33 - Customers
"Here you go, sir," Harry said cheerfully when he offered the customer his coffee. The bloke in question jumped a little, he'd obviously been jolted from his thoughts by the interruption. As the customer wasn't yet holding the drink, that shouldn't have been a problem – wouldn't be if it wasn't for the fact that he Woged out of surprise and looked at him.
A look of panic immediately crossed the Mauzhertz' face and he started stammering. "You – but – I mean, but you- are," the man backed away, hands instinctively coming up in a defensive posture.
"Sir," Harry started calmly, hoping to dissuade the situation that was already drawing attention from his other customers.
"You're a Grimm," the frightened man finally managed to spit out, with a hysterical note to his voice.
And Harry wasn't sure how to handle this – because he'd dealt with angry customers, with confused ones and sleep-deprived-early-Monday-morning customers, but never ones that were truly afraid of him. Because why would a customer fear him? He was just the not very intimidating looking guy who provided them with coffee and baked goods.
As long as the Wesen ones didn't Woge out and look him in the eye that was – something that had never actually happened before.
The wizard sighed and gentled his stance and voice as much as he could, remaining firmly on his side of the counter and still holding the take-away coffee cup like an offering of peace.
"My name's Harry," he informed the man softly, "and right now all I am is the baker offering you a cup of coffee – on the house even, because it looks like you could use it. Alright?"
There was a moment of blessed silence as the Wesen stared at him, before the man started stammering again, but at least he'd stopped backing away with his hands held up in front of him as if he was trying to ward off an evil spirit.
"Uh- I- well, that is. Yes, alright – I suppose coffee would be alright. I never say no to coffee, not me, no sir."
Harry took his chance at that and held out the coffee a little closer to the man. "Here you go then, sir. Have a good day," the wizard interrupted, stemming the flow of words.
It only momentarily stopped the babbling, but at least the man accepted the cup, handling it as carefully as one might an unstable potion. "I yes, I will definitely have a good day. Thank you – for that. Yes, thank you for the coffee. I will be going now. Goodbye."
As the man rushed from his shop Harry stared after him for a moment and decided that as far as outcomes went, this wasn't so bad. No-one fainted and while the Wesen had exited rather quickly, he didn't quite run away in terror. No coffee was spilled either.
You had to appreciate small victories.
He put a smile back on his face and turned to what had since become a line of customers. And blinked, because all of them were staring at him. Some with utter bafflement – regular people, he'd guess - but others held wariness in their face, or a kind of careful consideration that indicated they understood the basis of what happened just now.
He blinked, but managed to hold on to his smile. "Well, that happened," he stated with a good dose of humour, to defuse the remaining tension.
Then he determinedly moved past it, ignoring the stares with the ease of experience.
"Good afternoon," he politely greeted the next in line, "how may I help you?"
(Word Count: 600)
