Chapter Text
The bell at the front door of the little coffee shop ringed, allerting Xiao Xingchen to the presence of a new customer. A look at the clock above, where he was currently taking coffee mugs and plates out of the dish washer to put them back onto the shelves, revealed it to be ten minutes before seven. Ten minutes before closing time. Ten minutes before the end of his shift.
He hoped the customer was only here for a quick take-away and did not intend to stay in. Because usually that meant staying longer, depending on how long said customer needed to drink or eat whatever he'd ordered. Which could be as much as half an hour as Xiao Xingchen had already experienced...
Honestly, he didn't mind and would never complain about such customers, even though he himself would make sure to never enter a shop just barely before they closed. Today however, he had a movie date, which he didn't want to be late for. So it would be pretty nice if this last customer didn't plan on staying here longer than necessary...
Xiao Xingchen finally turned around putting on a pleasant face to finally greet the customer. His eyes widened slightly, but otherwise he was quick to school his features into neutrality and keep the jovial smile on his face, as he beheld the man in front of him. Years of working in customer service had shown him all different kinds of people and he had learned not to react to neither their various appearances nor mannerism nor the attitudes they displayed toward him.
The man was by no means of the extraordinary kind (as in people wearing colourfully dyed hair, unique street-wear, sporting tattoos or piercings, in short, people that stood out) nor was he the – as his co-workers jokingly called it – Karen-type (scowl already on his face, superior attitude, thinking they owned the place). The man in front of him looked rather homely and as if he was trying not to stand out and also definitely was not imposing... And – Xingchen had to admit – he was actually quite handsome...
The thing that was off about him, though, was that he was rather pale, especially his lips and fingers looked bloodless and almost blue, and were trembling slightly, though Xiao Xingchen could tell that the man did his best to hide that fact.
He seemed to be half frozen... Which was no surprise, seeing that he was merely dressed in washed-out jeans and a thin sweater that was also rather too big on him or he was just too thin for it. He wore no jacket. No scarf. No gloves. No hat. For shoes he wore sneakers, which looked worse for wear and as if they'd soon fall apart...
He was not at all appropriately dressed for this time of year... Especially not for today, now that the temperatures had dropped significantly again and winter was almost around the corner. The whether report had even announced the possibility of snow tonight...
Xiao Xingchen took all this in in a moment and then cleared his throat and asked: „Hi, welcome to The Snow Pavillion. What can I get for you?“
He saw the man fidget with the cord on his sweater, looking down on the floor and then up at Xiao Xingchen again, seeming to feel uncomfortable for some reason. Maybe he was shy?
„I... Can I...“ he began to stammer – no his voice was just trembling and he didn't want it to show – „If you... em... don't mind... Can I just... quickly warm up? Just five minutes... Then I'll go...“
„Oh.“ Xiao Xingchen answered, not having expected such a request, he quickly gathered himself, „Yeah sure! No problem. There's a radiator over there!“ – he pointed to the left side of the coffee shop, at the tables sat by the wall.
The young man's eyes lit up and he quickly sent him a small, though no less grateful, smile. For some reason that smile made Xingchen's heart give a jolt. The young man thanked Xingchen profoundly, as if he had rather expected him to chase him out instead. Maybe because that had happened in any previous coffee shops he had tried to find temporary shelter...
He watched the man make his way over to the radiator, sitting down as close to it as the chair allowed and so as to still adhere to social norms of behaviour that would have people frown upon someone actually sitting down on the ground and hugging the radiator, which he somehow knew that man was actually contemplating. Judging by the way he was shivering and eyeing that radiator...
„Do you want something to drink? Coffee or tea?“ Xingchen called out to him after taking in his pitiful state and deciding he had to offer more than just the radiator to that young man.
„I... I don't have any money...“ he told Xingchen, avoiding his eyes and withdrawing into himself after admitting that.
Xiao Xingchen's heart clenched tight seeing him like this: „Don't worry. It's on the house. And I have some left-over cake as well, which I'd have to throw away anyway. So you can as well have it.“
The young man looked back at him with huge eyes as if not believing that Xiao Xingchen or rather someone would really be so kind as to give him something to drink and eat for free.
Xiao Xingchen smiled at him reassuringly: „Really! It's fine. You look like you need something to warm you from the inside as well...“ – Xingchen shook his head in mild rebuke then– „You look almost frozen through...Dressed a bit too lightly for this kind of weather, aren't you? Well... just let's properly warm you up here and then you should be fine to go on.”
He saw the young man blush a little. And that look in his eyes... He actually looked... hurt... For only a moment. Then he seemed to pull a switch, his face closing off, revealing nothing any longer, and he turned away to stare at his fidgeting hands.
“It's alright... I'm usually fine and used to the cold... It was just suddenly a lot cooler today... Wasn't prepared for it...”
“Oh,” was all Xingchen managed to reply to that, now also blushing, feeling bad for having been so presumptous.
To avoid the ensuing awkwardness, he busied himself with preparing the cake and hot beverage.
“So, will it be coffee or tea?”
“Could I... maybe... have a hot chocolate?” the young man asked tentatively, clearly not wanting to voice a demand, when he was already offered something for free.
“Yeah sure! Come's right up!” Xingchen said with a grin, falling into his usual work routine.
The young man watched him silently and Xingchen tried his best not to feel self-conscious at his prolonged stare.
When all was done, he walked to the table and set down opposite of his special customer, with a cup of tea prepared for himself. The young man thanked him and instantly went for the cake. He seemed ready to devour the piece in one go, but at last decided to savour it, only taking tiny morsels.
“I have some more if you want. You don't have to worship that piece as if it is you final meal!” Xingchen snickered.
The man swallowed, blushing again as if suddenly self-conscious and embarrassed, although Xingchen was only trying to joke: “I... I don't want to... trouble you...”
“No trouble! Really. Like I said it would be thrown away anyway so I don't see why you can't eat it instead.”
“Then... Yes. I'd like another piece.”
“You are hungry, aren't you? Sorry I can't offer you something more nutritious...” Xingchen apologized sincerely, noticing that the young man did look like he hadn't eaten much lately... And next to that Xingchen hadn't missed the light rumbling of his stomach, while he had prepared the drinks and food...
The stranger shook his head: “It's fine. The cake is fine. Food is food. It's better than having nothing...”
“Yeah... I guess that's... true...” Xingchen only managed to offer in reply, frowning a little.
He decided to change the topic. Seeing that they were already sitting here together and sharing a drink, they could as well get to know each other: “So... Is it alright, if I... Well, may I know your name?” – Xingchen stammered a little, smiling at the stranger a bit shyly.
The stranger frowned at him, putting down the fork with which he had been eating the cake and pushed the hot chocolate away, falling into a defensive pose: “Why? You're not taking my details to call the police right? You offered the milk and cake! I didn't threaten you or steal it!”
Xingchen looked at him with widened eyes, mouth gaping open, needing a moment to understand why the stranger was suddenly on the defensive and growing upset, trying to find the words to defuse the situation: “Oh no... No, I won't... No police! I just... wanted to get to know you... I'm Xiao Xingchen! If you don't want to tell me your name it's fine too...”
“Oh...” the young man breathed out, instantly relaxing, but also growing embarrassed, avoiding Xingchen's eyes, “I'm sorry... I... My name's Xue Yang...”
“Well, hello Xue Yang! Nice to meet you!” Xingchen replied amicably.
It was the first time the stranger – Xue Yang – smiled again. Truly and wider this time than the before. It was rather dazzling. “Nice to meet you, too, Xiao Xingchen.”
Xingchen grinned into his tea, taking a sip. Xue Yang resumed eating his cake and drinking his hot chocolate. Only now Xingchen noticed how tense he had been all this time because suddenly Xue Yang's posture seemed much more relaxed.
Xingchen looked at the clock then, noting it was five past seven. Ah well... he would have to either speed back home or ask his date to wait a bit longer for him... Looking back at Xue Yang he estimated that another five to ten minute should be alright to allow him to warm up here and finish his second piece of cake.
To make sure, he would be alright, Xingchen asked him then: “So... Do you feel warmer already? How long will you have to stay in the cold to make it back home from here?“
The young man grimaced, turning his gaze away again to stare out the window, seemingly deep in thought: „Don't know...“ he finally murmured.
Xiao Xingchen frowned: „Em... okay? So... Have you lost your way? And don't know where you are? Where do you live? Shall I check Google Maps and find a route for you?“
The young man shook his head, still not looking at him: „No... It's alright... Don't bother... I'll find... something...“
Something?
Xingchen looked at him in puzzlement. He suddenly felt a weird kind of pang in his heart and a heaviness, at the man's words. He took him in a bit closer again. For the first time the thought occurred to him that this young man... Xue Yang might be homeless...
It would explain why his clothes looked so old, worn and didn't fit the weather condition. It explained why he had neither money nor a phone on him. Why he had been content to just get a bit of heat and been intent to make himself small and unnoticable and don't impose himself on Xingchen. Why he had looked so shocked that Xingchen was so kind to him, giving him so much more than he had asked for...
“Thank you for the drink and the food, Xiao Xingchen!” Xue Yang's voice ripped him out of his thoughts and observations, “I'll go now... Sorry for making you stay here longer... I hope I didn't ruin your evening...”
Xingchen needed a second to gather himself, his mouth opening and closing again, before he finally managed to reply: “No... you didn't ruin anything! Not at all! It was really nice meeting you! You know... I still have to clean up a bit. So... if you like you can stay until I finish and close the shop? No need to go out in the cold just yet...”
“Thank you, Xingchen. You're... very kind...” Xue Yang nodded at him, expression awed again.
“Oh, no problem, it's only natural!” Xingchen blushed once again, “It wouldn't sit well with me to send you outside as long as I'm still busy in here...”
“Well... that's not so natural for a lot of people... You're special Xingchen... Something else...” Xue Yang murmurred, shrugging his shoulders in the end as if to take off some of the weightiness of what he had just stated, making it sound more matter-of-factly.
For some reason, Xue Yang's words made a tingly feeling arise in his gut, traveling up his spine, all the way to the tips of his fingers. Like a current of warmth...
Xingchen was so flustered, that he could only smile and then quickly fled behind the counter. He put away the dirty cups and plate, balanced the cash and locked it away, tiedied the counter and lastly the table they had been sitting on and at last, after pullin off his work apron, he grabbed his bag and his coat (plus skarf and gloves), turned off the lights and stepped outside after Xue Yang, who all this time had silently sat by the heater, either staring at nothing or watching him.
Finally, Xingchen closed the coffee shop, activated the alarm system and then turned around to Xue Yang, who stood in the middle of the pavement, looking... kinda lost... He was already hunched over, shivers raking his body once more, as the cold wind blew through the thin fabric of his sweater and trousers.
Xiao Xingchen bit his lips. Then he took a deep breath and called out to him: “Xue Yang?”
Xue Yang slowly turned around, a questioning expression on his face.
“Do you want to come home with me? I... I have a couch to spare...?” Xiao Xingchen suddenly decided to offer, smiling softly at Xue Yang, a small blush probably on his face, which was decidedly not from the cold around them.
Xue Yang just stared at him, again that expression on his face like when Xingchen had offered him free coffee and cake. As if Xingchen was some kind of abnormality. Some aparition. Some sort of puzzle. Some sort of saint. Trying to figure out how and why someone would be so kind to a ragged, disgusting, homeless man like him... Not really trusting his eyes and ears...
„Come on,“ Xingchen extended his hand and decided to make the decision for him. Xue Yang slowly took it, looking at their joined hand in stunned silence. Xingchen smiled at him, if possible, even brighter and then told him conversationally: „I've parked just around the corner. My flat is not far from here, just ten minutes drive. Once we're there you can take a long, hot shower. I can order pizza or noodles or whatever you want and we can watch a movie. Sounds good?“
Xue Yang still just gaped at him, looking rather adorable, and was still unable to say anything coherent, still utterly overwhelmed with the whole situation. But he didn't let go of Xiao Xingchen's hand and simply nodded, and that was all the answer Xiao Xingchen needed.