Lease on Life (Vivian)

[Vivian River Jordan]

Honey looked a little stunned by the rapid questions Viv was tossing at her, and honestly – Viv couldn’t judge. She knew that the ‘Vivian Jordan experience’ could be overwhelming for people who didn’t know her (and even for people who did) and she always had to consciously force herself to slow down and breathe. Because most of the time, she didn’t have time for breathing if she was in the middle of a creative jam session or following one of the winding thought paths in her head. But it wasn’t how most people worked, so Viv shut her mouth and took a deeeeep breath in and a deep breath out. Just like how Mum had told her to do whenever she got overexcited.

Still, even with Viv’s crazy vibes – Honey looked like she’d never thought about how to advertise her place before. And that was a tragedy, because this café was the cutest little thing she’d ever seen and it deserved more attention (and more love for the cats). So Viv watched Honey with big wondering eyes and then leaned forward breathlessly. “Tell me you’ve at least got a kitten cam set up,” she begged, twisting her braids idly with one hand as she considered the problem. A live cam was social media 101 when it came to animals and advertising your business (or zoo, or whatever) to the general public. It was impossible to think that someone hadn’t heard of it, or ever tried it before here.

But she could already guess the answer, because Honey looked lost. Viv sat back in her chair and thought the conversation over. Clearly the café owner was doing well for herself – she’d gotten a central location and a decent amount of foot traffic. Vivian hadn’t been intending to give business advice when she’d walked in here, although overstepping was certainly part of her MO when it came to meeting new people. Usually she backed off on her own, although she bashfully accepted the occasional reprimand whenever it came. “Well, to each their own, I guess,” she said cheerfully as she shrugged and leaned back in her chair. Honey knew what she needed best, she supposed.

honey satheesh varma

[honey satheesh varma]

February 6, 2027

"Tell me you've at least got a kitten cam set up," pressed Vivian.

Honey, who appreciated Vivian's eagerness but was also puzzled by it, blinked. "A kitten cam? Like a camera… on the cats?" If she was right about what Vivian meant, she hadn't thought of installing anything like that. The whole point of the café was so that people could come and spend time with the cats in a relatively relaxed setting. She didn't fully understand what the point of having a camera on the cats would be, since they were taken care of after the café's hours of operation by dedicated members of her staff. If there were people who were interested in seeing the cats but who couldn't come to the café in person, like patients at the hospital, then Honey supposed that maybe it would be worth it.

"Well, to each their own, I guess."

"Er, I could get one, but I… don't really know very much about how that would work," Honey then admitted to Vivian. How would people be able to see the cats on camera? Would they be broadcast somewhere? Would they have their own program on Witch TV? Hopefully, she thought, one of her employees could help her figure out what would work best. It didn't seem like it would be outrageously expensive to put in place, Honey considered, but she couldn't quite understand the logistics of the whole thing or what costs there would be on her end.

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

It became very obvious very fast that Honey and Viv had started holding two different conversations. Not that Viv could help it, really – she did always seem to end up in ‘work mode’ sooner or later. Call it a byproduct of being overworked by her zealous producers that wanted to take advantage of Potterwatch’s popularity while it still lasted. Because to be honest, the entertainment industry had a short memory and it wouldn’t take long for Viv to become old news. So truly she just wanted to enjoy the high while it lasted and deserve that feeling that she’d worked hard to earn it. She lived and breathed her show, and her phone practically felt like a natural extension of her body at this point. Viv didn’t think about social media, she just posted what she felt or what she liked. The authentic approach, if that even existed anymore.

But she realized that her thought process was moving too fast – or really, that she just wasn’t explaining herself well. Viv caught herself doing that sometimes, racing ahead of where the conversation was to where the conversation could be. And, in the process, losing the other person on her way there. So, laughing a little at herself, Viv backtracked. “Look, you’re seriously running this place like a pro. Cute concept, great place for foot traffic, the most adorable cats in the world.” (Viv stopped at this point so she could shoot some serious heart eyes in the direction of the cute little furballs napping or pawing at toys across the café). She was loyal to Drizzle, of course, but her puffskein had a different kind of appeal as compared to a cat. In a more thoughtful tone than earlier – the kind that suggested she was busy getting lost in her own thoughts – Viv continued. “I think you could just do a couple teeny-tiny things to spice up your advertising a bit more and think long-term. Like a kitty cam, or having a featured cat of the week on a little sign outside. Depends on if you want the cats to get adopted or not for that one, I s’pose. Just some super low-key, low-effort things to keep the lights on, ya know?”

honey satheesh varma

[honey satheesh varma]

February 6, 2027

Being given so much business advice was something that Honey wasn't used to, besides the people who didn't understand what a cat café was or how she might possibly make a living running one. She had received that confusion from her parents, too, who had questioned if it was really worth it for her to start her own business. She had owned the tea room at St. Mungo's, but she hadn't built it from the ground up.

At no time in the process of putting her café together and starting it up had she met with anyone who wanted to tell her what to do, save for the regulatory requirements put in place by the Ministry. Honey knew not to take Vivian Jordan's approach as an insult; she was glad that Vivian wanted to see the cat café do well, but Honey was beginning to feel as though she was being inundated with suggestion after suggestion.

Vivian suggested that she begin to think long-term about her advertising strategy, whether that was with the kitty cam that she'd already mentioned or some other tactic, such as highlighting one of the cats on a board outside the café to draw in passersby.

"Just some super low-key, low-effort things to keep the lights on, ya know?"

"Er, yeah." Still trying to figure out what she really needed to change and what was an unnecessary use of her resources, Honey nodded. She really didn't want to offend Vivian, but she didn't think that she needed to exploit the cats at the café for the benefit of the public. "Do you know someone who could set up a kitty cam?" she asked Vivian despite being hesitant about the idea. Working that out for herself would be too complicated, and she didn't want to harass any of her employees to see if they could put their heads together and come up with something.

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

Viv sipped at her chai tea and let the spices warm her up from the inside. It was exactly the thing she needed after a few hours in the freezing weather – because as much as it was important to be passionate about your work and love what you do, it wasn’t a good substitute for a pair of mittens or a strong cup of tea. And Vivian knew that her day wasn’t over yet, because the dancing hadn’t started yet and that was supposed to be an integral part of the clip. So she contemplated how many more ticks of freedom she could savor before setting out to find the cameras again and finish filming.

Still, she was glad she’d found the cat café. It was the perfect dose of reality among the strange assortment of wand shops, apothecaries, and other odd bits and ends of the magical world. It was almost possible to pretend they were in the Muggle world – except for the coffee pouring itself and the enchanted salt shakers at the next table doing a little dance. But, the idea thrilled Viv to experience something so normal as this place in the midst of the alley. “That bloke’s got firecrackers,” Viv noted with interest as her gaze got caught outside the window towards the crowd jostling along. Most festival-goers were loaded with souvenirs or snacks, but there were a few official-looking men (Ministry employees?) carrying what appeared to be a sack of Fire-Red Dragon fireworks.

Anything that exploded or glittered was an innovation Viv could get on board with, and she supposed that would be a rather spectacular addition to the dancing too. But Honey had asked her a question, and Viv turned back cheerily to her tea and talk. “I could come along sometime to do it up! You could even just have it an hour a day, if you think the cats won’t like it.” Viv sighed a little. “Not that I really know what they’re thinking, or most wizards for that matter. I wanted to be an Animagus, y’know? Thought I’d make a rather fetching hare and all. But it doesn’t really vibe with…some stuff.” One of the many joys of a werewolf bite, right? Besides the society-level prejudice and forced vacations once a month where you wanted to chew your own leg off, of course.

honey satheesh varma

[honey satheesh varma]

February 6, 2027

Apart from a brief moment in which Vivian got distracted by the sight of someone carrying firecrackers in the crowd outside the café, she remained focused on their conversation. True, it was mostly her telling Honey what she thought she could do to boost her business, but Honey had gotten over the feeling that she was being bossed around enough to agree to a "kitty cam" on the premises.

One benefit to having a kitty cam, too, was that Vivian answered that she could be the one to implement it. "You could even just have it an hour a day, if you think the cats won't like it," she added, which made Honey question her having agreed to the cam. Maybe it was going to be more intrusive than she had anticipated it would be. She also wondered if that would require Vivian to stop by every time she wanted to turn it on, which sounded like it would be potentially frustrating for the both of them.

"Not that I really know what they're thinking," Vivian continued, speaking about the cats. "Or most wizards for that matter. I wanted to be an Animagus, y'know? Thought I'd make a rather fetching hare and all. But it doesn't really vibe with… some stuff."

Honey nodded as though she understood what Vivian was going on about, though she did agree that being an Animagus would be interesting but probably a hassle, too. Being able to turn into an animal at will would allow for a different perspective on the world, without a doubt, but what she knew of the process required to become an Animagus made Honey think that it most likely wasn't right for her.

"So, er, the kitty cam," she began after a few seconds, not wanting to get too off the subject with a discussion about Animagi. "About how much would that cost? I mean…" She liked cameras and photography, and she had a normal film camera from the standpoint of the magical world, but what Vivian had suggested sounded so much more complex. "I haven't got the budget for the sort of camera at Witch TV."

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

Viv dwelled a moment longer on the thought of Animagi, but she shook it off quickly enough. The truth was that there were multiple obstacles that stood in the way of it, not just her werewolf condition. For starters, there was no physical way she’d ever be able to keep anything in her mouth for longer than a few hours – because she was extremely likely to send it flying at the first quick-witted debate or Quidditch match she’d be sent to commentate. And as cool as it sounded, how likely was she to use it in everyday life? She supposed it was easier if it was small, but it’d be more of a cool party trick than anything else. And hey, Viv had plenty of those up her sleeve (both literally and figuratively).

So that thought fled her brain just as easily as the observation that a few Ministry grunts were lugging around firecrackers outside. She’d notice again once it lit up the whole night sky. Instead, Viv sipped at her tea and tried to focus on what Honey was asking. She hadn’t immediately said no, which seemed to suggest there was at least a spark of interest there, but she did seem uncertain at the thought. Which was unsurprising, because Honey was probably more focused on running her café than thinking about PR. “A lot of people do this sort of thing, it’s a very DIY set-up,” Viv assured her brightly. Sure, some influencers really went out there with their equipment, but anyone could do it in principle. “Oooooh wait, I’ve got a card.” The thought occurred to Viv suddenly and she couldn’t deny she was excited at the thought of finally handing one out. It seemed like a very professional sort of thing to do, even if her producers usually took care of the logistics.

Fishing around in her pocket, Viv finally produced one and brandished it excitedly at Honey. She slid it across the table for Honey to glance at (had she said that she hosted Potterwatch? Maybe she’d forgotten to mention it…) and picked up her mug again. “Don’t make any decisions right now, just think about it! And if you like the idea, you can write me up and I’ll give you a few pointers.” Magic made some things a lot easier, but even Muggles knew how to rig one up (they truly were amazing, bless them). “I gotta run,” Viv said disappointedly, “But could I please please get another in a to-go cup?” It was probably the only thing standing between her and certain death via exposure, since the sun was slowly setting and it was cold outside.

honey satheesh varma

[honey satheesh varma]

February 6, 2027

Although Honey was concerned about the cost of what Vivian was proposing and if there was any way in Merlin's name that she could afford it, Vivian was quick to reassure her that it was something that a lot of people did. It was, as Vivian called it, "a very DIY set-up". That didn't sound too bad to Honey, who was fine with the idea of a do-it-yourself project, at least as long as it didn't require constant work from her to keep it up and running. Vivian then noted that she had a business card that she could give her, and Honey was grateful for that.

As easy as Vivian was making the kitty cam sound, Honey was almost positive that she wouldn't be able to get everything done singlehandedly. Vivian slid the business card across the table for her. "Thank you," Honey told Vivian in reply as she grabbed the card, picking it up off the surface of the table. Obviously, it wasn't something that she needed to reference right at that moment, but she planned to get back in touch with Vivian about the camera.

Vivian encouraged her to think some more about it, and Honey nodded. If it really was as inexpensive and foolproof to purchase and to keep going as Vivian claimed it was, then maybe it would be a real game-changer for the cat café. For the time being, though, Vivian stated that she needed to go, but she did request another cup of masala chai to take away from the premises.

"Of course, yeah," Honey confirmed to Vivian with a smile. "I'll get that for you right now."

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

Viv beamed as Honey accepted the card and said she’d get started on the tea right away, and she wandered over aimlessly to the section of the café dedicated to the cats while she waited. A few were napping, but one ambled over curiously after Viv picked up a little toy carrot and squeezed it. It had been a good call to ask Honey for a recommendation, because the tea had warmed her from the inside out and the thought of stumbling around in the cold weather until they got the perfect take didn’t sound quite as daunting now.

Because that was certainly going to be the next few hours of her life now. They’d go to inspect the dancing, get some B-roll of the festival-goers and the fireworks, and wrap-up would probably be close to midnight. So Viv scrambled into a cross-legged position as she brandished the toy at the cat and watched it sniff in interest. The cat pawed at it a few times and Viv finally surrendered the toy carrot so she could happily watch the cutie roll around with it. “I gotta come see you again, don’t I,” she cooed, feeling some of the stress of the day already washing away. The whole cat café really was a charming concept, and Viv looked around in interest as she leaned back on her hands.

At some point, she figured the tea was probably ready and she sadly said her goodbyes and went to the front counter to look for Honey again. “I dunno if I said this yet, but this café is an ace idea. Sometimes you just need to find a little peace,” Viv said with a smile as she reached into her bag for more sickles. ‘Peace’ was a somewhat unusual concept for the chaos-oriented Jordan, but she did like the idea of having a place where you could just take a deep breath and let it out again. She really didn’t do that enough.

honey satheesh varma

[honey satheesh varma]

February 6, 2027

As Vivian requested, Honey got back to work on brewing her a second cup of masala chai, that time in a takeaway cup. It didn't take long to make, and Honey soon brought the tea back out to find Vivian waiting patiently across from her on the other side of the counter.

"I dunno if I said this yet, but this café is an ace idea," Vivian complimented her. "Sometimes you just need to find a little peace."

"Oh, thank you." Honey saw that Vivian had moved to get more coins to pay for the drink as she moved to grab Vivian's cup of tea. When she brought the tea over to her a moment later, she smiled a bit and assured the television host, "This one's on me." It had been overwhelming to figure out the ins and outs of Vivian's kitty cam proposal, but she imagined that it would be worth it in the end—and hopefully make her more than the cost of a second cup of chai.

Vivian River Jordan

[Vivian River Jordan]

Viv took her time to wrap herself up again, buttoning up her coat before stuffing her hat and scarf back on. She angled the scarf so her nose would just peek out – only slightly because of the cold, and more of a desire to keep her anonymity intact until she found her way back to the camera crew. Because even if she did like meeting fans, not everyone was so thrilled to come face-to-face with a werewolf host. And the whole evening had been so nice that she didn’t want to ruin it with a little old-fashioned prejudice.

Stacking the sickles haphazardly on the counter as she dug through her coin purse, Viv beamed at Honey as she set a new cup of chai tea in front of her. Even if Honey couldn’t see the smile, she hoped it was obvious enough that it was there. “Cheers, mate! I’ll see you around, then.” She took a final look around at the cute little café before wrapping her hands around the to-go cup to enjoy the warmth of the tea. Viv neatly swept the sickles into the tip jar sitting by the register and pulled the door open before the chilly wind could change her mind about going back out there. She thought she could see the faint outline of a cameraman at the end of the alley, even if it’d gotten too dark to see properly in the distance.

honey satheesh varma
[End post Viv!]

[honey satheesh varma]

February 6, 2027

"Cheers, mate! I'll see you around, then," Vivian said in parting. Instead of putting away the Sickles that she had gotten out to pay for her cup of tea, she opted to put them into the café's tip jar. She hadn't needed to do that, and Honey thought that it was very generous of her. It wasn't the amount of money as much as it was the thought of putting that money in the tip jar.

"Cheers," Honey replied, watching as Vivian, who had bundled herself back up to brave the cold, made her way out of the café and outside to the crowds of people in Horizont Alley for the festival.

Vivian River Jordan
Fin!