In Avery's honest opinion, they wondered if they should've felt bad about having a crush on all of their new co-workers. It seemed like something that would get in the way of their performance at work. But could you blame them? It wasn't their fault that all of their work buddies were cuties in their own special way!
Oh man, if one crush could turn them into a hot mess, what would five crushes do to them!? They'd probably burst into flames or something! Luckily, the cafe is a pretty decent sized place, and all of them have pretty unique positions so it shouldn't be too hard not to get caught with all of them at once.
"Avery, did you have breakfast? We're going to have something to eat before work, if you'd like to join us. It's tradition."
Avery had to turn away while pretending to cough to hide their shining face from Finley. This! This is exactly what they should be avoiding! Almost everyone is sure to be there, and Avery will be trapped in the middle!
Avery knew they should skip it. Nothing could could possibly come out of eating breakfast with five people who you have five different crushes on. But oh man, breakfast sounded amazing! They hadn't been able to eat anything besides the air in front of them as they ran to work.
"Oh...ya know, actually, I al-" The sound that interrupted them would've made Avery think they had some giant angry cat in the basement if Avery didn't know it was their stomach. It felt like it was trying to eat itself, and Avery was next. Avery was still facing away from Finley, and was more glad than ever that they had turned away because right now their face felt like it was practically melting. They just got caught in a lie before they even finished saying it, so what'd they do now? Own up to it, or act like it never happened?
Actually, that sounds great! I fed my cat, but I forgot to feed myself." They turned back to Finley and could see Reese already sitting down at the long booth by the wall while pulling another table to it. Landry was pulling over another chair but he still turned back to face Avery and Finley.
"Great! Just sit and relax. Mason's just finishing up breakfast."
'I could sit and relax if I was sitting in your lap-waIT WHAT.' Avery coughed and turned their face away from the cute giant before their face exploded. Great, now that image was stuck in their head.
'It does seem nice, he's so giant it'd probably feel like sitting on a hot seat. A really, really hot se-oh mY GOD SHUT UP BRAIN.' Avery had to bite their lip and shove a hand over their face to keep their embarrassed groan quiet. Things were not off to a good start, but hopefully they'd stop having such embarrassing thoughts if they spent more time around him, right? Please?
They sighed and turned their head back in the direction of the table, only to see Finley a lot closer than before.
"Avery? Before you sit down, I have a question for you."
'PLEASE DON'T TELL ME SHE WATCHED EVERYTHING HAPPEN.'
"S-sure. What's u-up?" Avery's not ready for Finley to lean in even closer than before, while her voice dropped to almost secret spilling level.
"That's an Akiya shirt, isn't it? He's my favorite, too." What.
"What."
"Akiya? F-from, from Bl st Zone?"
"What's Bl st Zone?"
"Look, I get it! You don't have to play dumb."
"No, I have no idea what you're talking about. Is it, like, from a show or something? Is this a shirt from something?" Their conversation had gone so off track Avery had almost forgotten the smell of Finley's perfume. Almost.
Avery watches Finley's cute face go through a slideshow of different emotions. From surprise, to horror, to embarrassment and a few others to quick for them to place. "Um...uh, no! Don't worry about it!" She seemed really enthused about whatever Bl st Zone was, it wouldn't help if Avery just let it slide right?
"B-but now you've got my interest! What is Bl st Zone?"
"Eh...I don't know if it'd be your type of game after all." Jeez, Finley actually looks embarrassed. Avery could see one of her ear tips poking through her hair, it was bright pink.
"O-oh, it's a game! I like games, try me!"
"Well...it's a story about men's passions clashing in a life-or-death struggle!" Her face was saying there's more to this game than just fighting...
"Sounds dangerous." It looked like there were stars in Finley's eyes, and Avery didn't mind it one bit.
"Oh, it IS. But it's also romantic!"
"Romantic? Like..." Avery tried to hide their grin, along with the amount of color in their cheeks. "...love blooming on the battlefield? That sort of thing?"
"Yeah, I think you DO get it!" Her face was even more excited now. Given how embarrassed she was earlier, it was probably some trash game maybe, or a dating sim. Jokes on her, Avery has played tons of trash games! "Maybe I'll lend it to you sometime..." They watched as her pose became more arrogant, with her folding her hands in front of her and leaning back like she was trying to talk down to them. "...If you prove yourself worthy." Her grin luckily didn't become arrogant, so it was nice to know she wasn't serious.
"I-I'm not really sure what that involves, but sure."
"Alright!" And with a grin and a wink (that doesn't make them blush shut up) Finley takes a seat at the end of one of the tables next to Reese. Someone had set the tables while they were talking to Finley, which was nice of them. Landry's back and he's taking up a seat in the middle on the outside with his back facing the rest of the cafe.
"Mason and Hayes should be out in a minute, Avery. Come sit down!"
"Sure!" Unfortunately, a question plagued Avery's mind that kept them from sitting.
'Which seat do I take? Is there some unspoken seating chart or something? Am I gonna offend someone if I take their seat?' Thankfully, Landry came to save them by gesturing to a seat between him and Finley. Externally, they nod and quietly take the seat. Internally...
'AAAAAAAAHHHHHH I'M STUCK IN BETWEEN TWO CUTIES WHAT DO I DO SOMEONE SAVE ME-' Their embarrassed tirade was cut off by the entrance of Mason, who's holding two platers of food on them. One being french toast, and the other being some egg thing.
'THIS ISN'T HELPING SHE' SO CUTE AHHH WHAT DO I DO I'M SO HUNGRY-' They were once again interrupted, thankfully by their stomach rumbling and not another appearance of a co-worker. Jeez, they hadn't realized how hungry until they saw the food that looked amazing. She set the trays down and was soon in the back again out of sight. They hoped she came back soon, they were about to be on this like the pizza from last night, but tried to hold back for appearance sake.
Mason comes out quickly (luckily) with six coffee cups cradled in her arms.
'She could probably cradle us like that-NO.' Hayes follows her out with a big thing of coffee. It's called a...barista? No that's the person who makes coffee. Ca...Car...ifa? Carifa? Carafe? That's it, definitely. Probably.
They set the stuff on the table and are quick to take their seats. One moment Hayes is sitting down and the next everyone had descended on the food like a pack of wild animals. Some of them. Avery wanted to try and grab some of that french toast, but fear of getting their hand ripped off by the others kept them back. They watch a scuffle develop between Landry and Reese over syrup and food. They watch without really listening until it sounds like someone says their name. They tune back in the conversation just in time to hear the end of it.
"...You're the one that's stealing all the food!" Reese shoots at Landry, defensively for some reason?
"I haven't taken anymore than usual! Breakfast is important." The conversation soon fades as the others shout over each other. They take the time while everyone's distracted to take a little bit of everything. Avery's stomach felt like it was imploding on itself from hunger, so they quickly shoveled some of that egg stuff into their mouth. They weren't used to actually having a real breakfast, so they were going to savor it if it was the last thing they did!
"Wow, this is amazing! Mason, what is this egg thing?" Her eyebrow shot up and Avery had to turn back to their plate less they show everyone the blush rising on their face.
'Jeez, all she did was raise an eyebrow! Am I really this thirsty? She is really pretty though...'
"...Frittata." Avery nodded while still facing their plate. They didn't wanna seem rude after all!
"Is that like a souffle? It looks like it'd be really hard to make." Avery glanced at the woman briefly, who still had an upturned eyebrow and was looking at them funny.
"Just eggs and vegetables in a pan."
"S-still! I know I wouldn't be able to make something like that! It's nice to have a real breakfast." Mason turned to them, and Avery flushed more at the sudden interested look on her face.
"What do you usually eat, Avery?" It's Finley who asks, not Mason. Avery turned to her but looked back down when they realize how close she is.
"Mostly cold pizza, or toaster tarts, if I remember to get them." They turn back and are suddenly surprised that Mason's face had changed from interested to downright threatening, staring at them - through them - with a hard look. She looks like they just knocked her plate on the floor.
"You eat here now. Always."
'Is...is she saying I can't have pizza?'
"Er...can I still have pizza sometimes?" Her glaring doesn't let up.
"Not for breakfast. Ever." Her tone doesn't let up either. Avery could hear Finley and Reese snickering next to them, causing their cheeks to become inflamed. Had their cheeks stopped yet from before? They were gonna lose circulation in their limbs if their blood kept this up.
"Okay...but other times are okay, right?" Avery's tone is hopeful, and Mason rolls her eyes before going back to her coffee.
Things descend into pleasant silence disturbed only by the sound of utensils on plates for a small while, before Avery became aware of someone staring at them. They looked up from their plate, and saw Reese staring at them while taking bites of his french toast. AVery could just feel their cheeks getting redder by the second. Was it even possible for their cheeks to get anymore red? They'd been blushing non-stop since Avery walked through the door this morning. Did Reese notice?
"Avery, when we're done we need to talk about dress code."
'O-oh...are my clothes not nice enough? Everyone's outfits does seem really nice...okay, everything about them looks really nice. All their outfits are nice, and even that headwrap Mason is still wearing looks cute on her!'
"Oh Reese, don't start this again..." Avery turned to see Landry look imploringly at Reese who looks at serious as possible.
"Shh. It's an important part of new employee orientation."
'Did he 'shush' him? I'm missing something.'
Landry looks to them and looks like he's about to say something but a jab in his ribs from Finley stops him before he even gets the first word out of his mouth.
"Landry, you're such a mama bird sometimes. Lighten up!" Landry goes back to his plate but Avery can't help the stab of sympathy for him. He's so nice, it sucks whenever he looks like that!
"Avery." They jump slightly and turn back to Reese, who's raised an eyebrow since they looked away. "Look at this place. We take our visual presentation very seriously here." Mason grunts, but Avery isn't able to tell how they feel about what's going on. Hayes is scrambling though, taking his plate with Mason's and heading to the back with an urgency of a tactical retreat.
"Graves and I expect a certain level of decor with the wait staff."
"Is this about my outfit?" Avery can't stop another blush, this one from shame, from rising to their cheeks. "I woke up a little late, so..." They're interrupted by Reese waving a hand in front of them like he was batting away a fly.
"No no no. I'm talking about uniforms." The sound of a chair scraping against the floor makes Avery jump. They look over to see Mason standing up, with her chair barely balancing on two legs before falling back to the natural four. She grabs some of the empty plates alongside Avery's, before grabbing the empty iron-skillet as well.
"Opening's soon. Time to get ready." She marches off towards the kitchen, but not before she nods towards the kitchen while looking at Avery. It's only for a moment, and within the next she's already gone into the kitchen. Avery looks back at Reese, who looks determined about something.
"Don't think you can get out of this so easily, Avery! You'll get written up if you don't have your uniform!" His tone is serious, but it's ruined by Finley's giggle next to them.
'Something's not right. Why is Finley laughing? Hayes and Mason didn't seem to care for it, and Landry looked like it caused him physical pain just talking about it. But if I don't, he said he'll write me up, and he'd probably be somewhat disappointed I didn't do it. Ugh, why is liking so many people so hard!?'