Busy street, people pushing each other, upbeat music, bright vibrant street lights and sign boards. Typical for a weekend night. A specific bar with a sea view at it's outdoor seating area is a popular choice for locals and tourists.
Of course, popularity causes more problems with more people.
“I'm sorry Mr… it has been a long night for us… I'll get your correct order now”
“No! I have waited so long for my drink! I am a frequent patreon here. How can you guys mess up my order!”
Astra, an employee that has stuck to the place for many years just looks at him, face disgusted. She sighs, “I'll go bring you to meet my employer…. I am sure he can help your frustrations towards our poor services…”
Astra leads the man into a private room in the back of the bar. A man, dressed luxuriously but hair in a mess, the waves on his hair are crashing into each other.
He looks up at his ‘frequent patreon’ Astra turns around to face the wall. The customer walks towards Astra's employer. “Its good to meet you Mr Ceil. I-”
Ceil starts making a tune… luring the customer towards him. The tune was calming, alluring, distracting. Before anyone knew, the customer was devoured a whole by Ceil. After that Astra turns around facing Ceil.
“Take out your earbuds, anyone else making you uncomfortable out there? I have quite the appetite tonight you know.” Ceil said while tapping his fingers impatiently on the cushions on the couch.
“No. He's the only one…” Astra replied.
Noticing her tired tone Ceil just dismissed her and told her to go back to her room that was on the 2nd floor of the building above the bar. Astra pushed through the crowd that reeked of strong alcohol, sweat and strong scents from customers. She hated working like this at night. She prefers her morning work.
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Astra finally got to her room. She quickly went to the bathroom to remove her makeup, shower then change into a fresh set of clothes. A knock on the door, Ceil just opened it and invited himself in.
He threw a stack of cash on her bed “For the trouble tonight” he said then left. He doesn't know how to act on shore. Well that's the main reason he hired Astra in the first place. He is a siren, so are a few of his only employees. None of them knew how to navigate life on land. That is why he hired Astra and gave her all the benefits she needed to make her stay longer.
Astra tidied her bangs, finding her brown roots growing out of her bluish silver hair. She's going to ask Ceil to let her skip the morning shift tomorrow to do her hair. Well, she knew he would let her but she needed to do her work for the morning shift first. So she slept early.
Ceil woke up to the sound of cling-clangs in the kitchen. Is it an intruder? Shit. This isn't the first time this month someone tried to rob his precious shop. He quickly got off his bed, pushing away the blankets that cling onto his body while moving quickly to eat or just chase away anyone that tried to disrupt his business.
Opening the door to the kitchen of his shop, Astra was in there, as usual, just never this early. He was so angry that she disrupted his rest, but can he get mad at her while she is working? Is he even going to risk her leaving a bunch of creatures that will still give the wrong amount of change to a customer? No!
“I'm going to the Salon later in the morning, ask Mona and Cameron to display the cakes and donuts on the counter. I won't be here for the whole morning” Astra says before Ceil can even close the kitchen door and leave.
“Yea, I'll inform them.” Ceil said and left.
At night his bar is a bar. But in the morning, his bar turns into a cafe for white collar business men, students, housewives and bypassers to come and enjoy. It's quite as popular as his bar, maybe not as popular but it is quite a hit. Baking is also the reason Astra was hired too. He liked pastries and cakes, but what a siren like him that never held up a whisk and measured butter can do? She was a baker that was rejected by cafes in the area before due to lack of experience, but she can make decent enough food for the cafe to keep running and also his sweet tooth.
Morning came, the cafe opened. Mona and Cameron displayed the goods on the display shelf as told. Astra already left for her hair appointment. Ceil went to his room in the back of the shop lot. In his room there is a cover and when he opens it there is a tunnel with coral on its walls and seawater filling it. He dunks into the water and his legs morphed into a scaly long tail with turquoise to green colour gradient on it. He had to stretch his muscle early, this was the only time he was able to get some exercise. With that he swims deeper into the water and enters the deep sea infront of his establishment.