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To anyone else the coffee shop would have been a cacophony of noise. The hissing steam of the coffee machine, the bubbling of chatter, the jingling of the bell above the door mixing with the shouts of the baristas. But for Kenma, it was only a low buzz of indistinguishable noise, a faint hum that rests unnoticed and unchanging at the base of his skull.
He let his dirty blond hair fall forward, narrowing his peripheral vision. The line of those waiting to be served is long and Kenma taps his foot as he waits. He wonders if the sound can be heard, if it’s annoying people, if they are looking at him, and his foot stills. Instead his hands take up a faster, restless rhythm on his thigh.
Finally, it’s his turn to be served, the barista giving him a radiant smile, almost as bright as his messy orange hair. Kenma ducks his head a little bit, an uncomfortable feeling sitting in his stomach. It was always this part that was the worst and Kenma wonders if this will be the first and last time he gets a drink at the Crow’s Nest.
The barista opens his mouth, ready to repeat the same thing he has probably said a million times over, but Kenma shakes his head lightly before the barista’s lips can form a single word. A pair of brown eyes blink at him, widening with surprise, and Kenma feels his face flush, a light blush forming on his cheeks. He points to the menu, aiming his finger as accurately as he can towards the drink he wants.
To his surprise, the barista smiles again, whipping a sharpie from beside the coffee machine and uncapping it smoothly. Moments later, a neon pink post it note pad is pushed across the counter, a hastily scrawled message on top.
A latte? Kenma reads, and gives another small nod of his head. The barista lights up in a smile, his mouth moving, to shout Kenma assumes, turning his head towards another black haired barista. Kenma can’t see the red heads lips to read them, but he thinks that telling the other barista Kenma’s order is a pretty safe guess.
A minute or so later, his drink is pushed towards him in a nondescript paper cup. The barista gives him another megawatt smile and Kenma feels his face flush for another reason. He hastily steps away, moving towards the door, latte clutched in close. He pushes the door open and for a tiny second Kenma hears a high pitched sound, what he can only assume is the bell above the door.
Kenma moves quickly through the crowds, the buzz of noise shifting, mixing into something more indistinct. His lips curve around the cup lid and his tongue burns a little as he sips the latte. He thinks he might go to The Crow’s Nest again, though his decision has very little to do with the redheaded barista and his sunshine smile.
----
Shouyou feels a smile form on his lips as he catches sight of black roots fading into dirty blond locks. This makes it the sixth time the boy has come into The Crow’s Nest,and the fourth time this week. Shouyou has had to make sure he was on till every time he comes in, he feels a sense of protection and care towards the boy, even though he looks to be a little older than him. Kageyama only raises an eyebrow at his eagerness, his hands moving the levers of the coffee machine with cool precision.
Shouyou hands the lady in front of him her long black with a grin, and the smile only grows when he sees the boy standing in front of him. His head is ducked, blond hair falling over his face in a half-hearted curtain, his slender hand raising to point to his order off the menu, but Shouyou slides the post it note pad and pen over before he can finish moving his hand.
The boy pauses, pink creeping onto his cheeks, and slowly lowers his hand to pick up the pen between his fingers. He pauses, before writing a reply to Shouyou’s hasty scrawl, the pen moving elegantly across the neon pink paper.
What would you like?
A Flat white please.
Shouyou reads the neat print and shouts the order to Kageyama who starts to make it in his usual precise and measured fashion. He bites on his lip, frustrated that he can’t talk to the boy before remembering A. He can write on the pad, B. He should get the boy’s name and C. Maybe he could learn to talk to him.
He rips the top note off the pad, scribbling a messy question on the note underneath and pushing it across the counter. The boy blinks in surprise, before glancing around for the pen. Shouyou hands it to him, their fingers brushing briefly, and he desperately ducks his head down to hide the blush creeping on his cheeks. He hears the scratch of felt on paper before a corner of bright fuschia pink edges into his vision.
What’s your name?
Kozume. Kozume Kenma.
I’m Hinata, Hinata Shouyou.
By the time he has written his reply for Kenma to read, Kenma’s Flat White is done and he’s already moving towards a booth out of sight of the rest of the cafe unless you’re looking from the counter. Shouyou watches him out of the corner of his eye, noting the way Kenma is preoccupied with his phone, only moving away from it to sip his coffee.
He sees Kenma leave but Shouyou still has an hour left before his shift is over. He stays until closing anyway, waiting for Kageyama since they share an apartment. Waving goodbye to Daichi and Suga from the back door, Shouyou decides then and there to act on letter c.
“I’m gonna learn sign language.” He vows, and a couple of crows that always hang around the shop caw in response.
“You’re gonna do what now dumbass?” Kageyama questions.
“Learn sign language, you can help me.”
“Like hell I am.”
But only hours later Shouyou and Kageyama sit in their apartment, laptops open, Shouyou signing to Kageyama who groans every time he has to correct him. Shouyou doesn’t care, he’s determined to talk with Kenma, no matter how long it takes.
----
Kenma catches the familiar high pitched sound as he opens the door to The Crow’s Nest. Glancing up, he sees the silver haired barista at the till almost shoved out of the way and bright orange takes up his place. Kenma smiles to himself, he likes Shouyou.
He’s become one of the few people that makes Kenma frustrated that he can’t talk like everyone else. He wants to ask the barista questions, small ones, but he’s stuck without a voice that works and only his hands. Absentmindedly he twists his fingers together, joining the line for the counter for the ninth time.
When he makes it to the counter the pink post it note pad is waiting for him, sharpie already uncapped. Kenma scribbles his order hastily, not looking up once. He feels inadequate, hating that he can’t hear, hating that he can’t communicate. He draws the word deaf on the countertop over and over, unaware that Shouyou is watching his finger move with fascination.
Kenma sees the pink note return, and he glances up to take his cappuccino. He’s itching to leave the shop and get away from all the eyes he can feel on him, the weight of them beginning to constrict his windpipe. Kenma’s hand snatches for his drink, unable to stand being in the shop any longer, not even in his usual booth, when he pauses.
Kenma is frozen as he watches Shouyou’s flattened right hand move upwards, clearly signing ‘Thank you’. Pink spreads across his cheekbones and Kenma flusteredly signs ‘You’re Welcome’.
Shouyou gives him a smile that is somehow twice as bright as his normal one, and the knot in Kenma’s chest eases just a little bit. He still rushes out of ‘The Crow’s Nest’, but he finds it just a little bit easier to breathe.
----
“You’re doing it wrong, you need to hold your hand like this.” Kageyama leans over frustratedly, pausing in the middle of making an order to correct Shouyou’s hand. Shouyou pays no heed to the annoyed tone in his best friend’s voice, instead practising the sentence over and over with the new hand position.
Kageyama watches him for a moment, before turning but to the machine with a sigh. The man waiting for a flat white looks at his hands moving funnily, but Shouyou just smiles to himself. He’s too excited by the prospect of seeing Kenma again and talking, well signing, to him again to care.
For the past week Shouyou has been on high alert, eyes trained on the door everytime he hears the bell. Always hoping to see blacks roots bleeding into blond, but Kenma hasn’t been in for over a week.
Shouyou bites his lip when he thinks about it, a small part of him is upset, worried that he scared Kenma off. He doubles his efforts in practising signing, as if learning a new sentence, a new word, will summon him.
He’s so lost in his signing and thoughts that he completely forgets about the bell and the fact he is meant to be serving customers. Kageyama hisses at him to “Pay attention dumbass”, jabbing his side for emphasis. Shouyou blinks and refocuses, taking orders and giving out drinks with deadly speed and unnerving intensity.
He glances up, barely registering who is in front of him before asking their order. Silence. The customer isn’t saying anything, Shouyou taps his foot irritation when he feels pain bloom in his shin.
“What was that for- oh.” Crimson floods his cheeks as he looks at Kenma. Kenma who looks like a deer in headlights, golden eyes wide and frozen in place. Shouyou feels about 50 different shades of regret and stupidity, but overwhelming those is the need to make it better.
Slowly he begins to sign, and with each movement Kenma’s face relaxes, features resuming their usual indifference.
I’m-sorry. What-you-want-to-drink?
Elation spills through Shouyou as he watches Kenma reply simply with ‘a-latte’. He thinks that maybe he’s almost made up for his blunder before, and decides to test his luck while Kageyama makes Kenma’s order to the tune of “What a dumbass”.
How-was-your-day?
Kenma blinks, once, twice, then signs back. Whether his movements are slow from surprise or to help him understand, it doesn’t matter because Shouyou’s just grateful to get a reply. He’s slow to figure out the signs and to reply but once he finishes Kageyama slides the cup towards Kenma across the counter.
Kenma gives a small smile and nods as he signs a simple thank-you. Shouyou feels his face split in two as he signs you’re-welcome back. He thinks that the ‘thank you’ is for so much more than the coffee and a bubble of warmth fills his heart.
----
And so the next couple of weeks pass by in the same fashion, Kenma and Shouyou signing mundane everyday things and exchanging fluorescent post it notes when Shouyou empties his signing repertoire.
Kenma begins to look forward to these little conversations, they make him feel .. normal. The simple act of signing to someone or having someone sign to him eases a knot in his chest he didn’t really know was there.
And as Kenma enters ‘The Crow’s Nest’ for the seventh time in a week, he notices that the barely audible high pitched buzz of the bell has become almost a comfort to him. A comfort like the fact that he knows without looking Shouyou will be on the till, ready with calloused hands and a sunshine smile.
His fingers don’t tap any rhythm on his thigh and he doesn’t use his hair to cover his face. ‘The Crow’s Nest’ feels a little bit like home and anxiety slumbers in amongst the warm coffee shop.
The routine at the till is the same, Shouyou giving him blinding smiles and their hands moving to speak without words. The black haired barista that Kenma now knows to be Kageyama isn’t to be seen, instead there’s one with silver hair that gives him a knowing look.
Kenma cradles his cup in both hands, moving through the crowd towards his regular booth when his fingers brush something. Pausing he brings the cup upwards, his cheeks turning the same shade as the rose note when he reads it.
Will you teach me sign language?
Kenma gives Shouyou a quick nod before scurrying to his booth and immersing himself in neko atsume.
At the counter Shouyou has his face split into an uncontrollable grin.
And when Kenma’s table gets wiped by the silver haired barista another note is left for him. This one makes him blush even harder and not even the chill of the winter wind can cool his flaming cheeks as he hurries home.
022 593 4684
Here’s my number.
You can text me your’s and
I’ll tell you when my breaks are.
----
Shouyou has never looked forward to his break more. He’s bouncing on his toes, and every customer looks taken back by his exuberant smile. But today is his first lesson with Kenma and just the sight of the boy sitting in his booth makes Shouyou tingle with anticipation.
To be honest, he’s never been more excited to learn either. There’s just something about Kenma that makes him excited and at ease all at once. His eyes follow the minute hand as it inches towards the half past mark. Suga hasn’t even gotten a word out before Shouyou is untying his apron and slipping out from behind the counter.
In moments he has slid in across from Kenma, note pad and sharpie in hand. Kenma glances up, and his gold eyes flicker away and Shouyou can see the hint of anxiousness in them. He gives a smile, hoping to reassure Kenma, and it works.
Half an hour goes by far too quickly and Shouyou almost wants to whine and complain like his little sister used to about going to bed. His arms hurt from signing for so long and he doesn’t know if he’ll remember everything but it’s all worth it to see the little smile that plays on Kenma’s lips whenever Shouyou gets something right.
Kageyama glares at him, muttering something about “smiling like a lovesick idiot” but Shouyou barely hears him. His mind has already fixated on his next break.
----
Kenma hums in approval as he watches Shouyou’s hands complete a sentence. Teaching someone sign language, especially someone like Shouyou, is tiring and difficult. Kenma never understood how hard it is for someone to pick up, speaking with his hands is like breathing to him.
But still, he gets a sense of satisfaction, of pride, when Shouyou masters something. And it’s funny as well when Shouyou only misses out or mucks up one sign. Like now.
I-like-your-toast. Your-toast-is-very-pretty.
Kenma blinks and smothers a giggle in his palm. A flush arcs over Shouyou’s cheeks and his expression of confusion is so adorable yet hilarious that Kenma can’t help the laugh that escapes the confines of his palm.
Shouyou moves to sign but gives up and scribbles on the hot pink post it note pad that’s always nearby somehow.
What did I do??
Your sentence, you mucked up one sign.
OMG!! What did I say??
I like your toast, your toast is very pretty.
Shouyou buries his head in his palms, the top of his head becoming an orange fluffball in the afternoon sun. Kenma can’t hear it but he’s pretty sure Shouyou is groaning right now. He smiles and tentatively reaches a hand across. Shouyou jerks up at the touch, his cheeks rivaling his hair for brightness and Kenma takes pity on the poor boy.
It’s okay, at least you made me laugh.
Shouyou smiles a little at that and the flush on his cheeks deepened a little as well. Kenma continues writing, knowing full well Shouyou’s signing is not up to the task.
What were you trying to say?
Hair. I was trying to say hair.
It’s Kenma’s turn to blush, heat filling his cheeks as he ducks his head. For once he’s glad that he has only 10% hearing, because he really doesn’t want to hear all 100% of the the no doubt awkward silence that is definitely occurring.
Several awkward moments later Kenma has the courage to raise his head. Shouyou is watching him with a kind of expectant intensity but glances away when he realises that Kenma has noticed.
Kenma decides to swallow his embarrassment and teach Shouyou the right sign for hair, even though his cheeks remain heated the entire time. Shouyou then asks for the sign for laugh and they fall into their usual rhythm.
Kenma doesn’t stop blushing until he’s in his apartment though, and he vows never to think of what he titles as ‘the toast incident’, ever again.
----
It has been weeks since Kenma first started giving Shouyou sign language lessons, and even longer since the boy first walked into ‘The Crow’s Nest’ and captured his attention. Shouyou feels that he’s really improved, his signing much faster and smoother, and his ability to keep up is 100 times better as well.
And one other thing has improved over time as well,his now very obvious giant crush on Kenma. Even Kageyama had noticed which meant it really was getting out of control.
Shouyou isn’t sure what it is or how he hadn’t noticed before now but his mind is always on Kenma, even just a little bit. A small part of him is constantly wondering what Kenma is doing, or seeing something that reminds him of the pudding haired boy.
They text everyday and sometimes even video call. And every time Shouyou sees or thinks about him he gets a little rush of excitement. But at the same time telling Kenma feels far too daunting, and besides how would he do it.
He hears the bell chime and as if his thoughts have summoned him, in walks Kenma. Shouyou is on a late shift and he doesn’t get a break until closing, and his heart sinks with every step closer that Kenma comes.
When he reaches the counter Shouyou is a mess trying to pretend he isn’t. He stumbles over several basic signs and almost trips over himself to grab the food Kenma wants. Kenma watches him with a furrowed brow, golden eyes narrowed in concern.
Shouyou all but shoves Kenma away, hastily signing thank you, and moving onto the next person’s order. Kenma looks confused and hurt as he takes up his usual booth. The entire time Shouyou itches to go over and say something, anything, but he doesn't.
Worried glances are exchanged between Suga, Daichi and Kageyama. After three quarters of an hour Kenma gets ready to leave. He’s immersed himself in his phone and doesn’t bother to wave goodbye to Shouyou as he usually does. Something wrenches in Shouyou’s chest and he barely hears Suga’s call of “Go, I’ll cover for you.” before he’s pulling his apron off and vaulting the counter.
The bell signals Kenma’s exit and only moments later Shouyou tumbles out after him. He rushes after Kenma and flings out a hand to catch his shoulder. Kenma whirls around, eyes wide and Shouyou grabs his hands and drags him into an alleyway.
Kenma blinks at him, confusion blurring his features. Shouyou doesn’t even give him time to finish raising a hand before he starts to sign, the words tumbling out in a torrent, the floodgates well and truly open.
I-like-you-and-your-hair-and-your-smile-and-especially-your-laugh.
And-I-like-texting-you-and-I-like-just-sitting-with-you-signing-about-everything-and-nothing
I-like-how-you-love-video-games-and-how-you-order-differently-every-time
I-like-the-fact-you-had-the-patience-to-teach-me-sign-language
And-And-
And-I-think-I’m-head-over-heels-in-love-with-you.
Shouyou pauses there, unsure how to continue, catching his breath. Kenma is still, but Shouyou can see his eyes considering. Finally his hands begin to move, slow and uncertain.
Do-you-want-to-go-out-with-me?
Shouyou swallows and nods, cheeks flaming, He knows he looks ridiculous, blushing bright red in the middle of winter after waving his hands around erratically. But Kenma is smiling softly at him and when he slips his hands into Shouyou’s, he kind of forgets all that.
They begin walking to Kenma’s apartment in an unspoken agreement, a silent decision to spend time together.
And it isn’t until he’s halfway there that he remembers he’s on shift.
----
Kenma feels the tap on his shoulder and turns, met with a sunshine smile complete with matching hair. Shouyou flings himself onto the couch, flopping against Kenma with what looks like a tired sigh. Kenma hums in response, linking their hands together like second nature.
Shouyou shifts only five minutes later, facing Kenma to sign his way through his day. Kenma watches the entire time, giving small nods now and then. Shouyou finishes with a sigh and moves to get tea.
Kenma smiles to himself, it's been months since Shouyou’s confession in the almost snow, and it’s now commonplace for Kenma’s boyfriend to spend his weekend here. The apartment is quiet most of the time but neither of them ever mind.
Their relationship is one of few sounds, but Shouyou maintains that Kenma's laugh is the best one he’s ever heard and Kenma prefers to draw or sign words in the first place.
Shouyou hands the mug to Kenma and Kenma blows on the steam, stealing a sip of the scalding liquid. Their shoulders rest together and the TV gives a dim glow but no sound, subtitles running across the bottom of the screen.
It’s silent and comfortable and Kenma wouldn’t have it any other way. After all you don’t have to say ‘I love you’ to say ‘I love you’.
I-love-you-Shouyou.
I-love-you-too-Kenma.