The Impression Maker - Example (Patreon)

“I was only saying that its ears looked kind of like yours - not that you had the same ears!”

“Uh huh…”

“Ok, seriously, why would I think that a dog’s ears and cat’s ears were the same?  I know I may be blonde, but I’m not entirely an idiot.”

When Blake’s only response was a loud sigh, Yang cringed and searched for another way out of the rather large and growing larger by the second hole she’d dug herself into.

Seriously though!  Some dogs had ears that kind of looked the same as cat’s ears!  Would it be terrible if she happened to make a comment about it?  Apparently that answer was  - hell yes, Yang, so why were you so stupid to make such a stupid comment to your beautiful and very prideful cat Faunus partner?

“Hey!” she said when spotting an escape hatch nearby.  “I have a brilliant idea that might make you a little happier!”

“What?”

“There’s that little cafe you like!”  Pointing with her free hand, the one that wasn’t holding onto Blake’s, Yang barely caught the brief glance Blake shot towards the storefront.  “Why don’t we go in and get one of those foamy milk things you like so much?”

Ah - there was thin ice, and then there was razor thin ice.

“Or how ‘bout a tea?” she quickly added.  “A nice hot cup of chamomile.  Doesn’t that sound relaxing?”

Her ploy was totally working - she could see it in the way Blake’s brow was un-furrowing and the smallest, tiniest bit of a smile was beginning to grow.  Blake loved tea, but she also loved that Yang knew how much she loved tea.  

“That might be nice…”

“It will be nice,” Yang emphasized while tightening her grasp on Blake’s hand and leading them towards the pair of double doors under a brown and white awning.  There were several small tables outside, but those were already occupied by people who’d already gotten their orders and whose girlfriends weren’t on the verge of strangling them for comparing their ears to that of an adorable puppy.

It was still her hole and she was determined to dig herself out of it!

Pulling open the handle, she held open the door while Blake walked through first.  It was a lot noisier inside than out on the street, with the small space doing nothing to keep the volume of the people inside at a minimum.  Plus, there was all the grinding of coffee beans going on behind the counter.  And the blenders whirring to life for several disturbing seconds at a time.  

Loud, yes.  Smelled heavenly, also yes!

“Want me to order while you can find a place to sit?” Yang offered while looking at the line of people directly in front of them.  

“Sure…” Blake replied while slinking silently towards an empty table and leaving Yang alone to join the end of the line.

This was so easily fixable.  All she had to do was order Blake’s favorite drink, set it in front of her, and give her four minutes of complete silence in which to sip her tea and decide that she didn’t have the energy to be upset any longer.

“Hi, what can I help you with?” the barista asked when it was Yang’s turn to order.

“Hey!” she said, making sure to throw on a beaming smile (for better service!).  “Can I get a chamomile tea and a cup of one of those frothy milk thingys?”

“Name?” the barista asked, hardly making eye contact with her while using the back of a pen to tap the order into the computer.  

“Yang.”

“That’ll be five fifty.”

Happily paying, Yang accepted her change and turned to search for Blake - who was about as difficult to find as...well, she didn’t want to say a kitten in a field of puppies but she was pouting so hard right now!  And everyone else looked so happy with their cups of caffeine…

Strolling over, Yang pulled out the chair in front of her mopey partner and sat down.

“Should be ready soon!” she said cheerfully.  “And then you’ll be able to cheer right up!  Right?  You’ll cheer up then?”

Again, a smile nearly broke through.  She was close, she could feel it!

“Have I mentioned how beautiful you look today?” she added for good measure, standing from the table when she noticed the barista who’d taken her order was frothing something extra special at the frothing machine.  “Be right back.”

Because she had impeccable timing, she reached the drink receptacle station right as the barista was setting down the two cups and shoving them her way.

“Thanks!” she said while taking both beverages and heading back to Blake.  Trying to peek through the tiny hole on top of the lid, she thought that one looked whiter than the other - that one must be the milk thing.  Why didn’t they ever tell her what the official name of it was so she didn’t have to keep ordering ‘frothy milk thing?’

“Order up!” she said while setting both cups in front of Blake.  Quickly noticing that Yang had nothing for herself, Blake looked up curiously.

“Where’s yours?”

“I didn’t get anything.  Those are both for you!” she replied proudly.  “Got you something extra special since you are extra special.”

For anyone who didn’t know what success looked like, it looked like a smile growing across Blake’s lips even when she wanted to be pouting.  

“That’s sweet of you,” Blake murmured, sneaking a quick glance at Yang before turning her attention back to the cups.  “Thank you.”

“No problem!  Ok, one of them is the tea -” Yang explained while leaning over the table.  “And the other is...what?”

When Blake had picked up the second cup, her smile had inexplicably disappeared.  That wasn’t supposed to happen - her smile was only supposed to get bigger!  Or stay the same-ish.  But not disappear.  Disappear wasn’t a good thing.

“Really, Yang?” Blake asked while turning the cup around and setting it in the middle of the table.  Confused as all get out, Yang leaned forward and read the scrawled sharpie on the side of the cup.

‘Kat.’

For the love of all that was holy -

“That’s totally not -” she immediately began to say, stumbling over her words while struggling to erase the damage that had just been done.  “I didn’t order that!”

“Uh huh…”

“Uh, excuse me?”

Hearing the hesitant voice directed their way, Yang turned and found a stranger shyly approaching them.

“Sorry to interrupt…” the girl said regretfully before pointing towards the ostracized cup in the middle of the table.  “But I think you took my drink by accident.”

For anyone who didn’t know what relief looked like, it was a stranger walking over and claiming a cup of tea that rather unfortunately played into the very issue Blake was trying to pout about.

“You’re Kat?”  Yang could hardly prevent a huge grin when the girl smiled and nodded.  “Like, that’s your name?” she clarified for good measure.  “It’s Kat.  Like, that’s what all your friends call you and everything?”

“Um...yes?”

Ok, now she was just freaking the girl out, but after throwing one glance at Blake she knew she was almost home free.

“This is Blake,” she said, smiling when Blake was forced to nod her head politely.  “Blake, this is my new best friend, Kat.”

“Nice to meet you,” Blake replied before giving Yang an amused look.  “And I’m sorry we took your drink.”

“Oh!”  Yang nearly smacked herself on the forehead before picking up the cup and offering it over.  “Yeah, really sorry about that.  Just thought it was mine and all -”

“No problem at all!” Kat answered with a friendly smile while accepting her cup.  “I hope you two have a wonderful day!”

“Yeah, you too!!”  As the girl walked over to her own table to rejoin some friends, Yang turned back to Blake with a super pleased grin.

“Alright, no need for that smile,” Blake said while taking a sip of the frothed milk and licking her lips.

“Chamomile tea for Yang!”

When Blake smirked, Yang laughed nervously and stood from her chair.  

“He he, I’m going to go get that now…” she said before rushing back to the counter.

“Sorry for the wait,” the barista was saying while already moving on to the next drink on her list.  “I couldn’t find the last box of chamomile.”

“Not a problem at all,” Yang kind of lied before taking the steaming hot beverage back to Blake and setting it down right in front of her.  “Can we start over?” she asked while Blake took a sniff of the tea and smiled.  “I got you a chamomile tea and a milk thing - and I totally think your ears are way cuter than any dogs in existence.”

“Mm...I’m glad you think so,” Blake murmured, taking one sip of her tea while her eyes sparkled merrily.  “It is fun watching you try to dig yourself out of a hole, you know.”

“Next time can you give me a shovel or something first though?”

Laughing cheerfully, Blake slid one of the cups to Yang while standing from the little table.  “Come on,” she said while taking another quick sip of her drink.  “Let’s go home.  Then we can discuss the dozen ways cat ears are structurally superior to dogs.”

“You got it!”  Popping out of her own seat, Yang happily took Blake’s hand while they walked back towards the front door, but not before she spotted her new best friend and called out, “Hey Kat!  See ya later!”

Receiving a wave in reply, Yang grinned while she and Blake stepped back out into the afternoon sun.

“You make friends so easily,” Blake commented as they walked away.  “Almost like a…”

When Blake’s words trailed off, Yang burst out laughing.

“Come on, Blake.  You have to say it now,” she teased while Blake stubbornly kept her mouth shut.  “Ok then, I’ll say it…”  Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, she spun Blake towards her so their eyes were meeting.  “As much as you talk badly about dogs, you fell in love with one.”

Pursing her lips, Blake looked like she really wanted to deny that statement.  But then she took another sip of her drink and smiled.

“But you have much cuter ears.”