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pressedinthepages · 4 years ago

Text

Family Business

Fandom: The Witcher

Pairing: Eskel/Jaskier

Rating: T

Masterlist

a/n: Another day, another collab with Maragret @sometimesiwrite cause we just cannot stop. And this one will have cHaPtErS!!!!!!

(There is a link on my page where you can be added to my taglist :D)

Modern Coffee Shop AU. Eskel and his brothers run a coffee shop. Jaskier pops in one morning. Neither can anticipate what is to come.

The bell above the door of Happy Goat Coffee and Snacks tinkled quaintly as Eskel returned from the corner store, carton of almond milk in-hand. He slipped the receipt into the till and opened the milk fridge, taking stock to see if there was anything else that couldn’t wait for Wednesday’s delivery. All seemed to be in order—Barista Blend soy and oat milks, a few bags of regular milk. He didn’t like carrying almond (bad for bees), but it was the only thing some customers could drink so… here it was.

He turned to make himself another coffee, taking stock of their baked goods: chocolate zucchini muffins, banana bread, blueberry muffins (a few missing, Geralt’s been here…), and an assortment of granola-based snacks. The overall business plan was plant-based and/or sustainably sourced in the hopes of filling a void left by the larger chains that were the only other options in the neighbourhood. It wasn’t a bad plan, and with the increasing number of conscious-consumer parents, they were establishing a strong and loyal customer base.

Lambert carried a tray of sourdough paninis around the counter and began transferring them into the display case, arranging them as neatly as his energetic hands would allow. It had been hell working with him for the first little bit. Lambert took after their sainted mother only in being a morning person. His general pissy attitude skipped a generation and came directly from their grandmother. But the prickly bastard knew what he was talking about, and after some… heated negotiations, they managed to agree on finding a local butcher who could provide pork belly which Lambert would turn into proper bacon in the back. They barely had the space, but he somehow made it work, and it sold very well as an add-on. I mean, he wasn’t wrong. It did taste better.

Of course, this didn’t stop the young brother’s grumbling. He simply did it while chewing. “Lambert, could you please, please, stop eating the bacon?”

“I’m sorry, I must be doing this wrong. Do I look like I give a fuck???”

“No, you don’t. That’s why I’m doing it for you. Just...” he sighed “don’t eat us into bankruptcy.”

“What, so Geralt can drink all the fuckin organic ass lemonade he wants but I can’t have a piece of gods-be-damned bacon???”

“Geralt drinks the—oh my God you guys are killing me—look, I will talk to Geralt about the lemonade, you can have some, some bacon, and I’m going to try my hardest not to put my head through the fucking wall. Capiche?”

Lambert watched over Eskel’s shoulder as Geralt chugged the remainder of the lemonade from his cup through narrowed eyes in his direction.

“Fine.” Lambert growled, turning back to the kitchen. “You’ve got a fucking customer, by the way, boss.”

“Don’t call—oh never mind. Hello, sorry, welcome to the Exasperated Goat. I’ve changed the name.”

“I love it,” the young man on the other side of the counter crooned, cocking his hip with a smile. “Think it’ll really capture the true essence of the neighbourhood.” Eskel was struck dumb immediately, his words falling flat on his tongue. He was trapped in a pair of dazzling blue eyes and the brightest, most open face he’d seen in a—well, a depressingly long time, if he was honest. The young man was eccentrically stylish with bright splashy colours and patterns that had no business going together as well as they did.

Eskel wasn’t the only one transfixed. His vivacious new customer was too busy marvelling at something inexplicable behind the proprietor’s hazel-green eyes and his… aura? Was that even a thing? How long have I been standing here? Oh God, am I staring? Shit.

Geralt swaggered behind the counter and bumped into Eskel's shoulder pointedly.

“What can I get you?” He fumbled, working hard to regain his senses.

The young man recovered more smoothly, “Cappuccino, dry please. And a chocolate zucchini muffin. Please,” he added with a cheeky grin, holding out a twenty.

Eskel took the money and their fingers brushed, just the tiniest bit—was that a linger?—but he felt the sparks fly under his skin nonetheless, and as he got to work steaming milk, he desperately tried to remember how small talk worked. The young man beat him to it.

“How’s the morning so far?”

Eskel sighed, glancing up at him. “Not...terrible,” he said, peering over his shoulder to find Lambert now munching on a mini quiche. “Lambert keeps eating the merchandise, but I suppose it could be worse.”

Eskel was caught up in the man’s smile again until the rapidly rising temperature of the milk that brought him back to himself. He tapped the pitcher to settle the foam and wiped the steam wand, “How’s your day been...?”

“Can’t complain,” the man shrugged, taking a sizeable bite out of the side of his muffin—an act that Lambert would have seen as a criminal offense. Eskel disguised an amused grimace. “Had a gig last night, decent turnout. One or two people I didn’t know actually showed up on purpose.” Eskel knocked a portafilter empty, cleaning it with a well-practiced twist of the wrist. The man’s eyes drifted to the espresso-stained microfibre cloth that was currently being handled so expertly and found his mind wandering, jarred back to reality as the grinder kicked on. He jumped a little.

“Ah, you’re a musician, then?” Eskel asked over the noise.

He nodded, swallowing thickly as he took in the breadth of Eskel’s shoulders. “I like telling stories,” he called back.

“Ah, you write your own stuff, then.” Eskel knocked the edge of the portafilter against the palm of his hand to settle the espresso and Jaskier was lost again, watching large, graceful hands working with strength and precision, all in the name of a decent cup of coffee. Eskel looked at his mesmerized conversation companion, “Or do you prefer to cover?”

“Hm? Oh, well, a bit of both. I like to cover because it gives people a sense of familiarity, like they can trust you with their evening. It sets the tone. Then I do my own stuff once I’ve got them on my side.”

Eskel cut the shot as the rich caramel colour of the dark espresso began to run lighter, and he gave it a sniff, ensuring the extraction was good before pouring in a little milk, and dolling out large quantities of foam. He passed the drink to the young man. “Extra dry.”

“Ah, my hero,” the young man wrapped his hands around the cup and brought it to his lips. “Mmm, delicious as always.”

“Always?” Eskel asked, tearing his eyes away from the young musician’s long, slender fingers. “Y-you’ve been in here? I don’t—I’d’ve thought I’d remember you.”

“Mhm, I usually pop in in the afternoons though, it’s typically Geralt over there who’s working.” He waggled his fingers over Eskel’s shoulder and he heard Geralt grunt in acknowledgment.

“Ah, yes. He takes over from me so I can go home and sleep. Well, rather forces me to. It’s hard to remember there’s a home when you spend most of your time at your own business. You hear people talk about self-care? Mine’s Geralt.”

And the young man, who Eskel thought was incapable of being any more charming, laughed so brightly and earnestly that Eskel could’t stop the grin that spread to his own face—not that he’d’ve wanted to.

"I suppose that's what partners are for, isn't it?" he said flippantly, adding a dash of nutmeg to the foam in his cup and stirring in a little honey.

"Pardon?"

"To remind you there's something other than work, you know, house and family and—"

"Oh, uh, no—business partner. Geralt's just a—well not just. He's my brother."

"Ah! I'm so sorry, I just assumed... You know, urban cafe, tasteful decore, and then you mentioned he’s your self-care. Most people aren't that close with their siblings is all."

Eskel nodded, "Our other brother's in charge of the kitchen. It's... a long story, but, here we are!"

Eskel watched as the young man took a deep breath through his nose, seemingly steeling himself. He was then met with those striking eyes again as a napkin was slid across the counter, just barely brushing his fingertips. “In that case...would you like to get dinner sometime?”

"I—what?" Eskel shook his head, not quite believing what he was hearing.

The young man smiled again,"It's alright. I'm just giving you a napkin with my number on it. You can use it to communicate with me. You know, texting? Call me? Maybe eat some food?"

"But I—I don't understand, why?"

The young man playfully rolled his eyes, "If you're not interested, you can just say so."

“No! No, I absolutely am, I’m ju-“ Eskel stammered, trying desperately to keep from sticking his foot in his mouth and driving the young man away,“I’m just not sure why you are.”

The young man just laughed brightly, his blue eyes flashing beneath dark lashes, "Because you're handsome, hard-working, and the way we've connected just now gives me a hunch. Besides, how long has it been since you had a chance to get away and go to dinner with someone?"

Eskel eyed his customer, thought for a moment, and tapped the napkin before picking it up. "Walk first, then dinner. I hate starting dates like a third-degree."

The young man set down his coffee and held out his hand, beckoning to Eskel over the counter. As he came around, he offered his hand in return, and was shocked by the—could he call it intimacy?—of the musician’s hand gently closing around his. It may as well have been an embrace. “I-“ and of course his voice cracked. Eskel cleared his throat with a chuckle, finding those beautiful baby blues once more. “I’m Eskel.”

"Julian. Stage name is Jaskier. You can call me either, it doesn't really matter."

Eskel smiled warmly, "It's nice to meet you, Julian."

"Likewise, Eskel. I, uh, I should get going. But. Text me, we'll make plans."

Eskel watched as Julian left, his stride long and confident. He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, staring into empty space, but at some point Geralt once again appeared to nudge against his shoulder. “Better save that napkin, brother.”

Eskel nodded at the flimsy paper in his hand, looking at the digits like they were an ancient cipher that needed decoding. "Better yet..." Geralt said, surreptitiously grabbing Eskel's phone from off the counter, unlocking it, and texting, Hope you have a good day.

"Here you go," Geralt said, handing the phone back to Eskel before pouring himself a drip.

Eskel’s stomach simultaneously lept into his throat and fell onto the floor. “Geralt,” he breathed, watching the *read* message pop up, “well now what? By the way,” Eskel suddenly turned, wagging his finger at the end of Geralt’s nose, “quit drinking all of the merchandise!”

“First off, now he can actually text you back instead of waiting to hear from you all day, which is exactly what would happen if left to your own devices. Secondly... Lambert said he wouldn’t tell you.”

Eskel shook his head, mouth agape, “Unbelievable.”

Eskel’s fingers itched as he continued about his morning business, his phone silent in his pocket. He had nearly given it up as a lost cause when it finally chimed, and then he almost sent the phone flying across the store in his haste.

So sorry for the late reply, Eskel. I was on the metro and then I had to run off downtown and then, alas, my phone died. I should really get one of those portable battery things. Ah well. Thank you for the well wishes!! It really brightened my day once I finally got them 😍😍😍

Eskel exhaled deeply. Okay, this was okay, this was good. He typed and deleted. Retyped. Deleted. Geralt reappeared over his shoulder, glancing at the text no worries, wanted to make sure you had my number. Geralt shook his head and took a sip of coffee before grabbing Eskel’s phone and typing, no worries, glad you got it sorted. Hope the metro wasn’t too much of a disaster. Geralt handed Eskel his phone to peruse the message.

“When did you get good at texting?” Eskel murmured as he pressed ‘send.’ Geralt merely shrugged as he ambled away, clearly in search of something to snack on as he finished inventory and ordering. Eskel called over his shoulder, “Would you please make more lemonade since you drank it all?!?!”

As Geralt’s hum in the affirmative hit his ears so did the chime of his phone.

Not bad at all! Only one shouty person, and he didn't even hurl obscenities after me :D Although a mother with a very large stroller gave me a rather impressive side-eye as I sat down with my guitar tucked between my feet and mumbled something about manspreading. Some days it's the little things that get you through 🙃

Eskel replied, That sounds about right for 2 in the afternoon. Too bad you didn't see the Singing Man, he'll really give your day a kick you didn't know it needed.

You know what would give my day a good kick? A lovely walk with a lovely man ;)

And Eskel blushed. Full on blushed. Lambert snorted from where he hovered in the doorway.

“Go on, lover boy,” Lambert smirked, taking a bite out of another goddam slice of bacon. “We’ve got it covered.”

He rubbed his face. It was hard to think straight. He'd been up since 4:30, and part of him just wanted to go home and sleep, but it was also the first sunny day they'd seen in what felt like over a month, and the idea of a nice walk with some light conversation wasn't unappealing in the least. He frowned at Lambert, "How do you even know it's him that texted?"

"Because you just turned three shades of pink and stared at your phone like it's a piece of alien technology."

Eskel grumbled and turned back to his phone. Would be nice to get some company and fresh air. What part of town are you in? Meet in the middle?

Meanwhile, Julian was on the metro. Again. His leg bounced where he was sitting, reading the same paragraph of some random book over and over again. He knew it was a long shot coming all the way back to the coffee shop—Eskel might be done for the day and gone home or out doing shopping or—but it could be worth it. He lept off at his stop and bounded up the stairs, and his phone dinged with a delayed notification. He smiled at his phone and stowed it away, walking as fast as he possibly could until he saw the familiar sign of the coffee shop. Julian slowed down so that he didn’t cross the line from ‘windswept’ into ‘desperate’ and peered into the little window. He spotted Eskel immediately, his back to the door and speaking with another man behind the counter, presumably Lambert. Julian smiled and pushed open the door.

"Whoa-ho-ho, Pretty Boy at twelve o'clock."

Eskel looked up from Jaskier's Spotify account and quickly closed his phone. "I suggested halfway, I hope you didn't come all the way across town."

Now it was Julian’s turn to stammer a bit, his tongue feeling too large for his mouth as his eyes swept across Eskel’s form. Since this morning, it had clearly been a busy day. His cheeks were flushed and his hair curling at the nape of his neck, and he had even caught a glimpse of luscious chest hair peeking out from the sharp v-neck that pulled across his chest. “I-“ Julian grinned to himself, come on, keep it together, “I was already on the metro when you texted back, so I figured I’d just...come here!”

Eskel narrowed his eyes and hummed. "Want a drink before we head out?"

"Oh sure, we can't eat the merchandise but you can give away free drinks to anyone who flirts with you?"

"I—You—would you just..."

Jaskier cut in, "I think you'll find that actually exactly how it works. Bit of an unspoken code. People have started taking advantage of it to get free coffee, though. Makes it hard for those of us who mean it..." Julian's eyes met Eskel's for a lingering second and Eskel had to remind himself to breathe. "London Fog, please, Eskel. But I'm happy to pay. I know tea is less expendable."

"Hm. See, Lambert? It's a barista thing."

Lambert rolled his eyes as Eskel steeped the Earl Gray in a bit of hot water, added vanilla, and steamed some milk. He carefully slid the finished beverage over the counter, one of his hands finding the tie at the back of his apron. “So...” he said, trying to decide between meeting or avoiding Julian’s intense gaze, “would you like that for here, or to go?”

"I think you'll find it's already in a to-go cup," Julian said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's because we're getting the hell out of here," Eskel said, and—much to Julian's instant pleasure and amusement—fluidly traversed the service counter, landing deftly on the other side. "I just need to change my shoes, and I'll be up in a second." Julian looked down to see Eskel's black work shoes covered with espresso and nodded, blowing on his tea as he watched, leaving him with the Prickly Brother, staring at him as he chewed his bacon.

Julian sipped his tea and peered over the rim at Lambert, who had been scowling at him the entire time. Though he didn’t take it personally, it was likely that was just his face. “So,” Julian started, thrumming his fingers on the side of the paper cup, “you’re the one who’s been eating all of the merchandise?”

Lambert scoffed and scowled sideways, the last piece of bacon sticking out from the corner of his mouth. He nudged himself off the back counter and swaggered close to Julian. "Listen. I don't know what your deal is. But if you fuck him over, you will have two very big, very pissed off brothers to deal with. Got it?"

"Fuck him over what?"

"'Scuse me?" Lambert said, scowling harder.

"You said not to fuck him over, but didn't specify what."

It took Lambert a moment, but he granted himself one singular chuckle for the little shit. “Alright, kid. Just- be careful with him.”

Julian smiled gently, peering over Lambert’s shoulder to where Eskel was striding back into the shop. “He seems like the kind of guy that I will certainly be trying my best to keep around.”

“Better believe it. You can spend your whole life looking, you won’t find a better guy than Eskel. He’s a fucking goldmine. But he’s our goldmine. Take his shine, you answer to us.”

“Yes, sir,” Julian mock saluted as Eskel handed something to Lambert. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a piece of bacon.

“Geralt’s in charge,” Eskel rumbled (which Julian found enticing) and with that, he turned on his heel and pulled open the door. He held it open and Julian smiled as the two of them stepped into the evening sun.

Eskel took a deep breath as soon as they stepped into the fresh air, letting the warm sunlight spill across his face. It was beautiful to look at. His hair glinted with little chestnut highlights and his arching eyebrows became even more pronounced in contrast with the brightness of his skin in the evening glow. Julian watched the muscles of his face relax, the pressure of greeting people slowly dissolving. His shoulders dropped, and he looked truly exhausted for a moment before opening his eyes and smiling softly. “So, Julian. Do you like dog parks?”

Julian braced an excited hand on the swell of Eskel’s arm (and my gods it was firm), “I would love to go to the dog park...but will it be odd if we just show up, without a dog?”

Eskel laughed and Julian felt his knees go a bit wobbly and he tucked his arm around Eskel’s for support. He noticed Eskel glance down. Ah, right, a bit forward. Easy Jaskier. Julian smoothly transitioned to holding his cup with both hands and Eskel smirked privately, appreciating the non-verbal understanding. “No, not really. We can find a bench if it’s not too cold, lots of people come by and watch. Not everyone in the city can have an animal, people are pretty understanding of onlookers.” Julian still looked skeptical, “c’mon, it’s not like going to a playground. I promise we won’t be creepy.”

“Well...” Jaskier smiled, flipping his hair out of his eyes, “lead the way.”

Eskel walked slowly, stretching their time (and his legs) as much as he could. They made polite, easy small talk, finding little details about each other as they walked.

It turned out that they had surprisingly similar tastes in music, and Jaskier was both pleased and intimidated to learn that Lambert doubled as a DJ on weekends at one of the more popular clubs downtown. He was further surprised to learn that their father owned and operated one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the city and was quite famous because of it—he’d opened it as an homage to his Italian wife when she passed away unexpectedly—and while Papa Vesemir himself was Polish, he’d learned to cook from the best.

It seemed they were a culinary family, in fact. Both Lambert and Geralt had trained in professional settings—Geralt had a background in baking, while Lambert had trained on the line with his father. Eskel, it turned out, preferred to be behind the bar. He liked people. Enjoyed making drinks. His father always joked that he had the “magic touch.” Every drink he made always came out tasting better, even if he followed the recipe to a T.

“So, why the coffee shop?” Julien asked as they rounded the corner of the dog park. They both smiled as they saw fluffballs of all shapes and sizes bounding around, and Eskel led them to a small bench.

He kicked his feet out in front of him and sipped his own coffee thoughtfully. “It was something we all knew how to do, and we saw a niche missing in the neighborhood. We had originally wanted to make it a bit more of a hub for artists and public resources—you know, host workshops, put up fliers, put artists’ work on the walls to sell. It isn’t quite where we want it yet, but it’s our old neighborhood. Wanted to give something back to the community. Plus, we like having regulars. You don’t get the same thing with restaurants. Cafes, though, you can get to know people better. Build loyalty.”

Julian sat for a moment, looking at Eskel with a deeper appreciation than he already had. “You’re amazing,” he breathed, the words spilling from his lips without so much as a second thought.

Eskel flushed even deeper, his neck a very pretty shade of pink. “I wouldn’t say all that...”

“But I would,” Julian nodded, downing the remainder of his tea. “You’ve created something beautiful in a place that’s meaningful to you with your family, that’s amazing. And I’m allowed to say that, because I personally decide what is and is not amazing.”

“Fair enough,” Eskel raised an eyebrow and hid a smirk behind another sip of coffee. “It’s just... well everyone’s gone and opened up a coffee shop now, and it’s getting harder to see where our niche still sits. It’s a diverse neighborhood, we don’t want to alienate anyone, but we have to stay open... ah, I dunno. I suppose anything seems unremarkable if you’ve been waist-deep in the logistics for long enough.”

“Do you have open mic nights?”

“What?”

“Open mic nights, you know, local artists bring their instruments, read poetry, play music, promote new albums while people buy alcohol and food?”

Eskel tilted his head, “Huh...”

“Yeah. Huh.” Julian nudged Eskel’s shoulder playfully.

“The only issue with that is hours. We’d have to hire more staff and/or open later in the day so we can stay open.”

“You could man a proper bar again,” Julian sang, jiggling his foot at the end of his crossed leg.

Eskel reached an arm up and over and around Julian’s shoulder, “Julian, either you’re a remarkable person and I don’t know what on earth you could possibly want with me... or you’ve been sent by one of our competitors to play a long con and put us out of business.”

Julian tried valiantly to hide the shiver that ran down his spine just with the proximity, the weight of Eskel’s arm resting comfortably on his shoulders. “Well, if I told you that, then I’d have to kill you,” Julian smirked. Eskel threw his head back and laughed, reveling in the rejuvenating aura of the delight of a human that had deposited himself at his side.

“Hmmm, shall we keep walking? Or—I don’t want to keep you if you’ve got things to do,” his gaze on Julian was sincere and unassuming and the young musician was certain he’d never had less sense of any ulterior motives than he did in this moment.

“I should drop my things home before work, actually. But we can walk for a bit in the same direction if you like.”

Eskel shrugged, “Sure! Which way are we headed?”

“I’m an Eastender,” Julian smirked. “Off we go!” He offered his elbow for Eskel to take, which he did—a little tentatively and far more gently than Julian would ever have expected from someone so... physically imposing.

Eskel could feel the persistent thrum of blood under his skin, but not in a way that signalled any particular desire. He felt comfortable, more content than he had been in a very long time, and he felt like he could easily waste an entire day doing exactly what they’d been doing for the last hour. Walking, talking, laughing...

“What are you thinking about?” Julian asked, looking up at Eskel and stealing his breath in the same movement.

“I’m—uh—“ he cleared his throat again, “I’m thinking about how pleasant this has been and... also how comfortable I feel. I—well, I get the jitters, usually. With this kind of thing Which is not to say I haven’t still got them but,” they stopped walking for a moment, and Eskel turned to face his date, “what I’m trying to say is you’re very comfortable to be around. And that’s new.”

“Wow... honesty. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I’m sorry did-did I...?”

“Just make me more impressed?” That damn smile, “yes, I’m afraid you did. How tragic.”

Just like that, Eskel was lost again, caught up in those eyes that shone with an enigmatic innocence and penetrating observation that kept him looking and left him speechless. And Julian... well Julian was uncharacteristically at a loss for words in front of this stunningly kind, unbearably-gentle man he'd impulsively taken a chance on just a few hours ago because of a hunch.

Eskel wondered whether Julian had leaned a bit closer during their few seconds of silence and countered, leaning forward a little himself. But he didn't want to make the young man think he was in it for the wrong reasons. The fact that he was older and larger wasn't lost on him, and the last thing he wanted was for Julian to feel any pressure. Those bright blue eyes flitted to Eskel's lips, and he swallowed, waiting. But Julian's intuition was too strong—Eskel was hesitating. Instead of following his eyes to the full, soft-looking lips in front of him, Julian placed his hands on Eskel's chest and dispersed the tension.

“If we don’t keep walking I’m going to freeze my ass off,” Julian finally said.

Eskel huffed a small laugh. “Come on then,” he jutted his chin, and the two started walking again.

After a brief silence, Julian spoke, suddenly worried that Eskel felt rejected in some way, “For what it’s worth, I also feel quite comfortable. With you, I mean.”

“Yeah?”

“I find I’m starting to move away from the Village scene. It’s always nice to have a community, of course, be able to go to a bar and know you’re in good company but... in the city, everyone’s trying on identities and—it’s all well and good, they should, but it’s just... well, it was fun for a while. I just want to play music and make people happy.”

“Hm. I can relate to that.”

Julian stopped at the top of the street that would lead him to his apartment, not really wanting the evening to end, wondering whether Eskel was aware exactly how much he’d brightened Julian’s day.

“C-would you...I mean, if I- or-“ Eskel stuttered, his fingers fiddling at his sides.

“Go on...” Julian crooked his head with a gentle smile.

“Would you mind if I came to one of your shows?”

Julian closed his hands around Eskel’s shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. “Good God, please come to one of my shows so I can look at a face that wants to be there instead of my bored friends.”

“Well, I’m sorry it has to be my face,” Eskel fumbled in his self-consciousness, hearing the sound of his own distasteful insecurity. He grimaced inwardly. bad form, Eskel.

“Hm. Clearly, you haven’t met my pimply weak-chinned-not-at-all-utterly-dashing friends.” It was so easy. Ludicrously easy, the way Julian made Eskel smile in that moment. It truly was a remarkable feat, one that none of Eskel’s former failed romances had ever navigated as easily, or as quickly.

“Thank you,” Eskel said quietly, only for Julian’s ears.

“Whatever for?” Julian’s brow crinkled adorably and Eskel wanted to smooth the creases away with his thumbs.

“For...for being bold. Because I know I wouldn’t have.”

“Oh please. This is all stage presence and bravado. I’ve been on the verge of a nervous breakdown since I wrote my number on that napkin. Listen, I’ve—ahh I hate to do this but I really have got to run. We can text later or I’ll pop by the cafe tomorrow and—“

“Absolutely, do your thing, I don’t want to make you late. Let me know when you’re free and we’ll grab dinner.”

“I’ll check my schedule tonight. Should be free in the next few days. Have a good night, Eskel. I mean that.” Julian turned to go, but turned back, quickly pecking a kiss to Eskel’s right cheek, leaving the man standing with a half-smile of surprise on his face as he watched his new love interest scurry into his apartment.

Eskel walked back to the coffee shop, his cheeks pained from the smile that still hadn’t faded. The little bell above the door chimed and Geralt looked up from where was wiping down the counter, and Eskel heard a loud clang as Lambert dropped a metal pan and came running to the front of the now-empty cafe.

Eskel stood in front of his brothers. Geralt’s hand stopped where it was mid-wipe and Lambert fidgeted where he stood, hands on his hips. “So??”

Eskel hadn’t seen Lambert this energetic in a long time, and stood silently, drinking in his little brother’s excitement. Geralt came out from behind the counter, “Eskel. I don’t want to beat it out of you, but you’re leaving me with very few options.”

“Nah, Geralt, you gotta use smaller words. He’s clearly having a stroke. Eskel!” Lambert clapped loudly, “How did. It go. With Pretty Boy. C’mon, we’re tryna close up here!”

Eskel finally spoke, “I—yeah, it was great. I, uh, I really like him.”

“Fucking finALLY, BROTHER, THAT’S FUCKIN’ AMAZING!” Lambert practically jumped on Eskel, and Geralt sauntered over to put an arm around his shoulder. “You call Dad yet?”

“No, I want to wait. I want to make sure this time. Don’t wanna get his hopes up. Plus he’s... well, he’s a bit younger—“

Lambert cut him off, “Whoa, I’m gonna stop you right there. What do you always do?”

“Self-sabotage.”

“Exactly. So shut up with that shit. You like him, yes?”

“Yes. Definitely, very much.”

“And he likes you.”

“Well I mean—“

“That wasn’t a question. He likes you. End of discussion. He’s an adult, let him decide what he wants. Geralt?”

“Surprisingly sound logic, coming from you. Frightening, actually.”

Eskel nodded along as his brothers bickered back and forth. He felt like he was floating on air, without a tether to the ground.

“Oh, fuck, he’s really gone for him isn’t he?” Lambert muttered, watching Eskel’s eyes glaze over once more.

Eskel smirked and shook his head, “Fuck off, Lambert.” He playfully shoved his brother’s head to the side and went to count out the till and take it downstairs. He just sat down by the safe when his phone pinged.

Free for dinner day-after-tomorrow, playing a gig tomorrow night and Friday. Which would you prefer first?

Eskel smiled and typed out a response of his own, sending it before he could rethink it. Could I come to tomorrow’s gig and take you to dinner Thursday? I really want to see you again.

He felt his breath immediately quicken, but his hand was steady as he waited for a reply.

*...*

Oh Jesus God please just reply...

Gig tomorrow is at 8:30, Gibson’s Pub in Corktown. $5 cover and also $5 Mill St. on tap. Dinner on Thursday it is. Not fussy, but nothing too spicy. Your choice 😊

Not quite sure what we should do for dinner, but I’m sure I’ll think of something. I won’t miss it for the world. Meanwhile, Eskel knew exactly where he’d be going for dinner. He shot off a text to his father and requested a quiet table for 2 at his restaurant. Papa Vesemir never asked too many questions, but he knew he’d have to explain later.

If you have the opportunity to save the world rather than listen to me play Wonderwall at someone’s request, please do. You can hear that literally any time you want.

For my favorite son, what wouldn’t I do?

Eskel replied to both: That’s a tall order. Watching you begrudgingly play Wonderwall could let me die a happy man.

Thanks, Pops. I know you’re not working that night, just tell Giulio nothing fancy, okay? Just a normal two-top.

Eskel’s phone dinged twice more: Oh my gods, you really are trying to kill me aren't you? You’re too sweet ;)

Mhm.

Eskel continued on with Julian, content with leaving Vesemir to finish his night. Don’t get me wrong, there would be a deep amusement in knowing how much you definitely hate that song by now.

Oh, I absolutely despise it and it needs to go die horribly in a dumpster somewhere. At least now I’ll have a confidante tomorrow evening. You know, someone to really share my suffering with.

Will you play any of your originals?

Would you like me to?

Only if you want. I understand if you’d rather not share them right away.

Julian was quickly realizing the extent to which he had, very much, struck a gold mine. Part of him couldn’t help but wonder what was waiting around the corner to make things not work out This Time. But he shoved those thoughts back. I share my music every week with people who’ve either heard it all before, or are too distracted to really care. Mostly Tinder dates trying to gain hipster points. Please. I would be so happy to know you’re there and actually wanting to listen.

Eskel felt his heart flutter in his chest as he rested his elbows on the desk with a crooked smile.

I can’t wait, I’m sure they’re wonderful :) Eskel wasn’t really one to use emojis, but this one just kinda...slipped out.

He was whistling by the time he got to the top of the stairs and his brothers were already waiting for him, jackets on, lights out, floors mopped, door ready to be locked.

“Dinner? Eskel said, trying to wipe what he knew was a stupid grin off his face.

“Where to, lover boy?”

Eskel deferred to Geralt, “Hmmm. China down?”

“Mother Dumpling?” Eskel offered, pulling his collar up as they headed out, Geralt and Lambert sounding their agreement. With the cafe door closed and locked, the three brothers headed out into the evening.

#eskel/jaskier #jaskel #fluff #coffeeshop au #modern au

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diwhynot · 5 years ago

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A busy week..

We are getting ever-closer to finishing the attic bedroom. Our flooring was delivered Monday afternoon, and by that night I had finished it! I was pretty sad about going with the LVP over the wood floors, but honestly, seeing the final result, I think it was the right call. It looks nice, right? And it was SUPER easy to install. I would definitely recommend if you’re looking at updating your flooring, especially if you’re willing to diy it to avoid installation costs.

With all this going on in the bedroom, I actually still had time to do a couple of smaller projects I’d wanted to for a while. After finishing my grading last Friday, I had an actual weekend! I had some lemons that were about past their prime, so I decided to make some marmalade (orange marmalade is one of my childhood favorites; Mamaw always seemed to have some on hand). The first picture is the result: I used 3 lemons, 4 oranges, 3 cups of sugar, and about two tablespoons of hibiscus petals for added flavor (and color!). No pectin or gelatin needed: the piths of citrus are FULL of natural pectin, so I just let them sit in my peel/fruit mixture overnight before boiling and it gooped up nicely.

I also baked a couple of loaves of bread, and I was really excited about how they turned out! Since we’ve been social distancing, I’ve been baking pretty regularly because we tend to go through bread pretty quickly (Yann has a morning ritual of bread and Nutella) but with everything going on, this is the first time I’ve done it in the new house. The recipe is my Mama’s, with a few little alterations. I like to make mine with whole wheat flour and honey instead of sugar, and rather than doing an egg wash for the crispy crust, I bake in a cast iron dutch oven that traps the steam nicely. This one is my most beautiful loaf so far! (Although it is made with white flour, because I’m starting to run low of my normal flour)

And finally, the garden. We inherited an absolutely beautiful yard from the former owners, but it’s a little bit wild! I actually enjoy a kind of natural, sprawling garden, but we had lots of dead leaves, old chunks of cement and brick, and COMPLETELY out of control weeds. It’s definitely a huge project, but we’ve made little steps of progress. We have beautiful flowers right now; lilacs, white poppies, and whatever those gorgeous red ones are (if you know, please tell me!). We’ve planted potatoes, a blueberry bush, some herbs (of course. Couldn’t call myself a proper hedge witch without them), and a salsa garden, and we have a raised bed in the works. I think working in the garden is my favorite thing about the house so far; there’s something really meditative about hands deep in soil, watching those first little green sprouts shoot up into something lush and beautiful. I can’t wait until we can start to harvest our own food. My dad is really into gardening, and my favorite summers in California always involved pulling fresh fruits and veggies off the stalk and eating them raw. Snow peas, tomatoes, zucchini, MMM!

I’ll keep you posted on our progress. In the meantime, miss you all.

#diy #home renovation #garden #kitchen witch #home decor inspiration

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grantairelibere · 4 years ago

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Sandwich update: I have copied down all the recipes from the time between quiz creation to circa 8 pm yesterday evening, and now have 27 pages of sandwich (and several non-sandwich) recipes. I have compiled some stuff for your viewing pleasure, and because I feel the need to share the wealth. What is one man to do with 27 pages of sandwich recipes?? Share them on his blog about Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, I guess.

General sandwich advice: I got a lot of answers multiple times: statistically “no” and “bread” were the most common, but also got a few very popular hot tips: -use mayo in the place of butter when making grilled cheese -put chips/crisps on sandwiches for that good crunch -alternative crunch method: sliced cucumbers -“the contents don’t matter as long as the bread is good” -add arugula to things (strongly agree) -apparently 1000 islands salad dressing is good on savoury sandwiches -grilled PB&J the way one might make a grilled cheese -the combination of a fried egg+avocado+cheese Now, the following recipes all come to you verbatim from the uquiz text box. I have never tried these but they sound very good: -My favorite bagel recipe : salmon, cream cheese, avocado slices marinated in lemon juice and red pepper, sun dried tomatoes and salad leaves. It's just SO GOOD. To have with a toasted bagel with melted cheese ?

-swedish meatballs and beetroot salad on toasted baguette

-Fry some chicken (pref thigh but breast if ur white) in breadcrumbs. Bread, mayo, kimchi, fried chicken, cheese, bread BAM best sandwich ur welcome

-Apples kale some nice havarti cheese hummus and lime

-chop up a green onion and an israeli pickle very finely, mix mayo and eel sauce, spread sauce on rye toast, and add the veggies and sliced turkey. add some sort of sliced cheese if you want to :)

-crusty bread, toasted; gochujang; comté; fried eggs

-Brie cranberry sauce rockets and walnuts. Bougie af but delicious

-First you need a good, grainy bread. Something dark, with texture. Layer of brown mustard. Roast beef (deli or leftover roast, but preferably thin slaices), then a THIN layer of horseradish sauce, then provolone cheese. Do the same on the other slice of bread, DO NOT CLOSE THE SANDWICH, throw both slices into the toaster oven/regular oven until the cheese is melty, THEN put some greens in the middle (I like baby spinach or arugula or both) and slap that bad boy together, luxuriate

-Food processor, put in chickpeas, teeny bit of onion, couple tablespoons of Mayo (or vegan Mayo, then lil bit of vinegar, lemon juice and garlic powder, whizz it all together and season with salt n pepper, add sweet corn if that’s your jam and BOOM Veggie/Vegan tuna Mayo for ur sandwich needs

-cheese, coleslaw and mango chutney between lightly toasted bread

-Nutella and cream cheese. It sounds gross but trust me on this, my guy. It’s so good. The sandwich of sandwiches.

-some good quality dry summer sausage, dijon mustard, fresh sliced tomatoes, and homemade dill pickles on sourdough bread

-First thing’s first: Get a loaf of bread. Cut that thang. Grab some cheese, your fave, although now that I’m thinking about it gouda sounds real good...mmm...?????... NEXT: pesto. I don’t care if you don’t like pesto, slap that mf on there. Last ingredient: truffle aioli. “OoOh, fancy”, stfu it’s real basic Stonewall Kitchen stuff. Little bit of butter, grill it on the stove and BAM. Grilled cheese of your dreams. ᵐᵐ ᵍᵒᵘᵈᵃ

-Okay arugula, fresh mozz, basil, balsamic glaze, sliced peach, on French bread

-Marinate some veggies (I like onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and zucchini) in balsamic vinegar or balsamic dressing. Grill them or sauté them. Cut open focaccia horizontally, toast it, and top with hummus and your veggies. Smoked tofu or tempeh is good if you want more protein. Eat open faced. Live deliciously.

-goat cheese, honey, walnuts. if nut allergy, grilled courgette, salad, sundried tomatoes, pesto and mozarella

-toast white bread (3 slices). mince 1 adobo chili (canned). take minced chili and 1/2 tsp sauce from it and mix with mayo. chop cillantro, add to mayo. add splash of lime juice and salt to taste. put on slices of bread. add turkey, lettuce, tomato +bacon if desired

-Panini! Fig jam, provolone cheese, mortadella, prosciutto, any spicy salami and some apple slices (lettuce or arugula optional) Press that bad boy and enjoy a warm delicatessen

-Toast a slice of home baked sourdough. Spread hummus. Add a couple slices of canned smoked herring or similar. Slice a hard boiled egg and place over the herring. Finish with chives from the garden. Enjoy the heck out of your open faced hipster millennial atrocity.

-Apples kale some nice havarti cheese hummus and lime

-It's super basic, but, if you do eat pork, you can cook it in a pan with dry white wine and herbs and then you sort of drench the bread in the sauce, and fill it with the meat and some lettuce and it's really good.

-butter, garlic, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella/parmesan/feta cheese, lao gan ma chilli sauce. fresh basil if you have it. Toasted

I’m dubious, but you have my attention: -sliced apples, cheese, and a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon on a bagel, toasted

-A chocolate bar a Nutella spread a several M&m crispys a nother chocolate bar bone apple tea

-Fluffernutter (I have googled this, apparently it is peanut butter and marshmallow fluff?)

-Bologna and BBQ chips

-Toasted cinnamon raisin bread, unsweetened crunchy peanut butter, crisp American/streaky bacon, very thin layer of hot pepper jelly.

-Uhh chicken salad with grapes and walnuts with lettuce and onion on a croissant

-starkist lemon pepper tuna with blueberries and mayonnaise

-This is going to sound weird, but cheese and banana toasted sandwich. If you have a toasted sandwich maker, try it. It sounds bizarre - honestly it sounds gross, but having had it, it is delicious. The melted cheese goes with the banana really well.

-turkey with peanut butter and jelly . maybe lettuce as well if you please

-Ciabatta, roasted red peppers, lettuce, cheddar cheese, mayo, horseradish sauce, honey mustard, bean sprouts. No meat, my friends mock me and call it a condiment sandwich.

-OKAY SO CICKENNNUGGETS AND CHEESE AND RANCH AND PICKLE

I’m prepared to eat my words if these are good, but are YOU good?: -peanut butter and egg

-Ham, egg, cheese, and rice. Yes rice.

-Put a pot noodle in there and eat it like a dog

-Bread. Lettuce. Lettuce. Bread. Bread. Lettuce. Bread. Half of a tomato. Lettuce, still wet from the rinse. Mustard. Bread. Bread. Then you put the crust on afterwards.

-Fresh out the toaster English muffins (or eggos) are the perfect temperature to melt the chocolate in English Bay chocolate chip cookies

-DIP THE SINGLE SLICE IN COKE AND STUFF IT IN YOUR MOUTH ---

Anyway. Thank you everyone for your sandwiches. I will be living so deliciously in the coming years. This uquiz was the best decision I’ve ever made. Feel free to request more sandwich compilations of me. I have so many.

What're the best sandwich recipes you've got from the quiz so far

So.....I did not anticipate this many people taking the quiz, and my doc of compiled uquiz sandwich recipes got to TWENTY PAGES last night before I had to go to sleep, so I kinda stopped reading and just started copy pasting. Will update this response when I finish getting through the first day’s sandwiches.

Also callout to whoever sent in “nutella and ham”

#sandwiches #off topic #please enjoy this sandwich compilation #there were so many good ones #i love arugula so much

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samirgianni · 7 years ago

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Seasonal Ontario Food's Top Ten - Breakfasts, Yeast & Non-Yeast Breads, & Sandwiches

I basically went down the list of breakfast entries, going, "Oh, that one... oh, that one..." I think that breakfast dishes may be my favourite of all. I could only squeeze one waffle recipe in; I'm not sure I think it's my favourite but the cornmeal makes them a bit unusual. I love waffles far more than this list suggests. I think of myself as not a big bread eater but I got all misty-eyed putting together this list. Maybe it's just because it's a diet day, but I think that actually I love good bread. It's just that the way to get good bread is to make it yourself, mostly, as with so many things. I haven't made much bread the last couple of years as family life went all to pot; maybe I can start up again. I hope so. Breakfasts: Wild Rice & Buckwheat Pancakes -A bit luxurious, but really delicious. I have to say there really is something special about wild rice. Sherry Stewed Rhubarb - Your basic stewed rhubarb is twice as amazing with a little sherry added. Who knew? Stewed Rhubarb Compote with Apples or Strawberries has been viewed far more often, though; the most viewed breakfast dish. Eggs Baked in Tomatoes - A bit fussy, but delicious and just the thing for a special but not too heavy breakfast or brunch - always a hazard of fancy breakfasts. Scrambled Eggs with Ramps & Mushrooms - This one has a very brief window when the wild leeks (ramps) are in season, but it's worth waiting for. Cocoa Oatmeal - A delicious, and not as decadent as it looks, way to eat your morning oatmeal. For something a little more austere but also delicious and different, try Buckwheat Porridge. Scrambled Tofu - A vegetarian classic and something I really enjoy even though I eat eggs all the time. Easy, and light but filling.

Ham & Potato Dumplings - This old-style Canadiana recipe deserves a revival! I had to tweak the technique, but once that was done the results were delightful. Wheat Crepes - or Buckwheat Crepes - I struggled with making crepes for years, but now they are happening for me! So good, so much lighter than pancakes, and so flexible - eat them plain(ish) or fill them and roll them up. Not just for breakfast. Cottage Cheese Pancakes - These sturdy, high protein pancakes are great for those of us who tend to crash if we just eat starchy things at breakfast. They are also pretty darn tasty! I like them with savory things like chives better than with sweet things, but they can go either way. Cornmeal Waffles - Nice crisp waffles with the flavour of corn. Great for using up leftover cornmeal mush (polenta). Freeze and toast well (like all the waffles I've made). Super! Scones, Tea Breads & Muffins: Cooked Oatmeal Scones - I have a whole series of recipes for leftover oatmeal. (I bet I could use leftover Buckwheat Porridge too; hmmm.) Is it still leftovers if you did it on purpose? Planovers, then - a little advance planning to provide a continuous stream of delicious food. These are probably my favourite of the lot. Cape Breton Scones - Here is an old family recipe from my Grandmother, so there is an extra layer of pleasure for me in eating them. Even without that though, I promise that these are really special. English Cream Scones - To make these you need to make Clotted Cream which you can then put on your scones. How convenient! The only hard part is finding the right cream to buy. I am sad to report that Miller's Dairy whipping cream doesn't work; pasteurized at too high a temperature I guess.

Buttermilk Bran Loaf - Basically this is the offspring of Irish Soda Bread and Bran Muffins; and a very fine hybrid it is too. Jam Tea Loaf - A great accompaniment to a cup of tea, and a good way to use up runny or extra jam. You can feel both frugal and self-indulgent at the same time, which is quite the feat. Cocoa Zucchini Loaf - a classic loaf, very popular for the same reasons as the above. Cake! and thriftiness! Both at the same time. Date & Banana Loaf - This little one has not gotten a lot of attention, which I think is too bad, because it's a nice little treat. Yes, it's quite restrained and that's the point; but that just means it can be eaten on a regular basis and not just saved for special occasions. Pumpkin Bran Muffins -Bran muffins, with pumpkin. Two great tastes that taste great together, basically. Very popular. Cocoa Banana Muffins - Eat them for breakfast; they are not too over the top. Or put a little icing on them, and call them cupcakes. Carrot Bran Muffins - If we are talking about the genetic lineages of baked goods (and it seems that we are) then these are cross between Carrot Cake and Bran Muffins, and they too exhibit excellent hybrid vigour. My most viewed recipe in this category by a fair bit. Pop-Pop's Biscuit Muffins with Haskaps - All the appeal of biscuits, in an easier muffin form. You can add berries, or not; delicious either way. Another one flavoured with nostalgia for me. Non-Yeast Breads: Chinese Green Onion Panbread, or Tsung Yu Ping - I haven't made these in a long time but I keep thinking about them. Especially since the garden is full of onion greens at the moment! One of my favourite things. Scottish Potato Scones - These are a favourite thing too. Oh, all right; I love just about any chewy flatbread. But these have potatoes! So good, and also the most viewed recipe in this section. Irish Soda Bread - This is what most North Americans think of as Irish Soda Bread; the Irish think no such thing. This one straddles the line between North American excess and Irish plainness. They say that compromise pleases no-one but actually, it suits me just fine, at least in this case. Irish Soda Farls - This on the other hand is what the Irish think of as soda bread; when it's flattened out and cooked in quarters on a griddle it's called Farls, though. I've made it a few times recently and am getting to like it very much.

Whole Wheat Tortillas - Another chewy flatbread, and so much better than anything you can buy. Usually the case, isn't it? Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits - Quick and easy, so good hot out of the oven. Once you have made them a few times they will go together in next to no time. Instant Biscuits - But if you want something even quicker and easier than the above, these will do the trick. Mmm, hot biscuits! I want some now. Yeast Breads & Sandwiches: Red Fife Whole Wheat Bread - A fairly basic whole wheat loaf adapted to Red Fife flour. Good stuff, and my most viewed bread recipe. English Muffins - Homemade English Muffins! No harder than any other yeast bread and such a treat. Sweet Fruit "Pizza" Made with Basic Sweet Dough - Whenever I want a sweet yeasted bread product, like cinnamon rolls or poppyseed loaf, this is the one I make. It seems "just right" to me and you can't beat that. Sweet Breakfast Buns - Probably kind of resemble the above, with more in the way of spices and bits. I love these. Piroshki - Stuffed buns! I give a classic filling, but you can put all sorts of things in them. And yes, my speculations about freezing them were spot on. They freeze very well. Finnish Nisa (Pulla) Bread or German Stollen - It all depends on what, if anything, you put into the basic dough. Nisa (or Pulla; it seems to get called both) for everyday eating, Stollen for Chrismas. Spelt & Rye Bread - Another good sturdy loaf, with spelt and rye flours this time. Funeral Sandwiches, Otherwise Known as Ham Salad - This one got a lot of attention; it's your basic old-fashioned ham salad recipe and the story of how I came to know about it. Bacon-Cilantro-Tomato Sandwich - Nothing wrong with a good BLT, nothing at all. But when the tomatoes are pouring into the kitchen in August sometimes you need to change things up a bit. If you like cilantro, this is a little twist that makes a big difference, and a good one too.

The "CLT" Sandwich - Cheese, Lettuce, & Tomato - Another alternative to the BLT. I think I must be waiting with baited breath for tomato season! from Seasonal Ontario Food http://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2017/06/seasonal-ontario-foods-top-ten_16.html

#Seasonal Ontario Food

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