Chapter Text
Mike Wheeler rubbed his tired eyes as he pulled out his phone, checking the time. It was getting pretty late, and he needed to start heading home soon. He put his phone down and packed his books, saying goodbye to the overworked librarian at the counter as he left the building to the cool night breeze. He’d been studying for a few hours and completely lost track of time; it was getting close to midnight. Mike yawned and began the short walk to his apartment, the cold sharp wind of the night hitting him with each step. As he was walking, he noticed a sign he didn’t recall seeing before on the building close to the library. Furry Friends Café. Huh. A new coffee shop had opened, it seemed, and it was open. Will checked the time, quarter past midnight, and looked back to the new café. By the name and logo, a cute fluffy white cat in a coffee cup, it seemed to be a cat café. Mike considered going to his apartment to get some deserved sleep but found himself opening the door of the café at the promise of a warm room, coffee, and adorable little cats. The bell chimed softly as he entered the café, and some cats looked straight up at him. A few meters away in front of him was a ginger cat sitting on a chair, staring at him with those big, round eyes. To his left on the windowsill layed a black cat with a white bandana around his neck, looking uninterested, his tail slowly moving left and right. Mike noticed a few other cats, too. A white one above him, sleeping in a basket, a siamese cat, and on the counter, and a gray fluffy cat pawing at some papers.
“Welcome to Furry Friends Café. How can I help you?” a voice from behind the counter greeted Mike. Mike opened his mouth to reply and lifted his head towards the barista, only to be left speechless. Behind the counter, a cute boy his age with brown hair in a stupidly adorable bowlcut smiled at him.
“Uh- I’m. Hi. You’re- You’re open late.” Mike stuttered out, feeling awkward and sweaty. Oh god he was so sweaty. Mike hoped he hadn't noticed. The other boy laughed lightly, and Mike’s heart stuttered at the sound.
“Yeah, I guess we are. What can I get for you?” Cute Barista, as dubbed by Mike, asked. Mike looked up to the menu and, panicked, blurted out the first thing he saw.
“Uh… A black coffee please?”
“Sure thing.” God damn it. Mike hated black coffee. But it was too late now, and Mike is definitely too awkward to tell Cute Barista he got his order wrong. Oh god, Mike is not getting any sleep tonight. Mike sighed and sat on a stool. The gray cat was still on the counter, in front of him, and Mike slowly reached up a hand to pet it. Hesitantly, the cat seemed to allow the touch and closed its eyes.
“I see you’ve met Mike.” Mike jumped slightly at his name.
“Mike?”
“Yeah. The cat you’re petting. That’s his name.”
“Oh. That’s my name” Mike blinked at Mike 2, who glared at him through one open eye. Cute Barista laughed;
“Well, that’s quite the coincidence, isn't it? Mike and Mike. One is fluffier than the other, though.” Mike felt his cheeks warm up and laughed, still not used to Cute Barista referring to him by name. A few minutes passed of Mike silently petting Mike 2 until the gray cat got bored with Mike’s touch and jumped off the counter.
“Coffee for Mike!” called Cute Barista.
“I’m literally the only person here”
“Well, it’s procedure.”
Mike paid for the coffee, took his order and grimaced at the sour smell of black coffee before getting up to leave. He took his bag from his chair and went towards the door.
“Thank you for coming by, we hope to see you soon.”
“Wait,’ Mike stopped in his tracks in front of the door, ‘I never caught your name.”
“I didn’t throw it.” teased Cute Barista before disappearing to the back room. Mike smiled and made his way out, shivering a bit at the cold outside air. Reluctantly, he took a sip of his coffee and gagged; god, he really hated black coffee. As Mike began the rest of the walk towards his apartment, he noticed something under his name. It was a small drawing of Mike the cat and Mike himself glaring at each other. ‘Mike vs Mike’ was written under it. Mike laughed and smiled warmly to himself. Maybe the black coffee wasn’t so bad.