The next day John had a full day of classes, which he had woken up late for and he hadn't had anything to eat at all since the night before. Once his abnormal psychology class was over he could no longer ignore the fervent grumbling in his stomach. The cafeteria didn't seem appealing though and he could use a pick me up in the form of caffeine. With that in mind he decided to go back to the café from the day before, hoping that Sherlock might be working again. John had found his attitude the day before, the utter lack of interest in his surrounding and the pretentiousness of it all, oddly attractive. He strolled his way until he made it to the Java Hut and headed inside, giving a warm and genuine smile to the dark haired, svelte young man behind the register.
Sherlock had a thankfully short shift today, his boss had called him in to ask him to cover part of a shift because Gina, his daughter had come down with the flu. Sherlock of course knew better, she was pregnant he was certain of it but it was not his place to tell. He had tried to refuse the extra work hours but Mycroft had ears like a bat, hearing the whole conversation. He made Sherlock take the shift saying it would be good for him to help out and get in good with his boss and that the extra money wouldn't hurt either. It was about an hour before his shift would be over when the medical student from the day before came into the café. "Large black coffee?" he asked skipping all niceties.
John gave him a look that suggested he had been thrown off by the other man remembering his order, even if it was very simple. "Yeah, um…I'll take the coffee and a turkey club." He said after looking up to the board. Sherlock nodded and went to work, setting up the coffee first and giving it to John to drink as he made the sandwich.
John felt a little uneasy, wanting to make conversation but he was nervous and he couldn't quite figure out why. He stood there unnaturally silent, pretending to read the board above with all the menu items on it. Sherlock could not help but notice this awkwardness and he broke the silent tension between them. "Are you going to offer me your number again?" He had been able to tell that John was interested in him, to what degree he was uncertain. "I told you yesterday that I'm not desperate for a boyfriend, despite what my co-workers think."
"What…god, no." John gave a disbelieving sort of laugh. "I mean, I um…didn't come here to give you my number."
"Then why did you come back?" Sherlock asked pointedly.
"Why does anyone come here?" John retorted. "I wanted coffee, something to eat too."
"They don't have coffee in the cafeteria at Saint Bart's then?" Sherlock smirked.
John hesitated before answering. "They do, it's more like warmed over piss to be honest."
Sherlock laughed lightly as he finished making the sandwich and gave John an appraising sort of look. "You could have gone for coffee anywhere."
"I could have. I suppose you have a point there." John shrugged.
"I've tasted the coffee here, it's not special enough to warrant a second trip out of your way." That much was obvious even without his keen observation skills.
"You're right. Maybe I came back to see if the specials were better than yesterday." John decided to drop the defensiveness that he was feeling and to admit that he had wandered here for the now very obvious reason of seeing Sherlock.
"I thought you weren't here to give me your number." Sherlock quirked one eyebrow as he handed John his sandwich, purposely not giving him the total.
"I wasn't …I mean, I'm not." John looked down to the counter and then started to rifle through his pockets for his wallet.
"Don't." Sherlock stopped him. "You lucked out, the special today is a free lunch for soon to be doctors." Was he flirting? Oh god, he realized that he was. Still it was fun and it felt good especially when John had smiled at him.
"You don't have to do that." John shook his head still grinning. He was suddenly very glad that he decided to meander back to the Java Hut.
"I know but this way you might come back a third time to not give me your number." Sherlock found in that moment that he really was hoping to make the medical student a regular customer so he had something to look forward to on his shifts.
"I might, thanks for lunch." John nodded and took the sandwich and coffee in hand as well as a napkin that Sherlock had put under the sandwich. He still slipped two pounds into the tip jar before he left, turning on his heel and leaving the café with a decent lunch, a hot coffee and a broad smile across his lips.
He walked back to Saint Bart's, he still had studying to do and the library was a terrific haven to get his work done. It was only once he settled and sitting down to eat that he noticed something scribbled on the napkin. He looked at it and saw that it was a note that said 'Do you want my number?' and under it was a mobile number that John could only assume belonged to the handsome barista who had kindly given him a rather delicious turkey sandwich. He tucked the napkin into his pocket unused and smiled at the thought of calling Sherlock who so clearly was not at all desperate for a boyfriend.