Give me coffee or give me death - Whickber Street

It was raining, again. The demon almost floated through the door.

"Good morning!" Crowley was soaked. From top to tail and futher

"Is it?" the look on her face told him, in no uncertain terms, today was not good.

"Well. Apparently not. What's up?"

"The usual? Never forget an regular. De-cafe. Extra goats milk. To go"

Crowley was about to say "no. Biiiig espresso" when he saw Nina's eyes scan the room. He spun on his heels, taking in the room. It was not friendly. Nearly all the tables were occupied. By angels. In their most convincing "Human" costumes.

"Yes! Goaty goat milk. My fav." he hadn't done goats milk in 5000 years. And then it was because of the lack of beer. "High five?" he held his hand up, palm towards Nina.

She put down the card cup in her hand, checked her shoes, sighed and slapped her fingers to his

The tables were wrong.

They were still in a version of the coffee shop. But it was empty of customers.

"Don't worry, your shoes are safe, this time." he was dry in this universe, leaving the rain behind was a relief.

"They all ordered tap water. Tap water! I have run out of tumblers and all my tables are full. This is your fault" Nina threw her hands in the hair, exasperated.

"My fault?" he protested "I haven't been in for a week!"

"They lost track of you and decided to wait where you last were." Nina came out from behind the counter. Pointed to the nearest table. They sat.

"Ah. Yeah, Bad habit. One of many, I'm afraid. Don't really like to be followed" he shrugged "Usually give them the slip and so on" he clicked his fingers. Giving them both a hot steaming cup of coffee.

"Where you been this week?" she looked at the cup. "Is it real?"

He nodded, she picked it up and sipped,

"Been hanging about in London's finest bus stops" he downed his own in one go and threw the empty mug over his left shoulder.

"You make no sense. Bus stops?" she watched it bounce and clatter to the leg of another chair, "you can pick that up. I'm not your mum"

"My universe, my rules. Where else would I find bus drivers?" he asked. He clicked his fingeres and the cup vanished.

She blinked, shrugged and took another sip of coffee.

"Tomorrow is a new day. Word to the wise. Builders tea and sugar sales are going to go up."

"What about today? Any ideas how to politely ask angelic beings, to be less rude to my profits?"

"Give me moment" he looked around the empty cafe, through the door "Are your seats outside ?"

"No, no one wants to sit in the rain"

He snapped his fingers "I'm going to take my yummy yummy goat's milk beverage outside. I'll phone Maggie and get her to meet me."

"Tell her to bring a brolly." she suggested.

"Why? Is it raining?" Crowley had been soaked for most of the day, mostly he hadn't noticed, because he couldn't be any more saturated. "While I wait, you clear the angel's tables. Ask your new customers, how they like the jobs they are dressed as. Dozen awkward questions later, they should leave."

She sipped some more coffee. "Its nearly a plan. Well done, might have to think of what to ask the old fashioned strong man in the corner. Time really is different for you lot"

"I'm not one of their lot!" Crowley objected.

"I don't think you can lift one of those one ton weights. Your arms would snap" she grinned a little.

"Could too. Just as long as they are actually balloons, with 1 ton written on them. Now they know where I am, they should go scurrying back upstairs"

"What? The stock room?"

"That's never going to be funny you know"

"I know"

Then they were back.

"and.. I'll be needing six espressos, in a biiig to go cup. I'll be outside. Thanks Nina. Pleasure, as always" he saluted.

He waved his card over the payment machine, it beeped and he paced off to the tables at the door. He slithered into a chair and looked like he wasn't sitting in a down pour.