#So I did my best explanation for them as someone who also hasn’t played symphonia but has a wife who did 😅

[fortunesrevolver]

Commission: Hot & Cold (Or Maybe Hot!)

Series: Tales of Symphonia Request: Lloyd and Sheena as baristas. Kratos as the boss man. Shenanigans commence.  For: @lloyd-irving This one was a lot of fun to write. =w= I haven’t played Symphonia in a long time, so I was a little paranoid I’d get everyone wrong, but my beta assures me I did well. It was really fun writing Kratos again, but I was surprised to see how nice it was to write Lloyd and Sheena too. A nice throwback to the game that brought me into the Tales fandom.

Thank you very much for the commission, and I hope you enjoy it!

There were many things Lloyd had discovered in life that he liked, and one of them was coffee. It was one of the main reasons he’d leapt at the chance to work at his father’s coffee shop. While he still had the sneaking suspicion part of the reason he’d been offered the position was to keep him out of trouble after the totally-not-his-fault incident involving a children’s chemistry set and his uncle’s not-so-long-now hair, there was coffee. Free coffee. And free coffee was an incredible motivator.

However, as incredible as the motivation of free coffee -- and often times leftover baked goods and sandwiches -- was, sometimes he came just for the clientele. Especially one of the rare and brave few who was willing to talk back to Sheena when she started using what Zelos affectionately called her ‘pre-banshee screech.’

“Look, sir...” Lloyd leaned against the counter and took a sip of his drink, raising an eyebrow as he watched Sheena balance her weight on her palms to go nose-to-nose with a middle-aged businessman. “We don’t have pumpkin spice loaf cake. We’ve got bread and muffins and enough drinks to clog your arteries. So if that’s not what you want, then you’re gonna have to go somewhere else.”

The man, with the bushiest mustache Lloyd had ever seen, didn’t seem to find Sheena’s tone intimidating by any means -- one of the few he’d ever seen. Somehow he’d managed to look haughtier than before as he tapped the counter impatiently and scoffed. “Well then, sweetheart, I suggest you get in back and make some.”

“Uh-oh.” Frowning, Lloyd set his drink aside stood up. Sheena’s eyebrow was beginning to twitch, and that was always the first sign that someone was about to go through a window if they weren’t separated soon. As funny as the thought might be, trying to explain to management why the window was broken (again) would be hard. “Uh, Sheena…”

“Listen here, buddy…”

“Is there a problem, sir?” A hush fell over the coffee shop as a third voice joined the conversation and Lloyd watched as his boss approached the counter, arms crossed and mouth pressed into a thin line.

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m the store manager,” Kratos replied, his tone flat and even, an eyebrow raising in a silent gesture for the man to challenge him again. “If there’s a problem here--”

Silence settled over the small group for a second time as the businessman looked Kratos up and down, the irritated red of his face slowly melting away into a panicked pale. “No. No, I… suppose there isn’t. I’ll just have a coffee. Sweetened.”

“Fine. $2.15, and I’m sure Ms. Fujibayashi would be happy to bring that to you once it’s finished.”

The man didn’t linger at the counter any longer than he had to after he paid and quickly scurried away to a table. Once he was sitting down, Kratos made easy work of filling a medium sized cup and offered it to Sheena with a neutral expression. “Salt and sugar have very unfortunate similarities at first glance.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess s--oh.”

“Hmph.”

“...damn, dad.” Lloyd muttered, only to get a soft tap to his forehead and a disapproving stare.

“Language, Lloyden.”

“Aw, come on, don’t--”

“I’ll be in the back if you require my help again.”

As silently as he’d come, Kratos vanished into the back once more. Almost immediately, Sheena dove toward the salt-shaker sitting on the counter at the same time Lloyd grabbed the sugar.

“Sheena!”

“Lloyden.”

“Not you too…” He grimaced and made an attempt to grab the salt. “Come on, we can’t just--”

“Boss’ blessing.” Sheena grinned and danced out of Lloyd’s grasp, giving the salt several hard shakes. “Whoops. Too late.”

“Sheena!” Lloyd gasped, stumbling to the edge of the counter to watch as Sheena approached the formally displeased man with the utmost glee. It would be a lie to say he didn’t want to laugh, but he also didn’t want to get yelled at. Still, they did have a pretty good shield if he tried. Kratos was a force to be reckoned with and as much as Lloyd might have enjoyed pushing his father’s buttons, he knew when to back off. Truly, his father could be terrifying.

“--ahem. Is there anyone at the register?”

“Oh, crap!” Forcing his gaze away from the spectacle about to unfold, Lloyd flew back to the register with a practiced grin. “Welcome to Hot & Cold -- Or Maybe Hot! What can I get for you--oh! Hey, uncle.”

“Lloyd.” Across the counter, Yuan regarded Lloyd with a small frown, his eyebrows -- one still unfortunately thinner than the other -- drawn together and jerked his head behind him. “She looks happy. What happened?”

“Uh, well…” Lloyd’s grin turned sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. “He was a total ass and Sheena was angry, but then dad--”

The rest of Lloyd’s explanation was cut off as the businessman retched, spitting his coffee across the table as he coughed several times, much to Sheena’s poorly veiled delight.

“I’m so sorry, sir! Was it too hot?” She grinned, and Lloyd was vaguely reminded of a tiger he’d seen in his old picture books. Maybe Zelos really was onto something about Sheena.

“T-this is--” The man stopped, his gaze darting nervously toward the back before he began to shake his head rapidly. “Yes--just a tad warm. I’ll… go and fetch myself some creamer then. Excuse me.”

“Oh my god…” Lloyd murmured, ducking behind the counter as he tried to conceal his own laughter, the task only growing harder as Sheena all but sprinted to the back and her guffaw could be heard even through the closed door.

“...I see Kratos got involved in another customer incident,” Yuan sighed. “What was it this time? Too many beans? Not enough beans?”

“S-salt,” Lloyd choked out, dragging his weight up to fumble clumsily with the register. “That guy’s face…”

“Of course it was. I daresay he has enough of it to season the sea.” Yuan snorted and motioned with his hand. “Green tea, same as always.”

“Green tea!” Lloyd chirped back, “Uh, large, two bags, three sugars and, uh…”

“Venti,” Yuan corrected, “I’d expect you would have learned these by now.”

“H-hey, I knew that. I just… I just forgot.”

“Hm… Between you and your father, I sometimes wonder how this place hasn’t had more accidents.”

“Hey…!”

“A pastry.”

“...huh?”

“Three sugars and one of your chocolate pastries. My usual order.”

“Oh, right. Okay, that’ll be--” Lloyd stopped, the proper amount already being held out to him with a sigh. “...it’ll be right out?”

A nod was his only response, and he immediately set back to work as Sheena finally reemerged from the back, wiping her eyes.

“Feeling better?” Lloyd asked as he began to pour hot water into his newest order.

“Oh, much, that was--” Sheena nodded, glancing at the door as the bell rang out again. Her expression faltered and a scowl took place of her once amused grin. “...and there goes the mood.”

“Sheena! Hello there, my beauty. I’ve been thinking about you a latte.”

“Ugh, don’t even start…”

“Aw come on, now. I know you turn me down a lot, I’m just asking for an extra shot today.”

Shuffling over to where Yuan was waiting, Lloyd grabbed a sharpie and scribbled out ‘sry about ur hair, uncl’ on the cup and slid it over with a pastry. His attention fluttered over to the register, where Sheena was flexing her fingers in warning as a mass of red hair Lloyd could only assume was Zelos backed away.

“Hey now, babe, don’t be mad. Can’t you feel what’s brewing between us?”

“If you don’t knock it off with the lines--”

“...charming as always,” Yuan muttered, taking an immediate sip from his hot tea without so much as a flinch. “You’ve learned to stay away from them, I see.”

“The last time I tried to save Zelos, I woke up in the back and dad was having an episode,” Lloyd shuddered. He really didn’t need to repeat that incident. It had been a disaster in at least seven ways. Maybe even twelve.

“...I won’t ask.” Lloyd smiled, lop-sided and grateful, it was probably better that he didn’t. Kratos has only just crushed his habit of fluttering near Lloyd whenever he was on shift with Sheena. It had been an accident, after all. “Good luck, then. It seems like you will need it.”

A cup of coffee obscured his vision before Lloyd could respond and he jumped, turning to meet the eyes of a very irritated Sheena. Her eyebrow was twitching dangerously as she gave the cup a small shake and thrust it into Lloyd’s hands. “Finish his drink before I pour it on his stupid face.”

Lloyd gulped, taking the cup as quickly as he dared to look over the order label. Coffee; extra sugar x3, and creamer for… “Nononever-at-stoptrying-dot-jerk?”

Sheena growled and Lloyd took a step back. The door rang again and he was all too happy for an excuse to dart away. At least dealing with Zelos didn’t usually risk life or limb. Usually.

“You know…” Lloyd began as he finally approached the table and offered Zelos his coffee. “If you keep up those weird names, one day she’s really going to throw you through a window.”

“Bud!” Zelos grinned, waving his hand in an exaggerated hello. “You wouldn’t let her do that to me, would you? We’re best buds! You don’t want to see me in pain.”

“No,” Lloyd admitted, “but I don’t want to be hurt either. I kinda think she’d throw me too if I tried to stop her.”

“...hot,” Zelos hummed, nodding. “Gotta love a hunnie that strong.”

“Uh,” Lloyd shrugged, “I mean, I can turn up the AC. The dial isn’t that hard to turn.”

Zelos choked, staring at Lloyd as if he couldn’t decide if he was purposefully being oblivious or truly missed what he’d meant. “...that’s okay,” Zelos pouted. “One of these days I’m gonna have to drag you out on a proper babe hunt. Then we can--”

“LLOYD!” They both jump as Sheena calls across the cafe and waves him over. “We need more Pum-Spice from the back. Mind helping me out?”

“Looks like we got caught,” Zelos sighed and waved Lloyd off. “Hurry up, before she goes full banshee.”

“...you know, sometimes I think you do it on purpose,” Lloyd shook his head and jogged into the back. Inventory was a mess after a late and overstocked shipment. Finding what he wanted could take a while. “Pumpkin… pumpkin… uhhh...”

“...Lloyd.”

Lloyd jumped, knocking a box down that fell neatly at his feet. “Dad! You scared me!”

“Lloyd.” Kratos repeated, an empty cup clasped in one of his hands. “Would you care to explain this to me?”

“Uh, it’s a cup?” Lloyd asked, slow and careful. It was, indeed, a cup. Maybe Kratos wanted more coffee?

“Very astute,” Kratos replied, holding it out. “This was just returned to me by a customer.”

Lloyd blinked and took the cup. “Uh, do they want a refill?”

“No.”

“Bad coffee?”

“No, Lloyd.”

“Err… salt?”

“...no.”

“So….” Lloyd shrugged, turning it over in his hands. “What’s the probl…”

Written on the side of the cup in his own messy script: Lord of the Tight Pants.

“Um…”

Kratos frowned, the look on his face the one Lloyd always knew was a sign of trouble. “Would you care to explain?”

Lloyd hesitated. There was really only one right answer when his father looked like this and a ‘girly guy with tight pants came in and ordered a fruity drink’ didn’t really seem to be the right answer. But it was the only one he had… and thus the answer he gave.

“Lloyd.” Kratos sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “As much as I want to encourage your… creative spirit, if you could avoid insulting customers, especially important ones, on their beverages, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Seriously?” Lloyd could only stare. The man had come in early that morning with an attitude that was both horrifying and entirely too friendly all at once. His clothes had been tighter than Professor Sage’s classroom rules and blindingly bright in their sheer… whiteness. He’d looked like something that had walked right out of the sixties. Or maybe it was the seventies. History wasn’t Lloyd’s strong point, but the man had looked ridiculous. “But he was…”

“My boss.” Kratos explained evenly, eyes narrowed. “I may be the store manager, but I still have someone I answer to.”

Was that why he’d asked so many weird questions? Or why he’d interrogated Sheena? Oh man, he hadn’t even answered them truthfully. He’d sort of been a troll. And maybe made a small amount of an ass of himself. Crap. “Disco Fever is your boss?”

Kratos’ mouth twitched, a clear sign he was trying not to show laughter, and Lloyd felt himself relax. Good. He hadn’t ruined everything ever. “...yes,” he nodded, “and I would appreciate it if you were to write his proper name down on the cup. No matter how… true those nicknames may be.”

Lloyd flinched, his smile apologetic as he nodded. “Uh, sorry… about that.”

“Write whatever you please on the cups of your friends. But for strangers… behave.”

“...right.”

“Now,” Kratos bent down, scooping up Lloyd’s fallen box to place it in his hands. “The lunch rush is about to start.”

A yelp, followed by a small crash sounded from the front. “Whoa, whoa! Babe!”

“I’ll take care of the back,” he sighed, pushing Lloyd forward. “Just… please make sure they do not break anything important.”

“Calm down! I just asked for a little extra sugar--”

“I’ll show you sugar, pervert…!”