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The perks of dating a career barista with a love of dogs are: 1) free coffee, 2) good coffee, 3) a lot of coffee, and 4) dogs. Or one dog. A husky who loves to cuddle and has no problem sitting with people for hours on end just being adorable.
“You should teach me how to make coffee,” Kougami says one day when he, Nobuchika, and Kagari are alone in the cafe. He's only half joking.
“Yeah, teach him how to make coffee,” Kagari says. “Actually, teach me how to make coffee, too.”
“I did,” Nobuchika mutters.
“Yeah, but you didn't finish,” Kagari says, “because I still don't know how to make coffee.”
“We had to replace an espresso machine,” Nobuchika says. “We are not making coffee.”
“So Kougami can't make coffee?”
“I didn't say that.”
Kougami leans against the counter and watches the other two work. He likes these moments, when the cafe is empty. It feels like it belongs just to him and Nobuchika. And Kagari at the moment, but Kougami is trying to ignore that.
Then Nobuchika says, “You should take your break now that we're not busy” and Kagari winks at him and bounces out of the cafe to get lunch.
“So, now that we're alone,” Kougami says, leaning forward, “are you going to teach me how to make coffee?”
Nobuchika considers the espresso machines and the empty cafe and frowns. “Come here,” he says, finally, and Kougami vaults over the counter, ignoring Nobuchika's disapproving look, and heads for one of the machines.
Nobuchika plops a bag of dark coffee beans in front of him. “These are the beans we use for most of our espressos,” he says. “You put them in the grinder.” He scoops out a fair amount of beans and tosses them into a machine that Kougami hasn't noticed until now, dwarfed by the espresso machines next to it.
With the press of a button the machine whirs to life, the familiar sound of grinding that Kougami hasn't realized he'd gotten used to. He steps close to Nobuchika to watch the grinds fall into a small container, forming a mound that Nobuchika uses a press to flatten before slotting the container into the espresso machine.
“You pull the shot,” he explains, “for 23-45 seconds for the best results. Try it.” The lever feels cold in Kougami's hand, and he gets nervous that he's counting wrong. He counts to 35 seconds, a good middle number, and watches the liquid pour into tiny cups.
“What kind of drink do you want to make?” Nobuchika asks him.
“Ah...cappuccino,” Kougami says, because that sounds safe enough.
“Okay. Pour those shots into the two larger cups here.”
Kougami does so, and then Nobuchika places a pitcher of milk in his hands.
“Now we're going to foam the milk,” Nobuchika tells him. “You stick the foaming wand in—like that, and it'll foam it and heat it up.” He presses a button on the machine, which makes another familiar, smoother sound.
Kougami watches as the milk starts to foam. Nobuchika presses a button and the sound stops, and Kougami goes to pour the steaming milk into the cups, but Nobuchika places a hand on his wrist to stop him.
Kougami gives him a questioning look, but Nobuchika merely places his hand on top of Kougami's and tilts the pitcher forward, pouring the milk into the cup. Kougami can feel every movement of Nobuchika's hand, and realizes that Nobuchika is showing him how he pours the milk. By the time the first cup is finished, Nobuchika has his other hand resting lightly on Kougami's back to keep them both steady, and there's a flower on the first drink's surface.
Nobuchika alters his movements for the second drink. Kougami wouldn't have noticed had he just been watching, but he can feel the subtle changes as Nobuchika guides his hand. It surprises him when it isn't a flower that appears on the surface of the second cappuccino, but a heart.
“There,” Nobuchika murmurs. He picks up one of the drinks—the one with the flower—and takes a sip. Kougami stares at him, but of course, Nobuchika doesn't say anything about it.
Kougami picks up his own drink, but before he can take a sip, Kagari bursts through the front doors and calls out, “I hope you two are done doing the dirty by now!”
Nobuchika chokes and glares at Kagari, but he's blushing. Kagari grins back at him and heads behind the counter, then frowns when he sees them both holding cups.
“Are you kidding me?” he asks.
“What?” Nobuchika says.
“You taught him to make coffee and not me?”
“Yes, and you know why.”
“But he doesn't even work here!”
As they argue, and customers start to come in, Kougami heads for the table by the window and sips on his cappuccino. It isn't as good as the ones Nobuchika makes him, and Kougami wonders whether he got the timing all wrong. The milk seems less foamy than usual, the coffee more bitter.
But he can still feel Nobuchika's cool hand on top of his own, the gentle movements of his wrist, and he holds on a little more tightly to his drink, because it's theirs.
*
Kougami learns things about Nobuchika. He learns that Nobuchika hates the summer because the days grow humid and uncomfortably hot. That he takes Sundays off to go walk Dime in one of the local parks, and that Dime likes to play fetch with sticks. That his favorite drink is a simple caramel latte, and that he loves sweet baked goods. That he enjoys Russian literature and growing small plants. That cuddling and kisses are as far as he'll go. That his favorite type of clothing to wear outside of work is sweaters and scarves.
That Nobuchika doesn't like his eyes. That both his parents are dead. That he takes one pill each night and goes to therapy once every week because if he doesn't he feels like breaking (and sometimes, he does anyway, on bad days, but it's much easier to deal with this way.) That he regrets not being closer to his father. That he isn't sure why Kougami stays with him. (That last one, Kougami finds out by accident, on a bad day.)
That neither of them are particularly knowledgeable about relationships. But relationships don't have to follow a formula set out by others, Kougami thinks. It's theirs, and it works, and if they're happy, then screw everything else.
*
On a Saturday night Kougami decides that it's about time they go out for drinks. It's just before finals, and Kougami knows that for the next week, he'll be studying every hour of every day, and then after finals, he'll be finishing his dissertation for the end of the summer. Nobuchika isn't much of a drinker, but the extra traffic final exams bring to the cafe have him stressed as well, so Kougami figures that they both need to do something relaxing.
“It's too warm out,” Nobuchika complains as they head towards the bar.
It's summer, and the night air is pleasantly the right temperature, in Kougami's opinion. “You're enjoying it,” he says before taking a long drag of his cigarette.
“I don't understand how people enjoy being overheated,” Nobuchika mutters.
“It's not overheated,” Kougami says. “It's just being warm. Like we're meant to be, as humans.”
“Is that what you learned from your degree?”
“Yes.”
Unfortunately, the bar is overheated, even by Kougami's standards, and there's too many people to actually be able to find a place to sit. It's the opposite of Nobuchika's cozy cafe, so Kougami orders them each a double shot of tequila and they down them before heading outside.
Kougami is pleasantly buzzed. He can feel himself relaxing, the thoughts about studying and writing academic things being pushed away as they step outside. Nobuchika grabs his arm as they start down the street, fingers digging into his shirt.
Kougami glances at him, and sees that Nobuchika looks like he's struggling to stay upright. His face is flushed, his glasses askew, and it occurs to him that he's never really asked whether Nobuchika can handle alcohol. He's just assumed that because Akane can keep up with him, so can everyone else.
“Are you okay?”
“I want to sit down,” Nobuchika says.
They find a bench and sit, and Nobuchika leans his head against Kougami's shoulder and hums, sounding pleased. Kougami can't help but smile and he runs his fingers through Nobuchika's hair.
“You need a haircut,” he says, noting how some of the strands are starting to reach past Nobuchika's chin.
“Mm-hmm. That feels nice.”
“You're a lightweight, aren't you?”
“Maybe.” Nobuchika makes a noise that Kougami realizes, after a few seconds, is a giggle. “Alcohol does a lot...to me.”
“Oh. Look, I'm sorry. I--”
“Shh,” Nobuchika presses a finger to Kougami's lips. “Don't be sorry. I needed to relax, you said.”
“I didn't mean to get you this drunk,” Kougami says.
“I'm not this drunk,” Nobuchika slurs.
“Your finger is still on my mouth.”
“Oh.”
Nobuchika allows his hand to drop and sighs. “Once in a while, it's not so bad. This.”
“I know you like being in control.”
“But I'm with you.” Nobuchika pulls away and narrows his eyes at Kougami. “I wouldn't have accepted the drink if I didn't want it.”
“Fair enough.” Kougami watches other people, some drunk, some not, walk past them. Nobuchika is warm at his side, and Kougami can't imagine feeling this content with anyone else. He doesn't need to be doing anything. This is enough. “Gino?”
“Hmm?”
Kougami takes a deep breath and turns to him. “I love you.”
Nobuchika tilts his head to the side, eyebrows drawing together. “What?”
“I love you.”
“You're drunk,” Nobuchika says, and something like fear flashes across his face. The flush of alcohol is fading, and Kougami wonders why he decided to tell him this now.
“No,” Kougami says. “You're drunk.”
“Then why tell me now?” Nobuchika asks. “So that I'll forget?”
“No, it's just...” Kougami waves his hand. “I felt it, so I said it.”
“Oh.”
Nobuchika stands up, suddenly. He looks a lot more sober now. “Let's walk,” he says.
Kougami falls into step beside him and neither of them say anything. At one point, Nobuchika takes Kougami's hand, and then they're in front of the cafe.
“You can stay,” Nobuchika says.
Kougami has never stayed. He's been in Nobuchika's apartment once, to watch a movie. Nobuchika has been to Kougami's apartment far more often, but never stayed the night.
“Look,” Kougami says, “if this is just because I said what I said, or because you're drunk, or because you think I want--”
“Kougami,” Nobuchika interrupts. “It's worn off. I want you to stay.”
“Oh.”
Kougami follows Nobuchika through the door next to the cafe entrance, and up the stairs to his apartment. It's small, cozy like the cafe below, and Nobuchika disappears into his room for a moment and comes back out wearing a large sweater and pajama pants. Dime trails behind him, looking sleepy.
For a moment, he looks uncertain.
“We don't—” Kougami starts.
Nobuchika cuts across him with, “You can sleep in my bed.”
“Okay.”
Nobuchika turns back into his room. Dime stays behind, looking expectantly at Kougami.
“I'm coming,” Kougami says, and follows Dime into the room.
Nobuchika is already sitting on the bed, cleaning his glasses. Kougami strips down to his boxers and climbs in beside him. Nobuchika lies down, facing Kougami, glasses for once absent.
“At least you don't have to work tomorrow,” Kougami says.
A heavy weight dips the end of the bed, and Kougami glances up to see Dime laying at their feet.
“Goodnight, Kougami,” Nobuchika says, and switches off the bedside lamp.
“Goodnight,” Kougami says.
It doesn't take long before he falls into a comfortable sleep.
*
Kougami wakes up slowly, feeling warm and well-rested, and when he opens his eyes, he finds himself looking at a dog.
He sits up, shocked, wondering why Dime has replaced Nobuchika on the bed and where Nobuchika's gone. Had he gotten scared and moved to the couch? It's light outside, the kind of early-morning brightness that comes just after sunrise. Dime doesn't move, clearly not as concerned. Kougami is about to get out of bed when he hears the front door open and close, and then Nobuchika reappears in the room.
He stops when he sees that Kougami is awake, and says, “I had to unlock the cafe.”
“Oh.” Kougami relaxes. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” Nobuchika comes to sit at the edge of the bed. “Dime took my spot.”
“Yeah,” Kougami says, “but I'm sure he'll move if you ask nicely.”
“I'm already awake.” Nobuchika glances at Dime and then bites his lip, like he wants to say something but isn't sure whether he should. He adjusts his glasses and turns to Kougami. “Kou.”
Kougami sits up a little straighter.
“I love you, too” Nobuchika says.
Kougami feels lighter, suddenly, and he smiles wide.
Nobuchika reacts with a small smile of his own and then rises from the bed, says, “I'm going to make coffee,” and is gone before Kougami can pull him back.
“It must be a nervous thing,” Kougami says to Dime, who doesn't respond.
He can hear the sounds of Nobuchika in the kitchen, the soft clink of ceramic mugs and the low whir of a coffee machine. The smell of coffee wafts into the bedroom, starting to permeate everything. Kougami allows himself a few moments in this place that feels more like home than his own apartment.
Then, when the whirring of the coffee machine dies down, he makes his way into the kitchen, Dime following close behind.