Salem walked into her and Vondila's favorite cafe. She desperately needed coffee at the moment. She had barely slept last night going over drive and making potions. Hell in her work she had let some potion and grief seed lotion mix together and dry making a glittery dust. She needed to figure out if it did anything still. She took in a deep breath and let the cafe's smells fill her head. Coffee, tea and pastries. That scent needed to be condensed down so she could live in it. She walked up to the counter and looked over the menu quickly to see if there was anything new.
Bridgette had heard of the Morsons before. Mysterious pair of sisters and regular customers. She could recognize this girl as a member of the elusive pair, but she'd never exactly met them herself. And given that she'd only been in town for about a month, she was still figuring everything out. She offers the girl a smile and a wave. "Good morning, what are you looking for today?"
Salem looked over the barista, she was pretty and her blue hair seemed to draw her in. "Good morning!" She smiled. Was she new? She really couldn't remember being too sleep deprived. "I will get a large latte with five shots of espresso and a blueberry muffin." Was five shots too much? But four didn't seem like it was enough.
Bridgette nodded. "4.65! Long night behind you, or long night ahead of you?" She grabbed a cup and scribbled something on the side before grabbing the biggest muffin in the case. It was also the one that she'd spilled extra blueberries into, and that she'd spilled some of the cinnabun's glaze onto, but she hoped the other girl wouldn't mind. Such pretty hair, and so polite... She slid the muffin onto the counter as well with a smile.
Salem laughed a little. "Both?" That wasn't a question. "Both." She repeated more firmly. She pulled the exact change out of her pocket along with a good tip. The muffin looked amazing, it looked bigger than normal and she was thankful for that. "If coffee didn't taste as good as it did I would get an IV drip of it." She joked. She felt safe and calm right now and she missed that feeling so much.
Bridgette laughed. "I'm pretty sure I've had that option on the secret menu before, they only do drips of decaf." She put the money into the register and passed the other girl her receipt. "So, worth it, but only barely."
Salem snorted a bit in her laugh. She covered her mouth as her face turned dark, the lighter mark going near red. "Thanks. Next time I'll try it." She moved her hand and smiled.
Bridgette turned to start making the coffee. "Maybe it'll be on the house, they're always looking for new Guinea pigs."
Salem nodded and watched the girl make the coffee. "I'll do it as long as there isn't too much paperwork."
She giggled and pulled it to another station to add the pumps. "No paperwork, all off the books."
Salem laughed. "I'm in." She stopped herself from making a joke about how being off the books was her life but that would freak the other out without going into everything and even then what sane person would believe her.
Putting the top onto the cup was easy-peasy, and afterwards she slid it to the other. "Perfect. My kinda girl." She waved. "I hope you like the coffee, maybe it'll get you through tonight?" Scribbled on the side of the cup was a puppy with a coffee cup, the patch on the dog's face similar to the one on salem's own.
Salem noticed the doodle and smiled. "Thanks! This should make things a lot easier." She wish she could stay in that moment forever but reality wouldn't let her. "Have a good day!" She beamed as she left. If only reality wasn't a bitch.
Bridgette waved again, trying not to blush as she leaned on the counter. She hoped it wouldn't be too long until she saw the other girl again...
//
Salem shivered a bit as she walked into the cafe. It had been a few days since she was there last. She had been trying so hard to keep Vondila together but today she had things todo. And no better way to start things off then with coffee and some nice chatter with the cute barista. She saw the blue hair and let her worries fade a little. "Good morning!" She smiled and looked over the menu. She wasn't as sleep deprived today as she was last time which was nice.
In the time since Bridgette had seen the other girl, she'd watched the finale for one of her favorite shows six times to try and wrap her head around the ending, and finished two scarves. She lit up and waved her greeting. "Morning! You look good, try the coffee IV without me here?" She hoped the joke wouldn't fall flat. Sometimes customers forgot their rapport, and it was fine, but something about this girl made her really hope for it...
Salem laughed at the joke. "Ya showed up an hour before opening and you boss hooked me up." She responded. "Caffeine in the blood sure does get your heart a pumping."
Bridgette giggled. "Decaf only drips right now for that promotion." She shook her head. "But, what's the poison this time?"
"Placebo works to." She wanted to get her sister something. She could easily run it home from here and then get on with her day. "Three drinks today, a large mocha with caramel." Chocolate and caramel were the perfect combo. "A large latte with almond milk. And lastly its a little weird but a large cup filled with nothing but espresso shots." She and Vondila teased each other about ordering it one day. They called it "espresso deatho" so maybe she could cheer Von up a bit with the joke drink. "And two chocolate croissants please."
For a moment, she wondered how she was supposed to ring the last one up. After a second of debating with herself, she rings up the first two drinks, and then a "large tea, no tea, add 50 espresso shots" and hoped it would be enough. She nods. "So, we're going for a quick and painful death with that one?" She added her own discount. "7.20"
Salem shrugged as she pulled out the money with a large tip. It was a weird order like hell was she going to not tip. "Sometimes you need an espresso deatho." She sat the money on the counter, 7.20 with 3 dollars for a tip. When you have bottomless money she was going to tip every service worker to the point they have a living wage off her tips.
Bridgette smiled. The tips from this girl were always bigger than usual, and given that she'd nixed the 15 dollar cup of espresso from the order, she wasn't going to complain. "So that's what you're calling it? What's it taste like?"
Salem looked her dead in the eyes. "Death." She dead panned, she left a pause and added. "I have no idea really its a joke drink between my twin and I. She needs to pick me up so hey lets get her an espresso deatho. I will try it though and will get back to you on that." Explaining her weird inside joke with Von was embracing but like how else do explain something so ridiculous.
She nodded. That made... much more sense. "Alright, then in that case, I'll toast you with a straight shot of espresso before you go. Just in the spirit of it, right?" She offered the receipt before she turned and bent over so she could grab the fresher chocolate croissants from under the counter. She wasn't willing to give her current-favorite customer the early-morning and almost-stale croissants. "Just let me get started on them?"
"Sounds like a plan." Salem noticed that the croissants were pulled from under the counter. Maybe they were fresher, she would have to remember that for next time. "Alright then." She looked over the receipt quickly and noticed the tea, no tea, 50 espresso shots. That was a lot.
Bridgette set the espresso machine up for filling the huge cup, intent on keeping the damage to a minimum. While that happened, she made the other two drinks. "It should be around there, don't worry about it. It's not a problem. Not many people get espresso shots on Tuesdays anyways."
Salem sighed. If this joke inconvenienced more people she would die of embarrassment. "That's good to hear." She played with her hair a bit. If Vondila was the one ordering she would have had no problems but she wasn't her twin. She shook her head and pushed those thoughts aside. She came here to avoid reality for a little bit not have her head push everything in her face more. "It never seems busy here Tuesdays. Though I will say Sundays used to be the best here and do homework." She would wait there for Vondila to come back from a witch hunt or help her twin with school work.
Bridge slid her the first cup, nodding. "Sundays are peaceful. I open pretty much every day, and there's nothing like getting to see the people trickle in, ready for work, only to filter out again. It's nice! Do you think you're going to start coming back on sundays?"
Salem shrugged. "Sundays can be one of two ways for me peaceful or hell and I wish there was an in-between." Witch battles were stressful and she didn't even fight in them!
Bridgette nodded. "In that case, I get it. But... whenever you are free, I'm always here in the mornings." She slid her the second cup, then turned to the espresso machine. Still chugging away...
Salem smiled. "Then I'll have to come more in the mornings then." She looked at the espresso machine. It looked like death.
Finally, it sputtered to a stop, just inches from the top. She'd almost thought her eyeballed calculations were wrong, but luckily not. She grabbed two tiny plastic cups and got one single shot of espresso in each, and passed one to the girl before setting the larger cup on the counter. "A toast to a little death?" She offered, holding her own espresso shot in the air.
Salem took the offered shot and held it up. "To a little death." She downed the shot and set the cup down. "Thanks for that." She beamed. She picked up the drinks and food. "I'll see you soon-" She didn't know her name. Shit.
Bridgette waved as she watched her leave again. Another nice encounter, another nice exit. Wait... was she weird for watching the other girl leave like that? She shook her head and pressed her face into her hands. When she's sure she's alone, blushing to herself, she smiles. "Bye..."
//
Salem stood outside of the cafe the next day. Was it weird to come back so soon? She also regretted getting Von the joke drink, her twin tried to drink the whole thing in one go and they ended up physically fighting over the drink till it was everywhere... Okay don't tell the nice barista that. Just say that her twin liked the joke and it tasted like pure espresso on crack. Was that good? How could she be this thrown off by some barista? She was nice, funny and pretty. Maybe hot? She felt nothing sexual towards the barista but that was the case for everyone for her. She was attractive. And she was standing outside not doing anything cause she's thinking more than just doing. Whatever happens she would leave today with the barista's name maybe number? so she could stop calling her the cute barista with Von. She walked into the cafe and smiled at the barista. "Good morning!" She greeted trying to stop her nerves from getting to her. She wished she had her sister's confidence.
Twice in a row? Bridgette blinked in surprise, then smiled. She had her dog inside the cafe today- a compromise between her, her boss, and the dog sitter that was too long for comfort and was, fortunately for her and unfortunately for the pup, notarized, so her chubby little corgi was sniffing her ankles. "Hey! Morning! How'd the dying go?" She leans on the counter, hoping her dog doesn't act up. If her favorite customer doesn't notice the dog, then she's fine. Unless the favorite customer loved dogs?
Salem smiled at the other and walked up to the counter. "Good. It didn't taste so good though. That much espresso is no longer tastes like espresso somehow." She explained. That wasn't what she was thinking about saying originally but it came out better. She hoped. "Von liked the joke at least."
Bridgette snorted at that. She couldn't argue, she'd have atleast added some sweetener and flavoring to that much espresso. Buttercup, on the other hand, had switched to licking her ankles, and it was hard not to giggle. "I'm glad to hear it! Sounded like she was needing it."
Salem laughed along with Bridgette. "That for sure." Don't dump your problems on this girl. Don't dump your problems on this girl. Don't dump your problems on this girl. Don't dump your problems on this girl. Repeated in her head. "So think I'm going to spice things up today." She leaded on the counter. Was it okay to do that? "I will get a Chi tea latte with a shot of espresso and a pump of caramel." It was more complex than normal but damn was it a good drink. Today she didn't eat food no matter how much she wanted it. She had breakfast with her twin this morning. She was just here for a drink and a name. That's it.
Bridgette nodded sharply. "Spice we shall! I like the sound of that." She put it into the register and grabbed a cup, adding a doodle of her own corgi before she took a step backwards to the tea. "Whip or no whip? Ice or no ice?" She glanced up again.
"Yes, no." She answered. She pulled out the money including her generous tip, that equaled the coast of the drink. Odd she didn't think about pulling that much out. Jeez sometimes magic was weird, whatever that was the tip now. "So I don't think I caught your name." Good ask for her name that's it. How did you not get it on day one? You'll never know.
Bridgette pushed the money back to her, shrugging. "Keep it, on the house. Bridgette. You?" Was this the golden opportunity for furthering whatever was going on with this cute girl? Her cheeks must have gotten hot, because Buttercup sat on her feet heavily.
"Oh okay." Salem looked at the cash and then looked at the tip jar. "Salem." She answered. Her morals told her to put in the jar but at the same time a normal person would just take the free drink. She internally sighed and waited till Bridgette wasn't looking and stuffed the money into the tip jar. She wasn't normal. Bridgette. That name suited the girl. Really well.
Bridgette glanced down at her dog, the puppy only looking back up at her with pouting eyes. Why was Buttercup being clingy now? "Salem? Like- witch trials and pretty girl names?" She looked back up, trying to weasel her shoes out from under her lump of a dog. "I like it."
Salem's lit up at the pretty girl comment. She ignored the comment about the witch trials, she was used to that one by now. At least she wasn't some weird version of Vondila so they could match. "Tha-nks." She stuttered out. She took a deep breath in, now was not the time to panic. DON'T PANIC. She looked over to see what the other was having a problem with and saw the dog. "Is that a dog?" She asked. Not everyday you see one in a cafe but it was so cute!! Bridgette and a cute puppy? score!
Bridgette froze. "You're not going to report her, right?" She laughed, finally stepping back from the offending sleepy puppy. It was a quiet day in the cafe, but the dog was still doing her best to cause problems.
Salem looked Bridgette in the eyes. "Why would I report a cuties cute puppy?" She asked confused then realized what exactly came out. Great going just spill that can of beans out. Good job Salem. "What's her name?" She hoped that would cover up the other comment about calling Bridgette a cutie. Like who does that?? If Vondila was here she wouldn't be dealing with this. But if Vondila was here she might have not even noticed Bridgette in the first place.
Bridge's face got warmer, the color probably showing in her cheeks. "Buttercup. And some people are picky about animals- but it's a slow day and my dogsitter can't see her today. So, puppy. A very lazy puppy who likes to sit on mama's feet when she's talking to pretty girls!" She directed the latter half of the sentence to the dog, as if Buttercup would have a reaction other than an exaggerated sigh.
Salem's face got hot like too hot. Why did she keep having to call her pretty? "Buttercup is a cute name." She really needed to focus on something, anything other than being called cute. What would Vondila do? Flirt back. Yeah that wasn't something she was good at. Vanessa? Flirt. Mariana? Offer candy, can't do that, no candy. Percy? No idea. Yup there she was out of ideas. Flirt or don't flirt that was the question. "Don't worry I'll keep her a secret."
Bridgette looked back up at her. "Yeah! Just between us. And... if you want, just between us, we could walk her sometime? She's not always lazy, I promise." She nudged her dog with her foot as she got back to making the drink. "And a walk could be fun, right?"
Salem liked the idea of that. Spending more time with Bridgette then just ordering coffee. "Sounds like a date." She snapped and pointed finger guns till her brain processed what she said. "Itdoesn'thavetobelikeadateitcouldyouknow...um" She really didn't know what to say before it could all be taken as flirting but that comment with the flirting god. She was stupid so stupid.
Bridgette took that moment to put a mountain of whipped cream on the drink, following it with a cherry and a straw. "We can get there when we get there?" She offered slowly. She was still pretty new to town, but... if the other girl was ready, she was ready. That said, she wasn't sure that the other girl was ready. Very blushy and nervous. Adorable and blushy and nervous, but blushy and nervous nonetheless.
Salem nodded, "Sorry I'm just bad with this sort of thing." She admitted, really every date she'd been on in the past end with her sister fighting off the person Belladona or they no longer held interest in her once they found out she was asexual. "I like you and I just don't want to mess up is." She added on quietly.
"I," Bridgette set the drink down. "Am not good either. Just got out of a long, long relationship. So easy and slow, whatever you want, is good with me." She smiled. "Trust me, neither me nor Buttercup bite."
Salem nodded. So they were having a heart to heart good. That was good. "Well all I know is I want to get to know you better Bridgette." And it was good to hear that they don't bite. Last person that could bite hurt her sister and was now hurting her again "I don't bite either. But I can't promise that my twin wont have ten thousand questions." That was true Von would want to know everything about anyone that Salem dated and vise versa.
Bridgette shrugged and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "She could ask me anything in the world, I'm just me. Nothing special here." She had a few questions of her own, namely what Salem's favorite kind of flowers were, and what her movie habits were. Did she like movies?
Salem didn't like that she called herself nothing special. "I think you're special. You make great lattes and have an adorable dog. That's special." She stated. Depending on how things go maybe she could get Bridgette a necklace charm like hers that projects her from witches. Not one that could let her into the sanctuary just protect her better.
Bridgette shrugged. "Maybe? Maybe. I think it's okay to be unimportant. I'm not looking for the spotlight, just a little apartment by the beach and a fat puppy and some honest work. How about you?"
Salem kinda got that. What she said was something she would say to help a magi. She was so used to keeping magi from despairing that she started to forget about herself and her own dreams. She still wanted to help magi but she also wanted to make more fashion. She makes most of Von and her clothes and she made that dress for Nessa, even though she has never seen her in it. "I would love to open a store to sell clothes in. I make most of my twin's and mine." She just let her mind wonder. "Something by the beach." That way it could be close to the sanctuary. "I want to share what I can do with people." She wanted to create and help.
Bridgette smiled. "I knit- only really scarves! What if, until you got to the point you were ready to start making a store, you donated some? The local place can always use it, and I love your outfits!" She leaned forwards. "And one day, if you need any help with the shop by the beach, me and my dog will be there?"
Salem smiled back. She really should donate. Like she donates money but always within reason but things would be easier. "Ya, I should donate some stuff." She agreed. "I would love the help when the time comes. Maybe you could knit things and Buttercup can be the mascot, cause really she’s too cute for a guard dog."
"Guard dog?" Bridgette looked down at her roly-poly-puppy. "You'd be surprised. She can hold her own pretty well." Absentmindedly, she rubs her shoe over the dog's stomach, gently rubbing the tummy and making Buttercup roll onto her back. "She's a good dog."
Salem laughed a little. "Then sometimes the strongest things are in the cutest packaging."
Bridgette laughed and nodded. "Oh yeah, definitely. Have you tried the drink yet?" She asked the obvious question. "Seen how you like this one?"
Salem realized she had in fact not tasted the drink too caught up in discussion. She took a sip and it was perfect. The chi, coffee and caramel tasted like perfection. "It's perfect." She took the cherry off the top and popped it into her mouth pulling out the stem. For a second she debated tying it with her tongue but she thought it was best not to. A useless skill for her to have but she learnt how to as a kid with Von.
Bridgette nodded. "Great! I'm glad. And..." she grabbed a napkin and scribbled her number down. "Now it's really perfect." She tucked the napkin into Salem's hand, smiling as their fingers brushed.
Salem smiled down at the napkin. She had her name and number score! "I'll text you as soon as I'm done." She held up the drink. "Have a good day you two." She nodded. She might not have a normal job but she still had a job and was late. But hey anyone that mattered will 100% understand why she was late.
Bridgette waved as she left, hoping that she'd get the text soon. And, of course, she descended to give her annoying puppy kisses. "Who got a cute girl for mama, hm, hm?"