Who: Shuri and Jet Slootmaekers What: random run-in Where: Madison Valley Tea and Coffee Co When: Wednesday, June 7, morning. Warnings: Low. Status: g-doc
Shuri needed coffee before she started her work day. While she loved being back as the social media person at the winery, the job required her to arm herself with caffeine to get through the messages she tackled first thing, before she moved on to the more fun aspects of her job.
She wanted a pastry too, so the Wakandan princess decided to stop at Madison Valley instead of Starbucks this morning. And the line seemed shorter too, for which Shuri felt pleased. Only four people stood in front of her. “Thank Bast for short lines.”
Jet was in desperate need of caffeine. This was the normal state of affairs for the young woman. At this point in time, she wasn’t even sure if caffeine did anything for her, but she wasn’t ready to figure that out. It would be a sad, sad day when Jet Slootmaekers was without some sort of caffeine. Coffee was her go-to, but she was not opposed to energy drinks or highly caffeinated tea.
“Short lines and reasonably priced coffee,” she observed. “Starbucks is overpriced and mediocre at best.” She then turned and grinned at the woman behind her.
“Fancy seeing you here. You look just as beautiful fully clothed as you do naked by a bonfire.”
Shuri didn’t mind Starbucks on occasion, since they did have a rewards system, but not when she wanted a pastry. “As long as I can get a vanilla latte and a lemon poppyseed muffin, I don’t care where I find them. Although, this is more on my way to work.” Jet’s greeting made her grin.
“Fancy meeting you too.” The Wakandan enjoyed their time at the bonfire, but she needed caffeine to flirt. “Caffeine fix before work too?”
“I am in major need of all of the caffeine,” she told the other woman. “I made the horrible decision to stay up way too late when I had to be awake far too early.” She needed something to get her through the day. Even if it was just false hope of perkiness from caffeine and coffee.
“A lemon poppyseed muffin sounds like a good idea.” She wasn’t usually one for pastries, but sometimes they were necessary.
“You have work soon, then?”
Shuri laughed. How many times had she stayed up way too late in her lab? Okay, sometimes she did it here as well, but the Wakandan hadn’t this last week while she fell back into the routine of actual work.
“I do that too sometimes, but I’ve only just returned to my job, so I’m trying to get to sleep at a reasonable time.” Shuri would find her way back to the lab this weekend. “Yeah, I do, but thankfully my boss is a friend from home and my job doesn’t need to be 9-5 as the social media person.”
She grinned. “Muffins always taste good.” Shuri still preferred food from home, though.
“You’re lucky to have friends from home,” she said, softly. “I wouldn’t mind seeing a few familiar faces.” Some would be more preferred than others. “Though I am rather glad to be seeing yours – it’s a pretty lovely familiar face.” She smiled a bit as she spoke. She wasn’t a big smiler – but sometimes it was necessary.
Especially when she was talking to someone like Shuri.
“You are the social media person? Where are you working?” she asked. “If you need help with anything, let me know. I can try to help.” She wasn’t big on social media, but she was able to work with it nonetheless. It was part of technology and the internet, after all.
“I’m incredibly lucky. Plus, a friend I think of as a brother is here with me.” Bucky would never replace T’Challa, but he helped her feel just a little less alone in this world and place.
“Who would you like to see from home?” Shuri liked Jet and enjoyed their conversations. Plus, she looked good naked, but right now a relationship seemed very far from Shuri’s mind. Friendship, though, sounded good to her.
“Oh, a friend from home runs the winery, so I work for her. Different from my work back home, but I find I’m good at it.” Of course, if asked, Shuri would admit she probably lost a little of her abilities with the deaths of her mother and brother back home.
“Thanks! I appreciate it.”
Jet wasn’t looking for a relationship in Madison Valley. That was the last thing on her mind. She was just trying to adjust to life here and perhaps make a few friends along the way. She didn’t mind having a bit of fun along the way, either. Like she had with Shuri at the orgy. She would not be opposed to having fun with Shuri like that again sometime.
She considered the woman’s question for a moment, her head tilting slightly. “My team from back home, mainly. Even if Stabler would probably try to kill people once he realizes he couldn’t leave.”
Jet offered Shuri a small smile, “Of course. I was the techy person in the Organized Crime division, it would be nice to put some of that to use here. …even with social media.”
Shuri nodded. She missed…M’Baqu, oddly enough, and Okoye. Okay, fine, and Agent Ross, one of the few colonizers Shuri liked. But even if she got sent back home, Shuri wouldn’t have her family, so she tried to focus on her life here.
She tilted her head. “We should compare technology sometime.” Her phone buzzed. “Oh shoot. I have to go, but do you want to get a drink this week? I like speaking with you.”
Jet nodded as Shuri stated she needed to go – work was a necessity that sometimes called for a person to be there at a certain time. Which is what Jet assumed was happening. That Shuri needed to get to work. “Of course,” she said. “I like speaking with you, too, and a drink would be nice.” She wasn’t a big drinker, but sometimes a drink was required.
And a drink with a potential new friend was definitely needed.
“Just let me know when and where and I’ll be there.”