The Perk- Saturday afternoon

[seriesofbaddecisions]

The Perk was apparently switching to their spring menu despite it being mid-February, which meant when Sabine got there to order they were really pushing the winter drinks, probably to get rid of inventory. Fine, she wouldn't turn down getting a peppermint mocha.

Except for the fact that when she went to her seat and actually tasted the drink, it tasted like they'd used about sixteen pumps of peppermint syrup and thirteen sugars. So she got up and asked for them to remake it.

She returned to her seat and this time it tasted like twenty pumps of peppermint and like, twelve sugars. When she went back to the counter this time they had the gall to act like she was the unreasonable one.

She ordered a plain black coffee, and returned to her seat. Tasted like eight pumps of peppermint.


[I blame TikTok. Open!]

Comments

[ifwebeworthy]

Don had ordered a large cold brew.

What Don got was...well, it could best be described as 'grainy sludge.' "Uh..." he said, examining the cup. "This isn't coffee?"

"There's coffee in it," he was told with a shrug.

At least it distracted him from his 'an Avenger is refusing medical treatment' senses tingling, Steve.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"They're being real special today," Sabine told him.

Might be obvious!

[ifwebeworthy]

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to drink this," Don admitted. "It definitely won't go through a straw...hell, I'm not sure it will pour."

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"They might have spoons."

It sounded like a joke. It was not a joke.

[ifwebeworthy]

"I'm trying to decide if there's enough coffee in it to make it worth my while," he told her, tilting the cup back and forth. The way it moved was...disturbing. "They had to know the sugar wouldn't dissolve," he muttered, like that signified among the many sins being committed in this cup.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I finally got them to stop with the sugar but it hasn't actually helped much," she admitted, frowning at her cup.

[ifwebeworthy]

"I didn't even ask for sugar."

I am not certain you should drink that.

Don was well aware, Thor, thank you, but it still had coffee in it. Somewhere.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I got black coffee." The third time. "It's peppermint. Why."

[ifwebeworthy]

"I haven't even tasted mine," he admitted, and gave it a sniff. "Whoo, yeah, that's peppermint, all right."

They knew they didn't have to use all of the syrup today, right...?

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon ordered tea.

He got peppermint tea.

He frowned. But it wasn't exactly bad. Or at least, it was still better than he could probably make on his own.

So he nodded to the other people there and settled in with his laptop and the book he was working on for Liliana.

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"Is yours awful too?" Sabine checked. It had to be everyone, right?

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Hm?" Jon looked over at her. "Oh, um. No, it's...it's fine. Not what I was hoping for, but I suppose I don't mind mint."

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"What did you get?" she asked, suspicious.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Er...well, I ordered a black tea with milk. But this is mint tea. I, um. I suppose that's not what you did."

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I think I went even simpler and I got a mess," she said, frowning deeply. "They must like you."

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon eyed the baristas doubtfully. "I don't...maybe. Um. I could...I could try to get you something, if you like. Oh. Um." He gave a little wave. "I'm Jonathan Sims. Jon."

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"Thanks, but I'm going to drink as much of this monstrosity as I can and cut my losses," she said. "And Sabine. Hi."

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon gave a startled chuckle at her decision. "Possibly wise. I wonder why they're so dead set on peppermint, though."

[ifwebeworthy]

"Did you at least get a liquid?" Don asked. "Because I'm not sure mine qualifies."

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon looked at Don's drink, and immediately wished he hadn't. "Er...yes, it's just a bit more minty than I'd planned for. I'm not sure I want to know what you got."

It looked frightening enough that if he thought about it too hard, the Eye might just tell him.

[ifwebeworthy]

"It's a cold brew," Don told him. "Allegedly." The last word was doing some very heavy lifting there.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Cold brew what?" Jon asked in horror, then immediately backpedaled. "You don't have to answer that!"

[ifwebeworthy]

Okay, that was...odd. It wasn't like it was a personal question or anything. "Coffee. Just...it's supposed to be just coffee." It was demonstrably not just coffee. "I'm not actually convinced there's coffee in it."

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Yes, but even with not-personal things, Jon was nervous about compelling answers.

"That...that does not appear to be just coffee. Or any coffee. Though it's...well, it does look as though it's cold."

So...for "cold brew coffee"...one out of three?

[ifwebeworthy]

"'Brew' might also have some truth in advertising," Don observed.

But, you know. Like a witch's brew.