Chapter Text
"If you keep staring at that espresso machine like it's a puzzle you're trying to solve, you're going to forget to actually brew the coffee," a voice said from the counter.
The old grandfather clock in the hallway had stopped ticking three days ago. Nobody had bothered to wind it.
"Sorry," Danny murmured, blinking and shifting his gaze from the complicated series of valves and levers to the man leaning against the counter. The stranger was leaning back with a relaxed, easy grace, wearing a smile that reached his eyes and seemed to genuinely appreciate the absurdity of Danny’s intense focus. He looked a few years older than Danny, with dark, windswept hair and a look of effortless confidence that usually made Danny feel like he was vibrating at a frequency only dogs could hear.
"I'm Danny," he replied, finally remembering to breathe. He shifted his weight, nearly knocking over a stack of napkins, and offered a sheepish grin. "And for the record, it is a puzzle. The manual says the pressure valve should engage at ten seconds, but it’s lagging. It’s like the machine is trying to negotiate with the water."
"I can relate," the stranger laughed, the sound rich and genuine. "Most of my equipment is in a constant state of negotiation with physics. I'm Dick." He extended a hand, his grip firm but gentle, his gaze lingering on Danny with a curiosity that felt more like an invitation than an interrogation.
"Negotiating with physics, huh?" Danny asked, his grip loosening as he leaned back. "That sounds like a very dangerous hobby, Dick."
"The kind of dangerous that makes your adrenaline spike and your boss yell at you for breaking the equipment," Dick admitted, his eyes twinkling. He didn't pull his hand away immediately, leaving a lingering warmth that felt strangely grounding. "But the view from the top is usually worth the risk."
The conversation shifted from espresso valves to local haunts with a seamlessness that suggested they had been talking for years rather than minutes. Dick didn’t push, but he listened with an intensity that made Danny feel like the most interesting person in the crowded Blüdhaven shop. By the time the pressure valve finally clicked into place with a triumphant hiss, Dick had already suggested a walk toward the waterfront. Danny found himself agreeing before he’d even finished wiping the counter, captivated by the way Dick seemed to move through the world as if he owned the air around him, yet remained entirely humble about it.