Carlisle was working late in the cafe as usual, if it meant he was able to get a bit extra he would, otherwise no. But this late afternoon it was different, it was raining heavily outside and he noticed quite a lot of new faces coming into the already busy cafe. Carlisle had earned a nickname from his boss and co-workers whom he'd kill if he ever got the chance.
"Ol' Frosty!" One just called out, wanting Carlisle's attention. He frowned and went over to help the annoying man, "Yes Aro? Or should I call you pedo." He spat.
Edward was just closing up shop and getting ready to head home. It had been a long day, even by his standards, and he couldn't wait to take a long, hot bath. That was, if he could even muster the energy to walk all the way home... He'd never gone in for automobiles, preferring the certainty of his own two feet and how it was more environmentally sound, besides.
There's a coffee shop on the way home,' he remembered. 'Maybe I can get something nice and warm to drink and perk myself up?' The thought cheered him somewhat, and he headed with a bit of renewed energy to the coffee shop.
Carlisle sighed a little, whacked Aro for wasting his time and went around the tables collecting up dishes and what not. He took them back into the kitchen and took his place back behind the counter.
"Hi thar Carly, nice weather we're having, did you bring the lovely weather to town?" Aro mocked.
Carlisle frowned and pushed Aro none too lightly in the arm. "Shut up, skunk face." He growled, frowning at the other man.
Not two steps out of the shop and Edward realised that it was raining. It wasn't so much that he minded getting wet, but the torrent seemed to weigh him down. 'I'd better go back for my umbrella,' he thought. It didn't take him long to fish his key out of his pocket and turn the lock. He rescued his umbrella and was on his way again. He pressed the lever, watching with childlike glee as the bronze monstrosity unfolded to protect its owner from the rain. He reached the coffee shop in short order. 'It's still open,' he noticed. 'Surprising.' He walked inside, shaking the rain off his umbrella before closing it... and stopped in his tracks when he noticed the beautiful blond woman behind the counter
"Oh my god, sexy boy alert, and he's a foxy one at that too~" Aro chimed in Carlisle's ear.
The blond pushed Aro away with a frown. "Go do your own job of scrubbing the tables." Carlisle frowned, getting annoyed with the man and his constant irritating remarks
Edward regained his composure slowly as he noticed the dark-haired man whispering in the blond's ear. He frowned slightly. 'Don't tell me this gorgeous creature already has a boyfriend?' he thought with some disappointment. He had half a mind to turn around and leave, but then remembered that he was cold and tired and wanted something to drink. Approaching the counter, he scanned the menu for chai tea, one of his favorite beverages.
"One moment, I need to deal with a forever going issue." Carlisle said politely to the customer standing in front of him. "Aro I swear I will ring your neck if you don't go away or I will tell the manager!" Carlisle threated in a hush voice, although it was loud enough for the customer to hear.
"Ohhh scary Carly, don't hurt me Carly... oh gods, don't tell Marcus on me." He whined pathetically and disappeared into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry about him, he's as useless as a concrete poll, was that one chai tea?" Carlisle asked softly. He couldn't remember if he'd heard the order but chai tea was one of the most popular beverages so he took a guess.
Edward's sapphire eyes widened. "That would be lovely, thank you," he murmured, his voice slightly higher than usual from nerves.
"Then... that man... is not your boyfriend?" he asked boldly, flushing.
"You've got to be joking, he's a disgusting pedophile." Carlisle made a disgusted face and went to make the chai tea. The blond felt like taking a break and this would be the right person to take it with.
"I'm certain I would be joking if I'd been in town long enough to get to know him," called Edward, slightly miffed. "I've only been here for about a week."
Carlisle nodded, it was a couple minutes before he had the chai tea ready, "Three eighty please." Carlisle said quietly, and gestured to a younger boy named Seth to take his shift as Carlisle wanted a break. "You sure you can manage the till if I take a break?" Only to receive a nod in return. "You don't mind if I join you?" He asked softly.
"Not at all," said Edward generously, forking over the cash. "Keep the change," he told the young boy, wanting to make a good impression on the foxy "Carly."
Carlisle nodded, but put it into a charity box and he decided that the table in the corner next to the window was perfect.
Edward followed the blond to the table, where he took off his long black trench coat and hung it on the back of the chair, along with his hot bronze mess of an umbrella. He perched delicately on the seat and crossed his legs, sipping his tea while gazing at the tall, gorgeous creature before him.
"You said you just moved here?" Carlisle asked, resting one leg over the other, studying the other's features secretly.
"I did," Edward replied. "Directly from college back in... it doesn't matter. How long have you lived here?"
"In the town for a while, in my apartment... a couple of years."
Edward nodded thoughtfully. An introduction seemed appropriate now. "My name is Edward Masen," he stated, with some small amount of pride. "Of the Bel Aire Masens. We... well, we raise flowers. What's your name?"
Carlisle smiled some. "A florist I see, I'm guessing you studied botany?" He asked. "My name is Carlisle Cullen." He replied, although it wasn't as proud as Edward's, he could see quite a bit of potential.
Edward had to work not to wrinkle his nose. "No, science has never been interesting to me," he said flatly. "I studied counseling and personal development."
Carlisle nodded some, "Hmm my Major is in science, and although how I got into a coffee shop I have no clue." The blond replied, closing his eyes.
Edward smiled a bit dreamily, enjoying the strange lilt in Carlisle's voice. "Have to pay the bills somehow," he said. "I own the flower shop up the road from here. I got a rather good bargain on it, come to think of it. Which science are you majoring in?"
"Hmm, Chemistry, Biology and I took Botany as an extra. Hmm very true, although I got a scholarship for one year. But that was a while ago," Carlisle added.
An academic scholarship? Edward's eyebrows raised; he was undeniably impressed. "Brains and beauty," he murmured, half to himself. Then, in a normal tone, "And how long has... the older man been working here? The one whom I mistook for your boyfriend?"
"Aro? Quite some time, but like I said, he's as useless as a concrete poll." Carlisle replied and wrinkled his nose at the thought of having someone disgusting as Aro as his boyfriend, he couldn't help but admit that the one in front of him was a very curious thing.
Edward laughed. He liked this Carlisle; he was sassy. "The owner must like him for some reason if he's been working here for so long. Though I must say, you're a lot easier on the eyes."
"They're friends, that's why, and Marcus is waiting for Aro to screw up once more and he's fired." Carlisle replied and blushed some, he wasn't use to compliments. Noticing Carlisle's blush, Edward's smile grew. She was so adorable. Probably a little older... Smarter, certainly. 'Hmm...' he thought, calculating his chances. Just as he was reaching a definite conclusion, his cell phone rang, blasting Jeffree Star's "Bitch Please.". Now it was Edward's turn to blush. "Damn it," he cursed, taking the phone out of his pocket and looking at the caller ID. "She reprogrammed my ring tone again!" Flipping the phone open, he snapped "Fuck off, Jane."
"I am so sorry about that," he said, face redder than before. "My roommate keeps reprogramming my ring tone. She apparently wants the whole world to think I'm gay."
Carlisle looked up at the clock. "Geez I might as well end my shift now, todays been such a long day." The blond groaned a little and closed his eyes, he'd noticed that Edward was grinning, noting that he was happy that he'd made him blush was the most likely answer. "Poor thing, Aro does that to me all the time."
"Programs your ring tone?" Edward was slightly confused
"Nope, tells the whole world I'm gay and nerdy." Carlisle shook his head. "Honestly he's a pest; thank goodness he's not in the same apartment building as me."
Edward smiled, slightly cheered. The smile faded quickly as his phone started "singing" again. Annoyed, Edward quickly flipped it open and then closed again. "For the record, I don't think there's anything wrong with being gay. He's probably just upset that you won't go out with him. I know that's the case with my roommate. Which apartment do you live in?" he asked.
"He's got a boyfriend, he just likes to annoy me because he loves having me react, although he doesn't know how I'll react, I just live in the one next to cafe here." Carlisle replied, closing his eyes.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" asked Edward candidly. He couldn't help himself- if this beautiful Carly was already taken, he might as well know now. His phone chose that moment to ring again. "Hold that thought," he said, answering the phone: "For the last time, I am not going to get you tampons. There's a twenty on the bureau- get them yourself!"
Highly embarrassed, Edward flipped his phone closed and attempted to look Carlisle in the eye. "You were saying?"
Carlisle blushed some but shook his head. "No I don't." Carlisle replied, watching Edward carefully.
"She calls me every month at the most inconvenient time possible. It could be one of two things, and I'm going with the lesser of two evils; I really don't need to be set up with one of her friends. Though of course, I'm surprised that she even has friends," Edward babbled, feeling that he should explain himself.
Carlisle nodded fair enough. "So where do you live, if you don't mind me asking?"
"This building," said Edward, pointing to the apartment. "Fourth floor, room C."
"I'm room D, same floor, how strange." Carlisle replied and looked at the boy in front of him.
"We're neighbors." Edward could have impaled himself on his umbrella for such an obvious statement, but he was too dumbstruck to think of much else to say. "Let's walk home together, then."
"Sounds good, although I get the feeling tomorrow afternoon Aro will make some terrible jokes." He sighed and looked at the other.
Edward shook his head. "I don't care what he thinks." He stood and picked his umbrella up from the back of his chair, then laid it on the table for a moment while he put his trench coat back on. "Do you have an umbrella of your own, or should I share?" he asked with uncharacteristic concern.
"I have a jacket with a hood on it, won't be a moment." Carlisle went to collect his jacket and went to collect his day's pay, before returning to the lovely boy.
Edward was surprised to note that Carlisle's jacket had a similar style to his own; his had a removable hood, which he'd taken off to show off his lustrous bronze hair. His hair was that color due to a strange genetic mutation, of which he was quite proud.
"Shall we?" he asked Carlisle, offering his hand.
Carlisle blushed and smiled a little, taking the Adonis's hand in his own.