drink; the most cliche au ever

Hope had never imagined himself working in a coffee shop after graduating, but really, it wasn't so bad. It was a nice, little family-owned place that he'd actually been coming to for years, and it wasn't the end of the line for him - a scientific corporation was opening a branch in the next city over, and he already had a position lined up there.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't take effect for several months, hence his simple job of serving coffee and pastries. He figured it was a way to earn a bit of extra money while he was waiting for the "actual" career to happen.

"Hope! Pay attention! It's gettin' to be a madhouse out there!"

Hope chuckled to himself at the owner's spazzy declaration. There were four customers in here - nothing he couldn't handle, unless they had some sort of ridiculously specific order. And even then, it was no big deal. He'd also learned long ago not to take the owner - a kindly man named Sazh - too seriously. The man was usually as laid back as they came, and only wanted the best for his customers. It was likely why this little place had stayed in business for so long.

"Large, no milk, three sugars." Hope pushed the cup across the counter, nodding a little when the customer slid their card to pay. "Thanks. Have a good day."

The words were menial, an automatic reaction. Funny how he'd never thought that back then, when he came here when he was younger, since their parents would always leave them here to do their shopping…

"You, too." She nodded seriously, but a much more pleasant expression took over her face when she turned, carrying two hot chocolates and a giant bag of pastries. The brownies here were this coffee shop's best-kept secret.

Hope was immediately by her side. "Lemme help."

"I've got it." Despite this, she handed one of the cups over. "Good thing Sazh still makes this hot chocolate for us. I definitely prefer it over coffee."

"Yeah, me too." He took a sip as the two slid into their usual table. "Just think, though, someday we'll be old enough to drink coffee."

"Not me."

He grinned, breaking off a piece of one of the giant brownies he'd snatched from the bag and handing it to her. "I bet you'll be eating those words one day."

She took the treat from him with a sly smile. "We'll see."

"Hope! Look alive!"

He blinked in confusion, wondering where the hell that had come from. He hadn't thought about her in years.

…Four years, to be exact.

"They're comin' in fast." Sazh had somehow made his way to the counter, which was odd since he usually stayed in the office and dealt with the business side of things here - but then again, they were the only two employed for that day. "Bettin' it's because of the rain. You just give old Sazh a shout if you need help, all right?"

"Yeah." Hope managed a smile as he turned to pour more coffee. "C'mon, like I've ever had any trouble in that area."

Sazh responded with a chuckle and a pat on his shoulder before disappearing into the back office, leaving Hope to the sudden plethora of customers.

She wrinkled her nose at the strong smell. "What's in here? It smells more like a dessert than a drink."

"Aw, c'mon. Just try it." Hope nudged the styrofoam cup a bit closer, unable to hide the smile on his lips at her expression. All of them were becoming more and more endearing over the years, but he'd never said a word to her about it. They were best friends, and he was determined to keep it that way.

"…Fine." After a moment of hesitance, she took a sip, a sudden look of surprise crossing her eyes.

"You like it?"

"…Yeah." She took another sip, this one almost sheepish, somehow. "What's in it?"

"It's a Sazh specialty, just for us." Hope unconsciously nudged his chair closer to hers. "A large with a double shot of espresso, three pumps of caramel syrup, and one sugar."

"I thought he got rid of the caramel syrup."

"He's keeping it just for us."

"….That's nice of him." She glanced down into her drink with a faint smile. "Okay. I guess I have a new usual."

As the crowd grew, Hope was tempted to snag a triple espresso for himself. He still didn't need Sazh's help - at least for the moment - but everyone's orders were gradually becoming more and more complicated, and he cursed the day coffee became a corporation they had to compete with.

The shop was filling with people and there was so much noise that he could barely hear himself think. He hopped up to the register at the next customer in line, not giving them a look because he was halfway watching the new pot brewing, ready to grab it the second it was ready. "What can I get for you?" he asked in a rushed, slightly annoyed voice.

"…Large with a double shot of espresso, three pumps of caramel syrup, and one sugar."

For one long minute, everything stopped. It wasn't just the voice behind that order…but it was the order itself. Nobody knew about the caramel syrup except…

He gasped sharply. "…Lightning?"

"I have to talk to you."

"…So do I."

Hope's heart leaped. Could it be? Maybe it was for the same reason? That would certainly make this confession a lot easier. He practically skipped to their usual table, completely missing the somewhat somber look on her face.

She let out a quiet sigh once they were seated with their coffee. "…You first."

He shook his head. His chest physically hurt, and he was going crazy with not being able to say it - that over the years, over hundreds of meetings like this and a friendship deeper than he had with anyone else, he'd somehow fallen in love with her. He figured that today, the day after their high school graduation, was a perfect time to say it - but it would be a lot easier if she said it first.

She didn't look amused at his head shake, though. "Hope…"

He leaned back in his chair. "Same time?"

"…Okay. Sure."

This was it. He was sure they would blurt out the same three words that would totally change them for the better. It was exhilarating to say his after the count of three.

"I love you."

"I'm going overseas."

"…What?"

"What?!"

For a full minute, they just stared at each other, both in shock by each other's news. Hope was positive he'd hear her wrong, and wanted to ask, but all that came out was a croaking noise. Luckily, she broke the silence.

"…What did you say?"

At her question, all of his feelings seemed to rush in him like a waterfall. He took one of her hands, ignoring the stunned expression on her face. "I love you, Lightning," he said earnestly. "I have for a long time. Years. I know we're friends, but I also know without a doubt that I want to be with you. It's always been you." He completely ignored the deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. "I know it'll be hard with us going off to college and everything, but - "

"That's just it," she interrupted, taking her hand back. "I got accepted into an accelerated program overseas. I'm leaving in a week."

"What?!"

"I just found out yesterday, or I would have told you. They gave out the acceptances at a really late notice." Her hands went around her cup, like she was wordlessly telling Hope not to take it again. "I'm going to be there most of next year."

Hope was completely dumbfounded. Even if he hadn't had such strong feelings for her, this news would have been a complete blow. The two of them had spent so much time together for practically their whole lives, and now…?

"…We can…always do a long distance thing," he suggested meekly.

She immediately shook her head, surprising him when she abruptly stood up. "We can't. It would be easier if we just didn't talk anymore."

"What?"

"I'm leaving." She crumpled her empty cup in one hand, a strange note of anguish in her voice that he completely missed. "Goodbye, Hope."

"Light, wait - !"

But it was already too late. By the time he'd sped out the door after her, she was already lost in the crowd.

Four years.

Four years without a single word of contact - nothing to let him know that she was even alive.

But here she was. Right in front of him, like all of those lonely years had never existed, like he hadn't spent his time throwing himself into schoolwork so that he could forget about her, or avoiding this shop until he'd needed a job, or wishing every night that he could just talk to her one more time.

The other customers were completely forgotten. Her familiar blue eyes was all he saw.

"Light…"

Four years, and his feelings hadn't changed. They'd been locked away and muted somewhat, but everything was unleashed at seeing her. All this time…and he still loved her.

Did she know? She must have. It was written so plainly on his face.

"…And one of those brownies, too."

"Huh?" Everything came crashing down - the customers, the smell of coffee, the register that was making a beeping noise, and it occurred to him that she'd made an order. "Oh, yeah. Uh…" He punched it into the register, trying to calm his racing heart as he wordlessly raced around to put the order together, finding the caramel reserves in a secret cabinet. He had no idea what to say when he gave her her drink - and that brownie, of course - but it didn't matter, because when he handed them to her, she put her hand on his.

At that moment, he knew.

Lightning kept the gesture, but then seemed too alerted by the annoyance of the customers behind her. "I'll be at our usual table," she murmured, squeezing his hand lightly before taking a drink. "We have a lot to talk about."

"…Yeah." He smiled, not even minding the grumbling of the next order, since he'd instead kept his eyes on Lightning sitting in her usual chair like nothing had changed.

Except…everything had changed.

They did have a lot to talk about, but he knew that this time, neither of them would leave without the other.