A small bell dinged above Daves head as he walked into the small coffee shop. He swerved through the crowd to get to the end of the line and waited impatiently until he was served. The local store had a welcoming feel to it. All of the furniture was wooden with a soft back and seat giving the whole place a very natural and comforting look. He eventually got to the start of the line and ordered his drink. By now all he wanted to do was sit down and get to work on his song but when he turned around to find a seat the place had filled up. One group of girls resorting to sitting on each others laps to rest their legs. Dave groaned and finally spotted a free seat across from a boy about his age at the same table. He walked over to him and tapped his shoulder "That seat taken?"
When the boy turned around Dave took the chance to get a look at him. A young boy with dark brown puffy hair and tanned skin, his eyes where a strange shade of brown on the verge of being red, his features where soft and harsh all at the same time, clashing with one another but it still seemed to work. It looked like he was doing the same thing with Dave, his eyes scanning over his face and cloths.
Everything about the two seemed to be parallel to one another. They boy wore a loos fitting white shirt and dark brown hoodie that slid down to cover his hands, his jeans where just regular black jeans but looking further down he noticed his shoes where a dark shade of maroon. Dave wore a similar colour scheme but much brighter and bold than the other boy looking up to him from his seat. A bright red pair of jeans to match his hat, a black pair of shoes, grey shirt and plaid black,red, and grey over shirt with a pair of red headphones resting around his neck.
"My friend was supposed to be meeting me here but that was an hour ago so sure. Knock yourself out just as long as you don't talk to me." His voice was rough and gritty despite being more than halfway through his cup of coffee. Dave nodded and took the seat, pulling his backpack off his shoulders and setting it down by his feet before pulling out his laptop and plugging in his headphones. He was already a regular here so his computer was already connected to the internet, making things much easier.
The other boy looked like he had a kindle which he was absorbed in. There was no way of telling what it was he was reading but he looked like he was enjoying it a fair bit. Dave watched him over his laptop screen, seeing how his face changed subtly as he read. The corners of Daves mouth pricked up ever so slightly at this, finding his expressions rather endearing.
"Shit! No no no no Don't die! I was just getting to the good pa-…" The boy caught himself before he drew much more attention to himself, a crimson blush spreading across his face as he stuffed his kindle back into his bag and sipped at his coffee
"Tough break." Dave said as he typed away at his computer, trying to keep his eyes on the screen and not at the person sitting across from him, forgetting his shades hid his eyes away from the nameless boys sight.
The boy looked up from his cup. "What?" He asked in that same raspy tone as before. It sounded painful, like every word he said took effort and exhausted him.
"Your thing dying in the middle of your story. Must suck." He took a sip of his coffee, burning the roof of his mouth on the hot liquid but held a straight face.
"Oh. Yeah it does. What are you doing there anyway?" He asked, pointing to Daves computer.
"Hey. Don't be getting any ideas to read the rest of your shit on my computer. This is serious business I got going on here." Dave defended. He didn't care what he thought he was doing and usually he would tell anyone who asked but he felt like messing with this guy for a little while.
"I wasn't going to you obnoxious prick! I'm just trying to make conversation since I can't just read and pretend like you're not there! What else am I supposed to do? Just awkwardly stare at you like some idolising teenage girl who just found a new baby face to fawn over?"
"Yeah. That would be pretty sweet actually." He was teasing of course "And I'm writing lyrics."
The other boy scoffed and sipped his drink "U-hu. What kind of lyrics?"
"Rap."
"Well there goes all my expectations out the window along with my giving a shit about what you're doing."
"You're the one who asked. And these raps are the sickest rhymes anyone ever laid eyes on. Well they will be, once I finnish them anyway."
"Right." He wasn't at all impressed. This only made Dave want to prove to him more that his raps where good. It was a challenge, and this guy seemed entertaining.
"What was your book about?"
"None of your business."
"Dude. I told you what I was doing. It's lil the unwritten law that you're now obliged to tell me what you where doing."
"That's bullshit." His thick eyebrows furrowed.
"Why you refuse to tell me is what's bullshit."
He groaned and stood up. "Whatever. I'm done with this conversation. He turned his back to Dave, leaving the store and his coffee behind for Dave to clean up. Which he did begrudgingly .
For the next few Days the bell dinged above Daves head it was much less busy. The boy was still there though. Sipping his coffee he always got and reading off the kindle he always read from. It was like he was frozen in time. Slouched over his tablet with his coffee in one hand and cheek in the other. The steam floating out of the cup and the slow hand movements he made to flick to the next page where the only movement in this frozen bubble in time. Dave sat there, no mater how many other seats there where and no mater how much he argued. He was determined to prove himself to this strange un-named boy.
Then one day he finished his song "Hey. Check it. I finished my song. Wanna here?"
He glanced up from his story and cocked an eyebrow "Why in the hell would I ever want to listen to whatever garbage you put together."
"Nah dude. Don't say that. Come on. Just give it a shot. If you don't like it I'll buy you a free coffee" That got his interest "You have to be honest though. No bullshitting me, saying you didn't like it when you did ad you just want the free drink."
"Fine, fine whatever, just give me the damn headphones." He put his coffee down and held his hand out towards Dave. Dave took the headphones off and handed them over to the boy. Waiting for him to put them on before playing. He watched as slowly his head started to move in little, barely even noticeable bobs. He was trying not to like it, but Dave knew he did. "See. What did I say?"
"I didn't like it." He said, taking the headphones off and placing them down on the table.
"Bullshit. I could see your little head bobbing, you where into it."
"It was tolerable. There. Are you satisfied?"
He smirked "I might be."
"Goddamn why do I put up with you?"
"We've only been talking for a few weeks."
"And it already feels like it's been a life time. I don't even know you're name."
"It's Dave Strider. This is the part where you tell me your name."
The nameless boy groaned "It's Karkat Vantas." The nameless boy is no longer the nameless boy. The nameless boy does have a name and it is Karkat Vantas.