Family Ties(Erwin x Levi)

Sickness

Stream rolled off the cup in droves as the water was poured into it. Levi eyed the imaginary line on the cup and finished pouring when the water had reached it. He knew exactly how much water to pour for a good cup of tea. The ratio was important, especially if milk was being added. Which, to this order, it was.

He grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge and added a careful splash of milk then dipped the teabag in a few times until it started to diffuse, spreading a warm hue of brown across the water. It turned lighter with the addition of the milk.

Levi reached for a small saucer and spoon, plated the cup of tea, and walked from behind the counter to a table where his customer, a short-haired woman seemingly in her late-twenties to early-thirties, sat with her laptop and work. She turned her head and nodded to him. "Thank you, Levi."

"No problem," he responded. The woman pulled out some money. "You already paid up front. Please."

"No, really. I'm glad for a place like this. Makes it easier to work." She smiled and adjusted her glasses. "A lot quieter than the office."

Levi made a sound and accepted the money, pocketing it. "Well, it's certainly better than those shitty Starbucks places."

"That it is," the woman agreed. She nodded her head, extending her hand. "Nico."

Levi shook her hand. "Let me know if you need anything. Just come up to the counter."

He went back and wiped down the counter before attending to another customer who was coming through the door with a stroller. Levi turned his head toward the back, subtly sending a whistle to grab his employee's attention. "Hey, Nifa, go help that customer who just came in. Get her a table."

Nifa peeked her head around the corner and stepped over the look. She immediately went to help the woman get the carriage over the slight bump in the doorframe and offered her a table with enough space to park the stroller. The woman looked at Nifa and asked apologetically, "Is it okay for me to bring my stroller in? I'm so sorry."

"No, no, it's okay," Nifa informed. "Go right over there and then we'll help you in a moment."

The woman thanked her graciously and brought the stroller over. Levi watched as she took a child out. The dark haired little girl couldn't have been older than three. She had a mess of black hair and clutched onto her mother's hand as she looked around and pointed at the decorations on the wall. Levi preferred a simple design plan to the overdone, busy designs of other coffee shops or cafe's. He'd wanted his shop to be a place where people could relax, take time for themselves or even get work done in a soothing environment.

Levi came over to the table and nodded. "What can I get you?" He asked, taking out a pad and a pen.

"I'll have an English breakfast tea and a muffin, if possible?" Asked the woman, sitting in a chair and bringing her daughter on her lap. The little girl stared at Levi with wide eyes.

"Right," Levi commented. "Anything else?"

The woman looked down and asked kindly, "What would you like, Ilse?"

Ilse rubbed at her face and looked up at her mother. "Cookie," she said in a babyish tone.

"We have those. Chocolate chip or oatmeal?" Levi asked, making a note on his paper.

"Chocolate chip should be fine. We're not picky. Oh, a milk too?"

Levi nodded and pocketed the pad and pen. "Right. Be with you again shortly." He turned and went behind the counter, making quick work of the order thanks to the already boiled water. He gloved up a hand and took out the muffin and cookie, putting them on a plate. Then, thinking about it, Levi took an extra, smaller cookie and put it atop the one already on the plate. Once the tea was ready, Levi took a small carton of milk and brought the order over. He placed it down in front of the woman and nodded. "There you go."