Shadow knew it was only a matter of time before he got fired. But, he'd be lying if he said it didn't upset him a bit. He really did enjoy his job as a barista. It was quiet, he got to read on the job, the whole place smelled like fresh coffee, and his boss, Big, was one of the most humble, compassionate bosses he'd ever had. He was going to miss that bookstore, and Shadow almost believed, as Big apologetically explained he was being let go, that Big might miss him too.

The fact of the matter was that Shadow was no connoisseur when it came to coffee. His taste wasn't popular, and he didn't know how to successfully make much else. Even when his coffee started tasting getting sweeter, seemingly out of nowhere, it didn't help him whenever customers actually wanted a black coffee. It wasn't until he brewed himself a cup one morning that he realized how his taste had changed. The bitter coffee he always loved was suddenly too much. So, for the first time in what felt like forever, he added some creamer. And suddenly, only then was it right.

Not that it mattered anymore. He was out of another job. So he sat on his couch and scrolled through the job listings. A common ritual at that point. It embarrassed him how many jobs he had already taken before. He had gone through almost a quarter of the top listings. Secretary, store clerk, retailer, etc. But, every time, he failed to hold down any of them. Either they let him go for poor performance or he left what turned out to be a harmful work environment. He vividly remembered one employer at a moving company who convinced him to work a triple shift after all other employees had left. By the time he had finished moving boxes, his back was completely stiff and his shoulders were beyond sore. He went home and slept for 28 hours straight. Afterward, Rouge helped him send in the email telling his boss he quit.

Rouge. What was she gonna think? Will she feel disappointed? Likely not. She never really did. Worse, she would be relentlessly patronizing and unnecessarily harsh towards his employer behind his back. Shadow, deep down, appreciated her defensiveness, but not to the point of badmouthing Big. Still, he understood why she was the way she was. He had a lot to thank her for.

Shadow heard the tactile clicking of the lock, yet still didn't open his eyes. Instead, he sank into the rough surface of the brick pillar he leaned against. Still, he listened to the sound of heels clicking against the concrete, only for those same heels to approach the place he was sitting.

"Shadow, right?"

Shadow's eyes creaked open and pushed up to look at a young bat woman, dressed in clean, pressed, business-casual attire, holding an expensive-looking purse. Her face was an awkward mix of kindness and deep-seated pity, which she tried her best to hide. How did she even know his name?

"Do you need a ride home? It's almost 10." She insisted, passively gesturing towards her watch. Shadow repressed the urge to roll his eyes at the insinuation that he required something like a bedtime. Instead, he simply shook his head no.

"Are you sure?" She insisted. She stood back, with her hands firmly gripped on the straps of her purse, fiddling with them as she juggled with her thoughts. Shadow appreciated her trying not to be overbearing but found her attempts increasingly annoying.

"I am." Shadow grumbled. He realized he hadn't spoken in days, and his voice was still groggy from the lack of use.

"Do… Do you have-" she struggled to ask. Do you have a home? That is what she meant to say, and Shadow sensed it. He did look kind of homeless at that moment. Technically speaking, he had a place to stay, but he'd rather not return there. The claustrophobic apartment he shared with two roommates reeked of cigarettes and cat piss. It was loud, and they were horrible people. That was not home. They likely wouldn't realize he was gone, anyway, as he barely had any possessions taking up the space. He figured he would find another place to stay, but so far, he was coming up short. Still, he didn't want handouts.

"Thank you, but I'm fine," Shadow mumbled. The Bat's face sank. Shadow closed his eyes as if to hide the source of his guilt from view. He didn't want to sound harsh, but he had no interest in befriending the bat girl. Once again, he sank into the pillar. As he felt himself falling asleep again, he listened to the gentle clicking as the bat walked away, only for the footsteps to pause halfway and come running back.

"If you'd like, you could join me for coffee." She offered. Shadow opened his eyes again. Playful determination replaced the bat's unsure look. Her insistence was no longer vague, but direct. She seemed almost excited at her own idea.

He hated to admit how tempting the offer was. He hadn't had a good cup of coffee in months. And he was feeling the caffeine withdrawal in full force. But again, how the hell would she know that? His curiosity had officially peaked.

"What happened to 'almost 10?'" He responded, half-jokingly, sitting up from his spot. The several jackets piled on his shoulders fell into a crescent-shaped formation around him. The bat smiled, realizing her plan was successful. She held out a hand to help him up, and he begrudgingly took it with an eye roll. It was in hoisting him up that she realized it had been a while since Shadow had even showered. A mix of pity and a past full of bias swirled in her brain, yet she said nothing. Now was not the time to judge. She wasn't that girl anymore. Instead, she took his hand again and shook it. They strolled out of the jewelry store parking lot to the other side of the square as the "Open" sign flickered off.

"It's never too late for coffee. Besides, who said I'm getting you any? I just want to hang out." She bluffed.

"Why?" Shadow asked. The genuine confusion in his voice was nothing short of heartbreaking to the bat girl. This guy really didn't realize how deeply kind he was.

She shrugged and took a breath. "You helped me."

Shadow racked his brain trying to remember what she was talking about. He barely remembered who she was, let alone ever interacting with her. Eventually, he landed on the exact memory of meeting her, surprised he didn't remember her before.

He was taking out the trash behind the post office, his earbuds blasting into each side of his head, and found her sobbing with her phone in hand next to a dumpster. He said nothing, as she already seemed embarrassed enough that he had witnessed her. She desperately swiped at the heavy makeup running down her face as she held her phone close to her chest.

Feeling guilt, he stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He felt bad leaving her there, so instead, he sat beside her. She didn't seem to mind, as she mostly ignored him. Perhaps offering her some company was the correct choice. He took out a cigarette and lit it, a habit someone forced him to kick later on. He offered her a light, but she didn't smoke. So instead, he offered her his opposite earbud, which she took gratefully. For a while they sat there, listening to music, until she stopped crying. Eventually, they each had to go back inside, but Shadow remembered hearing a shy "thank you" through his earbuds before she shut the door.

He never thought much of it. He figured it was more of an awkward attempt than a genuine success at making her feel better. But, apparently, the moment had stuck with her. He didn't see her much after that, but once he had completely forgotten, he became more and more confused by her friendly glances, especially from someone who didn't seem very social otherwise.

With all that, he was curious about what her intentions were now. There was a comparable loneliness between them. She was likely in need of a friend, maybe almost as much as him.

"You don't 'hang out' much, do you?" Shadow asked from across the table. The bat girl sipped on her coffee, gazing out the window, nervously tapping her foot. He refused to let her order him a coffee, but the pleasing aroma was making him regret his decision.

"What makes you think that? Am I not unendingly charismatic and charming?" She said with a flourish. Shadow found it odd. She was clearly used to performative chatter but seemed uncomfortable with genuine conversation. There was a strong sense of loneliness that followed her around. A sense of sadness tugged at the corners of every smile.

"No," he said flatly. The girl shrugged.

"Well, I guess you're not wrong. I'm not one for deep talk. But I figured I owed you one… and my therapist says to be more open with people." She admitted with a shrug. Her shoulders slumped and her elbows rested heavily on the table as she peered into her coffee.

"So you picked up a random hobo off the street." Shadow retorted.

"Eh, yeah, fair point. But it's not like you're a stranger."

"How do you know my name? I never told you." He asked. He tried not to sound too accusatory, but he felt it had come out wrong somehow. Not that she seemed to notice.

"I know your boss. He told me you like coffee." She said. Shadow couldn't help but feel intruded upon. In retrospect, it might not have been that weird. She could have just asked his boss about it offhandedly and got the idea to offer him coffee. Then again, the notion that anyone even registered his existence anymore was elusive and terrifying.

"Weird." He said, the annoyance in his voice easier to register. He retracted into a slumped heap on the tabletop and looked out at the window. But the bat girl wouldn't be accepting any reluctance at her table.

"He's worried about you, you know." She mentioned. An attempt to reach out, only for Shadow's nerves to heighten.

"And why would that be?" He asked sarcastically. The girl's eyes narrowed.

"You're a directionless, helpless, stubborn deadbeat with no support system, who's had some very bad luck despite secretly having a heart of gold," she said without so much as a breath. Apparently, she got a lot more info out of Shadow's boss than he thought. Shadow was stunned, which filled the bat with a profound sense of pride as a cocky smirk spread across her face.

"I'm good at reading people, hon. So, what was it? Did your parents kick you out? Divorcee? Runaway convict?" She asked, not realizing how she was teetering over the edge with her questions. Shadow shrank into his seat and scowled, feeling like a bug under a microscope.

"Does this entire situation not register as incredibly intrusive to you?" Shadow snapped, interrupting her. He hated being bombarded with questions more than anything else, likening it to a modern form of torture. Questions. His least favorite thing. Still, this only pushed the bat girl further.

"All I know is that sometimes it feels good to talk things out! Everybody needs a confidant." She responded, her pride dissolving at his reluctance. Here she was, allowing him to open up, yet he wasn't having it! Her logic was flawed, and a voice in the back of her mind compelled her to stop interrogating him, but she was too stubborn.

"What makes you think you would be my confidant?" Shadow finally said, his voice laced with contempt. The bat's brows furrowed as she glared at Shadow.

"Because you're a good person, Shadow! And I'm damn pushy. I'm already indebted to you. You saw me at my lowest point. I want to help you! You may as well tell me something in return!" She said as she slammed a hand down on the table. Followed by silence. Shadow looked at her in shock as she realized how crazy she must look. She sank back into her chair as her stare shifted to a place far away. She sighed after a long moment of thought.

"That's not fair, is it?" She said softly. She leaned back and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were polished with tears she wouldn't dare let fall.

"What you saw that day was me wanting to break up with my boyfriend. I was in a place where I was scared and worried that I didn't deserve him. I wanted to avoid people. In fact, I really hated people. People are hard to live with, I guess. But, you showed me that sometimes, they are worth it. They can be kind. The world wasn't out to get me. Because of you, me and him are still together. I just… I wanted to return the favor." She said. Shadow couldn't help but relate. He understood what it was like to feel so exhausted by the world around you. It was almost cathartic to know someone so apparently put-together could share that feeling. Her story re-contextualized much of the evening. He felt sorry as if his hesitance forced her to let those feelings out. But if what she said about confidants was true, he figured she might have, anyway. He stayed silent.

"...But you don't want help. You don't owe me anything, Shadow. Forget what I asked." She sighed. And it seemed like she meant it. She went back to looking out the window without another word. They sat in silence for what felt like forever as Shadow fought with himself.

He couldn't remember the last time he talked openly with anyone. He had kept himself guarded since military school. Still, something about his meeting with the bat girl felt like fate. He couldn't help but wonder if this strange, bold, enigmatic stranger would actually listen to him and get it. He had already hit what might have been his lowest point yet. Perhaps it was time to make some changes and take a risk. With a shaky breath, he finally lowered his shield.

"I was an agent for the witness protection program. There was a family I was protecting. I got too attached, I strayed from protocol, and people died. The program discharged me. Now I can't find work." He said. He tried his best to keep it short. He felt both as if a weight had been lifted off his back and like something had ripped his insides out. He felt exposed and afraid. He searched her eyes for something, anything other than pity, but found that's all there was. His story was pitiful, there was nothing he could do to change that.

"That's… I'm so sorry." She said, finally. Did she actually care? Did she find him pathetic? Did she get what she wanted? Shadow couldn't even tell at this point. It had been so long that he didn't know what to feel. He didn't know what to do next. It's not like she could fix it. Would she take his pain and run or stay and share it with him as friends? God, was the world terrifying.

"You know what you need?" She asked, and Shadow suddenly returned to the surface of reality. He realized he wasn't back at that house, or the agency, or even at school. He was in a cafe with a friend. Life was moving again in front of him.

"A coffee," he mumbled

"A damn coffee," she replied.

It was the best cup of coffee he'd ever had.

"Listen, I know you don't want my help. But, just know that I'm here if you need anything." The bat girl said as she landed them in front of the hotel lobby door. Reluctantly, and after a lot of Convincing, Shadow let her pay for a place for him to sleep. Although, he only agreed if it was for one night in the cheapest hotel in the city, so he could easily pay her back. He hoped that his owing her things wouldn't become a repeating theme in their ongoing friendship. As he was about to enter she stopped him and handed him a card.

Rouge the Bat. Assistant Sales associate. Charm Ray & Co. Fine Jewelery.

Followed by a phone number. It was at that moment Shadow realized he never asked for her name. For a stranger that offered him so much kindness, he had treated her with so little appreciation, already. It made him feel like a fool. Rouge on the other hand, would never mind it.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to let you know… If you need anything, I guess I'm here too." He said. Rouge's eyes lit up with excitement as she wrapped him up in a bear hug.

"Ah yeah, baby! This makes us a team!" She cheered. Shadow couldn't help but smirk.

"Does it, though?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Oh, don't be like that. You'll learn to love me. We're besties now." She said, finally letting him out of her hug. Shadow rubbed the soreness from his arm.

"I'd rather not call it that." he griped.

"Too late, and if you keep complaining, I'm getting us matching bracelets." she jeered. Shadow had a nagging feeling she meant it, so he didn't nitpick any further.

"You are an incredibly clingy individual." He noted.

"I wasn't always hon, but you're just too inspirational!"

The buzzing of his phone cut Shadow's reminiscing short. He picked it up and saw a name that immediately made him smile. He answered.

"Hey, Rose." He greeted.

"Hey Shadow, I, uh, just wanted to see how you were doing," Amy replied. It was clear she had more to say, but Shadow allowed her to stall for a bit.

"I'm fine. You?" He asked.

"I'm alright it's… it's just been a long day of work. I just wanted to hear your voice." She said, finally. They talked for hours after that, until Amy eventually fell asleep on the phone. As Shadow sat there, not wanting to hang up just yet, Shadow felt his own future would be bright. Amy made his future look bright. Perhaps, one day, he could return the favor.