Work Text:
All things considered, you’re pretty happy with your job as a barista. Working retail has its sucky moments, but that would be the case whether you worked here or at any other store. At least at the coffeeshop you get to smell coffee and delicious pastries all day (which while still tempting, you get used to having around after a while), your co-workers are great, and most of the customers are pretty nice. You also get a discount on coffee, which is pretty rad.
However- there is one customer who you just can’t get a read on. You started seeing him a few weeks ago after changing your shift from mornings to the afternoon, but you heard from someone else that he’s been a regular at the shop for longer than that.
He often seems to be in a hurry, never exchanges more words than necessary with the employees (although he’s always polite), and the most damning thing of all: he doesn’t seem to find your jokes funny.
All joking aside, you’d understand if it was just a point of him not laughing. Not everyone has the same sense of humor and some people are simply more reserved than others. That isn’t the issue. The issue is that he doesn’t seem to like you very much and you have no idea why.
You have a habit of writing little puns or short jokes onto to-go orders whenever the place wasn’t too busy. It started out as a random little thing to get yourself through a tough day, but then you decided to keep doing it since customers seem to like it.
The first time your customer came in while you were working, he’d ordered a coffee to go before moving over to stand by the waiting area. After making the drink, you’d written a pun down on the paper cup before handing it off.
As he was walking away, you saw him notice your joke, read it, and then roll his eyes.
Since then, he’s been in a handful of times and still hasn’t so much as cracked a smile. You wouldn’t go so far as to say he glares at you whenever you interact, but it’s a near thing.
(The only reason you’re salty about it is because of your jokes going unappreciated, not at all because you think he’s kind of hot and wish he would pay attention to you.)
It all comes to a head one morning when the bell above the door chimes and you look up.
You watch as your customer walks in with two young men at his side. You’d say they must be in their mid to late teens if you had to guess. The one with darker hair playfully drapes himself over the older man’s back as if asking for a piggy-back ride before being shrugged off with a good-natured eye roll.
As they approach the counter, the young man with blonde hair elbows the older man with a playful look. You can’t make out what he says to earn the glare he gets in return, but you do overhear him growl out an order for him to take his brother and go find a table.
The younger two are brothers then. You wonder if they’re his children?
You’re broken out of your contemplation by your customer walking up to the counter.
You smile. “Hi, what can I get you?”
“Can I get a large black coffee and two large hot chocolates?”
“Sure, is that for here or to go?”
He surprises you by saying they’re for here, although you’d already assumed when he told the younger two to grab a table. It’s just that this is the first time you’ve seen him actually stick around for longer than it takes to order, grab his drink, and leave.
“Alright, great. If you want to go sit, someone will bring your drink over to you when they’re done.” You smile.
He nods, muttering a quiet thanks before walking off.
Mentally, you shrug. Oh well, you can’t win them all over.
You’re in the middle of grabbing three of the mugs used for in-house orders, when the blonde man you’d seen with your customer walks up to the counter.
“Oh, hi! Is there something else I can get you guys?”
He smiles. “My uncle isn’t very good at communicating. He’d kill me if he knew why I came over here, but my brother and I can’t take any more of his moping.”
You frown. What?
He must see the question on your face because he continues. “My name is Fili and that’s my brother Kili. Dwalin is our uncle- or near enough anyway, and he’s been trying to work up the courage to ask you out.”
To say that you’re shocked by this turn of events would be an understatement. “Wait, really? I figured he found me annoying, he’s never said much to me.”
The blonde man snorts. “Yeah, that’s Dwalin for you. Our mom says he has trouble expressing himself, but Uncle Thorin says he just has a stick up his ass.”
You laugh and resume making the drinks. “Whose side are you on?”
“Mmm… sixty percent my uncle’s, forty percent mine and my brother’s.”
You glance over in time to catch Dwalin suspiciously glaring at Fili but he quickly looks away when he notices you looking. Kili for his part, appears to be texting.
If you didn’t know any better, you’d say that he’s blushing under his beard.
Well I’ll be damned.
“You don’t have to do anything about it, obviously.” Fili smiles gently. “I just wanted to help him out if I could.”
“And save your and your brother from his moping, apparently” you tease.
Fili laughs. “That too.”
You shake your head. Walking over to the case of baked goods, you pick out three muffins which you place on a plastic serving tray before setting it down on the counter for Fili to take. After grabbing a paper napkin and scribbling something down on it, you slide the tray over to the young man. “Here, on the house. I’m just about to clock out for the day, but make sure your uncle gets that.” You point at the napkin which you’ve folded in half and tucked underneath one of the muffins.”
Fili grins and walks off to rejoin his uncle and brother.
You don’t bother to stick around and watch your customer read the note, instead heading into the back room. Your replacement had arrived while you were talking to Fili, so you pull off your apron and start gathering your things to go home.
Your coworker raises an eyebrow at the wide grin on your face. “You had a good shift, I take it?”
“Something like that.”
She shakes her head with a smile. “Well, hopefully I can say the same by the time closing rolls around.”
-
You’re steaming hot!
Give me a call- maybe we can grab lunch or something and talk :).
-y/n
(xxx)xxx-xxxx