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“Oh my fucking god,” David mutters under his breath as yet another customer walks into the store, shuffling into the already crowded space and immediately zeroing in on the tea.
Apparently Roland spread word around town that the store was a front, and the stream of customers has been endless, each picking up at least two bags for themselves. Patrick thinks it’s hilarious, and he keeps raving about the markup, but David is just hungry. He hasn’t been able to sneak away to the cafe for lunch in days, basically chained behind the counter as he scans bag after bag, and he’s reached his point of intolerance.
He glances to the side, eyeing the trail mix that they just started selling. David reluctantly agreed to put it by the cash for a while, just so customers could learn of its existence. He’s not a huge fan himself, but at this point he’ll eat anything.
He quickly snatches a couple bags and puts them on the shelf under the counter, smiling innocently as he greets another customer. In each two minute lull he shoves a handful in his mouth, chewing awkwardly and attempting to swallow before someone else approaches him.
It’s a dangerous game.
Patrick keeps catching his eye from across the store, squinting suspiciously. David acts like he doesn’t notice.
It’s not until 6 pm that the store is finally empty, jazz music filling up the space left behind. David devours another handful while Patrick is in the back, sighing sadly at his still-unsatisfied stomach, and he nearly chokes when a voice sounds from behind him.
“Don’t pretend I didn’t just see what you were doing.”
David turns, eyes wide and jaw moving comically slow, trying to mask his chewing, to see Patrick standing with his arms crossed, lips turned up at the corners. David backs up as he swallows.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, awkwardly banging into the counter as he tries to hide the sight of the opened trail mix bags.
“Ah, so I was hallucinating you stealing the trail mix,” Patrick says sarcastically, stepping forward into David’s space.
“Well, you have been in contact with the tea a lot today, so maybe you were,” David defends, though he can’t quite keep the smile off his face as Patrick leans his arms against the counter, caging him in.
“Right,” Patrick replies, soft and amused as he leans in, pressing a kiss just to the right of David’s mouth. He frowns, wanting more. “So what if I were to reach behind you right now?”
David grins, meeting Patrick’s gaze as he replies in a sultry voice, “You can reach behind me whenever you want, Mr. Brewer.”
Patrick shakes his head and leans in, kissing him slowly, and David’s head immediately clears, the stress of the day dissipating under his touch. It’s not until a few seconds after he pulls back that he realizes he’s been tricked, and his mouth drops open dramatically.
“Well what did you want me to do?” David says, voice rising as Patrick gives him a disapproving look, trail mix bags in hand. “Starve?”
“Tell you what,” Patrick says, tossing the bags into the trash. “If you pay for these, I’ll pay for dinner.”
David smiles, wrapping his arms around Patrick’s shoulders and pulling him in for another kiss.
“Deal.”