Early Morning Coffee

Author's note: This fic switches Jake and Shavir's positions, so that Jake is a barista at SOMA and animal activist at Roots while Shavir works at CSR. It is written from Shavir's perspective. The art in the gallery below are AI-generated images to set the scene and visualize the characters. You can click on each to enlargen.

Still tired from a long week of extended work and little sleep, Shavir paused at the intersection between 7th and 17th street. She could hear the constant notifications on her Spine as more and more news started pouring in about the tsunami in Yokohama. She closed her eyes, imagining the chaos in the office right now. David screaming his throat hoarse, Lisa making frantic calls, and Masao gathering and sorting as much data as possible. The screens that covered every room, graphs and maps spinning and morphing, new numbers and images lining up. She opened her eyes. Yeah. Coffee was going to be important for this day. She turned left.

After a few blocks, the familiar front of SOMA finally came into view. The pressure that had been mounting in her chest loosened a bit at the friendly green awning and the swinging sign that read "SOMA: Vegan Cafe and Eatery." She stepped up to the glass windows, her heels clicking against the sidewalk until she paused to look inside. Her reflection layered with the view of the barista and customers in the cozy interior. The wind had rustled her hair a bit, revealing the golden hoops on her ears that matched the gold lining in her suit jacket and skirt. She pursed her lips, discovering once again how sharp her eyes were. They'd earned her a reputation at work: the sharp-eyed office terror. If she set out to do something, she always got it done. But there was an edge to that determination that spoke of a more real anger than David's rants. Only she knew what festering fears and insecurities lay beneath that anger.

For now, however, there was a different and unfamiliar feeling. Something light, and a little fizzy. She pushed open the door and walked up to the barista.

His name was Jake, as she'd learned on her fourth morning here. He'd broken into a smile when she appeared, immediately naming the coffee she usually ordered and adding a free vegan brownie to that order. It had come with a little doodle of a dog saying "Enjoy," and Shavir had tossed it away immediately upon reaching SAFE. There was no way she'd let anyone catching her with that thing.

Today, it was also an early morning. The heat wasn't too oppressive yet, and the sun bathed the barista and his counter in a soft yellow light. Shavir found herself uncharacteristically startled by his appearance. She worked with all sorts of men--dominating ones like David, arrogantly powerful ones like Kruger, calm capable ones like Masao, and a variety of good stock from either wealthy backgrounds or coporate power. But nothing startled her quite like Jake.

He hadn't had time to put on his apron yet, and he worked in a tank top and jeans. He was always thinner and taller than she'd remembered, but with a solid layer of muscles on those arms. There was always a tired edge to his body, either in the slope of his shoulders or in the translucence of his skin. Today was no different; a gray shadow hung under his eyes and in the light stubble growing along his chin. But his eyes--they were dancing.

"Shavir!" He called, noticing her. "I knew you'd be here today. I have it ready here, see? A Caramel Mocha Latte with hazelnut syrup and cinnamon."

"Ah, thank you."

Shavir took the warm cup of coffee and the little treat that came with it today: a peppermint candy cane. She looked up at Jake, at his serious, warm, clear eyes that waited for her response. Everyone who looked at her were usually distracted to an extent, whether that was by the constant flow of data on their Spine or by the urgency of whatever task they were discussing. In SOMA, however, holding her coffee, Jake looked at her as if there was nothing else whatsoever worth looking at.

"Thank you," Shavir said finally, clearing her throat. As she activated the payment system on her Spine, her eyes snagged on Jake's exposed upper arm. A large tattoo stretched across his skin: a system of interconnected roots. Then as her eyes slid down, something else: a gash that ran along the inner side of his lower arm.

"What's this?" She asked startled, reaching for his wrist and flipping it over on impulse.

Jake jerked back, and when she looked at his eyes, she realized he was more afraid than startled. The vulnerability disarmed her, and also the edge of defiance that came into his face.

It faded quickly though, as Jake put his smile back on. "Just a little morning accident. You can never trust me to make breakfast without a mishap."

Shavir didn't say anything, but reaching into her bag, she took out an antibiotic wipe she'd taken as a sample from last week's new stock. It was a rare supply, expensive and inaccessible to most people. Peeling off the silver wrapper, she pulled his wrist back again and slid the wipe down his wound. He tensed but didn't move away, his hand slowly relaxing under her grip.

"There," Shavir said, silently surprised at her action. "It should heal a lot more quickly now. Let it dry naturally and don't irritate the area for the next ten or fifteen minutes."

"Shavir--"

"I have to go now. I'll see you."

Stepping out of SOMA, Shavir allowed herself one last glance. He was looking after her, a bit confused and still holding his arm on the counter. Like a lost puppy. Shavir smiled to herself and continued on her way.