Ship: Viktor/Cedric
Spring Bingo: A2 - Tea/Coffee
Trope Bingo: E4 - 5 & 1
Shipping Bingo: D4 - Shipper on Deck
Scavenger Hunt: Sp Settings (Coffee Shop)
Team: Finders Seekers
Stacked with: FPC; ToS; BAON; Star; Fence; Shower; T3; Ship War; Sp/Tr Bingo; Hunt; Chim
Individual Challenge(s): Short Jog; Bucket Listing; Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Rian-Russo Inversion (Y); Ethnic & Present (Y); Old Shoes (Y); Hufflepuff MC; Durmstrang MC; Beauxbatons MC; Disabled (Y); Setting Sail (Y); Zed Era; Coffee Life
Representation(s): Coffeeshop!AU; Budding Finders Seekers; Disabled Cedric; 5 + 1; Fleur Delacour; Food Service
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenge(s): Unwanted Advice; Delicious Lie; Tomorrow's Shade; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Teat Juice); Chorus (Pocky Pockets; Wabi Sabi; Fizzy Lemonade; Machismo; Peddling Pots)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenge(s): T3 (Thimble)
Chimera: Coffeeshop AU;Love/Hate;Eating/Drinking
Word Count: 1350
Warning(s): none
~o0o~
It was Wednesday. He always came on Wednesday.
"Almost four," said Fleur.
"Yes, I know." Cedric finished his current order and went about making the specialty order.
He'd been working at this coffee shop for years. It was just outside the Lions Practice Stadium. It was his dream to one day play Quidditch professionally, but after the injuries he'd sustained after a school accident, he had trouble keeping on a broom. Instead, he was continuing his magical education and took a variety of courses while trying to decide a new purpose in life. These days it was Viktor.
Viktor.
V-I-K-T-O-R.
He was the Seeker for the Lions. Totally famous, but Cedric didn't really care about that. He cared more about the guy who came to this cafe and sat for two hours sipping coffee and reading some novel. It was pathetic, but Cedric often went to the library to check out the same book so he could talk to him about them.
Not that he actually got up the nerve.
He had no issues flirting when he was in secondary school. Everyone loved him, but here he was just another face in the crowd.
At four o'clock sharp, Viktor entered the café, his hair damp and his duffle over his shoulder. Cedric smiled at him. To anyone else, it seemed like he was just using his customer service smile, but he was genuinely happy to see him. He made his knees weak. Or one of them anyway. The other one was part of his prosthetic and had the tendency to lock up.
"Usual?" he said.
"Please." Viktor paid for the refillable coffee cup and put a good-sized tip in the jar, as he always did before going to his corner.
Cedric poured the ready drink into the container and brought it over to him along with a free pastry. He made a note of the book he was reading and decided to make it a point to check it out. He thought about saying something, but his mind was blank. He set the cup and saucer on the side table and returned to behind the counter.
"You're hopeless," Fleur teased.
"Shut up," he muttered.
2
Okay. He was going to say something. Today was the day.
"Usual?" he asked brightly.
"Eh…" Viktor looked up at the menu. "I think I will try something new."
Try me! His mind screamed and Cedric bit back the thought from taking existence.
"What would you like?"
"I think… tea."
"Sure. We got eight kinds. You like green, herbal, black?"
Viktor stared at the flavors scrutinizingly. "What is your favorite?"
"Well, can't go wrong with a classic darjeeling."
"Then I will have that." Viktor placed the tip in the jar, purchased the refillable tea, and went over to his table.
Cedric refrained from smacking his head against the tower and put together the pot of tea. He made sure the tray looked nice with sugar, honey, and creamer before bringing it to Viktor.
"Just, raise your hand if you need a water refill," he said.
"Thank you, Cedric."
He knew his name! Cedric turned away and patted his chest, frowning when he felt his name tag. Ah… that's right. It would be a bit silly if Viktor had no idea of his name, wouldn't it?
3
Viktor hadn't come for three weeks. He wouldn't have been able to, he was on a few away games. Cedric missed him terribly. He thought about saying so the next time Viktor came in, but he said nothing, just giving him his coffee and admiring him from afar until he went home.
4
He was on a date.
A pretty girl had arrived with Viktor this afternoon. She had gotten a latte. Cedric wanted to mess it up in some way, but he suppressed the catty thought. He had no right to be jealous. It was easy to be jealous, but he didn't know this girl. He barely knew Viktor. Didn't matter what his feelings were anyway. He was a damn professional and he would never mess up someone's order just because they were on a date with someone he'd been crushing on for forever. Nope.
"I don't need a refill."
Cedric blinked and looked at the girl. He had come over to refill Viktor's and realized he'd been staring at them while they talked cheerfully about something or other. He hadn't really been listening to the subject.
"Oh, sorry," he said and laughed nervously. "You ever have those days where your brain just goes 'brr!'" He laughed again. "Just, brr! Don't even realize it's happening."
"Yes, I have had those days," said the girl. "Just about every other day."
"You work too hard," said Viktor, smiling fondly and looking up at Cedric. "You too, my friend."
"I like work," said the girl. "I wouldn't have S.A.M.B. if I didn't."
S.A.M.B. Society for the Advancement of Magical Beings. Cedric had heard of it and signed petitions and donated what he could spare a few times. Fleur was a member, being a veela. Her employment opportunities were limited and S.A.M.B. had been working so that she couldn't face workplace discrimination. Damn. He couldn't hate this girl now. Viktor deserved someone with that much care and compassion.
Realizing he was still standing there, he turned and went back to the counter.
5
Cedric had a report due the next day, so Fleur was covering for him while he scribbled away furiously on parchment in the corner. He had almost missed Viktor entering. He had come in and seemed mildly surprised that Fleur took his order. He searched the cafe and noticed Cedric, giving him a nod.
The gesture warmed him. He noticed him enough to wonder where he was! Or, at least, that's what it had seemed like. Cedric couldn't dwell too long. When Viktor went to his usual seat, Cedric turned back to his report. He was a lovesick fool, but he wasn't a lovesick idiot. If he was going to make something of himself, whatever path that may be, he couldn't let himself fail on the off chance that the boy he liked would look at him again.
After finals, Cedric had decided to put in extra hours. He was making himself sick just going here and going to class. If he put in extra hours, then he could save up to go away somewhere. He needed a holiday. He needed to get away. So there he was, working the early shift.
It was barely five a.m. and he was nodding off when the door opened. He was alert as Viktor walked in. He didn't even seem to notice the early hour, his dark eyes alert as he entered the shop. Even so, he rested a hand on the counter.
"Espresso, please," he said. "However many you can legally put in one cup. Plus sugar and cream."
"You don't seem tired," Cedric commented, punching in the number and giving the total.
"I had been unable to sleep," he said, paying the amount without flinching.
"Everything okay?"
"Mm. I just can't sleep sometimes. Oh, to go, please."
Cedric nodded and plucked the cup out of the stack. He grabbed his sharpie and paused. This was his chance. Trying not to flush, he scribbled out his phone number and wrote 'Call me! XOXO'. Maybe he was destroying the only consistent tipper he would ever get, but if he didn't act now then he never will. Playing it cool, he continued making the drink. Espresso shot after espresso shot then drowned it in sugar and cream.
He placed the cup on the counter and sincerely hoped he wasn't blushing. Viktor picked it up and took a long draught from it. He nodded and looked down at it, then noticed the writing on the side. He read it silently and Cedric leaned against the counter trying not to act like a goon. Finally, Viktor turned to him, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"What time do you get off work?"