Anyone elses fan fiction emails down? i know theres been story updates but they've not been coming to my inbox. thank you so much for reading and the reviews. very much appricated.

"Angus?" Lucretia says. "what are you doing here?"

"Oh FUC-!" Angus gulped. There's a very weird moment where they just both stand dumbfounded, blinking back at each other. Then Angus starts tripping over his own tongue. As well as getting a glare from old Dotty for nearly swearing on the job. "fudge. Aunty-! I mean, err lucre-! Direct-! No wait did- did they tell you I was-? Ow!"

Dotty had given him a jab in the hip with her elbow and it seemed to have restarted his brain. "I mean, good afternoon, what can I get you madam- I mean Ms?"

"I'll– I'll have a chai latte. Please."

Lucretia, while bemused, rolls with it at least. "And err-. " she stalls, looking back over the cake stands. "hmm. You know, I think I'll have a- "

"A slice of shortbread?" Angus guessed, unable to stop himself. He'd been able to tell the way she'd looked and paused over it. Plus, he knew she was not one for cake preferring crunchy snacks.

Lucretia smiled. The proper one that made her eye crinkle. "Yes please. Every day's treat day, right?"

"Right!" He grinned back then he realised. "Okay coming right up. Take away or stay in?"

"Take- actually nah. Staying in I think.'' she said with a wink as she took her order number and headed to a table that had just emptied. It would have looked like a totally normal interaction between server and customer who absolutely did not know each other…

Had she not caught Angus's eye as he served the next customer and mouthed, "Ang, what the Jeff?" Over the dwarven dude's head.

Angus breathed a sigh of- well not relief. It's not anywhere near as bad as yesterday's debarkale or any of Taako's prying. But he's not happy with another of the birds and his extended family knows where he is. Lucretia being a customer still has given him the horrible stomach dropping weird Deja vu feeling of Ren first seeing him here.

(And also, the stomach drop feeling of accidentally getting smacked in the stomach by the till. Because Angus isn't looking out for it. And the drawer is at a height he had to take a few deep breaths and one d4 damage. It's quite embarrassing with everyone in the shop witnessing it and Mrs Cosie coming out to ask if he's alright. Ruby swears the till is secretly a stubborn mimic as it has a mind of its own. Angus would normally be disinclined to agree but that was a bloody good shot.)

But no, not as bad as yesterday.

Even if he does, as well as taking a till drawer to the Neverwinter regions, Angus had to put up with both dotty and twinkle teasing him for the rest of shift. They have mistaken him getting tongue tied for thinking he'd fallen for a customer. (Dale, a bard, often did.) Which Angus felt about was extra weird discussing as it was – well- Lucretia. The whole idea was ridiculous, it'd be like saying he had a crush on the twins or Magnus! He couldn't tell Dotty that though. That they knew each other. He certainly couldn't tell Twinkle. There wasn't a lot you could tell Twinkle really. Aside from "hey knock it off".

But no, not as bad as yesterday's debacle with the B.O.B. squad.

It's just - so weird to see her. Here! And now.

Lucretia is a bit like Barry Bluejeans in a way. It's like they can both pick and choose between being wallflower and the centre of attention. Despite the striking white hair and tall frame, is one of the few birds who can just blend in with almost any crowd. If not in red cloak, or blue robes, most people didn't notice her. Like now with her hair wrapped up in a yellow scarf, no one can see the white halo of coils. In the blouse, no one can see her bracer. So there go those associations. Plus, people, even avid 'bird spotters' were often on the lookout for someone a bit younger, subconsciously. Lucretia once joked she could even walk past a group of her dedicated fan club and they wouldn't notice her.

When Angus looked over, Lucretia had taken off her shades and cloak. No longer in a rush or anxious in the queue she appears more relaxed, a still very rare occurrence. She's reading on some paper work with one hand and doodling with the other, her right to be specific on a memo pad. But not in a way that would draw obvious attention like using both hands or using mage hands. Again, academics and students are often in the shop and are a common sight in Neverwinter. And it's true, no one bats an eyelid at the human woman sitting reading and drinking tea in the tea shop, amongst the mostly halfling but still very mixed crowd.

Lucretia doesn't try to talk to Angus while he's working. Although she tried to catch his eye a few times. But he was always busy for anything more then to exchange a smile. She orders a second chai when dotty asks if she wants a top up. At some point she's not just doodling but sketching too. Or writing in a notebook. And Angus tried not to feel paranoid.

She must have been at the library, he figured. Seeing as Lucretia wasn't in any Madam Director slash b.o.b. related regalia. She seemed surprised to see him so maybe the others hadn't told her anything at all. And the fact Lucretia was here the day after her own employees visiting was a big coincidence. Trouble was Angus didn't like coincidences. It always annoyed the detective clue hunting part of his brain.

For a short shift, it seems to drag and in no hurry to end, unlike Angus. Finally, it finishes and Angus is out of the staff room the moment the clocking out clock bongs. He seizes the chance to go and talk to Lucretia; ask her point blank what was going on.

Only find she'd slipped out unnoticed while his back was turned. Leaving a rather over generous tip.