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The first time Gren entered the Katolis coffee shop with Amaya had been an adventure in itself. The menu board had been so decorated that it was barely legible anymore. Most of the drinks seemed to be named after weird magic spells and Amaya had definitely snickered behind Gren as he squinted at the menu. She tapped his shoulder to signal him her desired beverage and he was still so heavily focused on the board that he jumped, startled when a syrupy voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Well hello there and welcome to Katolis café. What can I do for you?”
“Hm… I’ll have a Fulminis americano and an Aspiro choco coffee frappuccino?” Gren asked suddenly lost in the dark blue eyes of the man with a devastating smile. It certainly explained the reason why this place was packed with girls.
“Sure thing! What’s your name?”
“Gren.” He answered and moved on toward the girl at the checkout. Amaya had left him to find a table but was looking at the whole interaction with definite interest. He paid and waited at the end of the counter behind a cohort of swooning teenagers whenever the barista called out their name.
“I have a Fulminis and a Hcuot Gninrub for.. Greg ?”
Since he was the only male in line he supposed it was for him. It wasn’t the first time people got his name wrong anyway, so he sighed and grabbed the drinks, his fingers barely brushing those of the barista but each of them a bit surprised by the little spark that hit them, enough for Gren not to correct the man on either his order nor name before he immediately left to find Amaya.
When he sat down she was chuckling as he pushed the Americano her way. “ I didn’t catch everything but I’m pretty sure that’s not what you ordered.” She signed and opened the lid of her coffee to confirm her’s was the good one.
“ Got a chaï latte. ” He answered his nose crinkling in displeasure. Not that he didn’t like that but he would usually ask for soy milk instead of whole milk. If that was what he had wanted at the time of course which today, wasn’t.
“ And should I call you Greg now too? ” She asked and then pointed at their cups both harboring the wrong name along with a smiley face.
“ Amaya please… ” He rolled his eyes but she did not miss the way his freckles were lovingly highlighted by his blush.
“ He totally gave you a once-over and you find him cute; that’s why you didn’t say a word! ” She kept signing more over excited than he had ever seen her.
*****
Of course a few days later they were back with Sarai on their tail. Amaya had been eager to tell her sister how their closest friend had been checked by the handsome barista and that it was so funny to watch that she had to accompany them the next time.
“ Why are we even coming back here? You said the coffee was so-so… ” Gren’s expression crumpled looking at Amaya before he was pushed inside by two pair of arms.
Amaya nudged him so he would watch her and winked at him with the tip of her tongue slightly out. “ But not the barista. Get me the same, please? Or at least try to. ”
Sarai asked for the unpronounceable chaï that he had actually enjoyed past the deception of not having his frappuccino the first time they came. The same duet was on shift today. The attractive barista and the girl with long black hair and purple tips. Gren was feeling a bit weak on his knees the more he approached the man that gave him a blinding smile as he welcomed him. He tried for the same order plus the chaï to which he totally butchered the name but the barista very patiently tried to help him with the pronunciation.
“Soren you can’t even spell it correctly, don’t fool our customers into thinking you know better than them!” The girl chuckled as she took Gren’s credit card and swiped it. “Excuse my brother.” She whispered conspicuously a hand on the wrong side of her mouth if she wanted her brother not to hear her. “He always thinks he's charming when actually he’s just dumb.”
Gren immediately disagreed internally, because damn if that Soren wasn’t charming. In any case, Gren might have been naive and gullible but he had stupidly enjoyed the little bit of attention the barista had given him even if he seemed to do that often with other patrons if he were to understand the sister correctly.
This time ‘Gren’ somehow became ‘Ben’ and was served the good Americano, the good Chaï and something else called a Rekeestraeh smoothie. “Sorry it took me some time, I had to get fresh berries for you.” Soren winked at him and their hands brushed again as he handed him the tray with the drinks on it.
He was not at his table yet that the girls were laughing silently, tears shining in their eyes, signing at light speed to each other.
“I told you he’s totally into him!”
“Did you see that wink?”
“Girls please...” Gren glared at them as he gave them their cups and sipped not even annoyed at his smoothie.
It’s only when they left and threw their drinks in the bin that Gren caught the winking smiley adorning only his cup.
*****
You could call that stubbornness to get the drink he originally wanted, or you could see through the lie and say that Gren was just smitten with a man that could neither get his order right nor write his name correctly. Nonetheless, it was the third time in a week that Gren had pushed the door of the Katolis café and this time it was bare of any other customers. He was in between rushes on a rainy day which probably explained why.
A light smile tugged Gren’s upper lip as he saw that Soren seemed to be on his own for that shift, wiping absent-mindedly the same spot with a pout on his lips, his chin resting on his palm as he was leaning on the counter while Gren waited to be noticed. He cleared his throat softly and Soren almost knocked his head falling from his stool, startled by Gren’s presence.
“Oh my, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you!” Gren hurried, trying to help Soren get up, bending over his side of the counter, his blush only growing stronger as he got his hand on Soren’s firm bicep.
“Nah that’s fine.” Soren dismissed with a cocky smile hiding his obviously bruised ego, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle. “Ah I know what you want, I remember you -- give me a sec.”
With that, he ran over to the coffee machine getting a ceramic cup after he had asked if it was to drink here or to go. He placed the drink on the counter and took Gren’s money before throwing a dazzling smile at him as he pushed the cup his way. “Here’s your Efil Gnirb!”
The smile seemed too forced and Gren being the lovely creature he was, with his heart on his sleeve, looked pained at the sandy-haired man. “Something’s troubling you?” Soren shrugged but it felt like a body reflex more than a real dismissal so Gren pushed his luck. “I don’t mean to pry so I’m gonna go sit at this table and you’re welcome to join me if you want to just talk about anything. I’m great at listening.” He joked and took what looked like a ristretto bianco to the table he had pointed at, looking at Soren with all but big hopeful eyes and another shy pinkish hue on his freckled cheekbones.
Soren on his part did his best to act like he was carefully considering the offer. He started by cleaning up the coffee machine, getting on the other side of the counter to wipe the window displaying the pastries and a random already clean table before he gave up and sat with Gren. He was just the cutest thing Gren had met, leaning on his elbows on the wooden table and resting his chin on his hands -- a habit, it seemed. He had that sparkle back in his ocean blue eyes and just that made Gren’s heart soar. He had it bad, he realized at that exact moment.
“Didn’t come with your girlfriend today, Sven?” Soren asked smiling faintly, a small crease between his eyebrows.
“My what?!” An alarmed Gren looked at Soren like he had grown a second head not even paying attention to another name that still wasn’t his. “Amaya? Oh no, no, we’re best friends. Well, I was her interpreter first but we quickly became friends after that.” It had happened before, people misunderstanding the deep friendship with these two because there was another layer of connection between them than just friendship. There was a complete trust that made each rely strongly on the other. “I’m not interested in her.”
In Gren’s mind that sounded rude so he felt compelled to add that Amaya was a beautiful woman. “But I just don’t… like… women?” It sounded like a question, not about his own sexuality because that one had always been obvious to him and his path hadn’t been an easy one but those who truly counted for him loved him the way he was. No, today it was more a way to maybe know on which side Soren was? Gren was gay -- it was indisputable -- but he was of the disaster kind, so he could only manage the courage to beat around the bush.
“Ah, I see.” Was all Soren said, turning his head to look back at his counter but Gren was pretty sure there was the hint of a smile before it disappeared immediately as he faced him again.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen this place empty. It must be a change for you?” Gren tried to shift the topic seeing he wouldn’t get anything more from Soren, but that only served to sour the mood a bit more. So that was where the issue resided.
“It happens every once in a while. My dad thinks this was a stupid idea,” Soren made a noncommittal gesture talking about the coffee shop, “he never truly believed in me. I wanted to make him proud, owning my first shop at a young age and all but he still thinks I’m a disappointment. I can see it in his eyes whenever I open my mouth. Sure, I’m not as intelligent as him or Clauds -- that’s Claudia my sister by the way -- but I’m doing my hardest you know? I wish he’d see that.” Soren ended out of breath as if he had waited for someone, anyone to talk about this. To get this off his chest. It felt like a heavy burden for such a young man and it made Gren fall even harder for the guy.
Gren was weak for the little cracks and broken pieces in people, wishing and doing his best to mend everyone crossing his path. If that meant he’d never drink a frappuccino in his life as a Katolis patron then so be it. It was a small price to pay if it gave him the butterflies in his stomach every time Soren would genuinely smile at him.
“It’s just my opinion but what should matter is if you are proud of yourself. At the end of the day, are you smiling because you’re happy with the life you have?” Gren glanced at his watch and finished his coffee before getting up reluctantly. “If I may add another thing,” he placed the cup on the counter, Soren following him and getting behind it. The two men were always separated by wood some way or another, it seemed. “Sometimes it’s best to surround yourself with people that believe in you and take some distance with the others.”
Soren didn’t answer him, but the small almost secret smile he gave him as they parted was so precious, Gren fell asleep that night thinking that maybe he had succeeded in lifting his spirit up a bit.
*****
Indubitably, Amaya and Sarai sent Harrow next to spy on the evolution of the situation so the fourth time Gren approached the counter to place an order he crossed his fingers hoping Soren wouldn’t think he was dating Sarai’s husband. He recommended the last coffee he had to Harrow who ordered first, Gren knowing the man would love the bittersweet drink. He didn’t even had the time to ask for his own drink that Soren smiled slyly his way and whispered just loud enough “Hey Ken, the usual for you right? By the way -- thanks for last time, that was really good advice.”
He could only nod frantically and slid to his left to pay Claudia while Harrow frowned hard at him.
When Gren grabbed his drink, earning a Psarg Ruoy Nihtiw hot chocolate with extra whipped cream “on the house” Soren had added, he bit his lips and hurried to find a table.
“They weren’t kidding when they said you’re completely infatuated with the guy.” Harrow smiled as he sipped his coffee.
“I…” Gren grabbed his cup and noticed the kissing smiley on the napkin and hastily placed it in his pocket before being hit by a furious blush. “Yes,” He deadpanned looking down. What was the point of denying it now anyway? It was written all over his face.
“Hey Gren that’s okay, he looks like a nice guy even though he can’t quite grasp your name… for some reason.” Harrow seemed a bit dubious at that one but his main quality was that he wasn’t one to judge. “Amaya bet that it will take you around four more drinks for one of you to ask the other out, Sarai said more than six because in her mind you two seem too shy to make the first move so you’ll dance around each other a lot...” Harrow’s baritone voice was playful and the glint in his eyes only confirmed that. He grabbed a pen in the inner pocket of his jacket and scribbled something on his own napkin.
“What’s your opinion?” Gren asked as he tried to read what the impressive man was writing.
“I’d say less than 3.” He said assured and slid the paper Gren’s way. On it was written Gren’s unpronounceable drink and the same thing only with the letters reversed.
Psarg Ruoy Nihtiw, Within Your Grasp.
Gren sharply turned his head to glance towards Soren that immediately spotted him and waved at him before promptly walking into the doorframe of the kitchen, laughing silly and blushing as he assured everyone he was fine. Looking back at Harrow, he gave Gren a confident shrug and they left the conversation at that.
*****
It haunted every of Gren’s nights and days and to make matters worse he was so busy that he couldn’t go back to the Katolis coffee shop for a couple of weeks. He all but ran into the café the minute he was free enough to go confirm all his doubts. In the queue line that was particularly long that day, Gren spent the time writing each of his past orders on a crumpled bill he had in his pocket. Burning touch, Heartseeker, Bring Life and Within Your Grasp. He didn’t want to hope too much but those strongly sounded like messages.
“Hi and welcome to the Katolis café, what can I do for you?” The soft yet raspy voice of Claudia brought him out of his reverie. “Oh, that’s you!” She clapped her hands excitedly.
“Soren… isn’t here today?” Gren asked tilting his head in every direction to try and get a look at the man.
“He’s on break.” She snickered “But he should be back soon if you can wait a bit?” Gren nodded and she offered him to go wait at a table, “Soren will bring you your drink.” She smiled knowingly and it sparked another flicker of hope in Gren’s heart. It didn’t register in his head that he didn’t even have paid for whatever drink he’d get but he waited patiently -on the outside only- for Soren to be back. He saw Claudia whisper something to her coworker and disappeared quickly before coming back at her post. Next thing he knew Soren was pushing everyone out of his way, hurriedly preparing a drink he brought to Gren, all the girls in the room and some men eyeing Gren with obvious envy.
“Here’s your Treah Ym Elots, Glen.” Soren pushed a simple café latte with a really badly drawn heart on the foam and Gren almost sobbed with happiness. A quick mental exercise revealing the latest message.
“My name’s Gren.” He whispered breathlessly and smiling wetly.
“I know” Soren answered and grabbed Gren’s hand on the table, the movement slow as he threaded their fingers together.
“Then why?” Words were a complicated thing for Gren, his mind blown, his whole body tingling with the radiating warmth from Soren’s hand in his and he squeezed it just to assure himself it was real.
“I thought it would help you come back till I got it right?”
“That’s...” Gren tilted his head closing his eyes for a second with another smile brightening his face “twisted,” he decided but in the end, it went along all the secret messages. It felt like a Soren thing to do. “I could have been offended and never coming back.”
“But you didn’t.”
“But I didn’t indeed.”
*****
“I have an Enim Si Luos Ruoy for Gren!” Soren called, extremely proud of himself while Claudia rolled her eyes hard and focused back on her patron.
“That’s not even on the menu!” Gren giggled as he leaned over the counter to kiss his boyfriend once the plastic cup was in his hand.
“No, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.” Soren joined Gren on the other side of the counter as they left the café for their date, waving Claudia goodbye before walking out, hand in hand.
“Hey, that’s my Frappuccino!” Gren exclaimed excitedly and stopped Soren in the middle of the street to give him a long loving chocolate and coffee tasting kiss. “Gosh I love you, dummy.” He sighed happily against his lips.
“If I knew I only needed to make you what you wanted for you to say that, I wouldn’t have gone through that much trouble!” Soren teased, wrapping his arms around Gren’s slender waist and nuzzling his jawline.