logah | The Corner Cafe | Closed To Nepeta and Feferi

“Good morning!” Nepeta said cheerfully, shrugging off her winter jacket and making a beeline for the back room so she can stash her stuff during her shift. She made it all the way behind the counter, but not quite into the back, before Kanaya spoke again.

“What? That girl who was here with your rude ass furiend?” She didn’t really have to question which girl Kan was referring to, considering there had been only just the one girl behaving weirdly in the store yesterday. It was awfully weird for Kanaya to know anything about it, but she supposed maybe she’d talked to what’s his name… Eridumb-ass? She could remember it, exactly, but that was close enough to suffice.

“So… What was her hissue, then?”

"Yes. Well, she was nervous... she... seems to have developed a crush on you," she said deliberately. "Eridan gave me her number if you want it. He figured she wouldn't have the courage to tell you." Kanaya kept concentrating on the coffee machine, only glancing at Nepeta from the side of her eye. Nepeta didn't know Kanaya was a lesbian. Depending on how she reacted here, she might never know. They lived in a fairly liberal college town, but homophobes were everywhere.

Nep looked confused with this news. “She had a crush on me? That doesn’t make any sense… How could she have a crush on me if I’d nefur met her befur?”

It was kind of a silly question. She’d had at least two crushes on customers a week since she’d started working in the coffee shop, last semester, but that was different in the fact that she absolutely did not intend to approach them, or ever let it be known that she was oggling them from across the room. That and that they very rarely ended up being anything more than, what she liked to call, a ten minute crush.

“I mean she was purretty, but also really weird and she was acting weird right away! It wasn’t like she was fine and then decided I was cute aftpurr coming up to the counter, and then all of a sudden clammed up… I don’t know… it just seems purrticularly odd!”

Her brain kept spinning it’s wheels trying to understand and grasp the concept that a customer would go to such great lengths to have their crush known, and without really even trying to make a good impression on her, or becoming a repeat customer first. It was all very confusing.

Kanaya felt herself relax, and began to gossip more wholeheartedly. "Apparently you just happen to be the girl of her dreams. I'm not entirely certain of what was going on either, but Eridan implied their visit was more of an... expedition. She must have seen you before."

She scrunched up her face. "He did mention an additional piece of information that I found rather odd. He said 'Fef' is the girl you met in the 'purple city'. I figured that meant something along the lines of an interactive video game... does it ring any bells for you?"

Edited 2016-02-08 21:42 (UTC)

Nepeta’s brows crinkled together. “purrple city?” She had the sort of vague feeling like she absolutely was supposed to remember what that meant, and the abbreviated name gave her the same feeling, but, like a word caught on the tip of her tongue, she couldn't put the pieces of the puzzle together. It was troubling to say the least.

“I'm going to throw my things in the back…” Nep murmured, shouldering the storage room door open, and disappearing into it.

“Purrple city. Fef. Girl of her dreams….” all at once it clicked into place.

She swallowed hard. It explained why she would have acted so weird. It explained why she seemed familiar. It explained everything! But the explanation itself made no sense whatsoever. How could she have met someone in the real world from her dreams…. And for that matter, how was it that that girl could have known about the dreams? How could she have known Nepeta too, unless she had been dreaming the exact same thing.

She looked almost sick when she emerged from the stuffy back room.

Kanaya stared as Nepeta shambled zombie-like into the back. That... was strange. She tried to let it go. Nepeta was probably fine.

When Nepeta returned looking so ashen, however, Kanaya had to suppress the urge to feel her forehead for a fever. Instead she hovered nearby, concern written all over her face. "Are you alright? You don't look very well."

“I'm fine,” she lied. What else could she do? Tell her, still very new, coworker the truth? That she had dreamed about a sprawling purple city, and had met a girl in her bedroom tower, who flew as though she were swimming, and who used fish puns, and was named Feferi?

And that Feferi had been a real life person? Who had dreamed about her aswell? And then they just HAPPENED to be in the same place at the same time? And that Feferi recognized her as having been from her dream? It was WAY too much for her to believe, let alone trying to share that all with someone who she had a friendly thing going with.

"Hmmm... well okay. Please let me know if you need anything." Kanaya would offer to cover her shift, but she wasn't even fully trained yet. She couldn't handle the shop all on her own.

Nepeta still looked pretty out of it. Kanaya ran her fingers through her hair, mussing it a little. "Would you like me to make tea? We don't open for thirty more minutes and that always helps to sustain me when I don't feel well."

Should she mention Fef's number again? Perhaps now wasn't the ideal time.

“Yeah… Tea, that might help,” She definitely needed something, but tea probably wasn’t the thing for this situation. What she really needed was some answers, tea certainly couldn't hurt though, so she accepted the offer anyway.

She leaned against the pick up counter, and took a couple sugar packets to fiddle with, somewhat apprehensively as she waited. What was the next step after this? Kanaya had offered her Feferi’s number. Would she be able to answer any questions? What would happen if she didn’t bring it up again and tried to forget all of this craziness.

For some reason Nepeta kind of doubted if Feferi would be able to help. What memories hadn’t melted away, like snow in the sun, were of Feferi’s exuberance. She would probably even be more confused than Nepeta was about all of this, considering the fact that she had been the one to stumble across her real life dream girl.

Kanaya picked up a cup, filled it with boiling water, and placed a passionflower tea packet inside it. It was good for nerves.

She set it down in front of Nepeta, and leaned against the higher part of the counter. Maybe she needed something to distract her? Kanaya glanced over. There was now a fierce look of concentration on her face.

No, a direct approach would be better.

"Are you concerned about Eridan's friend?"

Nep gnawed on her lower lip as she reached for the cup, bringing it closer to herself so that she could pour in the half dozen sugar packets she had been fiddling with. She poked the bad with a stirring stick, then dunked it a couple times before setting it aside to steep.

“You could say that, in a way, yes. It’s, sort of compurrlicated. I kind of know her, but I didn’t know that until you said… it’s just… supurr hard to explain,” She figured it was maybe for the best that she didn’t say too much. “You have her number?”

"I do." She pulled out her phone, inclining her body towards Nepeta so she could see the text. "Do you want it?"

Did she want it? She really wasn’t so sure. The thought of having it brought a fresh wave of concern and her stomach flip flopped. She did suppose she should accept it, and maybe get to the bottom of things, though.

“I… Yeah. Thanks.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket and opened up a new message, then typed the number from Kanaya’s phone into the recipient box at the top. She looked at Kanaya, concern and apprehension clear on her face. “What do you think I should even say to her?”

"Hmmm." Kanaya rested her cheek on her fist. "Well, introductions would be a good start. And then... anything you're curious about. How she found you, perhaps?" She paused. "Are you interested in reciprocating her romantic intentions?"

She fiddled with one of her piercings, contemplating how to start the message after taking into consideration Kanaya’s suggestions. “I'm honestly really not so purr… I don't really know her.” Did Feferi real even like her? Maybe it was just all a ploy to get Nepeta to remember who she was, and nothing more than that.

She started typing.
:33 < hey, this is nepeta
:33 < and you're feferi..?
:33 < My coworker is furiends with the guy you were at the shop with, and he gave her your number to give to me

That seemed like as good a place to start as any, so she hit send, and put her phone back in her pocket. If she was lucky she wouldn't get a response while she was still at work.

Edited 2016-02-11 07:00 (UTC)

Feferi's phone buzzed on the table beside her and Feferi winced, snatching it up and muffling the vibrations against her leg as she glanced around the library. When no one was glaring at her she looked at the screen, frowning when it said she had a few texts from an unfamiliar number.

She pressed her thumb against the home button and it smoothly transitioned to the message screen when it recognized her print. Feferi pursed her lips as she read, puzzling over the threes.

Fef gulped when she hit the name. Nepeta. Erifin had mentioned giving her number to Kanaya but she hadn't expected....

Feferi put a hand to her chest, feeling her racing heart and trying to control her breathing as excitement and panic unleashed the floodgates on her adrenal glands. She felt like she could have swum the English channel but instead she jammed her phone into her bag and hurriedly gathered up her papers and books and fled the library, mind racing as she tried to think of how to respond.

She settled on the rim of a fountain in the plaza, spreading her pink skirts around herself on the marble rim as the gentle music of falling water soothed her jangling nerves. Fef took a deep breath and pulled out her phone, reading over the texts again before finally beginning to type a response:

Yes, t)(is is Feferi.
I guess t)(at was pretty remorable...

Fef bit her lip, uncharacteristically timid. It seemed too bizarre to ask if Nepeta remembered meeting her in a dream, but she was dying to know the answer. While she tried to think of a casual way to ask, another question occurred to her.

...W)(y text me after I floundered so badly at t)(e coffee s)(op even if -Erifin gave your coworker my number?? 380

It took a while before a response came, and for that, Nepeta was glad. She and Kanaya opened the shop, and were in the midst of the morning rush when the texts came back. Nep jumped at the first one, and desperately tried to stifle the ones that followed.

When things calmed down, half an hour later, she peeked at her phone, and read the messages.

:33 < well, i was hoping maybe you had answers
:33 < or knew more than i do about things
:(( < im really not purr to be completely honest
:33 < but it must mean something
:33 < this whole situation, i mean, with the dream
she sent the messages rapid fire, and hastily shoved the phone back in her pocket as another customer approached the counter to order.

It took her a while to corral her thoughts sufficiently to respond in any sort of sensible way. Fef had returned to the library after ten minutes of no response but she had had the sense to retreat to a private study room. It wasn't uncommon for people to lock the doors and close the windows and nap in there but she just wanted the freedom to look at her phone without earning the glares of those around her. She might be the daughter of the school sponsor and allowed a considerable amount of leeway academically in terms of skipping GEs and whatnot, but the students treated her as one of their own. Usually she was grateful for the lack of special treatment but sometimes she wished she could send people away as easily as the servants. It was just so convenient to be able to issue orders and have them followed.

So you DO remember it too?
I fin...
I fin it's more t)(an just us t)(at visit t)(at same dream...
Do you remember being t)(ere before?
W)(en I wake up t)(ere it's all purple and I can fly and t)(ere are crab people...
And w)(en I'm t)(ere I remember it from many times before...
And I fin my friend -Erifin )(as been t)(ere too...
T)(at nig)(t I met you I t)(ink )(e saw us...
Glub glub glub t)(is is all so strange!!! )(ave you ever met anyone else from your dreams?? 380

Her pocket buzzed several times, alerting her to the fact Feferi had more to say, so when the next customers took their order and found seats, she left Kanaya to man the counter while she “went to the bathroom”. She leaned against the bathroom door as she tapped away at her phone screen, reading the purple texts twice before responding with her own.

:33 < I’m not really purr
:33 < i don’t remember even my normal dreams furry furequently… but i’ve dreamed of the purrple city befur
:(( < and i know there was someone else i’ve met there befur but i can’t picture their face or who they are beclaws i always furget when i open my eyes
:33 < but i know, whoefur it is, that i’m their furiend beclaws sometimes i remempurr bits and pieces furom the dreams

Sole w)(at you're saying is t)(at t)(ere are probably more people to find out )(ere and in t)(ere?
If only we can remember?
Glub glub glub glub.....

Fef leaned her chair back on two legs as she ran her tongue over her teeth, considering.

I wonder if t)(ere's some way to remember more easily...
T)(ere otter be, rig)(t??
Somefin like lucid dreaming... or sleep talking??
)(mm.....
I fin I s)(ell start keeping a dream journal to write down anyfin I remoraber w)(en I wake up.
T)(at would be --EXCITING if you could find your frond out in the waking world!!!!

:33 < well
:(( < i suppawse so?
:(( < i dont know how many there could pawssibly be though
:(( < dont you think its weird enough that we were both there and are both real life people who were sharing one single dream?
:33 < meowby a dream journal would help
:33 < i dont know how much it would help me if i dont remempurr, but its worth a shot i suppawse
:33 < purrhaps if i met them in the real world i would recognize them? but it's an awfurly big city
:33 < do you think that they would all be furom the city too?

She fiddled with one of her lip rings as she wrote her responses, then slipped her phone back into her pocket to go back out and rejoin Kanaya behind the counter.

W)(ale so far it's you and me and possibly -Erifin and maybe your frond...
I don't remember exactly w)(at else I've seen t)(ere apart from purples... and crab people....
Do you fin the crab people exist out )(ere too??? 380
...Wait do you mean t)(e purple city or t)(e reel city??

Feferi clicked her phone off and set it atop her bag as she got up from the chair and paced the study room, thoughts whirling around in her head. She was tempted to try and fall asleep at once immediately and put her plans into action. Not that it was exactly easy to plan around dreams, but now that she wanted to remember things she was irrationally confident that she would be able to do it easily.

Fifteen minutes later when some loitering customers finally left, Nepeta was left alone with Kanaya once more. In a somewhat stealthy manner Nep slipped the phone out of her pocket and read Feferi’s messages. After looking them over she started her own round of replies.

:33 < i’m talking about the real city
:33 < if i’m furom the city, and you're furom the city, and eridan is furom the city
:33 < then would anyone else furom the dream city also be furom sburb?
:33 < what do you think it means that were dreaming about the city?
:33 < why just us? and pawssibly more than just us, but why not efuryone?
:33 < as fur the residents of the purrple city, i don’t think they're real beclaws i’ve nefur met one and i really don't hope i do

She hit send and set the phone on the counter, and picked up her drink instead. The entire situation was just way too weird to be able to wrap her head around. She fiddled with the plastic lid, bending the close flap back and forth anxiously until it snapped off.

Feferi was taking notes in class when she felt her phone buzz against her chest. She pursed her lips but, given that she had unwisely chosen a seat near the front of the room in an attempt to keep herself awake and focused, she opted to wait until after class to respond to the texts.

Rather than risk someone snooping, she headed into the first bathroom she spotted and ducked in a stall before flipping her phone on and scrolling through the texts before beginning her reponses.

Maybe t)(ey live underwater...
Or underground??
Glub glub glub glub glub...
I don't reely know w)(y t)(is would only be )(appening to us?
T)(ere mast be otters, rig)(t?
Next time you dream of t)(e city, sea if you can count t)(e towers.
I remember t)(ere being ot)(er towers t)(an t)(e one I wake up in and t)(e one I found you in...
Do you fin you're always in t)(e same tower??
I'm not s)(ore if I am or not...
T)(e more I try to remember t)(e murkier it all gets...
GLUB GLUB GLUB GLUB GLUB GLUB!!!!!
Maybe everyone is t)(ere and we just don't remember meeting all of t)(em??
Maybe t)(ere are infinite dream cities in all t)(e colors!!!!!

Feferi hit send on her last excited text and chewed her lip as she stood up and straightened her outfit after tucking her phone away in her bodice again so she could be certain to feel it if it buzzed again.

The unknown always made her hungry so it seemed like the ideal time to wash her hands and head off to get something to eat.

The Corner Cafe | Closed To Nepeta and Feferi

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