Mocha Mixups

Rosemary hummed contemplatively as Estelle pined over the idea of a quiet life someplace nice. It wasn't hard to imagine her walking out in the countryside or lounging at a far off beach someplace. The brunette just had that picturesque look to her. The sort that when you thought about traveling someplace beautiful, a woman like Estelle was generally what the promotional photos would show you. This could be you. She gave a soft chuckle to the image in her head before nodding to the other woman. She could respect that.

"The noise can be a bit much with the hustle and bustle of city life. I certainly complain about it enough, but honestly I think I like it. It's easy to plan around things that are more densely packed. It's strange. You would think that being in a big place like this would be distracting… but I find it helps me focus when I have to shut things out to get something done. It's the freedoms of a quiet space that I find myself most distracted because I don't have to really think about what I need to get done." Rosemary called her chin lightly with a finger, slowly going over her own thoughts as she was speaking them. She wasn't sure Estelle would get her meaning but it was the best she could do to explain. Hopefully she didn't sound like a crazy person.

"I've cheated a bit with cultural faux pas after the door holding business. Videos mostly on YouTube. Easy to digest things I can listen to or watch when I do other things that advise on things to do or not do when living in Japan. It's been helpful." The Sky Captain had placed a hand lightly over her phone with the explanation, subconscious connecting the two items together as she spoke.

Picking up another cookie bit, she looked about to dunk it again before realizing there was still a floating mushy bit from her last one bobbing around. With a soft sigh she set the cookie down, pouting at her cup. She raised two fingers, looking as if she was about to try and pluck it out, but retracted them after a moment of thought. She didn't really want to be trying to fish a soggy cookie out of her coffee in front of Estelle. She instead lifted the cup to take a sip, subtly trying to just drink it down with the coffee itself. Stubbornly however it didn't reach her lips by the time she had finished. Disappointedly staring down at the floating baked good in her cup, she finally reached in to poke it with a finger, pushing it down beneath the murky mocha liquid so she couldn't see it anymore. Out of sight, out of mind. Perfect.

"I've never been to Switzerland, close though. A few years ago I was in France for a bit, so just a hop, skip, and a border jump away. England technically has a smattering of languages spoken it, but most of the population speaks English, to some degree. Some would argue certain rural dialects don't constitute speaking English." She gave a small giggle at that, though blushed a bit after a brief thought that she made a joke that only she likely understood. Instead of drawing attention to it, she picked up a piece of her cookie and popped it in her mouth so she wasn't obligated to explain since she was chewing on food.

Estelle’s eyes happily went from her conversation partner to her coffee and cookie while Rosemary explained about her views on the topic they were discussing. It was interesting for Estelle seeing how Rosemary seemed to disagree with her in that. The British talked like the kind of people that pursued some kind of purpose, and that could feel lost in a situation in which they have nothing to do or focus on. Even if they weren’t in the same page in that topic, Estelle could understand what her rival was talking about. “Even if I think the opposite way I believe I understand what you say. I like the relaxing silence of wide and quieter spaces, and that is why I live in the top floor of a skyscraper, but I can understand why people could feel lost in between all that silence and calm. I know some people that focus the best when they have to deal with lots of ideas at the same time and organize themselves a lot.”

While she was talking, Estelle couldn’t help but notice how Rosemary was struggling with some piece of her cookie that fell on her cup, with Rosemary too embarrassed to get her hands inside her coffee to just get it but also too bent on getting a hold at the soggy cookie. Estelle warmly smiled at her thinking it was such an adorable way of getting to know more of her character. Even so, the Swiss composed herself. After all, she didn’t want to offend the woman.

The conversation then went to her home Switzerland. Estelle still missed her home country now and then. She liked how her new life in Japan had given her things she never thought she would have, but sometimes the nostalgia of home could be big. “I think that my fondness of calm and quiet places comes from my country. After all, Switzerland isn’t that big, and it is way less crowded than Japan. Sometimes I miss the air of the mountains, but I also like it in here. But let’s not talk about nostalgic things anymore! What is it the thing that you have liked the most from living here, in Japan?”, her tone brightened when she stopped talking about her country into happier topics.

Rosemary paused mid nibble of the last piece of her cookie when Estelle lived at the peak of a skyscraper. Blinking rapidly by the casual mention of something like that, which seemed rather extravagant. While it was true she never looked how much a penthouse would cost, she was almost certain it was several times more expensive than her humble little box sized apartment near the arena. Perhaps there was a nugget of truth to her earlier assumptions about this other woman being a model… it certainly fit the lavish lifestyle narrative that suited her look. With a small shake of her head she nibbled on her cookie again and just listened.

"The colors." Rosemary said without much thought. While her home hadn't been shy with rolling hillsides and greenery, there was far more out here in Japan that just seemed to pop more. She liked the bright contrast found all around the city and its outskirts. Not just in Tokyo as a whole, but its people too. Fashion was all over the place from the mundane to the outlandish, which she fell into quite well with her known style as the Sky Captain. "I do like the culture too, as strange as it may be to me. The traditional things especially I find fascinating. It's just… fresh. To grow up one way of living and to go someplace where everything is different has a way of putting how small a part of the world our own viewpoint is. It's fun and new… also humbling."

Rosemary’s response to Estelle’s question was plain simple at first, and that surprised the Swiss. It was such a simple answer, an idea like color so engraved into someone’s mind that most of the people would take it for granted, but Rosemary noticed it and gave it it’s rightful value. Estelle couldn’t help but smile when her partner said that, thinking it was a cute answer, sign of some special awareness coming from the British.

But that wasn’t the only thing Estelle learnt from Rosemary’s response. When the woman started mentioning those aspects from Japanese culture she liked and respected, talking about how it caused some sense of wonder in her something moved inside Estelle. Even if Rosemary’s voice tone wasn’t excessively effusive, it could be told that the woman was passionate about what she was talking about, and seeing that passion made Estelle realize how oblivious she had remained for some time about the place she moved months ago.

Estelle got a final bite at the last remainings of her cookie as she looked at her cup: still some coffee in it. “You made me realize a mistake I made, you know? Listening to you talk about this place made me realize I have been living in here for almost a year but I have been hiding in my shell for so long, not paying attention to the wonders this place might offer. I think it is time I put an end to that, and it was all thanks to you.”, she finished with a smile as she took another sip at her coffee.

Rosemary canted her head slightly as Estelle spoke, her lips pursed in thoughtful contemplation. Her expression grew into a warm smile by the time she had finished, with a faint rosy hue in her cheeks. While it was nice to receive compliments, it was especially gratifying to know her impassioned words had inspired the other woman. She was a detail oriented woman. Dotting her "i"s and crossing her "t"s so even the smallest things tended to be caught by her. It gave her a certain appreciation for the beauty in things that others tended to overlook... or to nitpick. The latter tended  to be what the overwhelming majority seemed to think which had gotten her somewhat shunned when it came to making new friends. People didn't tend to like criticism, even if it was done with the best intentions.

"...Thanks." The brunette murmured softly, sheepishly tucking a few strands of hair behind one of her ears. She wasn't sure what else to say other than that without coming on too strong. After a long night babysitting a grown woman who absolutely fought her tooth and nail on every word she said, having someone listen to her meant the world right now. Perhaps this is what she needed, to start socializing with people other than Scarlet. The woman's bad influence was rubbing off on her, clouding her mood. She respected the woman, but that didn't make her any less insufferable.

"I..." Rosemary jumped a the sound of a cannon firing sounded from her phone. An alarm. She fumbled in a panic to grab for the device, swiping it frantically to silence the sounds as others started to glance her way. Normally she would have had her headphones in and it wouldn't have been an issue but at the moment she had unplugged them to chat. Whoops. She frowned down at the time, tapping the screen with a sigh.

"Shoot... I'm behind. I uh... sorry to cut things short like this." Rosemary pushed out her chair, rising to her feet. She collected her trash in a balled up napkin and picked up her half finished coffee to take it with her. "I really have to run. It was... really nice talking with you Estelle. I hope you find the time to explore the city a bit more, at your own pace. Don't feel the need to rush, take it all in, ya'know?" The brunette pushed her chair back in where it belonged, giving Estelle and appreciative smile before she started to move to leave.

Estelle could do nothing but look at Rosemary and smile warmly when the woman just murmured a word of gratitude. The Swiss couldn’t help but think all those small details of Rosemary like when she canted her head while listening to her words or how she tucked her shiny hair behind her ear were so cute and gave away a lot about her new friend’s character. It looked like Rosemary was a sensitive person and that she wasn’t very used to people taking into consideration her words and being open about it just as Estelle just did, and that was just a shame if anyone were to ask the Swiss. She wasn’t one to jump into conclusions rashly, but she felt a connection with this woman, definitely she wanted to know more than her, and thinking about that made her blush, even more seeing how Rosemary was blushing as well.

Suddenly, a literal cannon sound popped the bubble in which Estelle was. Rosemary looked appalled by the fact her phone was ringing and Estelle could only arc her brow in a funny face at the unusual alarm tone. Rosemary then looked rushed to make an exit as she stood on her feet, what made Estelle have a sudden sad feeling. However, Rosemary invited her to go and explore the city in a way that showed how kind and considerate she was, and the woman took extra time in remarking how pleased she had been while talking. It was now or never. If Estelle wanted to make a move there wouldn’t be a better moment than that. Before she could notice Rosemary was already heading out of the café.

But Estelle wouldn’t give up that easily. With a quick movement she got her small notebook from her handbag (she always liked having a notebook and pen in hand to take notes of interesting things she liked). With precise handwriting she wrote her name and her phone number and then rushed to the café’s entrance. “Rosemary, wait!!” The Swiss ran to her hurried friend until she got her attention. “You forgot something. Now don’t be late to your appointment and have a wonderful day.”, Estelle said while winking an eye at Rosemary before turning on her heels and starting her walk back home. So many unexpected events and emotions for one day, the Swiss just wanting to get back home for a bath and some relaxing time before bed.

It was regrettable she had to cut things so short. This had been the silver lining to an otherwise bothersome start to her day. With a soft sigh she started to unravel her ear buds again, collecting the excess cord into her palm. No sooner had she shouldered the door open than she heard her name being called from behind. Blinking, she looked back to see Estelle jogging up to her. The brunette cocked her head slightly, instinctively patting down her jogging shorts to see what she had forgotten, confused by the other woman's words... she felt a bit silly remembering her shorts had no pockets though.

"Hm?" Perplexed, she took the small slip of paper, briefly scanning over it. "I don't think this is..." She looked up from the paper, about to hand it back when she caught Estelle's wink. She innocently stared, putting two and two together before blushing. Before she could respond, her new friend was already past her, leaving the Sky Captain staring in her wake as a cool breeze started to blow into the open door of the cafe. She bit her lower lip slightly, leaning her weight back into the door as the other woman vanished into the crowded streets, left with her thoughts.

"Close the door! You'll let pests in!"

Rosemary jumped at the call from behind the counter as a barista looked on with disappointment. the brunette quickly bowed her head to them with murmured apologies and hurried out, jogging in the opposite direction. She couldn't hide the beaming smile, looking down at the slip of paper every so often, no longer concerned with putting her headphones back in while she filed the number away into her phone.