Bet ~Jean x Reader AU~

Chapter 7: Doe

"Long time no see," the barista smiled at me as I shuffled into the café.

I nodded, grinning, "Yeah. Just got back into the swing after the break." I reached the counter and beamed, "How have ya been?"

He made his way to the cash register and shrugged, "Can't complain. Getting back into the swing of classes myself, work is still booming, and all that jazz. Did you enjoy going back to h/p?"

"Eh," I replied. "Less or more, really."

"True," he giggled. "The usual order?"

"You know me so well, Bertolt," I giggled.

He chuckled at me and placed in the order, the till's keys chirping with each tap of his fingers. He worked swiftly, his hands moving quickly. I went ahead and dug into my bag, fishing out my wallet so that way I could pay for my order. The refreshing scent of brewing coffee and tea swirled and mixed with the café's perfume of books and older furniture. It was all so quaint and peaceful and something I needed.

"That'll be $3.15," Bertolt beamed, bringing his warm gaze to mine.

I pulled out a five-dollar bill and passed it to him, shrugging, "Keep the change."

"You got it," he nodded, gingerly taking the money from me. "Your order will be right up."

I only smiled in response and watched as he got to work. He moved quickly, grabbing a Styrofoam cup from a stack and scribbling my name on it. from there, he went over to one of the hefty machines. He pulled a few levers and the magic of my Frappuccino began taking form. I didn't care if it was winter. I still wanted my favorite caffeinated treat, even if it was a treat known to be more popular during the warmer months. Regardless, it was exactly what I needed.

After a few moments of waiting, he finished my order by putting some whipped cream on it and passed it to me, grinning, "One medium caramel mocha Frappuccino for the lady. Oh." I took my drink and he held up his index finger, signaling for me to wait. He bent down and brought out a muffin, adding, "And a large banana nut (if at any time there's food/drinks you don't like or can't have, then just replace it with whatever you prefer 😊) all for here."

I smiled, sighing, "But I didn't pay for that. Here let me -"

Bertolt waved his hands dismissively and said, "Don't worry about it. Consider your extra change as the payment."

"But that still doesn't cover it all," I protested.

"Y/N, it's fine," he grinned warmly. "Consider it a gift."

I breathed in a breath and sighed in defeat, "Alright. Thank you."

An expression of warmth sprinkled across his features as kindness blanketed his eyes. He scratched the back of his neck, a soft scarlet tint dusting across his cheeks only adding some sort of purity to him.

"Don't mention it," he replied sweetly. "Enjoy."

"You know I will," I chuckled.

I turned and began for the main sitting area. It was a quiet hour for the shop, so few people were actually there. In fact, by the looks of it, the café was pretty dead. The sitting area was bare of any life, only the furniture of vast styles and sizes sat upon the room. Shelves lining the walls were filled with multiple types of books and knickknacks, all matching the quaint atmosphere of the shop perfectly. To be honest, I always found it cozy and very homey which was a feeling I always appreciated.

I snagged a seat at one of the many empty tables in the far right and claimed it as my own. I slid into the chair, allowing its thick cushion to conform to my bum, the air trapped in its material puffing out beneath my weight. I began to situate myself, placing my order to the side as I gathered a few of my things. I placed my sketchbook down before me and opened to a clean page. It was my personal book, so it held none of the school work or notes. Instead, it housed all my latest works. Still drawings of flowers and fruit, images of people smiling, and a bunch of different sketches I had compiled over the last few weeks. It wasn't anything magnificent by any means, but it was something.