(THE MONTH OF LOVE BEGINS!

Heya everyone! :D I had an idea for a fun little project back in November, and I got started on it around the end of December of last year. This is that project, and I'm really happy that all of my hard work has paid off.

I bring you "To the Beat of My Heart," a collection of short romance fics [seven dealing with canon character ships and seven dealing with OC-related ships] for the month of February! My… original plan was to write all the stories throughout January, but this fic [and many of the others] turned out a lot longer than I initially planned. So instead of that, I'll be publishing this throughout February and March!

Speaking of romance, this first couple is one I've been wanting to write a fic for, though I haven't had the time or energy to finish said fic. So because I want to constantly kick myself in the ass for not focusing on one story and because I want to give you guys a taste of what I have planned, I set this little fic in the Coffeeshop AU that's in the other fic. Long story short, this first pairing is going to take place in an AU. It's not because I don't want to write them in a canon setting, it's because I want my Coffeeshop AU of these two and I will write it even if I have to put a snippet of it here and write the rest of it later. (Plus I want to have some guilty pleasure for the month of February)

But before the fic starts, I want to give a special thank you to all of the participants who gave me the ship suggestions to make this possible. Some offered up canon character pairings they wanted to see, and some offered up their own characters. Thank you all so much for the input, and I really hope you like this project of mine!

Le peeps who requested this couple:

Amino: Gaoteka

Thank you to all the people who asked for this, and I hope you enjoy! :D )

Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And yes, I am very aware that this author's note is extremely long. I am so sorry Amino and mobile peeps D: …

To the Beat of My Heart

Sashangela (SashaxAngela)

Even in a shop full of expertly-crafted beverages and coffees, Angela still found her throat completely dry.

Her eyes glanced up at the clock as a nervous energy danced through her body. It was almost time.

One of her co-workers standing at the cash register turned to her, a knowing smile on her face. "Angela, you wanna switch spots for a moment?" the robot barista asked. "I could use some more practice at the cold-blended drinks."

Angela's hands rested on her hips. Even with her anxiety, she could still see BS from a mile away. "Marie, you've worked here longer than me…"

Marie laughed in a way that could only be described as "sly." "Come on… Switch with me. Just for five minutes."

Angela whipped her head to the back to the strawberry smoothie that had been sitting in the blender for half a minute. Her hands quickly popped the blender cup off the stand and poured the smoothie into the plastic cup.

"You-you know- Oh I know exactly why you want to switch, don't try and trick me! You just want to see my face when she comes up to the counter."

The smoothie really didn't deserve her glare, but she couldn't take her eyes off the drink without risking it going everywhere.

Marie curled a loose strand of her obsidian-colored hair behind her ear. "Perhaps…" she teased. "Oh, and the customer is getting that to-go."

The Lombax whipped around to the counter opposite of her and slipped a plastic cover over the cup. With a quick flick of her wrist, her fingers pinched a straw and clapped it next to the drink.

"Dallas!" Angela called out, her voice echoing through the café. Her face quickly forced a smile for a vain attempt at providing "good customer service."

A maroon-colored Cazar stepped over to the counter, tapping out something on his phone. He pulled an earbud out of his ear as he snatched up the drink, barely making an eye contact to the Lombax. "It's pronounced 'Doll-us,' not that you would know," he remarked as he turned and rushed out the door.

His workout clothes had been a giveaway that he was already planning on doing some running, but Angela was sure that any more of his attitude to her would have made him run a lot faster…

She rubbed at her temples as she quickly glanced around.

It was early morning, so early morning that the café could almost be classified as a non-inhabited sector. The normal morning rush wasn't even up yet… but there were some early birds who were. And a more often than not, they didn't care much for anything that held them up.

Only one other customer, an elderly robot that was probably the only reason (other than her) Angela enjoyed coming to work every morning besides her, sat silently in his corner booth. Crinkles sounded as he turned the page of his newspaper, and a loud sip echoed behind the papers as the robot drank his morning tea.

Alright, so there wasn't really anything that needed her attention right now.

She turned, but when she looked back at her station, Marie stood there, blocking Angela from the counter.

Angela narrowed her eyes and her hands fell back to her hips. "Marie…"

The robot raised her eyebrows. "Angela…"

It took a moment before Angela spoke. She deflated, and held up her hands in mock defeat. "Okay. Fine. I'll take her order."

She pointed her finger at her coworker as she stepped over to the cashier. "However, contrary to what you think is going to happen," she said as she felt the soft mat beneath her feet, "I will not get so starstruck over her like the last time she came in."

Marie's eyebrows drifted higher, and the same happened with a corner of her mouth. "You mean yesterday? And the day before? And the day before that?"

A huff sounded from the Lombax as she crossed her arms. "I'm serious Marie! I woke up this morning and made a promise to myself not to space out again like I did yesterday, and you know that I do what I set my mind to!" Angela straightened, rooting herself to the ground she stood on. "If you want me to take her order, then I will, and I can promise you right now that I won't space out."

If Marie thought she was lying, then the robot didn't say it. Instead, she turned to the two blenders and began cleaning the used one in the small sink next to her.

"Mmhmm," she hummed. Angela barely caught it over the sounds of the water, her heightened hearing being the only saving grace for catching Marie's side of the conversation. "You can talk the talk, but let's see you walk the walk…"

Angela scoffed, already whipping back around to face the doors on the other side of the café. "You don't believe me?" she asked. "Well guess what-" her eyes darted to the clock and her heart pounded in her chest as 5:29 AM appeared on the clock "-I'm not going to freeze up, or stutter, or stammer, or zone out, or anything like that! I've seen her a dozen times so far, so all that glammer's worn itself out! I will have a pleasant conversation with her, and I can assure you that I will not do anything that isn't professional."

The robot grinned down at the deep purple apron covering her blouse and slacks. "Okay," she hummed, drawing out each letter in a sing-song tone. Her hands grabbed a nearby towel, and she began drying the blender cup. "Good luck…"

Angela steeled herself as she stared at the clear doors. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, and a ball of fear contorted in her chest.

She could totally take her order and not screw anything up. Like she said to Marie, she was going to calmly and professionally take her order and-

The faint sound of heels clicking against the floor caught her attention and dashed away all of her thoughts.

A glimpse, and then she walked through the door at her normal time.

She was just…

Whoa.

The entire world hit the "Slow Motion" button, and Angela's mouth dropped open as she gazed at the beautiful woman in front of her.

Soft brown fur, almost as rich and earthy as the coffee Angela made on a daily basis, painted the Cazar's face and neck. Short hair fell down the sides of her face like waves and framed her gorgeous face better than any professional picture frame could. Her eyes, her perfect pale blue eyes, weren't focused on the papers she usually carried with her. Instead they were focused straight at Angela, the corners crinkling up as a brilliant smile grew on her face.

She walked with a purpose and commanded the attention of the room solely by the way she carried herself. She could have been any Cazar, but she held herself like no one else could.

She was a goddess among the peasants.

She was suddenly really close, and Angela was vaguely aware that her mouth was moving. Were there sounds coming out?

"-gela? Angela? Are you alright?"

OH RIGHT!

Angela's eyes grew wider, and the Lombax quickly snapped her mouth shut. "Pleaseexcuseme!"

Her hands fumbled for a foam cup, already snatching up the Sharpie marker and popping off the cap. "Wh-wh-what can I get you Miss…?"

The concerned look that had been on her face lessened a little. "Sasha," she filled in.

Angela's breath caught in her throat at the sound of the Cazar's name. It never failed to sound like music to her ears.

There was a slight pause before the scribbling of the Sharpie echoed between the space between the two of them. Angela's eyes darted up towards Sasha for an instant before darting back to the cup.

The worried frown on Sasha's face deepened. "Did you miss your morning coffee again?" Sasha half-heartedly joked, a faked smile on her face.

Angela latched onto the excuse. The… same excuse she used every day. "Ye-yeah I really missed my coffee again. You know how it is, busy busy busy!"

She could feel the intense heat on her cheeks, but she forced herself to keep going. "Is there anything else you wanted?"

Sasha raised an eyebrow. Concern tainted her words. "I… haven't given you my drink order yet."

Angela quickly looked at the cup, hiding her face from Sasha's view. "Well, you've been coming here for more than a few days in a row. You want the caramel frappaccino, with three shots of caramel and two shots of espresso… right?"

Sasha nodded. The fight between being polite and being concerned showed on her face. "Yes, that's my order."

Angela set the cup off to the side, her fingers loathing the release of her security. "Was there anything else?"

Sasha looked away and fished her small card carrier out of her blazer's pocket. "Could I get a whole wheat bagel with blueberry cream cheese? If you guys still have any left of course."

Angela dipped her head behind the counter and searched for the bagel type. "Yep," she confirmed as popped back up, "we still have some! For here or to go?" Her hands shook as she put them back near the register.

The lovely Cazar pointed a finger at the floor. "For here," she confirmed as she opened her wallet and slid out a card.

Angela punched in the order on the machine and squeaked out, "Swipe when ready."

It only took a moment, and Angela swiped the receipt from the machine and handed it to the Cazar. "Here you go!" she exclaimed, relief finally flooding her body. It was over, so she didn't need to worry about stumbling through her interactions-

Before she could say "Have a nice day," Sasha spoke up. "May I speak with you when you have the time?" she asked as she put her wallet away and took the receipt. "I was hoping I could talk to you over breakfast."

Her fears swept right back into her chest. "O-o-of course!"

Sasha turned away and walked over to her usual booth near the other corner of the café. She settled down, dropping her papers on the table and scanning the top of the first one.

As Angela turned around, she felt the weight of Marie's teasing grin. "Okay… so… that didn't go as well as I had planned."

"You think?" Marie joked as she prepped the cup. Caramel drizzled down the insides of the cup. "Did you happen to tour all of Polaris on your trip to space?"

Angela shot her a glare as she took out one of the whole wheat bagels. "Oh haha, very funny." The oven door clicked shut, but as Angela started heating it up, her ears fell. "She wants to talk to me Marie. What the hell am I going to do? I can barely talk to her!"

Marie worked on autopilot, the ingredients already measured and in the blender cup. As she scooped up a cup of ice from the built-in freezer, she raised her eyebrows. "You talk to her like she's a normal creature. There's nothing to fear, so go over there, pour on the charm, and ask her out already!"

"I'm not in love with her. You know that right?"

"Sure you are. And I'm a secret pop star with a hidden identity that sings all about love and break-ups."

The oven dinged, and Angela quickly used the tongs to fish out the bagel as the blender churned the ice and other ingredients. She dropped it into a paper bag and bit her lip as her legs shook.

She could do that. Just… talk to her. Yeah…

Her heart didn't slow, and her breathing picked up as Marie took the blender cup off its stand.

The Lombax grabbed the plastic knife and flavored cream cheese. It only took her a second to put everything in its proper place, and when she was finished, Marie handed her Sasha's drink.

"On a serious note," Marie began, "go get her. Have a good conversation while I cover for you up here." As Angela slowly took the cup, the robot nabbed a straw from the container and tapped the top of the drink cover. "If it gets busy, I'll call you back up. But go out and clear the air. You can't stumble through every conversation with her, so talk with her."

The robot hooked the straw under Angela's thumb and knocked on of her heels against the Lombax's calf. "Go on!"

The room shifted as Angela, very hesitantly, walked over to Sasha.

It took all her energy, but she took a deep breath and walked to the table her crush sat at, her heartbeat echoing through her ears.

She stopped a foot away from the edge of the table. Her wrist moved to her mouth, and she cleared her throat as she opened with-

"Um, hi, Angela here."

Smooth.

Sasha looked up from her papers and smiled. "Ah, thank you so much for bringing my order to me. I trust that you have some time to talk."

The sweet smile on her face brought a dreamy smile to Angela's, and the Lombax delicately placed the Cazar's food and drink on the table in front of her, carefully minding the papers.

Sasha reached over and brought her drink closer to her. Her lips closed around the straw, and a happy look crossed her face as caramel tickled her tongue.

Angela could look at her for hours.

The Cazar looked back up. She set her drink back down and linked her fingers together. "I wanted to talk to you about… well, talking to me."

Angela froze. "I-I-I didn't mean any harm!" she stammered out. "I don't usually act like this… Not that there's anything wrong of course, it's just that- uh-"

Sasha moved a hand and rested hers over Angela's. "It's okay," she said. "Just let it out."

Her eyes squeezed shut as her heart hammered her chest. The moment of truth.

"I think you're really pretty. Gorgeous. Beautiful. And it trips me up a lot."

It took a moment before Angela opened her eyes again, and when she opened them, she found Sasha smiling down at her papers.

A little "hmmp" came from the Cazar. "I won't say that I haven't heard that before, but this is the first time it hasn't been someone who was trying to use me to get to my father."

The Lombax perked up, and pity painted her face. "Sasha… I'm-"

"Sorry? No, there's no need," Sasha countered. Her smile grew, and a little pride painted her face. "It helped me in weeding out who saw me as a tool, and those who actually wanted to date me." She waved her hand. "Lessons learned, and I can tell from your voice and expression that you're being honest with me."

She pulled her hand back, and Angela felt her breath leave her. "However, that's a different story," Sasha continued. "I wanted to talk with you for a moment since… well you can't seem to talk with me."

That look of concern finally won out, and Angela bit her lip and smiled nervously as she ran a hand through her ponytail. "I-I don't… usually act like this. Like I said before. Most of the time I can talk to other creatures just fine, but you've… kind of taken my words away…"

Her hands snapped up and her body straightened like a rod. "Wait, like not in a bad way! I mean, it's a good way?!"

The Cazar tilted her head. "I wanted to know if you can talk to me-" a smile teased her lips "-because I actually want to talk with you some more."

Angela looked at her, her mouth open in shock. "Wait… you want to talk with me more…" Her voice dropped, and her eyes squeezed shut again. "Like, friends… or more than friends?"

And there it was, the same song and dance Angela had gone through before, and if past experiences had taught her anything the answer would be-

"More than friends. Why do you think I asked?" Her grin turned cheeky. "You know you look quite adorable when you have that dreamy look in your eyes, and I admire your willingness to stick through a tough situation when it would be easier to give up or pass it to someone else."

The feeling of relief that filled Angela's chest had no words to describe it. The Lombax looked back up and found a cheerful Cazar staring back at her. "So…" Angela swallowed down her excitement. "That means you're a-"

Sasha giggled, and it was possible that Angela fell even harder for the lovely creature. "Indeed I am!" Another giggle that locked itself away in Angela's memory. "I can understand your hesitance though. I myself have had quite a few rejections."

Angela rolled her eyes. "We really need a sign that helps us find each other."

The Cazar's eyes brightened, and she set aside the paper in front of her to lean closer to Angela. "Actually, I believe there is," she exclaimed, resting her weight on her elbows. "In some cultures and some sign languages, there is a word or sign that lets people know you're gay. If you lift the right hand, form an "L' shape with your thumb, and hold it against your chin, then you've essentially signed the word 'lesbian' to me."

Sasha moved her right hand as she did it, and Angela couldn't help but mimic her. A laugh bubbled up in her chest, and Angela giggled as Sasha gave her most serious look behind the sign.

"So you like history?" Angela asked.

Sasha dropped her hand and smirked as she lifted both her hands up-and-down. "You could say something like that. Since my father is the President, I need to educate myself in political matters, and Pride and its history has been one of my main interests."

Angela brightened, and the Lombax swiveled on her chair to move her legs under the table. "That's pretty cool! I don't know too much about the history of Pride, but I do know a lot about genetics and biology! If you needed an insider on Genetically Modified Organisms or something else relating to the body, I can definitely offer some interesting info on those!"

Sasha clicked her tongue, and grabbed her pen to scribble something down on one of the stray papers. "I can do that!"

A question probed at Angela's mind. "Oh yeah, your dad!"

Sasha tilted her head as her gaze drifted back to the Lombax. "Yes?"

The Lombax nodded her head to the side. "Is he okay with… you know, you being gay?"

Sasha laughed again, and slyness invaded her grin. "Yes he is. He likes to be called 'sir' by my dating partners, and he doesn't like when people have shoes on through the more private rooms of the House."

"Angela! Gunna need you up here in a few for the morning rush!"

She glanced at Angela as the Lombax's face fell. "I'm glad that I can get you to talk without stuttering or tripping over yourself," the Cazar said softly, "and I hope we can talk more in the future."

Angela sighed as she swung her legs around and stood. "I think I need to get going. Marie's going to need help, and I got to get back to work at some point or another…"

"Wait!"

Angela paused, and turned back towards Sasha. The Cazar furiously scribbled something down on a sheet of paper, then ripped off a chunk of it. Her fingers elegantly unwrapped Angela's fingers and placed the torn piece into the center of her palm.

"For later." A playful wink, and a smile that floated Angela's heart above the clouds. "Now, you head back to work. Good luck over there, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow!"

Wow…

"I have the day off tomorrow," Angela said dreamily as she felt a gooey feeling squirm in her chest. There was no way it was going to leave anytime soon.

Sasha's lips formed a pout, but she nodded towards the scrap of paper in Angela's hand. "Then I guess you might want to take a look at that later tonight when you have the time. Say, around seven?"

The Lombax nodded, a goofy grin on her face. "Bye Sasha. It was really fun talking with you…"

The Cazar waved goodbye, and another giggle echoed from her mouth as she turned back to her papers. "I hope to hear more tonight!"

Angela darted back behind the counters, and found Marie smirking at her as the robot stood at the register. "So, did it turn out well?" the barista asked.

"Better than I could have hoped."

She opened her palm, and on the little scrap of paper sat a number. There were a few hastily scribbled instructions, but the number seemed to stand out as the only thing on the page.

As the morning rush started filing in, Angela felt her spirits soar, and long after Sasha left, the goofy smile never left the Lombax's face.

Song Inspos: There were so many that helped me through this, but "Classic" by MKTO and "Butterflies" by Zendaya were the main ones.

Holy heck… I thought this story was never going to end ["a taste" I said… why am I like this]. To give a little preface, I'm writing the ending author's notes as I finish each story (I don't usually do that with my stories, but these are different). So basically, you guys get a little "behind the scenes" action. This is the second story I've finished… which means that the first story I finished will have this same message, but hey it won't be until about halfway through the story.

Before I say anything else, yes, the design Sasha had is different from her canon appearance, and no, that is not my design. "nessyoursticks" from Deviantart made this gorgeous redesign of Sasha, and I couldn't help but feel like Angela when I first saw it. I did use it for this short story, and I claim no ownership over the design. All credit for the gorgeous Sasha redesign stays with its artist! {Please go check out that artist when you have the chance, she does amazing lineless art of the RaC characters, and over half of them are just the best motivators}

And with that… that's it for this couple! I had fun writing them, even if this story felt like forever to finish. For those that ship Sashangela, I really hope I did them justice. It's my first time writing for the two of them, so if there was anything that felt off, I'd like to know for the next time around. That, and now you guys also have a Coffeeshop AU written for your ship… which by a joke post from Tumblr's standards, this ship is an official ship! :''D

Overall, I hope you guys enjoyed the story, and I'm pumped for the rest to come! Thank you so much for the support, and I'll see you guys in the next story!

XD