Morning light had barely crept across the walls of the room before I woke up. Instead of the birds outside, all I could hear was a loud grinding like gravel in a blender. My hands go to my ears desperately trying to drown it out. It was useless though. I grumble while pulling myself out of bed and heading out of my room.
Ahead of my room in the kitchen was another resident of the building. A snake like nonferal with a vest and dress pants was standing by a coffee grinder making the awful racket. He was more slim with sharp red eyes and a pie bald patterning across his scales like a ball python. He wore a sly smile as he made coffee, as if the noise was intended. He glanced up at me as his smile lowered and he raised an eyebrow. He turned off the machine and spoke with an endearing tone, “Deary me, I did not know someone else was here. I humbly apologies for the noise.”
I swatted at the air and walked to one of the bar seats in a groggy voice, “Apologies won’t change that I’m already up.” I sat down and slouched. He still seemed intrigued as he watched me.
He cleared his throat and held out a hand in a black cotton glove, “I’m Dante. I was Wendell’s only resident as far as I was aware. That is until you materialized.”
I go to take his hand to shake it. His grip is stern as he firmly shakes my hand. We both let go as I explained, “I teleported in around midnight.”
He shook his head, “Not likely. I myself was up then. I would have stumbled upon you had you shown up then.”
My early morning mind was slowly catching up to me. I remembered what had delayed me and that I hadn’t taken the bus. At this point my face must have swapped expressions as Dante’s head barely tilted to a side. I responded, “My bad. I must have lost track of time. Probably more around 3 or 4 then?”
“Everything ok?”
I quickly noticed my face had relaxed before putting on a neutral look again. My tone now leaned a hint more grouchy than intended, “Just not all that awake after someone decided to have gravel for breakfast.”
Dante’s concern disappears as he rolls his eyes, “It’s coffee. And mind you, it’s probably more expensive than mere gravel.”
I shrug, “I guess I just don’t have a taste for cheap roads.”
Dante narrows his eyes at me, “It’s not a rock. It’s a bean from a tree.”
I leaned onto the counter as I continued, “Beans are nature’s rocks. If we built a road out of them, it would be the same as gravel, just needlessly overpriced and instead of construction workers, you would hire brewistas at minimum wage and the snotty ones will still brag about it at any given chance.”
Dante starts to get a bit frustrated, “Rocks are already from nature and so are beans! Now if you don't mind-” Dante cuts the grinder back on. My ears immediately fold back at the sound as I grumble.
Dante folds his arms and leans on the counter while watching the door to Wendell’s bedroom. Soon enough there’s a loud bang like Wendell had fallen out of bed before the door swings open with enough force for a gust of wind. Wendell looks furious with messy hair and wearing shorts with a sleeveless shirt. He marches towards the counter next to me as he points at Dante. One of large eyebrows raised as he spoke over the grinding, “You’re doing this on purpose aren’t you?”
Dante double takes at Wendell and the grinder before turning his head slightly. Pointing his ear towards Wendell as if he couldn’t hear him. Wendell marches around the counter and practically yells in his ear, “STOP WAKING ME UP.”
Dante holds up a finger as if to pause the conversation. He turns off the grinder and reaches into the pocket of his dress pants. He pulls out a small hearing aid that he applies to the side of his head. Dante then looks to Wendell again, “Sorry hun, I must have forgotten my hearing aid, could you repeat the question?”
Wendell’s voice cracks a bit as he yells, “DON’T CALL ME HUN!!!” he huffs in rage as he waits for a response.
Dante gives a confused look before seeming to realise something. He reaches up and flicks a tiny switch on his hearing aid, “Ohhh! That’s better! Sorry, forgot to turn it on. You know how it is sometimes. What were you saying?”
Wendell glares at him. His voice is back to a normal volume, “You wake me up again with that fucking tin can simulator and I’m putting you in the grinder next.”
He starts to storm off towards the living room as Dante isn’t smiling but raises an eyebrow, “Strange. He usually calls me a hognose. I guess he’s holding back since you’re new here. Anyways…” he finishes preparing a small cup of coffee as I watch silently. The whole show was a bit of a surprise to see all the tension yet no one getting hurt. After Dante’s small cup is done he gestures to me again, “Feel free dear to have some if you wish. I always make more than I drink. I’m going to go cry in the corner of my room and think about what I’ve done. Have a pleasant day.” He gives a slight bow before calmly walking to his room and quietly closing the door behind himself. His room was door 2. I stayed staring at his door for a moment in confusion. Sure enough, he could be heard faintly sobbing.