AN: This is written for IceBlueRose and CCForver, because let's face it, this last episode was not what most people expected (that's putting it mildly). Happy story time.
Prompt: Eating in the same diner every morning and the waitress ALWAYS mixes up our orders so why don't we just sit at the same table to save her the trouble AU
I Believe This Is yours
Sara walked into the diner just down from her new place in Central City. It had taken some convincing, but her family had finally supported her decision of moving away while she tried to figure things out. Things being the bloodlust that had her wanting to snap necks at the drop of a hat. It had been a long night and all she wanted was a decent breakfast and some very strong coffee. She looked around the diner trying to decide where she wanted to sit. The booth in the back corner, the one she would have preferred, was taken, so she settled for the one before it. She'd have to make it a point to get in earlier and get the other booth in the future.
"Good morning, I'm Joan, I'll be your waitress today. Can I start you with something to drink," Joan looked like she was just out of high school, she stood nervously in front of Sara playing with the notepad in her hands.
Sara smiled at the waitress reassuringly. It was clear she was new. She didn't have a shadow so it wasn't her first week but by the looks of it, she hadn't been on her own for very long. "Black coffee for now," Joan nodded and made her way to the booth behind hers. She tuned out the waitress focusing on the menu. Her head shot up when she heard the voice of the man sitting in the booth behind her. His words low and dragged in a way she'd never heard before. She set the menu down. She decided she wouldn't mind listening to him talk. She scrunched up her nose when she heard his coffee order. It had been a long time since she'd had sugar or creamer in her coffee. It defeated the purpose of a nice strong caffeine fix. She picked up the menu again, when the waitress walked away.
Several long minutes passed before Sara received her coffee. "Do you need a few more minutes," the waitress asked.
"Yes please," Sara was embarrassed she'd been so focused on the man's voice in the booth behind her that she'd yet to figure out what she wanted.
"Take your time, I'll be back in a few," Joan walked to the next booth dropping off his coffee.
Sara listened as the man ordered, beating herself up again for being so distracted.
"I believe this, is yours," that man behind the voice stood before her placing a cup of coffee in front of her.
Sara's hand immediately went to the knife sitting in front of her. She'd been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't heard him approach her. She was losing her touch. She set the knife down pretending she'd never reached for it but the look on the stranger's face told her she'd been caught. She looked at the coffee the waitress had brought her, making a disgusted face. "Thanks, you just saved Joan from a very messy booth," she was glad she hadn't taken a blind sip. She'd have probably spit it out, spraying it across the table.
He smirked. "It's her first day on her own," he explained. He'd been coming here long enough to know most of the servers. This was one of the few places he'd come to where he wasn't treated differently for being who he was.
He took his coffee raising it to her in a cheers motion taking a sip. He smiled when she made a face. He walked away glad to have his sweet coffee.
Sara just shook her head. The last time she'd had coffee with sugar and creamer was before she'd left on the Queens Gambit. The years that had followed had hardened her taste buds. She ate and drank what she could get her hands on. Black coffee was one of the few things she'd grown to love.
"Are you ready to order Ma'am," the young waitress asked.
"Sara," she told the girl, "can I get the steak omelet, extra cheese with green onions on top," she closed up the menu handing it back to the waitress.
"Sure thing," the girl seemed to relax. She moved to her second table. She only had two tables and they were both very nice. She'd been really scared her first day alone would be awful. She'd seen some very nasty patrons while she was in training. "Sorry for the wait Leonard, I accidently dropped your plate. They're remaking it." Leonard and Sara had been very nice to her so far, and she felt like she was slowly messing that up. She waited nervously for his reaction, most people would have started yelling but he just smiled.
"It happens. Can I bother you for some more coffee, cream, two sugars." He reminded her of his order. He didn't want his coffee going to his neighbor again. Although he wouldn't mind talking to her a little bit more.
"I can do that," she gave him the most relieved look as she walked away. She wished all the customers were like him. She quickly went to get him more coffee.
After getting his coffee she returned ten minutes later with two plates of food. She stopped by Sara's table dropping off her food first. "Here you go Sara," she smiled and made her way to Leonard's table. "Thank you for being so patient." She set the plate in front of Leonard. "Let me know if you need anything else," And just like that she was gone. He opened his mouth to say something but it was too late.
"This," Sara put the plate of French toast in front of him, "is definitely yours," she couldn't believe how many strawberries and bananas smothered the toast. She could hardly see the French toast under the mountain of syrup and toppings. This man clearly had a sweet tooth.
He pushed her plate to her, pulling his closer, appreciating the extra toppings. He dug into his meal enjoying the cringe he caused in the woman in front of him. It was very obvious she didn't enjoy sweets, the boring omelet in front of him told him that much. Sara rolled her eyes taking her food with her.
The rest of the meal went without a problem. Joan was very attentive to her first two tables even as she had more tables assigned to her. She managed to refill their coffee's correctly and without further incident. Leonard and Sara had made sure to repeat their drink orders every time Joan asked to refill their drinks.
It was several day later before Leonard went back to the diner, he tried not to make a habit of eating out but there were days he just craved the diner's amazing French toast. He'd learned long ago not to deny himself anything. If ever he wanted something he went for it. He'd grown up being denied so much, he promised himself, no more, not if he could help it. To many, being able to have French toast was a trivial thing, to him it was so much more. He looked at his normal corner booth but it seemed to be occupied by a certain blonde. He'd wondered if he'd see her again. She was already sipping on coffee, he took note of the menu still in front of her. She hadn't ordered yet. He needed to drag his ordering process out so that Joan got the correct meals to the correct table. He moved to the booth she'd occupied the last time they'd both been there.
"Morning Leonard," Joan greeted.
"Morning Joan," he smiled. "How did the rest of your first day go?"
She sighed. "Terrible. I kept switching people's orders and I got so nervous. Let's just say not everyone was as nice as you guys," she motioned between himself and the booth behind him. Leonard and Sara had both tipped her really well. Those tips had been the best thing she received her entire shift.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope today is better for you." He smiled ordering his normal coffee, creamer and two sugars.
"Okay," she moved to Sara's table. "Refill Sara," she asked.
Leonard muttered an 'uh oh' under his breath. He had a pretty good idea his coffee order would go to the wrong table if she was refilling Sara's coffee also. He wasn't wrong, a few minutes later a black coffee sat in front of him. He didn't say anything. Joan had already suffered enough on her first day. He'd just wait for her to walk away before switching his drink for the correct one. He placed his meal order and waited for her to finish up with Sara's before moving to make the exchange.
"Poor thing," Sara took her coffee happily. "Seems she's been having a hard time adjusting," she took a long sip of her coffee enjoying its bitter taste.
"It's not very often I'm referred to as nice, so it must have been bad," Leonard raised the cup to her in the same cheers motion as he had the last time and took a sip. "I'll see you in oh say," he looked at his watch, "ten minutes, don't take any of my strawberries."
"I'll try to resist," Sara had known her food would probably end up at the wrong table again. That didn't bother her, at least the man was nice to look at. He was very handsome and that smirk on his face made him all the more attractive. Sure enough ten minutes later a plate of strawberry and banana smothered French toast was placed in front of her. Sara just smiled and allowed Joan to walk away. She pushed the plate to the other side and waited for Leonard to bring her the correct plate. He waited for Joan to disappear into the kitchen before getting up and switching their plates.
The next time Sara returned to the diner she noticed she'd been too late, her preferred booth was taken. She debated plopping down in the booth anyway considering more likely than not their food and drinks would be delivered to the wrong table. After a few seconds she decided against it. Maybe another time, she told herself.
Just like the last two times the coffee she received had creamer in it. She didn't bother getting up she just held the coffee cup out to the next booth far enough for Leonard to reach it. Once he had his, he grabbed hers handing it off to her. "Thanks," Sara muttered taking her warm coffee guarding it with both hands.
Fifteen minutes later they did the same thing with the food. They'd both considered telling Joan their orders were wrong but they couldn't bring themselves to. They'd been that young at one time. They knew how hard it was starting a new job and the fear of failing. So they corrected their orders silently.
It was two days before Leonard was able to make it back to the diner. He'd had a late start to his morning and as luck would have it his booth was taken. He debated his next move. He'd been thinking about the blonde the past two days. He wanted to know more than what she had for breakfast, he wanted to know if everything else she did was as routine as her breakfast. He was pretty sure her breakfast was the only thing routine about her, he could see it in her eyes. That spark, that devious glint that screamed trouble. It was a look he was all too familiar with. Throwing caution to the wind, he moved. This was something he wanted and he'd be damned to let fear get in the way. He slid into the seat across from her.
Sara had seen him come in. He'd stood at the entryway for several minutes. She could see the wheels turning as he looked between the two booths. Had it been several years ago she would have invited him to sit with her without a second thought. But that was then, she wasn't that person, not anymore. She pretended not to notice him making a move towards the other booth. She assumed he'd take the one he normally did when she sat in the corner booth, but he surprised her by sliding in across from her. She raised an eyebrow waiting for an explanation.
"I figure this way we can save Joan the trouble." He explained. The excuse sounded terrible even to him. Joan had never been affected by the meal switches, they'd always taken care of correcting the mistakes themselves.
"Is that so," Sara gave a knowing smile. "That's very nice of you Leonard."
"I can be a very nice guy when I choose to be." He gave her a real smile, one she had yet to see. She was taken back at how his face lit up, the lines around his mouth deepening.
"I don't doubt that. With all that sugar you eat, I'm sure you ooze sweetness," she laughed when he rolled his eyes. Clearly, he didn't like being referred to as sweet. "I meant that you're nice of course."
"I'm sure."
There was that drawl again. She was glad he'd made the decision to join her, being able to look at him as he spoke just added to the appeal.
"I see you two have decided to sit together. That'll make it even easier. Usual?"
"Coffee, creamer and two sugars please Joan," Sara ordered before Leonard could. He gave her a confused look before catching on quickly.
"Black coffee." He ordered. He turned back to Sara as soon as Joan was gone. "Ten bucks she still gets it wrong."
Sara knew he was probably right but she didn't often back down from bets. Not ones so small. "You're on."
Joan returned minutes later with their coffees placing one in front of each of them. Neither looked down to see who'd won, instead they both focused on Joan. "What would you guys like to eat?"
Sara orders first. "I'll have the strawberry and banana French toast. Extra toppings. What will it be Leonard."
He smiled, she'd been paying attention to his order. She wasn't the only one. "I'll have the steak omelet, extra cheese and add green onions on top." He smiled again when he saw the surprised look on her face. Clearly she hadn't been expecting him to know the details of her order.
"You pay attention," she commented. She was impressed though she wouldn't tell him as much.
"In my line of work it's important to pay attention to the minor details."
"And what is it that you do Leonard," she asked with a knowing look.
He chuckled. Of course she knew who he was, it wasn't hard. He figured she'd look into him just as he had her. "I'm afraid you'll call dear old dad if I told you."
This time she laughed. "Your whereabouts are safe with me," she sighed when she looked at the coffee cups. How did Joan still manage to mess this up, or in this case get it as they'd ordered it. A coffee with creamer sat before her. "Don't say it," she switched the cups.
"Say what," he grabbed his coffee taking a sip making a humming sound his eyes never leaving hers.
"Okay, bet our meal is correct."
"Yeah," he questioned raising an eyebrow. "What's the bet," he asked.
"Loser buys breakfast."
He tipped his head down in agreement, "I can live with that."
"So Leonard, I'm curious, why so much sugar," the question had been on her mind for some time now. It wasn't often she interacted with adults that had so much sweetness in one meal, his breakfast was more of a dessert. By his sigh she knew she'd touched a nerve. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that, I was just curious."
He nodded, "I was denied it when I was younger, besides there is enough bitterness in the world, sometimes it's nice to have a little bit of sweetness in life." That wasn't the whole story and he was sure she knew that but she didn't push and he was thankful for that.
Joan returned with their food a few minutes later. Sara groaned when she walked away. She needed to stop making bets, especially ones that involved the man sitting in front of her. She was just glad he wasn't the type to rub it in. "Enjoy your breakfast," she muttered.
"You know what they say," he paused making sure he had her full attention. "The best things in life are free."
Sara rolled her eyes tossing a piece of green onion at him. The rest of their breakfast was done in light conversation.
"So Sara,"
Sara waited patiently, if she thought his voice was nice before it only amplified in the way he said her name.
"Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" He kept eye contact with her as he waited.
"I'd like that," she smiled. She liked that he didn't beat around the bush, hide behind idle chat. He knew what he wanted and had gone for it. She gave her phone to him so he could program his number in.
"Here's your check," Joan set the bill between them. Several bills dropped on the check before Sara could even reach for it.
"Keep the change," Leonard smiled. He handed Sara her phone back. "What," he asked, at her unbelieving look. "I'm a gentleman."
AN: Hope you enjoyed this, I had a great time writing it. Stay strong CC fans. I have a slight Fix-It fic in the works. You can thank IceBlueRose for that too!