Tea Time

“Shit, I’m late,” Switch muttered while she raced through the crowd of people and grems, there was some sort of event happening in the shopping district which was slowing her down. She was supposed to meet up with Mag and Jiao for tea but this job for Satyra was running late. Jolt raced along beside her, glaring at anyone who was daft enough to get in the way. Normally they’d be zipping through the city lights but during the day that was a little hard to do. 

    “Switch?” Someone shouted over the hum of the crowd, the black grem halted in her tracks, eyes darting from person to person, the voice hadn’t sounded threatening but you never knew in her line of work. Jolt paused a bit ahead of her alert to any danger. A dark grem with iridescent blue fur and his telltale bright pink horns pushed his way through the crowd, and a smaller pastel blue grem followed a grin plastered on xeir face at the sight of Switch.
    “We thought you were running late, turns out you were right on time,” the pink horned grem said, reaching for her hand.
    “Ah. Mag I did plan on being late and still do, I’m not quite off the clock yet,” Switch replied, taking a slight step back.
     The pastel grem took a step up and grabbed her arm, “We won’t take no for an answer. The tea shop is just over there so why not go now. Just tell your boss you needed to take your legally required lunch break.”
    Switch smiled awkwardly, allowing herself to be led to their destination “I suppose an early break won’t hurt Jiao.”
    “That’s the spirit!” Magpie grinned, draping his arm over the black grems shoulders, which was a sight considering he towered over both her and Jiao. Jolt followed behind them diligently keeping watch on the crowd.

    Thank god Mag had thought to reserve a table, the tea shop was full of people taking a break from whatever event was going on. “Follow me please,” a cute little grem said, they were clutching 3 menus to their chest as if their life depended on it.
    Magpie, Jiao and Switch made their way to a table in the back corner of the shop, Switch sat in the chair that would give her the best view of the restaurant and made a quick note of areas she could make a quick exit out of if she needed. Jolt had to keep watch outside since pets weren’t allowed. The grem passed out the menus, “What can I start you with today or did you want a few minutes?”
    “I’ll need a few minutes,” Switch replied sweetly, the waiter glanced at Mag and Jiao

 who nodded at them, they ducked away into the throng of customers.

    Mag didn’t even bother looking at the menu before starting the small talk, “So Switch, we’ve been wondering… What do you do for work exactly?”
    “I make deliveries,” she replied without skipping a beat while she skimmed the menu. She was probably just going to go with her usual choice, earl grey with cream, sugar and a strawberry scone to nibble on.
    “But you don’t work for a postal service,” Mag replied.
    Switch glanced at him over her menu, “It’s a private company, not something government owned.” She knew these were harmless questions, small talk, but they made her skin itch. It wouldn’t be good if she slipped up.
    “You don’t have a uniform.” Jiao stated quietly.
    “It’s a casual private company, at least on my end. I’m not in the building except to pick up deliveries.”
    A lie. Her street clothes were a protective measure.
    “Fair enough,” Jiao replied, “I think I’m ready to order are you guys?” Mag gave the menu a quick once over before nodding, the three of them had been coming here for a couple weeks now and each almost always ordered the same thing. The tall grem flagged down a waiter. 

    “So Jiao, Mag how are your jobs going?” Switch asked once the tea arrived.
    “Oh you know, same old same old,” Mags replied, “It’s better than it used to be but it will never replace him you know?”
    Neither Jiao or Switch missed the hitch in his voice when Mag brought up his old owner, “At least you’re not working with those horrid support workers anymore,” Jiao said, placing a hand on Mag’s shoulder. 

    “Yeah,” Magpie sighed then perked up shortly after, “But I am allowed to go back to the house and take what I wanted from his collection, his family didn’t want any of it so I’ll be doing that over the next few days.” 

“That’s awesome Mag!” Switch grinned, she was glad her friend was being allowed to keep some physical  memories of his past.

    “And what about you Jiao,” Mag asked, eager to change the subject to something else.
    “If you thought owning regular sized birds was a challenge, talk to me when you own 2 birds big enough to ride.”
    Switch snickered, it was rare you heard such emotion from Jiao, xe were usually soft spoken and only said good things about xeir mounts.
    “Don’t laugh at me, it’s mating season and to say they’re both driving me crazy is an understatement.” 

    Mags chuckled too, “Regretting the ownership of two birds big enough to stomp you?”
    Jiao turned xeir nose up in mock annoyance, “You’ll never understand the struggles of birds who want to get laid.”
    “JIAODENG!” Switch yelled, quietly of course since they were in public, “Did you just use the term get laid, for giant bird sex? I think that’s the dirtiest thing you’ve ever said in our presence”
    A chunk of scone smacked into the black grem’s face. Mags burst out laughing, “You got a little something there Switch.” 

    “Oh do I? I wonder where it came from, Jiao would never make such a scene in public and you’re too nice Mags.”
    

Jiao sipped xeir tea quietly, radiating innocence. Mags laughed while Switch contemplated throwing food back at xem, she glanced at the window and noticed a hulking figure in the crowd of people outside. “Oh shit,” she muttered as she checked the time. “It’s been fun guys but I gotta run before my boss kills me, this break was longer than intended.”
    “Oh right, you’re still working. Sorry Switch!” Mags exclaimed.
    “S’all good friends, I’ll chat with you later,” She said as she tossed some money on the table and shoved the rest of her scone into her mouth, “Thanks for tea we’ll do this again soon hopefully that’s enough to cover my portion okay bye let me know when you guys get home byyyeee.”

---

    “Did she leave really fast and suddenly to you Jiao?” Mags asked as he watched her leave the shop, her feline companion was waiting for her at the door. It looked stressed.
    “I think this is the most relaxed she’s been when we go out but yeah she did leave pretty fast,” The small grem was also watching Switch. 

They both sipped their tea as an impossibly large grem in an impeccably tailored suit approached her and placed a giant hand on her shoulder, Switch’s ears were down and she looked worried. Jiao noticed that Mags was bristling as he watched them interact, “Do you think that’s her boss?” The pastel grem asked. 

“If it is I don’t like them,” Mags hissed. 

Jiao patted him on the shoulder, “She’s a big girl and can take care of herself.”
    They watched as the two moved into the crowd, “We should follow them,” Mags said standing up suddenly.
    “Or we ask her next time we see her,” Jiao ever the voice of reason.
    Mags reluctantly sat back down, “Fine, but for the record I don’t like that suggestion and I don’t like that grem.” 

“Agreed but if that is her boss we did steal her away from work.”
    Mags huffed, “Fair point but I don’t have to like them.” 

    Jiao chuckled, “Correct.”
    “I’m sure she’s fine, her boss was probably just worried about her that’s all,” Mags muttered more to himself than anything. He did not believe a word he had said but it was better than thinking she was in some sort of trouble.

---