Chapter Text
Seems typical, huh? Coffee shop on a rainy day. Way too cliche, right? Like something straight out of a romantic comedy.
Finnian rolled his eyes at himself but he had to go. It was way too loud at his house since Thanksgiving was coming up and his family decided to all come to his house since he had the nicest house and the biggest kitchen. I mean, with a six figure salary and a good job as a university professor, he had better have a nice house.
So, he left his family at his house, his screaming cousins being obnoxious as always and his aunts gossiping about how Laura didn’t bring anything to the potluck. He couldn’t take it anymore.
Irish families seemed to have that trend of loud and annoying and Finnian didn’t fit into that at all. He had so much work to do and he had to get it done so that his students wouldn’t come at his throat for not grading the 300 exams he had to grade.
So, coffee shop it was. But he never really left his house to explore though so he didn’t know where the best coffee shop was. Maybe that new one around the corner that looked kind of cute.
Finnian didn’t seem like the type with his brooding eyes and dark hair but he loved cute things. A lot. He had all kinds of figurines and stuffed toys in his bedroom that he hid away when his family came over. That’s restricted to toys only, however, as he cringes at girls who act really cutesy. But that could be because he never felt attracted to girls at all. In fact, he never really felt attraction to anyone. He’s dated but it didn’t last long when he realized that he felt no attraction to the person at all. It was odd but he never really felt the need to date like everyone else did and it would be a lie to say his family wasn’t concerned about him.
The professor walked through the streets of rainy Seattle and tried to remember where that coffee shop was. He pulled his overcoat closely around him, regretting not bringing the one with the hood. His hair was pretty much doomed at this point. The small coffee shop suddenly came into view, heavily contrasting the gloomy street, the pastel colors and fancy fonts sticking out among the depressing vibe of the rainy weather.
It was called Dream Bean which he had to admit was cheesy as hell but it was still cute. Finnian straightened up as he pulled open the door and ran a hand through his dark, wet hair to release some of the rain from it.
As he walked in, he was hit with all kinds of sensory stimulations. The smell of espresso, the pastel colors that were still very bright and fun, the sounds of grinding beans and chatter of customers. The vibe was so warm and inviting and the tall man suddenly felt out of place.
Finnian walked over to the counter hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to leave or if he should stay and get some work done.
He looked up at the menu and a little smile threatened to crack his unintentionally stoic facial expression as he saw the names. They were typical coffee shop items but with cute names. Stuff like “mocha-cha-cha with me” and “espress-oh no, that’s strong”. It was even more cheesy than the shop name but he found it entertaining.
As he looked up at the menu curiously, a barista suddenly slid across the floor behind the counter and stopped right in front of him, startling the man.
“Hey, there! Never seen you here before! First time at Dream Bean?” He asked with a cheerful look and a bright smile.
Finnian looked at the barista in shock before relaxing back to his expressionless face though it seemed a little less expressionless than before. The man standing in front of him had a vibe he had never felt before. Effortlessly inviting and warm with a feeling that he actually wanted to be around you.
The man was relatively short with a round face and tanned skin and strawberry blonde hair that seemed to always be trying to cover his eyes but never succeeded. The color seemed like it wouldn’t fit on someone with darker skin but the way it fell over his forehead looked so aesthetically pleasing and fit so nicely with the theme of the coffee shop. His eyes seemed to twinkle and his smile was bright white with very straight teeth. He seemed like a drawing with how much he seemed to glow. And his voice was like caramel. He had a strong Indian accent but it only made his voice flow even more beautifully.
Finnian was taken aback by this person. Usually, with people who were clearly very sociable, he found them overwhelming and irritating. But the barista was different. He knew how to be upbeat without being annoying and it was incredibly charming.
The professor looked up at the menu again to recall what he’d decided on. He didn’t want to say the name that was on the menu since he knew he’d sound stupid so he just said, “May I just have a large cold brew?” He said simply, forgetting that the barista had asked him a question, though it was obvious he had never been here before.
The barista grinned, a slightly mischievous look on his face. “Oh! Do you mean the cold brew with ‘tude? Nice choice. But I’m not putting this order in until you say the actual name.” He said, leaning on the counter and looking up at the man.
Finnian raised a brow, taken aback by the request. Was he serious? He looked like he was. But the professor did not want to do this. He’d sound like a fool. What kind of customer service was this? He was getting a bit annoyed.
“Um, what do you mean you won’t put my order in just because I won’t say the full name? I just want my coffee.” He said, his tone a bit snappy. Finnian wasn’t a pushover and he wouldn’t let some barista tell him what to do. He was probably taking this a bit too seriously but he had the tendency to let his emotions get out of control when he was flustered (by what? Lmao…)
The barista smirked as the customer’s temper seemed to rise. He knew what he was doing. He put on a slightly remorseful face, obviously acting. “Well, I can’t give it to you then. The coffee gets mighty annoyed when people don’t address it by its real name.” He sighed dramatically. “I wouldn’t want to serve displeased coffee.”
Finnian didn’t know how to react to that. How does one react to something like that? In the midst of his annoyance, he found himself wanting to smile for some reason. Why? It was obviously a stupid joke. He continued to look at the barista with disbelief before a tiny corner-of-the-mouth smile crept onto his face.
“Fine, may I have a cold brew with ‘tude?” He didn’t know why he felt the urge to just go along with it but he found the whole situation suddenly amusing.
The barista suddenly grinned and nodded. “Coming right up, sir.” He said, putting in the order and grabbing a mug. He went over to a machine and started making the man’s coffee.
Finnian was surprised at how quickly that situation turned around. He was sure that it would make him suddenly hate the coffee shop as a whole after all of that but it didn’t which surprised him. He wasn’t the most easily satisfied person so the fact that the barista was able to turn his temper around impressed him.
The strawberry blonde barista came back with his coffee and Finnian felt a tiny smile trying to appear again but for some reason, he didn’t want the other man to see.
“A cold brew with ‘tude for you, sir. That’ll be on the house since you’re a first time customer.” He said with a bright smile and a wink, sliding the mug over to him.
“Are you sure? I can pay.” He said with furrowed brows. He was surprised but he didn’t want to just take the drink.
The barista rolled his eyes. “Well, obviously, you can pay. You’re sporting a designer overcoat in a coffee shop. You clearly have money. But I want to treat you after subjecting you to such embarrassment.” He said with a laugh.
Finnian was a bit surprised that he called him out but he had a point but he still didn’t want him to pay for him. “No, I insist on paying. I appreciate the sentiment though.” He took out his wallet without hesitation. “How much is it?”
The barista rolled his eyes again but he was amused at his stubbornness. “Fine, if you want to pay, pay me with your number.” He said with a smirk.
The professor almost dropped his wallet at the request. “M-my number? Why?” He asked, flustered beyond belief.
“For my collection.” He joked. “Why else? You’re attractive and amusing and I just want your number.” He said, completely straightforward, leaning on the counter which stood higher than his waist, looking into Finnian’s eyes.
“I don’t give my number out randomly. I don’t even know you.” He said cautiously. He was almost sure it was flirting but he wasn’t that convinced. Sure, the barista had a nice smile and charismatic personality but he wasn’t super convinced about his intentions.
“My name’s Rajani. What’s yours?” He asked without hesitation.
“It’s Finnian…” he said, slightly suspicious.
“See, now we know each other. Now, I won’t force you to give me your number because consent is everything but know that I think you’re really attractive and I would like to get to know you.” The barista said, his look a little less confident now that he was slightly vulnerable but he ran his hand through his colorful hair to hopefully gain some back.
Finnian watched him curiously as he seemed to lose confidence. For some reason, though, he found that really endearing. He seemed to actually like him. But they had just met ten minutes ago. Way too soon for exchanging numbers in his opinion.
“No, I’m sorry. I really don’t think I should.” He said, his tone a bit softer.
Rajani sighed and nodded. “I understand.” he still smiled, though not quite as bright. “But your coffee is still free. I hope you enjoy it.” He said before getting a sudden idea and grabbing a pen and pad. “If you won’t give me your number, here’s mine. I know you probably won’t use it but I want you to have it.” He handed him a slip of paper and smiled.
Finnian was stubborn but not quite as stubborn as this guy. He let out a soft chuckle. “You really don’t give up, do you?” He took the paper. “Fine, but next time, I’m paying and tipping the full amount of this time.” He was serious. He planned on coming again. He took his drink and put the slip of paper in his pocket. The man was right. He wasn’t going to call him but he would keep the number just because.
The tall man took a seat and started to pull out his work. He had a lot of grading to do and assignments to write. It didn’t help that he also worked in a biochemistry research lab as well but he could handle the workload. He had a brilliant mind for someone so young.
The professor sipped his coffee absently but was surprised by the taste. It was a very pleasing taste. A combination of a rich coffee taste but a smooth texture that pleased his mouth. It was an addicting sensation. Luckily, he had ordered a large.
He got to work, putting the whole experience he had just had in the back of his mind for now so he could focus.