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Ori stared out of the window of the small café he was sitting, sipping slowly his freshly brewed tea. The faint scent of forest fruits filled his nostrils and lulled him into sweet, almost weightless state of mind. Dwalin had texted him to meet him at the café couple hours earlier when he would get off of his shift at the mall where he worked as a security guard. Ori had ended his shift at mr. Brown's small bookshop just ten minutes ago and had shortly arrived to the café little bit early. Dwalin was the little brother of Balin, friend of mr. Brown's, a professor of literature and financial studies at the local university.
They had held a small party at the bookshop for mr. Brown's 65th birthday and Dwalin had been there in company of his brother that day. The appearance of the tattooed muscle man had first made Ori to hide behind bookshelves, but the gentle nature of the man was soon out as the little boy with raven black locks had attached to his leg, yelling him to lift him up on his shoulder. And not soon after did the blond, little bit older boy do the same thing. They were regular customers at the shop, their mother loving the cheesy romance novels, her husband the motorbike and tinkering books and the boys just demanding a new storybook when evee they visited the shop. And their uncle had come with them to the shop to look something to read while his long flights during his business trips, whatever he did. The little boys knew Balin and Dwalin, obviously, and cling to the big man as much as they could. Ori had then collected all his courage and talked to the man when he had picked one of Ori's favorite books in his hands, the one about old dead cultures, myths and legends. Dwalin has flipping through the Celtic section when Ori had started a conversation about how magical the old religions and the legends were. Dwalin had stared him for a moment, getting Ori to regret his action. But only for a split second.
Dwalin did engage to the conversation with his might and they had talked and talked, flipping through the section in the book, talking about those parts and then next and soon mr. Brown was ushering everyone out because it was nearly a night and the little boys were sleeping in their father's and uncle's arms. After that day, Dwalin had come at least once a week to pick up a new book to read, listening some of Ori's recommendations and reading those. And if Ori was lucky enough, he was off his shift and would end up to the same little café where he was now to have nice conversation about past events and stuff. It had been nearly a year now and Ori had slowly formed a crush towards the man. It felt so natural to talk to him, even about his personal things like a failed date. He had those somewhere beginning of their friendship but as Ori found his feelings towards Dwalin, he had stopped to even look for a date, or even accept ones, hoping that he could go and have a date or something with the mall guard. Maybe today he could get that change.
The small tingle of the bell alarmed Ori and he lifted his head, seeing the guard searching for him with his eyes from the door. When Dwalin located the bookshop helper, he smiled a little and took his seat before the other man. The small waiter came to them and Dwalin ordered a coffee for himself, nothing else. Ori deduced he probably was in some sort of hurry, otherwise he would have taken something to eat also. "So, how was your day, Dwalin? Not too many troublemakers?" Ori started casually. Dwalin shrugged his coat off of him and placed it ont he vacant chair next to him. "Not too many. Just one shoplifting attempt. Poor kid was forced to do it, but we caught the others who were trying to use the first boy's arrest as a good opportunity to do their stealing. That's about it. Yours?"
Dwalin accepted his coffee and dropped a sugar cube in it. Ori told about his quite pleasant day at the shop, mr. Brown had brought his pet hedgehog to work to show for kids when his new children's book was published. the bigger man let out a hearty laught, making Ori's stomach do flips. It was now or never. He would ask if Dwalin would be interested going to have a dinner and catch a movie with him someday. But before Ori could voice his inner thoughts, Dwalin had laid his cup down, crisscrossing his fingers and stared at them. "I actually wanted to ask you something. I want you to know you are one of the most amazing people I have met in my life." Ori could feel his cheeks warming up. "T-thank you. Likewise, Dwalin..."
Finally. FINALLY. Ori took deep breath to calm himself. It was now... "So I want you to help me out a little... You see, I want to ask one person to go out with me but it just... We are over 10 years apart in age, me being older...." Ori froze. His world fell and shattered on his feet. Collecting himself quickly, he gave his piece of advice, "I... Well, I think... age is not problem if you really... really like that person... Just ask and see what happens? See, we come very well along even though you are much older than I am. You never know if you don't try..." It stung behind Ori's eyes. But his years in the amateur acting club had paid and he was able to hold his feelings showing in his face. How broken his heart felt that moment.
"True. Thanks, I'll take your advice. And another thing... You understand that... Having someone to approve or even just accept the person... I'd like you to meet that person then. I'd mean a lot to me. So could you...?" The helper bit his lower lip. "...Sure. That's what friends are for anyway... To make sure you'll be happy".Ori put on his best fake smile, the one he had practiced in the theater and in real life. Dwalin smiled too, his head tilted back down. "I owe you one, lad," he replied and rose, threw his coat back on and left Ori to sit alone the small corner spot he liked, the small haven of their own. He turned his face towards the wall next to him and lifted his hand, biting down on his hand. And let the tears roll down his cheeks.
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Couple days later...
The faint beep of text message floated in the air. Ori reached for his phone on the nightstand, his eyes rimmed with red. He flicked the lock open with his thumb and opened the message:
Sender: Dwalin
Subject: Meet us at Bombur's diner, 6 pm.
Ori closed his eyes and pressed his face down the tear soaked pillow. He had couple hours to clear his head and face the most heartbreaking scene in front of him: Dwalin having a date by his side, being happy. After a moment Ori lifted his head and send a reply message: "Roger".
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Bombur's diner was one of the finest diners Ori knew. The crew was the most nicest you could find, all being one big family. Bombur the main chef, his older brother Bofur was dealing with customer service and the register, Bifur, their cousin, handling the serving. Ori waved at Bofur and got one back, then Bofur pointing at the small table next to a window. Dwalin seemed to be there already, place next to him vacant. She, or he, probably was just visiting the loo while gotten bored of waiting for Ori. "Hi. Fashionably late by 15 mins. As always," Dwalin smirked. "I took the freedom to order you a cup of tea, told Bofur to bring the drinks when you come". "Oh, thanks..." Ori let out a sigh. "Here ya go, lads! Coffee for the big guy, traditional lemon tea with milk and honey for the book boy. Enjoy!" As fast as Bofur had appeared with their drinks, was he gone. Lemon tea and all. Dwalin knew him well enough to order his favorite to calm him down. Ori blew at his tea and took a small sip, counting it back down to cool more.
But it did taste like mud now, thinking the reason why he was needing the calming aspect of it. "So... Where's your date then? Got stood up?" He tried not to let the venom seep through his words. Dwalin has fiddling with his cup, head tilted down but eyes lifted up. "Apparently not. He's here, ya know..." He. Dwalin had asked out another guy. Ori had read the signs right, but they weren't for him. "Where? Going to jump and scare me then? What a first impression it'd be then..." he spun his head around to see anyone else nearby. "He's sitting right next to ya... " Dwalin pointed at Ori's left where the window was, the evening dark enough to create a reflecting darkness to the background. On his left, all Ori saw there was himself, no one else.
Wait. Reflection. On his left. He.
It all clicked now. Ori turned his head back to Dwalin and they just stared at each other. Dwalin was the one to break the silence: "Ye know... I wasn't sure what you'd think about this and the age gap so I wanted to make sure was I even to bother with this all... Like, did I read the signs right or would believe what Nori told me last time we were out drinking... That ye... Well..." Dwalin let out a deep sigh. "Like I said, ye are most amazing person, let say EVER that I have come across with. And at some point I did notice that I enjoy yer company over everyone else’s." Ori's heart was just about to come out of his chest. And the tears out of his eyes. But this time, he would shed them happily. He let his laugh come out and placed his hands over Dwalin's. Both of their hands were sweaty but it didn't matter. Ori laughed and so did Dwalin. And it was the best date Ori really could have wish for to be their first of many.