T42 - Thursday

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando was a little nervous today. He expected a new vendor but since he hadn't met any of the old vendors, he wasn't certain if he had done everything right. The counter seemed agreeable. It had produced some tiered cupcake stands with glass covers in preparation. The store had seemed to approve of the cupcakes Kaidan had brought in the week before. It hadn't slid them to the floor the way it had when he'd put a kale/spinach/blueberry smoothie on it nor had it just absorbed it the way it did tea it did not approve of.

He wiped at invisible dust on an already clean counter and waited for either customers or Rosalie.

The chalkboard sign inched its way across the floor, tilted at the door, and inched its way onto the sidewalk outside. They finally had a day with no rain. As Hernando watched, words appeared on the chalkboard as if an invisible person were standing there writing them. For all he knew there might be one. The sign read:
Specials:
**NEW!** Cupcakes from Cupid's Cupcakes!
Buy 2 cupcakes and your first mug of tea is FREE!
Boxes of four, eight, and twelve also available.
No further discount applies.
"Thank you," he called politely as the words finished.

The art on the walls today was definitely baked-goods themed. It looked like bold pastel Akihabara style. Hernando wasn't sure what he thought of it, but the store had put it up, so on the wall it stayed.

[Open! No OCD.]

Comments

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan made it to the store a few minutes before Rosalie. Since he'd been the agent of this change, he felt it only fair to be there. "Hey, Hernando. How's it going?"

[hernando_fuentes]

"It is going well, my friend," Hernando answered with a smile, "and you are going dancing on Monday night, so be sure your schedule is open."

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan blinked, "I'm doing what?"

[hernando_fuentes]

"Dancing," Hernando answered.
Helpfully.

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan blinked some more. "I, uh, don't really know how to dance. Look, if this was something I said I could do when I was drinking, uh, my ability to assess my own skills goes way out of whack when alcohol is involved. Trust me, I do not know how to dance."

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando smiled at him, "You'll learn. I'll make sure there is someone there who can show you basic steps. You are going."

[spectre_alenko]

"This doesn't sound like something I'd agree to," Kaidan said, eyeing Hernando.

[hernando_fuentes]

"Ah, but you will," Hernando assured him, "Because you need a healthy emotional outlet, one that does not involve vodka or guns or fists. Also as a favor to me, for keeping me up the other night long past my normal bedtime."

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan scrubbed a hand through his hair, muttering, "You didn't have to do that. I told you I was gonna be fine. I have plenty of emotional outlets. I play video games. I run. I go to the gym."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot had been meaning to check this place out for awhile now -- that cupcake special drew him right in. "You got any that come with multiple types of chocolate?"

Hardison was going to kill him.

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando smiled a welcome and followed it with words, "Welcome to T42. We have a chocolate cupcake with a white chocolate ganache buttercream core and frosting, dusted with a 70% cocoa powder, if that is enough grades of chocolate for you? The others are mostly fruit, except the few that are spices, I'm afraid. If you have a request, the baker would be happy to make a special order?"

[vdistinctive]

Eliot shook his head with a grin. "Nah, man, that's perfect. I'll do one of those chocolate suckers and any you go in the 'orange' family of the fruit ones, to go." He offered Hernando a hand. "I'm Eliot, man. Welcome to town."

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando shook the hand with a warm and unchallenging grip. "Hernando Fuentes, professor and now tea merchant. It is nice to meet you, Eliot."

He packed up a chocolate cupcake and a chocolate one that smelled of cloves and oranges. He put them in two separate boxes so the heavy perfume of the one would not affect the taste of the other.

The name was familiar. "Are you by any chance Eliot Spencer? I saw the name in the business directory."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot nodded, eyebrows raised. Not everyone thought to actually look through the directories when they first came to Fandom. Or to listen to the radio for that matter. "Yeah, that's me. I run the diner, over on the other side of the island. And teach up at the school, sometimes, but I've been on a break from that."

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando had read the directory and was making a point to go into every business or public space on the island.

"That is what I read, about the diner. It did not say anything about the teaching. I have heard good things spoken about your pancakes," he offered as he slid the box across the counter.

[vdistinctive]

"Let me guess, Kanan?" Eliot asked. "Yeah, I gather that's kind of an inside joke between him and the kitchen staff. Not that they ain't good, but I'm more of a burger man, myself."

[hernando_fuentes]

"No; Kaidan," Hernando clarified, "I was asking him about restaurants on the island, and he suggested the diner for very fine pancakes. You also do burgers? I suppose I should have guessed with the word 'diner', but sometimes it does not mean what it should." He was intrigued. He hadn't had a burger in far too long. Or a steak.

mmmm. Steak.

[uncertain_dume]

Kanan had gotten a text.

Well, Kanan had gotten two photos, which were just as good as a text. And Kanan had been good today, dammit, teaching a class he'd been putting off for a few weeks and everything. So, so karking help him, Kanan was going to get cupcakes.

He was giving a bemused look around as he made his way into Hernando's shop, taking in the decor.

Huh. Cozy.

[hernando_fuentes]

"Kanan, welcome back," Hernando greeted him warmly. "Kaidan said you might be in."

[uncertain_dume]

"I've been meaning to drop in," Kanan said, smiling at Hernando in greeting. "The cupcakes were the last nudge I needed, apparently. Rosalie's baking is probably the best I've ever had."

[hernando_fuentes]

"They are very good. The store even seems to approve of them," Hernando smiled.

[uncertain_dume]

"The store has excellent taste," Kanan decided. "What kinds of fruit ones have you got in right now, anyway?"

Because, yeah. Part sugar ant.

[hernando_fuentes]

"Strawberry, raspberry, an orange spice, a banana cream, and a blueberry salted caramel," Hernando offered, "I also have a triple chocolate, a Mexican chocolate - and do you know, I think I should perhaps take offense at that name but it is so tasty I cannot - vanilla, and espresso."

[uncertain_dume]

"Rosalie is spoiling us with this first batch," Kanan laughed, shaking his head. "You do the boxes of four?"

Hera was going to begin to suspect that he was trying to suck up to her for something if he kept bringing random cupcakes home.

[hernando_fuentes]

"She wanted to bring more kinds. I convinced her a small selection would be better to start," Hernando smiled warmly, "She is very nice. Yes, we do boxes of four. Also eight and twelve."

He waited a moment. "Kaidan said to remind you of that."