#liv going to town on that pen like it's alex

[alexcabotgifs]

3x11 Monogamy

[tinyboxxtink]

"Doppelganger" *Part 8*

Okay ladies and gents, this is where I'd say you really need to have read Black Magic to understand this chapter. You can read it here.

Or, y'know I guess just accept that magic is real in this universe. Whatever. STILL READ IT. YOU WON'T REGRET IT I PROMISE.

If you read this last night, I did rewrite it and reuploaded it. Don't freak out, it's better now I swear.

I did make this signifantly longer though, but I won't lie to you kids-- it's not good. Angst wise, not plot wise. 😉

ENJOYYYYYYY!!!!

Part 7

Part 9

Tag List

@madamsnape921

@lolliepopsicle

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@stars-trash-18

@omgsuperstarg

@objection-argumentative

---------------

The next day Rafael decided he needed help, and if he couldn’t go to the squad, he only had one choice.

"....WHAT?!" Chloe screeched after Rafael told her the whole story after meeting up for coffee.

"I know, it's insane I just--" Rafael shook his head.

"I have so many questions. So many--" she started.

"Look I just wanted advice, and maybe …" he trailed off looking in the distance.

"Maybe what….?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"Supernatural help?" He sipped his coffee.

"Oh good God like what? Do you think that's what he used on YN?" Chloe sipped her tea.

"No doesn't need to, he can imitate me perfectly. I'm pretty sure it was just your standard date rape drug." The words made Rafael's fist clench and his lip curl at the thought of Nevada using date rape drugs on you.

"We have to get her out of there, Chloe. We have to," His voice trembled in fear for you.

"Well no shit Sherlock" Chloe pointed out. "You sure it's not the mind control stuff Liv used on you?"

"Liv didn't use mind control potions. She just used an ultra unhealthy amount of love potion. Although I wouldn't put it past her to get some more potions,” Rafael rolled his eyes.

Nearby Alex was listening in on the conversation, since Rafael knew what Javi looked like now. He listened to the rest of your conversation, then bolted before the two of you noticed him.

-----

“Magic potion?" Nevada laughed. are you fucking kidding me?! Dime qué tienen been smoking?!”

"I don't know Vada, he seemed pretty sure about it. And I mean look at the two of you, you're identical and there's no explanation for that. So I don't know, anything might be possible." Alex shrugged. "He said it's how they got together. Some chick named Olivia tried to tear them apart but their "true love" prevailed"."

"Oh , these two are even more fucking pathetic than I thought.” Nevada scoffed. “What do they live in, a fucking Disney movie?" He shook his head, but then had an idea.

"…. Seems like we might have to check with this Olivia," He smiled evilly.

--------

"Rafael" showed up to the squad room to talk to Olivia the very next day.

“Hey Liv” He nodded at her with a sly smile.

"Rafa!" Liv exclaimed. She was excited but nervous to see him. Mostly because she hadn't seen him since the whole 'wedding; debacle.

"Liv, I need you to tell me where you got your mind serum,” “Rafael” told her straight out. Olivia was shocked he was so flippant about it, and being so loud.

".... It wasn't mind serum Rafa it was love serum and-- wait why do you need it?" She looked around nervously, then quickly realized something must have gone wrong with the two of you.

"I think I'll be asking the questions here Liv, you're the one that fucked with me first." “Rafael” crossed his arms.

"You know if you need to control YN with potions, it may not be worth it Rafa.” Olivia told him softly, touching his hand. “I love you just the way you are...." She put a hand to his chest and gave him a sweet smile.

"Why do you think I'm asking? She's getting too wishy washy for me, I just want her to forget about us." Rafael put a hand to her face. "Just tell me where you got it, and we can be together."

"Ok!!" Not questioning it, Olivia started to text the address to Rafael's phone.

"No, I need you to write it down for me." “Rafael” grabbed a notepad and pen from off her desk.

"Why…?" Olivia raised an eyebrow at him.

"....So if my boss decides to do a random sweep of my phone he doesn't think I'm insane, Liv." He replied in a “duh” tone.

"...He can do that?" Oliva’s mouth dropped open.

"...The government can do a lot of things, Liv. Don’t trust them,” “Rafael” sneered. Sure Olivia should have taken that as a red flag, but she was so happy she might get her happy ending with Rafael she didn’t care.

"Right…." She wrote the address down and slipped it to "Rafael".

"Thanks babe," he grabbed Olivia in a giant kiss. Then he strutted out of the office leaving her with a huge smile.

----------

Not even a few hours later, Nevada took the address to an old antique shop. He walked in to see an old woman cleaning an ancient looking broach.

“An old antique shop, bruja? Were you going for totally predictable, or are you just lazy with fronts?”

The woman stopped cleaning and glared at him. “And who the hell are you?”

“Let’s just say I’m a friend of Olivia’s.” He smirked. “And as such, I’m going to need a favor…”

“Oh great are you a cop too?” She sighed.

“....You could say that.” He chuckled.

“So what do you need?” She looked at him skeptically.

“I need a...mind control potion,” Nevada felt like an idiot saying it out loud, but the old woman’s face verifying that such a thing existed made him feel better.

“You people and your God complexes…” She rolled her eyes before disappearing into the back. After a few minutes she came back with an orange liquid in a vial.

“Think of the name of the person you want this to control, and then once they drink this, whatever you think, they’ll do.”

“....Really?” Nevada gave her a sarcastic laugh.

“Oh you doubt my majeria, pendejo?” She snarled. “Then why are you here?”

“Lo siento, señora,” He quickly apologized. “Gracias,” He nodded to the potion and sauntered out of the shop.

--------

The next day Nevada texted Rafael to meet him in a warehouse on his side or town. Rafael immediately went to Chloe’s apartment for advice on what to do, since he didn’t have anyone else.

"This could be a trap." Chloe warned him.

"Of course it could be a trap but what choice do I have?!" Rafael argued.

"Ok but I'm coming," She insisted.

"Oh no you're not" Rafael shook his head.

"I'll stay out of sight, okay dad?” Chloe rolled her eyes.

"No, I don’t like it.” He protested while ignoring the 'dad' comment. “If something goes sideways in there I can’t protect the both of you,”

"I don't care if you like it, she's my best friend so you can suck it up," She crossed her arms. “And I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself,”

“....What’s the chances of me talking you out of this?” He sighed.

“....Ehhhh slim to none,” She smiled.

“Fine, but you’re staying outside,” He warned her as they headed to the address.

------

Rafael and Chloe went to the address, it was a giant warehouse. Rafael went inside, ready for anything. The place was pitch black so he couldn't really see anything.

"Nevada?" He called into the darkness. Suddenly one light in the middle of the warehouse lit up. He walked closer to find you lying there unconscious.

"YN!!!" He screamed, running over and waking you up.

“...What? What happened?” You stirred awake, totally disoriented. Nevada must have knocked you out again.

"Baby! it's me," He picked you up in his arms, holding you so tightly you thought you'd stop breathing. "He let you go, I can't believe it," He was crying now, he was so happy.

"...What? That makes ZERO sense," you pushed him away, looking at him angrily. "....Wait no no, it does make perfect sense-- you're Nevada!"

"What?" Rafael looked at you in shock. "... I'm not Nevada, I'm Rafael, YN! It's me!"

"Okay look I get it,” You crossed your arms. “You can’t just keep me drugged up all the time, and you need new and innovative ways to "be" Rafael-- but this is just cruel,”

“Baby it's me I-- it's me! it's Rafael,” He put his hands on either side of your face, staring intently into them. You wanted to believe him so badly, but all you could think about was the first time this happened. How perfectly Nevada had played Rafael, even down to the look in his eyes. That’s all you saw now, an act. A façade.

“....You've done a hell of a job researching him and perfecting his moves Nevada, but I'm not going to fall for it and I'm not going to keep hurting Rafa,” You pushed him away further, crossing your arms tighter so that he couldn’t get a free show of your exposed breasts in the barely there clothes he dressed you in.

Rafael stared at you in shock and disbelief, how much did he fuck with your mind? How could this be happening?

“....It's me. How else am I--- what can I do to prove to you that it's me? Y/N how can you not see it in my eyes? Look at me!” He grabbed your hands and searched your eyes for some kind of recognition, some kind of feeling.

“Yeah okay it's ‘you’. You are going to save me, and then we're going to go to some ‘safe location’ right? And then we’ll celebrate being ‘back together’ by having some amazing sex. And it’ll be wonderful and amazing, and I’ll cry and tell you how much I love you and missed you, and then you're going to be like ‘hahaha I got you again!’ I’m Not falling for it” Tears came to your eyes as you thought about all the times he had tricked you, and how much it had hurt Rafael every time. You couldn’t get the heartbreak in his eyes out of your brain.

“....God, this is exactly what he wanted…” Rafael muttered. “Carino, it's me I swear to God you have to believe me-- Look I brought Chloe!” He gestured to Chloe who came running over to the two of you.

“...Oh my God, Chloe?” Your eyes widened in seeing your best friend for the first time in days. Usually you two were attached at the hip. He brought Chloe-- Nevada didn’t know about Chloe, did he?

“....Remember the penguins? I proposed to you with the penguins, and-- and I told you that it was my favorite place in New York, and I did that nutty musical number? I worked on that for WEEKS!!! Would Nevada know that?” You heard Rafael talking while you looked from Chloe to him. You took his head in your hands, searching his eyes. They were full of tears, searching your own eyes for the same thing. Love.

“....Rafa?” You whispered, wiping the tears from his cheeks. He took your hand and kissed the side of it.

“It’s me,” He pressed his lips to your forehead. “It’s me, mi amor,”

You grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss. You could feel the difference now, between his mouth and Nevada’s. Rafael kissed you in such a loving, beautiful way. Nevada groped your mouth like a hungry shark. You threw your arms around his neck and kissed him several times on the neck, not getting enough of him. He ran his fingers through your hair as his lips did the same to your face and neck.

Suddenly, a lone clap came from behind you.

“Awwww. No es tan dulce?” Nevada came stepping out of the shadows. “The two lovers, finally reunited. Es tan hermoso,” He wiped away a non-existent tear.

“....What the hell …?” Rafael asked while he helped you both stand up, Rafael stood in front of you protectively.

“Well I had to get some ‘inside’ information didn’t I, cabron? I can’t have you feeding her information only ‘you’ would know to try and break a spell, ¿Correcto??” Nevada crossed his arms as several men came out of the shadows all around you.

“....Spell?” You blinked, trying to play dumb. How did he know about magic?

“Oh shit…” You heard Chloe whisper as she and Rafael exchanged a guilty look. They really should have thought about having that conversation in private.

“I visited your friend, Olivia. She told me where I could find some very interesting...concoctions,” Nevada smirked as he held up an orange vial.

“What? No...no no no!!!!” Rafael’s head darted back and forth as Nevada’s goons inched towards you. Two of them pulled out pistols and aimed them right at him while two more walked up and grabbed you, dragging you away from Rafael.

“No...No! RAFAEL!!!” You screamed, trying to get away from them. He tried to run to you, but two more grabbed him by the arms and put him on his knees.

“...I don't know what the hell it is but don't you dare give her anything else!!!” Rafael yelled as the two men that had you dragged you over to Nevada.

“Oh okay, well just because you said that SO nicely, abogado,” Nevada nodded sarcastically as he grabbed your face.

“Now, open up baby. I know you can swallow,” He smirked while looking between the two of you. You shook your head violently, but Nevada gripped your nose between his fingers preventing you from breathing. You held out as long as you could, but you finally had to gasp for air. As soon as you did so, Nevada poured the orange liquid down your throat. After a few moments, your irises flashed a deep orange.

“....Vada,” You looked at Nevada with dreamy eyes as Rafael stared in horror.

“Finalmente I can stop wearing those God awful trajes,” Nevada grinned, stroking your cheek softly before looking at Rafael.

“And y’know, your girlfriend Olivia really should have just opted for this mind control potion, it works so much more efficiently. Pero, if I had just made your little puta in love with me, I couldn’t get her to do this,” He turned to you. “Baby, go take care of that hijo de puta, para mi,”

“Anything for you, papi,” You nodded with a smile, then turned to Rafael with a deep raging fire in your eyes.

“Let’s dance abogado,” You growled.

“No! No, Y/N you can't do this! I'm not going to hurt you,” He pleaded with you.

“Well that sucks for you,” You lunged for him, but he grabbed you by your arms. “

“Hey no no no, look at me!” He forced you to look at him. “Remember the penguins? I took you to see the penguins and I--"

Nevada closed his eyes and changed your memory with his.

”Nevada took me to penguins and that's how we got engaged, you lying piece of shit!!!” You yelled at him.

“….Fuck that’s what he meant. Now he’s used that against me,” Rafael grunted in frustration as you wriggled in his arms. “Y/N you have to believe me you love me, not Nevada. You love me!!”

“No, I DON’T!!!!” You broke free and started to punch him, but he threw you to the ground.

“...You're going to regret that,” You sneered, getting back up.

“I already do!” Rafael began to cry. He didn't want to hurt you, but he had no other choice.

“Alright, break it up,” Chloe stepped in trying to reason with you.

“And who are you? His bitch?” You snarked at her.

“Oh God now what? I'm your best friend, Chloe! We’ve been friends since you moved to the city! forever I helped you get Rafael, remember? All the hijinks we had to go through? Y/N you're my best friend come on, remember!”

“....I don't know what the hell you're talking about bitch, but if you’re against Nevada, you’re against me!” You lunged for Chloe. Unfortunately for you, Chloe had no qualms about kicking your ass. She punched you, making you go down.

“Chloe what the fuck are you doing?!” Rafael yelled angrily at her.

“Wha-- she was trying to kick my ass!” Chloe defended herself.

Well as much as I enjoy this, I'm going to need a status on that transfer, Barba,” Nevada stepped in and helped you to your feet. You started to lunge for Chloe again but Nevada held you back.

“Down girl, you’ll get her next time,” He pulled on the collar of your dress like heeling a dog. You straightened up and walked into his arms. He draped one of them around you as he smiled triumphantly at Chloe and Rafael.

“Well if you would let me work instead of fucking with my emotions and fucking with my fiancé's head I might have some time to do it, tarado!” Rafael barked while glaring at the two of you. “Why are you even doing this, don't you want me to fight for her?”

“Yeah I thought about that,” He nodded, moving his arms around your waist and pulling you back into his chest as you smirked at Rafael.

“And having her on my side actually works out better for me, because you can't hurt me if I have her as my guard dog,” He chuckled, pulling you to face him as he gave you a hungry kiss.

“I swear to God, Nevada… I'll….” Rafael started to charge Nevada, seeing you all over him in person was ten times worse than having to witness it over a face call.

“You'll what?” Nevada challenged him with a laugh. "You gonna call your cop friends on your 'true love?!'” He air quoted true love with a mocking sneer.

“That's right she is my true love; and our love has beat stronger things than your manipulation or mind potions,” He spat as Nevada’s goons began to surround him again in case he tried anything.

"Oh I very much doubt that." He smiled wickedly as he looked into your eyes. "Go on baby, tell him why you chose me" He nodded at Rafael. You nodded back and stepped towards Rafael with hatred in your orange eyes. Nevada thought of the perfect speech to really destroy him.

"Nevada is a real man Barba, he's pleasured me in ways you can't even think of. Our love was fake, you just kept me under your own spell. Nothing we had was actually real, and you're just gonna have to get over this obsession you have with me." You crossed your arms and spoke with absolute disdain.

"No….." Rafael's eyes filled with tears more and more after every word you spoke. "No!" He grabbed you and pulled you towards him. Nevada’s goons started to go after him but Vada put a hand up.

"Ah ah ah, señores. This will be more fun," He grinned.

"Baby come on, look he's...he’s just going to let you go!” Rafael tried to get you to go with him.

"Please, carino…." He put both hands on your face but all he could see was orange in your irises. Now he knew how you must have felt at the church when he didn't remember you. But then he remembered how the real him was deep down inside, screaming to get out. You had to be there too.

“....Rafa…?” Your head began to pound, the orange in your eyes began to flicker as the real you tried to break through.

“Yes, yes Y/N Baby it’s me!” A small hopeful smile crawled across his lips. He started speaking as fast as he could to draw you out more.

"....Carino, remember you told me about your parents, and I told you about my dad, and-- We beat Liv, we've prevailed over anything that tries to tear us apart. And I know you are in there, because I know I was in my body too. Please baby please, oh god please, YN you have to remember!” He pressed his forehead to yours as he begged you with whimpers and tears.

“Baby…”? You bit your lip as you tried like hell to fight the potion. Rafael rubbed your cheeks with his thumbs.

“....If you go back to him now--I'll lose you forever. He’ll just keep using you against me, and I won’t hurt you!” He hugged you tightly, your arms slowly raised to hug him back. Nevada saw what was unfolding and quickly thought to himself “NO. YOU’RE MINE. HURT HIM.”

Suddenly the orange flared in your eyes once again, and you pushed him away from you.

“Well that's really unfortunate for you, douchebag. Because I can,” You took one swift kick to his stomach and he fell over to the ground

“Ohhhhh shit!!!!!” Nevada clapped his hands together happily.

"That was even more delicious than I could have imagined, this magic thing is the best. Thanks for the tip, bruja,” Nevada nodded at Chloe who just glared at him as she helped Rafael up on his feet.

"This isn't over," he growled.

"You're right, you still need to get me those transfers" Nevada reminded him. “....And I think that red head will help you out, I may have 'made up' with her for you," He added with a wink.

“Oh for fucks sake…” Rafael groaned. Now he had lost you and he'd have to break Liv’s heart all over again.

“Now I'd leave before I set my queen loose on you," Nevada cackled.

“Let's go Rafa, we'll figure something out,” Chloe pulled him away from you and out of the warehouse.

Rafael knew you were in there, he just knew it. He was going to get you back somehow.

[kristie-rp]

[2016] Five Times Olivia Was A Full-Time Employee (and the One Time She Actually Got Time Off)

Prompt: Coffeeshop AU, modern AU, alternate first meeting AU. Olivia is generally unlucky right now and is just frustrated by foreign people in general.

-1-

Olivia doesn’t follow dancing.

She doesn’t follow anything, really. She doesn’t have the time. The blonde young woman has been on her own since her brother was murdered, and rent is not cheap in the city, even after a decent payout. Her family comes from money, but technically Simon was the heir, not her, so she doesn’t really have a right to any inheritance until the lawyers finish arguing. So for now, it’s commissions, regretting going to college to learn more about photography (because of course the murder happened just before the start of her last semester, so by then it’s “well there’s no point in not finishing this” and she doesn’t stop to think that debt sucks because when she makes up her mind about something, she pointedly ignores the negatives), full-time at Starbucks, walking the dog, and collapsing into bed every night too tired to resent her life.

Maybe she should consider moving out of their penthouse, but Simon picked it based on one of his careful lists of everything the siblings had wanted at the time. There’s a pool and a gym on site, the apartment has a view to die for, two bedrooms, and she’s allowed to keep Bopeep, her  Lhasa Apso-Shih Tzu cross dog. That’s another thing she should consider getting rid of, because paying the neighbour to check her food when she gets home is pricey, too, but Bopeep is all the family she has left at this point. Getting rid of her would be a betrayal. Hence, Starbucks.

She’s making faces at the toddler that ‘Jen’ always brings in with her, despite the woman obviously being distracted (she’s on the phone, again, speaking quickly into her Bluetooth headset in the business lingo that Olivia half-understands because college and Simon were extremely insistent), by the time the lunch time rush starts.

And then the jerk at the front of the line, with six people behind him already, tells her to write Alexander on the cup in a French accent. She only recognises the accent because her family are from Paris.

He’s carrying a gym bag and she’s pretty sure he’s wearing a leotard with a denim jacket over the top. He’s actually more polite than most people are when they order anything at Starbucks, says “please” and “thank you” in a strong French accent that she only recognises because her family are from Paris, and even smiles immediately before going back to glancing at what she thinks is a phone. She writes Alex on the cup in large black letters, because clearly he thinks he has better things to do, and she’d like to have him know that she does, too.

Predictably, he doesn’t even notice when he takes the order.

-2-

The next time he comes in is two days later. This time, she’s scowling down at the paperwork she has to get done. Technically she’s not meant to be doing this at work at all, but she doesn’t have time after work. She has to take Bopeep for a jog and she’s hoping she can time it around the post-work rush from the public transport around the place.

“Good afternoon.”

“And you, sir,” she says automatically, dropping the pen. “What can I get you today?”

“Grande Iced Raspberry Latte. For Alexander.”

She’s even more convinced that the guy is an asshole now that she recognises him. Who else insists that their name is Alexander in the twenty-first century, immediately before ordering from the bloody secret menu. Olivia, in case it isn’t obvious, resents the secret menu.It doesn’t exist. It’s presumptuous and not actually a secret, just a case of ‘guess the combination they mean’ that hopefully doesn’t end with yelling. Even Jen doesn’t order any bullshit ‘secret menus’, just a standard tall breakfast blend. “And how do I make that, sir?”

“Just an iced latte with two pumps of raspberry syrup,” he explains, even offering a smile. “And call me Alexander – this is the best coffee place near Madame Croix’s Studio, and I’m afraid you’ll be seeing a lot of me.”

“Do you want me to memorise your favourite drink, too, sir Alexander?” she retorts, ever sarcastic. To her surprise, he actually laughs. She tells herself she isn’t blushing as she turns to the machine to make his drink.

“Just Alexander.”

So she writes ‘Aliks’ on the cup and gives him the blandest smile she can manage. “Most people around here just call it ‘the studio’, sir Alexander.” She stops herself from adding that advertising his apparent talent will make him no friends.

-3-

“How are you living on this income?”

“Oh, yes, because you make it so well, Deon.” He’s a half-Kenyan man who came from some backwater town, chasing a dream and a doctorate. Unlike Olivia, he hasn’t made the mistake of a photography degree. “Is this your way of telling me my shift’s over?”

“Nice try. Break’s done. You’re on service.”

“I’m always on service,” she points out, because it’s true. She’s glad, anyway, because unlike some of the other casuals, Deon finishes dealing with a rush before coming to get his replacement. “Good luck on your paper on – was it particle physics?”

“Greek history,” he corrects, tossing her the requisite apron and leaving her to the hell that is Starbucks and a solo shift.

She’s just fixing the nametag onto the apron when the new regular comes in with a greeting and an “I take it your name isn’t really ‘not the short one’?”

Today he’s ditched the leotard and the denim jacket for sweats and a hoodie, probably because it’s raining outside. “What gave it away, the fact that there are three other people in this room that are taller than me?”

His smile falters a little, as though it’s uncertain now. She’s probably too pleased that he had an effect on the usually unflappably cheerful regular. “Ah, common sense, actually, I’m sorry to say. I’m not that observant.”

She snorts. “My name is Olivia, if you must know. Another raspberry latte for you?”

“You remembered me. Consider me impressed, Miss Olivia.”

“Ah, my purpose for the day, completed to the best of my ability.” In response to the confused smile, she shook her head, amusement replaced by the now familiar irritation. “Same as last Friday, Sir Alexander?”

“No. Venti Chocolate Macchiato, I wrote down the recipe for you, here –” he passes her a note written in a gorgeous script she can really appreciate, having an eye for detail. She suppresses any desire to compliment it because holy shit this is an irritatingly complicated coffee...thing.

It takes a few minutes, with a couple other customers showing up before she’s done. She gives him the cup with yet another bland smile. “You forgot to write down how many shots of espresso.”

“Just the one should be alright,” he says, making up for her blandness with his own smile. As he leaves, gym bag in hand, she allows herself a smirk before turning to the next person in line.

His cup says Allix.

-4-

Three weeks later and she’s making yet another ridiculous drink, ordered by Sir Alexander himself, when her phone rings. She knows it’s important because the ringtone is set to a punk song that no one would ever play in a Starbucks, and the only other calls set to make noise are the ones from the lawyer. “Excuse me,” she says quickly, “enjoy your, ah, white chocolate cinnamon chai latte. Liv, what’s going on?”

Liv is a high school teacher who works locally, living across the hall from Olivia and, formerly Simon. After finishing school and taking up the job, Olivia asked Liv (who, in a strange twist of face, used to babysit Simon’s former fiancée. Small world) to keep an eye on Bopeep. If she’s calling, it means nothing good. “Bopeep is sick.”

For a second, Olivia is relieved; sick means alive and not gone. But then her mind catches up with what is going on, and she chokes her heart out of her throat, turning away from the counter and Alexander, just standing there and fiddling with what he’s worked out is an iPod he never has plugged in, pretending not to be listening. “She’s what? How bad?”

“Hasn’t eaten any of her food, coughing, she had this weird – growth, I suppose, on her stomach. I brought her into the vet and she’s got this thing called ‘distemper’ apparently. She said we got it early but there’s always a chance that things could go sour.”

Olivia’s got both hands cupped around her phone. “But, but, I had ‘Peep vaccinated for that, when I first brought her home, last February, she – she should be alright. She shouldn’t even have this illness.”

“Vaccine’s aren’t a guaranteed preventer, Olive. Now – I can sign everything on your behalf if you can’t get away...”

She wants to say no, that she can do it herself, but she wants the best for Bopeep. And the fact is, she can’t afford it and she can’t leave work – so she has to swallow her pride, especially with another customer waiting impatiently. God, she hopes the lawyers sort out their shit soon. “I’ll pay you back, Liv.”

“You –” Liv pauses; Olivia can hear it. She wonders if the teacher was about to tell her that she didn’t need to worry about paying her back, as though her pride could take the insult. “Alright, it’s a deal. Vet’s calling me for everything. I’ll call you when I know more,” the woman promises, before hanging up.

When she’s finished making up some boring latte and food for the customer and the half-dozen that follow in the post-work rush, Olivia finally has a moment to pause and try to collect herself. And even though it’s at least half an hour later and Alexander has a habit of immediately leaving, he’s still standing on one side of the counter. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asks after watching her, the epitome of cautious wording.

Olivia shakes her head, but then she finds herself coming around the counter and speaking up anyway. A couple of inconsiderate gits have left their rubbish on their abandoned tables, and it’s on her to clean them up. “That was my neighbour, calling to say my dog might be really sick.”

He’s silent for so long that Olivia thinks maybe he’s gone, but then she feels someone take her hand and gently start rubbing it, tracing a delicate pattern onto her hand. “Tell me about the dog,” he says, in such a soft voice she almost thinks she imagined it.

“I don’t have time,” she protests weakly.

“You can take five minutes,” he corrects. He’s not wrong.

So she tells him about how her dog was a ‘weird breed’. About Bopeep being a shih tzu crossed with lhasa apso, but with sort of russet fur with white and darker brown markings. About Bopeep being hyper and cuddly, friendly and well-behaved, fun and entertaining. About being excellent company when the world is against you, but without sounding quite so self-obsessed. By the end of it, she’s got tears in her eyes and mumbles something about needing a napkin, only to have an unfamiliar, gentle hand press a handkerchief to her eyes, carefully cleaning her up. It’s Alexander, of course, he’s stopped tracing patterns on her hand by now.

“I’ll get in trouble for not doing enough work today,” she mutters, mournful. He smiles, tells her Bopeep sounds fantastic, and that everything will be okay, before ordering another coffee, this one definitely to go.

“I won’t interrupt your shift any more, Miss Olivia,” he promises. “Not today, at least.”

She writes Alexander on the cup.

-5-

“She’s perfect again!” she exclaims delightedly, whipping out her little camera to view the video of her dog excitedly bounding towards her. She’s showing Connor and Deon both, each of them her co-workers on Sunday. Sometimes there’s Lisa, too, but not today. She called in sick last minute, so Olivia took on her shift after the manager promises she’ll call in someone else to take the afternoon shift. She’s pretty sure the only person left who takes weekend shifts is Connor’s boyfriend, Tobian, so this ought to be a productive day (she’s also pleased

“You don’t typically work Sundays,” a familiar accent points out. She actually laughs, possibly for the first time ever, as she turns to greet Alexander. He’s less irritating now, though she isn’t sure if this is because he actually was never annoying and she’s just now noticing, or if it’s an acquired taste. “It is nice to see you, though.”

“I know it is,” she retorts immediately, holding the phone out. He goes cross-eyed trying to see it right in front of his nose, before angling his head to get a better look. “Look!”

“Ah, so Miss Bopeep is well again?”

“Yes,” she immediately answers, almost cutting him off. “Thank you for not, you know, running away screaming when I, uh.” She’s too embarrassed to say broke down, but really, what other phrase is there for what happened?

He smiles, waves it off. “You spelled my name right afterwards, so in a way, it was purely self-serving, if you think about it. There’s no need for you to thank me for that. That’s an good video, by the way.”

“It’s side work,” she explains, “I do photography on commission and record things. Same as Friday, or is this changeover day?”

He shifts, as if considering. “Surprise me.”

She blinks at him in surprise, before shrugging and ringing up her own preferred order, throwing in a brownie that she’ll pay for out of the tip jar for good measure. A couple of minutes later, she places a venti cup on the counter and smiles at him, Alexander J written on the side. “Steamed milk, 4 pumps caramel, 4 pumps toffee nut, 4 pumps cinnamon dolce, topped with whipped cream and salted caramel. Try it.”

She’s delighted to see that he immediately does so, smiling at her after a moment. “I apologize if I’m being paranoid, but why are you looking at me like this is an experiment?”

“No, I’m just surprised that you actually tried it. Usually once someone hear there’s so much flavouring in this thing, they hide rather than actually try it. Anyway. Hot Butterbeer Latte, and it’s done best here because no one else knows the recipe like I do.”

He shakes his head, glances at the clock on the wall and straightens up. “Thank you, Miss Olivia. I have to get going, though, I’m afraid I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

She smiles at him. “See you later, Sir Alexander.”

-+1-

A mix up with the schedule means Olivia ends up finishing work a couple of hours early, just after the post-school rush, largely because Lisa wants to train her brother so he can get his own job with some skills more useful than high school math. And maybe Olivia’s a little worried that Lisa seems to be limping, but she doesn’t mention it so Olivia makes the decision not to, either, and heads home instead.

“C’mon, Bopeep,” she coos after she greets Liv and does some cleaning. For once, she doesn’t get home completely exhausted, so it’s no stretch for her to call the dog, lead in hand. She usually jogs the dog, but this is the first time in a long time that she’s actually had the energy to be upbeat about it. Because the sun is still up for once, she grabs her better camera and resolves to take some photographs. A few minutes is all it takes for her to get Bopeep and head downstairs.

A couple hours later and a light drizzle has descended on the evening. She thinks nothing of it, even picking up ‘Peep and heading into the Starbucks she works at to grab a hot drink before heading home. To her surprise, the place is actually quite crowded for this hour, full of people dressed to the nines. There’s even a table of people that must be from the studio. “What, is 42 shut?” she asks Lisa, who’s nestled behind the counter with her brother, Reece.

“Yes, and the studio just finished the first of a new show, so this is just where everyone decided to go, I guess.” Lisa is a tiny little blonde woman who always manages to sound nervous. She’s half-way through a journalism degree, and although she works casual only, her and Olivia started at the same time. She reaches over the counter to scratch Bopeep behind the ears, smiling the tiniest amount. “I’ll just make your drink. Give me a minute, Olivia.”

Olivia hums in agreement, adjusting her grip on the dog and turning away from the counter. Bopeep makes a noise of protest when she walks into someone, squishing the poor thing unintentionally. “I’ve heard of magnetic attraction, but since I’m not loaded up with metal, that one was on you,” she starts, trailing off after a moment.

There was Alexander, blinking at her. She was lucky his cup was empty, as it was; he’d been going to get another drink for himself and his companions. All of whom are visible behind him, staring at her with various degrees of confusion. One of them actually hides their mouth behind their hand and leans over to whisper, “Wow, rude.”

Olivia worked in a Starbucks. She knows how to hear people over the top of the racket made by others. She’s distracted from glaring at the brunette by Alexander clearing his throat. “You aren’t – you’re not wearing your nametag.”

It takes a minute for Olivia to register that one of the guys at the table behind him had said oh my god, that’s the barista chick, before she looks down at her clothes. True to his word, she’s currently wearing thermal tights, and a vest over her baseball tee. “I’m, ah, not working tonight. Finished early.”

He finally seems to notice the dog. “So this is Miss Bopeep?”

Olivia nods mutely, tilting her arms so that the dog can be more easily petted by him.

“She likes me.”

She laughs. “She likes everyone. She’s a friendly one, after all, that’s half the reason I got her.”

“What’s the other reason?”

“Uh, she’s adorable. Obviously.”

He laughs at that, follows her over to the counter when Lisa calls her order. She takes one look at him and groans; Olivia makes him hold Bopeep while she moves around the counter to make his ridiculously complicated drink. “It’s Monday, so that’s a new drink for you, isn’t it?”

“I was thinking – the thing you made for me yesterday?”

“One Hot Butterbeer Latte, coming up,” she chimes, getting right on it. Of course, Lisa could have pulled it off – even Reece could have – but she’s happy to help out and join him when she’s done. “Who’re your friends?”

“Coworkers. We were at the studio late.”

“That would explain the leotards,” she chided.

“Most of us aren’t wearing leotards right this second,” he corrects immediately before shrugging, absently adjusting his grip on Bopeep. “We had a recital tonight. Just finished.”

Olivia, despite him coming in all the time, still doesn’t follow dance. “A what now?”

“A recital. We’re performing La Sylphide this week...?”

“La Sylphide,” she echoes. She doesn’t know what The Sylph is, figures it’s a dance of some kind. “Is it good?”

The look he gives her suggests she’s just asked one of the dumbest questions he’s ever heard. As she passes over his drink, it’s clear she doesn’t care. “You should come see it. I have tickets that I never give to anyone, and I think you’ll enjoy it. We can get dinner afterwards.”

She blinks. “Why, Sir Alexander, it almost sounds as though you’re asking me on a date.”

“Well – when you say it like that... yes. Yes, I am. Miss Olivia, would you do me the honour of going out with me tomorrow night?”

She smiles at him, takes her dog back. “Yes, Alexander, I absolutely will.”

-bonus-

Olivia is coming off her break just in time to let Reece take his own before the post-work rush. She’s on the phone. “Merci bocoup, Monsieur Merrigold. C'est si bon d'entendre que tout va bientôt se terminer.”

“C’est atroce de t’avoir tenu si longtemps, madamemoiselle Renner. Je vous assure, nous obtiendrons le meiilleur résultat possible pour vous.”

“Je le sais, Monsieur. Je dois partir, je suis désolé. Je peux vous appeler plus tard?”

“S'il vous plaît.Je vais vous envoyer un message si quelque chose d’important se produit.”

“Merci. Au revoir,” she finishes, hanging up quickly. “Same as yesterday?” she asks Alexander, now her boyfriend of two months. He frowns at her.

“That was perfect French.”

“Oui. That’s what happens when you’re born in Paris and raised in France for ten years,” she points out.

He blinks blankly at her, before throwing his hands up in exasperated surprise, crying out loudly enough that Jen, in the corner with her toddler, drops her phone: “Pourquoi ne m'avez-vous pas dit que vous étiez français? J'ai été aux prises avec l'anglais pendant des mois pour vous!”

Olivia’s response is, of course, to laugh. “Oh, you poor dear, I’m sure that must have been awful for you.”