Work Text:
Lambert was a bodyguard for some of the richest men in town, but before he started his day he always went to the local coffee shop called The Lilac Brew. The owner was a nice woman with raven hair. Lambert made his way in and smiled as he noticed a new face at the register. He was young, in his late twenties early thirties. He looked up with a smile, a few buttons on his lanyard. There was a guitar, a rainbow flag, and a few different music notes.
“What can I get you today?” He asked with a big smile. Lambert noticed his name tag, it read Jaskier.
“A large mocha.” Lambert replied, looking Jaskier over. “Are you new?”
“I started yesterday.” Jaskier said sheepishly. “I promise I won’t be too slow.”
Lambert smirked. “I’m not too worried about it. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”
Jaskier smiled. “$2.25, your name, and I can get you that.”
Lambert swiped his card. “It’s Lambert.”
Jaskier wrote his name on the cup, Lambert noticed the spiraling handwriting and smiled a bit.. “Whip-cream?”
Lambert nodded. “That would be great. Long day ahead of me.”
The sound of the whip-cream can was drowned out by the chatter of the coffee goers. Jaskier lifted up the chocolate sauce. “Chocolate?”
“Yep.”
Jaskier did the normal drizzle as he had been trained. The two parted once he handed it off, there was only a small exchange but as their eyes locked Lambert felt something within him. “Have a nice day.” Jaskier called as he watched the large man step out into the crisp morning air.
Lambert smiled softly thinking about that boy in the coffee shop as he headed to his job. The next day he stopped in and Jaskier was there at the register again, as they made eye contact Jaskier smiled brightly. “Another Moca?” Jaskier asked, recognizing him from the day before. He too felt something between the two of them but didn’t want to push anything.
“Another mocha it will be. Large.”
“$2.25.” Jaskier replied as he began to write Lambert’s name on the cup. The whip-creme and chocolate sauce was added and they parted ways once again.
This went on for a few days, Lambert was disappointed when he found he wasn’t working on a Thursday morning. He felt awkward asking the young blonde at the register where Jaskier was that day.
Friday rolled around and he was in fact there. “Missed you yesterday.” Lambert said as he stepped up to him. Lambert lowered his eyes.
That was so stupid why did I say that?
He asked himself.
“Thursdays are my days off.” Jaskier explained while smiling a soft bit. “I play at a local bar that day.”
“The guitar pin, I assume you play guitar at the bar then?”
Jaskier nodded as he punched in the mocha. “Yeah, I think I met your brother there actually. Said his name was Eskel.”
Lambert’s face grew pink. “Oh you did?”
“Yeah, I was playing and after my set he came up and introduced himself. I told him I worked at the coffee shop in the mornings and he said you mentioned me during dinner the other night.”
Lambert nearly choked on his own spit, he was going to kill his brother. “I.. I might have mentioned you, you’re just a new face here. I come in everyday and well I just mentioned you, you know.” He mumbled while Jaskier drizzled on some chocolate.
“Don’t worry about it,” Jaskier teased, noticing the pinker complexion. “I’m sure you mention all the new workers at your local stops.”
Lambert felt his heart beating quicker. Jaskier handed the cup over with a soft wink. Lambert cleared his throat and waved as Jaskier yelled to him to have a good morning as the door swung behind him.
Lambert sat back in his car breathing heavily, that was embarrassing as hell. He dialed his brother and waited impatiently for Eskel to answer. Eskel couldn't even get a word out when Lambert began to yell. “I am going to kill you!
“Whoa whoa slow down what the hell Lamb-.”
“You told Jaskier I talked about him at dinner!”
“I thought I would help push this forward, you like him. When I mentioned your name he lit up, man I think he likes you too.”
Lambert calmed down a bit, sinking into his chair. “I think he might have been flirting with me, or maybe not.. I don’t know.”
“He might have been. Keep trying Lamb, I’m sure he will pick up on the idea you like him eventually if he hasn’t already.”
Lambert picked his mocha up and froze. In place of his name in the same spiraling lettering was a heart and a number. “I’ve got to go.”
“You okay?” Eskel asked, there were a few minutes of silence before Lambert finally replied again.
“Yeah, work and stuff I’ve got to go.” Lambert hung up without hearing a good bye. He stared at the phone number on the cup, and the little heart.
He was honestly uncertain how he felt, he was excited, but terrified. Now there was really something between them, it wasn’t just imaginary. Jaskier had made the first move, which Lambert was kicking himself for not being the first to try.
He continued to stare at the coffee cup, before he punched the number into his phone. He then debated if he should call him, or if he should just text him. He thought about it and knew that he was working so he texted him.
He wrote out about six texts and deleted them all before he finally just went for it.
Hey, this is Lambert. Thank you for your number, uhm I was wondering when you got off if you’d want to go to dinner? I’ll be home by six and I can pick you up or we can meet wherever you want to go. I’ll pay, we can even go out for drinks if that's what you would prefer.
Lambert headed to work, completely in his head, he didn’t know what to say to him, or how to feel. Was Jaskier actually flirting or was he just going crazy.
A heart meant something didn’t it?
He wouldn’t have just given him his number without wanting it to mean something, would he?
Lambert was in his head all of work, he checked his phone every few minutes until finally he felt it buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out quickly and sighed in relief.
“
I’ll meet you at the Roost Diner, I will be there at 6:15, see you then.
🥰”
Lambert smiled, his eyes growing wide as he read it over and over again, work dragged by for the both of them.
Jaskier dressed up a little bit putting on a nice button up, he made sure his hair was swept to the right and fixed his shirt about seven more times before he stepped out the door and arrived at the diner. He had made a reservation for the two, and placed the name under Mocha. Jaskier looked down at his phone to make sure he would find their table. “
Mocha is your code word
.”
Lambert parked and looked down at his phone.
Code word?
He stepped inside the cozy diner and nodded to the hostess. “Do you have a reservation?” The woman asked, a smile on her face.
“I was told Mocha was my code word.” Lambert said after a moment of hesitation, the women let out a soft chuckle and led him towards the table.
“Here you go.” She sat a second menu down, a cup of water already waiting for him. He said a curt thank you as she stepped away.
Jaskier looked up at him with a big smile on his face. “You made it!”
Lambert nodded. “I’m just glad you gave me your number.” He could tell his face was bright pink and hot. “Oh I brought you something.”
Jaskier cocked his head not sure what to expect, Lambert pulled a small rainbow guitar pick from his pocket. Jaskier ran his thumb over the face of it. “You didn’t have to, but thank you.”
“I saw it and thought you might like it.” Lambert said sheepishly.
“I love it.” Jaskier agreed with a smile on his face. “Thank you.”
Lambert nodded, the two sat together and got a small thing of fries to share. Jaskier got a lemon chicken with a side of rice while Lambert got a steak with a baked potato. Jaskier blushed anytime their eyes made contact. “I uh- well I really like you Jaskier and I- Well I know we haven’t known one another long bu-.”
Lambert was cut off as Jaskier leaned over the table and planted a kiss on his cheek. “I think I’d like to try something.” Jaskier said, sitting down smiling at how bright red his face had grown. “Maybe go on a few more dates and see where it takes us?”
Lambert nodded enthusiastically. “I would love that.”
“I have another gig next Thursday, 7:30. We could maybe meet before then but uhm I know where I will be that day.”
“I’ll be there.” Lambert promised. “I’d love to see you play.” Jaskier blushed once more, they paid for their dinner and Lambert insisted on walking Jaskier to his car. Jaskier went to reach for the handle of his little yellow bug when Lambert opened it for him. “I’ll see you tomorrow for coffee?”
“Large Mocha.”
“With whip-cream and a chocolate drizzle.”