Belle Âme

✉ - It had been a long day at the Sea Breeze—but then, when wasn’t it? As word of Dirk’s (relatively) new cafe began to spread, the days brought more and more customers to his chill, humble little establishment. 

He’d worked around as a waiter for years, even before purchasing his own restaurant, so he was pretty used to the ins and outs of the job. Rowdy customers, high maintenance people, the ones who gave incredibly generous tips, the ones who wouldn’t give not even one extra coin… he knew ‘em all, like the back of his hand.

Even the customers who lingered at their tables for just a bit too long without ordering anything, clearly finished with their food, but still taking up space for whatever reason. Though, space wasn’t too much of an issue, now that the cafe was reaching closing time. The issue was that Miss Goldilocks wasn’t leaving—she was the last customer left, and they wouldn’t be able to close up until she was gone.

As cute as she was getting all absorbed in that book of hers, Dirk had to cut the fun short. He heads over and starts cleaning up her dishes, chuckling nonchalantly at her offer.

“Nah, it’s no problem. It’s my job, y’know?” He jerks his chin towards the book in front of her. “And I don’t blame you for getting lost in your own world there. Books can be pretty addicting… from what I’ve seen, anyway.” Dirk couldn’t count how many times he’s seen his own brother getting absorbed in whatever book he was reading.

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — Laney frowns at his reply and more so at her own behavior. She, of all people, should know how irritating it was for the employees to have lingering customers. Back at her father’s café, they would do the same, act polite and inform the customers that it was closing time, but to take the time they needed. Not everyone complies, and she was sure he dealt with enough things from today alone.

“Yes, but that doesn’t make it okay for me to leave you a mess when you’re trying to close up shop.” She grabs the cup from his hands. “Please, allow me to be of some help, it’s the least I can do.”

“Mm... I take it you’re not much of a reader?” She hums, crossing her arms. Not everyone was, she could respect that. However, she owed him a favor and she thinks she knew just how to repay him. 

Leia was surprised by the woman’s kindness and also her preparedness. Not that she would get angry herself if someone were to spill something on her. Still, the blonde was awfully gracious in her response. 

“Of course!” Leia smiled brightly. What a great idea! Not only was the woman kind, but she was smart too. “Two hot chocolates coming up!” Leia reopened the door, allowing her new acquaintance to enter first before following behind.

Tossing her now empty cup, Leia then approached the counter again and asked for two hot chocolates. As she waited for the drinks, she turned to the blonde. 

“My name’s Leia. I’m really sorry about your top. It’s such a cute sweater too.” Why did she have to be such a klutz?

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — Hot chocolate wasn’t the blonde’s original plan, but it seemed to stumble its way in. She didn’t mind this, of course. It was comforting classic on cold snowy days like these. Besides, it appears she made a new friend along the way, so she couldn’t complain. 

Laney thanked the girl for opening the door before entering. She turned back and waited to follow the girl to the counter for the drinks. 

@mochiimichi

There was nothing better than hot chocolate on a cold day. Leia blew on her sweet drink, not wanting to burn her mouth. Looking down at her drink, she wasn’t paying attention as she left the cafe. As soon as she was out of the building, she had collided with someone, spilling her hot chocolate all over them.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry!”

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — Little puffs of condensation formed as Laney made her way to the local cafe. Even with spring right around the corner, it was still cold enough outside to have hot chocolate. But if asked, she would say hot chocolate is to be enjoyed no matter the weather. The cold just made it more cozy. 

She hummed a tune to the beat of the crunch from what packed snow remains left on the ground, lost in her own world. Maybe instead of a hot chocolate, she would try that new matcha drink, or perhaps a scone or cookie to go along with her drink? 

It isn’t until she collides with someone and suddenly is doused in a hot, sticky mess. She’s speechless at first as her eyes are drawn to the liquid stain in her sweater. Always prepared, she pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket.

“It’s okay.” She chuckles a little as she dabs her sweater. “If anything, I feel more sorry for you. You’re one hot chocolate short.”

[ ✉ ] — She seemed interested enough, but not as amazed or impressed as he hoped she would be. That was a bit of a disappointment, one that he might have even poked a little fun at if it weren’t for her next remark.

“Huh? Sure…” He hands her the umbrella. Dirk had no idea what this Goldilocks had up her sleeve, but he sure was curious to see. Honestly, she didn’t even need to show him this ‘magic’ of hers for him to feel it. Somehow, he could already feel something a little magical in the air between them.

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — It seemed like just yesterday when Laney was chasing this strange man down the street with an umbrella, but now, it was her that closed the umbrella and took the time to appreciate what the Goddess has blessed them with on this day. 

“Have you ever danced in the rain?” Laney closes the umbrella and hands it back to him. 

[ ✉ ] — “Ohoho, that bit of sarcasm aside, you admit I’m a hero after all! What happened to it being a ‘stretch’?” He laughs. Was she starting to warm up to him? “But if you must know, then yes. Dirk’s the name! Don’t wear it out too much.”

Before he could ask the girl for hers, she makes another comment and bops him on the nose. It takes all of Dirk’s willpower to not get flustered by the gesture, and he only grows more determined to find some way to impress her. As sweet as she seemed, there was a sense of condescension in her words and actions; whether she intended it or not, he felt like he was being brushed off. Not taken seriously, like some child who was in way over his head.

He wasn’t expecting to date her or anything. That was just unrealistic… hell, she was probably already taken. But he did want her to see him in a more favorable light. Who said they couldn’t have a little fun in the process?

His lips tug into a smirk. “Sure, you might have caught me off guard a couple of times… but I’ve got a few surprises up my sleeve too, y’know? Check this out…” Still holding the umbrella over the both of them, Dirk takes his free hand and places it on her shoulder. Time magic begins to course through his body, eventually bleeding through his palm and into her. As he does this, everything around them begins to slow down, including the rainfall, which now appeared as floating droplets of water. A breathtaking sight, really.

Despite all this, Dirk and the girl could still move just fine, but that was because he was using his magic to speed the both of them up. It wasn’t that he was slowing down everyone else’s time— he was just quickening theirs. 

“Cool, huh?” He grins at her, a genuine excitement reflected in his eyes. Bet she’s never seen anything like this before! Honestly, no matter how many times Dirk used it, time magic never ceased to amaze him.

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — Laney wasn’t one to give anyone attitude, however, when she did it was usually smothered somewhere in between a smile and a cheery tone. So, to his smirk and trick that he supposedly had, she rolls her eyes and gives him a smirk of her own. 

Her mouth opens slightly to make a remark, but she’s beaten to the chase when he places his hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t in the least offended by this, but rather bemused. 

Her head tilts slightly as she focuses and studies his facial features, how his silly demeanor shifts. Just from the grin spreading to the corner of his eyes and glimmer in them, she could tell this was something special to him.

Instead of shooting him down, she looks around at the rain drops shifting into little beads of glass as they slowed down during their plummet to the ground, then looks back at him with a smile.

Revenue:

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Expenses:

[No living expenses] Lives in a house

[-208,462G - Previous Balance plus check for the week] To @neildownpeasant​

[ ✉ ] — She was really having fun at his expense, wasn’t she? Dirk was used to the girls at the cafe fawning over his charms and friendly demeanor… well, ones that weren’t close to him, like Odette and Komari. Those two always gave him crap. But this girl didn’t fall into either camp— she was sweet, polite, classy… and masterfully controlled the flow of conversation, leaving Dirk flustered and confused in her wake.

He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. In some respects, it reminded him of his brother, and the sort of people he kept in his company.

But he pushes those thoughts aside with an easy grin, not wanting to let that get to him too much. He actually found her kind of amusing, once he got past all the embarrassment. “I’ve got no idea what you just said, but I doubt it’s: ‘oh boy, you sure swept me off your feet with how adorable you are, Dirk!’” He puts on a high-pitched voice that doesn’t at all sound like hers, and nudges her lightly in the side. “But hey, if it is, don’t be shy! You can tell me~”

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — Laney crosses her arms and raises a brow at his poor impersonation. So he had jokes, or so he thought. 

People were like books, don’t judge by first glance, but also they were quite easy to read upon first impression. This guy with boyish features seemed gentlemanly at first glance, but the more time she spent talking to him, his true colors shone through. Playful and probably used to charming girls with a toothy grin and wink, only to leave them spinning around in circles. 

For someone who was supposedly a charismatic character, he lacked in the department of common sense and for that, she found it all too amusing to tease and poke at him.

“Dirk is the name of my valiant hero? Well, Dirk, clearly you don’t read into context clues very well. In English it’s like...” She taps her bottom lip before snapping her fingers. “Cat got your tongue. So, if anyone’s sweeping feet, it’s me, no?”

[ ✉ ] — “Yeah, I guess so… hey, if you wanna be carried, I won’t complain, but do you reeeeally want a stranger invading your personal space like that?” Dirk could be a touchy-feely guy, with a severe lack of respect for boundaries sometimes, but even he had his limits. And carrying some random girl he barely knew, regardless of how cute she might have been? That went well past them.

But if she wanted it, well… that was a completely different situation.

He follows after her, caught off guard by her next question. Dirk flusters up a bit at the comment, embarrassed for being called out on his apparently gratuitous winking, and not having realized how he might have looked to her. “W-what? I— no, that’s not… I mean, not that I wouldn’t wanna flirt with you, that’s just…” Okay, this was NOT helping. Shut it down, man!

“…I-it’s called being friendly.” He clears his throat, regaining a bit of his composure as they step out onto the road. “If I wanted to flirt? Ohhh, you’d know.” 

*ﾟ:*:✼ ❀ — “Ah, how considerate of you, but I was only joking.” She shrugged casually. She didn’t think he’d take that seriously, but maybe he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. 

Laney glanced behind her shoulder at him to see suddenly red cheeks and tense jaw from how he tripped over his words. Hm, cute. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ears and glances down, her lips tightening into a smile, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from the laughter from erupting.