Names, ages, roles, times, places will be tweaked in some stories.
If you can't return a favor, pass it on.
-Louise Brown
It was a miserable snowy day when one of Kisame's regulars walked in, looking rather depressed and defeated. Attempting to stir up friendly conversation, Kisame and his coworker, Deidara, asked if everything was going alright. The dark haired man refused to reveal any details, simply shaking his head and looking away pointedly. He only said he wished he could crawl into a dark hole and stay there a few years. Kisame knew that feeling all too well, offering a sympathetic smile.
Before the man left, Kisame handed him a bag along with his coffee. Confused, the man pointed out he hadn't ordered anything but his usual coffee. He opened the bag to find his favorite donut inside.
"It's on me," smiled Kisame. "Have a nice day."
The man returned the smile before thanking him and left.
The next day was just as miserable; the snow storm outside was taking a turn for the worse. Nearly everyone was using the drive through window, no one wanted to step outside in the cold, disgusting weather.
Kisame spent his afternoon hanging out by the window, listening to customers complain about the weather. He found it increasingly difficult to smile as they sat in their warm dry cars while he whipped up their orders with a completely soaked shirt. His visor was dripping with tiny droplets of water from the snow and he was constantly being blasted with sharp bursts of cold air. The empty tip jars or the fact that Deidara was on kitchen duty wasn't helping the matters one bit.
Around seven that evening, while in the middle of making another pot of vanilla hazelnut decaf, the same customer from yesterday pulled up. Instead of ordering anything, he simply handed Kisame a single pink rose and a small note. He said that not too many people took the time to think about others, and that he was glad there were people like Kisame in the world.
Kisame was speechless, and deeply touched. He'd completely forgotten about yesterday's deed. Taking a moment for it to soak in, he thanked the customer, a smile tugging on his lips.
Calling for Deidara to switch shifts for a few minutes, Kisame leaned over the counter, reading the note softly.
"Kisame,
Thank you for being so kind and considerate yesterday. I was sincerely moved by your simple actions. It was comforting to know that there are genuinely nice and thoughtful people out there. Please don't change your ways, because I truly believe you will excel.
-Itachi."
"What's that from, un?" Deidara asked, eying the pink rose.
"Just a regular…"
As the day passed, Kisame kept the though of Itachi and his letter in mind. For each and every person, he would hold his head high, smile brightly, and politely ask, "How can I help you?"