[ OPEN ]

[lethechained]

Who: lethechained and OPEN to passersby/latte lovers/coffee buffs/just about anyone, really
When: Any day (or multiple days!) between or including IC date 6/11 to 6/16
Where: A coffee shop in the Shopping District
What: Latte foam art and coffee shop AU shenanigans, mostly. Someone’s gotta keep Naminé busy at her new job, right? Feel free to request specific subjects for said art or let her think of something on her own.
Rating/Warning: None!

---

[ A. ]

[The shop is cute, cozy and pleasant with the smell of coffee so thick in the air that it’s nearly enough to give one a caffeine high all on its own. The sign says there's a special on lattes with a little side note about them including custom art, whatever that means, and plenty of space to sit and wait should one decide to order said beverages – or any other, for that matter. There’s a young blonde girl who can’t be much more than five feet tall bustling around behind the counter, so surely it won’t be long before--]

[Ah, there we go, she’s turned to read off the name of the owner of the most recently made drink. Her voice might be a little quiet for it, but surely one would recognize their own name, right? (Or whichever one they happened to give.)]


[ B. ]

[It’s gotten a bit slow lately, so instead of wandering around in the other part of the work area, that same blonde girl is at the register, regarding anyone who looks even remotely likely to come and order something with a passive sort of interest, whether they’re inside the shop or outside of it.]


[At least she’s attentive? Even if she might be staring a little. (A lot.)]


[ C. ]

[Everyone’s gotta take a break, right? That’s what this young lady seems to be doing – she’s still dressed for work – while sitting at one of the tables, sketchbook laid out in front of her as she draws away with a set of colored pencils. She might, in fact, happen to be sketching several of the customers. She also appears to have an only lightly sipped at drink in front of her, and it’s… actually water, ironically enough.]


[ D. WILDCARD ]
[Choose your own (coffee-related) adventure?]

Comments

[beaconed]

[ Jaune flips over his own drawing and gently slides across the table for her to see. ]

You.

...I-I mean, you're drawing everyone in here, right? That means somebody's gotta sketch you, 'cause... w-well, you're here, too, and... o-okay, this made a little more sense in my head, I think.

DFGKJFDBJKDFBFDJKGD OH GOSH OH NO THAT'S THE CUTEST THING I CAN'T EVEN!!!!!!!!!

[lethechained]

[She stops short, expression freezing in place.]

[The way she stares at the drawing, you'd think she'd never seen such a thing before, like it's totally unfathomable to her that it should exist. It's only for a moment or two, but the blank shock is clear enough, and when she does start to move again, it's to curl her fingers over her mouth with a series of quick blinks, brows drawing together. (Why does it feel like she just got punched in the chest--?)]

That's-- I--....

[Sorry Jaune, looks like you broke her again. Faltering, she seems to recover.]

No-- you're right. It makes sense. ... That's... really sweet of you. [Even if it feels weird, actually being drawn rather than the other way 'round, and she always draws herself with her eyes closed and always where she shouldn't be, but-- now's not really the time to have an existential crisis, is it?] ... I like it.

[Even though she's still giving it kind of a funny look.]

WORTH THE WAIT LMAO

[beaconed]

Eh, i-it's alright, I... I know it's not my best work, h-heh... I just-- y'know, I kinda rushed it so I can make this dramatic point about... well, yeah. Look, it's fine! I'll draw a better one, like, with colour, and... shading and stuff.

[ Note to self: Look up "shading and stuff" in regards to art later. ]

On the other hand, I guess it could have looked worse. Imagine I drew it like a cow again! ... Not that you're... a... t-this is going well.

SO WORTH IT 8//A//8!! I MADE THE MOST RIDICULOUS NOISE YOU HAVE NO IDEA

[lethechained]

-- Please don't. [Draw another one, that is - and it's not quite an outburst when she says it but it comes out quickly, and after it she hesitates, as though she's surprised herself.] I mean--... you don't have to draw another one.

[And she doesn't even object to being compared to a cow, really dodged a bullet there. Her chin tucks, almost shy but more-- conflicted, somehow, even as she says with remarkable sincerity,]

... It's perfect.

[beaconed]

Wait, really? S-Sorry, it's just... you don't smile much, so... I thought maybe you don't like it. Heh.

[ Not that he has been smiling a lot recently, but he's always quick to help others if they might need it. ]

It might seem scary, being here in a new world, but... you're not alone.

[lethechained]

Of course...! [She says it as though she's surprised it wasn't more clear, but wilts slightly at his explanation. Does she... really not smile? No sooner has that thought crossed her mind than that same mind supplies her with the fact that no, she wouldn't, would she, being as she's incapable of feeling any of the emotions that would cause one to smile. This makes her feel, in direct and ironic violation of this idea, a mix of sadness and guilt, and then she's really not smiling. But because she can't say, 'I love it,' even though she'd almost like to, she says,] It's not that at all. You did a wonderful job.

[No matter how recently she has reminded herself that she is without feelings, there's still an odd sort of warmth in her chest at the sentiment he expresses next, her throat doing something funny that she doesn't quite recognize. Not alone, huh?]

[It's hard to wrap her mind around.]

It still-- [She stops herself mid-confession, adjusts to remove that one word that starts with 'f' that she can never quite bring herself to say, and continues,] -- It's still easy to forget that. But I shouldn't, I know. We're... all here together.

[That's 'not alone,' isn't it? Whether any of them count as her friends or not. (There's still an odd sort of distance in it, though, with the way she says it - like she knows it but she doesn't quite believe it.)]

For better or for worse.

[beaconed]

Well, yeah, but-- I don't mean it like that, like in a general sense. I meant, just... if something's on your mind... [ Because he recognizes that troubled look, it's not one that he hasn't worn before, or even Pyrrha on her final day. ]

Just. I can help! And I know others who can, too. So... don't be afraid to ask, or say if something's bothering you.

[ Not that he's one to follow his own advice. ]

[lethechained]

[Blinking at him, she studies him with a slowly growing hint of disbelief. It's not derisive, not in the slightest - rather, she is doubting her own understanding of his meaning. Somewhere between perplexed and attempting to laugh it off without actually laughing, she asks,]

Isn't that something friends do?

[And it's clear in her tone that, to her, that means that it isn't something that would be - should be? - offered to her. Maybe that troubled look, the shadow of which still lingers, tells half the story of why; she does not yet think of those around her, compatriots or not, as her friends.]

[(Or rather, she is not used to it being mutual, that willingness to aid those who are bothered by something. She would set to it in a heartbeat, herself, for a stranger or a friend or even an enemy, but for so long she has also viewed it as her own responsibility to refrain from asking for help, from burdening others with the feelings she doesn't have. So what she truly meant was this: Does that really apply to me, too?)]

[beaconed]

That's right! Th-- ...wait, w-what do you mean?

[ Because he's pretty sure he already explained the whole "strangers are just friends you haven't met yet" thing. Unless... she doesn't want to be friends? It wouldn't be his first friendship rejection, not that he's good at detecting those in the first place.

Persistence beats resistance! ... That's not a quote from his mom. ]

[lethechained]

[Yes, he did - but whether or not she took it to heart (hah) is another question entirely. Is it really that simple? Technically that saying isn't by nature untrue, but it's a bit too optimistic for her to integrate it properly into her world view without a bit more mulling over. (Quote from his mom or not, that last one could probably be applied here, too.)]

I mean... [The funny thing is, it's not even a rejection. She doesn't really know what it is either, because she wants to be friends, it's just-- not something that's easy to wrap her mind around. A little fumblingly, she's trying to get clarity from him without actually asking whether they're friends, because that would imply that she thinks she has any right to be friends with him in the first place, which is not the case.]

[This is so much easier when people just assume things and have done with it. She's giving him this perplexed look and everything. Her tone isn't sarcastic, or even unkind; it's almost confused.]

You say that like we're supposed to be friends.

[Not that she thinks strangers don't ever listen to each other, but details.]

[beaconed]

Heh, "supposed to be" sounds kinda like we don't have a choice, doesn't it? How about this...

[ He pauses, contemplating how to ask in a way that doesn't sound weird. ]

Do you... want to be friends?

[ Man, it already sounds weird. ]

I mean, I'm pretty good at that! I can, like, draw and... and I almost shot you when we met, but I didn't! That's gotta count for something, right? Right? [ Is he selling himself yet? ]

[lethechained]

[Is he selling himself yet, indeed. You'd think he isn't, based on the way she looks at him as though he's just grown a few extra appendages and is currently using them to juggle. The reality is, he's just asked her one of the questions most guaranteed to make her give someone a confused expression. It's not so easy as that, is it? It's never mattered much what she wanted--]

[And of course that means she has to turn it back on him, voice just a touch disbelieving.]

Do-- you want to be friends?

[Because that's the important part, isn't it?]

[beaconed]

[ still weird still weird still weird ]

Ye-- ha... h-hang on, is that a trick question?

[lethechained]

[The expression she gives him is a thoroughly bewildered one.]

How would that be a trick? [But it occurs to her not a moment later that it is the sort of thing she could see someone like, say, Larxene using to make fun of someone. In retrospect, she feels a little bad - so she's quick to explain, frowning apologetically,] I've just... never met very many people who really wanted to be my friend. So-- I thought I should ask. [Her hands curl together.] I don't want you to feel-- obligated, just because I want to be friends.

[beaconed]

I don't.

...

[ wait, he better clear that up ]

I mean... I don't feel obligated, heh. I don't know how I can paint the picture for you more clearly-- oh.

Hang on.

[ Man, even he can tell that this girl is more socially awkward than him-- or even Ruby! At least Ruby could make friends with her weapon?? But Jaune pulls his drawing back, quickly scribbling more on his masterpiece before sliding it back to Namine again. ]

How about this?

[lethechained]

[She doesn't have time to wilt before he clarifies, though she contemplates him in silence as he messes with the drawing with a minor, lingering sort of perplexity. Well, he did say he didn't feel obligated, and although Naminé knows not to always take someone at their word, he seemed pretty sure about it to her. Still, she 'hangs on' as asked, patiently refraining from interrupting him.]

[When the drawing is shown to her again, her reaction is not as obvious as the first time, but it seems to be in the same vein, and she gasps out a catching sort of laugh. Unable to keep from smiling, she shakes her head at him.]

That's not a painting...!

[A joke, for once, and even as she calms, the upturn lingers at the corners of her mouth and her eyes are warm.]

But-- yes, I understand, now. Thank you, that was very helpful.

[Sobering, her cheeks relax out of the smile, but she looks a little less serious than before.]

Well, in that case... how could I say no? [Perhaps she should, for his sake - but that option feels lost to her, now. It's written down on paper and everything, and if it's what he really wants-- she takes a slightly deeper breath than she probably needs before speaking again.] Let's be friends.