[Prompt] Blends & Friends

There’s a kick every time Tomoki drinks something while working on a manuscript or whenever he’s wrangling ideas. Drinks tend to have a scale that goes something like this: 

It gives him enough motivation to finish whatever he’s working on or it makes him fall asleep instead. 

Except tea doesn’t quite give him the same kick as anything else. These days, it feels as if Tomoki has to overload a bit on sugar to do anything about the fact that he can’t power through a manuscript. Even if he has a deadline in three days, Tomoki needs a drink of some sort to power through this. 

Which is why he’s standing in front of the elevator by the Heavenly Embassy again. Apparently they have a coffee shop there and he’s an equal opportunist. Sometimes alcohol can only make your mind spin so fast. And today, well, today, Tomoki needs to stay awake because he has a feeling that he can’t finish everything that he wants for this first draft. 

Sleep schedules are overrated, Tomoki thinks as he steps into the elevator while looking through his writing so far. There’s still changes to be made, too many changes but that’s what a first draft is for. 

Except just as he steps out of the elevator, Tomoki runs into Primrose because of course he does. He’s lucky like that. 

“Were you coming back to talk about my proposition last time?” Primrose prompts in a way that makes Tomoki want to go back down the elevator because he did not think that far ahead. 

“I’m still thinking about it,” he tries to say in a way that doesn’t make him sound clueless about his plans. Tomoki still sounds clueless. “Give me a few more days and I’ll sit on it.” 

“It’s been over a week,” Primrose points out, stopping him dead in his tracks before glancing at the notebook that he’s holding. “Unless you’re working on another manuscript.” 

A beat. 

“A writer never rests,” Tomoki explains, which explains nothing at all. 

Primrose sighs before actually asking the question that he should have asked at the start. Namely: “What are you doing back here then?” 

“I heard about a café here.” 

The cherubun nods quite sagely about his inquiry if it can even count as one. “Let me show you where it is. I’m due on a break anyways.” 

All Tomoki hopes is that he won’t have to do more cleaning after this. Not when his first draft is due in three days time. He would kill to have more time on his hands but that’s not really a luxury he can afford currently. 

When they do step into Paradise Café, Tomoki finds himself drawn to all of the treats and the smell of coffee in the air. Really, there’s nothing quite like it. Part of him wonders why he never came here sooner. 

“What can I get for you two?” the barista asks in a way in which her voice cuts through the chatter of the others. 

“The usual,” Primrose replies. 

Tomoki looks up at the menu instead though. There are some drinks that he can understand except instead, he turns to the cherubun – her name tag reads ‘Beanny’ – and asks the most important question of them all: 

“What’s the sweetest drink that you have?” he finds himself asking. 

“Angora au lait,” Beanny answers quite easily. “It is quite sweet with lots of milk foam if that’s your type of thing.” 

Oh. Okay. Yeah he needs one then. While black coffee may keep him awake, this is a treat for himself. 

“I’ll get that then,” he replies before sitting down at one of the tables. 

Beanny looks at him for a moment. “You don’t strike me as someone who goes for something sweet though.” 

That’s pretty accurate, especially when he needs to stay awake for this manuscript. All the same, it’s fine. Really it’s fine. 

“Today’s an exception.” 

“And soon everyday can be an exception,” Beanny adds in with a smile. Somehow Tomoki thinks that she can hook him in with these coffee blends. “I think you’ll enjoy it.” 

Later, Beanny sets his coffee in front of him as he’s figuring out more of his plot beats and she looks over at his notebook. The one with unreadable notes in his opinion – really, so many of them making him sound mildly insane. 

“So you’re a writer then?” Beanny prompts. 

“A very blocked one and one with a deadline,” Tomoki answers. “That’s why I came here. Or at least wanted to before that guy–” he gestures at Primrose who only raises a brow “dragged me in here anyways.” 

Beanny nods as if internally taking notes. “Perhaps I could make something to help with that.” 

A beat. 

Tomoki doesn’t know how to reply to that as he takes a sip of the offee. It’s sweet, foamy and reminds him that there are many small mercies in this world that he should take more advantage of. “Or maybe I need a break.” 

“Or maybe you could stop working on your writing and use that mind elsewhere, then come back to it,” Primrose cuts in, a bit curt. “The offer’s still on the table.” 

“I have three days.” 

Beanny turns to him in disbelief. “You have three days to finish it?” 

He nods and finishes the rest of his coffee in one shot. “Yup and I’d like another serving of this angora au lait, please.” 

Primrose only facepalms. 

Tomoki has a feeling that he’ll be here for a while. At least the coffee makes it all the better.