liveandforgive | prismatica inbox

[ Cloud, cute… Also, an hour to calm down. That's great for Ayer. ]

Okay.

Tea or coffee?

Tea.

[ After receiving Cloud's answer, Ayer focuses on preparing the tea. He decides to go with a white blend with floral and mint notes since it will pair well with the fruits on the cupcakes.

He sets it aside and returns to work while waiting for the time to pass, allowing the flavors to come together in a steaming tea kettle. ]

[ Ayer'll likely be able to hear the tellings of a rumble from outside the shop. Riding on Sköll, there's a couple of boxes strapped to the back of the hefty machine. Another set of plates and cutlery in one. The other was undisclosed. Oh. And the box of cupcakes. Cloud holds onto those personally, not wanting them to get squished in the meantime.

He sets up the kickstand outside, unstrapping their goods and carrying them all to the front door. It's nothing big, so he doesn't have to go around the side or the back or anything. Balancing them in one arm, he pulls the door open.

When he does, there's a new scent that hits him. It's always pleasant in here, but...there's a floral essence to it he can't put his finger on. Maybe Sanguis was rubbing off on him, even outside the cycle. ]

[ It's true. Since Cloud's been helping them for a while now, Ayer has gotten used to hearing his motorcycle's engine. So when he hears it, he shortly looks out from the kitchen window to call Cloud over whenever the young man enters the cafe. The tea set is already prepared whenever he enters, found sitting on a counter table.

Since Cloud's here, Ayer clocks out for now to take his break time. Probably not the first time this happened actually, so he lets simply lets Cloud deposit the boxes and waits for him to sit down on his usual spot. ]

The plates? Good timing. Some punks started a fight a while ago, so we needed to have some replaced.

[ When he spots the young man (of course, he's done some growing in the time since they met), his expression lightens up a little when he passes him by. Once the boxes have been dropped off apropos, the scent of tea draws his attention. As does Ayer who was waiting for him. ]

Really? [ He cocks a brow, partially in disbelief. The 'smh' was definitely implied in that word. ] Who looks at a cafe and goes, "let's throw down here".

[ Ah well. Luckily, money wasn't so difficult to come by for the Moonblessed to pay for supplies like this. It's the supply part that could be a tad bit of a pain. He takes his spot across from Ayer, taking his cup. ]

Happens time to time because of the cycles.

[ It is Triple Moon right now and Iris cycle not long ago, so annoyances like these can happen when people are affected. Cloud and Ayer both have more mental discipline compared to most people, so the ones who easily lose their senses are especially troublesome. ]

They were fighting over a girl.

[ As someone who works the counter a lot, Ayer has seen a lot of dramatic crap throughout his shifts here. Now that Cloud's peacefully drinking the tea… ]

Anyway, do you want anything else to eat?

[ Cupcakes are great and all, but it's not exactly what someone can call a proper lunch. ]

[ Cloud shakes his head. Relatively speaking, he's doing well, for a Triple Moon anyway. Whatever aggression he leaves pent up, he finds the outlets. If anything, that fateful encounter beneath Sanguis' light had taught him a lot about self-control, and what he needed to fear or not. There's a lot he could owe to Ayer. Some could roll their eyes at the idea of 'talking through battle', but it just makes sense to him.

When he hears that it's over a girl...his lupine ears twitch atop his head after his sip of tea. ]

Lemme guess. Buncha Sanguis?

[ There was a certain degree of possessiveness that the crimson-blessed got heightened, after all. He's not immune to it either. He'd ask if they needed bouncers in a cafe of all places, but. Well. Between Ayer and the majority of the staff (among them an angel, no less), that didn't really seem in the cards, now did it? ]

Got any sandwich suggestions? [ Cloud's got every intention of paying. It's not like food was expensive. ] Gonna need some fuel before I head out tonight.

Do you prefer beef, ham, bacon, or vegan?

[ Coincidentally, the very first food that Ayer personally contributed to the cafe is a sandwich set. He prepared several varieties, so it should be easy for him to adjust them to Cloud's tastes.

While waiting for Cloud to decide, Ayer can't help but stare at the young man's wolf ears. They look pretty endearing on the guy, he thinks. His own fluffy pair perk up in interest, completely unconsciously. ]

And yeah. It's fine, I took care of them.

[ As Cloud expected, Ayer's able to handle such situations. It's nothing a little roughhousing can fix. Sometimes people just need a knuckle to their faces. Though naturally, he'll appreciate it if Cloud ever decides to help out with this too. There are days that he's not in the mood to deal with idiots.

But he'll make exemptions for his friends, like this certain spiky-haired guy. ]

Hard to go wrong with beef. Thanks, Ayer.

[ The first time he and Ayer fought, the young man's own lupine traits hadn't blossomed yet. So seeing the fluffier set on his head by now, catches Cloud's intrigue in kind. Right now, that itch to fight was rather low- possibly due to the company and the atmosphere of the cafe itself. Staying up during Triple Moons seemed like a gamble, but everyone went through it. And hey, sometimes it meant being rife with business! ]

No surprises there, huh.

[ Cloud's gloved hands, open clawed tips filed to prevent any unintentional damage (to property or others. dfkjash), clasp around the hot cup of tea as he takes in the aroma. It's a really good pick, he thinks. ]

Hey, I was wondering...

Edited 2020-03-21 09:23 (UTC)

[ Chicken and other proteins would've been in that list, but they're out of chicken already. It's the most popular meat, after all. This is the second time that a Sanguis-influenced Moonblessed answered beef to this same question. Ayer can't help but wonder if it's a simple coincidence, a personal taste, or because of the fact both cases are influenced by Sanguis. ]

We should be thanking you.

[ Cloud's done a lot for the cafe. With supplies coming on time, they have an easier adjusting to the days ahead of them. It may seem like a simple thing, but it saves them a lot of time and effort. That said, Ayer starts preparing the guy's lunch.

While he does this, he keeps the conversation going. ]

What?

[ For Cloud, it all ties back to an old Nibelheim dish. His Mom's specialty was stew. While he's not against chicken, pork, his veggies, the list can go on. He'll go for a good beefy meal anytime. ]

Work is work.

[ Though, it's nice to be thanked. There's something calming about this place, not to mention the people in it. ]

Have you met a girl named Tifa?

[ Maybe Ayer can ask sometime. He's a little shy to ask right away since it seems rather personal. He's just been thinking he'll find out eventually. Though, that reason is nice and he would be able to relate to it.

When Cloud humbles himself, Ayer doesn't say anything about it, since he can be like that as well. In Ayer's case, he prefers that others don't make a big deal out of what he does, no matter the feelings behind his actions. So he keeps cooking, now grilling some beef as the air changes in the kitchen again. ]

No. Friend of yours?

[ Cloud might not hold any Cordis traits, but that didn't make his appetite any less...well, impressive. Then again, the blond swordsman's body was like a furnace. He works himself so hard, and despite carrying something between a wiry and built frame, it takes a lot to fuel him. So his ears perk up, as well as the smell of beef in the air. ]

Mm. Tifa's a friend from my childhood. [ But there's a reason he's bringing this up, of course! ] She's the toughest martial artist on the planet.

[ His, he means. There's a lot of tough opponents here. Speaking of tough opponents, his eyes follow where Ayer is cooking as he lifts the cup of tea in his hands. ]

If you're ever in the market for more hand-to-hand sparring.

[ If Ayer wasn't such a sleepyhead, he probably would've been the same way. But as he is, after a day's difficult training and long job, he would immediately knock out. He sustains himself with a self-made bodybuilding diet and dedicatedly follows it, then recovers with many hours of sleep.

Even though Ayer really appreciates food, he never breaks his strict habit. There are rare times he would, but it's usually with a good reason, such as holidays or celebrations. ]

Toughest?

[ Hearing that mention, Ayer's fluffy ears bounce a little out of excitement as he looks at Cloud, despite how his face remains looking so serious. Even if Ayer tries to compose himself like this, he's still obvious. Since he's very devoted to his training, anything to improve his skills or to fight strong people will always catch his attention. ]

I'd like to fight her sometime.

[ Since Cloud's telling him about this, Ayer assumes that it's okay to ask. He'll never turn down a good opponent. ]

[ That's exactly why Cloud brought it up! Even if he's not the one doing the fighting, there is that craving that he needs to sate whatever way he can. And if hooking his friends up sometime for some good ol' fashion throwing down was the ticket? That works for him. Especially since he trusts Ayer. ...and especially Tifa. He's seen what she can take. ]

Hit her up sometime. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Especially if you say you know me.

[ Sip. Placing his cup down again, he stares into the watery reflection as the timbre of his voice softens. ]

She and I have been fighting together for a long time.

[ Even if their lives here on this planet found a way of...well. He wouldn't call it 'splitting them up'. But there's less of a need to be a family here. Not right now. ]

[ Ah, Ayer gets that. He's part of a crew after all, but he doesn't always see them nowadays. Maybe since they're mostly stationary in Lunatia, most people end up living their own lives. Unlike when everyone's traveling, everyone has to stick close, coordinate, and work together. It's not quite like that here since it's mostly peaceful and everyone has their own private space. They can all do things on their own. ]

Does she work anywhere?

[ It's a big city, so it'll be easier for Ayer to find Tifa with a little hint. After asking, he concentrates on finishing the sandwich. The sizzling beef is set aside for now while he butters and toasts the bread. ]

By the way, do you want an egg on it? If so, omelette or sunny side up?

Well...

[ He doubles in with asking if he wants an egg on it. And Cloud is left...okay, just hearing about it (and smelling it) was making him hungry. Ayer'll get an answer shortly to his first question. ]

Egg? Oh, sure. Sunny sounds good.

[ Would the yolk melt in with the beef, he wonders? ...ohhh- ]

Anyway. She works at a couple spots. There's a club called Sunset.

I'll check it out, then.

[ Yes, yes. It would! That's the purpose of adding the egg last. Ayer caramelizes some diced onions, fries an egg, blends the savory dressing for the sandwich, and finally finishes. After putting it together, he sets the hot meal in front of Cloud. Well-toasted thick bread, beef strips, glazed onions, and that sunny egg wrapped around the dressing — it's really inviting. ]

Uh, enjoy. I guess.

[ Damn, he's still a little shy saying that to people. But it's proper customer service. ]

[ Cloud is...actually? He's stunned silent at the hot meal that's in front of him. It smells so rich. Every flavour is teased on his tongue even by just sniffing it in the air. His wolf ears perk up too. Then twitch. Sorry, Ayer. You're gonna have to excuse Cloud. That 'cool' side of him wasn't in the building right now. ]

Oh.

[ Look. Cloud can cook, like, the basics? Make bacon. Crack some eggs. That's it probably? He's no cook or chef. So Ayer busting out this trait for him was a surprise. It looks and smells so good. It's almost like he's in awe. Only a moment later does he realize what he's doing and he blinks himself out of it, looking back up to the brawler with that look of subdued amazement in his eyes still. ]

Looks great. Thanks, Ayer.

[ Cloud is so quiet that it worried Ayer for a second. Maybe the spiky-haired guy wanted a different type of sandwich? He waits before saying anything since he trusts the guy would let him know if anything was wrong.

But Ayer's worry is quick to disappear after noticing Cloud's pleasant ear movements. Oh, maybe the guy is really hungry so he's excited to eat… Also, don't worry. Cloud will always be cool in Ayer's eyes. He knows him well by now. ]

Hey, you said it first. Work is work.

[ Huff!! They do feel the same way when it comes to this. Anyway, Ayer wasn't that skilled at first either. He only cooked for himself prior to arriving in this world, so he adjusted by actually feeding other people for once. The more he cooked in this cafe and at DNA apartments, the more he got used to it. ]

[ Well, no time like the present, right? Bon Appétit! He savours the smell for another couple seconds in his hands, before... ]

Om...

[ It's very subtle, but his eyes seem to light up a little more again. It's got substance to it, melt in your mouth, but it's not mushy either. The crunch is satisfying, and that yolk? Blends with the sauce and beef just right. Oh my god. Ayer. You've got a calling! Or...at least, one hell of a talented side hobby. Don't give up your fighting dreams. Cloud'll keep being a delivery boy. dfkjahs ]

That's so good.

[ It's all temporary until Ayer and his crew members return to the Sky Realm. Ayer isn't interested in becoming a professional chef once he's back home. But right now, while they're all collectively stuck here, then he'll do what he can to help out.

Though, this doesn't mean he'll never return to the kitchen. He's weak to people even if he denies it, so he'll be ready to prepare a meal or two whenever necessary. Seeing Cloud's expressions alone already makes this worth the trouble. ]

Take your time.

[ Cloud's always welcome here, Ayer is pretty sure Sandalphon and the others wouldn't mind. The rest of the lunchtime goes just as peacefully. Or maybe with additional embarrassment when Cloud starts sharing the cupcakes with people. ]

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