THROUGH A FRACTURED EXISTENCE, TO THE RHYTHM OF ETERNITY.

[bitemark]

IL MATTINO

Il Mattino is an Italian cafe sidled between a bookstore and a jewelry boutique in small but popular business district, just a downhill walk from the local non-denominational Christian church and residential area. The ocean is less than a ten minute drive away and within view in the distance. The area is cool even when the sun is at its apex at noon with a tinge of sea salt in the breeze.

The cafe itself is medium-sized with plenty of light let in with the large storefront windows. The decor is simple, but accented with key decor with wheat centerpieces and plants. There are some trinkets that are displayed that may look out of place, like atop the charging counter there's a sliding puzzle painted in pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and all shades in between.

The cafe specializes in coffee and brunch, though pastries are sourced from local Italian bakeries in downtown Little Italy.

While the establishment has two floors, the cafe takes up the ground floor. There is a yard for some reason, but that's because there are four dogs. They're kept separate from the cafe to make sure patrons are not disturbed, but people are free to go outside to pet them. Reviews have mentioned the owner lives on the second floor and the dogs' names are Harold, Olive, Vera, and Rocco.

DRINKS ✦ FOOD ✦ all sorts of pastries available

Comments

[obdure]

[ Jacopo squints because he thinks he can scrounge up connections, even though he wouldn't call them friends. ]

... A grown man shouldn't be sleeping in a car.

[ Even though like... He has done it. ]

[chrysanths]

A grown man also shouldn't be sleeping in the streets, but beggars can't be choosers.

[ Just this fuckin guy sleeping in a ferrari is such a funny image lmao ]

[obdure]

[ IT WAS BEFORE HIS FERRARI... ]

If the police find you sleeping in your car, they'll give you trouble even if it's in a public lot.

[ ... ]

And that's why you should accept my offer.

[ You didn't offer anything yet. ]

[chrysanths]

[ Looks up at Jacopo, staring into his eyes again. Staring. Staring. Staring. ]

You didn't offer me anything.

[ He went through his memories so many times and doesn't remember a single thing about it. ]

[obdure]

[ Staring back... Staring back. ]

I didn't, but I'm preparing you. [ Grumble. ] Don't give me a weird look.

[ That he shouldn't be surprised when he offers and also don't make it a big deal. ]

You can use my place for a bit. It's better than being a public nuisance.

[chrysanths]

[ Sorry to Jacopo, but who wouldn't give him a weird look after that. At least for Adolphe, he just raises his eyebrows in surprise. ]

Why?

[ Other than "being a public nuisance". He's surprisingly not suspicious of the invitation, but he really wants to know why. ]

[obdure]

[ It's weird. He knows it is and calling Adolphe a public nuisance is meant to cushion it for himself and for him. It's hard to come up with excuses when Adolphe is an adult who can take care of himself.

He drums his fingers on the counter's surface. ]

Because I'm responsible.

[ Beats this dead horse insult until the corpse is nothing but ashes. ]

[chrysanths]

[ There's a slow blink. ]

You feel responsible for me?

[






what ]

[obdure]

[ LOSES IT his composure breaks immediately. It's comical how badly that flusters him. ]

I'm a responsible person!

[ Granted if Adolphe forgot their small bickering during their second meeting, he wouldn't be surprised. He went through a lot. ]

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe looks surprised for a second, but laughs a little. ]

I know you are.

[ Look, he'll even say it genuinely this time. Surprisingly, he still remembers even after all that. ]

Should you be like this during work hours though?

[obdure]

[ How dare Adolphe ask that when he's the reason he's acting this way?

Quietly, yet full of fury because this situation is FUCKING STUPID. Should he be like this? No! But he is! ]

This is my cafe.

[chrysanths]

I know. That doesn't change anything though.

[ Should Adolphe be like this to the person who just said that he'd take him in for a while? No. But is he? Yeah. Comfort is a double-edged sword. ]

[obdure]

I'm going to retract my offer.

[ BECAUSE HE ISNT A BETTER PERSON, but he also doesn't mean it. It's the heat of the moment. ]

[chrysanths]

That's fine.

[ He also looks very not surprised at that. It has nothing to do with Jacopo though. He still doesn't like people in general, and it seems like he's also used to this sort of behavior. ]

[obdure]

You need to not be so casual about accepting people going back on their word.

[ stop stop stop stop he takes it back about taking it back ]

[chrysanths]

You were going to take it back before anything even happened, so that's even better.

[ It's very convenient to go back. ]

... It's genuinely hard to depend on other people for my own well-being, when the only person that will help me is myself. So... despite all that, you really don't have to feel responsible for me.

[obdure]

... You're sounding like an edgy protagonist from young adult fiction.

[ How is he supposed to take all of that seriously, but he does, anyway. It fits Adolphe which is annoying.

And he gets it. Jacopo has felt like he had to depend on himself for the most part. He just wouldn't say it like that. ]

The offer's still on the table.

[chrysanths]

[ He'll ignore the edgy protagonist comment. ]

I'll still take it.

[ Brazenly. ]

Just don't regret it after.

[obdure]

[ Waving his hand to dismiss those concerns even though he knows he'll regret some parts. ]

You can't be worse than four dogs.

[ He thinks it'll be fine. ]

[chrysanths]

I would hope so.

[ Damn. What the fuck. ]

Did you always risk that much before?

[ With his investments and all. ]

[obdure]

[ He isn't following the conversation this way... He's already thinking about his space and how he hasn't cleaned it. ]

What do you mean?

[chrysanths]

Risk letting a near stranger into your home.

[ They've met... like what? Three times? ]

You don't seem like the kind of guy to take in liabilities.

[obdure]

Roommates are always a gamble.

[ But gives him a long scrutinizing look. ]

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe doesn't mind if it's for a moment but Jacopo looks at him for a long time.

... ]

What?

[obdure]

... Nothing, really.

[ His lashes lower halfway as a smile curls on his lips, small yet almost nearing a smirk. ]

I feel like this is the least risky gamble I've taken is all.

[ A roundabout way of saying... He's comfortable. It's kind of scary to him, but there's no other explanation for it. The "fear" is more like acknowledgment that he can't escape how he feels and he's starting not to mind it. ]