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The sky underneath Downtown Strangetown was pitch black as Cassandra walked down the sidewalk, her black bookbag strapped over her shoulder as she approached the black double doors of a brightly lit building.
Ever since some Strangetown influencer named "CuriouslyChloe" posted a Social Bunny video about 'the Midnight Snack,' my go-to spot for coffee, I had to start getting my daily cup of coffee at night in order to avoid the annoyingly long lines.
Cassandra opened the door, greeted by the clean, dark wooden floor and the sleek black furniture that decorated the cafe. She eyed the display case, which still had a couple of pastries left, before eyeing the barista wiping down the dark, marble counters.
An aloof, tan-skinned man around my age with a blonde mullet, green-tinted glasses and facial hair, dressed in a black T-shirt that compliments the black branded apron that he's wearing that's likely a part of his uniform. I've actually seen him a couple of times before, but he's usually working alongside a different barista and so we've never had the chance to talk.
Though, I'm not sure if he wants to. He seems to get along with his co-workers just fine, but a customer is a different story.
Cassandra approached the counter as the man looked up at her with green-tinted glasses, seemingly surprised by her presence before quickly straightening his back.
"Wasn't expecting anyone this late," he said, "Your usual, Cassandra?"
Cassandra's eyes widened in shock as she nodded, eyeing the man's name tag.
Vidcund…interesting name.
I wonder if he's a foreign exchange student? He doesn't seem to have an accent…
"I overhear you telling your order to Lazlo a lot," Vidcund said, explaining himself as though he were expecting Cassandra to ask, "That's how I knew about the order."
Lazlo's one of the other baristas - a chubby young man of ambiguously Asian origin who's only a tiny bit shorter than Vidcund and I. The two of them talk a lot in Mandarin thinking that nobody understands them, but Mary-Sue's always able to translate everything for me anytime she visits.
"I understand," Cassandra said, handing Vidcund her card, "Thank you. And how is Lazlo, by the way?"
"He's doing fine," Vidcund said, scanning the card, "Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering."
"…Alright."
Vidcund handed Cassandra back her card, before Cassandra went towards the table besides the counter to watch him.
The last time I was here with Mary-Sue, Vidcund and Lazlo were talking about a psych ward patient who nearly lost his mind from getting experimented on from two mad scientists who were recently arrested, one of whom happened to be Vidcund's ex-girlfriend.
It'd probably be weird to ask him about that.
"Anything interesting happen recently?" Cassandra asked.
"Not really," Vidcund responded, while brewing a new kettle of coffee, "Classes are rough, but it's nothing I can't handle."
"You're in college too?"
"Yeah. I'm double majoring in botany and astronomy at La Fiesta Tech. What about you?"
"Archeology. Also at La Fiesta Tech."
"Interesting."
Cassandra opened her book bag as she set her laptop on the table, opening it and typing in her password before she was greeted with her 37 tabs and several unopened emails.
FROM [email protected]: Good morning, Cassandra. I hope this email finds you well. I have completed the painting that you graciously posed for last night. Would you like me to send it to the apartment you're renting out in Strangetown or to your family's home in Pleasantview? Please let me know at your latest convenience. Signed from your good friend, Darren.
FROM [email protected]: Saw an article in the newspaper that you might find interesting. One image attached.
FROM [email protected]: I hope this email finds you well, Cassandra. I heard there was a stabbing that happened in Downtown Strangetown. Please keep yourself safe. One image attached.
FROM [email protected]: Dear Cassandra, can you call me when you have the chance? I just discovered that Daniel was having an affair with our maid. I feel disgusted and I don't know what to do. Thanks, Mary-Sue.
FROM [email protected]: please stop blocking all of my emails I just want to talk. you have the completely wrong idea of what happened between Nina and I. respond soon plz. love you
Cassandra sighed, blocking Don Lothario's new email before clicking the tab that led to her half-written report.
"Dark chocolate mocha."
Cassandra glanced over at Vidcund, noticing him placing her cup of coffee on the counter. Cassandra got up to get it, watching Vidcund turn away from him to focus on something behind the counter as she walked back to her table.
"Let me know if the mocha is alright," he said, not making eye contat with her, "I'm happy to make any changes to it if you need it."
"Of course."
Cassandra took the cup of coffee back to her table, watching Vidcund as he poured a second cup of coffee in one of the black dine-in mugs.
I hope I didn't weird him out in some way. He seems awfully quiet.
Though, I suppose there's a chance he's just shy or awkward around new people. After all, I'm practically the same.
Should I try saying something? I'm not sure if he's in the mood to talk, but there's a chance that we won't get to talk again after this…
Cassandra shook her head, then took a sip of her mocha.
"Oh, this is GOOD."
Cassandra drank more of her mocha as she noticed Vidcund staring at her, his face red. She quickly looked away, silently drinking more of it before noticing him turn back to something on the counter.
I didn't mean to say that out loud. How embarrassing.
Cassandra's eyes widened as she noticed Vidcund holding the black dine-in mug in his hands, before chugging the entire cup of coffee in seconds. She froze in place as she watched him turn back to the coffee machine, pouring out a third cup of coffee using the same mug.
"…Are you okay?"
"What?" Vidcund said, turning to look back at her, "Are you talking to me?"
Cassandra nodded as Vidcund quickly turned back towards the coffee machine.
"I'm just trying to keep myself awake," he said, "I have a morning class tomorrow, so I won't be able to get any sleep today."
"Oh, that's rough. You couldn't ask your manager to not give you overnight shifts?"
"I appreciate the thought, but overnight shifts pay more and Lazlo and I pay our own rent and tuition. The extra money makes life easier, and I'd much prefer for Lazlo not to have to stay up late for overnight shifts."
Oh! I didn't know Vidcund and Lazlo were living together.
"You couldn't ask your parents for help?"
"We're legally emancipated from them. Haven't talked to them in about five years."
"Oh, my bad," Cassandra said, "I didn't mean to be disrespectful."
"It's fine. You didn't know."
Cassandra nodded as she watched Vidcund drink a third cup of coffee.
"…Do you have siblings?" she asked, "…Besides Lazlo?"
"An older sister, Jenny, and an older brother. Jenny's busy with her own thing, though, so I don't want to bother her."
"And your brother?"
Vidcund made a weird face, before shaking his head.
"I'd prefer we don't talk about him."
I'm probably being too pushy.
Cassandra nodded, quickly turning back to her computer.
I should probably continuing working on my report.
—
An hour passed as Cassandra finished writing out her report, looking it over as she noticed Vidcund working on something behind the counter. She peered over, noticing him stirring something in a cup, before hearing the door chimes ring as the doors flung open. Cassandra's eyes widened at the sight of a tall, pale and lanky figure, dressed in what appeared to be slippers and a hospital gown as he hobbled towards the counter.
"Welcome to the Midnight Snack," Vidcund said as he turned around, before flinching in surprise, "Charon? Aren't you supposed to be at the psych ward?"
"…I got released."
"Oh. And you came here, instead of to Olive?"
"…I don't know. She didn't pick me up so I took the bus here. Didn't know where else to go."
"You could've stopped by my apartment."
"And risk exposing Pascal to where you and Lazlo lived? No, no!"
"Is he stalking you again?"
"I don't know anymore!" Charon said, shaking his head, "I keep getting the feeling that he's there! Like, he's always there! It's awful! I keep getting scared he's going to pop up and drag me back over to Loki and Circe like he-"
Charon cut himself off, hyperventilating over the counter as Vidcund pushed the cup of hot chocolate before him.
"…You can stay here until the end of my shift," Vidcund said, "We can return back to the apartment together, and I'll explain everything to Lazlo in the morning."
"I'm not…bothering you?"
"It's the least we could do, considering what Pascal's done to you."
"…Thanks."
"Of course. Just take a seat."
Charon walked past Cassandra, the hot chocolate shaking in his hands as he sat at the table next to her. Cassandra switched to a different tab, keeping her eye on Charon as she noticed him twitching and blinking.
"Leave me alone, Pascal…" Charon muttered to himself, "I'm not following you again…"
Cassandra switched to her email, clearing out some spam emails before hearing the door fling open again. Charon screamed, causing Cassandra to flinch, before he quickly scrambled to cower under the table. Cassandra looked over at the doorway, noticing a short, Asian-looking man with round glasses and short, dark hair entering the cafe.
He looks a bit like Lazlo, but less friendly.
"Hello, Vidcund."
Cassandra noticed Vidcund tensing up as the man approached the counter.
"I'm surprised you're still working at this cafe," the man continued, "And alone, too. I guess Lazlo got sick of having to speak on your behalf?"
"I figured out how to talk for myself, Pascal," Vidcund said, his voice sounding oddly venemous, "Now are you going to order something, or are you just here to waste my time?"
"I will," Pascal said, looking down at the menu, "Just give me a second to decide."
Cassandra glanced back over at Charon, noticing him visibly hyperventilating underneath the table as Pascal calmly stared at the menu.
"While I'm here," Pascal said, "Have you seen Charon recently? I've been meaning to talk to him about something."
"I'm not going to tell you the whereabouts of a man that you sold out to his abusers just because he didn't want to date you," Vidcund said, his voice strained.
"It was the least he could've done after all of that effort I put into saving him," Pascal said, shrugging, "And I'm sure he would've fallen for me eventually, had you not gotten in the way."
"All I did was send a pot of African violets to him while he was recovering at the hospital."
"A symbol of devotion."
"Oh, so now you suddenly care about my hobbies?"
"Just stop wasting my time and tell me where he is," Pascal said, pulling out five hundred Simoleons out of his pocket and wiggling it in the air, "I'm sure your manager would be quite upset if you got into a fight during work, correct?"
Cassandra silently packed up her stuff, placing it back into her book bag before getting up and walking towards Pascal and Vidcund.
"Are you threatening me, Pascal?"
"It doesn't have to be a threat if you just tell me where he is," Pascal continued, "I saw him walking in the direction to this place earlier, and I know him well enough to know that the only reason he has for being in Downtown Strangetown is you."
"Excuse me?"
Pascal and Vidcund both turned to Cassandra as she spoke.
"I think it might be better for you to leave," Cassandra said, "You're disturbing the peace."
"Are you the manager?" Pascal asked, narrowing his eyes, "Because otherwise, you can't tell me what to do."
"And it'd probably be best for your own sake if you don't get involved in this," Vidcund added, "This is a family matter."
"Alright, then," Cassandra said, "But if you need help, let me know."
Vidcund gave Cassandra a grateful nod as Cassandra sat herself down at a nearby table, pulling out her mobile and staring at its screen as she continued to eavesdrop on Pascal and Vidcund's conversation.
"As I was saying," Pascal said, "Both of us know Charon's got a thing for you, and that he hates being in urban places. The only reason he'd ever come here is for you."
"Charon already told us that he wasn't interested in relationship stuff. I don't know why you keep pushing this narrative that he has a crush on me! Or why you keep insisting on trying to date him anyway!"
"And why would you care if he thought that, unless if you wanted to get into his pants too?"
"It's called having compassion towards someone who was quite literally TORTURED AND EXPERIMENTED ON, Pascal! Would it kill you to care about anyone besides yourself?"
Charon made a weird squealing noise as Pascal turned towards the table, before angrily beginning to walk towards it. Cassandra quickly moved herself in between them as Vidcund bent down out of her view, seemingly searching for something behind the counter.
"Did you suddenly become the manager in the past minute since we last talked?" Pascal asked, raising his eyebrows, "Because you sure are acting like you're the boss here."
"It's called common decency," Cassandra said, "And you truly don't need to do this. You're not a terrible looking guy. I'm sure you can find someone else who'd be interested in dating you."
"I can tell you're trying to butter me up in order to get me out of the way," Pascal said, scowling, "Now move."
Cassandra shook her head, prompting Pascal to lunge at her.
Father trained me for moments like these!
Cassandra quickly grabbed Pascal's wrist, twisting it before she slammed his head into the table with her other hand.
"…You're a lot stronger than you look," Pascal said, "…A surprise for a woman."
"And you're a lot weaker than you look," Cassandra said in return, "Which is a shame, as I was truly hoping for a challenge."
Cassandra looked up at Vidcund, noticing his face red as he now stared at her in shock.
"…Should we call the police?"
"The police won't help," Vidcund said, shaking his head, "My parents will just bail him out like they did last time. Just let him go and lock the door."
Cassandra let go of Pascal, who quickly raised his hands up and backed away towards the door. Cassandra turned her head back towards Charon's table as Pascal walked out, noticing Charon crawling out from underneath the table.
"…Thank you."
Cassandra watched as Charon sat calmly at the table, staring down at his hot chocolate in awe as he blinked rapidly.
"Well, I should probably get going now," Cassandra said, grabbing her cup and turning back towards Vidcund, "It was nice being able to talk to you."
"You as well," Vidcund responded, "…Sorry about the experience today. I hope it doesn't deter you from coming back."
"It won't," Cassandra said, shaking her head, "Though, maybe we can have a proper conversation next time."
"That'd be nice. Would you like my number for that?"
Cassandra nodded, watching as Vidcund grabbed a napkin from behind the counter and scribbled down his number.
"Here," he said, handing the napkin to Cassandra, "Let me know when you get home, alright? I don't want to risk Pascal trying to follow you to your apartment."
"I can handle him. But thank you. "
"Right," Vidcund said, "And I hope you have a pleasant night, as well."
"You too."
Cassandra walked out the door with her cup in hand, taking a long sip before walking in the direction towards the nearest bus stop.