17Author note: I thought of the name of the coffee shop and it sort of came together from there.
Rated M for language and eventual sexual content.
Chapter 1
Sansa said goodbye to her friend Jeyne and finished settling up the lunch bill. Jeyne had to rush back to work and Sansa liked to take her time before heading back to her internship at Stag Corp. It was a brisk autumn day and she wrapped her scarf around her neck tightly as she stepped out of the restaurant. Sansa wasn't very familiar with this part of King's Landing, the neighborhood known as Flea Bottom, but Jeyne had wanted to try this new restaurant for lunch so here she was.
A coffee would go nicely with this weather, Sansa thought, and she looked around. She noticed a shingle a few storefronts down and walked towards it. Dragon Roasters. The carving in the shingle of a dragon breathing fire on a coffee bean (or a dragon egg?) was the right combination of whimsy and fierceness that Sansa liked so she walked right in.
Her first impression was how cozy and inviting the place was. Sansa got in line and looked at the menu. It was sparse but she wasn't really paying attention because the barista in the distance caught her eye. She didn't even know she'd moved up in the line until the woman at the register cleared her throat trying to get Sansa's attention. Looking again at the menu, she saw a macchiato listed and figured it would be one of those sugary concoctions she normally got, so that's what she ordered.
Sansa handed over the money and the young woman said, "It'll be a few minutes but Dany will get to your drink as soon as she can."
She smiled in thanks and walked over to wait with the others who were waiting for their coffees. As Sansa waited, she tried not to ogle the very attractive woman working the espresso machine. She was in a tank top, her shoulder length hair in a messy ponytail, a tendril of white silvery hair getting into her eyes. Sansa hadn't dated in a long while and when the barista glanced up at her with a slight smirk, she definitely felt like maybe it had been long enough.
::
Dany loved this time of day – just after the lunch rush when people were busy getting their last minute coffees before heading back to work. Her store wasn't in the busiest part of town but word of mouth and her neighborhood's growing reputation for quality eats meant her shop was doing well. She had owned it for three years now and she liked the pace. It certainly helped that she was able to avoid most serious thinking while preparing drinks.
Missandei was working the counter. The student she'd hired was busy cleaning up and helping fill pastry orders. Another one was busy helping to bus and wipe down tables. Dany didn't work the espresso machine every day, she had several reliable employees after all, but she enjoyed the work. The perks of people watching were also good. Like the hot redhead who just ordered a macchiato. She was young, maybe just out of college or grad school, but her clothes spoke money. Not too much makeup, which Dany liked, and her smile at Missandei when she paid was easy and genuine. There were several drinks to finish before the macchiato and Dany was glad she had more time to admire the redhead before making her drink. Her hair was loose and so long it reached her lower back. Dany bit her lip, trying to stop herself from wondering if she was a natural redhead and whether she'd be able to find out.
::
Sansa looked around the shop. There were enough tables to sit, and she liked the ones in the little nooks and alcoves the best. It was a decent mix of university students, professionals, and everyday folk. The décor was basically lots of wood, local art, a little dark but not imposing. It looked more like a bar than a coffee shop but she liked it a lot. It kind of reminded her of her home, of Winterfell.
When her drink was called, Sansa stepped forward and frowned when the attractive barista handed her a very small to-go cup, which looked like a slightly oversized shot glass. It would be cute if it didn't confuse Sansa.
"I'm sorry, I thought I ordered…"
"A macchiato, yes. That's it," Dany huffed, her eyes rolling up. Gods, not another one.
"But why is the cup so small?"
"Because this is a real macchiato. Not one of those cups of syrup."
Sansa was trying not to get mad but the look the barista was giving her and the smug glares she was getting from some of the other customers brought up her defenses.
"Then it should be more clear on the menu. Customers should know what they're getting. If I had known…"
"You know what, give it back to me. I don't have time for this. I've got other drinks to make. Missandei can give you a refund." Dany reached for it but the other woman pulled it back, refusing.
"You're very rude, even for a barista."
"And you need to learn what a fucking macchiato is!" Dany bit back.
Sansa was stunned. She coiled inside, knowing she was about to lash out, but at the last second she just stormed out of the shop.
Dany grabbed the towel that had been on her shoulder and threw it down. She glared at the next customer then shook her head at herself. She shouldn't have done that.
"Shit," Dany said under her breath.
Missandei came over.
"Well that blew up quickly," Missandei said lightly.
"I know, I know. I just lost my temper. She was just so… I mean, you saw, right?"
"I saw her eyeing you when you were making drinks. She liked you."
Dany furrowed her brow. She didn't see that. Nearly every time she looked at the redhead, she was looking away.
"Well it looks like I ruined another dating prospect then," laughed Dany, trying not to let her disappointment show. She had liked the look of the girl. Tall but not wispy. She looked honest and caring. And those legs. They were covered in knee high boots and a calf-length skirt but she could just imagine how high they went up.
Missandei went back to the register. After finishing a few orders, Dany walked over, trying not to look overly interested in the answer to her question.
"Um, did she pay with a card? Was there a name?"
Missandei smiled with so much patient understanding that Dany wanted to poke her with her elbow.
"She paid with cash, sorry," Missandei replied.
Fuck.
*::::*
Sansa fumed for a week. The nerve of that girl. She hated snobs. And that was a coffee snob if she ever met one. Her anger, the flash in her eyes. It was infuriating but also so hot it kept Sansa up at night. She spent one evening reading about espresso drinks and different growing regions and felt like an idiot. Another evening she spent reading all the reviews of Dragon Roasters. Everyone loved how they roasted their own beans, how it was authentic, blah blah blah. More snobs, thought Sansa, but then she was sorry for being so judgmental. She hadn't really given coffee much thought and she was starting to think she'd been too dismissive. Maybe it really was an art, like winemaking. She'd only cared about the caffeine jolt. If that woman had only been more patient with her lack of knowledge… Sansa sighed. It wasn't just the barista. True, the barista's eyeroll hadn't helped Sansa hold back her temper but she could've tried harder to hold her tongue. That rudeness comment she'd made, accompanied by the snide 'even for a barista'. Sansa shook her head. She wished she could take it back.
Tonight, her fury now properly diminished, Sansa knew she wanted to go back. But she felt unsure. She certainly didn't want to be yelled at again. But that barista… that first smirk she'd thrown at her… Sansa knew she wasn't going to get the woman out of her head until she saw her again. Sansa got out her phone and searched for the website. The shop had one but it was barebones. No picture of the barista or any of the employees but the owner was named Dany and Sansa recalled how the woman at the register referred to the barista as Dany. She was the owner. Sansa mentally slapped herself.
