Work Text:
David had been having a relatively normal day (well, as normal as one could have when trying to run an under-staffed small business) when an unusual customer walked into his coffee shop.
He had a lot of regulars, and a lot of forgettable looking commuters who dropped by. What he didn’t have a lot of was people like this.
He was wearing the most obnoxiously childish t-shirt with some anime robot printed on it, and japanese characters David couldn’t read. His hair was unkempt and his glasses were thick. He was a long-limbed fellow, and he looked like he needed to shave.
He pretended to not have been staring at him, turning back around to keep wiping down the counter.
The awkward looking man slinked up to the counter like an alley cat and adjusted his glasses. He was too timid to ring the bell; his hand hovered over it a few times and retreated back into his jean pocket. Out of pity, David turned around and initiated conversation first.
“What can I get you?”
If he wasn’t nervous-looking the moment he entered the building, he certainly was now. The poor guy looked like he’d just run a mile.
“U-uh, a latte please. Hazelnut syrup and oat milk.” He blurted out, and David could swear he was actually sweating. How much work was it for him to order coffee?
He nodded, and took the money from his trembling hand.
As he started to work the industrial coffee maker, he could feel the guy’s weird little eyes on him. He wasn’t too thrilled with this silence.
“You haven’t come here before… At least, I think I would have remembered seeing you.”
He cleared his throat. “Uh, I haven’t been here before no. Still, I wanted a change and my sister always says supporting local businesses is good so…”
Still shaking like a leaf, the man (who somehow managed to be absurdly tall and incredibly tiny at the same time) trailed off before finishing that thought. He just watched him quietly again, like he was mesmerised.
“Well, I hope you enjoy it.” David gave him a slight smile, turning to push the paper cup towards him. “Maybe we’ll win you over and you’ll become a regular.”
He looked like he wanted to say something, opening his mouth but then promptly closing it again as if trying to stop himself from saying something irresponsible. Staring at David wide-eyed for a moment longer, he eventually grabbed the cup and surveyed the small cafe.
There didn’t seem to be any tables that were isolated enough for his liking, so he pulled out his laptop right there at the bar. Pulling a stool up to the counter he set himself up awkwardly.
“Are you working on something?” David asked, hoping to make conversation. Sure, he seemed socially awkward but he also clearly wanted to talk to somebody deep down.
“Uh. Yeah, actually! I’m a programmer and I’m making some financial software for a client.” There was a glint of excitement in his eye as he had a chance to talk about his work.
David smiled again, a bit more genuinely this time. It was kind of adorable.
“Oh yeah? Sounds like you’re quite the little brainiac.” He raised his eyebrows, impressed. “I know that’s something I’d probably struggle to learn.”
He cleared his throat, tucking a messy lock of hair behind his ear. “I’m Hal by the way.”
“David.” He responded without hesitation. “That name really suits you.”
He quickly got flustered again. It wasn’t surprising at this rate, since he probably wasn’t used to interacting with a lot of people in his profession.
“Th-Thanks.”
David had to serve another customer, so Hal quickly busied himself with reading and editing his software. The reflection of his screen scrolled by slowly on the surface of his glasses.
-
Hal didn’t really say much throughout the day. Still, he sat there and worked diligently. Now and then he ordered food - a sandwich, a slice of cake, various small snacks. It was admirable how engaged he was. In fact, he didn’t even seem to realise how much time was passing. It was as if he were in a trance or something.
Now that he was looking at it again, the exhausted coffee shop manager noticed that his laptop had an obnoxious sticker on the back of some anime girl in a flight suit. It was weirdly cute, although David would probably never admit that.
This time, David was nervous about starting a conversation. He almost didn’t want to interrupt him while he was on such a roll.
“Hey.”
Hal jolted to attention, staring up at him like a deer in the headlights.
“We’re closing up soon. Everyone else already left when asked.” He said, as gently as he could.
“Oh!” Hal panicked, shutting his laptop dramatically and starting to hastily gather his things. “I- I’m so sorry… I lost track of time!”
“It’s okay.”
He was like a whirlwind of skinny limbs, packing everything away into his messenger bag and quickly rushing to the door.
“Wait, Hal.” David called after him.
He glanced over his shoulder, almost beetroot red with embarrassment.
“You’ll come here again some time soon, right?”
Hal stared at him for a while, dumbfounded. He finally spoke. “Y-Yeah, sure.”
Watching him make his way out of sight through the large front window, David sighed to himself and got back to cleaning. He really did hope he came back again. There was something very interesting about that anxious, unusual man.
-
For several days, Hal made regular appearances at Fox Ground and sat diligently working on his software. They didn’t even interact all that much, but David couldn’t help but notice that the new customer was getting used to him. He greeted him with slightly more confidence each day, and even made some casual conversation each time he ordered something (well, so long as it was David serving him; he still wasn’t ready to talk with anybody else).
Then, one day for seemingly no reason he didn’t turn up.
David wasn’t sure if he was just running late today or if he’d stopped coming altogether. However, no matter how long he waited Hal didn’t appear at the counter.
He felt almost guilty for missing him. It wasn’t as if they knew each other all that well, and it felt a little creepy to be so concerned with someone he’d only met several days ago and exchanged casual conversation with. Still, there was no helping the sinking feeling in his stomach.
Another day passed, and then another.
They dragged on and he felt this unexplainable misery deep inside himself. Had he really gotten that emotionally attached to him?
The answer to his question was pretty clear when he heard the door open about half an hour from closing with a soft jingling and looked up to see a familiar figure. Sure enough, it was Hal. He was wearing goofy-looking green corduroys and this beige sweater that was too big for him. It was adorable.
He arrived at the counter, still looking a little nervous but also beaming with an oddly positive energy.
“Hi, David.” He greeted, a little smile working its way onto his pale face.
David did his best not to look like an excited little puppy. “Hal. How have you been?”
His head tilted a bit. “So you’ve been thinking about me, huh?”
Was he getting… bold?
“Maybe. It’s hard to not notice whether or not you’re here since you look so, um, distinctive.”
He giggled, and it was hard not to focus on that. David hadn’t heard him laugh like that before.
“I suppose I kind of do.” His eyes explored the wooden boards of the floor. “So, you missed me.”
David cleared his throat. “Maybe a little bit. You’re a good customer. Speaking of which, do you want your usual today?”
Hal nodded and watched patiently as his favourite barista prepared his latte for him. Once it was ready, he accepted it directly from David’s hands this time. It was only a brush of fingers, but for just a split second David could feel the soft skin of his hands.
He took a seat, no laptop this time. David wiped his hands down on a towel, threw it over his shoulder and approached him. Nobody would be coming in at this time anyways; the place was half empty and they’d be closing soon enough.
“So, no laptop today?” He probed.
Hal shook his head. “I’m all done with that project. I’ve been taking some time off since I had been working non-stop for almost a month.”
“Oh.”
There was a moment of silence, and Hal stared at him like he was studying every inch of his face.
“I should have come in, shouldn’t I? Just to talk.” He mumbled into his cup, seeming morose and regretful for a moment.
David held out a hand in reassurance. “No, no. You don’t have to force yourself to come and see me. We’re not even that close.”
“You don’t think so? Yeah, I guess that’s a rational way to think of it.” Hal stated with a weirdly forced flatness in his voice.
David cocked his eyebrow, busying his hands by wiping down the counter. “What, were you hoping we could be closer?”
The illusion of confidence started to peel back a bit as Hal’s face flushed with that familiarly warm tone. “Maybe.”
“We’re closing soon.” David mentioned, testing the waters. “I wouldn’t mind getting to know each other more over dinner or something.”
“Over dinner, huh?” Hal tried to play it cool, sipping his coffee as casually as he could manage. “Sounds like you’re asking me on a date or something.”
“It sure does.”
Hal gazed up at him, wide-eyed. He stared down at his cup in his trembling hands. He put his cup to his lips and started drinking, taking a long, savoured swig. Everything he did seemed to have this weird underlying cuteness to it, now.
“Yeah, okay.”