I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY :DDDD I WANTED YOUR FIRST ANON TO BE POSITIVE SO HERE YOU GO!!! have an amazing day and i love your writing, you were the first blog i found that made me want to become a writeblr !! so thank you so much for being awesome and inspiring me to make a writeblr three years ago :] you’re the best!!
THANK YOU POSITIVE ANON this is very sweet of you!! I will try my best to have an amazing day!
and ooooh three years ago? you’re almost as old as me! grandma support unit activate 👴🧓👵
my trans culture is hating myself because I can’t reach my gender’s highest beauty standard even though it’s physically impossible to get to that point, especially since I don’t want T
yay! i see people discussing abt my fav boy yutlung (or do yall spell it as yuelong? :O) and i just wanted to add my own opinion on it: tbh i think he really connected w ash platonically because of their similar background but he saw ash as stronger than him and he looked up to him but also wanted to be better than him. so he hates eiji for making him weak but at the same time he’s also jealous of ash bc he got a support system that yut lung never gotten. i think he’s a really complex character!
Yeah he is a super complex character. He’s one of my favourites too.
Thank you so much for your contribution!
Honestly the name thing confuses me. I just call him yue or YL now.
Hey everyone! good news! The blog is going to be re-kindled, and story based! I cannot wait to share what I’ve been working on. Thank you all so much for your patience!
However, I am deleting all of the asks that are in my inbox because unfortunately I just cannot get to them at the moment, and I would like a fresh start. You are free to send asks inside, but please let them be more oriented towards Tama himself, his human, or the both of them. Any asks that aren’t won’t be answered for the time being.
BUT SO FAR SO GOOD THE CHAPTE RDIDNT APPEAR A MONTH LATER LMFAO
and in this chapter a new challenger appears !!!
title grande or venti [ao3]
chapter chapter 2 sugar hearts in jaunary [ao3]
pairing LPMM (slow burn?)
words 3657
summary A newcomer disrupts Mastermind’s baristia routine. His boss can be a bit more than he can handle, but she really does have a good heart.
previous | chapter 2 | next
SPECIAL OF THE DAY: Sugar Heart Cookies
A rich, buttery sugar cookie topped with white and pink chocolaty coating and a sprinkle of color; perfect for your sweet tooth ... or your sweetheart.
Mastermind always thought commercializing holidays like Christmas was dumb—Valentine’s day was no exception from his book. Giving candy to your innocent crush? Sure, fine. Waiting to ask someone out on this particular day? That’s fine too. Asking them to marry you? Simply because it was Valentine’s day? Ridiculous. Or the ones who would spend tons of money, frivolous gifts and flowers they probably didn’t even know the name of, only on this day and this day only, for their so-called beloved and then never to truly cherish them any other day of the year. He could go on and on about how silly he found the money aspect of the capitalist holiday, not to mention how people would act, but Mastermind would be here, grumbling at cookies all day and ignoring his cleaning duties so he settled on simple a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes.
Though that was on the list of one of his many annoyances, another was when they put out seasonal items and promotions early. It made sense to prep for the coming holiday, but it was seriously just the beginning of January.
Mastermind’s current annoyance: the sugar heart cookies in various pinks and whites, all colorful and bright, covered in brightly colored sprinkles.
“And just what did those cookies ever do to you?”
“Oh, Wind Sneaker,” Mastermind sparing her a glance as he spoke, trying his best to fight back the annoyance from his voice. “Weren’t you supposed to be back from your break like fifteen minutes ago?”
Wind Sneaker, the long ponytail, energetic busty woman, was the second in command of their little barista joint, always raring to go, willing to help and brighten a customer’s day but also rather carefree in her actions. So when she gave a flippant wave of her hand and a happy little smirk, Mastermind didn’t bother to challenge her on late return, he was only jesting anyhow. (Not to mention, she was the second in command—just what was he supposed to do? Scold his boss? Though, he still had half a nerve to do so…) “And weren’t you supposed to answer my question first? Seriously, Mastermind! The cookies are so yummy and cute!” She positively squealed and beamed at the display, bending down to proudly dust off the glass header containing the pastries, taking great care in cleaning the glass.
“I don’t disagree.”
She whirled front to face Mastermind, tapping her foot as she pouted at him. “Then… ?” Her voice trailed off, signaling she was waiting for him to explain himself.
“It is literally the beginning of January.”
“Oh, come now!” She chuckled, light and breezy, as she moved to pat Mastermind on the shoulder. “You seem unusually grumpy. Especially last I heard you were so eager to try our new promotion.” Wind Sneaker didn’t try to hide her smirk when she quite keenly noticed a shift in his expression, a subtle change on his face to anyone else but Wind Sneaker easily picked up on the twitch of Mastermind’s eyebrow.
Said barista coughed to cover his reaction, feigning as if he weren’t the slightest interested. “We have to taste test all our beverages and food so we can properly up sell them to customers anyway.” It was a tactic any food selling chain used, so Mastermind gave a proud shrug of his shoulder at his cover up.
“Hmm, you are right.”
Mastermind beamed upon hearing her hum in agreement. He cheered himself on for being right.
“Except, I’ll just let someone else taste test them since you’re being so biased towards them.” She crossed her arms and huffed at him. “Just plain mean to those delicious, cute cookies.”
And then Mastermind stumbled. “B-but, Wind Sneaker—”
“No buts!” She moved behind the counter, pulling out more pastries to refill their displays. “Unless, you tell me what has you so grumpy.”
He followed her as if a reflex, taking the pastries as she put them out, moving to keep busy as he thought about her offer seriously.
Which made Wind Sneaker stop fiddling with the pastries to take a moment to regard Mastermind as he worked without her. Her face fell, giving way to a pensive stare, as she continued to watch the silent Mastermind in deep thought. “Oh, something must be really bothering you then… ?” Her voice had softened considerably, comparably different before to her light and teasing tone earlier.
That was when Mastermind finally looked up, holding eye contact with Wind Sneaker.
“That look says it all. What is it?”
His gaze turned downwards, feeling agitated all over again as he brought a hand up to rustle and fuss up his hair in frustration. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Wind Sneaker, no, though she was a bit too bountiful of energy, it was just… silly in his head, this whole thing he was fussing over. He heaved a heavy sigh before he faced Wind Sneaker, and then went into recounting his tale of Psyker. Recounting how Psyker had fallen asleep, how they had talked the menu which lead to their bantering exchange, how Mastermind found out he did not like coffee nor cake pops, and how he had gave him that ridiculous name.
She listened to Mastermind talk in between customers as they worked, which was fine anyway since it was, at the time, a slow and chilly Sunday afternoon, keeping most people at bay.
“Come again, enjoy your sugar cookies!” Wind Sneaker cooed, as she waved off the last of their customers. Her smile dropped as quickly as she whirled around to the startled Mastermind. “And so? How does this end? Did you see Psyker again recently?”
Mastermind gave another sigh, this time with obvious annoyance as it was more exaggerated and long. “That’s just it… I have yet to see him again.”
She twirled her long ponytail around in her hair as she hummed in thought. She folded her arms thoughtfully across her chest as she nodded. “Maybe I saw him and he came in on a shift you weren’t here for? What exactly does he look like?”
This is where Mastermind started to sweat bullets because that was also the par where Mastermind decided to forego… some information about Psyker’s looks. Or rather how good those looks were, to be specific. “Well,” Mastermind started, stretching the word as he stalled.
“Yes?”
“Spiky, shortish… hair…” Mastermind fumbled as he struggled to not describe Psyker in a way that made his attraction to him painfully obvious, as if the way he was acting right now wasn’t already probably tipping Wind Sneaker. “Sporty or gym type? And his eyes were kinda nice… ah.” He stopped, wondering if that was a giveaway as he tried to sneak a look at her expression. And just as quickly, he looked away.
“And… ?”
“Looked… as if he worked out?” He said noncommittedly.
“Oh?” A smile instantly grew on Wind Sneaker’s face, reaching her ears.
Crap. Mastermind did not like that tone. Quickly, he tried to rectify his mistake. “I mean, it just seemed like it. I obviously couldn’t tell! He… had said something about a health weekend, or… or something…” Losing steam, Mastermind quickly gave up, not at all sounding convincing to even his own ears.
She brought a hand up to cover her mouth as she chuckled, looking way too coy and pleased for Mastermind to be comfortable with. “Never say too little but never say more than you have to Mastermind, isn’t that how you perfect your conversation with customers?” She chastised him, still hiding her giggles behind her mouth. Fortunately for him, she didn’t press more than that.
For now.
“Anyway, he said he had come in to order for his friend… and kind of just left after—and he left so much money!”
“But he never came back,” Wind Sneaker pointed out.
“And he never came back,” Mastermind confirmed, not even bothering to hide his sulking at this point. “I suppose it sounds kind of crazy to be so eager about a guy I saw almost a week ago. But it was nice to just… kind of click like that, I was just hoping…” He didn’t finish because that was another annoyance.
He wasn’t sure what he was hoping for.
>>>
For Mastermind, it was a busy rest of the week, time flew and before Mastermind knew it, Psyker was no longer occupying his thoughts like before. He scolded himself for getting worked up over someone he had hardly seen at the store before, especially when Wind Sneaker hadn’t either, so the odds he would return were of course slim. It made sense that he wouldn’t see him again. The opportunity to have a budding friendship, now gone, was of course a little sad but he figured he could live.
This is what Mastermind repeatedly told himself until he thought less and less about Psyker.
Today, Wind Sneaker decided she wanted to push the sales on the cookies, so they spent most of the day failing to draw on their chalk board sign to set up for outside. Neither were sure if that worked, but more people came in curious about the cookies. Soon enough, the time of day and the new banner, sign and board had drawn in more than enough customers and they suddenly had their hands full.
They spilt their tasks: Wind Sneaker at the front, handling orders and customers while Mastermind focused solely on the drinks and whatever else the customers would order. The teamwork allowed for them to get people in and out, as they came but still there was a line.
“Mastermind!”
At the sound of his name, he lifted his head and turned to where he heard his voice.
“Mastermind, can you come here!”
It was Wind Sneaker, so he promptly made his way to the front. Just as he had arrived, she rushed passed him, leaving Mastermind confused as he barely caught her rushed explanation of something along the lines of staying there while she checked the back for something a customer particularly wanted.
Mastermind could man both sides of the operation, but that just meant he stayed more focused on his task and less focused on, well… anything else. So when he cleared the next two customers, went to the bars to prep drinks and returned to call for the next person to step forward, there was little time to prepare for the familiar face he was greeted with once he looked up and made eye contact with similar hues staring back at him.
“Oh! Hey you.”
Mastermind was only left with the option to stare rather dumbfoundedly. So lost was the poor barista, that he could only mutter the first thing that came to mind, “Coffee-cake pop hater?”
Psyker made a face, a displeased noise trapped between his lips. “Man, I know I haven’t been back in a while,” he pouted, hand moving to pat absentmindedly at his spikey locks, “but ya forgot my name already?”
Had Mastermind not snapped out of his stupor, he might have missed the all-too familiar joking tone Psyker had taken up with him again like the night before. But again, Mastermind let the first thing slip from his mouth, “You never did though! Ah, what… can I get for you?” Mastermind retracted, quickly averted his gaze, training his eyes on the customers behind Psyker.
Psyker noticed the shift in the barista’s attention and mumbled a cursed. “I didn’t think you guys got this busy.”
“Well, it’s probably because of the promotion—” Mastermind’s eyes travelled to the display case as he nudged his head in the direction of the cookies. “—they’re pretty good, you know. Ah, but you’re probably watching your figure?” Again, Mastermind teasing merely to calm himself again, but of curiosity, he wanted to see if Psyker would play along with him again. Even if now was particularly appropriate for the time.
“Hey, it’s not the weekend right now!” Psyker defended, wagging a finger as he laughed that deep laugh Mastermind discovered he liked after removing it from his memory. “But… those do look like a lot of calories I might have to pass. My friend however…”
“Mastermind! Did you—oh?"
The two males stopped, snapping their attention to the returning Wind Sneaker who was now looking between the two of them.
“Um.”
“Is that—”
Mastermind could not risk letting Wind Sneaker open her mouth right now. He had to act fast. Now. “Hey, next guest please! Let her take your order next!” The customer must have been in a rush as they moved to quickly recite their order to Wind Sneaker, who was now in no position to stir up trouble like he was afraid she might. He gave her a look that wasn’t at all sorry as he returned to the little bubble he had with Psyker earlier.
But Psyker must not have noticed the opportunity Mastermind had created. “Ah, you know what I’ll just… stick around until you aren’t busy anymore.” Or he was just a really considerate guy.
Mastermind had panicked at first, fearful Psyker was going to just leave but something in him lit up to hear he would he stay until the crowds died down! That was very good.
Then he looked at the glaring Wind Sneaker, boring a vengeful sneer, who pointed both her fingers to her eyes then back at him in a threatening manner.
Mastermind laughed apprehensively.
He turned front to give a smile he hoped that wasn’t too nervous. That was also probably a bad thing if—who he was kidding, not if; Wind Sneaker was definitely not going home early anymore like she had said earlier. At this point, all Mastermind could do was nod and wave as Psyker fought off the crowd to find somewhere to sit.
>>>
Mastermind had been watchful the entire grueling twenty or so minutes of rush they had to endure, but it grew so busy he had forgot all about Psyker. It wasn’t until closing time drew near and their lines and customers finally died down that he saw Wind Sneaker rushing to leave the counter. He reacted quickly enough to yank her towards the back before she could latch her claws onto Psyker.
“Hey! Was that him!? That was him, wasn’t it, Mastermind!” Wind Sneaker was beaming, positively radiating, hands clasped together excitedly, completely ignoring the fact that Mastermind had to pull her weight all the way to the back room to hide her.
“Yes!” He hissed in a manner that indicated he wanted her to lower her voice. “That’s him.”
Finally, she wrangled her arm free and stomped her foot at him. “Why am I more excited than you though!?”
Little did Wind Sneaker know, Mastermind was doing his best to conceal his excitement.
“What are you going to say to him? You should get his number!”
“I’ve only met him but twice now!”
“But then you could be better friends and you won’t have to worry if he comes here or not!”
He clamped his mouth shut, almost blurting how he enjoyed seeing him in their café. But he also couldn’t argue with the soundness of her logic behind that. Still, he fidgeted feeling that somehow the prospect of having his number was… odd.
“These cookies weren’t here before… Promotion, hmm.”
The conversation cut short and their heads snapped up at the sound of Psyker’s voice, which was somewhat close.
Mastermind peaked his head from around the corner to see Psyker was staring at the display of pastries, particularly those cookies.
Wind Sneaker bumped past him, almost accidentally knocking him over, as she rushed to greet Psyker. “Hello!” She leaned on the counter, “Would you like to purchase some of our Valentine’s cookies?”
“Valentine sugar heart cookies? In January?”
“Oh… look and it’s the last one!”
“I was just looking for um… the other barista. Mastermind, I think it was?”
“How about…” She gave a cheeky grin as she trailed off, leaning over the top of the counter. “You buy the cookie and I’ll give you Mastermind, free of charge?”
“Wind Sneaker! You have an inventory load to deal with.” Mastermind, who was nowhere to be found, popped back to the front suddenly, trying his best to pry her from the counter.
“But, weren’t you supposed to—”
“I was too busy earlier. And I needed you to look at some of items and distress them.”
“But—”
There was no more room for argument as Mastermind had nudged her all the way to the back and closed the backroom’s door, leaning on it with a tired sigh. He took a moment to recompose himself, fix his apron and walked back out to the front. “Hey again,” he chimed, not aware of the smile growing on his face.
“Hey yourself.”
Mastermind didn’t know what to say now that Psyker was finally back. Instead he found himself falling into what he knew best: the old habit of joking, “Well, you can’t be here for our coffee, coffee hater and you can’t be here for our pastries, cake pop hater. So, what brought you back?”
Psyker’s lips curled into a grin, looking more relaxed. “Trying to drive me away as soon as I finally come back?”
As per usual, he went to work mindlessly, wiping counters, adjusting and organizing things—anything to keep him busy. Mastermind was thinking of a teasing way to reply but Psyker made a noise, as if he remembered something and continued speaking.
“Oh, what was that… you had made me last time?”
Mastermind looked a little taken aback at first, eyes wide as he suddenly recalled he had made him a drink that night. “It was a cappuccino, two expresso shots, with unsweetened almond milk. Unsweetened for less calories.” He replied effortlessly. With that said, Mastermind began pulling out ingredients and grabbing a cup and a stainless-steel mug to prepare another beverage.
“Hoh, with almond huh? It was pretty good.”
“An approval from the coffee hater?” Mastermind couldn’t help but to let a smirk slip as he feigned a genuine surprise.
“For coffee.” Psyker cocked his head, smirking back at Mastermind.
Mastermind began to steam milk, shaking his head as he walked back over to Psyker. “Just admit it was good. I make the best coffee here, better than Wind Sneaker.”
Coffee hating Psyker barked a laugh, then gave him resembling a playful sneer. “Yer saying all of this after one drink? My, aren’t we humble?”
“I’ll prove it to you right now.” Mastermind pulled up a cup and poured the contents of the drink, snatching up a marker to write Psyker’s name on the cup and slammed the drink down before him. “I’m sure you’ll like this one too.” And then he folded his hands as he stared expectantly at Psyker, waiting for his decisive answer.
Psyker said nothing for a while, then reached hesitatingly for the drink and swirled it around. “And this one is… ?”
“It’s like the cappuccino, less foam though so a latte in this case. With almond milk again.”
He didn’t wait for Mastermind’s explanation, already sipping on it gingerly. He smacked his lips a couple of times and continued to sip on the drink without saying anything.
Mastermind smiled knowingly. “See? Good.” Then he whirled away, promptly walking from the counter. He started to clean up the mess he had made when he heard coins hitting the counter and looked up to see Psyker fumbling with his wallet.
“What? I can see the price. But really, I came back again for my roommate.”
“Does your roommate have his own legs?” Mastermind joked, moving back to the front. “A pastry again?”
“Yeah, it was what we were talking about earlier.” Psyker said between sips of his latte, nursing his drink after. “He told me there were heart cookies already and I didn’t believe him, because it’s January! So we made a bet.”
Mastermind did his best to hide the chuckle over how excited and animated Psyker was acting. “And so?”
They both turned their gazes to the last sugar heart cookie. “Guess I lost,” Psyker chuckled low and deep, threading his fingers through his hair casually. “Now I owe him two pastries. Guess I’m buying him another cake pop and the damn sugar cookie. Suppose he’ll have me do something crazy for losin’.”
“Your hate for pastries continue to show.”
Psyker chuckled again, “No hate, just gotta watch what I eat.”
Mastermind made sure this time that Psyker did not pay more than he should have or leave a huge tip. Psyker tried to argue how it was only because he felt bad about getting in the way of his closing which Mastermind could only give a lopsided grin in reply. “Tell me how your bet goes.”
“Knowing him…” And Psyker’s voice trailed off as his eyes averted away, probably thinking of whatever he might have to do now that he lost. He shook his head, dismissing the thought. “I’ll be sure to share my suffering with you next time.” There was a smile on his lips as he took one final sip, before gesturing his cup towards Mastermind, sneaking a tip, and exiting the store.
With Psyker gone again, Mastermind just realized he never checked on Wind Sneaker but when he saw that she was dutifully working, organizing ingredients and boxes, and that she never once came to terrorize him like he had feared, a small smile graced his features. He joined her in sorting inventory, with the promise of a story, all smiles.
And how Psyker how left him with an unsaid promise of another next time.
