In a little town right by a pleasant enough beach, a Coffee Shop stood. Not a Starbucks, and not even part of a chain. The sign read "Quick Coffee!" With a cheesy little slogan (Jumpstart your day Quickly!) right underneath. It was an unassuming place, and rarely ever saw a lot of traffic. However, it's clientele were a loyal group, and knew each other well. Together, they kept the place open almost on their own.
Inside, the place was slightly dingy, but overall homely. Old tables and chairs,signed portraits of celebrities long past their allotted fifteen minutes, even a rusty old Jukebox, which was the subject of some debate regarding it's working condition.
The head barista was a hell of a grouch, and everyone knew it. No inside voice, a default scowl, and an attitude that would get most people fired. However, he made a hell of a brew, and once you got past his initial flaws, Karkat Vantas was an alright guy. A good listener, and a lover of the ritzier novels and films, and this was no secret. Make so much as a mention of a book, or a movie, and he would drop everything and almost teleport into the conversation, talking about his favourite actors, writers and stories and detailed, unwarranted explanations as to why.
One of the few customers that got a little less of his usual attitude walked into the shop. Tapping a bright-red walking cane as she walked, with a grin that altered between dangerously fun-loving and a full on Slasher Smile she'd come in, like clockwork, 8 AM on weekdays. She ordered a Mocha every time, and tipped a dollar in 5 cent coins. Nobody knew where she got them from, but every night, when poor Karkat had to count out the change, howls of anguish ran through the neighbourhood.
She was just a bit shorter than Karkat, which was a surprise, given Karkats relatively miniature stature. The two of them would bicker over the counter for a good half-hour every time she entered the store. It was practically it's own talk show. Terezi would come in and mention something she knew Karkat didn't like, and then just sit there stoking his flames of fury as he ranted until she had to leave. Yes, Terezi Pyrope knew exactly how to push Karkats buttons and she did so with relish.
Their relationship, if it could be called that, was the very definition of turbulent. Some days, they would rail at each other like it was going out of fashion, ready to come to blows at any moment. Other days, they were somewhat more amiable, chatting and only occasionally raising their voices on a subject. It was quite the betting game between the other patrons of the store.
Speaking of Relationships, Other customers, and the store itself, another face slipped through the door, mindful to step around the bickering duo as she tied an apron around her waist. She was barely 5 feet tall, even shorter than Terezi, with messy, short hair and a slight cleft lip that gave the appearance of a cats mouth. Unbeknownst to Karkat, there were some other customers waiting for service, and Nepeta Leijon tended to them courteously and quickly.
She was the only other Barista at the Coffee Shop, and idle rumor had it that she was mostly there out of unrequited affection for the head Barista. She was certainly good at her job, however. Most people agreed she didn't quite have the flair for making drinks that her senior did, but they were well worth the price and a staple for many peoples day. She served with a smile, and always got a decent tip, to Karkats mild frustration.
That wasn't to say Nepeta was just a blank smiling slate. Once, a customer had attempted to cop a feel whilst she was tending the coffee machine. One scalding and two bruises later, she was never messed with again. She always smelled like cat, and it was strangely comforting. Although Karkat repeatedly requested otherwise, on her head was stubbornly affixed a blue beanie, resembling a cats face.
Meanwhile, the argument was coming to a close, Karkats face returning to it's customary puce, while Terezi was bent near-double with cackling laughter, her walking stick the only support. Her voice was odd, a slightly high-pitched thing that had a not-uncomfortable quality of nails on chalkboard, and she pronounced a few letters strangely. She also had the only voice that could match Karkats, which made their verbal jousts all the more amusing.
"See you later, Karkat. I'd love to keep debating the acting scope of your favourite porn actors, but I've got to get to work. It's been kind of busy lately, actually! Some idiot got high and ran around town yelling religious mumbo-jumbo, and now he's trying to avoid several heavy fines. Treat Nepeta well or I'll tip 2 dollars in small change next time!"
Grinning like a madwoman, she left. After her, the store went into a quiet period. Karkat sighed, leaning back against the bench after she was gone, making sure she wasn't walking by the window as he showed a moment of weakness, at least for him. She may have been blind, but sometimes it was scary, the things she knew. Nepeta piped up while cleaning out the Coffee Machine.
"You know, if you don't like her, you could just let me serve her. I'm sure I could manage to not hold up four customers while discussing my favourite movies with her."
If it were anyone else, Karkat would have delivered a verbal lashing to them, but Nepeta was someone who could get away with it, mostly because she was one of the few people who took him seriously.
"What, and make you deal with her bullshit? No, I can handle it, thank you very much. She's not even as annoying as she thinks she is!"
"You know, you do spend a lot of time talking to her. Do I sense some kind of attraction buried deep inside you?"
Karkat was momentarily stunned. Nepeta was definitely a shipper, but she kept it under control and hidden almost all the time. But it was times like this that showed just how weird she could be.
"You think, that because I spend a given amount of time disagreeing with someone every day on a random subject, there's some kind of attraction? You've been reading weirder novels than I have, and trust me, that's saying something. No, I don't have any attraction for that insane blind lawyer, why even would I? We have literally nothing in common."
"You know, just saying 'No' would have been just fine. Why are you so desperate to justify yourself?"
Nepeta was looking up at Karkat with eyes that could only be described as Devious, a slight grin on her face. The only thing that saved Karkat from having to answer again was the jingle of the bell above the entrance, alerting them to a new customer. They both turned to meet the newcomer, who was... Big. Very big. Not just in height, but in muscle. He was built like an action hero, with a shoulder-length mane of black hair, and slightly shipped sunglasses.
Before Karkat could even pass comment, Nepeta bolted from behind the counter, Leaping up and tackling the man in a display of affection, almost knocking him back out the door. He grunted, gently setting her down after a hug. He seemed a little stiff, despite obviously knowing Nepeta. She spoke first, voice almost cracking with excitement.
"Equius! It's been so, long, how have you been?!"
Authors Note- Thanks for reading the first chapter! This is something I've been bouncing around in my head for a while, and I knocked the first chapter together now! It's a bit dry, what with Character Introductions, but I promise more plot is bound to happen soon! Until then, I'd love reviews if you have the time!