Work Text:
“Oh my God.”
Even jumped behind the kitchen doors, breathing heavily. His manager and two chefs looked at him funny, frowning. They probably didn’t understand why Even suddenly couldn’t go back out into the diner when it was the busiest time of the afternoon; Nissen students piling in by the dozen.
“Is there a problem?” Stan, his manager, asked.
“Um.”
Yes. There was a huge problem.
“No. No problem.” Even smiled, but he could feel his lips shaking. He could feel how hard his heart was pounding in his neck.
“Then go and serve your tables.” Stan snapped, a tad snarkier than usual. He pushed the door open behind Even and motioned for him to go out, eyebrows raised to his hairline.
Even forced himself to move, not really wanting to lose his job. He walked directly to table 69 – hah! Fuck you, universe – and breathed in as he met the prettiest pair of eyes he’d ever seen.
“I’m order, can I take your Even?”
And holy fuck.
Seriously?
“I mean.” He could feel himself turning bright red. The boy with the pretty eyes and soft hair chuckled, flashing his teeth as he stared up at Even.
“I’m totally fine with you walking away and coming back to try again. Go on.” The boy said, pointing back towards the doors Even had been practically pushed out of a second ago.
“But…I…okay.” Even nodded, turning on his heel and walking back to the doors where Stan was still standing, now mouthing ‘what the fuck.’
What the fuck, indeed.
“I messed up. I’m going back now…sir.” Even explained, smiling and trying to seem confident. But his voice squeaked and he turned even redder and this was officially the worst day ever.
The boy was looking right at Even as he walked back over. Even wasn’t making eye contact. He was looking at his very new shoes, clearing his throat before saying, “Hello. I’m Even. What can I get you today?”
Green eyes looked proud and he punched Even lightly on his tummy. “See? I knew you could do it.”
Even mashed his lips together to prevent himself from saying anything else stupid, like oh my god touch me again please.
“I’ll take a strawberry milkshake.” The boy smiled, and then he licked his lips. Licked his lips like he was already thinking about the strawberry milkshake and Even squeaked again without saying anything at all.
He nodded and walked away, rushing back to the main counter to punch the order in. He nearly barrelled right into Peter, another waiter, who shook his head at Even angrily.
“You need to watch it, Even. You’re so spacey.”
“S-sorry!” Even managed.
The thing was, Even wasn’t spacey. He was always focused at work. He’d won over the manager in his interview in only ten minutes, walking out with a job and the promise of great tips. This was his year off. No school. No more relationship that he wasn’t happy in. A new apartment. New roommates.
A fresh start.
But then the other day, pretty green eyes had walked in and Even forgot how to move. Or speak. Or punch in orders. All the so-called people skills he possessed, which he’d complimented himself for having in the interview, flew out the fucking window. All he could do while he was attempting to carry trays full of hot food was watch the boy drink his milkshake – that somebody else got to bring him – and forget his own goddamn name.
And here he was. Back today, ordering another milkshake. And he sat in Even’s section of tables he was covering.
It was a shock, okay? Being next to beauty that grand was not an easy thing to do. Even felt like he needed to wear sunglasses or something.
“Even? For fuck’s sake! We’re busy as hell right now.” Peter snapped, waving a hand across Even’s eyes. He blinked, realizing he’d put in strawberry-milkshake-boy’s order and then hadn’t moved again; staring creepily at the gorgeous boy now.
“Shit. I’m sorry.” Even said, grabbing his notepad out of his apron. He walked back into his section where four tables were waiting to place their orders.
By the time Even had finished punching in all the orders, he realized that somebody else once again had brought the milkshake out to the boy. He spared a second to feel the loss of it but then concluded it was better this way. Any more interaction with green eyes would surely end in completely disaster; a disaster involving Even making an even bigger fool out of himself.
Even was so caught up in orders and getting the right change for other people in the next half hour that he didn’t notice the boy leaving. He walked to the table to clear it, still feeling dumb, when he saw something written on a piece of paper.
Thanks for the milkshake, Even. Have a good night.
And then Even proceeded to find a tip that was double what the boy had paid for his milkshake.
**
“I don’t want to hear about strawberry milkshake boy anymore, Even.” Yousef snapped, turning the volume up on the TV.
Even bit down on his bottom lip, feeling embarrassed. He’d spent the last hour going on about how dumb he’d been and how perfect the boy was; how the boy had quickly drank the milkshake and then licked the rim of the cup afterwards and…
Okay.
Even knew he was ridiculous but the boy had made eye contact when this happened, all right? It wasn’t something he was going to forget.
“I’m sure you’ll see him again. He probably goes to Nissen. The diner is the second most popular place for kids besides KB. Just get his number.” Yousef shrugged, like it was that fucking easy.
“No way.”
“You’re dumb.”
“I know.” Even easily agreed.
**
Even worked six days a week and strawberry milkshake boy was always there. And he always sat in Even’s section even though that was constantly changing. Like what the fuck?
And he always ordered the milkshake.
He always licked the rim of the glass afterwards and he always left a stupidly huge tip.
The one thing Even thought would change was his ability to speak actual words that weren’t completely stupid around the boy. But no such luck.
“Can I get your milkshake, or…ugh…order, today?”
“Milkshake again, right? You sure love those.”
“Good thing we never run out of strawberries, huh?”
“I wouldn’t lick the glass all the time. The dishes here aren’t cleaned super well. You could get sick. Our dishwasher sucks.”
The boy laughed loudly at that line, shaking his head. “Um. I don’t think it’s a good thing to tell customers that your dishes are dirty.”
“Oh. Fuck. No! They’re not like…dirty dirty, you know? Just mildly unclean. Like all diner cups. It’s just something I thought you should know since you always…or um…I’ll put your order in now.”
“Wait!” The boy called, grabbing at Even’s wrist before Even could escape this conversation from hell. Why the fuck could he never keep his mouth shut?
“Yes? Do you want something else today? Our hamburgers are excellent. The cheeseburger and…”
“Even, relax.” Strawberry milkshake boy smiled, his fingers not leaving Even’s wrist. The touch was all Even could focus on.
Relax? When this boy was touching him?
Like hell.
“You’re cute when you’re all flustered.” The boy said, cocking his head to the side as his gaze landed on Even’s mouth.
“Flustered?” Even laughed – honked - shaking his head. “Not at all. Just, you know. I’m busy and stuff. Working here is hectic.”
“Uh huh.” The boy smirked, his fingers tightening on Even’s wrist before he suddenly let go. “I just wanted to say that you…you don’t have to be flustered, okay?”
“I…”
“Because you must know by now…” Strawberry milkshake boy began, his voice lower than normal. “I’m not here for the milkshakes.”
**
“What does that mean?” Even whispered into his phone, trying not to yell in complete shock.
“You’re totally fucking stupid, Even.” Yousef sighed. “Talk to Mikael. I can’t spell this out for you again.”
Even heard some commotion over the line and he rolled his eyes. He was not stupid, okay? There was just something he was seriously missing and someone needed to explain it to him.
“Yo, Even. What’s up?” Mikael’s smooth voice came through a second later.
“Mikael. Okay. So, strawberry milkshake boy, right?”
Everyone knew who Even was talking about by now. All five of his roommates.
“Yep. What sexy thing did he do today, bro?”
“He…he said…that he’s not here for the milkshakes and that I should know that. Like, what does that mean?” Even asked exasperatedly, freezing his ass off out back behind the diner. His break was almost up and he needed answers.
“Seriously? Even.” Mikael laughed. “Come on, man. Think.”
“No. I honestly can’t think when it’s about him, Mik. Just tell me straight.”
“Okay.” Mikael sighed. “Straight up?”
“Yeah. I can handle it.”
“Your dick is the milkshake. And he’s here for it.”
Even frowned.
What?
“But he said he’s not here for the milkshakes…”
Mikael hung up on him and strawberry milkshake boy was gone when Even got back onto the floor.
**
The boy didn’t come back the next day. Or the next. And Even had come to the conclusion that he’d imagined the whole thing. He had imagined the most perfect human in all of existence saying that he wasn’t there for the milkshakes, but for Even.
Clearly his brain had short circuited that day.
“Even? Will you close tonight for me? My kid is sick.” Peter asked, looking at Even with a desperate expression.
Even had been working since 11am and he really didn’t want to stay until 11pm, but what else did he have to do? His plan had been to clock out and go home to mope about how he missed his shot at true love because he was so fucking dense.
“Sure, man. No problem.”
“Thanks. I owe you!”
**
Even had just sent the last kitchen boy home and was in the process of locking the door to the diner when he heard someone walk up behind him. He thought it was the same kitchen boy so he turned around, about to ask if he’d forgotten something.
But then he forgot how to speak.
It was strawberry milkshake boy and his hair was coated in snow, his nose bright red and his eyes were squinty under the onslaught of his beautiful smile.
“Hi, Even.”
“Um. You…I thought…”
Fuck.
“You could just say hello back. It’s not hard.” The boy teased, leaning in a bit closer to Even’s face.
“Sorry.” Even smiled, looking at the ground; trying to – heh – ground himself. “Hello.”
“I know. You’re wondering, what the hell is my favourite customer doing here this late? Right?” Strawberry milkshake boy asked, suddenly reaching up to shake the snow out of his hair. All that did was mess his hair up more, but it was completely adorable.
If Even was smoother he would say something like so you think you’re my favourite huh? Or perhaps, I know why you’re here. For me.
But Even wasn’t smooth. Everybody and their mom knew that by now. When it came to this boy, Even was the farthest thing from smooth.
What he did say was, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard?”
Strawberry milkshake boy threw his head back and laughed harder than Even had heard anyone laugh before. Tears were streaming down his face by the end of it and Even started laughing too. He couldn’t not smile at how beautiful this boy was.
“God. You smooth fucker.” The boy finally managed, wiping the tears off his face.
Even was about to protest because hell no he wasn’t smooth. But before the words could come out the boy grabbed the back of his neck and brought their mouths together for a kiss that made Even forget about the blistering cold.
The boy’s mouth was warm despite his clammy cheeks and he tasted like hot chocolate. Even moaned a bit into the kiss, moving his tongue out to taste more and he managed to bring his hands up to grip the boy’s waist.
Strawberry milkshake boy looked dazed when they finally broke apart. Dazed and dopily happy and Even couldn’t help but think he probably looked the exact same.
“I’m Isak, by the way.”
“Isak.” Even whispered, bumping their noses together. “Nice to meet you.”