Work Text:
It had been a long, hot day, and Epel was looking forward to a nice treat after working at the farmers market with his parents all morning. He checked his wallet and realized he had just enough for a dipped ice cream cone from the shop down the street from where the market was set up. Epel didn’t know this area well; his family only sold here in spring and summer because the mountains got cold early in the year. They would be here for one more day before heading back home.
The bell jingling as he entered the shop made him think of the one back home. They would be making the apple cinnamon ice cream using Felmier Farms apples in a few months. The short teen browsed the list seriously as he tried to decide what kind he would get. Spotting a flavor he’d only seen in the town near Night Raven, Epel ordered with a grin. “Butter Crunch, with the caramel dip please!”
The week before school ended, he’d wanted to go to the shop and grab some of his new favorite flavor, but between Malleus overblotting and the cleanup, he’d plum forgotten. After all the stress, he’d nearly cried, but now he had another chance. It might not be the exact same, but it should be close enough.
After being handed the cone, Epel savored his first lick, the crunchy caramel shell melding perfectly with the butterscotch-flavored ice cream swirled with toffee. Ace had said it was too sweet, but Epel loved it for some reason.
He was happily eating his cone when a tall man in a hat came rushing past, knocking the smaller teen off his feet. He held onto his cone as he fell, but his wrist struck the curb, and he lost it.
Holding his painful wrist, Epel looked down at the ground where his ice cream lay melting into a puddle on the hot pavement. He felt like he was going to cry. He’d missed out earlier, and now when he’d finally gotten the flavor he wanted, it was ruined because of some jerk who couldn’t watch where he was going.
He sighed and pulled out his wallet again, desperately hoping he’d missed a few thaumarks so he could replace it, but he was three short.
Epel plopped onto a bench and tried not to cry. He knew he was being a stupid weenie over ice cream of all things, but…he’d been so excited, and it had been such a long, overly hot day.
“Epel?”
Hearing his name called, Epel quickly pressed his hands to his eyes to make sure he wasn’t actually crying.
“It is you. What’s wrong?”
He looked up to see white hair and fluffy white ears.
“Jack, Hey! How ya doin? I’m great.”
Jack sat next to him, ears twitching slightly.
“You don’t look great.”
Epel sighed. “Yah know how I lost out on my favorite flavor of ice cream at the end of the year? Well, they don’t have it back home, but they do have it here. I got some, but some jerk in a hurry knocked it down. I can’t replace it either. Pretty stupid, right?”
Jack shrugged. “ You were looking forward to it. Of course you’d be upset.” He ruffled Epel's hair.
“Come on, my sister's working. I’ll tell her what happened and I bet she’ll replace it for you.”
“Jack, you don’t haveta…wait, your sister? Is this your hometown?”
The beastman nodded and waved his hand. “Yeah, I live here. Which reminds me, why are you here?”
Epel laughed as he stood up. “My family was sellin at the farmers market down the block. We’re here for another day or so. Maybe I can get time off tomorrow and we can hang out?” He and jack got along well at school, and he’d heard a lot about his family.
“Sure, that sounds great. It’s too bad you’re not going to be here Friday. Vil’s coming to visit.”
Epel’s mouth fell open in shock as they entered the ice cream parlor.
“Ya know, I forget you’re friends. He’s my Housewarden…and kind of a jerk, but really cool at the same time.”
“He can be like that.” Jack went over to the counter.
“Come on, tell her what happened and your flavor, then I can tell you stories while you eat it.
Epel started to grin.
“Got any dirt on him?”
“...Epel, no.”
“Epel, Yes! He keeps tellin people my favorite food is macarons. I don’t like macarons!”
“He’s just…Vil.”
“You give me one embarrassing story, and I’ll tell you why Deuce turned red every time he saw you at the end of the year.”
Jack frowned for a moment, then nodded.
“Deal.”
Epel stepped up to the counter and smiled; maybe today wasn’t so horrible after all.