𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐦𝐡 [REQUESTS ON HOLD]

1. Mai x Fem!Reader: Modern AU (REQUESTED)

(I'm sorry I took so long to post this, but I enjoyed writing it. I think you guys will enjoy it too if you have fun with fluffy coffee shop AUs. ledkitty I hope you enjoy this little coffee date with Mai! I know I would! :3)

Coffee and Calm

[FLUFF]

12%. Mai Kim sighed as she glanced at her phone's battery percentage and the time. Her wrist wrapped around the grey umbrella matching her grey winter coat. It was almost midnight and somehow, the closest coffee shop's lights still glowed in the rain on the city sidewalk. "This is the place Jin said she worked at, but there's almost no one here." Mai muttered to herself. The black haired college student went inside and took in the atmosphere, feeling more surprised than she thought. The shelves with syrups, jars of tea leaves, the drive through window behind the counter, jars of coffee beans, the little display window for little baked goods, the stools and booths around the main counter felt almost home like.

It made her nostalgic for her job at the Jasmine Dragon, the shop her ex-boyfriend's uncle owned. Mai practically lived there when she was a sophomore at Ember University. She still attends the college with her ex, Zuko Phang. Although the two of them don't talk to each other as much as they used to. They worked at the Jasmine Dragon together for months before breaking up.

Thinking about those days felt weird, so Mai found herself wandering to the counter to look at the menu to distract herself. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se Brews, how can I help you?" A face she had never seen before greeted enthusiastically. "This is a company from Ba Sing Se?" Mai raised a brow. "BSSB originally was a shop in Ba Sing Se exclusively but we got enough funds to take this little space for another location last year." The bubbly girl answered. "Oh." Mai replied, "Well, I don't think this location is small at all then." Her golden eyes skimmed the employee's name tag, which read "Y/N L/N". She looked back up at the menu before (Y/N) interrupted her train of thought.

"It's a little late to be out of the dorms, isn't it?" (Y/N) commented, guessing that Mai was still in college. "Yeah, well I don't have a dorm anymore. I share an apartment with my best friend, Ty Lee. It's down the street from Ember." Mai answered. "Oh my gosh, I go to Ember too!" The (h/c)-ed barista chirped. "Oh, what's your major?" The black haired junior raised a brow. "I'm undeclared at the moment, but I'll find something I'm interested in soon. I think so." The other college student answered. "Oh, okay. I haven't been here before and everything on the menu looks interesting." Mai continued the conversation. "You can't decide, huh? That's pretty common." (Y/N) concluded. "Yeah, I can't decide. What would you recommend?" Mai asked. "The (your favorite coffee/tea/smoothie) is my personal favorite. I can make one for you." The barista recommended it. "I'll get one of those."

"Since this is your first time trying it, I'll let you have it free. Just in case you don't like it." (Y/N) offered before yawning noisily. "It's a little late to be working, right?" Mai guessed, "You should close up and get some sleep." The other college student shook her head stubbornly. "I have a weird sleep schedule. Why spend 2 extra hours trying to sleep when I can get paid giving people caffeine instead?" (Y/N) explained. "I guess that's reasonable, but sleep is still essential for a productive day in general." Mai scolded her slightly. "You sound like my mom." "I'm not trying to, I promise." Mai insisted as (Y/N) started making her favorite drink.

~~~

"You know Jin Wu?" (Y/N) raised a brow in shock as they chatted at one of the open booths. "Yeah, she was a friend of Zuko's when he went to Ba Sing Se with his uncle. She has a thing for good tea, just like his uncle Iroh." Mai answered. "That's so cool. I haven't talked to her in a while but we grew up together. We were, like, best friends as kids. I still have Jin's phone number and things but I haven't had the chance to plan anything with her." She explained. "Ah, has the shop been keeping you busy?" Mai guessed observantly. "Yeah, actually."

(Y/N) let out a loud yawn as they gave Mai her coffee in a to-go cup. The barista adjusts a cardboard sleeve with the Ba Sing Se Brews logo onto the cup. Mai spaced out while (Y/N) was preoccupied with ensuring the coffee cup sleeve fit snugly. "Here you go." They smiled at the black-haired college student. "Thanks," Mai grinned before letting out a yawn of her own, "You should really close up shop now. Don't stay awake for me, you look really tired. Get some sleep." The barista frowned in disagreement before glancing down at their phone. Ugh, she's right. It's 12:30 already.

"Fine, fine." She grumbled hesitantly and took off their apron. "Good. Take care of yourself alright, I already have to tell Azula that on the regular." Mai insisted. "Wait! Let me give you my-"

It was a little too late for (Y/N) to give Mai her number. However, she noticed a slip of paper on the counter as the black haired young adult left with a cheeky wink. "Her number..." The barista whispered and cheerfully stuffed the piece of paper in her pocket.

Closing up the cafe for the rest of the night without smiling was difficult for (Y/N), and Mai was having just as much trouble keeping a smile off her face as she walked back to her dorm room.