Quiet me from the drabble list, maybe for Elina?
[Coffee Shop AU Verse Go!!! Borrowing Synneva @resonatingfern ♥ ]
Elina’s pretty lax with her staff. Don’t break anything, be nice to customers, only talk back to idiots who start it. Don’t help students cheat.
It’s worked well, for the most part. The Choya Cafe’s won over most of the Academy’s student body, drawing customers away from the godawful sludge of Charrbucks - she’d like to think their relaxed atmosphere is much part of that as their drinks.
No, I don’t need to smile more. I’m management, not front-end staff. Rox, drop it - and go wake Eirsson up from his daydream, will you? He’s about to burn himself with that espresso.
There is, unfortunately, the rare occasion where this policy tests just how far she’s willing to let her staff go, when it comes to certain customers - and the biting sarcasm in Synneva’s voice from out front makes her frown and push away from her paperwork, calling her to just such a situation.
She’s not at all surprised to find her barista’s wrath pinned on one shorter sylvari male - Canach, if she recalls correctly. It’s always him that’s setting the other Norn off, lately, and while Synn is one of her best employees, she needs to cool it.
In more ways then one. Elina eyes the two of them, notes the body language, then clears her throat as she steps up beside the barista, stare hard as she eyes the sylvari.
“Canach, is it?” she asks, gaze steady, “You’ve been in quite a bit, recently. You used to work for Charrbucks, didn’t you?”
“Indeed I did. I find the atmosphere there lacking, these days.” the man answers, shooting a look at Synneva that makes her snort.
Elina only lifts an eyebrow. “What was your position?”
“Barista.”
“You any good?”
“Pft, obviously - one of the best, if I might say.”
“Boss,” Synn prods her, scowling, “What’re you-?”
“Good. Turn in your resume tomorrow, and you’ve got a job, if you want it.” Elina let’s herself smirk, crossing her arms, “After all your boasting, I’d like to see you prove your skills.”
Canach takes a moment to consider before grinning widely, chin lifted haughtily, “I’ll take that offer, thank you Elina. I’ll see you both tomorrow... friends.”
Both women are silent as the sylvari exits the Cafe, Elina holding her hand up when Synneva whips around to face her.
“Boss, you can’t be serious!”
“You two have been arguing for at least a month - maybe more. If he’s as good as he says, we’ll have another hand on deck for the crazy periods during exams. If not, you can rub it in his face. But.” Elina gets right in Synn’s space - not touching, but close enough to talk with no one else hearing, eyes narrowed - “Do not think I haven’t noticed whatever attraction there is between you two, either. I see it - fuck, I know Rox can tell, probably Eirsson, too. You tease him about his crush when you’re just as bad.”
“So do something about it, besides verbally ripping the mans head off every time he comes in my cafe. ‘Cause your arguing is chasing away students.” Elina takes a step back, gives her employee one last look, and smirks, “Just don’t break anything, or it’ll come out of your pay.”
She leaves Synn sputtering behind her, returning to her paperwork with a slight kick to her step. She let’s her staff get away with a lot - but boy, does it feel good to give it back, once in a while.