Chapter Text
Feet dangling from the chair, she sighs, bored out of her mind. It was unfair of the earl not to include her with another kill-list, her original one finished and scribbled off the names.
These Exorcists these days don’t fight back anymore! How boring. She idly recalls Skin eating her cake too, during the meeting. Grumbling, she snaps with her fingers, just as fast as an akuma maid appeared.
“Some money from Desires.” with a quick bow, the maid vanishes.
It takes a minute, ‘a minute too long.' she huffs, crossing her arms. Just as she was about to call, the same maid re-appears, offering a pouch of the money on a tray, just as ordered.
“Finally!” Rhode cheers, grabbing the poach and jumping out of that uncomfortable chair, opening the ark with a snap.
Just as she jumped through the white ark, her head pops back out in the mansion, golden eyes fixed on the akuma maid. “If The earl or dad asks, i’m in town, getting sweets.” the ark closes once she is safe on the other side.
Leaving the akuma maid standing there, in a half bow.
-
She exits the portal in a dirty alleyway, stepping out of the way of trash with a grimace.
Rhode walks out of the shadows and into the street, as the sunbeams touch her dark skin, the colors fade into a milky white. Her golden, sharp and knowing eyes soften and take a light purple.
She seamlessly joined the flow of humans, tad annoyed at how many there were in such a small place.
If it wasn’t for the earl’s plans, her father would have the cake easily replaced with another from a foreign country, she sighs, if only.
As Rhode walks along the buildings, the noise of a bell and the smell of flowers catch her attention, eyes following the noise until they seize on the unknown teen.
He is shorter than Tyki, she notes, hair brighter than wisely’s own. ‘Just like snow.’ her mind whispers.
He is pretty.
Rhode stops in front of the door the young man went through, staring. Slowly, she raises her hand and enters, walking along the flower encased railings, stepping the stairs until she arrives.
Her eyes roam the room, taking in all details, various pictures framed in gold hang on the walls, including some different banquets of flowers, some smaller ones on tables and bigger ones decorating the window.
Her eyes trail the counter, it's a dark ebony with golden edges and finer details on the wood. Above the teen, a hanging cherry blossom tree, in full bloom, as if frozen in time.
Leaves are climbing the walls from the corner of her eye, almost suffocating half of the cafe’s insides.
This place is a mix of relaxing and fantasy, she loves it.
“Welcome to the Garden of Eden , how can I help you?” He smiles pleasantly at her, waiting patiently behind the counter she admired a moment ago.
‘He fits.’ her mind croons, it’s satisfying in a way, how he fits perfectly with the scheme of the cafe.
“You have a great selection of cakes.” she states, finally taking her time to inspect the different cakes and pies behind the glass counter.
From Baumkuchen, a German delicacy, to smaller mooncakes of Chinese origin. This place is filled with delicacies of different countries and cultures.
“Thank you, I'm very proud of my cakes.” He snickers.
Rhode really likes his voice.
“I don’t think i can choose from all these, any recommendation, oh dear barista?” leaning on the counter, rhode props her head on her hand, staring at the pretty teen with a smile.
“Well, you’re quite lucky miss!” he cheers with a wink. “Opinions on strawberries?” he asks.
She blatantly ignores the formal name thrown at her, her index finger tapping her chin in thought.
"Strawberries are definitely one of my favorites.” She agrees, and Rhode is suddenly blinded by the sheer brightness her new friend emits from a simple smile.
The barista bends down, pulling aside the glass before presenting her with a smaller cake.
“This is a Strawberry shortcake, the british kind. Quite popular over there, definitely something to try if you were to visit britain.”
The cake is small, but really eye-catching. Topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream with a big strawberry on top, the cake itself shows lines of strawberry juice flowing out from the middles, with blue- and raspberries on the sides for presentation.
Rhode gives the cake a look over, giving it a mental rate of 10/10.
“I’ll give it a try,” the teen gives another quick smile. “another recommendation towards drinks?”
It’s his turn to think, forehead wrinkling and tongue poking out from the side. It’s utterly adorable and she wants to strangle this stranger.
“I do have various drinks as well, do you prefer tea, hot or cold drinks?” The white haired barista hums, tapping the counter with his finger, his attention solely on her.
“Today, I think I'll take you up on those cool drinks.” Rhode makes the dramatic gesture of cradling her own cheek with a sigh.
The scarred teen finger guns her, “Gotcha, i can offer a strawberry milkshake, fitting to the growing theme orrr ,” he rolls the ‘r’ in anticipation, making Rhode grin.
“A vanilla one, I'd have chocolate too, but I don't think that fits with the taste overall.”
Rhode hums, she loves the variations the barista offers, something rarely seen in cafe’s, disappointing her slightly. “I’ll take the vanilla one, too much strawberry and it won’t be appetizing anymore.” She laughs.
“Alright,” he nods, placing a small fork on the plate of the small cake. “here, I'll bring the drink over in a second, make yourself comfortable!”
With the acquired shortcake in hand, she walks towards the boot near the window, a nice view on the people below them, the sun still up and bright ‘and annoying’ .
Her eyes fall on the empty counter, recalling the conversation prior. ‘He is very formal and such a gentleman,’ her mind gushes. ‘so cute, it’s unfortunate he is a human. Too bad.’
With the back pushing open the door from the backroom, the unknown barista appears once again, a tray in hand and balancing her awaited drink.
She watches as he places it in front of her, finally taking the fork, ready to taste the good looking cake.
“Oh, I forgot to inform you,” he says, gaining her attention from her precious cake. “the cake and drink are on house.”
Rhode blinks, flabbergasted. Gathering her bearing again, she looks at him owlishly. “Why?”
“As my first ever customer, i’m very thankful of you,” He grins, mischief in his eyes.
“i only opened recently, for a moment i really thought i had to close the shop after just opening it.” he places his gloved hand on his chest with a dramatic sigh.
“Nearly got a heart attack!” he whines, Rhode barely suppressed her laugh.
As he leaves her to her cake, she doesn’t wait long to take her long awaited bite.
Only to immediately melt , the cream so soft and fluffy, the strawberry jam flowing with taste and colors.
‘This’ she decides, ‘is heaven.’
Later she leaves with a promise of returning, swearing to herself to taste all of those cakes and drinks.
With a short turn into an alleyway, cleaner than the one from the morning, her skin darken and her eyes glimmer. A snap and the ark opens, jumping in and closing just as fast as it opened.
‘Maybe he has chocolate options?’ she hums to herself, completely ignoring the stare Tyki is sending her from the table.