thoughtformed | New Brew Grand Opening

Who: Ianto and Anyone
What: Unsatisfied with the offerings in New Moore, Ianto has opened his own coffeeshop. New Brew, the new ~~front to Torchwood New Moore~~ coffee and tea shop, is now open for business
When: Thursday the 8th and Onward at irregular, unposted hours
Where: New Brew Coffee and Tea Shop in the Shipping District
Warnings: Will be updated as needed.

The coffee shop was nothing spectacular from the outside. A little building on the front of a warehouse that might once have been the shipping office. There was a counter with the usual suspects to be found in the good sort of coffee shops. No automated coffee dispensing machines. Just an expresso/steamer, bean pressers and brewers, the sort you might find in the art deco style of coffee shop. Coffee mugs and tea cups lined a bookcase to the back, everything neatly organized and in it's place. At any time, you could find a young Welshman in a suit, suit jack absent, but waist coat present, a stopwatch in his pocket and a book or pamphlet in his hands.

The service was friendly, but never particularly fast. But the coffee. The coffee was some of the finest roasted coffee to ever touch your taste buds. It was rich, full and flavorful, perfectly roasted and made to order.

The shop itself was small. Three tables were set up with two chairs a piece inside the doors. Comfortable chairs, but practical and light. The tables were bolted to the floor to discourage people from pulling them together, and round to make it an impractical endeavor. It was clear the owner did not expect or plan for high volume business. In fact, it would almost seem like he was discouraging it.

Whatever the case, the coffee and tea served there was damn fine, high quality stuff.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Aisling had come by primarily to charge her phone, and ask about this new room key she'd been given, but also because she wanted to see Ianto and Captain. She'd found a bit of shiny, sharp-edged obsidian, and thought they might like it.

Slipping inside the door, she looked around in surprise at the gentle tinkly chime of the bells. Well, this was new! All sorts of fascinating new bits and bobs and things and smells. Oh, Ianto had said on the net work that he was opening a shop. Was this the shop, then? She meandered through, not touching, peering with bright interest over the counter.
(She had to stand on her tiptoes to see, but she suspected it was rude to jump up and crouch on it.)

Ianto looked up from the papers he was reading through at the little tinkling chime of bells. A genuine smile crossed his expression at Aisling's presence. Already she was growing on him. More than he wanted to admit.

"Hello, Aisling." He slipped the paper away, standing up a little straighter behind the counter. "Would you like a hot chocolate?" Ianto Jones, self professed to be not the best with kids, not so secretly adored Aisling nearly as much as his niece and nephew.

He sent a quick text to Jack announcing her arrival, without so much as a glance at the phone he slipped back into his pocket.

"Time to charge your phone again?"

Aisling laughed, nodding, and leaped up and over the counter, careful not to upset anything, to land next to him. Most small children would hug their favorite uncle, but she tucked her hands behind her and smiled up at him.

"Someone told me that they make sweets of marshmallow and put it in their hot chocolate!" She'd fallen back into the comfortable habit of not quite asking questions. A little tilt of the head was enough.

"I am sure I could find some marshmallows for you. I also have whipped cream if you would like to try that?" Ianto did not make hot chocolate often, but this was Aisling, and it was hard for him to resist when it came to her.

"Jack is just downstairs. There is a plug under the counter if you need to charge your phone."

Was it really possible for her to perk up any further? Apparently yes, because the word cream drew her attention so that she was practically vibrating with interest. "Whipped cream?" She didn't even spare a glance for the counter, she was so focused on him.

Ianto smiled and pulled out the canister of cream, working on making a hot chocolate for Aisling. When it was ready he topped it with a hefty serving of the fluffy white whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate.

"Hot cocoa and whipped cream." He slid it along the counter towards Aisling, wondering what it was about her that made him act this way. He had never been good with kids. His niece and Nephew saw him rarely, and while they were always happy to see him, he had never really been the indulgent, parental type. Just the uncle who brought them gifts.

She gingerly grasped the mug in both hands to lift it from the counter, eyes wide at the strange poof of white stuff on top. It didn't look like any food she'd ever seen before. It more resembled the foam that sometimes appeared on top of the beer the adults drank at home.

She sniffed at it, opening her mouth a little to inhale the scent like a cat. There was the chocolate, and the sharper scent of the chocolate syrup, and then... She didn't really know how to describe it. Sweet, yes, creamy, yes... Like the scent would coat the roof of your mouth, if you let it. She rolled it over her tongue, considering.

Finally she extended the tip of her tongue to dip cautiously into the fluffy wonder. Her eyes went round, and she made a little "oooh!" sound. It had melted! Gone in a blink, leaving the flavor lingering for a long moment. This stuff was wonderful!

From an innocuous door toward the back of the store labeled, "Employees Only", Jack poked his head out, and deeming it safe, he smiled and entered the shop just in time to see Aisling taste the sweet cream. "How is it?" he asked, moving himself over to occupy the counterspace across from her after giving Ianto a quick peck on the cheek. "Isn't it good? Ianto and I use it all the time, don't we?" He playfully nudged his lover, a grin to match gracing his lips.

Coffee was one of those things you acquired a taste for far too quickly and forgot how to go without just as quickly.

Which was a problem, given how little money she had these days for indulging herself on coffee. Being poor wasn't fun at all. Still, a place set up like this one was interesting enough that she slipped in a couple days after it opened and sat down. It almost felt like business was being discouraged, and that was the sort of thing to make Cindy want a closer look.

Cindy came to the right place. It was not an expensive shop, and the coffee was some of the best she would find anywhere on the island. Ianto's passion was coffee, and anyone who had ever tasted a cup he had made would know that right away.

He looked up from the newspaper, if it could be called that, that he had been reading. He looked, well, bored. Not particularly welcoming at first. After a moment he managed a smile. A small, polite one.

"Hello."

"Hello," she said back, and leaned on the counter, looking at him thoughtfully. Hm. Not welcoming, either. Odd.

"I couldn't possibly get a look at a menu, could I?"

New Brew Grand Opening

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject