Chapter Text
The first day Tsukishima visits Cozy Crow Coffee, Tadashi is not having a good day.
As soon as Tadashi steps inside and sees the glaring ‘OUT OF ORDER’ sign hung on the espresso machine he braces himself for a long shift. As he heads to the storage room to grab his apron, he gives a once over look at the situation. Suga is on the till, chiding over angry customers who are now unable to get their usual caffeine fix for the day, Fukunaga is rushing to and fro behind the counter, whipping up various concoctions, plating various pastries. As Tadashi turns back to the storage room he almost crashes head-long into Atsumu, who grabs his wrist to steady him for a moment before giving him a serious look that only comes out on their busiest days.
“‘Bout time you showed up, it’s an all hands on deck kinda day.” Atsumu runs a hand through his already tousled hair as he jerks his head back towards the door. “Can’t stay in there another second, but we just got a new shipment of pastries ‘n shit to organise.”
“Atsumu, can you please have a look at the espresso machine,” Suga hisses from the register, “I don’t think I can handle having to turn away another overworked student,”
Tadashi gives a little mock salute to Atsumu, who flashes him a grateful smile before joining the other two behind the counter, taking a look at the jammed machine. Tadashi is greeted by the usual squeak as he swings open the door, only for his eyes to land on the fresh mountain of boxes.
Joy.
~
It's been just about an hour of painstakingly stacking, sorting and labeling various boxes of coffee beans, teabags, sugar and what feels like every pastry under the sun when Tadashi gets to finally escape the storage room.
He was just trying to recall the feeling of sunlight, wistfully imagining the rays of light pouring through the bay window at the front of the shop, when Suga popped his head round the doorway. The second Tadashi’s eyes land on him, he notes the familiar glint in Suga’s eyes that’s only there when he needs a favour.
“He’s here.”
The two simple words leaving Suga’s lips were enough for Tadashi to roll his eyes, knowing immediately who he is.
“And…what do you expect me to do about that?”
Despite his words, Tadashi can’t help the small smirk that tugs on the corner of his lips as he shifts his weight from one leg to the other. He knows he should get out there and help his friend out, but a subconscious part of him wants to draw it out just a little. Call it payback for all the teasing he gets from Suga on a daily basis anyway, he did learn from the best.
“Tadashi, please,” Suga takes a step inside the storage room, shutting the door softly behind him as he does so, “Just cover the till for an hour. I know it's busy but please do me a favour, I cannot deal with him today”
Tadashi lets out a sigh as he puts his pettiness aside, sidestepping around Suga towards the door, giving him a look over his shoulder as he opens it. Immediately the drone of hubbub coming from the cafe is amplified. “You owe me.”
He catches a glimpse of Suga’s grateful smile before the door swings shut with a squeak and he takes a deep breath, heading for the register. Yes, this may be the busiest the cafe gets, and yes, he may end up wanting to rip his hair out by the end of the shift, but it beats wasting away stacking boxes for the next few hours. Tadashi pulls his hair into a loose ponytail as he approaches the cash register, putting on his best customer service smile as he looks up to see none other than Oikawa Tooru.
“Freckles! You weren’t hiding from me back there were you?” Oikawa greets him with a tilt of his head and his typical calculated smile.
No, but I know someone who is..
“What can I get for you, Oikawa?” Tadashi pushes down the thoughts he’s desperate to voice and tries to keep his smile as genuine as possible as he turns to the register.
“Oh, just the usual,” Oikawa waves a hand vaguely as he peers round Tadashi’s shoulder, gaze narrowing, “Is Koushi not working today?” He asks with a slight pout.
Tadashi fights the urge to laugh at the difference in attitude the two have towards each other as he puts Oikawa’s cash in the register. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me today,”
Just as Tadashi turns to make sure Fukunaga caught the order, he is greeted with a cat-like smile and a fresh iced caramel latte. Seems Atsumu got the machine working then… As he meets Fukunaga’s twinkling eyes and takes the order, Tadashi’s practiced smile becomes softer, more genuine, the tension falling ever so slightly from his shoulders. He’s found Fukunaga has that effect on people.
With a murmured thanks, he sends Oikawa on his way, takes a deep breath, grabs the pen from the pocket on his apron and turns to greet the next customer.
The ‘What can I get for you?’ dies immediately in his throat as his eyes land on the man now standing at the counter.
First of all, his eyes have to travel up a few more inches to actually land on this new customer’s face. He’s so tall. Tadashi wouldn’t exactly call himself short, but compared to this guy? His cheekbones are sharp, his hair short, light-blonde and a little unruly. His expression bored, unbothered, cool-
Oh my god Tadashi, snap out of it.
Dark brown eyes meet tawny golden ones, hidden behind thin glasses, and words fail Tadashi once again. As he forces himself to stop staring like an idiot and prays that the heat in his cheeks isn’t as visible as it feels, words finally spill out.
“Hi, sorry, I’m not usually- I’m usually more on top of things than this, it's really busy today, sorry uh- right. What can I get for you?” Smooth.
The mystery guy blinks once, every so slightly raising his eyebrows, “Coffee, black.”
God, even his voice is hot.
But once again, instead of voicing his totally workplace appropriate thoughts, Tadashi simply manages a quick nod, punching the order into the register and grabbing a cup, pen at the ready.
“Could I get a name for the order?” Tadashi can’t bring himself to look up at the guy without turning bright red and stuttering all over again.
The blonde answers in the same cool, bored tone as before, but if Tadashi had had the guts to look up, he would’ve seen the slightest hint of a smile flit across his face.
“It’s Tsukishima.”
Tadashi begins hurriedly scrawling the name on the cup, desperate to get past this customer and regain his composure. However, before he can finish writing he hears an awfully familiar song drifting from the back room…
Tadashi’s jaw drops as the Ouran HighSchool Host Club theme song meets his ears, immediately recognising his embarrassing ringtone Hinata had set mere days ago. As he feels heat rush to his cheeks yet again, he glances at what he’d written. ‘Tsukki-’. It was half finished, the dot of the ‘i’ trailed off round the edge of the cup and he was 95% sure ‘Tsukishima’ only had one ‘k’ in it but he had more pressing matters to deal with right now. Specifically Suga’s muffled laughter that now accompanied the song still filtering through the crack in the door. It would have to do.
Tadashi all but shoves the cup into Fukunaga's hands, with a rushed apology and awkward laugh he darts into the back room, the familiar squeaking louder this time, making him wince. Grabbing his phone and pointedly ignoring Suga’s snickering from behind him, he picks up the call.
“Shoyo, I’m gonna kill you dead.”
“Woah Yama-yama! That’s one way to pick up a call, what did I do this time…”
Tadashi takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair, needing to get back to the register, having practically abandoned Fukunaga out there. He can get Shoyo back later.
“Nothing, I’ll tell you later, what's up? You know I’m at work,”
“I thought you were in stock right now? Anyways, I just wanted to check if you're okay with study group at our place later? Yachi said she’s bringing me new flashcards!”
“Yeah of course,” He can’t help the small smile that tugs at his lips, relaxing and helping out his friends is just what he needs after today, “Sho, I gotta get back now, I’ll see you later, kay?”
He hangs up and spins round, pointing at Suga, a smile giving away his hard tone, “Don’t say a word.”
The squeak of the door bids him farewell as he leaves the backroom, only to be greeted by the sight of the blonde, Tsukishima, leaving the cafe, coffee in hand. Tadashi groans for what must be the tenth time that day as he runs a hand down his face. Shaking his head, he blocks out the last ten minutes and turns to greet the next, somewhat impatient, customer with a smile.
Tsukishima…