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“Small macchiato please, no extras today.”
Rin knocked the end of his umbrella against the tile floors as he spoke, trying to shake off some of the water without making a mess. The café was emptier than usual that afternoon, one patron tucked in a far corner appearing to be the only soul there besides himself and the staff. The steady drizzle outside was likely the culprit for their lack of business.
Behind the counter, tan hands punched his order into the register.
He couldn’t help but notice that those hands led up into a soft black cuff today. The baristas here didn’t have uniforms, but Rin had slowly turned into a regular at this place, and coming in at the same time most days often meant running into the same employee. This was different from what Rin usually saw him in – he wore a tight black sweater, understated and stylish beneath his work apron. It looked cozy.
“We kinda match today, huh?” Rin smiled, indicating his own much thicker sweater. “Guess it is the right weather for it.”
The man hummed in agreement. Haruka, if Rin remembered right; he had told him his name after their first several run-ins, and a while later even started dropping by his table to chat on days traffic was slow. Given the current state of the shop, Rin was pretty confident he’d be graced with his presence today.
Blue eyes flicked up to meet his briefly. “Training over already? You’re early.”
“Nah, I took the day off.” He fished out his wallet and paid while Haruka wandered over to start his drink. “Pulled a muscle recently and was really feeling it this morning. Figured I could afford to rest it a bit this time of year.”
A quiet snick from the back signaled the lone other customer packing up their laptop to leave. Probably for the best – the dark clouds beyond the window didn’t make it look like the rain was going to let up any time soon.
“Aren’t swimmers supposed to be on super-strict diets or something? Why are you even in here this much?”
Rin turned back to the counter, eyes trailing over those delicate hands as they retrieved a cup from a stack. Thick, black hair the same shade as his shirt draped over Haruka’s eyes as he looked down, intent on his task. It was true, though Rin’s little indulgences probably wouldn’t hurt his intake overall, but he had never been much of a coffee man to begin with. At least… not until recently. No, if he was honest with himself there was another reason Rin had been frequenting the café that had nothing to do with its food.
“I used to wonder the same thing. I think I found the answer, though.”
If his words had any effect on Haruka he gave no indication of it, continuing about his business without so much as turning around.
Rin sighed under his breath and tore his eyes away to head towards his usual table. He’d barely finished hanging up his coat and umbrella before the aproned figure approached, depositing a small plate in front of him – his cup was flanked by a beautifully golden croissant, the shape curling neatly around it on the saucer.
“I didn’t order that.”
“I can take it back if your fancy diet won’t allow it.” He pointedly avoided eye contact while replying.
Rin smiled. “It’s alright. I appre-“
He was interrupted by a deep crack from outside. Both heads turned to the window, watching the rain slowly worsen as thunder rolled through the street in an echo. The barista frowned.
“I didn’t remember my umbrella this morning.”
Rin glanced over at him, taking in the tiny pout he was giving the glass. This man was far too cute for his own good. He spoke before his mind could catch up to process the words: “You can use mine if you need.”
Haruka looked back over, fixing him with a confused expression. “Don’t you also need it? I don’t think your coat is going to be enough to keep all of that out.”
By the time he realized what he’d offered, it was too late for Rin to take it back. Not that he wanted to, but it wasn’t exactly where he’d been planning for things to go. Well, time to make this work.
“I mean, I did say I have the day to myself,” he started, leaning back in his chair. “I could hang around until you’re ready to go and then we share it. What time are you off?”
The barista glanced at the clock, weighing his options. After a silent deliberation, he finally answered, “Not for a couple hours yet.”
“I’ve got time. I’ll be here when you want to leave.”
The smile he turned Rin’s way was soft, small enough he might not have noticed it if he wasn’t so close. Then he swept off to clear the other now-vacated table.
Rin really didn’t know what it was about this guy. He watched him flit around the chairs, wiping down the surface and gathering up dishes, wondering how things ended up like this. Rin had always been a romantic, sure, but he wasn’t one to fall head-over-heels for a near stranger like this. He’d tried to deny it for a while, but the way his eyes stayed glued on that little black sweater left him little room to pretend. Somewhere over the course of his occasional visits he’d gotten it bad.
Now the collar of his own turtleneck started to feel warm. That really did look good on him.
When he’d finished busying himself with what little work he had, the dark-haired man returned to Rin’s table with a new mug in hand.
“So, what is Haruka's vice of choice from this establishment?” Rin teasingly eyed the cup as he pulled up a chair to settle in, noting the sweet scent coming from it.
“Just Haru is fine.”
“Haru, then.”
He smiled, bigger this time, and took the mug with both hands to warm them up. “It’s a hot chocolate. I don’t like coffee.”
Rin snorted before he could stop himself. “What? Why the hell’d you get a job at a coffee shop if you don’t even like coffee?”
“I don’t know.” He sipped, turning to watch the rain outside. “It’s nice here. It’s quiet and I don’t have to do much most days.”
Rin hummed contemplatively and picked up his own drink. “Fair enough. Not every place can be the dream job.”
“What about you? Is swimming your dream job?”
“Yeah, actually, I guess it is. I’m lucky enough I haven’t had to pick up anything else to support it yet, hoping I can keep it that way.”
Haru nodded and returned his attention to his cup. For a while they ate in companionable silence, occasionally a customer wandering in and Haru dipping away to attend to them before returning with more small talk. It was the most time they’d spent together since Rin first started coming around, and he found himself almost disappointed when Haru headed back over with a bag in hand to announce the end of his shift.
“So, how do we want this to work?” He pulled a jacket on and slid the messenger bag onto his shoulder, waiting for Rin to retrieve his own from the coat rack.
“My place isn’t too far from here.”
“Is that where I’m going…?”
Oh. He really hadn’t thought this through.
“W- well, we could go to mine and then you take the umbrella for the rest of the trip and I’ll pick it back up from you here sometime? Which direction do you live? Or, actually, I could walk you home first, and then take it with me. That would be the, uh. More normal-person thing.”
Smooth. Real smooth.
Rin could swear he heard Haru chuckle though, and it made all his lame fumbling worth it. “Let’s go with that one. I’m not far either.”
With belongings stowed the pair headed toward the exit, Rin stepping out to pop the umbrella in the doorway and usher Haru under it without catching a single drop in the transition. The downpour drummed a comforting song against the fabric as they started walking.
Thunder still rolled now and then, but it was far enough away to merely add to the ambience without posing any threat. Haru’s apartment was in the opposite direction from his, he learned, but was even closer to the café than him. It made for a convenient walk to work.
Less convenient for Rin, who was thoroughly appreciating how close Haru had gotten during their all-too-short journey.
He lingered at Haru’s doorstep, noting that Haru didn’t seem overly inclined to leave their little bubble either. The past few hours might as well have taken place in their own private universe – all that was left was to break the spell.
“Thank you for all of this, Rin. I’m sure this isn’t what you wanted to spend your day off doing.”
“It’s no problem. It certainly brightened an otherwise boring day to get to know you a little better.” He shuffled his feet as Haru dug out his keys, unlocking the door with finality. A beat passed as the man stood there, silhouetted in the hallway light within, before bright blue eyes turned around to meet his once more.
“Rin?”
“Hm?”
“…I found it too, you know. That answer.”
It took Rin a moment to place what he was talking about, tracing his mind back to his halfhearted flirt from back at the café. He didn’t realize Haru had even heard him earlier. Is that what he meant by it, though…? He didn’t dare get his hopes up.
“Yeah?”
Haru smiled, and this time it wasn’t small or quiet or easy to miss. It lit up his whole face with a tender happiness as he leaned out of the doorway, rivulets pouring off the edge of the umbrella onto woolen shoulders as he placed a kiss soft against Rin’s cheek.
“Yeah.”