Chapter Text
Working in a coffee shop eight hours a day can get boring. Luckily, Ian found a little hobby to amuse him while he worked.
Misspelling names on the disposable coffee cups was something that seemed insignificant, but Ian loved it. He loved coming up with creative ways to misspell every name- especially short and simple names. Those were his favorites.
Nathan? No, you mean Northan. Karin? That's actually Kertin. Zoe? It's now Zoiei. Mark? Say hello to Madke.
It was such a minor thing that didn't bother anyone- people would grab their coffee, glance at the name written on the cup and either roll their eyes or laugh in disbelief at the way their names were spelled. In Ian's opinion, it was the best way to fuck with people. It was so small and insignificant that no one would think he was doing it on purpose. Plus no managers were called and his sanity stayed intact, so it was a win-win in his book.
Funnily enough, that little hobby of his let him get to know new people. And a few of those people turned into his close friends. Apparently, him spelling their name so horrendously wrong was something they found hysterical they decided to be his friend. It was such an odd way to make friends, but Ian found it amusing.
And then 'Entonie' happened.
Ian stretched his arm, leaning his weight against the counter-top behind him. It was two twenty-three in the afternoon, which meant it was a slow hour. Only a handful of people sat inside the coffee shop, each on their own worlds. Amongst them was a young woman who was typing away on her laptop, a middle-aged man who was immersed in his book and an elderly couple doing their weekly crosswords. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, perfect to relax.
Running a hand through his brown hair, Ian glanced to where his coworker Shayne was. The blonde was sitting in one of the tables near the front display case, deep in his books and notes. Exam season was nearing, and Shayne was doing his best to study at any given chance he could. One of those chances happened to be during the coffee shop's slow hours.
"You doing well?" Asked Ian, playing with one of the cleaning cloths he used for the counters. "You've been sat there for nearly an hour."
Shayne was one of those friends he met thanks to his little hobby, which eventually turned him into his coworker. The blonde was studying psychology in a nearby university and decided to work in the coffee shop since it was close to his uni. Ian was glad to have someone he knew work with him, as it was fun to annoy him (and he was secretly thankful to not be as lonely as before).
Shayne briefly looked up, flashing him a small smile. "Stressful, but so far, so good." Answered the younger, turning back to his books. "If you need me to do something, tell me- I'll do it."
The brunet waved a hand. "Nah, you know it's slow right now." Reassured the male. "Plus, I want you to do well, so take as much time as you need- you know I can manage."
Just when the blonde murmured a 'thanks', the small bell from the front door rang. Ian placed the cloth next to the machines and stood behind the cash register, adjusting his black sweater and yellow apron. He felt a small puddle of excitement forming in his stomach. He was so ready to misspell another name terribly.
"Welcome to 'My Favorite Coffee', what can I get for... you..." Started Ian, before trailing off when he finally took a good look at the man in front of him.
Oh fuck. He thought, eyes widening slightly. He's hot.
The man stood still, dark, brown eyes anxiously looking at the menú placed on the wall. He was taller than Ian by some inches and had dark, curly hair as well as tan skin. He wore a simple black outfit that consisted of a t-shirt of some band with ripped jeans, boots and chains. Ian noticed the piercings on his nose and the rings in the man's hands from when he started fidgeting.
But what Ian was most enthralled by were his tattoos.
Black lines ran across his body, like brush strokes painted on a canvas. Lines trailed his hands, arms, neck, and a bit of his chest, painting a beautiful and unique image. Ian had never seen tattoos like that, but they were gorgeous.
Ian woke up from his daydream just as the man opened his mouth. "Uh, yeah- hi." He started awkwardly, before slightly cringing at himself. "Yeah, sorry- can I get a large chai?" He asked, smiling nervously.
He has a dimple! "Sure." Replied the barista, trying to ignore that thought as he slipped into his work mode. He typed the order on the register. "What kind of milk would you like? Want honey to be added as well?"
The man thought for a moment, before answering. "Almond milk if you have. And honey would be nice too."
Ian nodded. "Okay, so one large chai with almond milk and honey. Anything else?" He asked, making the other shake his head. "That'll be five dollars and fifteen cents. Cash or card? And here or to go?"
"Cash." The taller said, grabbing his wallet from his pocket and pulling out a ten dollar bill. "And to go, please." He extended his hand, giving the bill to Ian who took the money. Their hands briefly touched, and Ian could feel himself starting to get red.
Mentally scolding himself, Ian checked the ten dollar bill and hummed as he rang the man out. After he gave him his change, Ian grabbed the large disposable coffee cup. "Name, please?" He asked, holding back a giddy smile.
"Anthony." The man replied, unaware.
Bingo. Thought Ian, writing the name on the cup spelled horribly. "Thank you." He said, immediately working on the order, smiling to himself in amusement. He grabbed all he needed and got to work, not noticing a certain person watching him before looking at his phone.
After placing the lid on the disposable cup, Ian walked to the counter and grabbed a napkin. He placed the cup on top of the napkin, the name facing away from the seating area. The blue eyed male turned to the direction the man sat, scrolling on his phone.
"Anthony!" Ian calls out, before turning back to clean the machines. He looked up just in time to see him grab the disposable cup, hand unknowingly covering the name written in marker.
The man gives him a small smile, putting his phone back in his back pocket of his jeans. "Thank you." He said earnestly, as if Ian had done something spectacular instead of making Chai. "Have a good afternoon."
Ian gave him a smile back, adjusting his glasses. "You too." He replied, wiping the counter with the cloth from earlier. "Hope to see you back soon!"
The man started walking back to the entrance, taking a sip off the drink. Ian's eyes followed the taller as he opened the door and left, passing his tea from his left hand to the right to grab something from his back pocket. He watched through the windows as the male noticed the name written in the disposable cup.
A few seconds passed, where the male seemed to be processing what he read, before a laugh escaped his mouth. Ian smiled as he watched him lose his marbles at such a small thing. It seemed it was something he seriously needed.
"Hm, did you write your number on the cup?" Asked Shayne, not looking up from his textbook. Ian turned to look at him incredulously, causing Shayne to look at him and roll his eyes. "What? You were practically eating him up right there, it was hard to ignore."
Ian raised an eyebrow and flipped him off, but said nothing as Shayne's laugh rang across his ears. He started to refill the syrups for the upcoming rush hour. As he refilled the hazelnut syrup bottle, Ian couldn't help but secretly hope the man would return.