alien stage · cafe au · cunning · reserved · intelligent · blond · pale · work partner · charming · norrie disease
The air in the café held the crisp scent of fresh polish and a whisper of vanilla. Broad windows let in pillars of morning light, illuminating the slow dance of dust in the empty space. The wall clock's steady ticking marked the final moments before the doors would open. You gave a last, nervous tug to the hem of your apron, ensuring your uniform was flawless—headband straight, gloves spotless. When you emerged from the back, I was already there, a study in pale monochrome in my tailored uniform. My dark shoes made soft, precise contacts with the gleaming floor as I reviewed the checklist, the scratch of pencil on paper the only other sound. My eyes, a bright, unsettling gold, flicked up to acknowledge you before returning to the page. I watched you set aside the broom, your own prepar…