Tea Shops and Cold Mornings

Alaina smiled at the bright sky. It was still a bit chilly outside but at least the weather was beginning to warm just a little bit. Buds were beginning to spring up on tree limbs and birds hopped along the ground looking for bugs. The sunshine warmed the ground but the gentle breeze fought for the warmth.

Alaina ran a small hand through her hair, though it didn't do much good as the wind just brought it back to her eyes. It felt nice to get out every now and again. Alaina hadn't been out on the town for a while now, and there was still a lot of Central Amestris she had yet to see. A good day on the town would do her well. Alaina smiled at her surroundings a bit nostalgically. Central City was amazing, but Alaina couldn't help but miss Resembool.

With a shake of her head, Alaina smiled and walked on. Alaina passed many various shops as she made her way along, though she didn't much care for entering any of them. Today's mission was to just get out and explore. Alaina glanced over her shoulder, realizing she had strayed farther than she had originally intended. She frowned for a moment, realizing that she was probably lost. Pondering for a moment on how she should react to this, Alaina gave a small shrug and continued onward.

Alaina inhaled deeply and continued onward. The morning chill was really beginning to get to her, despite her best efforts to ignore it. Alaina turned as she saw a shop that looked vaguely interesting. A small tea shop beckoned Alaina closer. "Pi?" Alaina smiled and stopped in front of the building. It wouldn't hurt to stop in and get a warm drink. With another enthusiastic smile, Alaina opened the door and entered the tea shop.

Inside the House of Pi it was terribly busy, but that was to be expected on a Saturday afternoon. The chilly breeze was pushing people indoors for hot beverages and tasty treats. Luckily, Csilla had been there before the bustle of people had started. Shula was off somewhere and decidedly not visiting and her own apartment felt a little empty. So she had grabbed a good book, her sketchpad and some pencils before walking down to Pi. The boys had made her feel right at home (per usual) and she had set up shop in a booth in the corner. That way she could see everything as she sat. She'd only been there an hour or so when the people really poured in.

Csilla could understand it all though. It was cold. Black knee-high boots encased her legs in leathery warmth while the heel of one tapped on the floor. Her skinny jeans kept the rest of her legs warm, while a v-neck purple t-shirt and over-sized gray hoodie kept her encased up top. She had the hood down, her blonde hair pulled into a loose ponytail. A half-drank cup of hot chocolate sat in front of her, as well as an untouched slice of strawberry short cake. Untouched because Csilla was sketching it, of course!

Her head looked up again naturally as the door chimed a new arrival. The booths and tables around her were all full, so she wished the young girl luck in grabbing a seat. She pursed her lips slightly... hm. That girl looked familiar. Probably a soldier then, since her life seemed to revolve around HQ. Maybe it was time to make a new friend! She waved down Sandy-Blonde-Dream-Boat aka Seth. "Seth, darling. That girl who just walked in. Let her know that if she can't find an open table, she's welcome to sit with me. Tell her I'm Major Angelis from HQ." Seth gave her a sweet smile and a nod. "Sure, sweetheart. Now eat that cake up before I do!" Csilla wrinkled her nose at him and laughed.

Seth left from Csilla's table and went over to Alaina, tapping her gently on the shoulder. "Hi! Welcome to House of Pi. You're welcome to grab a drink directly from the counter, or if you want to take a seat, a waiter will be with you." Seth gestured over to Csilla. "Major Angelis from HQ said you can join her, if you'd like." Seth gave her a nice smile and then darted off, called away to another of his tables.




{Seth's color is hotpink, in case you were curious}

It seemed Alaina wasn't the only one with the idea of getting a warm drink. Nearly every booth had someone in it and waiters ran around trying to fulfill orders. The inside of the tea shop was friendly, nice decor and the familar smells of tea and coffee welcomed Alaina.

Alaina was quie glad to be rid of the wind. She had on a simple pair of jeans and had thrown on a random long-sleeved shirt sporting floral designs. She shivered slightly in her jacket at the change from the cold outdoors to the warmth inside. She couldn't wait for Spring again so she could go back to wearing simple dresses and not worry about the weather being too hot or cold.

Alaina focused once more and stared around the place. There didn't seem to be any open booths. Just as she was pondering whether to wait or to leave, Alaina felt a tap on her shoulder. "Ah?" Alaina followed Seth's gesture to a booth. She looked familar, perhaps someone at Central? Alaina was about to thank the man but he had already darted off.

Alaina picked her way to the table, thankful that Major Angelis was kind enough to share her booth. Finally reaching the table, Alaina slid into the seat across from the blonde. "Hello. That waiter over....somewhere...informed me that you were willing to share your booth. Thank you, Major Angelis. Oh, yeah, I'm Alaina LeClair. I'm a soldier at Central, you may or may not have seen me though. So, pleased to meet you!"

"Hello. That waiter over....somewhere...informed me that you were willing to share your booth. Thank you, Major Angelis. Oh, yeah, I'm Alaina LeClair. I'm a soldier at Central, you may or may not have seen me though. So, pleased to meet you!" Csilla looked up, smiling at Alaina as she set down her pencil and closed her sketchpad on her finished shortcake sketch. “Call me Csilla. I asked Seth to use my title so you'd know I was from HQ; I've seen you there before. I'm glad to meet you, Alaina. Please sit!” Csilla shifted so she wasn't sprawled out so much, tucking her feet underneath her Indian-style. She also shifted her cake towards her, giving Alaina space on the table. With a little smirk down at the shortcake, she grabbed at her fork and dove in. A delicate piece was on the fork and in her mouth with seconds. Pure, heavenly delight. As usual.

Seth came up after another minute, smiling indulgently down at Alaina. “Glad to see you found a seat. Here's a menu. Take a look and I'll be back in a few.” He blew Csilla an indulgent kiss, which she returned with a wink and a laugh. Csilla then looked over at Alaina. “Everything here is delicious. I swear.”

Alaina smiled as she sat down, noticing that the woman had out a sketch pad. Alaina hoped she hadn't interrupted her from her drawing. "Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you Csilla. Thank you again for letting me sit with you." Alaina gazed at the plate in front of her, had Csilla been drawing her cake? Alaina found that to be interesting. She couldn't draw that well herself though she had tried on occasion. That cake certainly looked delicious. Major Angelis must have had some self control not to devour it immediately. Or at least take tiny bites as she drew it.

It wasn't long before the waiter that Alaina had met earlier returned with a menu. "Thank you sir." Alaina smiled before flipping open the menu. Even when these people were terribly busy, they still seemed to be quite friendly. No wonder so many people chose to escape the cold by coming here. Alaina glanced up to catch Seth blowing a kiss at Csilla, to which she returned with a wink and a laugh. Alaina smiled to herself, the fun and the friendliness of the place made her feel warm inside without the need for hot tea or coffee.

Alaina looked down at the menu. So many choices, each one seemingly more delicious than the last. Alaina was glad that the shop was busy, as it would give her a little more time to decide on what she wanted. "Ah, I believe you on that! There are so many wonderful choies, I don't have any idea where to begin!" Alaina laughed before closing her eyes. "I'll have a..." She began, circling her finger above the menu before placing it down on a random spot. "Raspberry cheesecake and a..." once again, she let her finger chose for her. "Hot chocolate!" Alaina nodded enthusiastically and folded up her menu, happy with herself for her amazing decision skills.

Alaina must have had a lucky moment because right as she declared her order aloud to Csilla, Seth cruised by the table. “Raspberry cheesecake and a hot chocolate comin' right up!” He swooped his arm down to pick up the menu and was gone in a flash. Csilla was always amazed at the efficiency of the waiters at Pi. Especially Seth. But that's why he was her favorite. Csilla continued to eat her shortcake slowly, not wanting to have it all be gone before Alaina's dessert had arrived. She looked Alaina over, curious more than anything. She looked young and Csilla expected Alaina to be a relatively new recruit. Rather than just staring at her though, Csilla thought it'd be best to just ask.

“So, Alaina. Tell me about yourself. Are you new to Central City or HQ?” It was nice to meet a new person from HQ, to push away the sadness of everything that always seemed to be happening. She needed a vacation. But she couldn't really afford one at the moment, nor did she want to take the time off work. Everything was just so out of whack. Luckily, the House of Pi always lifted her spirits. It was impossible to be sad here.

Alaina had timed that to perfection! Seth came whizzing by just as she finished proclaiming her order. "Thank you, sir!" Alaina had barely the time to thank him before he was darting off once more. Wow, they were speedy here! And the food looked delicious, using Csilla's food as an example. Alaina was certainly going to come back here often. Friendly waiters, quick service, and good food. Where else would you find that kind of service?

Alaina folded her hands on the table, unsure what to say now. Csilla had returned to her cake, eating it slowly. Alaina shuffled her hands as Csilla looked her over. What was she thinking about her? "Oh? Yes, I'm new to both. I moved here from Resembool a little while back. A person can only stare at sheep.for so long. Haha~ and I just recently started working for HQ. I like it so far. The people ivemet so far have been nice and/or interesting. So, how long have you been working at HQ? Do you enjoy it?" Alaina had decided to further indulge in conversation by asking Csilla questions as well. Hopefully Csilla enjoyed her work, else wise the conversation could get sort of awkward.

"Oh? Yes, I'm new to both. I moved here from Resembool a little while back. A person can only stare at sheep.for so long. Haha~ and I just recently started working for HQ. I like it so far. The people ivemet so far have been nice and/or interesting. So, how long have you been working at HQ? Do you enjoy it?" Csilla smiled and nodded, “Yeah, it's definitely a fun time, being here. I've been at HQ...” Csilla clicked her tongue, trying to remember just how long she'd been there. She had moved to Central when she was 16 and had joined Central when she had hit 18. “About 4 years now, I think.” Csilla laughed and shook her head. “It kind of blurs together after awhile. Never a dull moment!” That was definitely the case, yes. Her smile faltered a little as she thought about the festival. Yes, never dull. Terrible, even.

She shook the thought from her mind, taking another bite of her cake as Seth delivered Alaina's order. Seth had noticed Csilla's droopy smile and reached over to squeeze her hand. Csilla had frequented the pastry shop more and more after the festival, to keep from letting the loneliness overwhelm her. Her two favorite people felt worlds away. Csilla gave Seth a grateful glance and then looked back at Alaina. “So are you looking to move up in the ranks anytime soon?”





{I'm going with the fact that this is after the mission, at least two months, haha. Just so we're clear <3}

Alaina smiled back at Csilla. "Wow, that sounds fun. I've been there all of...ha, just a few months now. Has it been that long? Getting used to things around Central has been certainly a bit challenging, but time does fly around here doesn't it? Maybe I'm just used to the farm life though." Alaina grinned with a little shrug. Four years was a long time, though Csilla seemed to be enjoying it. Or at least that's what Alaina assumed until she saw Csilla's smile waver. Alaina moved to ask about it but decided against it as Seth reappeared with her order. She didn't want to sound too nosy anyway.

Alaina took a bite of her cake, relishing in the sweet flavor for a moment before answering. Moving up in ranks? So soon? Well it was something to ponder about. Alaina hadn't given it much thought as she was mainly focused on just getting the hang of things and meeting everyone that worked there. Alaina shook her head as she swallowed. "I haven't considered it, no..." It wouldn't be such a bad thing to rank up, though she did want to wait a little while before pursuing such ideas. She felt so new still. She had been there a good few months yes, but to be honest she was just a little scared to take on more responsibilities. Pondering it for but a moment more, Alaina nodded. "Yeah. It would be nice to rank up." Alaina nodded happily before sipping her hot chocolate. Wouldn't want it to get cold (or even lukewarm really), would she?

Csilla smiled and nodded at Alaina. “It's good to have ambition. People are always in and out of HQ, so stability is good when holding down a position.” She continued to eat her shortcake, sipping at her hot chocolate. As her cup trickled down to nearly empty, Seth walked past and slid a fresh cup, topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle, across the table to Csilla. She beamed up at Seth. He really was a doll. If it wasn't for the fact that they both enjoyed men, Csilla would probably marry him. Oh, and she was in love with a red-haired-stubborn-as-steel-knight. Csilla mused that she would have to bring Elastor here one day. Seth was an excellent judge of character... it would be interesting to see what her dream boat thought of her knight.

“What can you see yourself doing? Just don't say defense,” Csilla laughed. Alaina seemed like a very nice girl so far. Central HQ needed nice people. Not that her co-workers weren't nice. But some of them were definitely oddballs. Someone a little more even-tempered would be good.

Alaina watched as Seth dropped by again, he had really good timing with these things. And wow that hot chocolate looked good. Of course, Alaina had her own to drink but still. She had to admire the beautiful caramel swirls in the whipped cream. This prompted Alaina to take another sip of her own hot chocolate, after taking a bite of her cake of course. She was certainly going to be coming back to this place. If only for hot chocolate, though it is necessary to note that her cake was very delicious.

Now what did Alaina see herself doing? She had no idea. "So I can't just say defense? Darn. Haha~" Alaina buyed a bit of time to decide by taking another bite from her cake. She had absolutely no clue. She was just a soldier, that's all she really wanted to do. With a little sigh, she set her fork down and shook her head. "I have no idea. I haven't given it much thought. I'm just a soldier, no real plan on anything as of now." Alaina stared at her cake, hoping it would give her an answer or an idea. She wasn't entirely sure what else there was. She never was any good at making decisions anyway though, which was basically what had brought her to the tea shop.

Csilla nodded her head in response to Alaina. Fair enough. It was important to check for ambition, but it was also refreshing to see someone who wasn't pushing right away for a top position. It would be interesting to see how Alaina developed over her time at HQ. Csilla ate thoughtfully, the two sitting in the bustling shop in a companionable silence. “What made you want to move here and join the military?” Csilla chuckled a little, “Besides the sheep.” Central always drew a variety of people and they almost had a good story to tell. Csilla was slightly hesitant at sharing her own story. Then again, she wasn't exactly going to say the real reason she ended up in Amestris. That was her own business. And Elastor's, in a roundabout way. Maybe one day she'd tell him what she'd done in her teens, but not anytime soon. She still felt guilty about it. She shook the thoughts from her head, focusing fully back on Alaina. It would be rude to ask a question and then zone out.

Alaina's grin took on a wide smile of amusement. "Oh don't get me wrong, I love sheep. I just got tired of staring at them. I wanted to go and see more of what was out there, y'know? I figured that the best way to do that was to join the military and move to Central. Of course, I could have just moved to Central and carried on without the military business..." Alaina trailed off as she thought about it. She hadn't necessarily thought too hard about joining the military, it was just one of those things she found to be interesting. Plus, to be honest, it was easier than moving and then having to find another job. "I didn't really think about it. Ah, it's starting to sound like I don't think about anything I do." Alaina frowned but shook her head, smile reappearing as she continued. "Haha. It was really all a matter of having too much energy and nothing to do with it. The military seemed like a fine choice, plenty to do and lots to see. Plus, who wouldn't want to protect their country? And I'm glad I joined, the people here at Central are friendly and some are a bit more...interesting than others." Alaina finished up with a bite of cake and a sip of hot chocolate before remembering something. Alaina laughed lightly, setting down her mug. "And I do like that blue color."

Csilla laughed. Inviting Alaina to her table had been a good idea after all. She was pleasantly talkative and seemed like a genuine person. Plus she clearly enjoyed her sweets, which was always a good mark in Csilla's book. She had good enough reasoning for joining the military and Csilla gladly shared her own story, minus a few details. It was an easy enough story, that after her grandparents died she had moved to her mother's hometown and joined the military when she able. It was mostly to help people, which is why she handled defense rather than offense. They spent another hour or so, chatting comfortably and finishing off their respective sweets, as well as another hot chocolate apiece. Csilla graciously paid for the meal at the end, leaving her customary jumbo tip for Seth as well as a drawing.The two soldiers exited, both having gained a new friend at the office. And that was delightful. They went their separate ways, a happy smile on both their faces.