Morning came too fast.

Six hours again.

Not enough—but enough to function.

I didn't bother lingering in the back room longer than necessary. The moment my alarm went off, I was up, moving, getting ready. There was something already sitting in the back of my mind, something practical, something simple—

Delivery.

I had run out of coffee.

Completely.

Which was... a problem.

A big one.

So instead of opening like usual, I was already outside, leaning lightly against the wall next to the café entrance, arms crossed, eyes scanning the street for any sign of the supplier. The morning air was still crisp, quieter than later hours, the kind of calm that didn't last long once the day properly started.

Any moment now.

They were supposed to be here early.

Very early.

Because I had customers.

Regular ones.

Reliable ones.

Right on time—

Chime.

The door behind me opened.

I didn't even need to turn.

"...morning."

"Good morning," came the familiar voice of Naomasa Tsukauchi.

"And—ugh—morning," Sansa added, already sounding half-awake.

I pushed off the wall and turned toward them.

"Before you say anything," I started flatly, "I'm out of coffee."

Silence.

Sansa blinked.

Once.

Twice.

"...you're joking."

"I'm not."

"You're a café."

"I'm aware."

"You sell coffee."

"I'm also aware."

"And you're out of it."

"Yes."

Sansa stared at me like I had personally betrayed him.

"That's illegal."

"It's unfortunate."

"That's a disaster."

"That's why I'm out here."

I gestured vaguely down the street.

"Delivery's supposed to arrive any minute."

Tsukauchi, on the other hand, just adjusted his coat slightly, expression calm as ever.

"I see."

Of course he did.

Always composed.

Always reasonable.

Sansa, however?

Not so much.

"I needed that," he muttered, rubbing his face. "I emotionally needed that."

"You'll survive."

"Debatable."

I huffed quietly.

"You can still come in."

"And drink what," he shot back. "Water?"

"I have tea."

He paused.

"...is it good."

I stared at him.

"...yes."

A beat.

"...fine."

There it was.

Tsukauchi smiled faintly, already stepping inside.

"That will be sufficient."

Sansa followed, still grumbling under his breath but clearly not leaving.

I stepped in after them, leaving the door slightly ajar so I could keep an eye on the street.

"Give it five minutes," I said, moving behind the counter. "If they're late, I start making calls."

"You sound like a villain," Sansa muttered, dropping into his usual seat.

"I run a business."

"Same thing."

"Not even close."

Tsukauchi took his seat calmly, folding his hands on the table.

"Tea will be fine."

I nodded, already moving to prepare it.

"Good."

Because until that delivery showed up—

That was all they were getting.

And honestly?

If it took much longer—

Someone was going to have a very bad morning.

Probably not them.

I didn't wait around for the delivery to magically appear.

If there was one thing I'd learned, it was that people were unreliable—but routines weren't. And right now, my routine was standing in front of me, half-awake and expecting food.

So I got to work.

The kettle was already heating as I moved through the small kitchen space, grabbing what I needed without thinking. Bread. Eggs. A bit of ham. Nothing complicated—just enough to count as breakfast without pretending to be something fancy.

Behind me, I could hear Sansa shifting in his chair like he was debating whether to fall asleep or complain again.

Probably both.

Tsukauchi, on the other hand, was quiet. Patient. The kind of presence that didn't fill a room but still grounded it.

I set the first pan on the stove, cracking eggs with one hand while reaching for the tea with the other.

"You're getting tea," I called over my shoulder.

"I figured," Sansa muttered.

"Be specific."

There was a pause.

"...black," he said finally.

"Good choice."

I glanced toward the other table.

"And you?"

Naomasa Tsukauchi didn't hesitate.

"Matcha, if you have it."

I hummed.

"I do."

Of course I did.

It wasn't something most people ordered, but I kept it stocked anyway. Habit. Preference. Maybe a bit of both.

I moved smoothly between tasks, whisking the matcha with practiced precision, letting the powder dissolve into a rich, deep green before setting it aside. Strong. Clean. Exactly how it should be.

Sansa's black tea was simpler, but I didn't rush it. Let it steep just enough to pull the flavor without turning bitter. Details mattered. Even with something as basic as this.

Especially with something as basic as this.

The smell of cooked eggs and toasted bread filled the café, warm and grounding, mixing with the subtle bitterness of tea. It felt... normal.

Strangely normal.

I plated everything quickly—nothing fancy, just neat and practical—before carrying it over.

"Here."

I set the plates down first, then the drinks.

Matcha in front of Tsukauchi.

Black tea in front of Sansa.

Sansa stared at the cup for a second like he was evaluating his life choices.

"...this better be good."

"It is."

"That's what you said about the last thing."

"And I was right."

He took a cautious sip.

Paused.

Then—

"...okay, yeah, that's good."

I huffed quietly.

"I know."

Tsukauchi lifted his cup more deliberately, taking a measured sip of the matcha. His expression didn't change much, but there was a slight shift—subtle approval.

"This is well prepared," he said.

I nodded once.

"Of course it is."

Sansa snorted lightly at that, already digging into his food like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Confident," he muttered.

"Accurate."

Tsukauchi allowed a faint smile at that, setting his cup down carefully before starting on his breakfast.

For a moment, I just stood there.

Watching.

Not in a strange way.

Just... taking it in.

The quiet.

The normality.

Two officers sitting at a table, eating breakfast, drinking tea, talking like this was just another morning.

Because for them—

It was.

And for me?

It was starting to be.

I turned back toward the counter, grabbing a cup for myself and pouring some tea—no coffee, obviously—before leaning against the surface again.

"...delivery should be here soon," I said.

Sansa groaned softly.