Work Text:
Dream groggily wakes up as he checks his phone for the time. It’s 7:30. He gets up slowly, trying to savour the last remnants of sleep.
As he finishes getting himself ready for the day, his phone chimes. A message from his friend Nick.
Hey man, I’m really not feeling it today. Can you get me some coffee before you get here? I’ll pay you later.
Dream sighs to himself. He despises the smell and taste of coffee and really cannot see the appeal it has. But whatever, he’ll do it for his friend. There was a coffee shop that opened up recently right across the street of his apartment, so he could just go there quickly.
Dream got his backpack and double checked he had everything before leaving his apartment. He looked at the coffee shop as he crossed the street: it was pretty cute. There was a patio where he could see people chatting and sipping their disgusting pots of coffee. As Dream got closer, the stench of coffee filled his senses. He swore to himself that he’d get out of there as quick as possible.
Dream opened the door and a little bell went off. He went up to the counter, but no one was at the cash register.
“Hello?” Dream said.
Dream heard a door open. A man quickly walked over to the cash register. Dream felt his heart catch in his throat.
“Hey, sorry about that. How can I help you?” The barista said with a lilting accent.
Dream stood there shell-shocked, staring at this beautiful man that had just approached him. He had warm brown eyes that locked with his as he patiently waited for Dream’s response. Dream’s heart began to race.
“Uh-” Dream started, then cleared his throat to bring him back to reality, “Could I have a black coffee please?”
“Of course,” the barista said to him as he punched his order into the screen in front of him. “Is there anything else you would like?”
Your number, Dream’s brain said to him.
“I think that’s it.” Dream managed to reply.
The barista gave him a small smile. “That’ll be $2.50.”
Dream shuffled and got his wallet. He pulled out some crumpled one dollar bills and handed them to the barista.
As the barista took the money, Dream looked at his hands. The barista’s hands looked so pretty and small compared to his larger hands.
“Here’s your change, sir.” The barista said and handed back a few coins.
“Thanks.” Dream quietly replied.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. What’s your name?” The barista quickly said.
“Um- it’s Dream.”
“That’s a cool name. Dream. Alright, I’ll call your name when your coffee’s ready.” The barista smiled at him.
Dream felt his face go red. As he walked away from the counter, his mind began going a million miles an hour. That was the most beautiful man Dream had ever seen, and he so badly wanted to get to know him more. A plan began to form in his head. Dream got out a scrap of paper and a pen out of his backpack and wrote his number on it.
“Coffee for Dream!” The barista said loudly across the coffee shop.
Dream quickly walked over to the barista and gave him a smile. As the barista gave Dream his coffee, Dream gave him the paper.
“Oh, what’s this?” The barista asked.
“I’d really like to get to know you more. If you feel the same, you can call me! You really don’t have to, it’s okay, I just wanted to give it a shot.” Dream began to ramble.
The barista blushed slightly.
“Yeah sure, that’s cool with me.” he replied.
Dream gave a thumbs up. “Awesome! Okay, that’s great!”
The barista giggled at Dream’s awkwardness.
“By the way,” the barista said as he turned to go back, “my name’s George. It was a pleasure meeting you, Dream.”
George. What a lovely name for a lovely person. Dream thought as he smiled goofily.
Remembering where he was, Dream once again began to feel nauseous with the reeking smell of coffee and hastily exited the shop.
Thinking to himself again, maybe coffee really wasn’t that bad after all.