnut to sweeten it? What about sugar?” Fire Spirit said disbelievingly, eyes widening in shock.
“No sugar is needed.”
“Alright then. One liquid depression coming up. How devastating,” Fire Spirit sighed dramatically, taking a paper cup from the stack beside him. “What’s the name for the cup then Mr. Serious?”
“Wind Archer.”
Fire Spirit laughed internally. “No way. Your name sounds like a fantasy novel protagonist.” He snorted, scribbling something onto the side of the cup anyway. “Like some knight destined to defeat a dragon using the power of friendship.”
“I assure you it is my real name.”
“And here I thought your parents were normal.” Fire Spirit pressed a hand to his chest in mock despair.
Wind Archer blinked slowly, unsure of how to respond to this remark.
Meanwhile, Fire Spirit shoved the cup underneath the espresso machine, then leaned back on the countertop once again.
“So,” he said casually, twirling his sharpie around his fingers. “You a freshie?”
Wind Archer hesitated for half a second. “Yes.”
“Knew it.”
“How?”
“You’ve got the look.” Fire Spirit laughed.
“What look?” Wind Archer looked genuinely confused
“The orientation survival horror look,” Fire Spirit said, gesturing vaguely toward him.
Wind Archer frowned.
“Okay, would you like your receipt?”
“...Yes.”
“Wow, you really ARE serious.” Fire Spirit muttered.
A few moments later, Fire Spirit slid the finished coffee across the counter. Written on the side of the cup in his handwriting were the words: LEAF BOY
Wind Archer stared at it. Fire Spirit laughed, shoulders shaking slightly. “Close enough.”
“Thank you.” Wind Archer finally said. He walked out of the shop, the bell dinging as it swayed with the door.
The warmth of the cup seeped into his hands. Behind him, the chatter from the cafe turned into soft background noise, comforting in place of the overwhelming chaos he’d experienced all day. Wind Archer glanced down at the cup.
Ridiculous.
But for some reason, he didn’t hate it.