Chapter Text
The day of Outreach was finally here, it’s no big deal, just some outcasts coming into this quaint town of Jericho. Tyler shouldn’t be worried about that.
All he knows so far is one of them will be working with him at the local coffee shop.
That’s when he sees a familiar boy with long chestnut brown hair.
Xavier Thorpe, his ex boyfriend.
They haven’t spoken since they broke up a few months ago, it was a total misunderstanding too.
Tyler froze without realizing and stared at Xavier in shock, he was actually here, he knows that Tyler works here so the guy shouldn't be surprised or anything. As he was staring at his ex boyfriend, memories replay when they were together, their relationship was fun so Tyler had no idea why they broke up.
Tyler will admit he’s grabbed his phone a couple of times and wanted to send a text message to him, letting him know how he feels and such. Though, that just screams desperate and missing him when he wanted Xavier to be the one to send him the message instead.
So, usually he would just delete the message after writing it down to not bother with Xavier's school life in Nevermore, he just misses him so much.
Working at a job and serving up people their cup of joe thought it would help occupy to forget about him, but all he can think about is Xavier since he loves coffee so much, always saying he wants to try something new then when it comes to it he gets the same thing. Not Tyler, he loves trying new things, so he always had a different drink when they would have their coffee dates.
His flash of memories stop replaying when Xavier noticed Tyler staring at him ever since he walked in, he just waved at him awkwardly.
Tyler didn’t even realize he was staring at Xavier the whole time, his mind got lost. When snapped out of his thoughts Tyler accidentally knocked over a few things when he was caught looking, how embarrassing, he can feel his face flushed red as he's picking up the stuff and rearranging them at the counter.
"Hey..." Xavier waves at Tyler, like if he may have regretted being here, but hey they are on speaking terms again and Tyler will take it.
"Oh hey," Tyler waved back, nervously chuckling trying to play off that he wasn't just staring at his ex boyfriend.
"Guess I'll be working with you today." Xavier said, Tyler nodded.
"Guess you will." Tyler replied.
Xavier nodded and pointed to the back meaning he's going to change into the coffee shop uniform from his Nevermore school uniform, Tyler nodded and Xavier walked to the back to change.
Seriously Tyler? Guess you will? Pathetic, should've said something more. Tyler thought, shaking his head as he checks the espresso machine, making sure it won't break.
Thankfully, both of them were so busy that they didn't realize they had time to speak since the outcasts were here in town, most of them stopped by.
Then, Tyler was in the back room making sure inventory was up to date and what not, checking the coffee cups, both hot and cold when he heard a bell ring.
He walked out and saw Xavier talking to Wednesday, his face didn’t seem too happy at the sight of Tyler. The long haired boy just rolled his eyes and walked away
Tyler watched him leave, wondering why he chose to be here when easily he could have trade places with someone. So why is Xavier really here? Or was this some dare he and his friends played? To see if he can really stand being in the same room as Tyler?
After giving Wednesday the information she needed and left, Tyler looks back at Xavier to see him making espressos.
Tyler couldn't take it anymore, he missed him so much and this day was the day to try and reconcile, at least be friends or civilized. They were bound to see each other again, this is a small town after all. Tyler walked up to him
”Hey…” Tyler greets him and Xavier doesn’t bother to look at him.
”Hey.” He replied coldly.
“You know, I don’t know why you’re even here when you could have gotten somebody else to trade with you.” Tyler said while looking at his ex who continues to ignore him. “I thought maybe you set things aside in the past.”
Xavier stays silent and it was driving Tyler crazy, he knows the silent treatment is what Tyler despises. When it came to the relationship, Xavier was always the laid back while Tyler did most of the talking.
”Can you at least look at me?” Tyler wondered, trying not to sound annoyed
That is when Xavier does look at him, still with a serious look on him, oh how Tyler missed seeing that face every day along with his long silky hair
“I thought that too, I wanted to be the bigger person and not let this card determine that I can’t handle seeing my ex. It was bound to happen we were gonna see each other again.”
”So, you didn't trade cards?” Tyler asked and Xavier shrugs, going back to make an espresso.
"I actually was, but Ajax didn't want to, so I had no choice."
"Oh..." was all Tyler replied with, that actually hurt, but Xavier looked back at him realizing the poor wording choice.
"No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant that I should not let something like a break up between us make us stop talking to each other. I'm sorry." Xavier apologized and Tyler looked at him, trying to refrain from smiling. "I screwed up by not listening to you."
Tyler furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "No, you didn't screw up anything."
"I did though, if we had communicated then who knows where we would stand right now." Xavier replied
"Well, I missed you so much these past few months... I thought with this job would help deal with the break up, but..." Tyler then realizes just how pathetic and desperate he sounded, he closed his eyes from the realization of opening up.
"I missed you too, I thought with school activities and extracurricular would help too. Then a random thought about you and that's when I would pick up the phone and try to send you a text, though I was too much of a coward to send a risky text."
Tyler smiled now, not trying to hold it in anymore, learning that his ex boyfriend was exhibiting the same things as him was reassuring. Xavier looked at Tyler who was smiling, he always did have a great smile on him, always showing those pearly whites, Xavier formed a small closed smile.
”I wrote messages every day and I tried to send them too. But I know to give you personal space and figured you were probably happy with someone else.” Tyler said, sighing as he looked around the coffee shop that was slow at this time.
He was glad no one was around for now to be eavesdropping about their relationship, though they might have to hurry up and talk it out before someone walks in.
Xavier bites his lip nervously and shook his head. “I couldn’t be happy with anyone else… no one gives me that same feeling when I was, am with you.”
Tyler can hear his heart beat when he said that
”Me neither, I just wanted you next to me cuddled up, you know?” Tyler asks with a smile and Xavier tries not to smile that only made Tyler smile bigger and Xavier smiled now failing to not do so.
”I’ll admit, I missed the movie dates and whenever you would bring me coffee from here.” Xavier said with a smile on his face.
“Me too, I still have the watch list saved from when we were going to watch together. Also, my latte art has improved since the last time, so no more messed up drawings on your drink."
Xavier chuckled. "I'd want to see you make one right now and I'll determine whether you improved or not."
Tyler scoffed and rolled his eyes, smiling. "Wouldn't expect nothing less from the artist himself."
They both made eye contact and Tyler swears he can still feel the connection between them, he definitely wanted to kiss him right then and there, he bit his own lip at the sight of Xavier's lips.
”So, that Rave'N thing is happening this weekend right?" Tyler couldn't help but ask
"Yup, this weekend..."
"Do you... have a date or anyone taking you? Or you're leaving this one out?" Tyler was curious...
Xavier shrugged. "I don't have a date, but I'm accompanying Bianca."
Tyler looked at him and he knows what he is doing, giving out those little hints for Tyler to solve. Sometimes he wishes Xavier would be the one doing the asking instead of Tyler, he was about to say something until Xavier spoke up.
"Would you like to go to the dance with me?" Xavier asks, looking at Tyler and the boy was trying so hard not to blush and look surprised.
After a moment of silence, realizing what just happened, Tyler smiles. "Yes! I mean yeah sure, I'd like to go. Thought you'd never ask." Tyler replied, Xavier chuckled.
"Neither did I... then I realized in the past you would always be the one asking so I thought, maybe I'd ask this time for a change."
“Maybe after the party, you want to have decaf coffee and just hang out here? The two of us?” Tyler asks with his smile
"Sure." Xavier nodded and smiled at him, the two guys stared at each other yet again, this time Tyler couldn't take it anymore, he was standing right here in front of him and just got asked to the dance.
Tyler charged forward with a kiss as he cupped his face, Xavier kisses back holding Tyler in his arms, they both have missed this so much. It's been so long since their lips have met and now they are reunited.
Their kiss lasted a solid minute before they pulled away from each other and gave each other another smile before kissing again, Xavier wrapping his arms around Tyler's waist while Tyler runs his fingers through Xavier's long silky hair as he kissed him.
"Tyler?"
They both pulled away when they heard someone call Tyler's name and it was his dad standing at the entrance, Tyler blushed, not realizing his father had come in. They didn't even hear the little bell when someone comes in.
For Xavier, he too was a bit embarrassed, his face was a bit red too. He looked at the man then at Tyler before he saw a rag and a spray bottle of degreaser and went to clean the tables. Tyler watched him go even though he wanted him to stay beside him, he looks at his dad, still embarrassed.
"Your usual dad?" Tyler asks and the man nodded, then looked at Xavier who was cleaning the tables.
Tyler ignored his dad and made his usual coffee which was tall, black and 2 sugars in a to go cup, though every now and then he glanced at Xavier cleaning the table who did the same thing, glancing at Tyler.
The boy blushes as he made the coffee and couldn't help but finally be happy for once that he and Xavier are talking again, better yet they kissed after all this time. Even if the moment was interrupted.