The Lost Soul's Nocturne (Sequel to The Solace Twins)

The Coffee Shop Dream Pt. 2

Nico walked into the quaint little shop hearing the bell signalling to those inside of his arrival. He was running late this morning having pulled an all nighter to complete his term paper. His backpack weighed heavy on his back reminding him of the workload. Nico releases a yawn as he approaches the counter. He didn't pay any mind to not having to avoid strangers, only intent on grabbing his cup and leaving. When he reaches the counter he doesn't find the familiar paper cup set aside for him. Instead he's met with an empty counter, and now that he thinks about it, an empty shop. The familiar scent of coffee grounds was missing as were the regulars he'd grown used to.

"Hello?" He calls out. Silence is all that greets him. Nico tries once more. He spins on his heel, checking the sign hanging from the front door. The sign says closed but the door was unlocked. Did they forget to lock up? The ebony-haired male shakes the thought from his mind. Skylar and Will were cautious despite their seemingly easygoing attitudes. Leaving his bag in a nearby booth Nico ducks behind the counter, heading into the back.

The store room looked as if it had been ransacked. Bags of coffee beans were strewn about the floor, some spilling out from gashes in the burlap. A pile of sugar continued to grow larger as the granules poured steadily out of a paper bag. An entire metal shelf had been knocked over, blocking most of the walkway. Underneath it was a pile of strange gold dust, edible glitter?

Nico frowned deeply at the mess, avoiding it as best he could and heading toward the back office. Hushed whispers reached his ears. They grew louder the closer he got to the small office past the store room. Through the yellow curtains covering the window he spied the amber glow of a lamp. Reaching for the door handle he pauses, allowing his hand to hover over it. Instead, he listens in.

"What the fuck are we going to do Will? This isn't exactly something we can go to the police with." Skylar chews on her lip, tearing at the skin. Her hand rested over her cheek, the small cut she received earlier began to recede. She spun the ring on her finger nervously, watching as her brother paced over the worn carpet. Gold dust caked his shoes and left a trail in his wake.

"I-I don't know Sky, I'm out of ideas here. They shouldn't have been able to find us in the first place. We were careful, and took every precaution to keep the monsters away." Will runs his fingers through his hair, pushing the locks from his face. He looked worn down, mirroring his sister's expression. "Isaac should be here soon. We can think of a plan once he gets here. Maybe we can salvage the situation."

Monsters? Nico frowned to himself, pressing his ear to the door. What kind of trouble have they gotten into?

"What if we can't? I'm...so sick of running away. We finally found something stable here, we're happy. You and Isaac have an apartment together, we run this place." Skylar gestures to the room around them. "Nico and I have really connected. I..really feel like he could be the one ya know?" A sudden gasp of realization leaves her. "Oh gods, Nico. Will, he'll be here any minute." She leaps out of her chair and heads for the door.

Nico hears the rapid footsteps and tries to take his leave. Only, as he backs away a toned chest blocks his path. Slowly, his head turns around to look up at what blocked his path. Alarmed chocolate brown eyes meet conflicted green orbs. He'd been caught. Isaac places a hand on his shoulder, releasing a sigh. One that made it seem as if the brunet was burnt out.

"Man, this is not how we expected you to find out."

Before Nico can even utter a word in question, the office door is thrown open. The twins exit the room only to stop just outside the doorway. All the color seemed to drain from Skylar's face. Will let out a quiet curse from behind her. He crossed his arms over his chest, subtly kicking his toe against the ground in an attempt to rid himself of the dust.