Chapter Text
when denji first met reze, he was sure he was hallucinating. he was standing just outside the café door, clutching a slightly crumpled bouquet wrapped in cheap paper, staring at his reflection in the glass like it might give him instructions. the bell above the door jingled every time someone walked in or out, and each sound made him flinch like he’d been caught doing something wrong.
“just drop it off and leave,” he muttered to himself. easy. simple. no talking required.
he pushed the door open.
there he saw her. her hair caught the sunlight in a way which made the purple look even more vibrant, and her smile, bright and completely unforced as she talked to a regular made denji forget how to breathe.
“uh.. hello?”
denji blinked. she was looking at him now.
“you okay?” she asked, stepping out from behind the counter. up close, she looked even more beautiful. her eyes were bright, curious, like she was trying to figure him out instead of brushing him off.
“i—yeah—uh…” he held up the bouquet like it might explain everything. “delivery.”
“oh!” her expression lit up. “for who?”
denji glanced down at the tag, suddenly aware of how sweaty his hands were. “uh… it just says 'crossroads'.."
"oh, right! the manager forgot it was his wife's and his anniversary today, he told me a delivery might come soon,"
"well, i'll take this away from you now, thanks!" she said.
a feeling soon came over denji, and he swiftly plucked a flower out from a bouquet. he didn't know why, but his gut told him it would come in handy later as the bouquet gets taken away.
he sits down, he had never been to this cafe before, he hated coffee anyway, but today was rather nice, and so he decided to sit down and enjoy the nice view outside, and totally not stare at the beautiful girl who works here, who was now talking to a regular.
and soon enough, she came over.
"how rude of me, i didn't even ask if you wanted anything!" she says.
denji choked on his words, "uh.. coffee.. black.." he muttered, hoping she didn't notice that he was staring right at her earlier.
she smiled, jotting it down in her notepad. denji noticed she was left-handed. of course. all extraordinary girls are.
as she walked away, he watched her move around the cafe. there was something about the way she balanced her attention between customers and seemingly overflowing cups of drinks. he wondered when her attention would come to him again. he didn't even realize he was holding his breath until she returned.
"here you go, one black coffee for you sir!" something in her tone sounded like she was attempting to joke with him, but denji could only crack a smile in return.
"enjoy," dang it. he probably just looked polite. no, he wanted her to know he was interested in her.
denji mumbled a thanks, but she stayed a moment longer, tilting her head as if she were waiting for him to say more. (something in his eyes definitely exposed him). he opened his mouth, closed it, and finally muttered, "uh.. you.. you work here?"
that was a stupid question. of course she does. you've been staring at her work and you only just now figured that out?
some voice inside his head told him
she laughed, and it was a real laugh.
oh crap, denji thinks, she thinks i'm an idiot now!
after she finally calms down a bit, she smiles and replies, "yeah i work here. it's been a while, the manager's totally a cheapskate. why? do i look like i don't?"
"n-no, it's just.. uh.. you seem.. different," he said, instantly hating how loser-ish he sounded.
"different?" she echoed, tilting her head. then she grinned. "i'll take that as a compliment."
"you know what else is different?" she asks, and denji shakes his head, surprised she's still keeping the conversation going.
"the coffee here." she deadpans. when denji looks confused, she goes on.
"oh yeah, it's totally different. try it! see if you like it!" she smiles
oh no. this is the moment denji was most terrified for. earlier, when asked for his order, he just said whichever came to his mind first. the sight of the girl in front of him made him forget what he was here for in the first place.
his hand slightly trembles as he reaches for the cup, his mind running in different directions:
hey, she did say this coffee was different, maybe it's good!
idiot, she obviously meant it was horrible.
he takes a large sip, and immediately spat it back out, coughing his lungs out.
next to him, the girl starts laughing again.
"oh my god, your face! you totally don't like coffee!" she says in way too much glee for someone whose drink just got slandered without a word in front of them.
"come on, coffee is gross!!" denji rebukes. "it tastes like mud!"
"you're such a kid!" she says in between fits of laughter. denji notices how she grabs for his arm as leverage, and a swarm of butterflies attack his stomach.
finally, she talks again. "i'm reze by the way. and you, flower boy?"
"denji," he replies almost instantly.
"well, it was nice to meet you, denji. i hope we encounter again," and with that, she got up to leave the table, until denji grabbed for her arm and placed the singular flower from earlier into her hand.
"you.. you look like you deserve one," he says shyly.
reze looks surprised at first, then smiles warmer then ever before.
"thank you! hope to see you soon, denji" she says before she left to clock out of her shift, leaving denji alone to be puzzled at what just happened.
when he was hoping for some of her attention earlier, he didn't think it would actually come true. but oh, he's definitely not complaining.
as he walks back home, he replays their interaction over and over again in his head.
"reze," he whispers quietly. he likes how her name sounds. it tastes like rain and lilacs coming out of his mouth.
we will definitely encounter again soon, reze