Work Text:
Sunset had long since past and the shadows of night sat heavy on the street outside. Thunder rolled and the occasional flash of lightning lit up the sky. The rain was increasingly heavy, and Alex was not the only person who had found shelter in the cafe.
He felt lucky that he had been so close. There are not many cafes open this late. It was one that he had found herself at before: decent coffee, better than decent pastries, and people who tended to leave others be. That wasn't exactly the easiest for him to find: someone masc-presenting but also in dresses that were every colour of the rainbow tended to get other people angry. When he found a safe space like this, he tried to hold onto it. There were a few people there that night, scattered between the small tables and trapped there until the rain eased a little.
Alex sat against one wall, feet tucked up under his skirt and a slowly cooling cup of decaf in one hand. It was more to warm his hands than anything; it wasn't like he particularly enjoyed coffee. His phone was now dead, putting an end to his doom scrolling of social media, and so he looked around for something to occupy his thoughts.
A couple of tables over, two men sat. They were a study in opposites: one gave him the vibes of an old librarian, tweed jacket and polka dot bow-tie and all, while the other was dark elegance, with cheekbones that could cut glass and sunglasses even indoors. Alex thought that it made him look like a bit of a douche, but he appreciated the dedication to the aesthetic.
Alex had seen them here before a number of times. They sat at the same table, which always seemed to be open for them. One would order a pot of tea, the other a coffee that he was sure would kill a regular person, and a plate of pastries to share. The order never changed. They would stay for a time, talking quietly, before leaving as quickly as they arrived. Nothing openly different to others who frequented the cafe, but they always drew Alex's eye.
The librarian reached up, one hand gently brushing the other's cheek. Ah, thought Alex, so it is like that then. Normally he had a much better radar than this, but the vibes between the two of them were odd. It was clear they had known each other for a long time, but there had always seemed to be some sort of distance between them. Now, that distance had been clearly shattered, casual touches now holding a hint of something more. Alex found it hard to look away; he craved someone who would look at him like those two did each other.
But he looked too long. The darker one turned, catching his eye with a wink.
Fuck. Alex turned away away, flushing a little. Normally his people watching was a bit more subtle than that. He slumped further down in his seat, hiding his face in his hands. This moment was going to haunt him for days.