Pumpkin Spice
Doflamingo should know better than going to a coffee shop. He wouldn’t have normally, but his ‘coffee machine’ broke after spilling a coffee all over him. Now his office was in the middle of being cleaned up and he forgot where the metal coffee machine was. So he was left to go to a shop for a caffeinated beverage.
Walking into the tiny shop, he was hit with a warm nutty smell. Looking around the place seemed to lean into the idea of luxury. With dark brown leather chairs and sleek white tables. Walls in a dark charcoal gray, with dark wood accents. The accents matched the leather chairs, making the whole thing look more cohesive. The floor looked to be a recycled wood, with the variation in wood grain. It was stained to have a slightly lighter color of brown than the chairs. All in all, not a bad place. Though he would have liked more color. Like a pink flamingo on the empty wall. Yeah, that would really draw the eye to it.
Other than the fact there were a bunch of people here, it wasn’t that bad. He didn’t want to wait in line, but he also didn’t want to get back to his office yet. A line was a great reason to stay a bit longer. So he let it slide.
“Hello. What can I help you with today?” The barista said, smiling at him. Doflamingo never met a more blinding smile. The boy looked to be able 16 years old. With a small scar on his left cheek.
“Pumpkin spice latte.” Doflamingo said, trying not to look at the smile. How does someone get to be so bright?
“Pump lat! Got it.” The boy cheered.
“Huh? No- “Doflamingo said, but the boy walked away from him. He heard a sigh from behind him. Turning around, he saw the most beautiful person ever. Even with the scar across his face, Doflamingo couldn’t think of a more beautiful person.
He glared a little back at Doflamingo. Which only made him prettier. “AH! DAD!” the boy called.
“Luffy, what is that drink?” the man asked, pointing to Doflamingo's drink.
The boy looked down then up and smiled, “Pump Lat!”
“It’s supposed to be a pump spicy lat.” The man said, sounding a little like he was speaking a whole other language for a moment.
“OH! ops.” The boy turned and ran off. Making a new drink.
“Sorry about him.” The man said, crossing his arms. “I thought him getting a job would help him learn to listen more.”
“Well, I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it.” Doflamingo said, happy for the chance to talk with the beauty. It wasn’t often that he met someone as beautiful as this.
“Here you go!” Luffy said, giving the drink over.
Doflamingo waited a moment to pay. He wouldn’t have bothered waiting, but he didn’t want the boy’s father to be mad at him later. Not when he wasn’t done talking to him. The boy seemed lost at why he was still standing there. Even going as far as to tilt his head. “How much will it be?” Doflamingo asked.
“Hm oh it’s free.” Luffy said, and he wanted to tell the boy that wasn’t how things worked. But the loud sigh behind him told him that the father was already going to do that.
“Go,” the man said, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
Doflamingo looked around to see people watching. The younger ones looking at the barista. The older ones looking at the father. Things began clicking in his head. The reason that this shop was filled with people. Why they were busy even with a barista that couldn’t get your order right?
He wanted to stay too, but his phone chimed. It is his family, Pika. They finished cleaning up and now he could go back. Not that he wanted to. Well, he could come back again. Plus, it was annoying seeing all these people watching what was going to be his.
After that it was easy to show up at the cafe. Some days they had more people, other days they were just waiting for the father to show up. Doflamingo would drink his coffee using the method the boy noticed last time. Calling his drink spicy was not something he agreed with, but whatever it took to get it right.
When the father showed up again, he listened to Doflamingo order and was shocked. “You order like that now?” He asked.
Doflamingo knew this was his chance. His opening to talk with the man and was not going to let others mess it up. “I do. I have children that have their own needs, too. It helps to speak in their language. Plus, it gets me the right drink. Mr… I never got your name.”
“Crocodile. Well, I’m glad that you are getting the right drink,” Crocodile said, looking away from him.
“Nice to meet you, Crocodile. Would you like to sit and chat for a bit? Maybe this job isn’t suited for your son, but there could be others. If you tell me more, I can find a place that might suit him more.”
Crocodile looked at him with little to no trust. It wasn’t like he didn’t that people came here to see them. It was part of the reason he didn’t want Luffy closing alone. Even if one of his friends had to come pick him up. Luffy couldn’t be left here for something to happen. “What are you-“
“I have a few connections that might help, is all. You don’t have to take me up on it. But, personally, I wouldn’t mind having a barista that could get orders right the first time.”
“You think you can help?” Crocodile asked, crossing his arms.
If there was anything about Doflamingo, it was he was confident. He would find Luffy a place that he belonged easily. It wouldn’t even be hard for him to do so. “I know I can. For the price of one dinner with you.”
