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Before Jeff came around, Phil never really liked coffee. For the longest time, he refused to drink it because he thought the caffeine was going to screw up his brain and leave him too hyper to do anything. Hot chocolate was better anyhow.
The first time he actually tried coffee (from what he could recall) was when Jeff once offered him some from catering. It was one of those Christmas tour house shows in the northeast where everyone, and everything, was cold. The hallways had a draft as if someone left a door open and coats were typically necessary. Even though he was from Chicago, the breezes off of that lake still hadn't taught him. Phil had a tendency to be cold.
At this point, the show had started and the echoes of some of the crowd's cheers and boos could be heard. The catering wasn't exactly as big as it was on a tv taping night but there was enough food to satisfy. Only some of the roster was in catering, with the likes of Shelton, Hunter, Maria and a few others lingering around. Jeff and Phil came in together, both in jackets and sweats trying to maintain at least some body heat (without making physical contact, which happened to be their typical form of keeping warm.)
They made their way up to the table with the regular menu laid out, when Jeff noticed Phil shivering. Jeff strolled over to the generic metal container and after pouring two, handed Phil one of those cheap styrofoam cups, not exactly aware of Phil's distaste for coffee. Phil took it anyways, partially because he could have used any warmth at the moment and partially because he was too distracted by the man who was handing it to him in the first place.
Their eyes seemed to be the main form of communication between the two and Jeff's eyes were always caught by Phil's no matter where they were. The enigma's were so captivating and yes, he really appreciated Jeff's quirkiness and creativity, but it was his eyes that made him truly appreciate the love of his life. Those hazel gems that had the forests of Cameron peeking out from behind. The ones that faded between light and dark greens, fluctuating with his emotions and matching his expressions. The ones that always caught his.
They made eye contact after Jeff passed the coffee over. Phil looked up at Jeff to question him about the fact that he had just handed him coffee, but he became so distracted by Jeff's eyes once again, that he barely registered the heat of the cup as it settled between his tattooed fingers. The interesting thing, however, is that they had essentially locked themselves in a staring contest, both sets of eyes just studying the other. During however long this was, because he wasn't really sure of an actual time frame, Phil vividly remembers Jeff sipping his coffee occasionally, reacting confused initially, likely because it was hot. The interesting thing was, Phil just absentmindedly mimicked him for the intimidation factor, sipping immediately after Jeff did. Not once did their eyes break, both continuing to return the glare of the other. While he only slightly noticed the bitterness of the coffee, it really wasn't that bad.
It seemed like hours, and quite frankly, he could stare at Jeff for as long as he wanted to. It wasn't really a serious type of staring contest at all, but both of them were also extremely competitive. Things like this had a tendency to happen between the two them, and often. Yet even when it happens, the tense unpredictability of the situation was intriguing.
After staring at each other for what seemed like forever, Jeff started smiling for no apparent reason. Behind his coffee, his lips curled into that gorgeous smile that Phil didn't see often. Then Jeff ended up being the first to break eye contact because he just broke out into a laughing fit. He had to set down his cup on a nearby table, still laughing. He pulled a chair around and out enough that it would face Phil. He promptly sat down and put his face in his hands, only to continue snickering.
At this point, Phil was still staring, except not for the point of competition but instead, bewilderment. He, too, proceeded to sit down in a chair and attempt to shake Jeff out of his fit. Jeff finally looked up at Phil, and through his flow of hair, Phil asked,
"What was that? We're in the middle of catering and kissing you to shut up isn't an option." Phil continued to glare at the man in front of him, only to make eye contact once again.
"I couldn't help it, man, you know me, come on." said Jeff.
Still confused, Phil hissed, "Why were you laughing?" "Tell. Me."
Jeff smiled up at Phil and replied, "I thought it was hot chocolate."
Phil groaned, "Are you serious? That whole fit, over a mistaken cup of coffee?"
"I can't tell the difference! They look the same!"
"Get the hell out." responded Phil, "I'm going back to the locker room."
Phil stood up and just as he was about to walk out into the hall, Jeff yelled, "Wait! Don't forget your coffee!"
Phil abruptly stopped, and turned on his heel to retrieve the once despised beverage of his, and carried on with his evening.
---
Over time, Phil had grown to like coffee, because it always reminded him of his love and his home, all folded away in that one memory. They eventually became coffee snobs together, because when they were on the road, some of those late night drives needed caffeine. When they were off the road, and staying together in Chicago, a good cup of coffee was a necessary morning routine. Only a few blocks away from Phil's apartment was a tiny café, where they had a tendency to spend more time in than necessary. It was almost a tradition, and they had grown to love every second of it.
Eventually, though, the relationship and all of the traditions that came with it fell through. Phil reached a point where he never felt motivated to go out and get his coffee. It made him think too much, and sometimes the caffeine kept him awake longer than he could have wanted it to. He would end up sitting in thoughts, drowning himself in something that he thought he may never experience again.
That was until he broke away from wrestling, years later. A new life, to do what he wanted, where he didn't have to leave home for weeks at a time. A new life where he could do what he wanted with his time. It was one random morning when he figured he could use a pick me up and prepare to face the rush of memories that would flood his mind. Walking a path that used to be a worn-in trail, he made his way over to what should have been the café. Only it wasn't, and he instead found a property for sale sign.
And then it clicked. This was what he wanted to do with his time. He scrambled to get his phone out and dialed the number on the sign. Before he knew it, he had a property on his hands. However, with it, he didn't want to bury the memories. Instead, he wanted to build with them.
Eight months of planning, supplying and creating, all on his own, and here he was. This was something he could be proud of. It was a tough process, but by far the most important was naming it. Simple but stand out.
Phil's
Because he knew that when, not if, but when Jeff came home, Phil would be waiting, and this was for him.