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This is just your typical coffee shop rom-com, except it's a magickal tea shop instead. Featuring queer witches, vampires, demons and many more, as well as lots of bastard best friend shenanigans, painful to watch gay panic and...
"I can't believe Cora is making us wait again." Hayden muttered as they tuned their bass guitar. "Unbelievable. This is the third time this month. Who does this woman think she is?"
"I wish I was a pigeon."
"I'm sorry, what?"
Hayden stopped fiddling with their bass, turning to Ruby. She sat at the drums, mindlessly twirling her drum sticks, but didn't offer any further explanation. Hayden sighed. "This is about Evelyn, isn't it?" They weren't exactly sure what a pigeon had to do with the vampire but if the gurgling noise Ruby made was any indication they'd hit the nail right on the head. Another sigh from the sinccubi. "Just tell me." Ruby proceeded to gesture wildly. "With your words."
She groaned, burying her face in her hands. When she resurfaced, her cheeks were flushed. "Did you know that today is her big premiere?"
"No, really?" Hayden rolled their eyes. "You only told me, like, a bazillion times."
Ruby stuck her tongue out at them. "Anyway, when she came into the shop today I- I wanted to...I don't know. But then I just - " She broke off with another groan. "You know what? Nevermind, I'm not telling you, you're just gonna laugh at me."
Hayden pouted. "I would never-" A look from Ruby silenced them. "Okay, I won't laugh this time."
"You promise?"
Hayden nodded.
Ruby closed her eyes, defeated. Just recalling the moment sent a fresh wave of embarrassment through her.
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She had started her shift at TEA AMO a bit earlier than usual. Martha had been complaining about her back and how it got harder and harder to get everything ready. So Ruby had decided to take over a few more responsibilities at the tea shop, since it wasn't like she had anything else to do. And she'd told her boss as well, but when she'd opened the door, she could already hear rustling in the back, along with angry spanish muttering.
"Martha, by the goddess, what are you doing?"
Martha balanced on a wobbly chair, trying to reach for the dried orange slices, when she entered."Ay, Rubina! You're early today. Be a dear and help me get those down."
"Let's get you down first." Ruby chuckled. "And I told you I would be coming early starting today."
Martha nodded sharply, her grey white curls bouncing. "Sí, sí. Recuerdo. I may be old but I'm not senile, child," she huffed.
"Then why were you on that death trap in the first place?" Ruby pointed at the everything but trusty looking chair. "We have a step stool for that."
As Martha sat down on it, the chair groaned under her weight. "I don't know where it is and this chair does the job as well. I'm using it all the time." She waved her hand dismissively. "And I could reach these darn boxes just fine the other day. Perhaps I shrank again? Age will do that to you."
