Angus is covering a shift. He should not have even been in the tea shop, given he's booked the day off because of the barbeque.

Mrs Cosie didn't even think he was at work that day either. Not until he just turned up on the doorstep. Angus, breathless from his sharp bike ride across town, explained that twinkle had called him about a quarter of an hour ago. Saying it was an emergency and promising Angus that he'd just to cover open and do the first half hour. An hour tops.

An hour which then turned into a morning shift when twinkle still didn't show. Not an emergency at all, as twinkle had been spotted last night in the town. And in many a tavern. Just a hangover. A large one given she'd turned off her stone and not answering Angus, dale or Mrs Cosie.

Angus liked twinkle as a person. But by gods, they were a shit to work with at times!

Mrs Cosie wasn't happy about that. She's forced to give twinkle another warning and one last chance. And she's not that happy that Angus has been taken advantage of. Or that he's covering for twinkle, when ruby is working an extra day covering for him. But never mind. She makes sure he has breakfast at least. Had dotty been able to come in, Angus would have gone straight back to the dorms. But her anxiety is so bad she couldn't leave her front door. So not wanting to leave them two members of staff down he stays. Despite Mrs Cosie saying they could maybe manage if he wanted to leave, she could ring around and get someone else in?

But he'd joined the team because the sign in the window had said help wanted. And he could help.

In hindsight he should have listened to Mrs Cosie. It's not often in Neverwinter a boss is looking out for you.

Angus is covering a shift. He shouldn't even be in.

Which Taako meant shouldn't even be there. But nooooooo. In he strolls and causes minor problems on purpose. Angus wonders if he knew Angus was working, or just got lucky.

And then half an hour after he first leaves Taako comes back again.

And then again. Taako for the third time that day, in his third day in a row, is in the shop. Only now it's late morning. Which means it's approaching lunch rush, so Angus genuinely doesn't have time for this. Normally Taako avoids the busy times but of course now he decides to show up.

He is again in disguise. But Angus recognises the way he opens the door and leans on in it with a pose that is almost a smirk in itself. And when he catches this stranger's eye, concealing charm or not, Taako's eyes get wide and grins. Once more he strides up to the counter, whistling the sizzle it up theme tune.

This time he has the gaol to breeze past the queue of folks, slam an olive garden coupon down and orders, "a vodka daiquiri please, little man!"

And Angus? Angus just breaks.

"Sir…'ko? Pleeeeease." He says head now on the counter. "Look, I know normally you tease me about what I'd do or read. And that is funny. But please stop doing this."

Ruby pauses making drinks and hisses at him worried. Dale throws him a concerned look from across the room. And leaving the tray of dishes makes his way back over to the teens. People in the queue are grumbling or complaining about Taako's queue jumping (very very bad form for a halfling.).

Taako grins a shit eating grin at them, and whispers so Angus can hear him.

"You said I couldn't come in the shop," he winks, "nothing about whoever the fuck this face is."

"Why do you even keep burning up spell slots for this?!" Angus asks. "Please, just leave?"

"Is there problem over here?" Dale asks, his shift manager voice creeping in. He's now stood beside the counter.

"This guy cut the queue and is trying to order alcohol?" Ruby says confused, pointing to the stranger. "And I think Ang's taken physic damage from it."

"Oh no. My bad. I got a little confused." Taako apologises. Absolutely not sorry. "I meant to say, a latte without milk. Please."

"Oat milk?" Angus checks. Willing Taako to just be cool. Be normal. Of course, he isn't. He's Taako. The elven wizard who drove Leon to early retirement and pushed all of Jenkins' buttons.

"Nope. Without milk." He says. Like Angus is being thick.

"So, a black coffee?" Angus tries.

"No no no Angus. I'd like a latte. With no milk. Please. That's what I'm ordering."

"What the hell man?" Dale squints at him.

"he'll work it out." Taako drawls "he's a detective, you know?"

"a detective?" Ruby asks.

"Yeah? Duh."

"I detect well enough to see through your shit costumes dad!" Angus snapped. So loud that it startled Taako. Well, it startles Angus too. But Taako stepped back sharpish, knocking into a half-orc in the queue behind him. Who, already pissed that Taako pushed in front, pushed him back with a, "hey watch it!"

Taako didn't give two shits and was ready with a shocking grasp before anyone could roll for initiative. Dale screams. Ruby yelps and jumps back her wings out, knocking over a vat of warm milk, flooding the work tops. Sudden panic seizes the crowd. Customers scattered; some freeze up. Some are drawing weapons, and some are fleeing the shop.

"Mad orc!"

"There's a wizard on the rampage in there!"

"Roll initiative!"

The half-orc customer yells from the shock and swings at Taako again, this time with a fist. A Taako, who not only ducks? But also sticks out a pointy toed boot.

"Wait! Stop it! Sir no!" Angus yells, attempting to vault up and over the counter. But he's not fast enough with his feather fall or protection charm.

The orc misses her hit and already off-balance stumbles over Taako's leg. With a loud splintering of wood, she lands across and between two tables, upturning the contents and the people nearby. Her fist collides with the back of one patron's head. It's one of the railway's train conductors. The guy is sent flying, who in turn falls onto several other people knocking them all over. And Angus is rightly scared someone's going to get trampled.

The other end of the table catapults up, knocking a halfling who'd been hiding there out cold with an uppercut smack to the chin. (And, oh no Angus realises. It's Miss Ada. Of all the sweetest gentle people to get caught up in a fight-!)

Angus kneels up on counter instead and tries calling for people to calm down but is drowned out by cries of things like,

"Is there a cleric in the house?!"

"Help!"

"I rolled a one!"

"Food fight!"

"Magic fight!"

And

"What is going on out here?!" Asks Mrs Cosie.

At that everyone shuts up. The entire shop, Taako and all freezes like naughty school children at the figure in the kitchen doorway. And Angus has never ever seen Mrs Cosie look so cross.