Work Text:
"Alright, new kid," Sun Wukong handed the trainee an apron. "Make sure to wear the name tag, too. That's a new thing and it's stupid but it's a corporate thing so we just have to do it."
"Ok?" the new employee said confused as she straightened her name badge that read 'Pyrrha Nikos'.
"Since its your first day, I'm just gonna have you on register. You're familiar with it right?" Pyrrha nodded having had learned how to use it during her previous job. "Cool. So just write down the order and hand it to me. I'll make the drink and then you just take their money. Easy enough?"
"Yes, sir."
"Please don't call me 'sir'."
"Yes um... Sun."
"Better."
The next few minutes went over well. A trickle of customers came in, ordered fairly simple drinks, and paid with either card or just cash and received change. Pyrrha was getting into the flow of things and was feeling pretty good about her first day behind the counter. That was until a group of people came in and ordered the most absurdly specific orders. Pyrrha had to look over to her coworker with eyes as wide as saucers.
"Oh Grimm... Cocoa give the new kid a break," he slammed a black cup of coffee in front of the girl who pulled her shades down her nose showing an 'are you serious' expression. She sighed deeply and snatched up the cup, slamming down the exact change and chugged the coffee within seconds. The rest of her friends changed their orders to more simple menu items, indirectly embarrassing Pyrrha who was constantly apologizing. To her, it being her first day was no excuse for inconveniencing a customer.
Business picked up for another hour or so when a swarm of students from the nearby academy, but Pyrrha didn't falter with ringing up as many customers as she could. Before long it was dead in the shop except for one raven haired girl at the table closest to the exit. Sun took a 15 and chatted with her for a while, acting less confident than Pyrrha had observed him to be. Not knowing what to do with her 'dead time' she cleaned tables, the counter, and restocked the cups and lids.
"Hey Pyrrha!" Sun called out as she wiped down the barista station. "I'm clocking out early. The old guy will let you know when to go home, ok?" Before she had a chance to protest or ask if it was alright for him to be doing that, he said "goodbye" and left with the female customer. Pyrrha stood alone, with the 'old guy', being their GM, asleep in the back room. The red head stood nervously behind the counter. Sun had forgotten to show her how to make beverages...
Fumbling around underneath the register, she pulled out a user employee manual for the coffee machines and studied vigorously. She pushed buttons and made many failed attempts at the simplest of coffee drinks. All she could do was make a plain black cup of coffee...
DING.
A young blond man walked through the door covered in sweat and completely out of breath. Stunning over to the counter and placed a wad of cash in front of Pyrrha. "One... cup of coffee... two sugars," he managed to say before slumping over gasping for air. The red head let out a sigh of relief. She counted up the money in front of her and left the change and receipt for him to claim when it was ready.
"Name for the order?" she said. The boy looked around confused since he was the only one there, but replied none the less.
"Weiss."
With a small smile, she wrote the name on the cup. "What a nice name, Mr. Weiss."
"Oh! Well uh...," his face went a little redder than it already was. "My names actually Jaune. Jaune Arc. I'm just getting it for a um... friend. It's exam season and all and she's up super late with her study group. So I just thought I'd get her some coffee since she's been working so hard."
"That's awfully sweet of you, Jaune. She's lucky to have you as a friend."
"Well, I mean I'm more like a friend-of-a-friend. Weiss honestly ignores me. I'm lucky if she even gives me the time of day... But our mutual friend will pass it off to her so it's ok."
Pyrrha put the sugar in the coffee, stirred it and popped the lid on top of the cup. Reaching into the small fridge next to the coffee machine, she pulled out a bottle of water. "Here," she handed the two drinks to the boy. "Drink up. Dehydration is a serious problem. So, make sure to drink up."
Looking up at the girl, he smiled and took both drinks in hand. He tried to pay for the water but Pyrrha just shook her head. After a few moments spent arguing, he finally won by placing his change and a little extra in the tip jar. With a thank you and a good night, Jaune raced out the door just as fast as he had arrived.
---
The next few night Jaune came to get a cup of for his crush, and Pyrrha requested as many night shifts as she was allowed. He would come in to get Weiss her coffee with two sugars, and sometimes would get a cup for himself. Business was always slow when he would arrive so they would talk; about Jaune's sisters, studies, and about various other things. Soon enough, they acted more like old friends rather than acquaintances that had just met a few weeks ago. It was nice. Pyrrha felt like she had made a real friend for once and not just someone who would latch onto her accomplishments.
"Have you told her yet?" Pyrrha fiddled with her straw of her iced coffee. She picked up Sun's habit of taking a 15 after Jaune would order his drinks.
"What? Weiss?" Jaune looked up with half a muffin in his mouth. The sight made Pyrrha giggle, causing the boy to blush and finish his snack. "No, not yet..." He took a deep sigh. "She's been really into this other guy lately and I just- I don't know... Maybe I'm not good enough for her..."
"Jaune Arc! Don't say that about yourself! You're one of the nicest, sweetest boys I've ever met! Don't downplay yourself like that! If I were her-" Pyrrha stopped herself short. Taking a sip of her drink, she cooked herself down and looked at her friend kindly. "If she can't see how amazing you are then it's her loss."
"Hey Nikos! Times up!" Sun called from the other side of the counter.
"Well I guess I'll be getting back to work," she stood up from the table.
"Yeah... I guess I'll just go ahead head out. See you tomorrow," Jaune said as he picked up the now lukewarm coffee and made his way out the door. Pyrrha watched him leave letting out a sigh. It wash are watching him struggle yet still get her a $5.99 cup of coffee (before tax) everyday.
"Girl, you've got it bad," Sun snapped Pyrrha out of her daze.
"What do you mean?"
"Trust me, I've been the same. Hottie comes in and orders a coffee. It keeps up for a few days, almost weeks, and then you finally get to talking and knowing them. You get this feeling in your chest and you start to over heat, and it's got nothing to do with the ice machine or the steam from the water heater. Next thing you know you ask them out with a cheesy pun and boom you're celebrating your one month anniversary."
"What? Jaune and I aren't like that-"
"Uh huh. So why did you start putting Splenda in the girl's coffee instead of just the normal sugar cubes? My guess is because you're cutting corners since it dissolves faster. Or why do you doodle on that guy's cup sleeve? Because you like him."
"Well of course I like him. Jaune's a good friend-"
"No not that like. Like like. As in, you're jealous and you really don't want him to waste his time or money on her type, like."
Pyrrha was silent. She didn't realize it at first but her coworker was right. It wasn't just a kind of friendship she had made but rather a crush she wasn't acknowledging. Looking back on her past friendships with boys and her current ones with Sun or some of the other male regulars, Jaune was different. He wasn't just an open ear, but someone she looked forward to seeing. Her heart would skips beat or her face would grow a little pinker.
DING.
Pyrrha looked up to notice Sun already having his jacket on, and was joining a group of people who had just entered. His girlfriend Blake, who was the regular he was always talking with, and his roommate Neptune were the only ones she recognized. With them was another girl with long white hair in a side ponytail, almost as long as Pyrrha's, who was standing nervously next to the light blue haired boy.
"Leaving already?" Pyrrha inquired knowing full well she was asking a 'stupid' question.
"Yeah. It's date night so we're gonna catch a movie. I'd invite you to come but-" Sun got elbowed in the gut by Blake before he could finish.
"Stop giving her a hard time," she instructed and then gave Pyrrha an apologetic look. "Anyways, are you willing to make a chai latte for the road?"
"You got it," Pyrrha smiled and began brewing the drink. "Anything else?"
"I'll take a plain iced coffee-" Neptune began before Sun interrupted him (for a change).
"He'll take the girliest coffee we have, so he'll have the raspberry mocha with extra whip." They two just locked eyes with each other and Neptune gave his friend a 'dude, you're embarrassing me' stare.
"I'll just have a coffee, two sugars," the other girl stated. Pyrrha stopped working and something clicked in her mind.
"I hope you don't mind me asking," the redhead looked over at the other girl, "but by any chance is your name Weiss?"
"Uh... yes?" the girl replied looking a little confused by the stranger knowing her name.
If she's here, Pyrrha thought, then that must mean...
"Uh Pyrrha?" Sun snapped her back to reality once again. "Could you finish those up soon? We want to get to the theater before it starts raining."
"Raining?" she asked dazed.
"Yeah it's supposed to really pour tonight," Blake replied giving a shiver considering she hated rain.
Pyrrha quickly put together the drinks and then threw off her apron. She practically jumped over the counter and landed in front of Weiss. "If you were studying today where would you be?"
Confused and a little overwhelmed Weiss replied, "At the library-"
"I'm leaving early!" Pyrrha yelled to the back room were the GM woke up long enough to reply with a "whatever" as she ran out the door.
---
The rain sprinkled at first, but within seconds the sky let loose and it started pouring. Pyrrha sprinted to the library and made it there as fast as she could. She found a sopping wet Jaune on the steps of the building. He looked up at her and then back down at his feet. Slashing with each step, the redhead made her way closer to the building's entrance a fast next to her friend.
"She's not coming," Pyrrha managed to say.
"Yeah... I figured that much..." Jaune sighed as he stared at the ice cold cup of coffee in his hand. Unable to stand seeing him like this, Pyrrha snatched the cup out of his hand, popped off the lid, and chugged the entirety of the beverage. After finishing she made a twisted face coughed a little. "Pyrrha! Why did you-?"
"I didn't want- want you to waste a perfectly good cup of coffee," she said as she fumbled with the empty cup, it now filling with rain water.
"Thanks."
They sat quietly as the sound of the rain filled the moment. There was serene silence between the two as they watched cars drive by and people trudging through puddles.
"Hey Pyrrha," Jaune finally spoke. The redhead looked his way to be greeted by a warm smile. "Thanks."
She giggled and nudged him in the arm. "You already said that. And you don't have to thank me for anything..."
"You're a great friend," he said sincerely as he stood to his feet, then offered a hand to help up the girl. All she could do in reply was smile back and stand. His words hurt a little but when she thought about it, that's what she had tried to be up until that point. But now, since she new her own feelings clearly, she was going to do her best to convey them. Whether it took a few days or even a few weeks to get over Weiss, Pyrrha would be there. First as a friend and then over time hopefully he would see her in that way.
The two ran in the rain back to the coffee shop. Pyrrha was lectured but thankfully not fired, and Jaune was greeted with a hot cocoa on-the-house. He stayed till closing, and borrowing an umbrella from the coatrack, waited for Pyrrha to clock out. He walked her home and told her goodnight. The two parted ways and thus started their new budding relationship.