Work Text:
“I thought you said you didn’t like coffee?”
“I don’t .”
“Mhmm. Sure. Whatever you say, man.” Exer teased with an annoying grin plastered across his face.
“It’s true. All coffees are disgustingly bitter.” In David’s defense, he didn’t like coffee. It was too bitter for his taste buds. But Exer’s lattes were something else entirely. But that didn’t mean he deserved Exer’s interrogations.
Exer glanced around the cafe, “I gotta get back to work.”
“Yeah, yeah,” David waved him off, sipping at his drink. He was surprised the cafe was still rather busy. It was almost closing time. It was then he realized his cup was nearly empty, only a few small sips left, “Go make your fancy-shmancy lattes. Mind making me another one, too?”
Exer scoffed, “No problem. I’ll bring you another disgustingly bitter coffee in a bit.” Exer rolled off and back into the kitchen, disappearing behind the swinging green door.
Even though he had been teasing all day since David entered the cafe, he could tell Exer was acting differently. He was stuttering when David first came in and, even though he had calmed down a bit, Exer still had been nervous since then.
David wondered what was going on in his head.
X
Okay, you’ve got this, Exer. Slow and steady. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for.
Today was the day Exer will finally ask David out. The opportunity finally presented itself on a silver platter. It was as if the Heaven’s had bestowed this miracle upon Exer.
All he had to do was write out “ U + I = date? ” with the foam. There wasn’t much room to work with, but he would make do.
Don’t screw this up. You don’t have the luxury of screwing this up, Exer.
With a shaky hand, he poured the foam as steady as he could, trying to make sure that the letters were legible enough to decipher. At least he hoped they were. This was not the time to get nervous. He had a mission to accomplish. And one that he didn’t plan on leaving unfinished.
I can do this.
X
When Exer came out of the kitchen, David immediately noticed something was off. Exer was wobbly on his skates. His eyes were hazy as if he wasn’t even in the cafe. The ceramic cup clattering on the tray he was holding. He looked as pale as a ghost, white in the face, yet still looking flustered to the point of discomfort.
Exer let out a large sigh, like he was holding his breath, “Okay, here’s your latte, Day.”
“Oh, thanks.” He was grateful for the steaming cup since he had finished his last one, but David was confused when he saw the latte art.
It didn’t look like the traditional design of the other lattes. Not like the tulip pattern that Exer always did, but more like letters?
A few he was able to make out, but there were still a few he couldn’t make out right then and there. Which only fueled David’s curiosity even more.
“Hey, Ex?” David picked up the cup, trying to get a better look at the jumble of foam, “What’s-”
Exer turned bright red, “I-I’ve got a lot of work to do!” David barely got the chance to look up and see Exer make it through the kitchen doors, calling out from behind his shoulder, “Later!!”
X
What the hell was I thinking?! There’s absolutely no way I can do this!
Just like that, Exer had screwed it up. Like always.
He was making this harder than it had to be. It was just asking David out on a date. No biggie. Just a date. It wasn’t like he was asking David to marry him.
But, man. If David wouldn’t look good in white.
Not like Exer would get a chance to see him dressed in such a thing. Nowhere near that fantasy at this point.
Dylan giving him a few more orders snapped him back to reality. He focused on his job. That was what he needed to do right now.
Not daydream about something that may never happen.
Exer desperately tried to ignore how much that made his heart ache.
X
Whelp, tonight was a failure.
Worst of all, Exer didn’t see David when he was clocking out.
Which most likely meant that he left without saying goodbye. Probably to spare Exer from the embarrassment.
They would have to face each other at school, though. So it was only gonna be a matter of time until they had to bring it up. Unless they don’t and this entire mess is swept under the rug.
Exer wasn’t sure if that was any better.
“Exer?”
Huh, apparently David didn’t go home. He was waiting around the corner from the cafe, which was strangely familiar to the day they made up.
This is going to end up really good or really bad. And from how the night was going so far, most likely really bad.
“H-heeyy yoouuu,” Exer knew he was being awkward, but what else was he supposed to do? Exer put his heart on the line knowing that this was a possibility.
David got straight to the point, “About that latte…”
Here it comes-
“What did it say on the top?” David asked, oblivious to Exer’s current crisis.
It took a moment for Exer to process what he said, not sure if he should be relieved that David didn’t know about Exer’s feelings or devastated that he might have build up the courage to try again, “You couldn’t read it?”
“Nope. Half of the letters were too shaky to even be legible.”
Curse Exer and stupid shaky hands.
“What was it?” David asked, still wanting to know what was happening.
Exer wanted to say something so bad. Risk it all once again. But when he opened his mouth, no sound came out. When he looked into David’s eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to do it again.
“N-nothing,” Exer said innocently, “ Come on. Let’s go back to my place and watch some movies.”
David slung his arm around Exer’s shoulders, starting to rant about his day. All Exer could do was smile.
Even though the night didn’t go as planned, the time would come for Exer to try again.
For now, this was all he really needed.