Author's Note: I had a few people asking about updates, so I just figured I'd let you know that the game plan is to update it once every couple of weeks, if time allows me to write. Enjoy!
Monday morning, Derek was opening with Penelope again. He unlocked the front door and walked to the register, logging in.
"Do you know his schedule yet?" Penelope asked, picking a pink Sharpie out of her apron and sticking it in her shirt pocket.
He shook his head. "That's why I have you around, darling."
She counted off his visit times, putting up a finger for each one. "If JJ drops him off, he'll be here in 20 minutes. If he drives himself, he'll be here after his first class at 9:30. His next class lets out at 11:30, so he'll be here around 11:45. Then his last class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday gets out at 1:30, so he'll be here 1:45 until he gets his homework done, because he prefers the coffee shop environment to the library." When he gave her a look, she shrugged. "What? Henry went down early and we got to talking."
"...Did you talk about anything else?"
"By anything else, do you mean six foot something delicious baristas? Because if you do, the answer is no." She paused, holding up a finger. "Though you did come up in a conversation."
He raised an eyebrow. "...Did you bring me up, or did he?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out." She looked over at him and groaned. "You are not puppy-eyeing me right now."
"You bet your ass I am."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get your hopes up. I mentioned you casually in one of our conversations."
"...And did he respond, or-"
"Sorry, handsome. I just got a 'Derek, he's the one who put the chocolate shavings on my white chocolate mocha, right?' followed by a 'while enjoyable, I didn't ask for it' and a 'does he always eavesdrop on your conversations and act so nosy?'."
"Okay, so I obviously made a pretty crappy impression on him… any advice?"
She shrugged. "I don't know, just… don't be an ass, I guess."
"Right to the point." He nodded. "Consider it done."
Spencer came in just as Penelope had said, right after his first class. He came up to the counter while Penelope was with another customer, so he turned to Derek.
"Hey, Spencer. Venti white chocolate mocha with whipped and chocolate drizzle?"
Spencer nodded and Derek picked up the cup, writing his drink on it before making it. While he was putting on the whipped cream, he picked up the cup again, writing something else. Once he was done, he put on the drizzle and fastened the lid, walking over and holding it out to him. "Anything else?"
He eyed the case, chewing his cheek and thinking to himself. "I'll take a coffee cake, please."
He reached in, grabbing one with a piece of tissue paper and putting it into a bag, holding it out to him. Spencer held out his credit card and Derek took it, swiping.
Penelope finished up with her customer and turned to Spencer. "Having a good Monday?"
He shrugged, putting his credit card back into his wallet. "Professors seem to forget the fact that we actually want to have some sort of life outside of school. It's a few weeks in and I already have three projects and four papers due."
She wrinkled her nose. "Ew. I wish you luck, young genius."
He held up his coffee cup. "Here's hoping this helps."
She held up crossed fingers. "Godspeed."
He gave a slight wave. "Penelope, Derek," he said, addressing each of them before heading out to his next class.
Once he left, Penelope backhanded Derek in the arm. "Are you insane!?"
"Excuse me?"
"Oh no, you don't get to play innocent here."
He grabbed a rag, wiping down the counter. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, so that wasn't your phone number written on the side of his cup, right under his name?"
He paused. "Okay, so I might know what you're talking about."
"Could you be anymore desperate for him to talk to you about something that isn't his coffee order or awkward barista small talk!" she snapped. "My advice to you was to not be an ass, and that was a pretty ass-y thing to do."
"His impression of me can only go up from where I have it, so I figured I had nothing to lose."
She rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Men."
Later on, Derek's phone started ringing and he dug it out of his pocket. Seeing a number he didn't recognize, he turned the phone to Penelope. "Any idea who this is?"
She read the number before her eyes widened. "...That's Spencer."
He smirked, putting up a finger and walking to the back room, closing the door behind him and answering. "Hello?"
There was a pause before Spencer spoke. "...Derek?"
"Yeah, who's this?"
"It's um, Spencer, your thrice-daily venti white chocolate mocha with whip and chocolate drizzle. This is going to sound odd, but I found this number written on the side of my coffee cup-"
He smiled. "Really? That is odd."
"Yeah, I think you should really be looking out where you're putting your phone number, Derek, you don't want it getting into the wrong hands."
Derek blinked a few times before swallowing. "...Yeah, I guess I do."
"I should get going to class." Spencer hung up and Derek sighed, walking back out and tucking the phone into his pocket.
"So how'd it go?" Penelope asked.
He gripped the counter. "You could've told me he doesn't catch on to the blatantly obvious."
She laughed softly. "Then what fun would this whole escapade be for me? How bad was it?"
"'I should really be looking out where I'm putting my phone number, I don't want it getting into the wrong hands'," he recited.
She bit her lip to hold back another laugh before patting him on the shoulder. "Oh, sweetness, I'm so sorry. Now my advice? Don't be an ass, and don't be an idiot."
"Consider it received." He sighed, and once Penelope wasn't looking, took out his phone and saved Spencer as a contact.
Derek decided to wait a few days before he tried to talk to Spencer again, mainly because Penelope was still mocking him for the 'phone number on the cup' trick he tried and failed. This gave him time to think about what he was going to do next. He tried not charging Spencer for his drink, but with his genius brain, he immediately figured it out and walked right back to the counter, handing Derek his credit card and insisting that he charge him for the drink. Not knowing what else to do, Derek apologized and charged him, though only for a smaller drink for the 'inconvenience'. He wore a shirt that he assumed was Spencer's favorite color, because he always came in wearing the color purple. Spencer barely even looked up at him during the transaction and this method proved to be absolutely pointless. He tried a few classic pick-up lines on him, but every last one of them fell on deaf ears.
It was obvious to him that Spencer didn't take to flirting well, or he didn't understand it, which meant any of his traditional ways to get a date were out the window. He also knew he couldn't do anything too outrageous, because he'd probably scare Spencer away, and that's the last thing he wanted to do. When it finally came to him, he couldn't believe how long it took his brain to figure out.
Spencer was sitting in a corner, his laptop plugged in and several books in front of him on the table, along with a notebook he was using to take all of his notes. Derek noticed that when he got stuck or before he'd look for an answer, he'd toy with his glasses and spin his now-empty cup around until he would remember what he wanted, and in his 'a-ha!' moment, he'd slam the cup down and apologetically look around before writing. He rarely referred to his laptop and seemed to be most comfortable with his notes and textbooks.
Penelope elbowed him in the side. "I can hear you thinking about him over at my register. Will you just do something already?"
He wrung his hands. "Maybe, I don't know. Just need to break the ice."
She set a cup in front of him. "I accidentally made a venti white chocolate mocha with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle, and I'd hate for it to go to waste."
He gave her a smile, picking it up. "You are a goddess, woman."
"Tell me something I don't know." She winked and nudged him. "Go."
"Are you all set up here, or-"
She moved her hands to shoo him away. "I've got it. Go."
He walked over to Spencer's table, setting the cup beside Spencer's hand.
Spencer paused, putting down his pen and looking at the cup, before glancing up at Derek. "...I didn't order this."
"No, but Penelope thought you could use a little something to distract you because you're working your ass off over here."
He smiled slightly, taking a sip and setting it down. "Thank you. Could I ask you something?"
He gripped the back of the chair across from Spencer. "Sure."
"...Are you on a break right now?"
He motioned toward the mostly empty shop. "Pretty much. Why, what's up?"
"I really hate to ask, but I could really use someone reading over this essay and telling me if it makes sense or if I should start over from my opening paragraph. Whoever told professors that an essay should count as 20% of a grade is really on my bad side right now."
"Okay, maybe caffeine was a bad choice for you," Derek joked, but when he saw no reaction from Spencer, shook his head and sat down across from him. "Let me see it."
Spencer chewed on his cheek before clicking his pen and picking up his notebook, going back several pages and holding it out to Derek. "It's just a first draft, so if there are any problems, don't feel bad pointing them out."
"I'm sure it's fine." He leaned back in his chair, reading every single word and taking in every last bit of information, so he could give his full attention to this for him.
It wasn't until ten minutes later that Derek set down the notebook, running a hand over his scalp. "Oh, wow."
Spencer winced slightly. "I can take it."
Derek shook his head. "No, kid, there's nothing to take. That draft is legitimately perfect. I couldn't find an error, a misspelling, or even a comma out of place."
Spencer gave him a small smile, picking up the notebook. "It's not done. I need to work on the final paragraph, then type it up and e-mail it to my professor."
"Seriously, all you need to do is finish that closing paragraph and type it, because it's perfect."
"Thank you," Spencer said, blushing slightly. "That means a lot."
"Stressing over your full-boat?" Derek asked, leaning forward.
Spencer chuckled. "Is it that obvious?"
Derek laughed softly. "Only because I was just as bad. I had an athletic scholarship and had to keep my GPA up to stay on the football team, so while all my buddies were partying and joining fraternities, I was in my dorm, working my ass off to get everything done. And let me tell you, I wasn't even half as smart as you are, so I needed to devote as much time as possible to it."
"I'm sure you weren't that bad..."
"You'd be surprised. Though I worked hard, I was a serial procrastinator and would only stress myself out more. I actually ended up faking injuries in practices so I could go to the library and finish studying."
Spencer chewed on his cheek. "So, you were a jock? Or are you still in sports?"
He clicked his tongue. "Afraid not. I ended up blowing out my knee in the big game senior year. Luckily, they pitied me and let me keep my scholarship."
"I'm sorry…"
He shrugged. "What fun would the NFL have been? Millions of dollars, endorsement deals, fame… it's overrated."
Spencer smirked. "Oh yes, I'm sure you would've definitely hated it and much prefer the life of a barista," he said, before turning his attention to the computer.
During an awkward silence, Derek turned around to face Penelope at the counter, and she groaned, mouthing Do it!
He cleared his throat. "So, Spencer…"
He raised an eyebrow, looking away from his laptop and fixing his glasses. "...Yes?"
Chewing on his cheek and wringing his hands, he tried to think of the right way to phrase it. "Are you up to anything this weekend?"
Spencer motioned toward the textbooks in front of him. "This and every weekend."
"Homework all weekend... how many classes are you taking? Isn't four considered full-time?"
Spencer nodded. "It is, but I'm taking six, hoping I can graduate early."
He exhaled. "That's ambitious."
He shrugged slightly. "It keeps me busy." He looked up at Derek, confused. "Wait...why did you ask what I'm doing this weekend?"
Derek paused. "Well, I just figured, you know, the two of us could make some plans, get to know each other a little better."
"You're my barista, why would I need to know you better?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.
"...Derek, are you alright? Do you need an aspirin? I have a few in my bag." He reached over, picking up his bag and opening it, digging through.
He shook his head, clearing his throat. "No, I just… I thought that maybe we could go out some time, just the two of us." He chanced a look at Spencer. "Maybe a movie or dinner or something?"
Spencer seemed to think about it. "...Can I ask you something without you judging me?"
"Sure?"
He straightened up, biting his lip, before lowering his voice. "Are you asking me out on a date?"
Trying to avoid the surprise in Spencer's voice, he nodded, sighing. "And obviously, it's not going very well."
"Listen, Derek," Spencer started, tapping his fingers on the table.
Derek winced, bracing himself for a rejection.
"I'm sure you're a really nice guy and a pleasure to date, but-"
"Just to venture a guess, I'm not your type?"
Spencer scoffed. "...Are you kidding? I'm surprised I'm your type. Now, could I finish?"
Derek put up his hands. "Sorry, go on."
He exhaled, motioning toward his textbooks. "I have a lot on my plate right now and I really don't think I can juggle dating on top of everything I need to do for school. I'd be happy to reconsider your offer after the semester's over."
Derek sighed, feeling defeated. He licked his lips and nodded at Spencer. "It was good talking to you. Good luck with your work." He got up, pushing his chair in, before turning around and walking back behind the counter.
Penelope nudged him. "So, how did it go?"
He gave her a thumbs down and stuck his tongue out.
"Oh come on, it couldn't be that bad."
"I talked to him, we got along, I didn't make an ass of myself, I eventually got right to the point… and I was met with a big, fat rejection."
She gasped. "No!"
He nodded. "Yep," he said, popping the 'p' and leaning back, groaning. "God, I'm an idiot."
She sighed, squeezing his shoulder. "On the brightside, you have another three hours of working with me?"
He smiled slightly. "Yeah, at least I have that."
Not long after, Spencer packed up his books into his bag, followed by his laptop. He put his bag over his shoulder and threw away his cup.
Derek saw him walking toward the counter and turned to Penelope. "...I'm going to go count inventory or something. I can not do more embarrassment today."
"Come on, he's probably just saying bye..." she tried to reason.
"I gotta go," he said quickly before he turned around, walking to the back room and closing the door, burying his head in his hands.
Penelope walked back a few minutes later, pulling at his arm. "Derek, he wants to talk to you."
"...What?"
She nodded, motioning toward the counter. "He said he wants to talk to you before he leaves. Are you really going to make him wait?"
He sighed, shaking his head and walking out, Penelope close behind him.
"Penelope, could we have a minute?" Spencer asked, gripping the strap of his bag and chewing on his cheek.
She nodded. "Of course. I'll go finish the counts Derek started," she said, winking at Derek before patting his shoulder and walking out.
"Another coffee?" Derek asked, stepping toward the register.
Spencer shook his head. "Anymore and I'm pretty sure I won't be sleeping tonight or tomorrow. I actually wanted to ask you something, if that's alright."
"...Okay."
He cleared his throat, looking down at his feet and sighing before looking up at Derek. "I was thinking about what you said earlier, you know, your proposal for us to have plans, or if you'd prefer to call it, a 'date'."
"I know I was way out of line asking you, and I'm sorry."
Spencer shook his head again. "You weren't, but I have a lot to do and can't put my focus on multiple things."
"...So you said."
Spencer bit his lip. "But I would like to go out with you… with a certain condition, if that's okay."
Derek lit up. "...I'm listening."
"I need you to accommodate my schedule." He reached in his pocket, taking out a folded piece of notebook paper and handing it to him. "Those are my classes and study times."
Derek eyed the piece of paper before shaking his head, handing it back to him. "I would much rather you choose the time and place, that way I'm not stepping on your toes or trying to squeeze my way into your life."
He paused for a second before nodding, taking the paper and stuffing it into his pocket. "So it's okay with you?"
"It's more than okay with me."
Spencer smiled at him, reaching for a napkin and holding it out to Derek. "I'm going to need your phone number."
"Lose the coffee cup?" Derek joked, taking out his Sharpie and writing it down, handing it to him.
"Yes, oddly enough, I threw it away when I was done." He read the number and tucked the napkin into his pocket. "I'll be in touch."
"I'll be waiting."
Spencer blushed again, waving to Penelope as she walked out, and he took his car keys out of his pocket, walking out to the parking lot.
She turned to Derek. "And what was that?"
"That was Spencer Reid agreeing to date me."
She smirked. "And once again, the Derek Morgan charm reigns supreme. Let me guess, my advice worked?"
"It helped a bit."
She scoffed. "Yeah, a bit my ass. You're welcome."