Caffeine Coaxing | Creggtivity

It was midday, the lunch rush at the creamery had just died down, and Sangreal certainly thought he could use a pick me up. While the ice cream shop had an in-house espresso machine for affogato, he wasn't the type to clog any of the equipment during work hours, and that would also mean making it himself which wasn't exactly what he had planned for a break. In addition, sure, he was competent enough with making espresso, but when it came to matters of treating oneself, he found himself lacking in the fancier more 'coffee flavored dessert' skillset. No, though there was passable equipment, he wasn't a barista by any means, and with the primo coffee shop of the bluffs only a few blocks away this was a matter he'd Much prefer to leave to the professionals. Removing his apron and clocking out for his lunch break, San idly passed by the notion to Pepper in case she wanted him to pick something up on the way, but after what was ostensibly a 'we have coffee at home' brand of response he gave little more than a knowing nod and slipped out of the back door with a telltale jingle.

While he'd never pretend that Jasper and he were particularly Close, Sangreal found himself enough of a regular at Brewed for You to understand what was expected behavior from the small business owner. From what he understood, him and Pepper were cut from the same cloth, at least so far as the workaholic nature was concerned. Which is why, upon approaching and seeing the lights dimmed and what looked to be newspaper strewn along the tables, it was enough to warrant a pause. Nearly assuming the place to be closed, he turned hoof to begin the trek back to the creamery when Jasper waved for his attention on the other side of the glass. Cocking a brow, he nevertheless followed through with the request, looking around for any sort of context clue as to what exactly he was being roped into.

"You open? what's going on around here?"

"Oh, hey- I'm sorry to bother, you free today? I've got a surprise planned, but I'm going to need some help-" Taking a peek behind Jasper, there lay a basket of eggs and a number of paints and brushes. Didn't really take a genius to put two and two together what he was asking, though the Why was the larger issue at hand. "I'd take care of them myself, but I need someone with a gentler touch if these are going to be appropriate."

There was a sheepish air to Jasper's tone that Sangreal hung onto and he couldn't help but scoff. Though the other moo physically stood taller than him, his energy and general introversion befit someone of a smaller stature. It was genuinely charming, cute even, and a part of him found himself drawn to obliging to the other's request, were he not on shift today that is.

"I mean, I'm on break- but-" Catching himself mid-sentence, he swallowed his tongue and nodded. Pepper's a big girl, she could hold down the fort it's dead as is right now, if she Really needed me back or something went crazy she could call. "If you can whip me up some frou-frou coffee with enough sugar to get me to see stars and keep 'em coming I'm yours for the next three hours." Gotta at least show back before the dinner rush, I'm not That heartless.

A relieved smile, and a chipper "can do." from Jasper in response. And with that, Sangreal took the seat nearest to where the eggs were placed and swung the chair around to get to work.

He wouldn't particularly call himself a fine artist, but years of guitar tabs lent the pheromoo a steady hand and a well of patience. That, and years of filling up the daily specials chalkboard with doodles while Pepper was too occupied with other things was enough artistic merit to have ample skill with painting patterns on eggs without making a complete mess of things. The first egg complete, with rows of variegated dots and lines in a tricolor manner, by the time Jasper had made his way back over. And with him a tall, iced beverage with peaks of whipped cream and what looked to be chocolate shavings. It was beautiful, really, Sangreal silently thanking himself for rarely divulging at work lest this treat would be Entirely too rich for his blood. Placing the egg delicately down, he gave himself a second to imbibe in the coffee and savor the buzz of caffeine going to his head.

"Would it be alright to ask if the Dreamery Creamery would be interested in participating?"

"Hm?" San's eyes drifted back to Jasper, setting the coffee gingerly back down. "I mean? If you're talking about whatever you've got planned for these eggs like- I don't run the place that's Pepper's jurisdiction I just live there and am an extra hand on deck so she's not burning the candle at both ends." A shrug, dipping a broad brush in fresh paint and idly mixing as he spoke. "She loves supporting artsy shit though so like, do I think it'd be a Problem? No. I just can't make that call 'cause I'm not her." Pursing his lips as he begins a color coat on the next egg in the basket. "Tell you what though- If you wanna talk shop while both your places are in a lull the creamery's usually dead post lunch rush until about 5 if you'd like to... work out whatever secret plans you got or whatever with the boss."

"Would that be, okay? Making a non-work call on the line while the store's open?"

"She could use the break." You both could use the break. "Just tell her I told you to, would be doing me a favor by explaining where I ran off to. Sure, she'd approve of me helping you out instead of just flaking on her until close, and she'd sooner believe it from your own mouth."

"Alright, noted! Thank you." Sangreal offering little more than a nod of acknowledgement, turning to the next egg as Jasper left tableside, to assumedly take care of contacting Pepper, a hunch confirmed as he heard a muffled one-sided conversation pipe up from behind the counter. One he elected to ignore, really not His business and Jasper seemed keen on keeping matters a secret. With those affairs in order, he reached in his pocket to fish out his headphones, primed to shift to autopilot as soon as he hit play and lively guitar licks flourished in his ears.

Though he offered three hours, he really only needed about an hour of that, making quick work of the entire basket by about the end of his second too-tall caffeinated beverage. Only feeling a little jittery and electing that a problem for nighttime Sangreal as he looked over his handiwork with pride. The eggs in front of him, patiently drying, were a myriad of disparate colors, speckled and dotted and ringed, those with wavy patterns that resembled waveforms. Standing up with a stretch, he looks over to Jasper with an approving nod and a two fingered salute, already making his way to the door as he reconciled that he should return to work at Some point.

"Alright, my work here is done. See you around and, good luck with, your, egg, thing man."

glancing down at his hands as he left the coffee shop, a realization hit him too late.

"Shit!"

Having white fur, especially on one's hands, was much more of a curse than those not plagued with it would realize, as his fingers and up his knuckles were, despite all attempts to remain clean and tidy, nonetheless swathed with the multicolored tie-dye stain of the paints he had been handling the past hour or so.

Well. So much for going back to work.