Work Text:
"Good morning on this lovely spring day! Can I have your order and name, please?"
The man looked confused by Suga's bright smile, or maybe it was because of his deviation from the standard "Welcome, can I take your order?" script mumbled under the breath favored by Asahi. Either way, the man fumbled his words and stuttered, "I would like--Daichi."
Suga's smile widened and he tried not to laugh. "We don't serve a Daichi!"
The man turned bright red and waved his hands. "Sorry, sorry, I'm--well--my name is Daichi."
Suga nodded. "What would you like to drink, Daichi-san?"
"Right! Um, a green tea latte. Small. For here."
"I love those." Suga input the price. Daichi muttered some kind of response that Suga didn't hear, then shoved a handful of coins onto the tray between them. Suga took them, made the proper change, and then hesitated for a moment.
Daichi held out his hand for change. With a smile and direct eye contact, Suga took Daichi's hand in both of his own and pressed the money into his palm.
"Thank you very much," he said. "Your drink will be ready shortly."
Daichi turned an even darker shade of red, but before he could respond Suga had already let go and was starting the drink.
The thing was, Daichi was a regular. Suga usually stayed with the coffee machines while Asahi took orders, but Asahi called in sick and no one could cover the shift. Suga had always been aware of their interactions. Daichi and Asahi both seemed to stumble over words, Asahi because he wasn't really a people person and Daichi because he never seemed awake by the time he got there.
It was cute.
Daichi was cute, with his tan skin and close-cropped hair, honest brown eyes and the button-down shirts he wore with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. He didn't seem like a normal office worker. He sat inthe cafe for hours on his laptop, then left, only to repeat the same routine every day.
He always sat by the window.
He never ordered coffee.
Suga might have had a crush. Although he felt for poor Asahi and his flu ("or what if it's the plague?!") he was thankful to be facing the customers today.
They weren't typically the sort of coffee shop to take names. Being a bit out of the way of everyone's morning commute, they got less customers. As a result, they could take more time to know their regulars and any newcomers.
Well, Suga could. Asahi didn't, and he never asked Daichi's name. It was ironic that he worked the customer-facing role, but he was hopeless with a coffee machine.
"So, Daichi-san," he called out as he steamed milk. "Do you not like coffee or do you just like green tea so much that you can't bear to drink anything else?"
Daichi must have recovered, because he responded, "I can't cheat on my favorite drink. That would be cruel." His voice had an amused lilt, and Suga found himself feeling a bit flustered. "Also, I don't like coffee."
"How do you stay awake?" Suga asked.
"Exercise, a healthy diet, and a regular sleep schedule," Daichi laughed. "Sorry if that's boring."
"It's admirable." Suga tried not to think too hard about Daichi exercising. "Do you cook?"
"I'm not half bad."
Suga's heart skipped, but he kept his hand steady on the milk pitcher. He was known for good latte art, and usually he made flowers with the green tea lattes.
But today, he made hearts.
Daichi's eyebrows twitched up when he saw, but he took the cup in both hands, his fingers briefly brushing over Suga's, before smiling and saying, "Thank you."
Suga wanted to call Asahi then and there. Daichi always waited for Suga to put the drink on a tray first.
But maybe it didn't mean anything.
The hours that Daichi worked dragged by, agonizing. To say Suga was distracted was an understatement. He wanted to chuck his apron into the back room and sit down at Daichi's table just so they could be distracted together.
But he didn't. Daichi packed up and took his mug to the drop-off bin. And then he paused.
Suga's farewell sat on the tip of his tongue, waiting. Daichi turned to him with a wide smile and came over, holding out a folded-up piece of notebook paper.
"You can call me Daichi," he said, taking Suga's hands in his own and pressing the paper between them.
Then he turned and rushed out.
Suga stared, face too hot, heart trying its best to escape his ribcage. Shakily, he unfolded the paper and saw a phone number along with a note.
"I really like you. Let's get tea coffee!
~Daichi"