Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open )

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred stretched his limbs as he placed the today's special menu on its usual chalk board stand outside on the pavement. This was one of his usual duties before actually opening the cafe. " Alfred don't forget to wipe down the tables outside aswell, the night's rain might have messed them up abit" " Will do Mary" Alfred said cheerfully as he headed back inside to grab the cleaning rag. Wiping the tables down he couldn't help whistling a tune. He didn't know why but when the sun was nice and bright like this.

Heading back inside he saw that Mary was struggling to carry out a tray of sweet cream puffs out into the display cases and Alfred hurried over to her taking the tray away " Come on Mary what did I say about lifting stuff? You make the treats and I carry them and whatever else remember? That was our deal, you know you can't over do things" Mary allowed Alfred to take the tray away " thank you dear.. I just didn't like seeing you doing all the work. Are you fine with being left here by yourself?" " hahaha you make it sound like its my first day, don't worry. I know where the treats are if the display is getting low and I know all the coffee drinks " he kissed Mary on her cheek " now get to bed, I'll come in and check on you when I've closed up" " Aright.. come upstairs if you need anything "

Alfred watched Mary make her way to the upstairs living area and settled about putting the goodies where they needed to go. Finally done, he flipped the closed sign to open. With a day with such nice weather he was sure there would be alot of customers.

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Thu Jan 31, 2013 12:10 am

Kiku did not often take the time to wander the streets of New York City. Usually, he was far too preoccupied with his own work to take the time off during the day or afternoon. But that morning, he realized that he had no immediate projects to attend to, and the day looked far too tempting for him to stay indoors. The plants had also insisted he take a break, though he suspected in some ways that they were simply tired of seeing him alone. With a promise to return before too much time had passed, he was practically shoved from the store by the plants, his mind buzzing with advice ranging from 'Have a good time!' to 'If you see someone cute, ask them out!' He made it a point to ignore the last one (coming from the chrysanthemums, of course), and instead reminded them to be on their best behavior while he was out.

Despite the early hour, the sidewalks were already bustling with people. Kiku found himself brushing shoulders with various passersby, and he did his best to politely apologize and keep his discomfort to himself. Each shop he passed with a gorgeous flower display (sometimes his own, sometimes work from somewhere else), the plants began to chatter in his mind. He gently greeted them all, but had to stop when a few of them shifted in their pots. The displays sitting outside the shop doors were particularly problematic, though he simply avoided those by skirting them as best as he could in the crowds. People passed him by without incident, other than a few muffled curses or apologies thrown his way. He occasionally spoke, but more often than not simply nodded as he made his way down the street. If anyone recognized him as the quiet owner of the flowershop, they did not greet him as such (and he was honestly relieved).

But after a few blocks, the city began to overwhelm him. His concentration being constantly divided between the plants and the increasing crowds of people was beginning to give him a headache. He longed to be back in his own shop, though the mere thought of the walk back made his head throb. He would eventually have to return, though at that moment it was far more important for him to find a relatively quiet, hopefully secluded place to recover. He took to the sidewalk again, eyes scanning now for such a place. After a few minutes, he spotted a small shop ahead, and noting the 'Open' sign, slipped inside. It was still relatively early in the day, so he felt rather fortunate to have stumbled upon such a quiet-looking place. He guessed that it was probably family owned, rather than one of the imposing department stores or business buildings.

Upon entering, his senses were overwhelmed with the smells of freshly baked goods. He moved away from the door, entranced by the displays full of sweets. He stared for a quiet moment, deciding instantly that he would not leave this shop without purchasing a few. He had always enjoyed sweet things, and though there were many small bakeries in NYC, he had seldom indulged in eating such things. But the quiet of the little shop, the smells wafting from the display, and the headache that demanded distraction all brought him to examine the displays closer, trying to identify the sweets and to choose something that he might like.

((I'm so sorry this took so long for me to reply to! I saw this starter and I was like "I MUST JOIN IT!" *sniffles* Please forgive my late arrival!))

Guest

Matthew strolled leisurely down the street; it was still early but since it was the first day of his new collage, he found out he couldnt just sit quietly in his small room and wait for the time to pass until it was noon and his first classes begun. He spent the last few days settling in what he would consider his home for the most part of a full year; a small room with just the necessities, typical for a student like him. He spent the days busily going around the city, especially the neighbourhood, discovering shortcuts and all the nearby places; there was a lovely flowershop not too far away, a small supermarket with cheap enough prices, few other typical stores and so on. He did a lot of shopping recently, buying things for the bed, for the kitchen, and any other items he would need for living here, prowling through discount stores and hunting down sales. He didnt want to spend much money on things he would probably have to give away eventually.

And now, finally settled and ready, he was on his way to start his collage life. People were starting to get ready for the door; shops were opening, businessmen were walking briskly with paper cups of coffee in their hands, kids and teenagers hurried to school and Matthew had a certain profound feeling of a new beginning; and really, who could blame him? He lived in a small village almost all his life and now here he was, a lone man in a big city, for the first time on his own, on his way to his new collage and everything was still so refreshingly different, so full of potential and possibilities.

He figured it would pass within few days just as soon as the classes start and he will direct his attention towards cursing people who invented education and himself for getting the bright idea to move.

Except he had to move. He had to, he had to become a good doctor, he had to move away from the snowy mountains, away from snowstorms, he had to go to place where the sun was bright and hot and it would melt any snow that dared to fall down.

He quickly chased the thought away. Yes, he had to but he also wanted to; he wanted to discover what the world had to offer him. He wanted to spread his metaphorical wings. And he was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do so.

He paused in front of a small bakery, one he didnt notice before when he passed that way; it seemed welcoming and charming enough and Matthew realized that he was actually quite hungry. He left earlier with a plan to grab a bite on his way anyway because eating before classes or even walking and eating was just so student-like, nevermind f it was the first day or not. He might as well try this place out. It was early so all the products would be fresh and delicious and Matthew always preferred this to fast-foods. Might as well discover good places to grab a bite at since he would be passing this way a lot.

He entered and only then noticed there was already someone inside; a short, dark-haired man, pretty young from the looks of it; he wondered briefly if it was a student too. He glanced at the only other person and gave a polite smile and nod before his expression turned into one of surprise; the blonde that stood behind the register looked so familiar, it was like gazing into one of those funny mirrors in a carnival. Except... when he looked closer, he was so different. He was just a hint taller than Matthew and his eyes were more blue; his skin was much more tanned and his body was broader from what he could see, his hair was straight and blonde and short. Then, there was the shape of his face (sharp and well-defined features), his lips (a bit chapped and pale), the high cheekbones, surprisingly long eyelashes, the freckles (just a hint, scattered over the brudge of his nose), long graceful fingers, firm eyebrows, the jawline... Matthew couldnt put finger on it but he was struck by how much the other man looked like him. It was weird; when he tried to see the similarities, everything was different but when he looked at the blonde as a whole, he looked so similar to Matthew. Was it the general body type, the posture? He honestly couldnt tell.

Realizing he was probably staring he finally said "Good morning." with a sheepish smile and ducked his head a bit before going to inspect the pastries laid out behind the glass. He actually wanted to quietly sneak off, a bit embarrassed by the encounter and his staring but... that would be even more embarrassing. He was suddenly glad there was someone else in the shop as well; it made the situation slightly less awkward, somehow.

Now that he thought about it, both men looked young; maybe they were both students? It would be like something from a movie, really, meeting in a bakery only to discover later they are in the same course, same group, paired up for the first project together, only to become best friends, have a dramatic argument and then get back together, after learning the lesson of how precious friendship is. He felt himself grinning in amusement and self-consciously tried to hid it behind the collar of his jacket. Poor guy who worked there; first a customer comes in and stares at him, then hes giggling while looking at eclairs. He probably thought he was going to have to to serve a lunatic.

If Matthew finally decides what he wants, that is. He focused at the selection of pastries; he didnt really feel like anything too sweet first thing in the morning; and it didnt help he didnt know half of these things. Back in his village, things were simpler and while delicious, there was much less variety. And not that much fruit. He stared, feeling a bit hopeless.

(( I SWEAR next post I'll give you people more to work with. I just, uh, Matthew doesnt stroll into shops and strike a conversation with people just because. So, I cant really get him to say much - or anything - really... orz ))

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:02 pm

Lovino breathed a small sigh of relief as the stock that had come in out back was finally unloaded and sorted into the places they’d needed to be in the back room. Doing this in addition to help with the general baking of goods earlier that morning, he was tired but satisfied that he’d done good work. Coming out of the back room, he noticed how Alfred was already had a couple customers at the counter. “Hey, just letting you know everything’s unloaded,” he told the blonde when it seemed like he had a moment. “I’ll be getting back to work on some of the other stuff now unless you need me.” With that said he turned, prepping to head into the back room again.

He felt lucky to be able to work here, having more experience with making pasta and pizza than he did pastry items but liking the idea of making pastries as well. Alfred and Mary were also nice to work with, even though he found Alfred a little too overly happy and energetic for his tastes. However, Alfred’s cheerful attitude was often what kept the customers coming back, and the two of them got along well enough.

He kept care not to reveal his fire-manipulating abilities as well as kept his hot temper to himself for the most part. He didn’t always feel like he was acting like himself here at the café unlike when he was working with his parents (although his parents still reprimanded him when his attitude got too bad), but he knew that most people weren’t overly tolerant of either of those things. Besides, he liked assisting Mary and was grateful to her having hired someone as moody as he tended to be. She was someone he was genuinely willing to work hard for and learn from, even though he wasn't as good at interacting with the customers as Alfred was. The last thing he wanted to do was upset that relationship. However, the restrictions on his behavior still didn’t stop him from grumbling in his head when something wasn’t to his liking.

((hopefully this is a decent starting post for Lovino working here...))

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred looked up from the counter when a less then cheerful voice announced that he had unloaded the truck. Right he totally forgot that due to how popular this little shop actually was Mary had hired someone else to help her make the pastries and cakes aswell as help Alfred out if it got a bit too busy out front. Lovi was his name, Alfred found him a pretty decent guy even if sometimes the dude felt that he would strangle Alfred at times when well.. Alfred did get a bit too excited at some points and not everyone appreciated that. " Cool thanks Lovi, do you think you can bring out some of the stuff that Mary had left on the kitchen tables? The cream filled cookie thingys"

He couldn't say much more when the bell on the door rang merrily and before he knew it there were two customers in the shop. HAH that just proves no matter how early it was there was always a time for sweet treats. Nice to know that there were others who shared his heroic logic! " Welcome to Sugar and Cinnamon take a browse around and tell me what you want. All the stuff are baked fresh daily by Mary and my buddy Lovi who is currently in the kitchen"

One of his customers happen to be a really pretty asian male abit quiet but then again so was the other customer who was in here. The other customer was just around his height and for some reason started to giggle over something. Ah.. maybe one of the pastries looked funny. Sometimes Alfred did that aswell when the goodies came out in a funny shape. Mary of course was amused by it.. Lovi not so much. He let the two browse for a few more moments before coming up to the both of them. " So see anything you guys like?"

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:43 pm

((No worries, Matthew. Kiku's not the sort to just start random conversations either XD))

Kiku smiled politely at the young man behind the counter, nodding to show that he had heard his greeting. The handsome blond seemed full of energy, though Kiku suspected that perhaps caffeine and sugar had some role in that. Still, he could not help but notice the sky blue of his eyes, sparkling behind fashionably thin frames, or the tan skin that immediately brought the outdoors to his mind. He was a rather attractive young man, but he pushed the thought from his head quickly. His plants often called people attractive, and right now the last thing he wished to think about was the shop that needed his attention. His head throbbed again, accompanying the guilt washing over him as he realized he would need to be returning to his shop soon to open for business.

He was momentarily distracted as another male exited the kitchen, calling to the blond behind the counter. Alfred's answer sent the other male away again, though not before he caught a good glimpse of him. His skin was also rather sun-kissed, as if both of them spent copious amounts of time outdoors. Kiku marveled at their ability to tan; he did not color very much, even though he spent quite some time in his rooftop garden or in the forest behind the shop. His brown hair reminded Kiku of coffee, though he supposed the comparison was appropriate, considering where he was and where the man worked (pastries did go well with coffee, apparently). His eyes caught the majority of Kiku's attention, and he did his best to pretend he was gazing at one of the pictures decorating the wall.

Just as he was about to call to either of the other two to place his order, the bell above the door jingled, signaling the entrance of another customer. Kiku politely dropped his gaze to the display of sweets once more, though a small shiver raced through him as the newcomer passed near him. He mentally shrugged off the oddity, attributing the chill to the opening and closing of the door. The weather outside had been relatively warm with the sunshine, but weather in the city seemed to change quite frequently. He wouldn't be surprised if it was significantly colder outside than when he had first entered the shop. He pushed his musings aside, as his attention returned to the pastries in front of him. Sweet confections were usually safe for him, though for the most part he avoided such things.

As Alfred spoke, he turned his gaze to politely meet his, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Alfred's nature was rather infectious, though he did speak a little loud for the small space. "Ah, actually, I did have a few questions, if you do not mind answering them. I am ah, rather sensitive to certain ingredients." He deemed feigning food allergies safer than telling the workers that he 'just couldn't bear the thought of eating certain things because he controlled plants'. He very much doubted that would go over very well. "I apologize if I am not to ask, or if it is a secret recipe...but..." He glanced down, to where a puffy pastry, decorated with rather vibrant pink frosting, sat innocently on a plate surrounded by others of varying colors. "That pastry looks very interesting. I am not familiar with what it is called, but the coloring is very vivid! Is it food coloring?" He inwardly shuddered at the thought, though he kept from showing his opinion of the stuff.

Another pastry caught his eye, and he blinked at it for several moments before smiling. He would have to order a couple dozen of those, even if he did not order anything else. However, the space was only currently occupied by a dozen or so of the treats. He wondered if the shop would allow him to place an order. "I ah, also hate to bother you with more questions, but would it be possible for me to place an order? I would not wish to take all of the stock of a particular sweet that you have prepared, and if you need time, I could pick them up later?" He offered with a shy smile, wondering if he would get to see the other young man--Lovino--again. He would have liked to get a better look at the color of his eyes, though he did not want to voice something so embarrassing and impolite!

Guest

"Hello." Matthew smiled as the blonde guy, his doppelganger - Alfred, the name-tag read - greeted him with far too much energy and enthusiasm for an average person given the early time of the day. He had a brief moment of embarrassed panic because how long Alfred was aware Matthew was there anyway and did he make any weird faces during that time? Of course he did; Matthew had the unfortunate habit of making weird faces when he got too lost in thoughts, which included giggling to himself, wincing, mouthing lines from his favourite movies in an obnoxiously dramatic fashion and staring with his mouth open like a retarded goldfish. Or a dead one. Either way, not the most encouraging sight. And it wasnt a problem because in his village people wore scarves over their mouths and he was usually on his own but here, in New York city there were people everywhere and it would take a while to get used to all this.

He was second in line so he politely allowed the other man speak first, actually listening in curiously; there was no way anything natural would be responsible for this shade of pink, it was obviously food colouring at its best, along with obscene amount of sugar and probably some taste additives to make the pink stuff taste like, well, all the tastes known to man. He wondered what blue would be. Blueberry? He saw once icecream called Smurf. Maybe it was made out of Smurfs (a thought which would be once traumatizing, now only sparked a brief sense of amusement).

He glanced at his watch, suddenly aware that maybe the guy in front of him was some sort of pastry enthusiasm and he was going to spend hours talking about pink frosting - hours Matthew didnt quite have. He wondered if he should leave but that would be really rude after such a nice greeting and besides, he wanted food. "I was wondering about it too." He said instead, hoping his voice sounded honest and enthusiastic enough; he was not going near the brightly coloured ones, not with the day just starting. "It looks really..." suspicious "interesting but I was wondering, is it suitable for breakfast? I havent eaten anything yet and my stomach can be picky first thing in the morning... Fruit things are usually safest." He smiled sheepishly and gave the short man in front of him an apologetic look, hoping he wouldnt be seen as a rude bastard, butting into conversations he had no business butting into. "And are the flavours different depending on the colours or are they all the same, like M&M's?"

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:30 pm

"Yeah, sure," Lovino responded to Alfred as the blonde told him to grab what Mary had left at the tables, then re-entered the kitchen to search out the objects. Even though Alfred hadn't given the best of descriptions, he remembered what the other man was talking about. It didn't take him long to find the pastries, all neatly arranged on a tray. Making sure everything was in order and ready to go, he picked up the tray slowly and carefully, then made his way back across the kitchen and pushed open the door with his shoulder.

He could see Alfred was still talking with the other customers - coming out just as one of them stated a question about if all the colors of the pastries were the same flavors or not - but held back from saying anything himself. He thus made himself busy with placing the tray on the counter behind him and preparing to put them on the display counter himself. He knew from the label Mary had placed that morning inside the case where the pastries were supposed to go. As he did this, he kept alert for anything else Alfred wanted to ask of him, as well as partially listening to the chat between him and the customers.

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:15 pm

Carrying her school books, Lili walked through the city, taking in the sunlight. She had a day off school today, and she was going to spend it in a nice place somewhere, catching up on the last of her homework. Luckily, she had only two things left to do, and they were two of her favourite subjects, German and math. Of course, the reason she liked German so much might be that it was so easy for her, considering it was the language she had spoken for quite a few years of her life. While Swiss German and Standard German were certainly not the same thing, it still gave her a certain edge over the other students.

When she looked around for a calm place like that, a small confectionary caught her eye. That seemed like the perfect place for homework, as long as it wasn't too crowded. And she might even order something as well, after all, she had heard that sweet foods were good for the brain.

Entering the shop, Lili at once heard the chattering of thoughts blend together, but thankfully there were much fewer than outside, so it still felt very silent. Taking a seat as far away from the other two customers in a futile attempt of giving them at least some privacy, she took a look at the displayed treats. Those cream puffs certainly looked good... But on the other hand, so did the chocolate cupcakes...

(I'm not American so I don't know at what age they teach other languages like German in their high schools (hell, I barely know when exactly they teach it in our high schools, and I AM in high school!), but let's use the magical power of ~preteeeend~ *SpongeBob-style rainbow* to say they do teach it to people her age, okay?)

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred never could understand why people could be put off by something because of its colour. Then again Alfred always felt that the brighter something is means its better then everything else! Why else would it be so bright? Something special must have been added to it to get it to be such an epic heroic colour. Bringing his attention back to the pink puffy cupcake thing and the customers he rubbed his chin abit as he tried to remember what Mary had told him " While its colours may look totally intense it doesn't actually have like fake colouring and stuff. Mary and Lovi over there use fruits and stuff to get it to the desired colour so I think you're totally safe" He hoped that would answer the two cuties who were wondering about the colouring in the cakes. Despite how much easier it was to just use colouring Mary always made sure never to use it. Instead relied on natural means of getting the colours she desired. Alfred's grin widen when the asian male decided that he wanted to order a large quantity " HAH of course you can! Lovi come over here dude! Take this guys order and see if we have enough in the back if not we can make more and you can deliver it to him"

Alfred now turned his attention to the female who had now entered the shop. Finally a chick! This day was just getting better and better " Welcome to Sugar and Cinnamon. I'm Alfred take a browse around and if you have any questions give me a holler and I'll help you answer them the best I can!"

He now had a good chance to take a look at the blond before him who happen to be just a tad taller with soft wavy blond hair and beautiful violet eyes. " Soooo what's your name? If you really have a sensitive tummy then these would be good.." He tugged the other male over to the display which held fruit pies and pastries. " Mary usually makes these with just fresh fruit without going overboard with the whole sugar and artificial stuff. You could try having one of those"

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:42 pm

Kiku could not help but smile as the blond man behind him also questioned the origin of the pink frosting. He had at first felt a little rude for asking in such a direct way about the pastry, since aside from the strange coloring it looked delicious. But he knew he could not stomach such artificial flavorings, and he did not wish to offend anyone by getting offended by such a small detail. However, it seemed he was not alone in his disdain for the artificial, which relieved him greatly. At least he would not be alone in avoiding anything with vibrant frosting or what appeared to be speckled insides (though they could have been fruit). He turned to the blond behind him, giving him an apologetic, friendly smile. Though the blond was interested in the frosting, he did not wish to hold him up if he was in some great hurry. Kiku disliked overly crowded places and waiting in line for things, so he felt guilty that perhaps he might be doing so for the other blond.

But Alfred was quick to answer, effectively diffusing the slight awkwardness that had descended between the blond and himself in that one moment of their gazes meeting. He returned his attention to the counter, where Alfred was assuring them both that nothing but fruit made up the vibrant pinks and blues before them. "Ah, I see. Thank you for answering my questions, Alfred-san." He felt a little coloring rising to his cheeks at the mention of the Italian taking his order. He had wanted to see him again, to get a better look at his eyes and to see the colors within them that made them so unique. He felt his fingers twitch a little, unconsciously responding to his growing desire to sketch the man. He moved aside, allowing the other blond to get a better look at the displays since his order would be taken care of shortly.

The bell above the door jingled again, and he glanced up in time to see a young girl enter the shop. 'Despite being such a small shop, this place seems to be very popular.' He moved a little farther away from the displays, in order to allow the newcomer to browse more freely. He watched as she instead took a seat at one of the tables, then turned his attention elsewhere. Idly, he browsed the paintings on the walls, and found himself wondering if any of the people working in the shop had painted them. He shook his head, wandering away from the two blonds and following the display to the far end. He stood near some tiny decorated pastries, their freshly baked scent tickling his nose and tempting him to add them to his order.

'If there are any plants here, they are being very quiet...well, aside from the fruits. But those do not say things to me.' He glanced around again, realizing that yes, the shop did have a distinct absence of plant life in the main room (at least from what he could see). He could not help but allow a noiseless sigh of relief to pass through his lips. He loved plants, but having a break from their constant chattering was rather nice. His headache had all but dissolved in the peaceful atmosphere of the small shop, and he determined that he would have to return again, if he could ever brave the busy streets so early in the morning.

((Lili, it depends on the school district really. But I know in my high school, we had the option to take German/other foreign languages. I believe they also have started teaching some in the few years before high school...but again, mostly depends on the school. So I'd say that coupled with pretend are perfect~ ^^))

Guest

Well, that was assuring, though Matthew still had troubles believing that anything natural could produce such vibrant colours. But hey, he wasnt the pastry expert here and he was definitely not one of those rude jerks who questioned everyone who failed to agree with them. So he gave Alfred a nod and a polite thanks before turning his attention to the pastries again, this time trying to adapt the 'this is natural and harmless' mindframe. He still had no clue what to pick and suddenly, he was glad there was someone in front of him... someone who just gave him a smile. He smiled back, a bit sheepish, wondering if that was a kind of polite, American way of hinting 'wait for your turn or I will destroy you next time'. It would go against everything he heard about Americans, which were supposed to be... well, more like that blonde guy.

"I'm sorry." he said just in case, expression earnest and sincere and his gaze not breaking contact with the other man. He was starting to habe an urge to say more, to ramble a bit, a typical reaction when he was just a hint nervous - new country, new people, new customs and a giant city with him, the quiet village boy in the middle of it all - and well, when he didnt speak for a while to anyone except salesmen. Which he didnt, not since he came here. He missed talking to people.

But that didnt mean people wanted to talk to him so he kept his mouth shut and just continued to smile sheepishly. Now that he thought about it, for such a short and skinny guy, he sure ordered a lot.

The bell chimed and he turned to look at another customer; another short person, this time a pretty young girl. THis shop must be quite popular around here; or maybe people just wandered in because they saw other people already inside. He used to do that as well.

Realizing he was getting distracted - and the short man in front of him wandered off - Matthew looked back at the pastries and then looked up at the salesman. He supposed this was the Lovi person Alfred called for earlier; shorter and tanned and with a slight scowl on his face and obviously busy. He missed Alfred, with his chatty personality and bright smiles who was temporarily busy with the girl who entered, logically so and professionally as well, not every shop made their customers feel so welcome.

The pastries continued to look good and different, not making the task any easier. He finally decided he would just go for the one on the left and just go through each flavour whenever he came here and was contemplating if he could ask the other guy - Lovi - to take his order or should he wait for Al when he felt a gentle tug leading him away and he looked, startled at the hand gripping his elbow, which was attached to Alfred himself who was talking to him.

Matthew faintly remembered words being spoken just a moment ago, which he didnt think were directed at him but they obviously were, and he thought he couldve kissed Al there and now. Because, he was a villae boy in a big city in a big, foreign, different country and he was overthinking simple stuff like ordering a pasrty and he might or might not have offended someone by speaking out of his turn before and he didnt talk to anyone in days except the 'thank you' and 'here you go' at the shops and he wasnt used to making friends, born and raised in a small place where everyone knew you from diapers and there was no need for introductions or making first impressions. And now there was someone making an effort for him, just like that.

He was overreacting but it wasnt easy for him to be suddenly thrust into a whole new world.

"I'm Matthew." He said with a smile and deemed it alright to go on. "Im a new student around here and well, new to New York as well. Im Canadian and its my first time out of Canada. Are... are you by any chance a student too?" He asked, a bit hesitatingly because even if this was America, it didnt mean that he was stuck in some naive movie where you meet your BFF in a pastry shop and one simple conversation turns into a friendship of a lifetime. "I dont know if its sensitive, I just... havent tried a lot of American food before and I dont want to risk anything happening, you know, first day and all, so I really appreciate the help. Which ones would you recommend? Are the berry tarts good?" he asked, peering at the new display with renewed curiosity.

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:51 am

Lovino gave Alfred a displeased look when the blonde used his nickname instead of his full first name when talking to the man who’d asked for a custom order. Over time, he'd gotten used to Alfred casually using his nickname when it was just the two of them working alone, but he didn't like it when the other man used the nickname to refer a customer to him. However, he left the matter alone for the time being. It wouldn’t be good for him to get snappy at a time like this. ‘He really needs to learn to call me Lovino, though, dammit… it’s not that hard…’ he thought to himself. ‘I’ll talk with him later, after I get done here…’

“Alright, just give me a moment,” he said in reply, putting away the last of the pastries into the display and standing up. It was nice to work in a place that didn’t use unnatural food coloring, having been taught while growing up that using natural ingredients were always better than using something pre-made when it came to food. He took note of the new girl who’d come in as he walked over to the customer who’d wanted the custom order. ‘She’s quite cute,’ he mused, but kept his attention focused on the Asian man at the far end of the display. “Hi, I’m Lovino. What can I do for you?” he asked once he’d reached the other male, his tone relaying his slight annoyance with having to correct Alfred on what he liked to be called (nevermind that his nametag had the name "Lovi" on it) yet still as polite as he could make it. The last thing he needed was a customer backing out of something because they didn’t like his attitude.

((Lili, I had the option of taking German all throughout my high school, so you should be fine there~))

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:57 pm

”Thank you, sir,” Lili replied to the man that worked in the shop. As she went back to working on her decision, her mental shields slipped and she started to hear the thoughts of the other patrons more clearly. They were mostly pretty normal. One was checking the customers out, another was complaining about his nickname being used… and checking her out, Lili realized to her slight embarrassment. However, one thought in particular managed to catch her attention. Someone was… saying the plants were quiet here? What an odd thought. Either the man was simply insane, or he was a mutant like her. He seemed pretty rational otherwise, so at the moment, the latter actually seemed like the more likely option.

Should she…? No, that would be very rude and intrusive, not to mention dumb considering that would unmask Lili as a mutant as well. Instead, she tried to just focus on the menu. Cupcakes or cream puffs? Cupcakes or cream puffs? Finally, she decided on cream puffs and called out her order.

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:56 am

Kiku tried to make his smile more friendly as the blond behind him returned the expression more sheepishly. He wondered if he was perhaps intimidating him, or perhaps the blond simply did not want to appear rude by hurrying him along. He blinked in surprise as the blond apologized, his soft voice almost lost among the buzzing of the florescent bulbs and the whirring of the fans. He bowed his head in quiet acceptance, hoping the meeting of their gazes and the softness of his smile would reassure the young man. He searched his memory, trying to recall if he had possibly done anything within their brief interaction to make the young man so nervous. When nothing came to mind save for the question about the origin of the icing, he decided on a polite, but neutral response.

"Ah, please do not worry. I apologize for not being able to decide among the pastries here." He felt the awkwardness settle back over them, merely disturbed a little by their brief moment of contact. Suddenly, the smiles and polite gazes felt more odd than reassuring, and he found himself a bit relieved to be able to move away from the center of attention. After Alfred called for the Italian, Kiku busied himself staring at the walls, or at the pastries behind the glass...anything to distract himself from the others in the room. He wanted to be able to focus entirely on the Italian, in the most polite way possible. He tuned out the conversation between Alfred and the other blond, though he did manage to catch his name--Matthew. He paid little attention to the newcomer, even after he noticed her staring at him strangely for a moment.

Kiku's attention and focus came immediately to the Italian, in time to find him directly on the other side of the counter. He blinked, his gaze flicking from the man's nametag (which mysteriously read 'Lovi') before returning to meet his eyes. The colors danced in the blubs, the colors like miniature flames. "Ah, Lovino-san..." He decided to address him by his given name, disregarding the nametag. The tag maker could have broken, or 'Lovi' could be a name only those close to him could use. "If it is not too much trouble, I would like to place a rather large order." He smiled again, though his focus was not on his order but on examining Lovino's features. The colors in his eyes complemented his olive skin and brown locks perfectly. If the Italian wasn't frowning and slightly coated in flour, he would have reminded Kiku of one of those models pictured in various magazines and ads around the city.

He realized a moment later he had been openly staring, and he quickly ducked his head, feigning examining one of the brightly colored pastries in front of him. "I-I would...like to order a half dozen of these..." He gestured to the bright pink, filled doughnuts sitting innocently in front of him. "...and a dozen of the ah..." He struggled to find the right word, gesturing instead to the tray of what appeared to be longer cookies with nuts (he guessed almonds) within. "And..." His gaze landed on some of the cinnamon buns, and immediately he attempted to talk himself out of them. He did not need that many sweets in his home. He never had visitors to share them with, and he certainly did not need to eat them all. But...they did appear to be fresh. As he prepared to order a dozen, he noticed a small tray of what looked like loaves of bread sitting almost at the opposite end of the counter. He leaned to examine them, noticing the thin layer of dough atop them. Quickly, he gestured to them. "...a dozen and a half of those, if it is not too much trouble."

((PFFT...of course Lili would hear the thoughts that would make Kiku sound like he needs to be in a padded room, all by his lonesome...of course! *laughing too hard over here* <3 Also, Kiku's pointing to biscotti...but he doesn't know that's what they are called. Also, the last thing he sees just randomly came to me...when I was like 'Man, I need to find my recipe for homemade melonpan...and my awful, terrible, no good silly side told me to make that the last thing Kiku orders in this little scene *hides from the shoes* XD))

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred fought back the urge to grin in amusement when he saw the annoyed look on Lovi's face. Seriously that guy needed to loosen up abit and he was pretty sure using is nickname would help do that... or get himself killed whichever one came first. . He had heard the order from the girl who was in the shop as he was talking to the cutie who's name was Matthew.. yup totally gonna call him Mattie, " Cream puffs, Nice choice Lovi can you get her order? The icepacks are in the fridge, use one in the carry boxes to keep the puffs cool" AND just because he could Alfred winked at the asian cutie when he heard his order " Ah I'll get Lovi to wrap those up for you aswell and just because you're cute I'll throw in extra" Mary wouldn't mind she knew most of the customers loved how he interacted with them " Consider it a thank you for coming into the shop." He indicated that Lovi should put those into the box aswell.

Finally he was free to interact with Mattie, not that he was upset that the other customers were taking his attention away far from it. It was always good when the shop did have customers. He now could focus his attention on the canadian " Canada huh.. hey we are neighbours then! That's totally awesome" Alfred did understand that sometimes having something new could have disadvantages and advantages. Advantage was that hey you tried something new odds are you might actually like it. The disadvantages is the fact your stomach might not agree with you at all resulting in very unpleasant things.

" I hear ya but yea the berry tarts would be ideal then. It is made with fresh berries that Mary gets from the local markets and made on the same day. So If you are looking for something which is good and less harsh on your body this would be your best bet. Though.. they are rather large.. suited for sharing with someone" Yup totally an obvious hint. He didn't know if Mattie would catch it or not but it was always worth a try.

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Sun May 12, 2013 7:25 pm

Lovino nodded as he listened to the Asian man's order, taking out a small notepad to write down what it was that was wanted. He took notice in his head of how the other had been staring at him, but for the moment said nothing. The Italian was glad that at the very least the customer decided to use the name he'd introduced himself as rather than what was written on his name tag. "Sure, that should be--" he started to say before Alfred interjected. He frowned but held his tongue as he looked over at the blonde, listening to the new order he'd been given.

"Yeah, I'll do it in a moment, let me finish up here," he told Alfred and gave the girl who'd ordered the cream puffs a small nod before turning his attention back to the Asian man. "That shouldn't be a problem," he said to the other. "Do you want those things delivered?" Some customers liked having that option, not really wanting to carry a bunch of boxes home with them if they didn't have a car. The doughnuts and biscotti didn't require a particularly large box, but the dozen and a half loaves of melonpan - plus whatever Alfred counted as 'extra' - might. "Otherwise I'll pack up the doughnuts and biscotti for you to take home right now, and have you come back later today or tomorrow for the melonpan." He didn't even think they even had that much melonpan available at the moment, and he'd be required to bake more to fill the order...

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Thu May 23, 2013 12:01 am

Kiku found his cheeks reddening in embarrassment as Alfred winked at him and called him cute. Was...the blond...flirting with him? He glanced over at Lovino, eyebrows raised in silent question. Did Alfred treat all of his customers this way? Kiku truly did not mind; he was more caught off guard and unsure how to respond than anything else. However, he found himself suddenly wishing to be back in his shop once more. The absence of plants had initially been nice, calming even. But he could deal with plants. He could read their needs and respond accordingly. The same, straightforward responses were not always so effective on people. He found a shy smile touching his lips as he returned his gaze momentarily to Alfred, but the blond's attention had wandered to the other occupants of the shop. 'I am sure he wins many customers over. He is a kind individual.'

Instead, his gaze met Lovino's again, the miniature twin fires burning golden in his pupils. "A-Ah..." His mind raced, but before he could properly answer Lovino's attention was momentarily grabbed by Alfred. The blond wanted the Italian to also take the order of the young girl, and immediately Kiku felt guilty for taking so much of Lovino's time with his rather large order. He considered letting Lovino know that he could take the girl's order, but the Italian waved Alfred off and returned his attentions to him. Kiku felt his gaze drawn to Lovino's eyes again, the flecks of gold dancing in the light filtering in through the window. He wondered if Alfred had ever complimented Lovino on his eye color. The thought brought an embarrassed smile to his features, and he did his best to push the thought to the back of his mind. He could muse on such things later, once he had safely returned to his flowershop.

"Ah, I would not wish to be inconvenient to the shop, Lovino-san." With only two people working, sending out one on a delivery would leave one less to service the customers. Lovino appeared to be the more hardworking of the two, though Kiku supposed he could not truly judge except through their current situation. He reasoned he could always return on his own lunch break, or later, when the shop was about to close. The flowershop could close for a short time, so long as it was not during a time when he had promised a customer their order. He could always return, though he would perhaps have to hail a taxi to assist him. The walk here (aside from the people) had been rather nice, but carrying the packages several block to his shop would be too difficult.

The thought of returning through the crowded streets made a shudder pass through him. In the early hours of the morning, it had been difficult for him not to brush against a passing pedestrian, or to walk a bit too close to a potted plant. 'I should take him up on his offer for delivery. I do not think I can manage another walk to the shop, especially later in the day when it will be more crowded.' He gave Lovino an apologetic smile before speaking. "Ah, but if it is not too much trouble, perhaps delivering what cannot be carried now would be best. However, if there are any problems, I can certainly leave my number here for you to contact me, Lovino-san." He hoped the arrangement would be the most agreeable, as well as giving the working Italian the most flexibility.

Subject: Re: Sugar and Cinnamon ( Open ) Fri May 31, 2013 8:53 am

There he was doing it again, thinking those odd thoughts. The more she heard, the more she thought he was in fact a mutant. He just sounded too rational to be crazy. Then again, TV and movies were probably wrong about crazy people more often than they were right about them.

Trying to make herself stop paying attention to the odd man again, Lili found she couldn’t. It was a bit like Pandora’s box, she was too curious at this point to look away. Although it was probably best if she physically looked away at least, considering her cream puffs were arriving soon. Turning to the tanned man, Lovino apparently, she nodded and gave him a quick smile as a “thank you”.

(*hides in her reserved "short post shame corner", repeating "As long as there's anything to work with for the others, it's okay" and "I'm not worthy" ad infinitum*)

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