Chapter Text
When Ian started his shift, he wasn’t expecting too many people to come in. Rush hour was usually right after classes had ended, when all the students were getting food and then disappearing into their dorms or the library to study. He was mostly there to make sure the bread for the next morning was ready to be put into the oven and everything was neat and tidy for closing. He never got more than five or six customers to entertain for the day.
That night, right at the brink of closing time, when he was heading out the back door to throw away the last of the day’s trash, the mechanical chime connected to the door beeped, indicating a customer. He was super annoyed, considering that he had thought he had already fulfilled his quota for the day (he had had twelve customers which was way more than he was willing to deal with during such a late shift).
Ian put the trash bag down and frowned. He couldn’t see who was at the other side of the counter and he didn’t care. The sole reason he even took this shift was because it usually so quiet. He could finish his coursework and still get paid for doing virtually nothing. Not even his boss bothered coming in to supervise him at this time of the day.
“Anyone here?” A voice floated in. Ian frowned some more.
“We’re closing!” he called back, hoping the person would just fucking leave.
“Bullshit! Sign says you’re open till eleven. There’s still ten fucking minutes.”
Ian sighed, exasperated, but made his way to the counter, dragging his feet.
“What can I get you?” he asked as politely as he could. Looking up to meet the eyes of his customer, he recognized the guy to be someone in a couple of his classes. Mickey or something.
He better hope he doesn’t get stuck in group assignment with me, Ian thought to himself. I’ll get him back for not letting me close ten minutes earlier.
“You got any of those croissants you usually sell at breakfast?”
“Yeah, but they’re kinda stale.”
“Fuck it. I’ll take em.”
Ian raised a brow. “How many?”
“How many you got?”
“Six.”
“I’ll take six,” Mickey said, grinning.
Ian put the croissants in a paper bags and put them on the counter.
“I’ll also have… uh, dozen almond crisps and three chocolate chip muffins,” Mickey said as Ian rang him up. “And two blueberry muffins if you got any.”
The almond crisps went into a paper bag and the muffins in a box. “Anything else?”
“Uh… a coffee?”
“Sorry, machines broken.” Mickey swore under his breath. “I think the kitchen in Dorm F has a working coffee machine though.”
“I’m kinda not allowed in Dorm F.”
“Sucks. That’ll be $23.50.”
Mickey scowled. “That’s a fucking rip off.” Still, he got out the money and tossed it on the counter.
Ian counted out the change and passed it back.
“I’ll be out of your fucking hair.” Mickey grabbed his things and left.
Ian threw out the trash and locked up.