Hope you are all doing well and staying safe. In happier news, New Horizons is out, which is why, I must admit, this update was delayed a bit. Please enjoy :)
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Hoo! My first day and running late! Blathers thought as he scurried past the crowded city streets toward his university. His wings were flapping hurriedly, and a few spare feathers tumbled down onto the street from the weight of the stress.
It had been Blathers' fault to begin with. Still averse to the taste of coffee, he had decided to go without his usual cup, and, a half hour later, he found himself asleep with his head in his bowl of cereal. After cleaning the milk out of his feathers, he had only managed to grab a few books before rushing the few blocks from his single bedroom apartment toward the university.
Somehow or other, whether through fate, or rather Blathers' own will, he made it to his first lecture in time and found himself in a room filled with hundreds of animals. He scooted his way toward the nearest available seat, pulled out his various pens and notebooks, and got to work. And this is what he did for the entire day, heading from class to class, excited to learn about the material, but also exhausted from his negligent decision to go without caffeine.
Blathers left the university library in the evening feeling confident, though even as the sun set, he still found himself yawning. It was as he was walking back on the familiar city street that a heavenly scent filled his beak. It was coffee, no doubt, but there were a few accompanying scents. Cinnamon, sugar, was that a touch of caramel he could detect?
Blathers found himself practically floating toward the small, cramped cafe lodged in between two other shops. The smell only grew better the moment he stepped inside the quaint little coffee shop. The walls were painted a dark gray, the dark wood tables were neatly polished, and past the sound of brewing coffee and steaming milk, Blathers could hear the faint sound of jazz music in the background.
His eyes first gazed at the delicious sight of pastries displayed before him, but his mother had warned him that eating sweets before dinner hurt an owl's belly.
"Coo, need help with anything?" someone asked above him.
Blathers lifted his head to find a pigeon, not too much older than himself, with small rounded glasses and a dark, droopy mustache that he knew he would never quite be able to grow.
"I am not much of a coffee drinker, but the scent drew me in. Do you recommend anything?"
"I have an idea in mind. Do you trust my decision?"
"Certainly, as long as it's not too pricey," Blathers said with a little half-laugh. He handed the pigeon his fair share of bells, and a few moments later, the pigeon produced a steaming cup of coffee.
"What's in it?" Blathers asked.
"You'll have to taste for yourself," the pigeon answered. "But I recommending drinking while it's hot. That will ensure you have the best flavor."
Blathers eyed the pigeon suspiciously, but nevertheless, he heeded the bird's advice. Blowing on his drink a few times, Blathers took a sip and nearly dropped it from his wing. This was not the bitter coffee his father used to make him drink that Blathers would sometimes spit out into the sink when his father wasn't looking. This was an intense of aroma of sweet, tangy, and a bit bitter, he had to admit, but it was unlike any cup of coffee he had tasted before.
"What's in this?!" Blathers exclaimed.
"It's my special blend. Though I may have added in a bit of syrup to curb your dislike of coffee."
"And your manager lets you mess around with coffee like that?" Blathers asked.
"I'm the owner," the pigeon answered.
"You?! You look like you're my age!"
"You're a university student, right? My name is Brewster. I decided not to attend college to pursue my dream of opening up a coffee shop. Business is slow, and I imagine I won't see a good amount of profits for a while, but this is all I've wanted," Brewster said.
It was true that when Blathers looked around, only a table or two was occupied. It most likely didn't help that the poor bird's shop was placed between two big retailers, both of which were more flashy than his simple sign above that read in simple, black letters, The Roost.
"Well, you can certainly guarantee my bells. This is the best cup I've ever had. Thank you, Brewster."
"It's my pleasure. And what was your name?"
"Oh! I'd almost forgotten. My name is Blathers, pleased to meet you," he said.
"See you around, Blathers."
That evening, Blathers finished up his homework while taking sips of the heavenly cup of coffee, and when he laid in bed that night, the aroma still haunted him in his sleep. He had a feeling he would be frequenting The Roost more than he had planned.
And with time, that was exactly what he did. Each morning, Blathers would leave a little earlier than possible to get his usual cup from Brewster. Sometimes the mornings were a bit busy, and other days they were slow. And in those days that they were slow, Brewster would sometimes take off his apron and join Blathers for his own morning cup.
The talk was small at first. Brewster asked what Blathers was studying, Blathers asked how the business was doing, and over time, both found themselves in a steady friendship. Brewster was often busy with work, but sometimes during the weekends, they found time to relax at Blathers' apartment and cook some homemade meals.
Brewster would patiently listen to Blathers speak about his archaeology courses and love for fossils, while Brewster admitted he had quite a fascination with gyroids and was trying to start his own collection, though he only had a few at the time.
All the while, the seasons were passing, Blathers was growing in his studies, and Brewster continued to try to perfect his own very special blend. Blathers had told the pigeon he certainly had mastered it already, but Brewster would frequently shake his head and say, "Coo...not good enough yet."
It was around winter, when the first snow fell, that Blathers stopped by on a weekend morning. The shop was empty, as it usually was. Brewster stepped out, holding two cups of coffee, and had the widest grin Blathers had ever seen.
"Are you making a good profit now?" Blathers asked.
"Not in the slightest," Brewster said with a laugh. "But I do think I've finally done it! I slaved away all last night, coo. Didn't get a wink of sleep, but it's done. My special blend! And I want you to be the first to try it."
Blathers took a sip, and set it down. With his tongue, he lapped the side of his beak a few times, before saying, "You're right. It is a perfect blend."
Brewster smiled at him. "I'm glad you enjoy it! I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to be my first customer. You are being serious, though?"
"Yes, of course! I can only drink your coffee anyway. When I go home to visit the family, I can barely guzzle down that nasty substance. My father thinks I'm eating too much sugar with the way I describe your coffee, but I say nonsense," Blathers said as he took another sip.
"How is your family doing? Your sister is applying to universities now?"
"Yes. She wants to study astronomy," Blathers said. He had brought Celeste by once or twice the shop, and while she seemed to admire Brewster's coffee, she did not have an affinity for it as Blathers did, and besides, she had always been more tolerant of the bitter substance to begin with, so she was perfectly content making her instant coffee at home before school.
"That's a fascinating subject! And you? You're applying to graduate school, are you not?"
Blathers nodded his head with excitement. With only a semester left before he had his bachelor's, he was nervous, yet also excited, for the future ahead. It was only one step closer until he was in desert plains digging up the bones and artifacts of ancient civilizations.
"What about you?" Blathers asked.
"My coffee will win the hearts of others soon. I have more customers than the first time you visited, still not enough, but...I'm sure I'll pull through!" Brewster assured him.
"Now you're talking!" Blathers exclaimed. He departed after finishing his specially blended cup of coffee, made even more special because his friend had made it for him. As he walked through the chilly snow back toward his apartment, Blathers had a good feeling ahead for the future, and he hoped his friend would be equally successfully.
Neither of them seemed to know how chaotic the next year would be.
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Blathers and Brewster are boyfriends, fight me