Modern chiscara

Chapter 1: First meeting

Childe pov:


Today was yet another day of a boring barista life, serving customers with a smile, hiding the slight boredom and tiredness beneath

As I finished getting out of the shower, I put on my shirt and fixed my hair, making it messy to give myself the cute boy aesthetic.

I did my skincare, to look flawless and young as always. I received multiple comments about my attractive appearance, and many were asking if I had plans to be a model.


As I look at myself in the mirror, I wonder what purpose I had and if I were on the right track at life.


I craved excitement and challenges, so I aspired to be an actor or singer, however, my grandma opened a Cafe and had no one reliable to help with her. So here I was, being a barista instead of the celebrity I was meant to be.


Luckily, many other applied as workers too, giving me more free time to think about my future.

Right now, I don't have a girlfriend. I used to have one in highschool but we both decided we were better off as friends. Lumine, my childhood friend, she's a pretty girl and I'm a popular guy, many of my schoolmates shipped us both so we ended up dating just for the fun of it.

It lasted 3 months before lumine came up to me with a sad face, I was a bit disappointed but accepted her decision nonetheless. We remained friends and now that I think about it, maybe it wasn't such a bad decision after all.

Now, she was dating some guy from Fontaine, a magician if I remember from our calls.

Perhaps when I find myself actually wanting to do something with my life, I'll make songs or even make a band to spice up this boring 21-year-old life.

And when I get insanely rich and handsome, I'll get myself a pretty, loyal, and kind girl.


I sighed before looking at my clock, 4:26 am, I should be in the cafe by 5 am. Luckily, it wasn't so far from my house. But I wasn't one to be possibly late, so I quickly put on my coat, and boots, then I hurried outside when I locked my door.


The streets were expectedly empty, it was early morning after all.


I opened Spotify and played some music to help me relax and enjoy this walk, not like I never enjoyed walks, I loved them, especially early mornings and late nights.


It was snowing, and I reached out my hand to touch a snowflake. I smiled before continuing my walk to the Fatui Cafe.


As I got closer and closer, I could already see Signora and Capitano playing with stray cats outside.

A few cats have found their home in the cafe, probably because it was comfy and warm outside. We didnt mind, it attracted a lot of visitors and the cats provided as a stress relief after work.


Signora turned to me and chuckled, "Look who's here."



Capitano then turned to me, still holding a cat.


"Greetings, Childe." He said with a smile, still holding a black kitten, "Sandrone is preparing the pastries inside. We were waiting for you."

"Outside, with cats?"

They both laughed before petting the cats and going inside, I followed after them, taking off my coat and feeling the warm air in the cafe.


Sandrone waved at me when I entered, I returned the gesture before approaching the staff room and putting on my uniform.

It was a white dress shirt, followed by a black and red apron with our names on it.

A friend of mine, Pantalone, designed this for us. A simple outfit, but it worked.


Once I exited the room, I found Signora beside a table waiting for me.


Despite our usual bickering, she was fun to be around and understood me a little bit too well.


"Guess what."


"What?"


"Pantalone offered us to expand the area."


"Oh? That's great!" I replied.


"It was a deal, actually, we have to add more of his disgusting ideas to our menu in exchange for an expansion."


"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."







It was now 6:30, the cafe opening time.

Aside from Signora, Sandrone, and Capitano, the other 4 workers arrived just in time.

I could already see customers heading inside, and they happily inhaled the aroma of fresh pastries and coffee beans.


Sandrone tapped her fingers at the register, I always found her doing that whenever she was impatient or excited.

As Signora and I got out first orders, we immediately headed to work.

===============


I wiped the sweat off my face with my hand, then I looked at the clock.

11:36

It was almost lunch, the busiest time of the cafe.

I looked around to see the customers happy and chatting with each other. It created a lively atmosphere that the cafe was always known for.

The bell ringed, meaning that another had entered.

This time, it was a group of 4 friends.

One of them was Aether, Lumines brother and one of my friends.

I didn't know the others, although one of them caught my eye.

He was pushing away a blonde girl with an eye patch, and as I looked at him more, I was captivated by the sheer beauty of the stranger.


I began to unconsciously stare at the stranger, his indigo hair, his perfect red eyeliner, his face and pale skin...and-


"Got a crush, Ajax?" Signora teased.

I turned red before finally looking away, as if breaking away from a spell that pretty stranger had on me.


"Oh, so you did have a crush." She smirked at my reaction, I had the urge to just slap her and shut her mouth.

Capitano was interested at the event, so he joined in.

"What's this all about? Is Signora bullying you again?"


"Ajax was staring at the group, I dunno if it's the blonde girl or the one with twin tails."

"What if it's a guy?"

Signora gasped dramatically before turning to me, "you're gay?"

I hate them both with every inch of my body.


Sandrone gave us the group's orders, Capitano and Signora got to work...but I was occupied with admiring the stranger.


Aether noticed me and waved, I approach him without second thought, hoping that this was a chance to talk with the pretty stranger.


"Long time no see, comrade!" I pat Aether's shoulder as we both walked to their table.


"How have you been, Ajax?"


"Feeling good as always! So, who're these friends of yours, if I may ask?"


"They're my close friends! We just moved to Snezhnaya, actually. We achieved the goal of living together!"


If that meant that they'll be living in Snezhnaya from now on...then that'll mean he had a chance to hangout with the indigo haired guy.


"Snezhnaya's not a bad place, I must say." The girl with twin tails said.


"One must agree, this Land of snow has captured the attention of the Prinzzessin Der Verurteilong!" The blonde one said


I was confused and looked at Aether for help, which he nervously smiled.


"Uh...Let's speak normally, Fischl." He said.


"Hmph, Fine!" The one I assume was Fischl, pouted, crossing her arms in an angry manner.


"Anyways, since you already know Fischl. The guy over there glaring at you is Scaramouche, and the girl beside him is Mona!."


"You certainly have the strangest friends, comrade..." I joke, patting Aether's back lightly before he teasingly punched my chest, "As if you don't hang out in a kid's playground with two seniors and a grown woman."


"Hey, what's wrong with that? They have a bit of our humour!"

"Oh please, I bet the only things they know are basic slangs."

"Hahaha! Next time, I'll drag you to meet them, they're fun to be with!"

===========


Scaramouche


Scaramouche....


I repeatedly chant the name 'Scaramouche', I was left to only dream, since I wasn't confident enough to ask Aether or Scaramouche himself for his number

He looked strangely familiar, but i brushed it off as seeing him once in Aether's Instagram posts.

As my shift ended, Pantalone called and suggested a hangout in the nearby McDonald's.

Luckily, Dottore finished teaching, Columbina and Arlecchino were on a day off, and the two old men were down for the idea.


So now, Arlecchino picked everyone up and drove to McDonald's.

We got in the van, large enough to fit 12 people.
All of us started to talk about our lives, and it ended up with Pierro trauma dumping

"So... who's paying?" Arlecchino said when the car reached a stop light.

All of us slowly turned our head to Pantalone.


He sighed.


"Oh yeah, that was obvious." She snickered.

"Hmph, consider this my treat." Pantalone laughed, but I knew that behind that smile was a plot to murder everyone for using him as a bank (which he actually was)




Once we finally found a space in the parking lot, I immediately went out while the car was still moving.


"What the fuck, man?!" Arlecchino shouted and stopped the car when she realized the door was open and that I went out.


"Can't have a little fun? Besides, you just parked!"


"That could've hurt you, or even us." Dottore said mockingly, covering his grin with his hand.


"Whatever, let's go before a hell of a line forms."