What a fun pair that someone commissioned. I truly enjoyed writing this!
Years and years of failed relationships has left Kaeya feeling dubious at best about dating.
He doesn't think there's anything wrong with him, or the people that he goes out with, it's just- well, it just never works out. And really, calling them relationships might be stretching it; they rarely last more than a few nights with heavy petting and making out.
It's always been Kaeya's style. No fuss, no muss, certainly no commitment. Casual has always been key for him.
But, Kaeya's getting older with every year, and it's weird how hitting your mid-twenties can make the loneliness really set in.
He complains to Jean about it one day, while grabbing his daily brew. Jean looks at him severely over the top of the espresso machine, carefully steaming a mug of milk.
"Well, I can set you up with someone," she says with a half-shrug. "I know a guy, kinda cute, looking for something a little casual at the start but he isn't opposed to more if it's there."
Kaeya looks at her blankly. "If what's there?"
She looks back at him, blinking before her gaze narrows. "The spark, of course."
And maybe Kaeya's just dumb- certainly wouldn't be the first time he's heard it- but he has no fucking clue what she's talking about. And that's exactly what he tells her.
Jean laughs, soft peals of amusement nearly lost over the sound of the espresso grinder. "The spark of romance," she continues, "Attraction, or whatever you want to call it. That moment when you look at someone and you just know."
Kaeya doesn't know, she's suggesting something that he's never really fathomed. But maybe it's because he's always taken a very casual approach to dating, never really looking for something more.
Maybe that's where he's gone wrong this entire time.
Jean pours steamed milk over a couple of espresso shots. Kaeya watches her spoon foam overtop with a careful hand. Then she caps the takeaway cup with a lid and slides it across the counter to him. "I'll tell you what," she finally says, "Thursday, around one. That's when you usually come to get your coffee anyway. His name's Albedo and he'll be here."
"You seem awfully sure of it," says Kaeya, eyeing her doubtfully.
"He owes me a favor," she says as she sets about, starting another drink. "And he's the curious sort. I've never tried to set him up before so he might find interest in that."
"Hm." Kaeya thinks, seriously considering it.
Then, Jean says, "Free lattes for a week if the date's a bust."
Kaeya raises his eyebrow that, intrigued. "You're that confident?"
"I know your type," is all she says. "Now tip up or get out. There are people in line behind you."
Kaeya laughs as he drops a handful of Mora into the jar beside her.
#
Kaeya trusts Jean's judgment more than most.
Still, he wishes she'd set the blind date up somewhere that isn't her coffee shop. Or on a day where neither she nor Venti works. Kaeya sits in the corner, settled into a soft and faded armchair, twiddling his thumbs and tapping his foot. More excited than anything, his nerves set alight.
He spares a glance towards the counter where Jean stares at him unabashedly from the espresso machine. Venti does too, even though he's taking an order, shooting Kaeya a wink before turning back to his customer.
Yeah, definitely not his favorite environment, but maybe it's for the better. If he needs to bail he's got friends who just might hide him in the back room.
Kaeya kind of hopes it comes down to that because a week's worth of free lattes is on the table. Priorities.
"Oh, loosen up," says Venti when he comes to bother him, dropping a mug of a sweet-looking drink that Kaeya's bound to dislike. Probably. Honestly, with Venti you never really know what you're getting in a cup, but Kaeya's desperate enough to sip at it.
"I'm loosened," says Kaeya, already shooing him away.
"Oh-ho!" Venti gives him a cheeky grin and Kaeya resists the urge to strangle the man. He doesn't care if Venti's smaller and more slight, as far as Kaeya's concerned, he's asking for it. Kaeya doesn't get the chance before someone else speaks.
"Are you Kaeya?"
Venti straightens immediately and says in a loud stage-whisper, "And that's my cue!" He's gone and back behind the counter before Kaeya can even blink.
Then he looks at his date.
And he keeps looking.
His throat bobs as he swallows thickly, his lips part as he loses his breath because shit the man is gorgeous. Unlike anyone else he's seen before. Hair, like soft cornsilk, catching the light of the shitty fluorescents. Crystal-blue eyes and seem to nearly glitter with mirth. He's dressed casually in loose, straight-leg jeans and a cream-colored hoodie.
He looks right at Kaeya, his expression incredibly cool. Waiting. Kaeya's so tongue-tied that he forgets to talk, prompting the man to repeat himself. "Are you Kaeya?
"Ah, yeah, uh- sorry, I was a little distracted. Here, sit, sit-" Kaeya shuffles around, sweeping crumbs off the table between the armchairs, lifting his mug, and shuffling the cafe's magazine's around- doing everything that's unlike his usually easy-going nature.
Kaeya's always been good with words, good with wooing people, good at engaging. Until now.
"Um-" he starts out not-so elegantly. Stops because he doesn't know where to go from there.
"Albedo," the man says. Doesn't reach out for a handshake, just sits in the chair opposite him. He watches Kaeya carefully, Kaeya tugs at a loose lock of his hair, and the silent moment stretches longer than necessary.
Kaeya can practically feel the burn of Jean's gaze boring into the back of his head.
"Are you always so…" Albedo waves in his direction generically.
And like that, the spell of awkwardness is broken and Kaeya calms himself enough to slip into his well-practiced and easy demeanor. "No, no, as I said, I was only distracted."
"Distracted," repeats Albedo.
"By the barista- he's a friend, regrettably. By my drink, which he just brought over." Then Kaeya leans forward just slightly, resting his chin on his hand and giving Albedo his sultriest look. "By you."
Albedo immediately stands and turns to leave, surprising Kaeya. He reaches out, grabbing Albedo by the elbow of his sleeve, tugging gently. "Wait-"
"Relationships are troublesome," says Albedo, turning back to him and looking down his nose as though he peers right into Kaeya's being. It's unnerving in a way. Utterly breathtaking in another. "Something difficult that must be maintained. A taxing thing that requires a lot of effort."
"Um-"
"What I'm saying is that I owed Jean a favor and so I came. And honestly, I have a genuine interest because you're more pleasing than expected, but I'm only going to stay if you treat our date seriously."
Being serious is Kaeya's worst nightmare, is literal nemesis. He's absolutely doomed.
But, if it doesn't work out, he gets a week of free coffee. Strange, how he wants to actually make an effort instead. There's just something about Albedo- about his smooth skin and cool gaze, the way that he's looking just this side of constantly sneering.
"Alright," says Kaeya, "Yes- okay, seriously. I can do that."
Albedo considers him for a moment so long that Kaeya's almost certain he's going to leave. He's already standing and half-turned, the door is right there only twenty paces away.
Kaeya hopes he doesn't. He's decided that he doesn't want a week's worth of coffee and the persistant bachelor life, he'd rather the opportunity to run his hands through Albedo's soft-looking hair.
Albedo sits back down against all odds.
"So…" starts Kaeya, "More pleasing than expected?" It's honest curiosity.
A curl of amusement falls across Albedo's face. "It's the eyepath," he says, "It's interesting. I like mysteries, puzzles that take time to think through and examine."
"Oh?"
"Yes, I'm a scientist, you see-"
Venti chooses the absolute worst time to come back and drop a mug onto the low table between them. Albedo looks at it dumbly, Kaeya's eyebrow twitches and Venti smiles widely.
"For you, on the house!" he says with an enthusiastic chirp.
Albedo blinks passively. "I didn't-"
"Oh-ho, I know you didn't, but Jean did!" Then Venti winks. "Just take it otherwise she might fire me."
Albedo takes the mug without another word, pulling it into his lap.
"Alright then," says Venti with a bow and flourish, "I'll leave you two lovebirds-"
"Venti."
Venti pouts at Kaeya, but says nothing else as he flits off. Kaeya presses his face into his hand, massaging at his temple. "I'm sorry about that," he murmurs, "Just- just ignore him."
Albedo hums. "He seems… energetic."
Energetic isn't the half of it; Venti is one-of-a-kind and not always in a good way. Being friends with him is only inviting trouble. Still, Kaeya chuckles. "He's certainly not lacking in that department."
Their table falls quiet, the sounds of the cafe swallowing them up. Kaeya sips at his coffee, strangely, enjoying calm. "You know, this is nice," he says. "Just sitting here. Usually, I feel like I really have to work at it. And putting effort in isn't bad, it's just-"
"No, I understand," cuts in Albedo, "There's an ease to it, whatever's here. Perhaps the reason that I stayed after your insulting blunder."
He sips at his coffee and Kaeya laughs at his bluntness. "Can't imagine that I impressed you much. What was it really? What kept you?"
Albedo gives him a measured look, his long fingers wrapped loosely around his mug. "Oh, I don't know, just a feeling. I've learned to listen to my gut over the years."
Kaeya lifts his chin from his hand and huffs a short chuckle, incredulous. What was it that Jean said? The spark, she'd called it. Something about just knowing upon first sight? Kaeya did, he thinks; felt something the moment he saw Albedo.
He leans forward and smiles, this one softer and more genuine.
"Oh? Please, tell me more."
Albedo smiles back.
