An office drone who goes for a cup of coffee on the weekend (male).

It'd all begun with a feeling.

It wasn't one that Dan could define if pressed on it, not really. He'd gotten up on Saturday just as he would any other and had gone about it in the most boring way he could imagine. Go to the bathroom, floss, brush his teeth, take a shower, apply deodorant, put product in his hair, get dressed, head downstairs for eggs, bacon, and toast, then head out under the early morning sunlight to spend the first part of the weekend doing nothing in particular. Yet something had made Dan pause as he pulled out his keys to unlock the car. Not concern, worry, or fear but definitely the impression that something had happened in between Dan laying his head down on his pillow and now. Frowning and replaying the previous night's events over again, nothing in particular came to mind.

But the persistent nagging in the back of his head followed him as he got in and pulled out of the driveway. Dan didn't even bother turning on the radio despite it being something he usually never thought twice about. There weren't any holidays or birthdays this month for anyone, he'd paid all his bills, and he even perused his wallet while sitting at the kitchen table to check for any missing cards. Dan would've definitely remembered if someone had asked him to do something later that day too.

Panic almost struck him as he considered the possibility of having not sent an email before he'd left on Friday from the office, but it quickly subsided. The team meeting wasn't for another two weeks and no one had asked Dan for anything since yesterday morning. So whatever the feeling was that he just couldn't shake definitely didn't have to do with his job. Maybe the ennui of the typical 9 to 5 American dream had simply crept up on Dan a few decades too early.

The drive was as uneventful as he thought it might be. Few cars passed him on the highway and even fewer followed him to his particular exit. Having no bumper-to-bumper traffic was at least something that always managed to put Dan in good spirits, however, so for a minute or two it was enough to take his mind off of the odd thought that something was amiss.

Whatever that something was, anyway.

As Dan zigged and zagged his way from one street to another, he casually glanced in the rear view mirror, brushing a few strands of chestnut hair away from his forehead that'd managed to get loose since he'd combed it. He didn't have to make his way over to Jittery Cat; he'd gone more than his fair share this week already. The drinks weren't even all that great, if he were perfectly honest about it. The 'hipster coffee shop' was a staple of a city's gentrification no matter where you went, after all. But the company was pleasant enough that he'd made it into a routine by now and getting the energy to find something to do would hopefully banish his self-doubt.

Pulling up alongside the curb, Dan got out and stretched for a moment before walking up to the meter and popping a few coins into it. The crumbling sidewalk didn't do much to help the outer appearance of Jittery Cat. Despite having only opened up about a year ago the owner simply hadn't gotten the funds together to renovate much of the exterior and so it remained an unpleasant reminder of economic stagnation. Almost unconsciously, Dan smoothed the legs of his jeans and the edges of his blue-and-gray striped polo shirt as he made his way over to the rickety door that was barely big enough to fit into its frame, gingerly opening it and sliding into the pleasant aroma of baked goods and roasted beans.

Trying to brush off how sad it was that the tinkling sound of the bell had become familiar to him by this point, Dan stepped into the threshold and walked up to the counter. Just as he'd hoped, the lounge was completely empty except for himself and the person he knew for certain would be on shift. For whatever reason, flirting gave him two left feet whenever more than a handful of strangers were around.

"Hello?" Dan called out, trying to act as casually as he could.

"Just a second!" a voice from somewhere in the kitchen yelled. It took only a moment before its owner revealed themselves, a short woman with blond hair and glasses stumbling slightly out into the dim light of the storefront.

"Hi, welcome to Jittery Cat! How can we- oh, it's just you, Dan."

"Don't sound so happy about it, alright, Kristy?" Dan chuckled, shaking his head. "At least me coming in here keeps the lights on."

Sticking her tongue out at him, Kristy leaned against the glass display case, resting her head on her cheek.

"Yeah, well, it's not like you're showing up for the frappes. I think we both know that," Kristy says, casting her head back in the direction of the bakery.

Flushing slightly, Dan shrugged his shoulders.

"Not really being subtle about it, I know."

"It'd be a lot cuter between you and Lis if you'd shit or get off the pot."

"Been out of the game for a while, alright?" Dan huffed, allowing a little more annoyance into his tone than he meant to. "But I figure since I'm new in town, I'll give it the old college try. Even if she is way out of my league."

"Oh, definitely. Gotta admire your persistence, though," Kristy said as she smirked. Craning her head back, she peered through the doorway and gestured to someone out of Dan's vision. "Hey, Lis! Romeo's here to try and sweep you off your feet again."

It took only a moment before the woman in question to appear, glowering at her coworker as she stepped towards the register and Dan did his best to keep his eyes firmly on Lis' face (and not on her amazing legs). It's a struggle, of course, just like it always is. Her curly raven hair is pulled into an immaculate bun, stylish horn rim glasses sitting atop a cute rounded nose, face framed by sharp cheekbones that look like they belong to a movie star. Her dark bronze skin seems to practically glow underneath the Jittery Cat's bulbs, plump lips curled into a distinct frown at Kristy's teasing, arms folded over her sizeable bust. A selfish part of him was glad that the Brazilian immigrant was here, even if Dan knew how humiliating it was for someone with a doctorate to be reduced to serving coffee. She'd told him enough times herself, after all, when it'd only been the two of them together in the early morning and she had opening duties.

"You know how that story ends, yes?"

Dan blinked. Her voice was something as equally as attractive as any other part of her. It was soft, a gentle Portuguese-tinted lilt that never failed to put him in a good mood. But now...

"Yeah, yeah," Kristy said with a snort. "Tragically. Just like how it's gonna be between the two of you if he doesn't ask you out already."

Elisabete's normally demure tone was now deeper, huskier, like something that'd develop after years of binging on whiskey and, the more he paid attention to Kristy's tone, the more Dan realized that it too seemed... off. Lis's frown turned into an outright scowl as she pointed a finger at Kristy, ready to tell her off for what seemed like the umpteenth time when Dan interrupted their argument.

"Uh, are the two of you... feeling alright?"

They both paused, turning to look at him.

"Of course," Lis says, with a puzzled expression. Kristy seemed as equally confused, taking a moment to remove her glasses and wipe the frames on the edge of her dark green apron.

"Same as always, lover boy."

"But... I just thought..."

Dan didn't know what to say. Two days ago he'd been in the Jittery Cat and both had sounded completely normal. Now it seemed as if two strangers had begun to dub over their talking.

"Ooh, there's a first! How 'bout I get out of here so you can work up the stones to take her somewhere nice later tonight?"

As she passed Elisabete, Kristy turned back and gave her wonderfully round ass a loud, purposeful smack as she winked at him. The embarrassment fully evident underneath her dark complexion, Lis spun around and tried to return the favor, but to no avail as her fellow employee dashed away, leaving the two of them in awkward silence.

"..."

Lis put her face in her hands, her frames coming askew as she stood there, trying to compose herself.

"Hey, uh, don't worry about it. I don't come here for stuff like that," Dan ventured, aware even now how lame it sounded coming from his mouth. "You brew a mean cup. That's all."

"You don't have to lie to me, Dan," Lis said through her fingers. "I know I'm not very good at it."

Despite the incongruity between what he's experienced today and his own memories, Dan can't help but offer a small smile in return.

"Practice makes perfect, right? I'll just get something simple. A large espresso is fine."

She nodded gratefully to him, lowered her hands from her face, and went over to the register.

"That should be five dollars and twenty five cents, then."

After they exchanged the money and Lis closed the register, Dan stood off to the side as he watched her work. He had to admit that, even if he didn't have a crush on her, it was interesting to watch her work, even if it ended up being simple. Despite downplaying herself to him, there was a certain intensity that fell over her as she worked and Dan was sure that if he had any other questions for her that weren't extra instructions she'd probably have tuned him out.

Just as Lis was about to walk over to him with the drink, though, she stumbled. Her eyes go wide in panic for a moment as she tries to right her balance as the hot liquid swished this way and that before some of it sloshed backwards and onto her. The offending container fell from her hands as she reached behind her head to rip off the apron from her body, a torrent of curses in Portuguese exited her mouth in distress. To her credit, Kristy appeared as if from nowhere to Lis' side, asking her fellow barista if she were alright. But Dan didn't register Lis' distress at first. No, his eyes had squarely fallen on what the coffee had outlined underneath her khaki slacks.

A dick.

Not just any dick either. It strained against fabric that suddenly seemed far too thin to contain its massive girth, settled atop an equally impressive set of balls, jostling this way and that as its owner moved about in residual pain from the accident. Dan felt lightheaded, almost as if he wasn't really seeing what was before him, and now suddenly very self-conscious in a way he'd never have expected to feel when around Lis.

"Hey, Dan? You in there?"

As Dan snapped back to reality, he quickly nodded at Kristy.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry."

"We're gonna have to close. I think I'll need to take Lis over to urgent care to see if she got burnt."