Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sam had a problem. Well, not a problem per se, just a slightly embarrassing predicament. Since they’d arrived in Jericho and started working at the Weathervane almost half a year ago, they had developed a crush on one of the customers. Despite never having exchanged more than a couple words (a flat white to go, please; here you go, have a nice day), Sam couldn’t stop thinking about the woman that had appeared one morning like a goddess blessing the unworthy with her presence.

They winced at their ridiculous thoughts, but there was really no better way to describe this gorgeous tall blonde. Sam didn’t even really understand their fascination with this woman, they just felt inexplicably drawn to her.

Through town-gossip (some more malicious than other) they had learned that the woman in question was Larissa Weems, principal of Nevermore, the outcast school. This fact did nothing to stop Sam, a small mental ‘huh’ to assimilate this new information and then it was back to their regular schedule of pining.

Recently they’d started decorating Larissa’s coffee with little hearts, finally feeling confident enough in their latte art, but their internal freaking out and anxiously waiting for a reaction was all for nothing, as the woman had given them the same polite smile and thank you as always.

Having worked in various cafes and restaurants over the years Sam had perfected their customer service smile, but they had never been on the receiving end of it from a customer. Larissa was always smiling and friendly but something about it just seemed off to Sam, it was like this woman always had a fake smile ready, that she didn’t want anyone to look deeper.

Sure, it’s completely normal to not show your each and every emotion to strangers, but something told them that Larissa didn’t let anyone see behind the mask. That she didn’t let anyone in. And this was probably the root of their infatuation, Sam wanted desperately to see something real on that beautiful face, be it a frown or a smile.

Sam was pulled from their ruminating as the object of their thoughts walked in the coffeeshop. A few of the local teenagers who were on their way out started whispering and laughing among themselves as they passed her.

A muscle in Larissa’s cheek twitched but she kept her ever-present smile on her face as she approached the counter. When she went to pay for her order Sam stopped her.

“It’s on the house, for putting up with idiot children,” they gestured at the door where the teenagers were could still be seen.

Sam thought they saw one of her eyebrows raise ever so slightly, but as usual Larissa just gave them a polite thank you and left the shop with her cappuccino covered in little foam hearts.

Larissa had not paid much attention to the new barista at the Weathervane. The sudden appearance of hearts on her coffee had only vaguely been noticed, and aside from the occasional thought that their latte art was getting better with time she had not given them a further thought.

But that morning was different. Not only had the barista noticed the behaviour of the teenagers, they objected to it, and offered recompense of a sort. It was interesting. She resolved to pay closer attention to them the next time she was in the coffeeshop. It did not take her long to notice the small things that she had not paid attention to before.

They were polite and friendly to all customers, no doubt, but it was the same kind of polite and friendly Larissa always was, not necessarily sincere. But whenever the barista noticed her, their behaviour changed, they straightened up and their smile became more real. While Larissa always received hearts, she saw that other customers got different designs. She noticed the sneaking glances, including a few that definitely went below her waistline. What an intriguing discovery.

Sam had a problem again. Something had changed. They still hadn’t had a real conversation, but Larissa’s behaviour had changed. It might be all in their head, but they could swear that her smiles had become softer and more real. Every time it happened they had to sternly remind themselves to calm the fuck down but the voice in their head kept screeching ‘she smiled at me, she has a special smile for me, oh my god’.

One time, when Sam handed over Larissa’s drink, her hand lingered on theirs. Sam looked up, feeling their cheeks flush and they could swear Larissa looked slightly smug as she turned to walk out.

The hand touch incident led to them to text their best friend an all-caps outburst and receiving an unintelligible key smash in return, followed by messages like ‘hand-touching?!??’, ‘do it for the gays’ and ‘coffee shop au!’. Not very useful input, but appreciated nonetheless.

It all came to a head when one day, after receiving her coffee, Larissa didn’t turn to go, but instead lingered and leaned on the counter. She looked at the hearts in her cup.

“You are getting quite good at this.”

Sam smiled sheepishly, their face flushing, “Oh, thank you. It took some time, but I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of this latte art thing.”

“I have noticed my designs are somewhat unique in your repertoire.”

Sam frowned, not really sure where she was going with this.

“None of your other customers receive hearts.”

Sam’s face turned red and they started stuttering, “Ah, well, that’s, uh.”

“I like it.”

Larissa took a sip and watched smugly as Sam’s brain screeched to a stop.

Sam swallowed heavily, “Well, uh, I’ll certainly keep doing it then.”

“Good.”

Not saying anything else, Larissa took her cup and calmy walked towards the exit, seemingly unaware of the state she’d left Sam in, but right before she left the café, she turned and shot Sam a wink.

Chapter Text

Larissa came back the next day, Sam had not entirely recovered from their last interaction and they were instantly flustered when the woman walked in. Larissa acted no different than usual, but when she received her coffee, she looked at the hearts, gave Sam a knowing smirk, and walked away without saying anything.

Sam checked to see no other customer needed their attention and dug out their phone.

‘she didnt say anything????’

‘im assuming this is about ur dream woman but i need some more context babe’

‘she came in, acted like she didnt just give me heart attack yesterday, but smirked at me when she left! SMIRKED!! i might die’

‘maybe she knows you love watching her walk away lol’

‘STOP’

‘never this is best free entertainment i have rn’

‘but what do i do next time she comes???? if she keeps just smiling at me w/o saying anything i will cry’

‘you could always go crazy go stupid and give her ur phonenumber’

‘realistic suggestions only’

‘right sorry, you could keep pining from a distance & staring at her when shes not looking’

‘i hate you’

‘x’

A cough drew Sam’s attention away from their phone and they looked up to find Larissa standing at the counter.

“Oh! Hi, again.” Furiously telling themselves that there’s no way the woman in front of her knows that they were just texting about her, they tried to look normal and not like a
crazy obsessed person.

“Can I help you? Was there something wrong with your drink?”

“No, not at all, it was delicious as always, thank you.”

The screeching voice in Sam’s head was back, ‘she thinks my coffees are delicious!’

“No, I am afraid I forgot something.”

“Oh,” Sam looked around the counter and started to come around the counter to check on the floor, “did you leave your wallet or something?”

“Your name.”

Sam stuttered to a halt.

“I, what-“

“It seems bad etiquette to not know the name of the person who has been gifting me their hearts for weeks now.”

Furiously hoping they looked calm and confident and not like a hot blushing mess, they replied.

“Uh, my name is Sam.”

“Sam.”

Cursing themselves for being a cliché, they suddenly felt a strong kinship for all those romance novels main characters, because they really liked how their name sounded when she said it.

“Hello, Sam, it is very nice to meet you. My name is Larissa.”

“Yeah, I know-“ they panicked, “I mean, I, uh, you know, it’s a small town.”

Her smile tightened, “Yes, I suppose the good people of Jericho would warn newcomers about their neighbours.”

Trying to dig themselves out of this hole, Sam started babbling, “Well, I mean, a lot of what they were saying I immediately discarded, you know, it’s not like, I mean, I don’t agree, obviously, some people are just dicks, you know. I mean, of course you know, I just, I just wanted to know your name,” they finished lamely.

Mentally preparing their funeral and imagining the eulogy their friend would give ‘we should remember them as they were, a gay mess’, Sam didn’t dare look at Larissa while they waited for her to say something.

Larissa was oddly charmed watching the flustered barista – Sam – trying to recover from their social faux-pas. It was clear they hadn’t quite thought over the words before they left their mouth.

“You wanted to know my name?”

Sam looked embarrassed and their eyes flitted between her and the counter.

“Uh, yes, I just asked around for a tall, beau-, uh blond woman, and Larissa Weems was the answer almost every time, so, yeah.”

“I am quite sure they told you more than my name, but I am aware what most people here think of us outcast so I shall not need to know what else was said.”

Sam looked ready to stumble into another apology-filled explanation so Larissa cut them off.

“I believe, instead, I shall be flattered that you wished to inquire about me.”

“Uh, good, yes, that’s, good.”

Larissa looked at her watch and felt genuine remorse that she needed to cut this encounter short or else risk running late for her next appointment.

She smiled, and pushed herself off the counter, “I am afraid I need to leave now. Until next time. Sam.”

The image of Sam flushing as she emphasised their name stayed in her mind all throughout her meeting with the mayor.