"Alright boy! Do me a favor and go grab me a coffee from the shop up the road. And make it quick! We have work to do!"
"Right away, sir!" Pazu scrambled from his post and hurried through the cave. He grinned, stumbling around another man carrying coal with a bright "excuse me," before he ran outside of the mine.
The day had hardly started, light only just gracing the horizon. For just a moment, at the lip of the mine, Pazu looked toward the sunrise with a hand shielding his face. He took a big breath, filling his lungs with the fresh morning air, and then let out a deep sigh. The clouds in the sky looked so much like a painting, and the breeze that stirred the wildflowers ahead gently pushed back his hair from his face. He couldn't help a smile, which chased him all the way up the hill and down the road.
Down by the market, everyone who noticed Pazu running past called out a good morning, which he returned with a wave and a broad grin. The baker's wife, the storekeeper, anyone who managed to spot him greeted him with friendly, familiar smiles. The coffee shop was close, but Pazu realized very suddenly that he had never actually been inside. He knew the owner and her sons, but his boss had never asked for coffee before. He stopped just outside, looking up at the sign and at the tables and chairs that he must have passed hundreds of times in his life. His eyes lowered to the window, but the light was just too bright for him to see inside. To think his whole life, he'd lived and work down the road from a quaint little coffee shop, and he'd never stepped inside!
Chuckling to himself, he stepped forward to open the door.
A fresh scent overwhelmed him, almost earthy and definitely new. He looked around, blinking with wide eyes around the little cafe. A few people looked up, casting him warm smiles over their beverages. He gave a shy wave in response while he wandered a little further in.
"Well, look who it is!" Pazu brightened at the familiar voice, and looked up past the counter. "Pazu, come on in, my boy!"
"Dola!" he hardly had enough time to say her name before she looped around the counter and hugged him tight. "Dola, how've you been?" he asked her, muffled against her chest.
She let out a hearty laugh before holding him out by the shoulders. "I'm doing just fine, Pazu. And you! I think you've grown since I last saw you!" she teased him, pinching his cheek before hurrying back around the counter. "Now, what can I do you for?"
A few of the people in the cafe chuckled at the scene, some watching as Pazu stumbled before he caught his balance. "Boss needs a coffee!" he told Dola, rubbing his sore cheek.
Dola smirked and crossed her arms. "Well, you've come to the right place, young man, that's for sure." a few of her sons snickered from behind her. "How does he like his coffee?"
"Well, uh…" Pazu's gaze fell to the expansive menu on the wall behind the counter, and blinked at it for a moment longer than he should have. He scratched the back of his head. "I, um, don't rightly know, ma'am. I thought coffee was just coffee."
He smiled faintly as Dola and her sons erupted into a joyous bout of laughter. "Pazu! You have much to learn," Dola shook her head. "How's about just a plain old black coffee for that boss of yours, eh? CHARLES! GET TO BREWING!"
The laughter abruptly stopped and the son she called out jumped to attention with a salute. "Yes mom!" he scrambled to the back, where Pazu heard a faint crashing. He flinched with a faint laugh.
Dola rolled her eyes before she turned her attention back to him with a warm smile. "I've got some work to do. I'll see you later, Pazu, I'll have Sheeta here ring you up for the coffee. I'm feeling generous today, so I'll give you a discount. Come by again soon!" she winked, before she disappeared in the back as well.
"I'll do that!" Pazu replied back, raising his voice slightly so she could hear him. Then, still laughing to himself, he made his way over to the register. He chewed his lip and looked back up at the menu, wondering what each item meant, if there really was so much more to coffee than what he'd thought. There appeared to be a wide variety of brews, and having it cold seemed to be a popular option. Cream and sugar cost a little extra for any given beverage. He whistled lowly at the list.
"One regular coffee, that'll be three copper pieces." a soft voice caught his attention, and he turned his wide gaze down in front of him.
Like everything had frozen around him, Pazu met the warm, dark eyes of a girl he didn't recognize. Any words he might have said were caught in his throat as he blinked at her, wondering if she was real. He was so still that he could see the dust motes in the air floating in the beam of the window, right by her. The light reflected off her face in such a way that she appeared to glow, and Pazu couldn't think of anything that could compare except for the soft, pale light of the moon on a clear night. The expression she held his attention with was so calm and serene, Pazu thought she couldn't possibly be human. Her dark hair fell well past her shoulders in two braids down her back, and her bangs framed her face with perfect asymmetry. Her small, shy smile made him wish he could stand there forever, up until it fell away into a slight frown.
He shook his head slightly as if to clear his head, and blinked rapidly. "Ah, right! Let me just, um…" he patted his shirt pocket, and then his two front pockets with a slightly panicked look, before checking one of the back ones. He felt what he was looking for and quickly dug up the copper pieces. He handed them to her as soon as he got the proper amount. "Phew. Here you go! Ah, I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met! I'm Pazu," he introduced himself, taking off his glove before offering his hand.
She shook it, having to reach up a little over the counter to do so. "Sheeta," she replied, smiling with a little more certainty. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Pazu."
"The pleasure is all mine!" he grinned from ear to ear, shaking her hand eagerly. Her small, delicate hands were so soft. "What a beautiful name! I don't think I've heard it before." He almost forgot that he had to let go of her hand, and reluctantly dropped it. Just as he opened his mouth to say something else, he was interrupted by a shout from the kitchen.
"ONE REGULAR COFFEE FOR PAZU!" Charles announced, barreling through with a steel thermos to take the coffee in. He marched on through, pausing to cast Sheeta a charming smile, and then set the thermos in front of Pazu. "And a good day to you sir!" If Pazu had been paying attention as Charles stalked away, he might have assumed the man's tone was dismissive.
But Pazu was again distracted by the young girl before him. Sheeta had that small, faint smile again, and Pazu felt his cheeks heat up while he grabbed the thermos. "Well, I, uh, I guess I'll see you around!" he winked at her before turning and making his way out of the shop, pushing open the door and hurrying outside before the embarrassment could reach him.
He was sure his pounding heart had something to do with how fast he was running to get the coffee back to his boss. It was the only explanation he had, even as the sky looked bluer and the air smelled sweeter than it had before. Even as the couldn't help the wide, silly grin that brought him all the way back to the mine, he told himself it was just the beauty of the morning like always. There was nothing better than an early start in the Slag Ravine.
"Hey, boss?" he asked as he returned to the mine, hands clasped behind his back after he had given him the thermos. "You think you'll be needing a coffee every morning?"
O~o~O
Grabbing a coffee quickly became a routine every day. After working for a couple of hours before sunrise, the boss would send Pazu off with a twinkle in his eye to the coffee shop, never forgetting to hand him some money before Pazu eagerly raced out of the mine. Some of the other men had caught on, and would send each other knowing looks each time Pazu left.
Dola seemed to pick up on something he didn't, with her mischievous smirk and her sons all casting worried glances to one another. She would spare Pazu a quick greeting before leaving him alone with Sheeta, always claiming she had something else to do. Not that Pazu minded; he had spent the good part of the day preparing himself to talk to Sheeta, and even that wasn't enough to calm his thrumming heart. Each time he faced her, he felt himself practically buzzing with excitement, and his heart would skip a beat despite knowing she'd be there. He didn't care to wonder why just the sight of her made his palms sweaty, or how her smile made his breathing come quicker, he just knew that seeing her was the best part of his day.
"Good morning! Will it be the usual, Pazu?" Sheeta asked him, once he came inside and stopped at the counter. At his slight nod, she waved behind her for one of the boys to get started on the coffee.
Pazu rested his elbow on the counter. "Ah, you know the boss. Always wanting his plain coffee, er, black." his face screwed up when he realized he didn't know what he was saying, and Sheeta giggled at his silly expression. She brushed one of her braids over her shoulder, and Pazu couldn't help but grin and puff out his chest a little; he'd made her laugh!
The coffee came quicker than he expected, with Charles and Louis racing to give him the thermos. Pazu handed the money to Sheeta, his breath catching in his chest as their hands touched briefly, before he slowly grabbed the coffee. "Thanks, Sheeta. I'll be back again tomorrow!" he waved to her before turning around, oblivious to how Charles and Louis called out to him with contempt, as they had been the ones to make the coffee.
"Goodbye, Pazu!" Sheeta called out to him, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Bye, Sheeta-!" Pazu called out over his shoulder, only to run right into the door and nearly drop the coffee.
All he could hear was warm laughter as everyone watched him scramble to get ahold of the thermos and his balance, and he hurried outside before anyone could say anything. He hoped Sheeta didn't notice, but the thought of making Sheeta laugh, even at his own expense, was worth it. With a sheepish grin, he started back to the mines again.
Wiping sweat from his forehead, Pazu yanked on a chain to get the platform higher. He wasn't as big as the other men in the mine, but he was able to move his weight and more to help out. For a moment, looking into the hot coals, Pazu could've sworn he saw Sheeta's face smiling at him. He pulled even harder on the chain than before, despite how every muscle in him burned. He gritted his teeth, using everything he had to pull on the heavy chain.
"That's good Pazu!" the man on the next level yelled down to him, and he nodded before securing the chain on a hook in the ground.
Just as he turned to help his boss operate the drill, he heard a shout from above. It echoed all over the cavern, but was overcome by the sound of a chain falling. He hardly had time to blink before he was struck on the head by something hard. "Pazu!" he heard his boss call out, and he just stood there, wavering in his place. He noticed a metal bucket lying near him.
"Listen to me boy, are you alright?" Pazu looked up to see his boss had grabbed him by the shoulders. He didn't remember ever sitting down, but all the men were gathered around and looking down at him. He watched all of them with wide eyes, blinking unevenly. "How many fingers am I holding up?" his boss shook him.
Pazu couldn't focus on the hand in front of his face, and saw straight past it. "Yes?" he offered helpfully, tilting his head.
His boss heaved a sigh. "You don't look so good Pazu. You're done for the day, alright? Go on home for now. Get some rest."
"But why?" Pazu slurred, blinking and shielding his eyes like it was suddenly very bright in the cave. "I feel just swell, it's a gorgeous day out, you know." he grinned.
The other men helped Pazu to his feet, and ushered him out of the cave and up the hill. He wobbled as he walked, nearly falling flat on his face. They all told him to go on home, get some sleep, and to come back tomorrow, each patting him on the back with reserved force. He tried to tell them that he could still work, but the boss assured him they could do without his help for one day. Just a day, he promised, enough for him to recover.
The flowers looked hazy and soft as he came up through the town, stumbling down the center of the road. By the time he managed to make it past the market, the townspeople had watched him go by with quiet concern. The sun beat down on him and the air was dry enough to make Pazu realize he was dehydrated. He couldn't quite see very far ahead of him, but he felt like he was walking for hours and hours, the mines a distant dream. Home was too far to make it, so he settled for the next best thing.
Along the main street, he found a table with a couple of empty chairs in the shade. Without thinking, he headed towards them, and all but collapsed into the nearest chair. He breathed heavily and rested his head on the warm table, feeling his heart rate become uncomfortably high. He was sure for just a moment, he could rest, and gather his strength to finish going home. Just a moment was all he needed, he assured himself, his eyes sliding closed. He could sleep for just a moment…
"Pazu!" a voice cried, and he very nearly jumped out of his skin before he looked up to see who had called. He blinked several times, even rubbed his eyes, to make sure he wasn't just imagining the girl in front of him.
He struggled to focus on her, and the light of the day combined with her surreal presence made him squint. "Sheeta?" he mumbled, hardly able to believe she was there. "Is that really you?"
Sheeta pulled up a chair and sat down beside him, unaware of how her proximity caused Pazu's cheeks to turn a little red. She put a hand on his forehead, and he suddenly remembered with slight shame that he must have been sweaty and covered in soot. "Of course it's me. Are you alright? What happened?" she looked at him with such concern etched in her face that he felt like he was melting under her gaze. He feared if she looked at him any longer that he might just become nothing more than a puddle.
"I got a, um." he gestured vaguely towards his head, trying to think of the words. "I got a thunk. On my head. Big bucket. Ouch." His hand fell limp on the table and he offered her a weak smile. He hoped she understood; he didn't think he could explain it any better.
She got the point well enough. "Oh, Pazu, does it hurt?" she frowned, taking off his hat before her fingers delicately brushed through his hair. Pazu blushed deeply, and figured she must have found a bump when she flinched. "That doesn't feel too good at all," the pain in her own face almost made Pazu forget about his own head.
He tried to sit up a little. "'M fine! If my head were- if my head were any harder, you could use it as a cannonball." he snorted suddenly, laughing at the thought.
Sheeta laughed with him briefly, before giving him a sympathetic smile. "How about you come inside? I can get you some water, and we've got a cot you can lay down on." she offered her hand to him, and Pazu looked at it like it was a divine gift. It took him only a moment to realize he was supposed to take her hand.
Once she managed to get him to his feet, Pazu looked around. "Where- where are we, anyway?" he knew the street looked familiar somehow, but under the light of the evening, he didn't quite recognize it. Most everyone else was inside to avoid the dry heat, and he reckoned they had the right idea.
"We're at the cafe, Pazu!" Sheeta giggled. "You must have hit your head pretty hard."
Pazu reveled in her laughter, feeling uplifted by her smile. "Y-you know," he started to say as she opened the door and led him inside. He went with her, looking around the empty shop. "The first time I saw you, I thought you might be an angel or something."
Sheeta suddenly fell quiet, and with a glance over to her, Pazu realized she was blushing. "Oh." she murmured, looking away as if to hide her small smile.
"It's true!" he assured her, stumbling around the counter and following her into the back room. She guided him with a hand along his shoulder, and he thought he could fly with how light her touch made him feel. "You're really beautiful. Your smile is so radiant, I think I've dreamed about you a couple of times. I'm not too sure." he rubbed his head, straining to remember.
Sheeta covered her mouth with one hand, her cheeks having turned a very prominent shade of pink. "That's very sweet of you," she replied softly, not quite meeting his eyes. She steered him into a room and quickly led him to the bed, very adamantly keeping her eyes on the floor. "You can lay down here, I'll come back with some water." She said quickly, before turning to hurry out of the room.
Left alone, Pazu patted the bed and smiled to himself at the thought of sleep. He hardly had enough energy just to kick off his boots, and only struggled with them for a moment before giving up, laying down properly with one boot still halfway on his foot. The room was small, but comfortable beyond all belief to Pazu, who immediately felt his weariness weighing down on his eyelids. He would have fallen asleep right then, had heavy footsteps not woken him up.
"Now what do we have here?" he recognized Dola, and he smiled faintly. "Who brought such a sweaty boy inside? We can't have him tracking his dust everywhere!"
Her voice fell as she came closer, combing some of his hair from his face. "My poor boy. I hope you know I'll allow you in here just this once! I'm teasing, of course, you're welcome any time. Sheeta, dear, have you got the water?"
His eyelids fluttered, wanting to close, but he wanted to see Sheeta as she came to him. He could just make out her face, and her smile was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "There will be water here for you when you wake up. But for now, you need some rest," she told him gently. Then, she leaned forward, surprising Pazu enough for him to feel his cheeks burn. She was so close that he could breathe her in, the scent of wildflowers wandering into his nose. He gave dizzy, dreamy smile. Then, with unbelievable tenderness, she pressed her lips to his forehead. She remained there for just a moment, long enough for his vision to blur and his eyes to close. "You really are an angel," he breathed.
The last thing he remembered was Sheeta's soft lips smiling against him, and Dola's warm laughter.