sugar butter flour

“Hey, do you want a hot chocolate? I promise this isn’t my first rodeo and if there was enough power, you could check out my excellent reviews on Yelp.” Rita had layered up, located two, slightly mismatched, gloves that were actually whole and had managed to make up a cup or two of hot chocolate. Basically, she was kicking this freak weather’s ass. As much as this might not have been ideal, she sure as hell knew it could be worse. Hence the cheer.

“C’mon. It could be the cure to the winter blues. You’ll never know until you try.”

@happieststarters​

“I don’t need yelp reviews! Order up, I’ll happily take a hot chocolate. I’ve had too much coffee, and my body is begging for something not full of caffeine.” Tiana smiled kindly, biting her tongue to keep herself from talking about her own hot chocolate recipe. “I don’t think it’ll be the cure to the mess out there, but it’ll be better than nothing.”

“I could not agree more.” The male retorts, an amused smile on his lips as he sets his glass back down on the bar. “Whatever happened to the days of a bowl of peanuts? Call me a simple man- but I don’t care much for whatever food is trendy, if something isn’t broke, don’t fix it. And bars had their selections of snacks down to perfection.”

The bar tender casts an awkward look Oz’s way, he had never been one to keep his voice lowered. Besides, the casino owner didn’t much care if they heard his opinions. Maybe it would teach them to ditch the sushi and go back to what they know. He shifts his position to rest an arm on the bar table, his head faced towards the other. He takes a moment to study her appearance, trying to recollect if they had met and if not- if his Unholy Trinity had ever provided information on a similar appearing woman. Oz had eyes and ears stretched across the town, feeding him with news of the biggest events, scandals and figures. It helped him to always stay in the know, which was important for an individual in his…less public line of work.

After a moment his expression turns warmer, the charisma which the man could flick on like a switch coming into play. “I hope I’m not disturbing you, darlin’. I’ve always been a man who can’t keep his mouth shut, especially when I see a pleasant face. If you’d like a little peace to drink your spirit just let me know and I’ll shift on down the bar.”

“Or potato chips,” Tiana adds helpfully. “Well, you’re a simple man, but I agree. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some pretty cool things come out of new, trendy food, but I’m more of a classic myself. My papa taught me how to cook,” she said in way of explanation, but didn’t want to really touch on the subject further. “Anyways, give me some fries and I’d be a happy camper!” Tiana remarked turning back to her drink in hand. 

She didn’t really mind that Oz seemed to catch everyone’s attention. It was better that way, because then they weren’t looking at her. Or, at least, paying as much attention to her. She took another sip of her drink with a sigh, not even realizing that Oz was studying her. After all, there wasn’t anything very interesting about her, other than her dreams.

“Huh?” Tiana was confused as he started speaking again, but her brain quickly caught up. “Oh, no, you’re fine. Just don’t ask me for my room key and we’ll get along just fine/” Tiana smiled tersely at Oz, but it quickly relaxed into something more inviting. “Besides, we’re all stuck together. We should get along. Who knows how long this outage will go on. Hopefully, not too long or I’ll go insane. I can only twiddle my thumbs for so long.”

Nani’s concern was briefly washed over by the urge to laugh, but she had just enough self-control to stop that from happening. “Well that isn’t very reassuring,” she replied, creeping closer to the door of the room. Nani peered in, spying the sleeping ‘guest’. “You mean they’re still asleep in there?” she asked, now unable to contain a snort. “How did they manage to sleep through that screech? I’m not sure if we can wake him.”

Adam barked a laugh. “Coincidence so am I, but I can’t top our own baker.” He shrugged. “But Tiana you are more than welcome to work in the kitchen, we can use all the hands we need.” And so did James. The man looked like he was going to commit murder in the next 24 hours so someone should give that poor man a break.

Tiana nodded, trying to be as humble as possible, but her cooking and baking were two things she took pride in. Still, she was aiming to get on Adam’s good side. Not only did he own one of the most popular cafes, but he also ran in his own business. He was a good person to know since he had what Tiana wanted most. “Great! I am happy to help anyway I can. Just tell me where to start.”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll have to try that on my next cup of coffee. The sand they put down on the roads helps, and but there are some icy patches here and there and this gosh darn awful pot hole three streets over from the library. It’s more eerie than anything, the streets being empty and everything dark and abandoned. It’s like being out in a Stephen King novel, everything somehow looks a little sinister.” Minnie paused wondering if she should invite Tiana along on her runaround of town, but then decided she didn’t want to impose and put the other woman on the spot. “Yes, I agree. People will get even more restless and annoyed if things don’t change soon. And everyone being confided at three places… it’s a difficult situation to be sure.”

“I’m sure there will be plenty of chances for coffee before the power comes back on. Hopefully sooner rather than later,” Tiana joked with a small laugh. Her heart wasn’t in it though. She was ready to stop living off a buffet and be back in her kitchen. “Sounds like the beginning of some zombie movie.” Tiana shuddered at the thought. The town was a ghost town with everyone located in just three buildings, wherever the generators were. “Than again, I might prefer that to this 24/7 town party.” Tiana glanced over her shoulder and realized someone else was in line for coffee. She finished filling up her cup and moved to the side. “Well, I’m sure the mayor and whoever works for the power companies are doing their best to get everything up and running again. Until then... Well, at least we’ve got a warm bed to sleep in at the end of the day.”

Minnie returned a smile of her own, albeit a tired one. “I’ve got you beat, this is my fourth. The only thing missing is a shot of espresso. It helps put the pep in my step. And I definitely need it right now, so I appreciate your patience. I’ve got another long day ahead of me. And my little beetle doesn’t like these slippery roads even with chains on my tires.” As soon as her thermos filled up, Minnie stepped to the side to fix her creamer and sugar and allow Tiana in. “But everyone does what they can to cope with this situation, and I don’t mind running around if it’s for the good of the townspeople.” Though it felt more like she was playing deputy mayor than personal assistant. “How have you been doing aside from the frequent coffee drinking? I haven’t had much time to socialize, I’m afraid.”

“Maybe if you use another pod, but less water? It’ll be more concentrated then so... Not quite a shot of espresso, but it might be better than nothing?” Tiana offered with a small shrug. Her specialty was food and desserts, not so much coffee. She knew her coffee order by heart, but anything past that she was dumb on. “I’m sorry you have to be out there in this mess, Minnie. Honestly, I’d rather be doing something useful than continue to twiddle my thumbs in this hotel, but I imagine driving in everything is scary.” Tiana stepped up to make her second cup of coffee. Her lips went thin as she thought about the past day in the hotel. Between being bored and some of her more negative interactions, Tiana was ready for the power to be back on. “Oh, I’m fine. Just fine. Ready to be able to work again. And back in my home. I can be a people person if I’m working, but outside of that - I’m not enjoying all of the opportunities for socializing in such close quarters.”

merida was lounging around in a chair with a book in hand, but she wasn’t taking the words in. her mind kept falling back to wondering when the power would go back on. never in her time at redwood hollow had she ever experienced a power cut, and she’d been hearing whispers around the hotel of something about a blue light. closing her book with a sigh, she dipped her head back. hopefully the power would come on soon because there was a high chance she’d go stir crazy. she was too restless for this.

“anyone know when the power will be back on?”

Tiana glanced up from her computer, trying to not show on her face how annoyed she was at the question being asked. There were all stuck in this sticky situation and ready for the power to come back on, but if someone had any updates for them, Tiana imagined they would make an announcement instead of keeping everyone waiting. So, Tiana let her annoyance show just a little. “I don’t know. Maybe ask Mama Odie? I hear she can tell the future. Or maybe you can ask the aliens that caused the power outage? They might have an idea?”

Minnie’s job was stressful and difficult on a normal day with electronic devices. At least if the mayor needed to get ahold of her or she needed to pass on a message, it could be done within the span of seconds using her cellphone. Not to mention that her planner was on her tablet and cellphone, thankfully she always kept a spare physical paper for emergencies like this. But being the mayor’s personal messenger during this crisis still wasn’t easy. 

Not only did she have to keep everyone updated on the current situation, like some news anchor, she had to help with problems that arose in locations the mayor other town leaders weren’t at. Like what to do with everyone’s pets when the citizens moved to the hotel for the duration of the stay. Figuring out the budget for food and supplies, coordinating actives to keep the townspeople’s spirits up as well as entraining the children. She barely spared a moment to eat or rest, surviving solely on coffee and willpower. The brunette had stopped at the buffet set up in the hotel to refill her coffee thermos using the Keurig that town hall had supplied, while she went over her notes written in sparkly pink gel pen, a moment of quiet before she rushed off again to see the mayor and get directions and updates. sensing someone next to her, she looked up from her work to address the individual. 

“Oh dear, I didn’t see you there. Are you waiting on coffee too?”

“Guilty,” Tiana smiled softly, holding up the reusable coffee tumbler she practically took everywhere. Not only was it practical and good for the environment, but it also saved her a couple of cents each morning at the café she typically got coffee from... when the whole town wasn’t completely out of power. “It’s my third cup this morning. Might be the only thing that gets me through this whole - situation.” Tiana remarked with a wave of her hand. Since both restaurants she worked at were closed, she’d spent a (much needed) morning working on budgeting and dreaming her own restaurant. “I figured you needed it more than I do.”

Anna chuckled. “That’s definitelly something I can teach but I normally spill hot chocolate.” Anna was already super energetic, if she drank coffee, the world wouldn’t be ready to handle her with caffeine. “In fact why don’t we go get some hot beverages, that way the odds of both of us colliding are smaller and if it happens I will totally take the blame.”

“I’ll have to find a new job if I continue on this path... I can’t be a clumsy waitress. The two just don’t go together. I’m probably just tired though. It’s be one helluva day.” Tiana shook her head thinking of all the power going out. “Right, hot beverages is a great way to start over, and I would appreciate the company. And hopefully will keep you from running into any other poor souls.” Tiana smiled as she walked down the hall to the cafe the hotel had. “I don’t know how you take your hot chocolate, but might I suggest adding some cinnamon, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla to it?”

Nani was conveniently passing by on her search for a cup of coffee, or anything caffeinated at this point, when she heard a god-almighty screech coming from one of the rooms in the corridor. She jumped, threw a hand on her chest and readied herself in case she had to kick some asshole on the shin. It was almost a relief when she saw Tiana fleeing her room looking relatively unscathed, but she was still deeply concerned by the woman’s apparent ordeal.

“Shit– What’s going on?” Nani asked, jogging to Tiana’s side and sneaking a glance in through the open door. “Are we gonna fight this asshole?”

Anna offered her a friendly smile. “is okay it was totally my fault.” She said, this was a hotel not her house, she couldn’t just open the door and run and not expect to bump into someone. “Well I’m very clumsy and I bumped into people 5 times already and that’s just today.” She chuckled, Anna didn’t mind admitting she was a complete disaster.

Tiana chuckled slightly at Anna’s confession. “Well, at the rate I’m going, you’ll have to teach me how to confidently handle being clumsy. At least this time I was on my way to get coffee and not accidently spilling it all over you...” She joked with a smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes. Her little accident had already caused enough problems for her.

“No, obviously not.” Naveen shook his head. “Tiana I don’t need your money. What I needed from you was a little bit of decency, you treat me like I’m an aweful person so I played the part you wanted me to play. In reality you don’t know me, and I wanted to show you what you were thinking I am. I offered you a coffee because I wanted to laugh off what had happened but you decided to be selfishly rude about it.” He bit his lip in annoyance. “Have you even realized I can just buy another jacket, like it never had been a big deal - that is if you had responded nicely to it. Even now when I asked for the room, you decided to exploit my money over just being kind. Makes you wonder who the real jerk is, huh?.” With that he turned around not even feeling to bother listening to her anymore.

Tiana practically laughed in disbelief. They remembered that encounter two completely different ways. “Played me? You played me and you wonder why I think you’re an awful person? If I remember correctly, I apologized for bumping into you, offered to fix your jacket for you, and you went straight to the ‘Oh, I’m going to sue you, Tiana.’ We’re you playing me then too? Because what you fail to understand is some people do not have the luxury to joke about money, so excuse me for not finding you, what? Charming? Is that what you’d been going for?” She knew he could afford another jacket, which was why the whole situation pissed her off in the first place. She wasn’t the type to be played. Her brain didn’t work that way. She was an honest, straight-forward, straight-shooting type. Subtle jokes or “games” went over her head. Even now, she didn’t trust that he wasn’t going to turn around and sue her. And he was being incredibly unfair. “Exploit you? You offered! I can’t work while the power is out and- You know what, forget it.” He wouldn’t understand how not being able to work for a day or two or three was about to put her in a tough financial spot. He made that much clear. “Take the room.” She tosses the room keys his direction. “I should have gone to the ballroom in the first place anyways..” She walked past him towards the hotel exit. She’d call the hotel later to try and obtain a refund.

Wendy jumped at the sudden sound of the door opening but when she noticed who it was she visibly relaxed. At least it wasn’t Tina or Peter. “That’s okay, you’re not disrupting anything. I came outside for some air. It’s all a bit overcrowded in the hotel” she explained, taking a sip of her tea.

“Yeah... Only slightly suffocating in there,” she laughed mirthlessly. She just wasn’t in the best mindset to be stuck with everyone in the Neverland hotel and it was starting to show. The last thing she wanted people to think was that she was a bitch when she was just overwhelmed. Tiana took another deep sigh before turning to Wendy. “You over twenty-one? I’ve found tea and bourbon are a mighty fine pair.” Tia shook her glass softly as she walked over to the bench.

“Oh that’s totally fine.” Oscar said with a nod. Looking around for a moment, Oscar was surprised by how quickly the place had filled up while he had been day dreaming. “Yeah, I know its a lot. Frankly, I’m kind of okay with the snow and the cold though. Just wish it could have happened at like a later point this year I guess? Where are you originally from?” 

“The south. New Orleans. Can’t say we ever saw snow. And if there was ice, the whole town shut down. I’m not sure if I can say I’m from the south anymore though... I’ve actually been in Redwood Hollow longer than I lived in New Orleans, and I’ve seen plenty of snow since then,” she remarked with a chuckle. “Anyways... So, you like snow and cold? Just not in the middle of December. Is it cutting into your holiday shopping time?”

Naveen chuckled at her reaction, well she could have gotten to his good side if she didn’t have to be a massive B about everything. Basically she worked her way up to his unlikeable list. Which with refusing the demand she just added her rank more to it. He simply shrugged. “Suit yourself, you still owe me 5 grand.” He put his key in his pocket and soluted her. 

Tiana had turned her back to him at this point, but at his words she paused. Her shoulders tensed. He really wasn’t going to drop the stupid jacket issue. It had been an accident! Plus, she could have cleaned it properly for next to nothing. Or paid for dry cleaning which would still be much less than the price he was asking for. Five grand would set her back. A lot. On top of the power outage setback. Not that he cared. Still, if he was serious about bringing lawyers into the picture... It could be a bluff, but Tiana knew next to nothing about law. Except that it was expensive. Probably more than five grand expensive. She turned on him then, her eyes shiny from frustrated tears that she wasn’t about to let fall. She already had enough on her plate. “If I write you a check, will you just leave me alone?”

The town was in temporary chaos. Power outages, strange flashes in the sky, and now every citizen being squished into the limited hotels that Redwood had to offer. How had these few buildings managed to maintain electricity you ask? Why, through the kindness of those who had private generators, just like Oz Borror.

‘Kindness’ wasn’t exactly the correct word. His agreement to assist hadn’t been given for free to the mayor. On no. With Oz, there was always a price.

As people ran around the hotel reception, pushing and yelling for rooms in which they could place their head on a pillow and forget this horrible ordeal, Oz sat in the room just to the left, a snug little bar the hotel provided which served both spirits and sushi, what a weird place. Clearly the male didn’t have a necessary reason for being here, his home had not suffered the outage. Yet, here he sat, people watching and humming an old tune as he cupped a glass of bourbon. His humming would only cease when a new face sits on the stool directly beside him.

He looks to them, raising his glass to take a sip.

“A word of advice, skip the sushi.”

Tiana needed something stronger than coffee or tea. Luckily, the hotel had a bar, a sushi bar...? In the north? The important part was that there was a bar in the hotel and she could get a drink. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to crowded yet as people were still in a mad dash to get rooms and settle into them before night fell.

With a sigh, Tiana hopped onto an open barstool. Usually she was the one taking orders, so it was almost strange to be on this side of the house. At the comment from her neighbor, Tiana scrunched her nose at the word sushi. “I shall heed you advice. Sushi is the last thing I want when it’s snowing outside. Or when it’s being served at a hotel bar.” She chuckled before turning to the bartender. “Wild Turkey on the rocks please,” she ordered against her better judgement. She really should have gone with whatever the well option was, but after the day she had, Tiana wanted to treat herself to a nice bourbon. The bartender carded her and then handed over the drink.

“Why sushi? There’s nothing wrong with bar food sometimes. Or a good soup. Like gumbo. That’d be perfect right now.”