Disclaimer: I do not own Shirokuma Cafe or the characters.
Notes: Here we have a fic for Sloth. I have a feeling that he would be able to observe the comings and goings in the cafe as he hangs there quietly day-to-day, so I wrote this ficcie. Also, there's something mentioned in this fic that contradicts recent anime events, so I'll say this is set before episode 31. As for why I have Sloth and Masaki interact later on...well, it's seiyuu-related. Some of you know me as an Uta no Prince-sama fan, so...yeah, that's why.
I hope you enjoy this!
There were advantages to hanging in a tree on a day-to-day basis, despite the con of having to deal with sore arms from the strain. But, at least one could quietly observe everything around them.
Sloth knew this all too well. Ever since he'd been granted permission to live in a tree in Shirokuma Cafe's yard, he'd seen many come and go.
There were the many different customers. He'd recognised each of them as certain people. Whenever he saw a person hurrying along - briefcase in one hand, mobile phone to their ear - he knew they were people who worked in businesses, and were most likely discussing their next moves with employees or trying to make arrangements with potential clients.
When he saw a group of talkative teenage girls, he knew they were best friends who'd decided to hang out together, and the cafe was their preferred location. He'd seen some of the same groups more than once, sometimes with an extra member to their party.
Sometimes he saw some teenage males who decided to stop into the cafe for a little while as a break. Maybe from sporting activities? Sometimes they were, he could tell because he'd seen some of them with equipment.
Then, there were his new friends. There was Penguin, who would waddle into the cafe every single day it was open. As...I...recall...his...preferred...order...is...a...cafe...mocha... Sloth pondered to himself. I...wonder...why...he...chooses...to...come...here...every...day... He'd decided to keep observing. Did Penguin have nothing better to do? Or did he feel secure in the cafe?
Then, there was the young Panda, who would sometimes come in through the day, sometimes in the evening...at least an hour before closing time. He...works...at...the...zoo... I...wonder...if...those...days...he...comes...later...are...the...days...he's...working... He'd also noticed that Panda doesn't really like going to work. He smiled as he recalled when Panda tried being his apprentice.
Next was Llama, one of the nicest animals he'd ever met. He...has...a...problem...at...the...zoo...too...does...he...not...? Sloth tried to remember what it was that sometimes had Llama feeling a little down after a long day at work. Oh...that's...right...! He...feels...that...nobody...notices...him... He felt a little sorry for Llama, and continued to quietly cheer him on.
There was Sasako, the waitress. She was the one who'd helped him get to the cafe in the first place. Such...a...kind...person...she...is...! She...could...have...made...me...come...alone... It...is...no...surprise...Shirokuma...-san...hired...her...on...the...spot...! He enjoyed seeing her put every ounce of her effort into her work, and knew that not only were the customers satisfied with her service, so was the bear who'd hired her.
Which led him to think about Shirokuma himself. He...is...a...strange...bear...indeed... He...always...makes...puns...when...he...has...a...chance...and...tends...to...make...up...false...stories... But...he...is...a...good...worker...so...it...is...good...he...owns...the...cafe... He saw as Shirokuma was acting out puns again and laughed slightly.
The day was coming to an end, another day of observing everyone almost over.
"Oi! Sloth-san!"
He turned his head slowly and saw the blond teenager who was working as Tree Kangaroo's apprentice. "Hello...Masaki...-kun...!"
"Would you like some coffee? Shishou roasted some more beans for the cafe, they'll be nice and fresh!"
"Okay...! It...is...a...day...I...come...down...anyway...! Can...I...please...have...some...help...into...the...cafe...?"
"Sure thing! Just, hold on a sec, okay?"
"I'll...hang...in...there...!"
Masaki chuckled slightly at the joke before he started to climb the tree. He sat on the branch and helped Sloth off it, allowing him to wrap his long arms around his neck. "Mind the claws, we're going down." He then carefully descended the tree, and carried him into the cafe.
"Ah!" Shirokuma noticed Masaki had brought some company. "Sloth-san, is it a day you touch ground?"
The other animal nodded slowly as he was settled into a chair. "Masaki...-kun...asked...if...I...would...like...some...coffee...Shirokuma...-san..."
"Alright, then." He remembered how Sloth liked his coffee, so he set about brewing some.
Masaki sat opposite Sloth. "So, you seemed deep in thought earlier. What have you been thinking about?"
"Everyone..."
"Everyone?"
"I...can...observe...everyone...from...my...place...in...the...tree..."
"Hah..."
He nodded again, still at a slow pace. "I...even...observe...how...well...you...work...with...Tree...Kangaroo...-san..."
"Ah."
"How...Sasako...-san...is...a...hard...worker... How...Shirokuma...-san...may...be...silly...but...is...still...responsible... How...Panda...-kun...does...not...like...work... How...Llama...-san...wants...to...be...noticed... How...Penguin...-san...comes...here...every...day... Everything...about...everyone...who...comes...to...the...cafe..."
"You are in a good place to observe everything," Sasako commented as she placed two cups of coffee on the table.
"Though...I...am...often...in...my...tree...I...do...not...get...bored...because...I...can...see...a...lot... Everything...and...everyone...that...is...here..."
Penguin turned to Panda. "Maybe you should observe that lesson of Sloth-san's to help you get through your days at the zoo. You do see a lot of people, after all."
"I do observe them. Joukin Panda-san and I know all about the different couples who visit, about children, about families. But, it's boring because there are too many of the same people!" Panda responded, a whine in his voice.
"Try...to...learn...something...new...about...them..." Sloth suggested.
"I would love to observe people who come to Llama Corner at the zoo. Sadly, they walk away before I get a chance to," Llama commented.
"You know, we should all take a lesson from Sloth-san," Penguin stated.
"I'm sure that will help you with the Penko-sans," Shirokuma replied.
Penguin sweatdropped. "That's not funny."
As Sloth slowly drank his coffee, he listened to all conversations between his friends, and found he'd learned even more about them in that brief amount of time.
The next afternoon, he was hanging on the branch again, watching customers come and go, watching his friends as they conversed with each other. He smiled. He then noticed someone else was coming. Ohh...it's...Shirokuma...-san's...friend...Grizzly...-san... He...seems...rough...around...the...edges...but...he...is...very...nice... He knew he was not going to be bored that afternoon either, there was more for him to learn about Grizzly, after all. Time for him to put his observation skills to work.
He...might...yell...at...Shirokuma...-san...but...he...calms...down...quickly... He...must...be...adapted...to...Shirokuma...-san's...behaviour... They...must've...known...each...other...for...a...long...time...
He kept his observations in mind, he knew he'd have more to make in the future. If he didn't meet Grizzly personally, he'd have the advantage of knowing enough about him to feel as if he had.
That, he'd decided, was the best thing about being able to observe everyone. To him, nobody was a stranger.