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The first time Will stared up at the black framed menu, he didn't recognize half of the shit up there, "Where is the coffee?" he mumbled to himself as he watched the girl in front of him, who was probably no older than the kids he had just lectured all day, laugh over something the barista had said.
"More writing, dear?" the older man asked, nodding at the table where she had already set up shop. "I don't think I've seen a day where you haven't brought that thing. Perhaps you'd like to see what I've written up in days past?"
"Mmhmm, you know me, Bryan. I'd like that, actually." she grinned, "I'll have the usual." and stuck out her phone to pay, before craning her head back to Will, "Just ask for Pike Peak,"
Will hitched an eyebrow, "Beg pardon?"
"You asked where the coffee was, I'm telling you Pike Peak is what you're gonna want,"
"...Is it bitter?"
"Strong and bitter," she grinned as Bryan handed her an iced coffee with some shorthand scrawled on the side in sharpie along with her name, it looked to be Abigail.
"Thank you, Abigail." Will gave what he hoped was a smile and she only nodded and made her way back to her table. "I guess Pike Peak," he shrugged at Bryan.
"Size?"
"Uh, small?"
"One tall Pike Peak for you, sir, it's gonna be two dollars even." and Bryan swiped one of the green cards through, "Remaining balance is eight, have a good evening sir." and handed Will the saddest looking cup of coffee he had ever seen.
"Good evening, Doctor!" Abigail called with a grin.
"Ms. Hobbs." the man walking through the door gave a small private smile, enough of a greeting for her to return to her typing. "Good evening, Bryan, I'll just have the usual."
"Yes, Doctor." Bryan grinned, taking a side step to massive espresso machine, pulling levers and turning knobs.
Will bit his lip, secluding to a couch in the corner, away from the routine of the barista with, apparently, the memory of an elephant and a plastered smile, the girl with the laptop and incessant clicking of keys, but mostly the doctor with olive skin and exuding confidence.
He was fascinating to observe, with his strong structure and sophisticated suit, caramel eyes piercing through the scenery, and the curl of his smile revealing incisors that would terrify some if they stood too close. He hadn't realized how tiny the shop was until there were only three other tables available aside from the doctor's and Abigail's and he could hear every word the two conversed, and they could probably see him ogling the good doctor.
"-and how is your father?"
"Business trip, so it's just me today. He says hello."
"What are we writing today?" the doctor leaned over her shoulder, squinting to take a look.
"Just something for the sake of writing, a mob lord trying to take out a journalist."
"Whatever happened to the one about the neighbors in the apartment complex?"
"Inspiration struck me here first." was Abigail's blunt reply, her fingers dancing along the keyboard, and the doctor only patted her shoulder, turning to find his overpriced cup of whatever piping hot on the counter.
And Will couldn't stand the intimacy anymore, taking his lukewarm coffee to go.
The second time Will walked through the door, there were two men chatting over something that sounded familiar in the corner, occupying the chairs Will had barely sat in a week ago. "I'm telling you Zeller, as nice as a trip to the Smithsonian would be, I'm busy."
Zeller, the younger between the two, pouted, "Please? We haven't done something in ages."
"...If you want we can go on Saturday?" the older man answered reluctantly.
"After my meeting with Bev."
"What about me?" the woman in question asked, tipping her cup of hot tea in their general direction.
"You're imposing on my date with Zeller." he pouted.
"Price, please. Zeller, we can Zoom afterwards if you really want to get a head start. But I want details." she smirked, pulling up a chair from a nearby table.
Will felt his skin prick up at a blast of air conditioning. "Pike Peak, small." he mumbled, handing Bryan the card.
"Remaining balance is six." he handed Will his cup, returning to a notebook by his register, jotting something down.
Bev glanced up at the stranger, then back to her companions, "We should get going, Jack called me twice already asking where we are. Apparently this body has some... issues." Price stood, Zeller trailing close behind as the door swung shut behind them as they rushed to their respective cars.
Will breathed a sigh, allowing himself to sit and relax with one of the books from the shelf of the apparent community library. He read through a good chunk of a novel devoted to the propaganda of World War II in a half hour before deciding it'd be best to head home to Wolf Trap and his dogs.
The third time Will threw the door open it had been pouring, soaked to the bone. The lone patron of the shop was sitting by the window with papers scattered over the table, the coffee long gone.
"Jack, would you like another cup?" Bryan called as he stocked the cabinets, earning a wave from Jack, "You got it." and poured him another cup and replaced the old one. "Hello, Will." the barista smiled, surprising Will since he hadn't been in since a month ago.
"Hey, Bryan." Will chattered, the frigid air conditioning already taking its toll.
"You look like you could use some hot tea today- Oh! We've got a crew shirt if you'd wanna switch out, I'll hang yours up to dry as best they can. Can't do anything about the pants unfortunately." he pulled a black notebook out of the cabinet and plucked a pen from the counter.
"I'd appreciate it, thanks." he huffed out as the barista left to the back room for the shirt, leaving him and Jack to address the stifling silence. "Are you the Jack..." he struggled to recall the name of the woman, "...Bev was talking about?"
He raised an eyebrow, the trauma of his career etched into his forehead and under eyes, "I am, do I know you?"
"Will Graham. I teach criminal profiling at the academy."
"...Would you like to take a look at this case then, give me your insight?" Jack pushed a seat back for Will to sit, and he sat, studying the material with a critical eye as Bryan quietly placed a hot cup of water and three different teabags in a saucer out of harm's way and the shirt, with the name "Hugh" stitched in, over the third chair and Jack watched with amazement, knocking back his lukewarm traditional blend. "Add espresso to the next one, please, Bryan."
The fourth time Will slipped inside the coffee shop, it was just him and Bryan.
"Will, it's nearly closing time," Bryan raised an eyebrow, his green apron nowhere to be found and his black notebook sprawled open. "What's up?"
"I just wanted a quick cup, if you could make it as big as possible I'd be set. Jack has me down at the bureau all night working on a case. Oh and this," and handed a slip of paper to him.
"These are Zeller, Price, and Bev's orders." he recognized, "Are you all working late tonight?"
"We had a busy day today, it may as well have been a scavenger hunt." Will tried keeping his tone light as the barista grabbed a cup tray, placing one drink after another inside: a large latte for Zeller in one, a large iced coffee for Price, a large green tea for Bev, and an even larger cup of Pike Peak for Will, little green straws trapping the heat and flavor as they made small talk about the weather and the newest movies opening Friday before handing him two cards to pay.
"You really don't come here all that often do you?"
"I'm a teacher, I can't afford it." he took back one card and pushed the door open with his back, "'Night, Bryan, thank you!" and headed out for his car.
Bryan only smiled, "You're welcome, Will." and locked the doors behind him.
The fifth time Will entered, the next day actually, he saw Abigail, and gave her a small wave, "Hi, Abigail."
"Will!" she smiled, standing to greet him, her laptop plugged in and her iced coffee only ice at that point and creating a water ring on the table, "Nice to see you again."
"You too," he returned her smile, "I gotta thank you for your recommendation, it's a good cup of coffee. Hey Bryan." he turned to see Bryan, working with another man whose apron read "Thomas".
"Hello, Will!" Bryan grinned, "Oh, Tom, you've never met him. This is Will, he's with the FBI crew, Will this is my assistant manager Thomas- Tom for short." he gave a quick wave before disappearing into the back room with a big black binder, "He's our bookkeeper."
"The usual please." Will grinned.
"You're in the right place." Bryan smiled, filling his cup to the brim, knowing he would take it straight. "You're good to go. Oh, Abigail, please read over this." and handed her his notebook, which she slipped into her purse with an understanding nod.
"Wait I need to pay." he raised an eyebrow, fishing out his wallet.
"Actually," Abigail interjected with a shy smile, "your coffee today is paid for by Dr. Hannibal Lecter."
"Who?"
"The man you saw me talk to the first time you came in, that's Hannibal Lecter." she shifted her hips. "He told me to pay for your coffee the next time I saw you, and to invite you for coffee tomorrow, all on his behalf. It's been a while, but he'll remember."
Will blinked, "May I ask why?"
Her eyes flickered, her smile curled in a smaller, almost impish if he hadn't known she was being honest, smile, "He finds you fascinating."
His brows furrowed and he ran a hand over his goatee, "Tell Dr. Lecter that I'd be more than pleased to meet him for coffee tomorrow at two." he finally decided, a small smile forming at Abigail's giant grin now plastered on her face, as he headed back to the academy for his last lecture of the day.
The sixth time Will strode into the cafe, the third day straight, he was in his best dark jeans and soft green dress shirt with his favorite chocolate brown blazer, the students all day perplexed that their teacher looked, well, pretty damn good. "Hello- Tom?"
"Bryan's gonna be on vacation for the next week," Tom smiled, "had some big offer for a script he wrote from someone up at NBC."
Will recalled Bryan giving Abigail his notebook the day prior, had she been proofreading? "That's wonderful!" he could only reply. "Can I get my usual?"
"Unfortunately your usual is a seasonal blend, yesterday was the last day." Tom frowned, "Damn Bryan for getting you hooked on it."
Well, shit,
The door chimed, "Good to see you, Hannibal, would you like you caramel macchiato now?"
"Yes, Thomas, thank you." Hannibal smiled as he removed his suit jacket, suddenly eons more approachable as he made his way to Will in black trousers and a starched white button-up. "What would you like, William?" he stood next to him, looking up at the menu.
Will mimicked him, still not sure what half the shit on those boards said, "I hear lattes are tasty."
"Which one, there are so many." Hannibal glanced over before returning to the menu.
"Whichever you think will compliment my shirt." Will replied, "Since your cup compliments your tie."
Hannibal glanced down with a small chuckle, his paisley green tie was a perfect match. "I would say green tea then."
"So- you find me fascinating?"
The accusation took them both aback, "Did Abigail tell you that?"
"Did she tell you the feeling is mutual?"
Hannibal's gaze flicked over Will's matching grin, waiting for him to crack under his suddenly emboldened confidence.
It never came.
"...No, but I am glad, Will."