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Matcha was all the rage at the moment, a trend Mydeimos both scorned and appreciated in equal measure. Fiscally, the benefits were clear; it was an excellent avenue for driving new business toward the café. It had also been intriguing to experiment with unique flavour combinations at first, a feature the establishment would have been synonymous with by then if not for its primary feline theme. On the other hand, Mydei’s ears would entirely fail him at that rate, given the sheer volume of customers asking if the matcha was “ceremonial grade.”
Why on earth would it have been ceremonial grade? Which cat cafés in the vicinity were actually hosting tea ceremonies? Baffling.
The entire ordeal had, unfortunately, left Mydei in a bit of a sour mood as he poured out lattes, each one with a slightly different heart made of the microfoam. At least the weather was pleasant. Calling out the name written on a cup, he stole a glance out the tall windows dominating the café’s street-facing walls. The cats absolutely adored the sunlight streaming through them, frequently curling up right in the center of the room where indoor trees had been arranged directly beneath the light. It put them in view of the people walking by, often attracting new visitors.
Mydei himself enjoyed a good nap, but he wouldn’t have minded spending some time outdoors on a day like this. Perhaps by going for a run. He watched the steady stream of runners passing the shop, noting a pair of women chatting animatedly as they crossed his line of sight. Leaning over the countertop, a few more people appeared. Cyclists, picture-perfect families, and then, a man dressed so horrifically it fractured Mydei’s moment of peace.
He stumbled over his own feet more with each step, and Mydei’s eyes widened as he took in the white-haired stranger… clad in a neon purple hoodie. Leash in hand, the man was losing a desperate tug-of-war against an unseen force that was pulling him from somewhere just beneath the window’s frame. Mydei huffed a breath of sympathy, and meant to go about his day as usual as customers came in and out.
But suddenly, the heavy front door thudded open with incredible force. Before the bell could finish ringing, a massive blur of pure white fur shot into the room. It was so fast its shadow could barely catch up, moving in the direction of the freshly baked pastry display. All of the resident cats scattered in response, leaping up onto high shelves and scratching posts for safety.
The Samoyed tried to hit the brakes, but the floor was recently polished. His paws slid out from under him and he skidded across the room like a bowling ball, right up to, and then past the counter. It culminated with the puppy coming to a hard stop right against Mydei’s ankles, immediately flopping onto his back, tongue lolling out, long tail wagging against the floor with a loud series of thumps.
“Oh my god! I am so sorry!” said the man who came running in, nearly tripping over a cat toy, holding onto a leash that appeared to have snapped. He was quick on his feet too, coming to a halt before Mydei and kneeling. “Snowy, down! Bad boy!”
Mydei looked down at the giant, shedding ball of white fluff currently blocking his workspace. His eyes narrowed. His perfect, sterile café had been breached.
The man looked up at Mydei, his big eyes full of genuine horror and apology. “I swear he’s very friendly! The door was opening because someone was leaving, and he just… he smelled the cinnamon. The leash couldn’t hold him. Please don’t call the cops, I’ll pay for anything that broke!”
Mydei crossed his arms, looking down at him. He had absolutely no intention of involving the authorities, but he was still fully prepared to ban this giant, bizarre-looking man and his dog for life. He opened his mouth to give a sharp, icy lecture about hygiene, safety, and caring for the cats.
But then, the man stopped pulling at the dog’s collar. He seemed to realize ‘Snowy’ was frightened by the sudden movement, and whatever frantic panic had seized him a moment ago vanished almost instantly. His voice dropped into a soft, incredibly gentle rumble as he crouched closer, cupping Snowy’s face between his hands and rubbing behind the dog’s ears to calm him down. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m not mad. But we gotta go, okay? We’re bothering the nice cats and the nice barista.”
Mydei stared down at him. Up close, the stranger was rather more pleasing to look at than he had any right to be. Even kneeling on the floor with his hair dishevelled, cheeks flushed from running, and a giant dog sprawled happily between his knees, there was an earnestness to his face that made him look painfully sincere and slightly boyish despite his stature.
A presumptuous fool, Mydei decided. Not a terrible looking or sounding fool, maybe, but a fool nonetheless. And now he was calling Mydei nice. Mydei folded his arms a little more tightly across his apron. He had not yet decided whether to be offended by the words or impressed by the stranger’s unabashed confidence in saying them. “Nice?” he repeated flatly.
“Yeah, nice.” The stranger offered him an uncertain smile. “Because you’re not going to call the cops, right? Haha… right?” The laugh came out strained, accompanied by an expression that was clearly meant to be persuasive.
“I don’t see why I would have to involve anyone else,” Mydei said sternly. “I can just kick you out myself.”
The stranger’s face fell, and the hopeful expression disappeared. His eyes widened, and for a brief moment he looked genuinely wounded by the prospect, as though Mydei had just threatened to banish him from the entire city rather than ask him to leave a café he had invaded.
“Uh. Okay.” He glanced down at Snowy, then back up at Mydei. Maybe it was his first time being kicked out of anywhere. “I’m really sorry again. I didn’t mean to disturb your cats. This place looks really cute, actually. I think my sister would love—”
Before anyone could make a move, a heavy shadow fell across them. Kokopo had descended from the countertop. The older cat was a plush, capricious creature with a particular disdain for human hands. He scratched anyone who attempted to touch him, with the sole exception of Mydei. His eyes settled on Snowy. The dog, still panting from his mad dash across the threshold into the café, seemed oblivious to his impending judgment and doom. Kokopo began his campaign forth.
The white-haired man went rigid, watching the cat advance with grave concentration as if standing underneath a volcano about to erupt. Mydei prepared himself to intervene should the older cat again decide to defend his territory with claws, because he was not going to deal with a dog’s injury today.
Kokopo stopped directly in front of Snowy. He sniffed the dog’s nose. Snowy gave an uncertain whine and went completely statuesque.
Kokopo circled him once, bushy tail held high, inspecting the enormous white creature from every angle. Then, satisfied with his investigation, he let out a deep, resonant purr and hopped directly onto Snowy’s soft, fluffy stomach. He turned once in place before settling into a perfect orange loaf, tucking his paws beneath himself and closing his eyes as though he had found the finest cushion money could buy, warmer than any other furniture in the room.
Even the cats that had fled to the shelves and scratching posts remained perfectly still, staring down at the improbable arrangement below. Snowy remained frozen beneath him, eyes wide and tongue still hanging from his mouth.
Very slowly, Phainon lifted his gaze toward Mydei. His voice was barely above a whisper. “What do I do now?” He glanced nervously down at the cat occupying the entirety of Snowy’s stomach. “Is he a hostage? Am I a hostage?”
Mydei stared at his angriest cat, then at the giant puppy, and finally at the stranger’s flushed, dimpled face. He let out a long, defeated sigh. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he tried to gather what remained of his patience. It did little good. A very small, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips despite himself. “This is ridiculous. But rule number one of this establishment is that we never disturb a sleeping cat.”
He stepped out from behind the counter and reached into his apron pocket, producing a small bowl of pet-safe whipped cream. He placed it carefully on the floor near Snowy. “Traffic is slow right now. You can stick around until Kokopo wakes up. But you owe me for the dog fur I’m going to have to clean up, so you’re buying a coffee.”
The man’s entire face lit up. “Deal. I’m Phainon, by the way. I’ll buy the easiest-to-make drink you’ve got, if you charge me for the most expensive thing on the menu.”
Mydei turned back toward the espresso machine before the warmth creeping into his face became any more obvious. “I’m Mydeimos. Take a seat instead of sitting on the floor, Phainon. And keep your barking to a minimum.”
“Oh, Snowy here doesn’t bark much. He’s pretty good about that, actually.”
Mydei paused. He looked over his shoulder sternly. “I wasn’t talking about your dog. Keep your barking to a minimum in here, got it?”
“Yes, sir…”
Mydei returned to the other side of the counter as Phainon took a seat. He chose one of the stools that faced the coffee bar instead of the seats or couches by the outer windows, thrumming his fingers against the countertop.
Half neon purple, half yellow. Such an atrocious thing to look at, so Mydei turned toward the espresso machine instead. “I’ll make your drink.”
“Thanks!”
Mydei ignored the enthusiasm.
The easiest thing on the menu would have been just a black coffee. Pour it, serve it, all done, profit. Considering the circumstances, Phainon was hardly in a position to ask for more. Still, Mydei reached for the espresso cup instead. If he was going to improve this situation, which he’d committed to only because of Kokopo’s unforeseen decision, he might as well make it a good drink. An Aerocano, then.
He pulled a shot of espresso, watching the dark stream collect neatly into the white cup. He filled a glass with ice, then poured in cold water before adding the espresso, finishing it with a brief burst of air from the steam wand to create the characteristic layer of foam.
He set the glass aside for a moment and wiped a stray droplet from the counter. It really wasn’t as though Phainon’s opinion of the drink mattered. The man was dressed like that. He didn’t have any ‘taste’ to be worried about.
Mydei glanced toward the stool.
Phainon was watching him with an unneeded amount of interest, chin resting in his palm as his eyes followed the barista’s movements. Mydei quickly looked away. Intruder or not, he refused to let anyone walk out of his café thinking he couldn't make excellent drinks. That would be an insult to his own standards.
He placed the finished Aerocano on the counter in front of Phainon. “This should cool you down.”
Phainon’s face brightened immediately. He reached for the glass with both hands, careful not to jostle it. “Oh, this looks amazing…” Mydei gave a noncommittal hum and turned back toward the espresso machine, fiddling with it unnecessarily, uncaring of Phainon taking a sip. “Wow.”
Mydei started wiping down the counter again, even though there was nothing to wipe away.
“That’s really good.”
“I’m aware,” Mydei said.
Phainon laughed under his breath, taking another sip, a drop of condensation rolling over his fingers. “It’s refreshing, too. I didn’t realize how warm I was until now.”
While wearing a hoodie? Mydei said nothing, looking Kokopo’s way instead. The cat remained sprawled across Snowy’s stomach, while the other cats had started peeking out from their various hiding places. A small pair of cautious eyes appeared from behind a scratching post. Another crept along the edge of a shelf, watching Phainon.
Phainon noticed them too. “Oh?” He lowered his glass. The cats had begun approaching him with great suspicion, their earlier panic ostensibly giving way. One ventured close enough to sniff at the leg of his stool before sitting down and staring up at him expectantly. Phainon’s hand hovered uncertainly above his knee.
Mydei glanced up from what he was doing. Why were the cats deciding to give these loud, white-haired creatures a chance? “It’s fine,” he clarified. “Just be gentle with them.”
“Right. Gentle.” Phainon lowered his hand slowly, giving the cat plenty of time to inspect him first. When the cat finally leaned forward and bumped its head against his fingers, Phainon’s expression practically melted.
“Hey there,” He scratched gently beneath its chin. “You’re very friendly.”
This was a part of the job Mydei really did enjoy. Keeping an eye on patrons was never too rough a task, it hardly got busy enough for multiple workers to be scheduled at the same time. So watching over the cats became a habit, and it was always nice to observe their interactions with patrons. Another cat crept closer, emboldened by the first. Phainon greeted that one too, careful hands moving through its grey fur while he continued sipping his drink between affectionate little murmurs.
After a moment, he looked up. “So how does this work, anyway?”
Mydei glanced over. “What? The coffee? You drink it with your straw.”
“Wha— No, no, the café! How all these cats got here.” Phainon gestured vaguely around the room. “Do they all belong to you or something?”
Mydei gave a short, incredulous grunt. He didn’t have money trees growing in the back.
“Do I look like I own that many cats?”
Phainon looked around the café. There were cats everywhere now that they had begun emerging again. “…A little? You clearly really care about them.”
Mydei stared at him blankly before a reluctant smile tugged at his mouth. “No. They’re fostered. A good friend of mine works at the shelter we collaborate with. They help coordinate the cats that come through here.”
Phainon nodded, his fingers still scratching gently behind the ears of the cat sitting beside his stool. “That makes sense.” He looked around again, this time with renewed interest in the furnishing and decor. “I think I’ve heard of cafés like this before. I’ve definitely seen them online.”
“And yet you still brought a dog into one.”
Phainon looked down at Snowy, laughing. “Hey now, in my defense, he brought himself. Thank the gods he did, though.”
Mydei looked over. Phainon took another sip of his drink. “Replacing the leash is going to be annoying, and he nearly pulled my arm out of its socket. That was not the plan for today at all,” He glanced toward Mydei, his smile widening. “But he did lead me to a very cute barista. So I won’t hold it against him.”
Mydei went very still. Heat rushed into his face so quickly that he could feel it gathering beneath his ears. The worst part was that Phainon noticed, gaze lingering on Mydei with an attentiveness that made the warmth spread even further, watching the colour climb across him with open fascination. Fuck. He really should have kicked him out.
Phainon merely smiled into his cup. He finished his drink absurdly slowly, lingering over it while the cats continued to weave between his feet. Mydei returned to his usual tasks, wiping down the counter, preparing a few more orders as people weaved in and out, and occasionally glancing over whenever he thought he could get away with it. Phainon seemed content simply to sit there.
It was irritatingly pleasant. Mydei had expected to spend the rest of his shift wishing the man would leave as soon as possible.
Eventually, Kokopo stirred. The cat stretched luxuriously across Snowy’s stomach, extending each paw before rising to his feet. Snowy immediately looked relieved to have his lungs returned to him.
“Well, I think I’m free.” Phainon stood and brought his cup to the counter. Mydei rang him up, entering the actual price of the drink rather than the inflated amount Phainon had asked for earlier. When the man noticed, he tilted his head, mirroring his own dog. “You didn’t charge me extra? But I offered.”
“And I declined.”
Phainon considered this before pulling out his wallet. Its colour was as bad as his hoodie. “Alright, have it your way then. I’m tipping.”
Mydei stared at him. “Why are you tipping at a cat café?”
Phainon paused, genuinely puzzled by the question. “Tipping is for exceptional service, isn’t it?”
Mydei scoffed. “So you had an exceptional time pleading with me while kneeling on the floor?”
“Yeah, I did,” Phainon smiled, his pupils dilating. “Let’s do it again sometime?”
Mydei went completely still. The heat returned to his face with such force that he thought it might actually cook him alive. He considered either swinging at Phainon or grabbing him by the collar and yanking him straight over the register.
Kokopo reluctantly stepped off of Snowy as Phainon finished paying and turned around, ready to depart. Then he stopped, looking back over his shoulder nervously. “So, by any chance, will you be working at the same time tomorrow?”
“No.” Mydei replied. He watched the hopeful expression on Phainon’s face falter. It was petty, but he deeply enjoyed it. Then, before the satisfaction could turn into guilt, he added, “I’m not working tomorrow, but I’ll be here on Thursday.”
Phainon nodded several times before he turned around again. Mydei watched him go, only then remembering the rather important problem of the broken leash. He had no idea how Phainon intended to keep Snowy in check on the walk home with nothing but a frayed length dangling uselessly from one hand. The dog was enormous. Even with Kokopo’s weight no longer pinning him down, Snowy was liable to drag his owner halfway down the street if the scent of another pastry caught his attention.
Evidently, Phainon had no such concerns. He simply bent down, hooked an arm beneath the Samoyed, and hauled him up. Snowy’s paws dangled harmlessly above the floor while his tail wagged against Phainon’s side.
That was nice. Mydei’s gaze lingered despite himself. Very nice, actually.
The neon purple hoodie was still a crime against the senses, unfortunately, doing considerable damage to an otherwise promising sight. Still, there was no hiding the ease with which Phainon carried the dog, his arms tightening beneath all that white fur without any visible indication of a struggle. Was he that muscular underneath that ridiculous thing?
Mydei found himself wondering about it, so he looked away before Phainon could catch him staring on the way out. The door swung shut behind them, and they were gone.
A soft pressure nudged against Mydei’s leg. He looked down to find Kokopo rubbing his head against him, satisfied that the day’s excitement had concluded in his sleepy favour. Mydei reached down automatically to scratch beneath the cat’s chin.
His mind, however, was still stationed outside. He realized with some embarrassment that he had been staring off into space, the faintest smile lingering on his face for no discernible reason.
Two new customers walked through the door. Mydei locked in immediately, turning to them. After taking the orders, he turned toward the counter, reaching for cups. He had a shift to finish, a dog to tidy up after, and a few more matchas to make. Still… his mood wasn’t entirely sour anymore.
Phainon made it three blocks away before he stopped. Snowy was still happily trotting beside him, the poor, broken leash looped loosely around the man’s wrist and the dog’s neck. Phainon couldn’t help himself; he glanced back over his shoulder toward the quaint café. Its tall windows were barely visible from the end of the street, and though the inside was not visible due to the sun’s reflective glare, he could faithfully imagine Mydei moving behind the counter, already absorbed in whatever his next order would be. He stared for a moment longer than was strictly necessary before turning away with a smile.
“Well,” he said to Snowy, “that went perfectly.”
Snowy wagged his bushy tail excitedly. Phainon crouched to scratch beneath his dog’s chin. “You were wonderful. Very convincing. Especially when you pretended you couldn’t possibly stop yourself from running inside. Maybe we’re similar, in that way?”
Snowy licked his face.
“Mhm, I know. The leash breaking was not part of the plan.” Phainon sighed, looking down at the frayed leather.
He stood again, brushing his hands against his pants. The truth was that he had been planning this for nearly three weeks. Mydeimos liked to stand near the front windows when the café was quiet. He usually wore a beige apron over whatever he had come in wearing that morning, but all of his outfits consisted of black and red. He preferred making the drinks himself rather than leaving them to another employee, and he had a particular habit of wiping an already spotless counter whenever he was trying not to look at a customer.
Phainon knew all of this. He also knew that the shelter occasionally brought new cats through the café, that the pastry delivery arrived shortly after opening, and that Mydeimos was considerably softer toward animals than he was toward people.
Snowy had been the final piece of the plan. Getting a dog into a cat café had initially seemed like a terrible idea. But Phainon had trusted his instincts.
Mostly. He had not anticipated Kokopo, nor had he anticipated not only being allowed to stay, but being allowed to linger. And he absolutely had not anticipated Mydeimos telling him when he would be working again… Phainon smiled at the memory.
There was still one thing he needed to take care of, though.
As he continued walking, he reached deep into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up to reveal a photograph of the café taken from across the street. It was slightly blurry, captured through the window of a nearby bookstore, but Mydei was clearly visible in the background. Phainon had taken it two weeks ago. He swiped to the next photograph. Mydei was standing outside the café with a cardboard box balanced against one hip. The next showed him sitting on the front step during his lunch break, eyes closed against the afternoon sun like a cat himself. Another showed him carrying a sleeping cat from one side of the café to the other.
Phainon paused on that one, kneeling down to show off. “That’s my favourite,” he told Snowy. The dog sniffed at the phone. “No, no, don’t lick that! You shouldn’t be the one to,” Phainon laughed.
He swiped again. This photograph was older. Much older, actually. Mydei was standing outside the shelter that supplied the café’s cats, holding a tiny black kitten against his chest as he spoke to that Cifera woman he insisted on spending time with. His expression was completely different from the one he wore behind the counter.
Phainon tapped open his notes app instead, swiping past Mydei’s schedule to open his log of observations. He stared at the last line for several seconds before adding another beneath it.
Blushes all the way to his ears.
Snowy gave a low, questioning whine.
“Yes, I know, buddy.” Phainon locked his phone and tucked it safely back into his pocket. “Let’s get you home for a reward.”
The dog wagged his tail, picking up his pace.
Phainon glanced back toward the café one final time. The windows had entirely disappeared behind the buildings now, leaving him with nothing but the memory of his soulmate standing behind the counter, pretending not to watch him leave. His smile returned.
“See you Thursday, Mydeimos.”