Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Xena: Warrior Princess or Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. They belong to Renaissance Pictures and Studio USA, I'm sure Rob Tapert also has dibs in on them too.
Authors note: This came to me after an extremely painful experience with my favourite cafe, they closed down. So goes the search for the perfect place to gossip, eat and avoid any form of work. I somehow managed to turn my quest into a fan fiction. Then after months of the first few chapters gaining dust on my desktop, I asked Carly for help. So the product, hopefully a finished story but instead she gave me a few ideas and sent me on my merry way! Pft, I meant write the thing for me! :-p
Yet another note: Well it's been two and a half year since we lost out cafe and I started this fic. I recently came across this floating around my computer. Maybe one day it will get finished.
Dedication: Well this has to go to Erikka because she too is suffering from no cafe. Our cake eating habits could only keep them in business for so long (although we did a damn good job), it's time to move on. sob
The Watering Hole
Rain started pelting down violently, lighting illuminated the sky for a brief moment. Four Armani clad business men looked at each other frantically. With their BMW's, Mercedes and Jags all back at the office, their search for a quite place to have lunch and an informal meeting had turned into a disaster.
They hid from the constant fall of the rain under an awning and soon followed the strong smell of coffee down a back street. There amongst the back streets and rain was a cafe, warm, dry and best of all, a source of caffeine.
The old wooden floorboards creaked under the weight of the men. Dull and unpolished they told a story that spanned over years. The walls were a soft creamy yellow, black and white photos of the neighbourhood taken years ago lined them. In one corner two woman sat with their backs turned, both intently typing away on laptops.
A short middle aged woman with black curls that framed her face ventured from out the back. She smiled politely and grabbed four menus. As the men seated themselves she pulled out her pencil and a piece of paper to take their orders.
Terrible weather outside isn't it.Rather unexpected, one man, tall with dark hair and eyes looked up and smiled politely while answering.
What can I get you? She smiled again, her entire face lighting up.
Two lattes, one mocha and a flat white thanks.Coming up.
Slowly over days and months, the men kept coming back to the quaint little cafe. The owner who they soon became aquatinted with, a widowed woman with Greek heritage, Cyrene, soon befriended them all. Loves, hates, pains, pleasures, pasts and futures all came out in the cafe. Neglected childhood's, sibling rivalry, growing up without a father and things done in the past not so proud of were revealed and a bond between four businessmen grew and became unbreakable. It had taken thousands of years but each had been reborn without guilt on their conscious from past deeds.
One of the four men sat at their usual table waiting for his friends. His blue eyes focused on something in his hand before he sighed. Golden hair fell in his eyes and he shoved it away irritably.
Hurry up and ask mate, she's not going to wait around for ever, blue eyes looked up to meet brown.
And you can talk, when was the last time you had a serious relationship?Thanks for reminding me about being romantically challenged. Don't take cheap shots at me just because you don't have the courage to ask her to marry you.Sorry Ares, I just don't know what to do.Do you love her?Are you in love with her?Problem solved. Should I order a foccasia or just go all out and have the special?Problem is not solved.I know, I really feel like chinese but I don't. I think I'll just have the special.Your eating habits are not the problem
The two remaining members of the group walked in and seated themselves rather clumsily. One with chestnut colour hair knocked over the sugar and smiled nervously while the other, a light blonde shook his head sadly.
What are we discussing? The clumsy one asked.
Herc's lack of commitment skills.Ares seems to be the expert, Hercules replied sarcastically.
Lets face it, when it comes to relationships we all suck. Back me up here Joxer, the small blonde man interrupted.
Speak for yourself. I think I met my soul mate the other day.Your soul mate, where exactly did you meet this soul mate? Ares snorted with amusement.
Well for your information it was right in between the washing powder and dog food.You think you met your soul mate grocery shopping? The small blonde man couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing.
Shut up Iolaus! The group chorused.
The Meeting
I can not believe we are doing this. T-shirts, jeans and button up shirts has taken the place of business suits as the four men each pushed a trolley around the supermarket.
Don't look at me, I didn't suggest it, Iolaus rolled his eyes. Blame Ares, he's the one that said, and I quote yeah lets go grocery shopping to meet Joxer's soul mate'.It was a joke, I used sarcastic voice number one.Ares, your voice is sarcastic voice number one.
Shut up guys, there she is, Joxer pointed to a small blonde woman reading the back of dog food cans.
Isn't this the part where a bright light shines on her and an orchestra starts up? Ares rolled his eyes and stopped to study the woman. She's very short and blonde.I like short and blonde.Defiantly not natural, look at the roots.You've been hanging around with your sister a little too much.I know, last week I got an hour long lecture on why you shouldn't brush your hair when it's wet.It breaks it leading to damage and flyaway.Makes sense.Go talk to her. Ares gave Joxer a slight nudge causing the smaller man to go hurtling into the object of his affection,
Dog food tins went flying in every direction as Joxer collided with the woman of his dreams. He picked himself up and managed to slip over instantaneously after putting his foot down on a can of pal meaty bites'. The three friends didn't know whether to burst out laughing or cringe.
The woman sat quietly on the supermarket floor and studied the clumsy man with her inquisitive green eyes. He looked over, embarrassment and shame clearly written on his features and mumbled an apology. For another moment she just stared, making him feel like a bug under a microscope. Finally a smile overtook her features and she started to giggle uncontrollably. When her laugher finally subsided she grinned and spoke,
If you wanted the last tin of liver and vegetables that badly all you needed to do was ask.
Joxer's expression changed from one of embarrassment and shame to extreme happiness and he said the first thing that popped into his head, wanna have a coffee?
Let me get this straight, you had coffee with a complete stranger who knocked you over while grocery shopping? Baby blue eyes stared critically at the subject of interrogation. The owner then took a sip of hot chocolate and pulled a face when a strand of her dark hair, that had escaped the confines of a messy bun, landed in the beverage.
He was cute.
Don't mhmm me girly!Sorry, sorry. So you like this guy then? What's his name, how old is he, where does he come from, family backg.....?Shut up Xena. His name is Joxer and he's 27, he works in management, he lives in the city and his family have Greek origins, just like us.So he could be your cousin. Xena smirked and grabbed a piece of bruchetta off of her friend's plate.
He is not my cousin. You know as well as I do that my Grandfather is obsessed with the family tree and knows every distant relative by name, age and finger print.Lighten up Gabrielle, I was kidding. You're going to see him again?Tonight, you're seeing her again tonight? That's like the third time this week. Ares leaned back in his office chair and cracked his knuckles loudly causing Joxer to cringe.
Yes tonight, you got a problem with that?No problem here. So when do we get to officially meet her huh? Is she a girlfriend or a bit on the side?I'm going to pretend I didn't here that last part! Gabrielle is my girlfriend, potential wife, mother of my children, soul mate...Whoa man, Ares raised his hands to silence his friend, getting a little ahead of yourself don't you think? You're already planning your tenth anniversary where you surprise her with tickets to the Oprah show, slow down.I just feel as if I've known her my entire life.