Chapter Text
Matteo heard the familiar ring from the shopkeeper doorbell. With that followed, the door being opened and someone entering. Matteo had seen the guy before, in fact, he had more than just seen him around. He had been watching him. But not in a creepy way, at least that's what Matteo prayed for. He couldn't help it though, something about the - yet not named - boy was so intriguing. Matteo could spend way to little time doing his actual job, and too much time (a duration usually considered as socially not acceptable) just looking at the boy who sat on the other side of the counter, peacefully drinking his coffee. Although, Matteo had noticed that the coffee was not the real reason behind his visits. He drew. The notebook that he always brought, Matteo had figured out was his sketchbook or something. He had never actually seen anything drawn by him but he could only imagine it being just as complex as the - yet not named - boy seemed to be.
“Hey, there dreamy boy!” Jonas slid in front of him. The coffee shop that Matteo worked at seemed to be constructed only for customers to sit in front of the counter. The only comfortable chairs were placed there, so most customers used them. “So Beanie Boy is here again huh?” Jonas continued. That’s what they called him. The first time he came into the store he was wearing a beanie.
“Yeah, he didn’t order anything though,” Matteo answered quietly.
“He’s so determined on sitting on that exact chair, you could think he owns it.” Jonas scoffed. And Matteo answered with a muffled “Yeah”.
“Anyways, the guys are looking for a place to drink on Friday, I thought maybe we could be at your flatshare?” Matteo didn’t answer first, he continued to seal some cups of coffee in front of him.
Jonas noticed how unsure he looked, “You don’t have to say yes” he added. He really didn't want to, but he also didn't want to feel like a burden so he decided to say yes. It was just going to be the four of them. Right?
Just as he had said yes to Jonas question he saw beanie boy looking up from his sketchbook. It was quite unusual, he never did. Matteo realized a few seconds too late that he was looking towards Matteo and was therefore filled with a warm and uncomfortable feeling of guilt when he turned his gaze away. Since Beany boy never left his own thoughts Matteo was given the privilege of always being able to look at him. For how long he wanted, whenever he wanted. Today was different, apparently. The warm feeling made him worry about the color of his cheeks, they always seemed to be exploding. At least when he and Beanie Boy had any type of encounter. Like one time, Matteo had actually said hi when the boy walked into the coffee shop. It was one of the first times he saw him, back when he still thought there was a way in hell that Matteo could get the courage to speak to the stranger. At least now he knew, there wasn't. Because this guy just really liked to fuck with Matteo's mind. He was constantly there to make him feel just as small as the tiniest little human in the universe. Whenever he wasn't doing anything the concentrated look on Beanie Boys face would crawl through his mind. He didn’t like it. Well, at least he didn’t feel comfortable with it. Because that wasn’t him right. Matteo wasn’t that dude. No, he definitely wasn’t. Right? Deep down he knew something though, something that made him boil inside. It made him burn from the inside and out, and he very much knew that soon it would make him turn into straight up ashes. He didn’t want this, he didn’t want any of this, but what was he going to do about it?
“You wanna go home? I can take it from here.” Matteo heard Amira say. He turned around and saw his fellow coffee shop -worker and fellow biology-partner standing behind him. Matteo had many questions he didn’t know the answer to, but this wasn’t one of them.
With a relieved look in his eyes, Matteo nodded. “Thank you.” He then said to be a bit more polite.
“You look like shit,” Amira said without really changing her facial expression. It was very likely for her to say something like that. Matteo knew that she didn’t necessarily mean to be rude. She just pointed out straight facts. Even though Matteo hadn’t really cared about his appearance the last few days, or maybe weeks, he still knew he did look like he hadn’t brushed his hair in ages.
“Thanks, I know,” Matteo said while packing up to leave his work shift. “I know I look fucked, I kinda am” He was just about to leave out the door when he hears someone mumbling something behind him.
“You look pretty good actually,” It was none other than Beanie Boy. Matteo was going to flip. Had he just heard him say that? No, it couldn’t actually be true, he would never speak to him. Matteo was so confused that he didn’t know what to do with himself. After a while of just standing next to the door, he decided on just ignoring - what he thought was a compliment - and just reply with a, “I didn’t see you there” He turned around to the boy sitting on one of the chairs in the coffee shop, holding his sketchbook and dribbling something in it. It was a complete lie of course, but what was he supposed to say? I did see you there, in fact, I’ve been staring at you since you entered the door? No. Matteo felt that warm feeling again as the other boy turned to look at him. His eyes were sparkling like they were just met by the warmest sunray. Matteo thought he had gotten away with the lie until he saw the boy raise his eyebrows with a small smudge, it almost looked like I was challenging him to speak the truth. He knew, was the only thing going through Matteo's head at the moment, and when he (for the second time) realized he had been looking at the boy for too long he quickly turned his head away to give himself a few too many mental bitch slaps. He sucked his teeth and slightly pushed back to lean on the doorframe when the boy in front of him reached his hand out and said “David”.
Matteo was quick to shake his hand and present himself as,
“Matteo, I’m Matteo”. They were still shaking hands. Matteo’s head was spinning. Both from the lingering touch if Beanie- Davids hand and the irreality of this moment, he never would’ve thought that he would be speaking to him. He couldn't really tell if it was just him or if David wanted to stay like this just as long as he did. After a few seconds, the silence grew awkward and Matteo felt pressured to say something. He didn’t know how to push the very awkward conversation forwards and when he remembered the look David had given him earlier, the ‘ I know you’ve been staring’ one, he felt how a sweet and swirly liquid was filling his stomach, making him a bit dizzy and now his concern about the color of his cheeks was getting extremely real.
He was just about to tell David that he needed to go when he heard him say, “see you around, Matteo!” He was quick to respond with a slow nod, giving him a smile. “Yep,” Matteo ten said while turning around straight through the door. He mumbles a “fuck” under his hoodie. Why did he have to be so weird? He could’ve been at least a bit more subtle. Now David knew, probably, and Matteo was not going to be as excited the next time he saw him. The only positive outcome from this work shift was that now he at least knew his name.
David.