Chapter Text
Polnareff was desperate for a drink. She was extremely exhausted, she felt like her legs would fall right off. She's already eaten a small sandwich, which was enough to quench her hunger for a few hours before dinner. Her new apartment was nicely sized and had a good kitchen, so she would be able to cook herself a good meal for tonight if she doesn't collapse into a deep sleep before that.
Moving to a new town was… strange, to say the least. She wasn't used to seeing so many English ads all over the walls and streets instead of French ones. It was odd not to hear a single French curse when she stopped at red lights with her windows rolled down and a group of people passing by her.
Most of all, it was bizarre to have a new home. It was bare, ready to be decorated by Polnareff. But decorations could wait: Jeanne wanted a drink NOW.
The new town was quaint and mostly quiet. Polnareff had come here for her new job as a physical therapist because there were many clients and it was a well-paid job that she took joy in. She liked helping others, especially with things that burdened her too, like chronic pain and even intense sore spots that appeared for no particular reason. It was a way to help others and herself too. Her little sister, Cherie, had always struggled with her mobility. Being a physical therapist was as if she was spiritually helping Cherie get better in Heaven, like every person Jeanne worked on helped put her little sister more at peace in her grave.
But Cherie wasn't the only sibling to have chronic pain. Jeanne's legs were naturally a bit weak despite how much she'd been struggling to strengthen them with daily exercises. Some days, she had to carry a cane around with her to walk around. On others, she could just live with the faint pain. It wasn't a hereditary problem, so Polnareff wasn't really sure where it came from.
She was especially tired from the drive here, so she decided to drag her cane along with her to the nearest coffee shop. She'd seen it on her way through town, and it looked like it was just a few minutes away from her new abode. The free time on Jeanne's hands was unending: she had a week to waste away before her job would officially start. She could make use of that time by exploring the shops around and trying to develop a social circle so that she wouldn't only have old people (that were her clients) as friends. Perhaps she might even befriend her neighbours? They seemed quiet when she first entered the apartment building, and it would be nice to have someone to greet whenever she came back home from work.
She made a mental list in her head as she pulled a coat over her shoulders: she had to get furniture from the nearest furniture shop, preferably something not too expensive, a fridge, food to stock the fridge with, and other important things to make a home livable. Maybe, after she got comfortable, she could get a pet to keep her company. Or maybe even a roommate. Her apartment was big enough for two people. It was a one-bathroom apartment with two separate moderately big rooms and a comfortable living room.
Polnareff grabbed her cane and hooked it to the loops in her belt and made her way out the door.
It was around 5 o'clock now, Polnareff checked her watch as she walked down the pretty streets of the town. There were many murals, and they only seemed to accumulate more and more as she got closer to the coffee shop she'd seen earlier. Was there an artist that lived nearby somewhere? They had great talent: there were spiraling vines and flowers that adorned the colorful brick walls, meters and meters of unending emerald splashes of color. There were a few starfish here and there, a squealing dolphin, a setting sun with orange waves crashing against pink cliffs. Polnareff wanted to stare at the art until her eyes fell out, but her dry throat encouraged her to bounce over to the coffee shop.
The dark-red sign that hung over the door to the shop read 'Magician's Red Matcha'. It had a nice ring to it, and the purple and yellow details on the billboard added a strange fantastical vibe to the whole thing. Polnareff reached out and opened the door, a quaint bell dinging obnoxiously as she trotted over to the counter. The interior was as nice as the outside, the furniture made out of warm, dark wood that matched nicely with all the potted plants that were hanging from the ceiling. Various bookshelves stuck out from the walls that weren't covered by windows and paintings with an oddly familiar artstyle made everything feel like this coffee shop was straight out of a fairytale of some sort. The walls behind the counter were a darker shade of red compared to the brownish orange of the rest of the coffee shop. Woven rugs hung on the walls and small, round tables greeted Polnareff wherever she turned. A few tall stools sat by the counter and Polnareff took a seat on one of them, resting her crossed arms on the counter as she waited for a waiter to come. There were only a few other people in the shop, but they were all in their own bubbles. They looked comfortable with the other people's presence as if they were old friends.
Polnareff propped her chin in her hand and observed the coffee machines behind the counter until a faint sound made her gaze jump to the right, where the cash register was. A taller-than-average (but still very obviously shorter than Jeane) girl greeted her, her ginger hair shimmering pink in the warm light. It looked like she had a mullet, but a long, twisting curl of hair sprang out from the side of her bangs. She wore an emerald green uniform and black sunglasses, faint white marks peeking out from under them parallelly.
"Hello, are you ready to order?" She asked, her voice a bit deep but in a comforting way. Polnareff's gaze jumped to the name tag near her collarbones and read 'Tenmei'.
"Oh! No." She chuckled a bit. "Seems like I zoned out." She mumbled before glancing at the menu that was glued to the back of the computer 'Tenmei' was sitting behind. Her electric blue eyes stared at the various drink options: lattes, espressos, smoothies, even a few boba teas…
Her gaze suddenly jumped to a picture of a sage-green drink with pink splotches here and there, topped by melted white chocolate. Her stomach was already grumbling at the prospect of tasting that drink.
"How about a white-chocolate strawberry-cheesecake matcha? Oh, with extra strawberries." Polnareff smiled at the waitress, who snorted out a little chuckle.
"I prefer the cherry-flavored version, but of course. One drink, coming right up. Cash or credit?"
"Cash, thanks." Polnareff answered while pulling out her pale grey wallet.
It took a few minutes for Tenmei to prepare Polnareff her drink, but when it was done Jeanne was left to stare at the beauty before her. It was an insanely big drink in a beautiful, ceramic mug and it was freezing cold, just how she liked it. The strawberries were perfectly ripe and placed in a flower-like pattern and the white chocolate on top tasted absolutely heavenly.
With the paper straw that was offered to her, Polnareff quickly dug into the matcha like a starving hound, desperately trying to savor it yet absolutely obliterate the drink simultaneously. WOW.
"This is amazing!" Polnareff yelped, nearly jumping out of her seat. "Holy SHIT. I'm totally coming here again!"
Tenmei smiled a bit as she washed the mugs in the sink.
"My manager would be happy to hear that. She really likes matcha, too." Tenmei hummed. "You're new here, right?"
"Yeah," Polnareff replied after chugging a big sip from her drink. "Freshly from France."
"Really? I'm from Japan." She offered. "I moved here a few years ago with my parents because…" She trailed off with a shrug. Polnareff nodded in understanding at her unfinished thought, knowing some reasons for travel could be difficult to discuss.
"This seems like a nice town," Polnareff offered to lighten the conversation. "Lots of pretty murals. I've never seen so much wall art on one street."
"You like it?" Tenmei smiled a bit, her eyes glittering in a way that made them look purple.
"Hell yeah! The colors work great together. Oh, especially the Egyptian-looking one…"
"They're based on my dreams."
"Sorry?"
Tenmei reddened a bit, but she beamed with pride. "I painted all those murals."
Polnareff's jaw dropped into a grin. "No way! You're really damn talented! You can't be more than 18 years old, and you already did all that?"
"My manager's friend was able to convince the people who take care of this town to let me paint a few murals. I get paid well, and I like doing it. It's like a side gig, after this." She gestured vaguely to the coffee shop.
"I'm impressed." Polnareff said. "You're a great barista AND a great artist! What's next? World domination?"
Tenmei laughed a bit and Polnareff joined her.
"I'm Polnareff. Jeanne-Pierre Polnareff."
"Noriaki Kakyoin." She offered Polnareff a small smile, to which Polnareff raised her eyebrowsless eyebrow.
"But your nametag says 'Tenmei'." She pointed out with a skeptic tone.
Kakyoin shrugged. "I don't want complete strangers to know my name. All the good clients of this shop know that 'Tenmei' is just a nickname."
"Oh. Well, makes sense. Nice to meet you anyways."
"You too, Polnareff."
Polnareff glanced at her watch and sighed. It was 5:30. The shop would close at 7 o'clock. How could Kakyoin, a high-schooler, be working until 7? Maybe her manager was an understanding supervisor and gave her a good time to balance school work and working hours.
Polnareff let Kakyoin get back to her job, serving other customers. She swirled her straw in the mug, staring at all the art on the walls. They must've been Kakyoin's, now that Jeanne thought about it.
Polnareff rubbed her eyes tiredly, holding back a yawn by sighing instead.
"You look tired. Would you like some caffeine in your drink?"
Polnareff slowly turned her head to the left, where the voice had come from. She had to blink a few times to be sure she wasn't hallucinating.
Holy shit.
"I…"
"Here." The person offered Polnareff a small packet which probably contained instant coffee in it. "It isn't the best, home-brewed coffee is better in my opinion, but you already have a drink, so…"
Polnareff stared at the women in front of her like a deer caught in headlights. For a split second, her heart was already racing and her gaze was stuck to the stranger's dark eyes.
She was absolutely breath-taking.
Her skin was a beautiful rich, dark sepia and strange markings that looked like running tears marked her cheeks in two pale beige stripes. There was a pale bandana over her forehead that kept her hair out of her face that flew behind her head like a halo of black curls. Her plump upper lip was darker than the lower set, and her face was sharp yet oddly soft simultaneously. Golden earrings adorned her small ears and she wore a large necklace that must've weighed a tone. An orange scarf covered her neck and the rest of her clothes were hidden by a large red coat that looked terribly warm and smelled like dusty hot chocolate. Was that a bit of orange eyeshadow on her eyelids?
Jeanne pulled herself together quickly, clearing her throat and put on her winning smile. She did NOT want to fumble this.
"Thank you," She started, her fingers reaching out to the caffeine packet. "I feel like I'll collapse any second."
"Maybe drinking a bit of water could help." The woman with the dark, captivating, honey-like, gorgeous, absolutely star-filled eyes suggested with a gentle smile.
"Oh, shit." Polnareff hissed under her breath. She hadn't had a drink of water since last night. How in the world could she forget such a thing?! It must've slipped her mind with all the other things going on, with moving to a new town and all… Why did she order damn matcha instead of actual water?!?!
"Staying hydrated is important, you know." The lady smirked a bit at Polnareff, as if she was reading her mind. "Even though matcha is really good, it seems like you need a real cup of water."
"Yeah…" Polnareff sighed with an embarrassed smile. She reached for her wallet and pulled it out, shaking it a bit to hear if there were any coins. Before she could even open her wallet, the stranger firmly placed her hand over Polnareff's arm to keep her from even trying to get some money to pay for a glass of water. Jeanne felt like her heart stopped when the stranger touched her. Wowie.
The stranger raised her calloused hand to the waitress behind the counter, Kakyoin, and spoke with a booming voice.
"Kakyoin, a glass of water, please?" She asked. The ginger teen nodded and got a tall glass, filling two thirds of it with clean water that suddenly looked very appealing to Polnareff. Jeanne glanced at the pretty woman beside her and felt her face burn. Did she just buy a drink for Polnareff, a complete stranger? Wow. She was pretty AND selfless. Was she hitting on Polnareff? She was too dazed by her racing heart to really interpret the signs correctly.
"Thanks. Again." Polnareff smiled sheepishly at the stranger, then to Kakyoin who brought her the drink. She took a small sip of the water, then another, until nearly half of it was gone. The stranger waited patiently as Polnareff chugged down and appreciated the freshness of the water.
"I haven't seen you around town before." She started curiously. Her gaze fell to Polnareff's clothes: a tank top with a single strap over her left shoulder and white, baggy pants with many pouches attached to the belts. Then, she observed the cane on her belt loop, then her platinum white hair, and finally back to Jeanne's electric blue eyes. "Are you from France?"
"How'd you know?" Polnareff asked with a curious grin. The lady shrugged nonchalantly with a knowing smirk.
"I'm a fortune teller."
"Really?"
"Yes, but not for this. It's your accent." She admitted.
"Agh, I forgot about that." Polnareff chuckled. "God, this water is good. Thanks for paying."
The lady gave Polnareff a strange look that she couldn't decipher, but she brushed it aside as she cleared her throat and prepared herself to spin her words in a charming way.
"Can I try to guess where you're from with a name?" She asked with a smooth tone, leaning in a bit and propping her chin on her hand, side-eyeing the stranger curiously.
She chuckled a bit. "I am Mahmuda Avdol."
"Mahmuda Avdol." Polnareff repeated. "Hm… are you Egyptian?"
"You got that quickly. Yes, I am." Mahmuda said. "And you are?"
"Jeanne-Pierre Polnareff, but I prefer Polnareff. French, and an excellent swordswoman." She hummed proudly. People usually got interested when she mentioned her exotic hobby, fencing and swordfighting. Perhaps she could get a conversation rolling with Mahmuda and hopefully get to know her more.
"That's quite the feat." Avdol noticed. "What's a swordswoman doing in a small town like this?"
"It's for my job," She explained. "I'm a physical therapist."
"I didn't know that was popular here." Avdol adjusted her earrings.
"Apparently it is. I already have a few clients lined up for next week." Polnareff shrugged her shoulders and finished her water. "What do you do for work? Other than telling fortunes, that is."
"Guess." Mahmuda challenged with a friendly smirk. Polnareff let her gaze fall over Mahmuda, up and down, in hopes of seeing something that could let her figure out Avdol's job. Truly, she just wanted an excuse to stare at her. She tried to not let her gaze linger too long on certain areas. God, she looked so warm… Polnareff felt like she was sitting next to a fire.
"Are you a doctor? You look smart enough to be one. Or a dentist? A teacher- a Science teacher? Physics?- OH, no, you have GOTTA be a model!" Polnareff rambled in a single breath. Then, with a confident grin, she leaned closer to the counter. "Am I right?"
Mahmuda stared at Polnareff with wide eyes, and perhaps Jeanne was hallucinating, but it looked like she was blushing.
"...No." She offered Polnareff a small chuckle. "I own a coffee shop. It also serves a bit as a library if I feel like it."
"Woah!" Jeanne exclaimed. "That sounds great. Where is it? I might be able to check it out someday…"
"What do you mean?"
Jeanne snickered. "I mean, where is its location? Oh, maybe you can walk me there, I'm not so good with directions."
Avdol stared at Polnareff for a long moment.
"I meant that I own THIS coffee shop. Magician's Red Matcha." She clarified. There was a small twitch of her lips. Polnareff could tell she was trying her best to stay polite without bursting into laughter.
"...oh." Polnareff cleared her throat, hiding her face that was riddled with an embarrassed blush. "I'm not usually this dumb, I swear. I'm just…" She trailed off dumbly.
"...Dehydrated." Mahmuda finished Jeanne's sentence easily. A smile peaked out on her face and Jeanne couldn't help but stare. Her throat was dry despite having just had a drink.
"Yeah. I'm really… dehydrated. And distracted." She admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. She pushed her layered white hair away from the nape of her neck, letting it trickle down the right side of her front. Her hair twirled between her fingers lazily.
"So, you're the manager." Polnareff realized. Suddenly, she reddened a bit. Why was the manager talking to HER, of all people? Didn't she have better things to do?
"Yes. I made this coffee shop with the help of my friend, Josephine. She was willing to pay for mostly everything… I owe her so much. She only ever lets me pay her back with free drinks." Mahmuda huffed.
"Well, if I was in her position, I would've done the same for a pretty lady like you." Polnareff hummed, chuckling dryly, her gaze stuck to her drink as she spun her straw around the rim. She glanced over to Mahmuda, her eyes half-lidded. When Avdol's eyes widened at Jeanne's smooth compliment, the French woman couldn't help but smile a bit.
"How much did you pay for your drink?" Avdol suddenly asked Polnareff. Her hands went to her shoulders, pulling off her red coat and setting it in her lap. Jeane couldn't help but stare at her large biceps.
"Uh.. around ten bucks. Why?" She cleared her throat and tore her gaze away. God, Jeanne! Take a deep breath! Concentrate and get your head out of the gutter!
Mahmuda suddenly got up from her seat, going behind the counter. Her hips swished subtly when she walked and Polnareff couldn't help but stare. Her calloused hands reached into the cash register and she pulled out a bill with a 'ten' stamped on it. Leaning over the counter with her elbows propping her up, Avdol handed the money to Jeanne.
When Polnareff only stared, Avdol reached out and took her hand, opening up her palm. She stared at the lines in Jeanne's palm, and for a split second it looked like she was reading it, then she put the cash in Polnareff's hand.
"Here." She hummed.
"Uh- wh-" Polnareff stammered, her gaze jumping from the money in her hand to Avdol's hand holding hers, then up Mahmuda's shoulder, her bicep, her breasts- her face! Jeanne was looking at Mahmuda's face and nowhere lower.
"For the drink." Avdol explained, her grip softening on Polnareff's hand, growing ever-so-tender, like she was holding something delicate. "You've already paid for it enough with your flattery."
"But what- you're losing money!"
"If you come back here again, I won't be." Avdol offered, her head tilting to the side in silent offering. Her warm fingers wrapped around Polnareff's, forcing them to curl around the cash. Polnareff swallowed at Mahmuda's subtle invite, then forced herself to put on a sly grin on her face to hide her racing thoughts that were chanting, 'YES YES YES!' over and over again.
"How do you want me to repay you if you don't accept money? I have a few ideas if you don't." She hummed softly, her voice seductively low in a whisper only Avdol could hear. Mahmuda's grip on her hand tightened as she reddened brightly, Polnareff audibly heard her breath hitch. Jeanne took this moment to continue talking.
"How about a few sword lessons? Maybe even a free physical therapy session? I can try and paint something for your shop's walls, but I can't guarantee that my art skills are as good as Kakyoin's…" Jeanne commented, teasing Mahmuda by saying innocent repayment options instead of offering to go on a date with her. Or doing something more extreme. Now, she was certain Mahmuda's thoughts were racing just like Jeanne's were.
"Just come back here tomorrow and we'll be even." Mahmuda said after clearing her throat. She quickly let go of Polnareff's hand, fixing her dark curls self-consciously.
"Of course," Jeanne bowed her head, rising from her seat. Her hands glided on the counter as she took her matcha and finished it quickly so that she could leave, and also to just show-off her chugging abilities. "I'll see you around, Mahmuda." She flashed one of her warm smirks and wrapped her coat over her shoulders with a twirl.
"It was nice to meet you, Polnareff." Avdol nodded her head respectfully at Polnareff as she walked out the coffee shop.
The French woman's gaze flashed behind her as she opened the door, only to see Avdol still staring at her as she was walking away. She quickly snapped her head away as her face reddened and she practically ran back to her new apartment, grinning like a fool.
Wow. Mahmuda was… very pretty. And charming. And obviously quite selfless. And very…
Okay, she was sexy as hell.
Polnareff couldn't wait to get to know her better.
She was DEFINITELY coming back to that coffee shop, and not just for the amazing drinks.