"I thought I said I wanted this cappuccino extra dry!" a voice barked over the counter at Otabek.
Looking up, Otabek was just rinsing his foaming pitcher and stared into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. It took him a moment to process that he was being talked too- standing there, holding a cloth, and he was sure his mouth was hanging wide open like a damn idiot too.
"Here, lemme make it," Seung gil said, knocking his hip against Otabek's, making him finally move. Reaching out, Seung gil grabbed the cup that the blond was holding and then clicked his tongue at Otabek. "Yeah… this feels more like a latte."
"Sorry," Otabek muttered, and decided turning his back to wipe down counters was best the hide the blush on his cheeks.
"Well at least someone here knows the difference between a damn cappuccino and a latte!" the voice barked.
A chuckle from Seung gil and Otabek heard the steamer going, making loud sounds as he extra foamed the milk. Scrubbing the counters harder, he was ready to just melt into the floor. Why did someone so beautiful have to be so hateful?
Once the steamer stopped, the distinctive sounds of Seung gil setting up the cappuccino and then passing it over. Holding his breath, Otabek was waiting for the bell on the door to chime- saying this beautiful bitch was leaving.
"Ah, perfect!" the blond chirped. His tone had changed completely, and he seemed almost… normal.
Gathering up some nerve, Otabek turned, only to see a smug smirk from Seung gil at him.
"Told you! Your damn cappuccinos are more like lattes," Seung gil pointed out.
"Whatever," Otabek mumbled.
"Ah! But it was a good try!" the blond said, smiling over at him as he sipped his drink.
Otabek always found it odd how a few sips of caffeine and people somehow magically changed. He was sure if he had watched the first sip, he could have easily seen the transformation happen- but alas, he was sort of hoping this beautiful creature would just leave.
"I'll be back," the blond said, turning and walking out the door.
Another laugh, and Otabek turned to glare- Seung gil was finding this all too amusing.
"I love when you get flustered," Seung gil said, smacking him with a towel.
"Fuck off," Otabek mumbled, leaving from behind the counter to go clean down the tables in the cafe. He really hated Seung gil at times- especially mornings he decided to over caffeinated himself and bring out his personality. He preferred him better when he was quiet and shy, like when they first met.
And that was how their morning ended…
"Ah! You are getting better, but still not as good at Seung gil's!" Yuri said, passing his cup back over the bar.
It had been two weeks and without fail, after the morning rush, Yuri would come in and order his cappuccino. After the first week they finally learned his name since he had quickly turned into one of their regulars.
It was nice as the cafe was quiet at this time, they could clean up and restock everything. Plus, Yuri loved to make Otabek 'try' to make his cappuccino, then fail each time.
"I just can't make this damn impossible drink!" Otabek growled, tossing Yuri's all too heavy drink away.
"You would think after a year you could at least foam milk properly," Seung gil would say, hip bumping him out the way to make it.
"That is what I have you around for," Otabek said, smacking Seung gil with his towel.
"So... what is Otabek good for?" Yuri asked, leaning on the bar with his hands under his chin- and what Otabek could have sworn was him batting his eyelashes at them.
"Well if I figure that out… I'll let ya know," Seung gil said, starting up the steamer, drowning out Yuri's laugh.
"I really hate you at times," Otabek said, loud enough for Seung gil to hear.
Yuri just stayed at the end of the bar, smiling and watching them. Otabek had also learned that Yuri was in between classes at this time, which was why he came by. He said he was looking for somewhere quiet to do homework- though Otabek had never seen him do any studying.
"What are you studying?" Otabek asked, moving closer to where Yuri was.
"Sports medicine," Yuri said, "Boring as fuck really…"
"Then why do you do it?" Seung gil asked, moving and pushing Otabek with his hip.
A shrug and Yuri sipped at his drink. "The hot men," Yuri said, winking at both of them. "Maybe I should have gone into being a barista instead." Then spinning on his heels to leave but before leaving yelled over his shoulder. "See ya tomorrow!"
"The fuck was that?" Seung gil asked.
"That… was Yuri," Otabek said- both of them watching the space Yuri had just filled.
"I'm asking you nicely," Otabek pleaded with Seung gil, "Let me ask him out first."
"Why? So you can whisk him off on one of your one night wild rides then leave him hanging?" Seung gil asked, grabbing for another bag of coffee beans to grind.
"One time! Ohmygod!" Otabek groaned.
"Yup," Seung gil said, turning his back to him. "And I'll remind you of it… especially since you always seem to forget."
It had been over a year ago, they had just become roommates, and decided a night out of drinking was what was needed. Partying, drinking, and then waking up naked wrapped around the other- they decided being friends was probably what they needed to be since they were already roommates and the entire dating and living together thing was too much for either of them.
Neither had really dated, though nothing else happen between them. Now and then Seung gil threw a comment at Otabek that made him wonder why had they never tried dating in the past year…
Then Yuri had breezed in- fucking both their minds.
Again, the morning rush was over, and they both waited for Yuri to buzz in and demand his drink. Sighing heavily, Otabek leaned against the back wall, staring over at Seung gil. They had been good friends- amazing friends really. Baristas in the morning, afternoons off to relax, and evenings doing odd and end jobs. Seung gil had always aspired to be a writer, and Otabek wanted to be a musician. Unfortunately at this time, neither of those dreams paid their bills. A small apartment where they shared bills, and it all worked.
That was until Yuri came through.
"We can make him pick," Seung gil said, turning and staring Otabek directly in the eyes.
"You're kidding, right?" Otabek asked.
"Not at all," Seung gil said, his voice lower as he looked away.
"Look… if this going to cause an issue-"
The door opened and like a whirlwind, Yuri came bursting through.
"My two favorite baristas!" Yuri exclaimed, leaning on the counter, smiling over at them both. "Wanna give it a try today, Beka? Or you know you'll fuck it up?"
His smile was infectious, but neither were smiling back. Shaking his head, Otabek motioned towards Seung gil. "Nah, he can get it for you." Turning his back, he went to do mindless work- waiting for that moment Seung gil asked Yuri out.
"What is with you two today?" Yuri asked. "The tension is too thick."
Another sigh and Otabek closed his eyes, just wishing Seung gil would get it over with. He was not going to allow something like this to come between them, but he also knew he would love to see what Yuri and him had in store.
"Oh it is nothing," Seung gil said, starting up the espresso. "Just our boy over here pouting."
"Beka pouts?" Yuri asked, laughter hinted in his voice.
"I am not pouting!" Otabek growled.
"Ah! There he is!" Yuri laughed.
"You are both assholes!" Otabek spit and threw his towel down, stomping his way to the back room. Maybe here he could get away from them both. His best friend and his crush. Usually the highlight of his day was working alongside Seung gil, then seeing Yuri- today it only seem to cause him stress.
Leaning back in the shitty office chair, Otabek was ready to just go home and call it all a day. Pulling out his phone, he started to go through old pictures- ones of him and Seung gil at different places around the city, and ones of them setting up their small apartment. How in the last year and half did Seung gil become such a main point in his life?
"Dude, you ok?" Seung gil asked, leaning against the wall and staring at him.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
"You're a damn liar," Seung gil pointed out. "Listen… Yuri wants you back up front."
"Of course he does…" Otabek sighed.
"Stop being a damn baby and get out here," Seung gil said, turning on his heels and walking back to the bar.
Rubbing his hands over his face, Otabek stood and headed back out. Yuri was holding his cup, sipping his cappuccino when he made his way back.
"Welcome back," Yuri smiled over at him.
Dammit, why did Yuri have to be so beautiful? His hair piled on top of his head in a messy bun, a scarf around his neck, with cheeks slightly pink from the cold outside and a sweater that was way to large on him. Otabek was sure there were legging that went along with the outfit and some boots, but from where he stood, he couldn't tell.
"Sorry about that," Otabek grumbled, and started to make himself a coffee.
"So Seung gil tells me you wanted to ask me out," Yuri said.
Otabek froze. What? Turning and looking at Seung gil, he was getting no response from him- his face frozen and showing no emotion- not that he ever showed much to begin with.
"Um… well…" Otabek stammered.
"But he also said he wanted to ask me out to," Yuri continued. "Is this true?"
"Um…" Otabek mumbled.
"Did he forget how to talk?" Yuri asked Seung gil.
"He does that from time to time," Seung gil responded.
Cursing internally, he hated that Seung gil knew him so damn well. Turning to glare at Seung gil, there was one of his rare, almost not there smiles gracing his face. He hated to admit, but Seung gil also was very beautiful. Thick dark lashes, full lips, hair that just seem to lay perfectly even when he barely did a damn thing to it- skin almost porcelain white. Too bad his personality was such shit- but Otabek had come to appreciate the brash honesty from Seung gil over time.
"So… I think I have an idea," Yuri said, squinting slightly at them both, a sinister smile forming slowly.
"Oh?" They both asked, turning his way.
"Yeah!" Yuri said, the full smile now beaming from him. "Both of you take me out!"
"So you mean we each take you out… but who goes first?" Seung gil asked.
"No!" Yuri exclaimed. "We all go out together!"
Oh…