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

[chrysanths]

[ I'm so fuckin hungry those sound delicious... duck fat pastries?! aaaaaa ]

Water is fine.

[ He watches the dogs get in a single line. Wow... ]

[obdure]

[ stuffs a pastry into you they really sound good..... haven't gone to this bakery in a while.

TOASTY PASTRIES and dog feeding. He will need to be in the kitchen for five minutes, but it's right behind the living room so they can still chat. ]

What practical skill were you so focused on that had you forget to eat, anyway?

[ Jacopo also forgets sometimes, but when work lets up at the end of the day he's starving. ]

[chrysanths]

How to fix the sink and faucets on my own and a bunch of other things.

[ If he can't make himself useful with a job, he might as well learn about other things that he should know about. ]

[obdure]

Ahhh... Handyman stuff is useful. I've watched a couple of videos to save me from buying services before. It's sometimes ridiculous how easy it actually is?

[ But Jacopo didn't often have to figure it out. The pastries are ready, so he brings them out on a big enough serving tray with two glasses of water. ]

You know the home improvement store a couple of blocks down hosts how-to seminars?

[ Lounges back on his half of the couch. ]

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe is still sitting on the couch, thanking Jacopo for the food and water. ]

It's fine. I'm not interested in attending those.

[ He drinks some water and takes a bite out of the pastry. ]

[obdure]

But you're looking up home repair videos...

[ Jacopo is trying his best here, confused as he eats a pastry. It is tasty. ]

What are you interested in?

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe is quiet as he keeps eating the pastry.

Actually, it stays like that for a long, long time. He never answers Jacopo. ]

[obdure]

[ Jacopo just assumes that Adolphe is trying to figure himself out, so he eats and doesn't doubt anything is up.

But the silence... Continues onto his second pastry... And he's like oh... Should I have not asked that? Wait, no, Adolphe could have at least answered with anything?? ]

... Hey.

[chrysanths]

Sorry, I'm thinking.

[






yeah ]

[obdure]

[ Pauses on eating his pastry and







Watches him??? ]

[chrysanths]

... I never really had the time to think about it.

[ As if that makes up for staying quiet all this time. ]

So I don't know. Sleeping? Keeping myself busy?

[obdure]

... Keeping busy is more of a trait.

[ But sure? Sure. Jacopo frowns because SLEEPING and keeping busy.

He glances at the last pastry on the tray and sees it's the sweeter one, so he holds out his pastry to Adolphe. He only bit like twice, but who cares. ]

I'd add being a pastry sample guinea pig to your list.

[chrysanths]

[ The man is so fuckin depressed. Adolphe acknowledges that Jacopo held out the pastry, but gestures that he doesn't want it by holding up a hand. ]

Well... it's not bad to test some.

[obdure]

Just take this one so I can eat the other one.

[ Forces it on him so he can execute his min-max no leftover pastry plan since he toasted all of them already and there is an extra one. ]

[chrysanths]

[ Well.

Okay!

He takes the pastry forced on him and looks down at it... then takes a bite. ]

A sweet one...

[ He mumbles after swallowing. ]

[obdure]

It's not as sweet at this one.

[ The last one he's taking with the strawberries and lemon curd or whatever, so it's sweet. He gave Adolphe the sweet and salty one. ]

Just didn't really have time to develop interests?

[chrysanths]

Yeah.

[ sweet and salty... he likes it, so he ends up finishing it pretty quickly. He doesn't realize he finished the pastry until it's gone. ]

I was always trying to make ends meet and keeping myself as healthy as possible.

[ It was a very "three choices, pick two" sort of situation. ]

[obdure]

[ He is eating the most sugar for you, Adolphe... Granted, he doesn't mind it. It isn't overly sweet, naturally tart instead. There is, however, sugar and cream.

Reflecting as he feels criticism rise up his throat, but like. ]

I'm usually busy, so I can't say I dabble in a lot... But I used to play the guitar.

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe looks over to the direction where he saw the guitar last in this place. ]

Being busy really cuts into our time, huh. Would you play again if you had time?

[obdure]

[ It is in the bedroom, but that is still a direction which Jacopo knows. he's near done with this pastry, pacing himself. ]

It does.

[ Again, he never really thought about it much nowadays, so Adolphe's question actually puts him in a strange place despite how incredibly simple it is. This is free time, too. Free time he'd use to progress on his projects, but he's here spending it in other ways.

His eyes travel along the room like he's lost, thinking. ]

I... Suppose I would. I enjoyed it before.

[chrysanths]

Could I see you play some time?

[ He slightly tilts his head. Adolphe figures this would satiate his curiosity and have Jacopo do something that he enjoys at the same time. ]

[obdure]

[ A snort as he starts finishing up this pastry. ]

You'd suffer my rusty playing? It's been a while.

[chrysanths]

I'd like to see you play.

[ So, yes. He'd like to suffer Jacopo's rusty playing. Adolphe doubts it would be terrible anyway. ]

[obdure]

[ He takes a napkin and wipes his mouth and fingers, then sips his glass of water.

Wouldn't it be a waste of time? He looks at Adolphe, a man who doesn't have much... Maybe he keeps to a bare minimum, actually.

... A sigh. ]

All right, but you can't laugh if I make a fool out of myself. Got it?

[chrysanths]

[ Adolphe keeping to a bare minimum is the perfect way to describe his current lifestyle. He does so badly here. Maybe I should kick him back to virche ]

I won't. I doubt that you will anyway.