Work Text:
Wylan doesn’t normally frequent the library. Even though he practically works there (well, at the coffee shop just by the entrance), he’s just never seen the point. He’s never been the best reader, and just being around the books is a little too much of a reminder for him.
But Alys had asked him to pick something up for her, since he works so conveniently close, and Wylan has never been good at saying no to her. Plus she’d promised him cake in return.
It’s some mundane book about birds; Alys is always going on about her own. So after Wylan’s shift he heads across the library and finds it after some asking around.
It’s only as he’s about to check out the book when Wylan sees him. Or, hears him, more like.
Technically you’re supposed to be quiet in the library, but the kid’s section is a little more lenient on that rule, at least when there are activities going on. As much as Wylan enjoys listening to stories as opposed to reading them, he’s still far too old for storytime. Still, something about the sound of this person’s voice as they read aloud to the children is intriguing, and Wylan can’t help but be drawn in.
Carefully, trying not to look like he’s some kind of creep, Wylan peeks into the kid’s corner. There’s a boy sitting in a chair holding a large picture book with a cat on the cover, talking and gesturing animatedly with his hands. He’s tall and lanky with dark brown skin and wears almost obnoxiously bright clothing, but Wylan is sure they must be about the same age. He’s immediately pulled into the story with the boy’s words, the soothing baritone of his voice shaping a tale that Wylan doesn’t even really need to imagine with the pictures, and he can see the children seated around him are just as captivated as he is. He devises clever little voices for each character, and Wylan can tell that he just loves putting on a show.
“The end,” the boy says as he finishes, closing the book with a dramatic flourish. “Now, what does this story teach us?”
The kids just stare at him. Honestly, Wylan admires the fact that this boy can keep them sitting still for so long.
“Anyone?”
“That sushi is good?” one of the children up at the front suggests.
The boy chuckles. “It is. But not quite. What did Yoko and her classmates teach us?”
More silence.
“That, um.” There’s a little girl sitting in the back, face reddening as if she’s nervous to speak. The boy looks over at her sympathetically, nodding for her to go on. “Um. That it’s okay to be different.”
The boy smiles, and it’s the warmest smile Wylan has ever seen. His stomach does an odd flip. “That’s right! We’re all a little different like Yoko. Some people aren’t going to do the same things as you, like how Yoko eats food that her classmates don’t. But that doesn’t mean that her food is bad. It’s always important to try new things.”
“My mama makes sushi like Yoko’s mom does,” the girl adds sheepishly.
“That’s really cool, Caitlin!” the boy says, and Wylan can tell he means it as he moves to stand. “Okay, guys, that’s all for today, but thank you for reading with me!”
“Thank you, Jesper,” a few of the kids echo to him as they begin to leave and find their parents. Wylan is impressed by how many of them know him by name.
Wylan isn’t quick enough to leave by the time all the kids are filing out.
“Nice story, huh?”
Wylan’s face flushes like he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t. “I wasn’t—um—yeah,” he sputters pitifully. “Sorry, I—you’re, um, good at reading?”
Jesper grins. “Hard to resist my beautiful voice?” He’s so immediately confident that it catches Wylan off guard. “But thanks. It’s a lot of fun hanging out with the kids.”
He has nice grey eyes, Wylan notes. And freckles dusting his cheeks not unlike his own.
Jesper glances around awkwardly, and Wylan realizes with a pang that he’s been zoning out for far too long. “Are you, um…”
“Oh! Yeah, I, uh, work here. Well, not, here here, but at the coffee shop.” Wylan gestures vaguely in its general direction.
“Oh hey! That’s cool. Well, it was nice meeting you, um…”
“Wylan.”
“Wylan.” Jesper flashes that sunny grin again. “Well, see you around, Wylan.”
He hopes so.
---
“Someone you’re looking for?”
Kuwei’s coworker blinks, looks back at him with an almost guilty expression. “N-no, sorry, uh… people-watching?”
The cafe hasn’t been super busy today. Kuwei can understand the boredom, but all day he’s had to watch Wylan crane his neck to look at whatever’s in the library when he thinks he isn’t looking. “Please. Who is it? The person you’re watching.” He smirks.
“I’m not watching anyone!” Wylan protested. “Can’t even see him from here,” he mumbles in a voice that Kuwei can just barely hear.
“Wylan, if you have a crush on someone at the library, you can tell me.” Kuwei won’t lie; he’s only a little jealous, but it’s fun to see him flustered like this.
“It’s not a crush!” Wylan insists. “He’s just—interesting is all.”
“So it is someone.”
“Shut up.”
“Who is it!”
“It’s—”
Wylan freezes as a bell sounds and someone walks in through the door, the first person to visit in almost an hour.
“Hello, welcome!” Kuwei immediately greets them, plastering on his work smile.
Wylan doesn’t say anything, just hurries over to his spot by the coffeemaker, and when Kuwei casts a curious glance over at him he realizes that his coworker is blushing.
No way. That’s not —
Their new customer spots Wylan from his terrible hiding spot immediately. “Hey! Good to see you again!”
“Hi,” is all Wylan can sputter out, giving an awkward little wave.
It takes everything Kuwei has in him not to burst out laughing in the middle of the store. He tries to shoot a couple glances for confirmation at Wylan, but his coworker won’t even look at him.
“Whenever you’re ready,” he tells their customer.
He takes his time, which Kuwei knows is just killing Wylan as their customer stares at the menu, drums his fingers on the counter, rocks back and forth on his feet.
Actually, as Kuwei’s observing his customer, he can definitely see why Wylan is into him. He has this attractive air of confidence to him, and even if Kuwei wasn’t into guys it’d still be easy to pick him out in a crowd, what with his obnoxious choice of clothing (which he somehow manages to pull off quite well; Kuwei doesn’t know anyone who can wear neon pink without looking like an idiot) and infectious smile.
Plus those eyes…
Oh man. No. This is stupid. Stupid.
“I’ll have a large coffee and a blueberry scone, please.”
Kuwei smiles. “Great choice! I like the scones too, they’re fantastic.” They’re not. Kuwei wouldn’t recommend anything here to anyone. “Can I get a name?”
“Jesper. Not like Jasper. It has an E,” their customer supplies.
Luckily Kuwei isn’t one of those idiot white baristas who butcher people’s names like their lives depend on it. He knows he won’t forget that. “Jesper, great. Give us just a moment.”
Thing is, Kuwei’s in a bit of a predicament.
It’s not that Kuwei is jealous of Wylan, not really. His friend’s got a little crush on an extremely attractive guy and that’s normal, great fuel for Kuwei to make fun of him for. It’s fine. That’s fine.
It’s just that maybe, maybe Kuwei has more than platonic feelings for his coworker here.
And he really doesn’t want to steal Wylan’s man here, but… wow. Wow.
“Want me to write your number here?” Kuwei whispers, holding out the cup he’d grabbed for Jesper to Wylan. Jesper Jesper Jesper. He’d made sure to spell it right.
“Shut up,” Wylan hisses, turning to hastily make Jesper’s coffee, face red.
It’s fine. Wylan probably won’t even have the balls to make a move on Jesper, anyway. Which is a horrible thing to think of his friend, but Kuwei thinks he knows him well enough by now. It’s fine. Kuwei will keep teasing him, they’ll probably never see Jesper again, which will suck, but at least they’ll stay friends and there will be absolutely no jealousy involved.
“Here you go, Jesper,” Kuwei calls, setting the scone and the coffee on the counter for him. Jesper smiles and thanks him and oh, Kuwei hates how that makes him feel.
It’s fine. It’ll be fine.
---
Jesper comes back the next day.
Wylan takes his order this time (he gets the same thing as last time, large coffee and blueberry scone), stammering a couple times, but Kuwei thinks he does remarkably well. Kuwei still gets to write Jesper’s name on his cup, though.
It’s just a coincidence. It’s fine. Jesper probably just wanted coffee again. Maybe he’s insane and he actually thinks the drinks are good here. He probably won’t be back.
Jesper comes back the day after.
“Large coffee and blueberry scone?” Kuwei asks before Jesper can even say anything.
“Actually, I kind of wanted to switch it up a little. What about, uh… the other scone.”
“Chocolate chip?”
“Sure. Hey, are you two dating?”
Wylan nearly drops something. “No!”
And the day after that.
“Large coffee and—”
Wylan cuts him off. “—chocolate scone?”
Kuwei shoots a glare at Wylan, who looks smug. So that’s how it’s going to be.
Jesper blinks. “Actually, can I have one of the chocolate chip cookies?”
Neither of them will admit it out loud, but Kuwei can tell they’re both a little disappointed after their shifts end that week. Hopefully Jesper will find somewhere else to go while they’re off.
Jesper’s not there the first day they’re back at work, and the shop feels so depressing Kuwei almost can’t stand it. It’s fine. He really hadn’t expected to see Jesper so much last week. So why does he feel so disappointed?
Work is even slower now that Jesper doesn’t come by. Kuwei tries not to fall asleep. Wylan pulls out some of his homework. For a moment, the shop is completely silent except for the sound of Wylan scribbling equations into his notebook.
I wonder what he’s doing. Jesper probably volunteers at the library, he seems to be a high school student just like Kuwei and Wylan, but does he do anything else? What school does he go to? Maybe he plays a sport. He looks kind of the athletic type. Or maybe not. He’s tall, but he’s pretty skinny.
“Kuwei?”
“Hmm?” Wylan’s voice jolts Kuwei out of his hazy thoughts.
“Can you help me with this word problem?” Wylan asks softly, as if raising his voice will break some sort of spell in the quiet of the shop.
“Sure,” Kuwei says, leaning over to look at Wylan’s textbook. Kuwei’s the only one who knows this, but Wylan’s always had a little trouble with reading. Well, little is a gross understatement. He struggles so much it’s almost worrying to Kuwei, but apparently his tutors suck or something, he won’t say. Still, he seems to get by remarkably well. He’s actually stellar at math, and they’ve always bonded over their love of chemistry and art.
“You are standing 60 feet away from a five-story building, looking up at its rooftop,” Kuwei reads quietly, pressing his finger to the page. His shoulder brushes up against Wylan’s, and they’re so close he swears Wylan can hear his heartbeat in the stillness. “Your eyes are approximately five feet above the ground. In the distance…”
He looks up at Wylan expectantly as he finishes. Kuwei’s always loved looking at Wylan’s face; his shocking blue eyes, freckles dotting his skin like stars, pale cheeks always tinted pink. “That good?”
“Yeah. Yeah, thank you,” Wylan whispers gratefully, giving one of his shy smiles. Kuwei’s heart skips a little. He may be disappointed that Jesper didn’t come today, but at least Wylan’s here.
---
Thankfully Jesper comes back the next day.
“Large coffee and a chocolate chip cookie?” Wylan asks the second Jesper’s foot is in the door, and Kuwei curses to himself for his slowness.
“Actually, can I get a small coffee this time? Da’s been complaining about me being jittery,” Jesper says, though Kuwei really doesn’t think a mere coffee will affect his energy much.
And the day after that.
Kuwei’s faster this time. “Small coffee and a chocolate chip cookie?”
“Actually, I wanted to try out your tea.”
On the eighth day that Jesper comes back (he orders a large coffee and a muffin), they’ve pretty much given up on trying to guess his order. It’s like he actively tries to be as inconsistent as possible.
Kuwei just doesn’t understand why he’s still coming back. Jesper can’t be getting any excitement out of their menu, no matter how many times he tries to switch up his order. He could be going anywhere else for coffee. Is he just messing with them? Does he pity them for how little business they get?
But it seems that he doesn’t have to worry much longer when Wylan suddenly blurts out: “Why are you here?”
Silence.
“S-sorry, it’s—not that we don’t want you here, it’s just—”
“Why do you keep coming back?” Kuwei finishes.
“Oh!” Jesper exclaims, and then he laughs. “Well, it’s ‘cause I like you two.”
What.
“What, you actually thought I liked the coffee here? I mean, no offense, but…”
“No, no, I get it,” Kuwei agrees, earning a glare from Wylan. “It sucks.”
“Sorry, I’m just…” Wylan fidgets with his hands. “You… like us?” He asks like he can’t believe it.
Jesper shrugs. “I mean, two attractive guys my age that always try to get my order right and never spell my name wrong? I can’t not want to ask you out.”
Oh. Oh.
“Oh! By the way, did you guys want to get lunch sometime? There’s this really nice place by my house…”
“Wait, like—together?” Wylan blurts out.
Jesper nods. “I mean, yeah. If you guys are cool with that. I’ve done poly relationships before, I don’t really get jealous or anything, and I know you two have been making heart eyes at each other this whole time.”
Kuwei has to brace himself on the counter, his mind is whirling so much. “I, um… sure, that’s fine—wait, heart eyes? ”
Jesper winces. “Wait, you were, right?” He looks down guiltily, playing with the end of his shirt. “Oh man, I’m so sorry, I always jump to conclusions like this. Thought my gaydar was pretty good, but…”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Wylan says quickly. “I, uh… I think you were right, actually.” He suddenly won’t meet Kuwei’s eyes.
“Wait, I—really?” Kuwei was almost certain this was unrequited, even before Wylan met Jesper.
“Wow. Um. Well, this is awkward,” Jesper says after a few uncomfortable moments. “I was pretty sure you two at least knew. Um, I can give you guys some time to think…? The offer still stands, but you don’t have to…”
“Wait,” Wylan interrupts. “Sorry, I’ve—never done this before, I think there’s… still some stuff we need to sort out,” he says hesitantly, exchanging a glance with Kuwei, “but I think… I would like that? Yes?”
“Tentative yes,” Kuwei agrees. “Even if it’s just as friends, I think I do want to get to know you better.”
“Oh, good, good,” Jesper sighs, pressing a hand to his chest. He moves to grab his coffee and muffin. “Cool, I think I’ll just leave you to it then,” he says, heading to the door with a smile. “See you tomorrow!”
They watch him leave. Once he’s outside Jesper gives his fist a little pump to himself, and Kuwei can see him mouthing, “Yes! Yes yes yes.”
Kuwei takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly. “Well. Okay then.”
There’s still a lot he and Wylan have to talk about, and a lot they probably have to think about on their own, and probably a little bit of research on polyamorous relationships that wouldn’t hurt either, but maybe this is actually fine. Kuwei actually feels relieved about all of this for the first time.
This really is fine.