Hot Chocolate and Comfy Socks

Vanessa was done.

She was super duper done.

Corporate life officially sucked balls and honestly, she would have given just about anything to feel like a kid again.

Only she wasn’t a kid. Yeah no.

She was twenty-eight.

Almost thirty!

And she had decided that the life she had built, worked desperately hard for an entire decade, wasn’t at all for her.

So yeah, essentially, before even quite yet hitting midlife, she was in the midst of an entire midlife crisis. And she had done, for once in her boring office based life, something rather… crazy

Absolutely bollocks, actually.

Something that put a rift between her and her father so very wide, that she couldn’t bare a single phone call. Not with his lectures about ‘responsibility’ and ‘smarter choices’

Honestly, she really didn’t have a clue what she was doing…

Maybe her father was right. After all. Who in their right mind would ditch a perfectly stable family business situation in which she had worked her way up to becoming co-ceo with her father, only to travel on an entire whim to New York City all the way from London?!

Vanessa would….

Apparently.

But now, as her father would likely say on his next call, she had quite literally dug the hole, so she’d simply have to live in it too.

Vanessa hadn’t had much of a plan when she’d left. It was sort of a waking up at midnight one night situation in which she had realised multiple things at once. That not only had she made zero time to date women, let alone have any kind of fun or friends, but that she’d wasted most of her twenties on work…

So right now, all she had, was a bucket load of savings, a fancy hotel in the heart of New York City, and, I kid you not, very very…

comfy socks.

Yes, that’s what she had been reduced too.

Wearing something she quite, frankly, wouldn’t have been caught dead in back home.

Her very soft and ever so fluffy all entirely comforting rainbow velvet bunny onesie.

She was so very done, with, well everything really, that nightly, she would step out of her hotel, in that of all outfits, and wander to the all hours coffee shop right next door to where she was staying.

Only, what she hadn’t expected, was for the man who usually worked there that Vanessa had barely tolerated on her best nights, to be replaced. Replaced by a very tall, very muscular woman with tattoos all the way up her arms, a black tshirt clearly from the men’s section, and even a flipping half up bun at the back of her under shaved head.

Vanessa froze in her onesie.

Because oh god, if she had known that such a drop-dead gorgeous specimen of a woman would be serving her? She might have thought to serve her back with at the very least…. A better get up then a rainbow bunny onesie and comfy socks.

The server glanced up when Vanessa arrived and froze. She cocked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow with just a hint of it shaved off in that badass kind of ‘I’m a warrior’ way, that probably made all the girls swoon, and smirked.

She smirked.

“Well, hey there little miss Hop.” She greeted in a soft yet at the same time all entirely husky sounding voice that sent shivers down Vanessa’s onesie.

And of course… like a flipping schoolgirl with a crush on the soccer teams very sapphic captain (don’t ask, long embarrassing story), Vanessa short circuited.

She knew numbers.

She knew business.

She knew planning and grinding to get things done within a sliver of time like the back of her hand.

But apparently right then, she didn’t know words.

So instead, she did something.

Something that might have just been, the most mortifying moment of her entire life.

She hopped.

The barista’s eyes widened in delighted surprise as her smirk turned into a very amused grin, all the while wiping her hands dry on a perfectly ironed crisp white apron that for some reason, seemed rather like some kind of secret sexy chef move that made Vanessa’s heart race.

“Can’t sleep baby bun?”

And that did it. Suddenly Vanessa’s blush, deepened. Oh god she’d never been so flustered in all her life.

And she did try to find her words.

She really, really did.

But instead, of course, all she could manage was a soft overtired, all entirely stuttered little…

“H-Hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate it is.” Sexy chef barrister replied with a chuckle as she began to prepare the drink.

Just as soon as it was prepared, Vanessa paid, managed a rushed and incredibly embarrassed thank you, and hurried right on off. She could have sworn she’d never power walked faster in her life.

The next day Venessa spent exploring the city. Or more like, exploring what the rest of her life might look like, and what she might like to do with it if she where to stay.

Not that she knew.

Should she go back to school? Get a job she was overqualified for and have to explain to new people why she’d made such a big move and left everything behind? Or worse, make causal and 100% fake small talk with said new people who would quite likely want to talk about their boyfriends all day….

God…

No.

Not again.

By the time night fell Vanessa found herself right back at her hotel, overthinking again. Until she had begun to spiral so very hard that she was questioning every single life decision she had ever made.

Yeah, it was that kind of insomnia.

So, she got up, put her onesie back on, and almost forgot for a moment the embarrassing incident with Miss hottie from the night before.

When she remembered? She was already dressed in the onesie and honestly so very fed up with everything that she sighed and shrugged, because she’d technically already embarrassed herself in front of said butch hottie once… what’s twice?

At least she’d be rememberable… right?

Fuck it.

When Vanessa arrived at the night café, at first the barrister and her sexy apron wasn’t there. And for some reason, probably that of the gay panic kind, Vanessa couldn’t quite deny that a hint of disappointment lingered with the relief of not being seen again in her embarrassing state.

She was about to order her usual, when suddenly, that disappointment and relief quickly turned into butterflies that danced in her stomach.

Because she was there… She’d just been busy in the back, but now looked a little out of breath as she tapped the person by the counter on the shoulder and stepped into her place.

Had she been running? In a rush?

Some hopeful part in the very back of Vanessa’s brain wondered if perhaps, she might have seen a hint of rainbow onesie, and come running to see her again.

But that was some utterly ridiculous rom-com level fantasy gay that she couldn’t quite believe she had even allowed herself to momentarily entertain.

No.

She’d probably just been out of breath from the rush of work.

That’s all.

But then those deliciously moss-green eyes that reminded vanessa of a Scottish countryside, looked right at her. And not only that, but they looked her up… and down.

And yeah…

Vanessa quickly forgot about her fantasies, her order, and her entire life.

“I see the bunnies back.” The barrister smoothly greeted with a hint of an amused grin.

“Same as usual?” she added as Vanessa felt her cheeks colour red and found herself wanting more then anything to hide within her onesie.

She just barely managed a nod, a nod that caused the ears of said onesie to bounce just a little. And she could have sworn, that she saw miss sexy barista apron girl crinkle her nose just slightly in response as she got to work making her drink behind the counter.

But then. Oh god, than sexy barista decided to make conversation. Had she not seen how very badly Vanessa was at words within her presence?!

“so…why’s an adorable bunny like you, getting hot chocolate in the middle of the night, all by her hoppy self?”

Vanessa’s blush spread up to her actual ears as she nervously played with her onesie’s little pockets.

“Sleep eludes me.” Is the very posh phrase that came out of her lips in her soft British lilt.

The barista raised a brow as her grin widened “Adorable…” She softly murmured at hearing her accent.

“well, m’lady bun.. is there a reason for the sleep troubles that have been bestowed upon the?” She teased as she slid over her hot chocolate with the practiced ease of a bar tender. Which only made her hotter in Vanessa’s eyes, honestly.

Not great for her gay panic.

Not great at all.

Vanessa couldn’t help it.

She let out a laugh, only, it wasn’t exactly a laugh…

Yeah.

She loathed to admit it was more of a soft little giggle.

That’s what she had been reduced too apparently.

Going from serious businesswoman to embarrassingly giggling- thinks she’s a teenager again with a crush…. Chaotic kind of melting rainbow mess.

“Oh, you know, just your general mid-life crisis before midlife… and things.” Vanessa finally managed a full sentence.

“Ah.” The barista hummed softly.

“And that would explain the onesie.” She gently added with just a hint of soft tease, and upon her eyes once again travelling downwards, smirked a little once again.

“And the socks.” She added.

“You kind of look like you need a hug honeybun… or an ear. I can do both.” She continued and Vanessa could feel the redness in her cheeks spread down her neck in a very noticeably embarrassing‘she can definitely see my gay panic right now’ kind of way.

But instead of taking her up on her very sweet, and very tempting offer, Vannesa, of course, short circuited.

Took her takeaway cup and softly murmured a “Thank you, g-good day… er.. ah… night.” And once again, scampered off.

But the next day, she had yet another conversation with her father. And it didn’t only not go at all well, but it had also managed to make her mind spiral even more. He had, of course, disapproved of Vanessa’s, as he so called it ‘little finding herself journey’ and advised her to come back and fix what she had attempted to break. He most certainly wasn’t proud of her for attempting to follow her heart and try something new. And honestly, she was starting to wonder if perhaps he was right.

But when she thought about going back to their business, back to a rigid corporate life full to the brim of work and nothing else? It almost made her feel sick to her stomach.

So she found herself once again, in the late afternoon, in the very same onesie and fresh rainbow comfy socks, wandering back to the night café.

This time miss sexy barista was there already, right at the front, almost as if she had been waiting for something.

Or perhaps someone.

But no, theres no way that was the case. Sure, she flirted, that much was so very obvious that if the lady wasn’t into women, Vanessa might have just eaten her own rainbow fluff. But she was just being playful, at least, that’s what Vanessa had assumed.

Even as she blushed and attempted to ignore the way the Barista’s face lit up adorably the moment Vanessa wandered up.

“Baby bun!” The woman playfully greeted.

Vanessa’s blush spread instantly as she gave a cute little wave with her onesie’s sweater paw that only made the barista’s smile grow.

But her face softened when she noticed how drained Vanessa looked compared to the other nights she had visited the establishment.

“Babybun…” The barista said softly as she made her regular drink.

“The offer still stands.” She sweetly referenced the previous nights offer to listen.

Vanessa blushed deeper and sighed softly. She begrudgingly sat on one of the seats by the counter and promptly face palmed the bench.

“Daddy issues.” She all but squeaked.

“for a start.” She added with another exhausted sigh.

The barista slid over her hot chocolate, this time with an adorable foam bunny on the top that she had ever so eloquently designed just for Vanessa. When the business woman saw it? Yeah, her entire night seemed better already.

And she found herself melting, more so even then the marshmellows residing in her drink.

“I can relate to that.” The barista said softly as she gestured for the other staff member to take over the counter while she turned her full, undivided butterfly causing attention, right to her. Head resting on her gorgeously ring-filled fingers.

How in the world, was Vanessa, supposed, to resist that? She was, after all, a lesbian.

And sexy barista’s hands even had tattoos that matched the rings!!

Vanessa blushed and sighed as she stared at her adorable bunny-crafted drink in order to attempt not to be caught staring towards other… places.

“I… did something kind of crazy.” She softly admitted, and the barista tilted her head, and oh god, was that cute.

She didn’t talk though, just listened, almost as an encouragement for Vanessa to speak, permission that she hadn’t even asked for, and god that made her even hotter, honestly.

“Ok so… essentially, and your going to think I’m stark raving mad but- I… well I sort of up and left my very successful co-run family business on a close to mid-life crisis kind of spontaneous whim, and all because just everything felt wrong, but I didn’t know quite yet what was right so I just….I-I just…”

The barista’s face entirely softened “Had to fly away to find your feet?”

Vanessa looked right up at that. Because yeah, that was exactly it. The perfect words to describe not only her entire situation, but exactly how she was feeling. And all, while being, rather beautifully poetic about it.

So not only was she a good listener, but she had a way with words too.

Oh god, was she in trouble.

Vanessa gulped and nodded.

“Y-Yeah… exactly.” She said softly, trying to hide her awe.

The barista chuckled and nodded.

“Babybun, take it from someone who’s already entered actual midlife and been through… at least five crisis’s herself.” She said softly as she looked deeply into Vanessa’s widened eyes. Making her freeze on the spot and even find herself getting deeply lost within them.

“Even when no-one else believes in your truth, in your voice. You gotta follow it. Because if you don’t? You’ll never be happy. Simple as that. And yeah, sure, if you do follow your heart and your whims and everything crashes into absolute bits, that’s going to suck. Of course it is. But you can always build something new. And surely, that’s better, then listening to everyone else’s opinions, and spending your entire life people pleasing only to wake up one day realising that you never once, had a real you kind of adventure.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened as large as the fancy doors to her extra fancy hotel. Because yeah… that might just have been exactly everything she had been desperately needing to hear, without even quite fully knowing it yet.

“You… really have a way with words…” Vanessa finally managed to reply without a giggle or stutter or… hop.

She braved glancing up, only to lock eyes with the woman’s newfound name tag sitting right upon her ever-neatly pressed apron.

Jen. God. Vanessa had never heard a more fitting, adorable and at the same time all entirely butch name in her entire life.

“Thank you… Jen.” She said softly. “I’m… Vanessa… aka babybun.” She said with a self-deprecating and softly amused laugh.

“Vanessa….” Jen repeated.

“But little miss hop to me.” She added with a soft smile.

Vanessa got up from her chair, binned her empty cocoa cup, and fidgeted with her onesie’s sweater paws for a moment, before shyly glancing up at Jen once again.

“Time to hop away…” She cringed as soon as she said it, all the while debating internally whether or not to finally brave giving the made-by-the-hot-chocolate-gods woman her number on a napkin.

“Sleep tight babybun. Don’t let the daddy issues get you down.” She said with soft amusement as Vanessa made a joking little hop, also cringing as soon as she did it, and face palmed as she wandered back into her hotel.

The next day Vanessa spent making some semblance of actual process in regards to sorting out her life.

She had managed to find a few start-up companies run by queer people that she would have actually enjoyed doing the accounting for. Granted, it would be less pay. That was just a given. But they were doing something good. Something real. Something… meaningful.

And Vanessa was beginning to think, that perhaps something truly meaningful is exactly what she needed. Plus, she’d get actual time off, be able to maybe… even date again.

That-is… if she could stop hopping around like a flipping rabbit around pretty women.

That night she even dared to refuse to pick up a phone call from her over-bearing business savvy dad. Feeling sassy, flirting, and for a moment, at least, just a little bit closer to more than just barely coping, she decided to get her hot chocolate as per usual.

Only this time?

She ditched the onesie.

In favour, of a long black dress she had purchased that day. Her new favourite, with flouncy sleeves that showed off her figure, and well… everything, in just the right places. She even went so far as to do her makeup, and add a black matching bow to the back of her half up long black hair.

Planning on using the excuse, if asked, that she was going to a local sapphic event.

She wasn’t, well… in a way, the event was Jen.

But jen didn’t have to know that.

When she wandered up to the all hours café, at first, she couldn’t quite see her favourite barista. But the other person who worked there’s eyes widened in shock as she saw vanessa’s extreme glow up. And almost immediately upon recovering from said shock, she rushed out towards the back of the establishment, found Jen, who vanessa had now laid eyes upon, and the woman looked up towards where her colleague pointed, and proceeded to drop her tea towel as her mouth parted and her eyes widened more then Vanessa had ever seen.

But when she turned red, stealing Vanessa’s usual move, Vanessa couldn’t help but to bat her lashes a little, glance down and then back up in that classic cute-femme way that often-made butch’s who were into femme’s melt, and smile.

And yeah… Now it was Jen’s turn to entirely short-circuit. She froze. And her colleague had to physically nudge her and clear her throat, for the woman to shake herself out of her utter trance.

Vanessa’s own blush deepened as Jen walked forwards. “Babybun…” She said but this time there wasn’t a single hint of tease to her tone. Just a soft kind of awe that made Vanessa feel a little extra shy.

“Who stole the onesie?” She asked with a nervous chuckle. “And brought a goddess back in its place… n-not that she wasn’t there before…” She added as she attempted to put the tea towel on a shelf without looking, only to drop it again.

Vanessa had never seen her so flustered. It was adorable, beautiful, and honestly making her fall even harder for her charms.

“Attending a sapphic event.” Vanessa excused, and Jen’s blush deepened as the businesswoman confirmed her sexuality and revealed a hint more confidence than she usual had around the taller.

Jen attempted to look cool as she usually did, by leaning against her café’s counter and crossing her legs.

“I see…” She said, about to attempt a flirty remark as she stared Vanessa’s dress all the way down, when her colleague approached again and whispered something in Jen’s ear. The barista sighed and ran a stressed hand through her hair.

“Yeah ok, don’t worry about it I’ll…. Figure it out.” She said to them. Vanessa barley knew Jen, she realised that, but the very moment that stress replaced her usually carefree face, she couldn’t help but to feel worry crawl up her spine and settle into her heart.

“Jen?” She asked softly.

“My turn to listen. Whats happened?” She asked as she gently took her hand and led her to sit at a table at the back.

Jen sighed and let her help.

“Owning a café and eventually turning into an all-hours queer café and bar for a safe spot in the city… has been the dream for years.” She admitted.

“Only thing is.. I’m great with customers, leadership is fine, Em loves working here, and we’ve already gathered some regulars… but when it comes to the numbers I always fall short. We might even have to shut down if it continues like this… and its not like I can afford to pay a good accountant yet.”

She explained and Vanessa’s face softened even more, as in the face of her crushes distress she suddenly gained the confidence she had been missing, and leaned across to gently take a hold of her hand.

“Your’e doing better then you think hon.” She softly reassured “The first year for any new business is always the hardest. But if its your dream, you’ll find a way to stick it out if you can. Just… take it from someone who knows. Its only worth doing, if you actually love it. But it sounds like it lights you up like a Christmas tree so I think that part, at least, is covered.”

Jen managed a soft chuckle and smile “True love, yeah it does… but that still doesn’t solve my number crisis. I just… wish I knew what to do.”

Vanessa thought for a moment before biting her lip and glancing up shyly.

“Wanna take a wild guess what my main role was as co-ceo of my family’s business?” She asked and Jen made a playful thinking face.

Vanessa giggled. “Numbers. Their kinda my bread and butter. I thrive with them, if you’d like, I could take a look for free. Consider it a…. thank you for your life changing advice the other night… kind of thing.”

Jen’s face lit up like adorable soft-butch fireworks as she got up, rushed behind the café counter, and came back with an old ipad in tow. She opened it up, put in the passcode and handed it to Vanessa.

Vanessa scanned over the poorly made document on the notes app of Jen’s tracked-ish finanances for the café.

Jen blushed a little and fiddled with her apron as Vanessa raised a brow.

“I know… it’s a tad messy…” She winced and Vanessa laughed.

“Just a tad.” She agreed “But nothing we can’t fix. Also, if you compare the prices to the cafes nearby… you’ve not nearly priced your drinks high enough. I know you want to offer them cheaper for queer people that are struggling and that’s valid, but it won’t be much help to the community if you end up shutting down in the process. Lowered prices come later once your properly established. So, raise your prices, cut out the freebies for now, and you’ll be able to scrape by while you build enough of a customer base to start-up.” She swiftly explained and Jen’s eyes widened.

“Looking at the prices you could start by…” She began but Jen stopped her with a hand on her shoulder “Vanessa…” She said in soft awe.

“Do you want a very badly paid but absolutely full of found family job…. By any chance?” She suddenly asked, and Vanessa almost dropped the ipad. But thankfully, Jen managed to catch it.

Vanessa glanced up with a blush and bitten bottom lip.

“Family businesses don’t always work out…” She said softly but there wasn’t even a hint of contempt in her voice.

“that’s true.” Jen replied.

“But I just thought that maybe, you were looking for a you kind of adventure babybun…” She softly added “And maybe I need one too.”

And yeah, that did it.

Vanessa couldn’t help but to grin. Because yeah. For the first time in a very, very long time indeed, she felt seen, she felt placed, she felt right.

“Only if onesies are acceptable uniform code during hot choccy nights.” She bargained and Jen grinned.

“On one condition….” She bargained back.

“That the adorable bunny-girl who stole my heart and fixed my finances, never ignores her heart again.” She tried.

And yeah. Vanessa hopped, skipped, and all but dived right into her arms as she kissed the living daylights out of the soft-butch dreamer she had fallen all-entirely in love with in the span of a singular week.

No more crisis, only hot chocolate, dreams, love…

and ever-so comfy socks.