Writing Sarah and Cosima interacting is more fun than most other things in life.
Also, there was so much really cool feedback on that last chapter, so huge thank you for that. Also feel free to leave equally cool feedback on this chapter if you so wish...
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After that it became Delphine's thing to go into that café and order something to eat as well as her latte. The food was pretty delicious though if she was being honest that was only a small bonus tagged onto the fact that Cosima had become a lot more chatty with her since they'd learned one another's names.
It was like being on a first name basis with someone was all the tattooed girl really needed to form a friendship with them, not that Delphine minded. In fact the couple of minutes of conversation she managed to get with Cosima each day was quickly becoming the thing she looked forward to most each morning.
The only problem was how fleeting it was. A quick how are you and some small talk, sometimes little titbits of gossip about annoying customers if there was time. There usually wasn't though; Duncan's Café was a popular spot; tourists mainly, though there were a few familiar faces Delphine recognised from time to time when she scanned the room before taking her usual seat.
There was the cop that came in each day at the same time and ordered a black coffee and a fruit scone from Alison, flirting mercilessly through the entire conversation – not that Alison seemed to mind as she giggled along and twirled her ponytail. There was also a man Delphine could only presume was the other waitress boyfriend from the way she acted around him, and she had to admit in spite of the girls lack of charm she'd really done well for herself in the rugged outdoors type that sat at one of the window tables and poured over books that looked a lot like engineering manuals.
Regardless of all these regulars though Delphine seemed to be the only person Cosima made special time for and, amidst the waves of customers streaming through the door, the only one she offered her off duty smile.
Today though, for the first time in the two weeks she'd been coming here, Delphine pushed open the café door to find the place almost barren, with one old man sitting at the far end of the establishment finishing off what looked to have at one point been a Shepard's pie.
"Hey Delphine," Cosima called out, obviously feeling no need to use her polite waitress voice without other customers around to hear her. "What's up?" She pushed herself away from the counter where she'd been standing talking to Alison, the other waitress, and two other people Delphine had never seen before, though judging by their uniforms they were both also employees.
"Not a lot," she told her with a shrug, standing at the counter rather than finding herself a place to sit. "It's quiet," she pointed out.
"Heat wave," Cosima informed her. "Though I'm sure you noticed."
"Yea, everyone's at the fuckin' pool or lying out gettin' a tan while we're stuck here," the unknown waitress huffed.
"Sarah, you're getting paid, don't complain," Alison chastised – while at the same time finally putting a name to a face for Delphine.
"Yea, plus at least you're not stuck cooking food in a sweltering hot kitchen all day," the only male in the group added, giving off an air of flamboyance when he spoke.
Sarah went to say something back to him, though before she had a chance to speak Cosima cut in over her. "How about you go take a seat and I'll follow you with a menu," she suggested and Delphine nodded before turning and walking towards her usual spot.
Cosima followed as promised, though unlike most times, she didn't run off to serve another customer once the menu was in Delphine's hands. Instead she perched herself on the arm of the seat across from her and returned the smile Delphine shot her.
"Not rushing off?" She questioned, flicking casually through the menu – not that she was taking any of it in.
"Not if that's cool with you," Cosima shrugged, not that she seemed too bothered by the farfetched notion that the blonde would actually want to read the menu in peace.
"Company would be nice." She liked the way Cosima smiled at her realised – each day it seemed to get warmer and more vibrant, like each time Delphine spoke she had more reason for the grin to engulf her features.
"I'd hoped you'd say that." The crooked grin grew again and Delphine felt an odd fluttering in her chest. "You ready to order?"
"I think so," she nodded, quickly scanning the menu and deciding on the first thing her eyes landed on. "The goujons sound nice."
"Nooooo," Cosima shook her head violently. "You don't want the goujons."
"I don't?" Delphine tried hard to school her features; though she failed miserably when a small giggle bubbled up through her chest at the sight of Cosima's distain towards her choice.
"Bland," was all the American gave by means of an excuse. "How about I order for you?" The idea sparked a light behind her dark frames and Delphine couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"Awesome," She chirped in a sings-song voice before turning in her seat to look back over at her fellow staff, still congregated behind the counter. "Uh Sarah, there's a customer ready to order over here." Delphine didn't even need to see the nervous twinkle in Cosima's eyes or the indignant look on Sarah's face to know that calling her like that was probably a bad idea – she saw both though, and held her breath as the dark haired girl stalked towards them.
"And what the bloody hell's wrong with your hands all of a sudden when you can't write it down?" She bit, her harsh English accent just making her words seem even more severe.
"I…" Cosima announced lazily, sliding herself into the seat she'd so far been perched on the arm of. "Am going on my break…"
"Fuck sakes," Sarah muttered, though to Delphine's surprise she pulled her notepad and pen out from her apron. "I'm going to spit in your food, you know that, yeah?"
"I'm sure it'll add a unique flavour," Cosima teased, though Delphine wasn't so convinced. "Anyway, I'll have the Cajun chicken wrap with everything on it and some chips, and Delphine," she paused, giving Delphine a curious once over before seeming to make up her mind. "She'll have the steak ciabatta, with everything on it and chips."
"Drinks?" Sarah huffed after a second, not even trying to seem polite.
"Latte with an extra shot for the lady and no need to bring sugar down with it, she never uses it," Cosima nodded and Delphine tried not to blush at how well Cosima knew her order at this point – even if it was pretty simple. "And I think I'll have a smoothie."
"Will you fuck," Sarah dead panned, stopping mid scribble. "If you think I'm gonna start fuckin' about cutting up fruit for you and digging the frozen yogurt out of the chill you've another thing coming."
Delphine could see Cosima was tempted to push her friend further, though thankfully she didn't. "Fine… just a black coffee for me I guess."
Sarah rolled her eyes and without another word retreated back towards the counter to put the order into the till while the man Delphine now knew to be the cook leaned over her shoulder to check out what he'd be making.
"You know," Delphine whispered – even though Sarah was now well out of earshot she was not going to be taking any risks. "I sometimes wonder how she got a job in here."
Cosima didn't seem ashamed by the obnoxious snorting sound she made following Delphine's comment and Delphine tried not to become too wrapped up in just how genuine and carefree her laughter seemed. "Oh boy I'm so telling her you said that," she finally managed between dissipating giggles.
"You will not," Delphine gasped; leaning across the table and swatting her new friend playfully on the arm.
"Okay, okay I won't. Scouts honour," Cosima nodded, raising her hand to her head in salute. "I suppose it would suck if she dumped your food in your lap after all."
"It most certainly would," Delphine agreed, having an awful feeling that it would not be past the realm of possibility for Sarah to do such a thing.
"And I mean you're right she's not got the best table manor in the world." (That was an understatement). "But there are certain customers she'll go that extra mile to be nice to believe it or not…"
"Like that outdoors man that comes in here a lot?" Delphine inquired.
"Well yea, Cal's one of them… though he doesn't really count cos he's like her long term boyfriend slash baby-daddy," Cosima explained, and Delphine tried not to be shocked at the fact someone like Sarah would have a child. "But there're other people too, I mean you'd never guess, but Sarah can actually be the sweetest soul in the world when the mood takes her, like she has a super kind heart. That's why she got this gig actually, she knew the Duncan's when she was younger and she was always super good with Mrs Duncan, especially when she got sick and stuff… so when Mr Duncan heard she'd had a kid he offered her a job here to make some extra cash."
"Oh," Delphine was still shocked, though she was staring to see Sarah in a whole new light.
"Yea, it's actually super funny," Cosima continued with an amused smirk. "Duncan's daughter Rachel absolutely despises Sarah, but when she took over the place two years ago Mr Duncan told her that under no circumstances was she to fire her… pretty sure half the time Sarah's just an asshole to bug her."
"That's… amusing," Delphine agreed, not saying anything else when she noticed Sarah approaching the table with their cutlery and drinks.
"You two having fun on you date?" The British girl teased as she haphazardly threw down the cutlery.
"How mature of you," Cosima sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Oh please… I can see the doe-eyes you two are giving one another from the till," she challenged while she took only slightly more care placing down their drinks.
"Doe-eyes…?" Delphine had never heard the term before, though with the knowing look Sarah was throwing them she wasn't sure she wanted to find out.
"It means…" Sarah drawled casually, ignoring the obvious glares being thrown at her by her work colleague. "That Cosima here has the hots for you blondie, and she'd very much like to bend you over this tab- oh fuck sakes Cosima." Sarah staggered off to one side, grasping her shin where she'd just been kicked rather forcefully.
"Leg spasm," Cosima countered, though her stare was still harsh and Sarah finally took heed of her warning and stormed off towards the counter again.
"Are you going to tell me what that was about?" Delphine enquired, lifting her drink of the saucer and taking a sip of the still scalding liquid (at least it didn't taste like it had saliva in it).
"You really want me to?" There was something about Cosima's embarrassment that Delphine found rather amusing, and she nodded her head enthusiastically, encouraging her to speak.
"Sarah thinks I have a crush on you," she explained with a half-hearted shrug, her hands moving like they were trying to swat away the sudden heat that was colouring her cheeks.
"A crush…" Delphine let the word roll over on her tongue before her lips quirked upwards. "I see."
"You do, do ya?" Cosima's lips stretched into a tentative smile when she realised Delphine wasn't running a mile.
"I do." Delphine was giving nothing away, and she could see it beginning to irritate the brunette across from her.
"And you think…" Cosima prompted eagerly, her head bobbing forward as if it was needed to give Delphine a physical push of some sort.
"… that you have a good taste when it comes to crushes," Delphine teased – deciding to keep her cards close to her chest for now.