13831/Dark Willow: Prequel

Dark Willow: Prequel
Date of Scene:	23 September 2021
Location:	The Coffee Bean - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Willow and Pietro have a strange encounter with the waitress who has a crush on him. Somebody watches, and after they go, offers the waitress a plan to get back at Pietro.
Cast of Characters:	Willow Rosenberg, Quicksilver

---

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow had been begging Pietro to show her the place that she had come to think of as 'their spot' - even though she had never been into it before. Already she loved their doughnuts, and their eclairs. Not to mention their coffee..

"I know, I know. I shouldn't be excited about this place, especially since I used to work at one. But it's ours."

Today, despite what they had planned, the rain kept raining. They would have to sit in instead of on their patio. Bummer. There were too few days and they wouldn't be allowed, the patio wouldn't be put away till the spring.

Quicksilver has posed:
It had been a touch amusing to him, when she'd started to ask to be taken there. And he played into that amusement, teasing her a little bit about it and promising 'some time' to take her there. He'd bring an assortment of their baked goods and usually coffee of some flavour whenever he came over to see her.

Hand in hand with her, he looks to her as they arrive outside the cafe, and he reaches out to open the door for her to enter. He didn't mind the rain too much, though he preferred to sit on the patio when he took the time for sitting and savouring here at the shop. "You can be excited about anything, my dear," Pietro says, quirking a smile as he looks to her. "Besides, it is different to be a patro of one than to be the one behind the counter doing the serving," he comments, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing her hand so she can walk in. He's dressed as stylishly as he always is -- a pair of white slacks and a green button-up shirt, his white hair a bit damp from the rain. He'll follow her inside. "Do you know what you'll get today?" he asks with a smile. There aren't that many tables free inside, thanks to the rain.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"The people at Mercutio's were so nice to me." She almost felt guilty about liking a new place better. Then again Mr. Scalveze would have forgiven her. 'It's all forgiven when your heart is involved' he would say.

But, yes. Pietro was right: there was a difference between a patron vs a waitress.

"Definitely a dark coffee, and probably an eclair? Maybe?"

In the corner sat a woman, drinking her coffee, and for some reason, she was very interested in Willow and Pietro. Very interested indeed. Sure, she had a magazine - but the observant would notice once they stepped in the door, the magazine wasn't moved a single page.

Quicksilver has posed:
"Good, they should be nice to you," Pietro says, a smile turning at the corners of his lips. He hasn't been to Mercutio's, but that's likely only because it's a bit out of his usual stomping grounds. He does intend to visit, at some point, and preferrably with Willow.

"That sounds like a good start. They have maple eclairs, that have a creamy filling. They have a strawberry doughnut that has a strawberry cream filling, too. There are always so may options, and they are hard to choose," he comments, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips. "I will likely get one of their teas," he adds, giving a small nod.

After stepping in, following Willow and coming to her side, he slips an arm around her before leaning closer to her to kiss her red hair. Though he doesn't point out the woman with the magazine, he has noticed her. He has a tendency to keep an eye on the people in his surroundings, just in case. "We should get a few for taking back with us," he suggests.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
London Fog was their tea of the day.

"Maple eclair?" Yes, in the fall they made eclairs and called them 'North of the Border'. They were a hit. "Sure why not." Willow hadn't tried them yet, but there was always a first time!

Off in the corner, the woman smiled at the couple. Just a small smile. For all he knew, she found them cute in their couplehood. She stretched and sipped her tea, still on the same page.

Quicksilver has posed:
Lifting his free hand, Pietro lightly pulls his fingers through his damp hair. He gives a small nod to her, a smile quirking his lips. "Mmhmm, I rather like them. But then, I like many of the different kinds of doughnuts that they have here," he comments, sounding a bit amused.

"The London Fog is a good tea, and it has been a while sice I've had one. I'll likely go with that one," Pietro says, his tone thoughtful. He generally drinks tea rather than coffee -- he doesn't need the jolt of caffeine that coffee brings. He takes a moment, looking around at the various tables and the patrons occupying them, using the opportunity to give the woman with her magazine a look along the way. Then his attention shifts back to Willow. "Do you want to get anything else?" he asks, curious. He'll treat her to anything she'd like.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"No. Thanks though. I have some pelmeni that will be made when I get home. Unless someone I know decides to invite me to stay the night." Very casually.

Their turn at the cashier, and Willow steps up. "I would like a dark coffee, and I have it on good authority that your maple eclair is impressive."

Now, not that Willow would have noticed, but the waitress' smile fell several degrees when she realized that Willow wasn't a 'friend', but a girlfriend. "Oh, well they are our biggest seller in the fall." Then she smiles again, but only her lips make it. Her eyes do not smile at all.

Ah.. the pot goes deeper. The woman in the back corner lets a sparkle in her eyes, and not. Oh yes, she could work this.

Quicksilver has posed:
One of his eyebrows quirks up at her mention of pelmeni, his blue eyes showing a sparkle to them. "More pelmeni, hmm? Your friend, he makes them well," Pietro says, giving a small nod. He chuckles softly, amusement to his voice. "Now who, I wonder, might be inclined to invite you for that, hmm?" he suggests, a teasing note to his voice. There's a brief pause, and he gives her a gentle squeeze. "Did you want to spend the night?" he asks softly.

He turns his attention from Willow to the waitress behind the counter, waiting for Willow to make her part of their order. "A London Fog tea, and a maple eclair for me as well, please," he requests. With his free hand, he easily retrieves his phone from his back pocket, to get it ready to pay. "The seasonal items often sell out quite quickly. When I come here in the eveing, there usually aren't any left."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Ah! That would explain why I've not tried them before! Could we take a couple extra back to your rooms? Well, I could bring you back to my place, but I have to warn you the boys will give you a going over. Just to be certain."

As per usual, even her roommates are very particular about who they will let Willow go out with. The fact that he gotten so far, means he's ok. Still they over her.

The waitress takes Pietro's order. "Hi! I haven't seen you in awhile!" Much nicer with him than Willow, that's for certain. "I can pick you out the best one of the crop?" Really, she tries not to look at Willow any more than absolutely necessary. "I should have given you my cell numbers. I knew a cute place to hike."

As she finishes their drinks, and eclairs, Willow giggles. "I think she's coming on to you.Too bad, she's kinda cute." Although the waitress isn't really her type in the long run. Too pushy? Maybe.

Quicksilver has posed:
"They tend to not have them for very long. A few weeks, I think... the end of September through part of October and gone before Hallowe'en," Pietro says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He chuckles softly, and then he gives a nod to her. "We can get as many extra as you wish," he says, his blue eyes showing a sparkle to them as he gives her a gentle squeeze. "I would expect that I will meet them at some point or another. Perhaps not this evening, though," he comments, a touch of amusement to his voice. He doesn't mind that she has roommates, or that they're both male.

His attention turns to the waitress, and he gives a nod to her. "It's been a little while. A couple of weeks," he comments, studying her a brief moment. "One for now, and a pair of them in a bag for later," he requests, giving a small nod. One of his eyebrows slightly quirks at the mention of her cell number and the places to hike. "I don't really do much hiking, I'm afraid," he comments. Which is the truth -- he doesn't really hike, but he does run. A lot.

He looks to Willow and leans close to kiss her hair before he gives a small nod. "Da, I had that impression as well," he says quietly. There's a beat of a pause. "You're cuter," he adds with a grin.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
As Willow giggles, the lady in the corner assesses the situation.

"I don't hike either." Now Willow meant it as camaraderie, but it was plain to see that the waitress took it like a slap.

"I have tried Halloween donuts." She just doesn't say she tried them at five in the morning, fresh from the ovens.. and admittedly, at another donut shop. "We went after our ritual and treated us to them." He should know that Apple Park was her favorite park, and it would stand to reason she had rituals there. The closest doughnut shop would be Hole In-One Doughnut.

Orange and brown. How many variations would there be?

(Surprisingly, a lot.)

"I wasn't asking you." Ouch. The waitress was kinda angry. She turned Pietro. "Is that all?" Her tones were clipped.

The woman in the corner has to cover up her laughter. Oooooh yes, this would be perfect. Poor little waitress. She just wasn't aware of it yet, but she had just volunteered for her plans.

"You haven't met them. They are on one hand very courteous and deferential, and at the same time they would rake you over the coals making sure you knew it. Oh, both of them know.. you know." Willow makes a tiny movement of her hand. Magic.

Quicksilver has posed:
Lightly, Pietro slips his arm around her to bring his hand to rest at the small of her back, his fingers resting lightly there. "Maybe I should try to convince you to come running with me," he suggests, a touch of amusement in his voice. "I can slow down," he adds, a smile tugging his lips. Would he be able to slow his speed enough for Willow to keep up with him? It might be a challenge for him!

"I've tried some Hallowe'en doughnuts. I once visited a place that would make a chocolate doughnut and fill them with an orange cream and put dark chocolate on top of them with orange and black sprinkles. I have not been there for a long time," he says in a thoughtful tone. "Doughnuts are always a treat," he adds, a smile tugging his lips. He tilts his head a touch to one side, watching Willow for a moment. "Maybe we will go there another time," he offers, giving a small nod to her.

One of his eyebrows quirks a touch at the waitress's response, and his weight shifts minutely as he gives her a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Yes, please. That is all for today," he affirms. While he waits for her to get their order ready, he takes care of paying for the items.

His attention shifts to Willow, and he gives a nod to her. "I would like to meet them, at some point. They sound like interesting and good people," he says, a smile tugging his lips. Then he gives a soft chuckle, amusement finding his blue eyes. "I am not surprised by that part of things. Birds of a feather, as the saying goes," he adds, slipping his arm around her anew to give her a bit of a squeeze.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"See? Right?" Willow was pleased. "The one that I had had a sprinkling of bats on them. Though I don't really know where they got them. I looked all over.. did you know that Halloween is, essentially, our New Years?"

Of course she means in the pagan religion.

"And so did, long ago, Christians.. well, Catholics. The day after is All Souls Days, where the veil is the thinnest."

She laughs when say he could run slower. "Like slow motion slow? You.. could? But would you really like it? Really it would be more fun to spar. And don't worry I won't make you do tai chi with me."

His running would be equatable to her using a computer to scry on someone.

They paid, and looked around the room. "There a spot for two? Or we can go out.." She thought, maybe, she could whip up something like a bubble to protect them while eating. Their waitress was staring at them.

Quicksilver has posed:
"I saw the bat sprinkles on a Hallowe'en cake, once. They had pumpkin ones, and little ghosts, too," Pietro says, giving a small nod. "I have not seen them besides the once, though," he adds, considering it a moment. Not that he's been looking for them, although now he does make a mental note to pay attention for such things when he's out and about.

"It is? I did not know that, about Hallowe'en. Is there something special that you do to celebrate, other than a ritual?" he asks, curiosity rising to his voice and his gaze lingering on her. "I knew that the next day was called All Souls Day, but I did not know the significance of it," he adds, his tone thoughtful and curious at the same time.

One of his eyebrows quirks, and he winks at her. "Ah, well... maybe? I can try, at least, hmm?" he suggests, his blue eyes showing a sparkle to them. It's hard to run slower! And he blinks at her, at the suggestion of sparring, which was unexpected to him. "We can try sparring, sure," he agrees. He'll still have to try to do it slower, though! "I'm willing to try tai chi. I think."

He picks up their order on the tray, then takes a moment to scan the room before giving a nod towards a table for two that's somewhat near to the woman with the magazine -- one table between them. "That one is the only table. We can try outside, if you prefer it," he says, glancing towards the patio before his attention turns back to Willow. He slips his arm from around Willow in order to fish out coins from his pocket to deposit into the tip jar on the counter.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Samhain. Yes. And the significance is we try to throw off the old, and take on the new. More spirituality, though. Not like taking on a diet, or giving up sugar. Halloween used to, at one point, be a time when the spirits and the humans lived on the earth for one night. Then we became afraid of the demons roaming around, so we put on costumes so that the evil ones couldn't decide between humans and the spirits."

Something felt off. Whether it was the waitress. Or the woman (who hadn't tweaked her scooby sense yet). It just feels off.

"Let's go outside." But she has to laugh. "I spar. Did you think otherwise? Enough to get out of a fight so Buffy, or someone, can finish it." Actually she's a little bit better than that. "I like tai chi. It's slow and meditative." Which made her think Pietro wouldn't like it.. but she'd been wrong before.

Quicksilver has posed:
"Well, that stands somewhat to reason with it being a New Year's Eve," Pietro says, a smile tugging his lips. He glances towards the display case of delicious pastries, and then he chuckles softly. "I would never survive a diet or giving up sugar. Too many tasty and delicious foods, and life can be a fleeting thing sometimes," he comments. Maybe especially for him, given how quickly any given day happens to pass. "That sort of reminds me of the reason behind saying 'bless you' when someone sneezes," he adds. He's quiet a moment, considering what she says, and he gives a nod. "It is not so surprising that we would become afraid of the demons... things we perceive as evil and things we do not understand," he comments.

"Outside is good. I like the smell of things after the rain," Pietro says, a smile turning at the corners of his lips. He ducks his chin a touch, a movement that causes a lock of his white hair to fall forward and partially into his face. "Ah, no... I figured it likely that you knew how to fight. I just wasn't expecting you to suggest that we could spar together," he admits, a touch shyly. His quicker movement doesn't just apply to running, after all. "I have not tried tai chi before, but... trying new things is not a bad thing, da?" Although the fact that she uses slow to describe it might cause him a moment's worth of apprehension. Would he have enough willpower to actually manage to do something slowly that's supposed to be slow?

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow exited the door, followed by Pietro. No, she didn't figure it out to wrap them in a protective bubble - though she thinks she is on the right track. Instead she holds up their umbrella with magic (kinetomany for the win!).

Meanwhile.

The lady brings up her tea and shakes her head. "She was trying to make you feel bad, wasn't she? Lording it over you that she had him and you didn't. It was very.. odd."

She waited to make certain she had the waitress's whole attention.

"Come to think of it, he was just as bad, maybe more so. If you wanted to play a joke on him, I know this potion you could use. It would be an afternoon of trotting to the bathroom, if you know what I mean. Think about it. I'll be back."