Summary: Lea knew his small mannerisms and knew what type of coffee he ordered every day. But he didn't know his name. They would soon learn the art of slowly falling in love even if it was wrong. Lea/Riku coffee shop AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts!
A.N.: Welcome back, or just welcome! I'm looking forward to completing this story, I pretty much have most of it planned out. This is a story with Lea/Riku, (the older Lea from Dream Drop Distance) and older short haired Riku (from Dream Drop Distance). I don't want anyone to think this is younger Lea from Birth by Sleep, so I wanted to clarify this.
Iced vanilla latte, sprinkled cinnamon on top, and a huge dollop of whipped cream.
It was the only order that Lea had remembered when working behind the counter as a barista. This particular customer would walk up in line, murmur an "Uh...I..." for the start of his order before Lea would cut the male off with a warm smile and a line he had grown used to, "The usual?"
Then the customer would nod and thank him softly, just enough for Lea to hear his voice one last time before the male would walk over to his usual spot in the corner of the coffee shop, away from people. Then Lea would prepare his iced coffee despite the fact that it was a bitter cold winter outside, glancing every so often at the male with short silver tresses whom always resumed his usual actions. His head shifted towards the window, chin rested on his hand as if he was looking outside at the bare trees that winter stripped naked, but Lea knew better. His customer was not looking outside, only merely staring in that direction lost in thought.
As Lea would serve the male's coffee at his table, he would smile politely and thank him once more. That was the end of the conversation for that moment as Lea would have to take point behind the counter just to serve other customers.
And there behind the register, the redhead would longingly gaze at the male before his attention would be broken every five minutes by another order or a gentle reminder from his coworker to "stop drooling and get brewing". But that didn't stop him from stealing glances at the silverette.
Just by examining him each day, he noticed other repetitious habits from the shorter male. After he received his coffee, his gaze from the window would shift over to his coffee. He would stir it for what seemed like forever or at least over the time that it was already mixed enough, and that same hazy look would return to his blue, or green, or even a mixture of the two, eyes. Lea counted approximately ten minutes that he would just sit there with that look and he knew whatever was on his mind was a heavy matter because he would catch sight of his mixed eyes watering. The customer would catch himself and grab a napkin, wiping his lips pretending that he spilled something in case anybody noticed him and then naturally dab his eyes.
There were many times that Lea would feel, just like this one, just to go sit across the table and let this silver haired stranger talk to him about what was wrong. Lea would be there to wrap his arms around him strongly, whisper that it was alright, and then allow the male to cry into his chest.
But Lea didn't even know the man's name, and it's not that he didn't try.
When the male would hand Lea a debit card instead of cash, he would try to sneakily cast a glance at the name of the card. But, everytime he swiped, the card faced away from him and before getting to turn it over and read, that was about the time that he handed it back to the silver haired male.
Lea even tried to ask other customers his name, but nobody ever knew him. It was unfortunate for Lea, but it was peculiar that not a single person would know his name. Maybe more frustrating and unlucky were more proper words since Lea was now dying to know his name.
"Just talk to him," a voice cut into his thoughts. Lea nearly jumped and stared at his blonde haired coworker, who was stacking more coffee cups. He stared at her in shock, his eyes darting from the silver haired male to her.
"What are you talking about?" Lea laughed nervously, grabbing a rag with a sudden need to work. He wiped the counter with vigorous circles, smiling at the blonde and then casting his gaze down at his reflection on the counter.
"That boy you're always staring at. You've goo-goo eyed him for, well, ever since he started coming here," Naminé said with a touch of glee lining her voice. "Just talk to him."
"But, I don't even know his name," Lea sighed out, continuously wiping the same spot on the counter.
"Then ask him," Naminé simply said, trotting away with an aura of happiness around her. She seemed to be enjoying Lea's little crush a bit too much to his dismay, but as he contemplated her suggestion, his circular movements slowed to a halt.
"The direct approach?" Lea murmured to himself. His emerald eyes casted on the lonely silver haired male, who was now sipping down the rest of his iced vanilla latte. Lea knew every time he finished his coffee, he liked to grab his straw and fish out the remaining whipped cream with chocolate drizzle and lick it off his straw.
It was an action that Lea found that a child would likely do with ice cream and therefore, found it cute.
Now was the time for the silver haired male to stand up, toss his finished iced coffee in the garbage, and walk back to the counter. Lea knew from experience that he would be approaching soon to go to the tip jar and drop a dollar inside, so he ripped his gaze away from the male to his working hand.
Lea saw the male drop the dollar in from the corner of his eye and he looked up as casually as he could and gave the silverette his signature warm lopsided smile.
"Thank you, sir," Lea said almost too exuberantly because whenever he talked to the male, even if it was the simplest sentence, his stomach was flitting with stinging bumblebees instead of butterflies.
Every time, the silver haired customer would smile out of politeness, but Lea still saw the somewhat somber oceanic eyes that contrasted with his happier lips.
"Have a nice day," he would say before he left, tying his black peacoat, adjusting his earmuffs, and lastly, wrap his contrastingly bright red scarf that appeared to be hand knitted.
"You too, sir."
And Lea would stare at the male leave, all the way through the windows of the eastern part of the coffee shop before he was finally out of view, never to be seen again until the same time tomorrow.
Lea would catch his name tomorrow because frankly, he was tired of calling the male "sir", when he appeared younger than himself.