Life in Fae Valley

Au: City Life

"Oh come oooon Lucy just ask him out already!! You know you two would be the perfect couple."

"Be serious Nat, he comes in here twice a week for a cinnamon roll and an iced latte, we've shared like maybe ten words. There's no way he'd say yes to me!"

Natalie was leaning across the counter while Lucy swept the floor, the two having just opened up shop for the day. Lucy owned the establishment, fittingly named 'Lucky Lu's Place For You.'

And that's pretty much what it was. This little corner shop café was cosy and easily created a sense of belonging... A sense of home. Many people from all stages and corners of life came here for the delicious goods this café had to offer. When a serious accident had forced Natalie to leave her job at the police force, she didn't know where to go... She had spent years drowning out her environment with pain medication, food, and mindless entertainment...

It was Lucy who helped her get off her feet. She knew all her regulars and knew what they were like... Easily able to tell when someone needed help.

And help she did.

She had hired Natalie the moment she heard she needed a job and patiently showed her how to do everything. How to work the coffee machine, how to make latte art, how to bake, so forth. Thankfully, Natalie was a quick learner and this busy bustling environment kept her mind busy and her hands at work.

They had grown a strong bond over the years of working together, and had considered their relationship to be something like sisterhood. Sisterhood they shared with the neighbouring beauty salon, it's beautiful owner currently perched on one of their chairs, staring at the café owner.

Missy Carlson, the queen of gossip and beauty.

Even on what she called a bad day she was beautiful, and that beauty wasn't just external. She had a good heart as well, and a strong marriage with her own husband Eddie, who worked at the same car repair shop as Lucy's brother Dante.

"Don't be a wimp Lucy, you've seen how he looks at you! That firefighter is head over heels for you, he goes all red in the face, even redder than his hair! That freckled ginger looks at no one else but you when he walks in here" Missy chuckled, resting her head on her hand. "I'll tell you what. You ask him out, make it a double date. Nat then has to ask out that big shy lug she eye's whenever he's in here."

Natalie gasped as she heard this and quickly leaned over to give her friend a light punch in the shoulder, blushing heavily. "As if! We haven't even spoken a word to each other, there's no way he'd say yes!" She laughed, rolling her eyes a bit as she then stood back, fixing her apron though paused as she saw Lucy staring at her.

"What?"

"I mean... It's not a bad idea. They're brothers, you know. Chuck and Brandy. A double date I think would keep all four of us at ease."

Silence filled the air as they stared at each other, finally snapping out of thought when Missy sighed and stood up. "Well, while you two love struck puppies try figure out what to do, this poodle has to go open up shop. Toodles!" She called as she left, the ball of the door jingling its cheery tune as she left... Just to jingle again a moment later as their first client of the day stepped in.

For now, the topic of dates had to be pushed to the back burner. They had work to do, and it was Friday, their busiest day of every week.

As time krept on, they saw many of their usuals. Ford, the flirtatious police officer who Nat once was on the force with. Eliot and Lizzy, the nature rights activists with hearts of gold and brains full of pot. Ziggy, the art student who Lucy always teased Natalie about since the crush he had on her was blatantly obvious. JD, Natalie's old work partner and current best friend other than Lucy and Missy. A handful of others as well, though two were still missing to pop by...