Author's Note

Sorry for not updating for so long. I was procrastinating writing for this story by writing another story...I have an idea for another chapter already so I wanted to finish up the coffee shop AU. Childhood AU! I might be writing actual smut for this collection the future as well. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

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Days passed as they are wont to do, and Midousuji kept his habit of visiting the small cafe. Lee was happy to tease him and Onoda as per usual. The bespectacled boy still manned the register. Lee had begun to teach him the art of coffee on the side.

The strange feeling that plagued him had not passed.

It was the feeling that churned in his gut when he gazed upon the shorter teen's face. Hot and acidic and nauseating. Something was wrong with him.

Onoda had the day off when he questioned Lee about it. Since the death of his mother Lee was the only maternal figure he had. She wouldn't judge him and held more knowledge than he did.

"When I look at Onoda I feel strange."

Lee's hand stopped polishing the counter as her eyes lifted up. But she wasn't acting as if she expected anything else.

"And?"

"I want to be nice to him and I want to stare at him and I like talking to him and it's all so...gross," at the end of his rushed sentence his teeth clacked together.

"That's not so strange to me. In fact, I felt like that too once. Most people do at some point."

Reassured a bit he continued, "It's like in my cousin's shoujo manga but since Onoda is a guy and I'm a guy...I don't know what..."

Lee had walked over to his table as he spoke. "Akira, I understand." She laid her hand on top of his. "It's perfectly normal. Sometimes boys like boys and girls like girls and everything in between. It takes all folks. I'm pretty sure Onoda-kun is just as confused as you are. You're young, it's how things go!" She smiled in encouragement.

Midousuji thanked her and headed out the door. He had promised to watch a movie with his younger cousin Yuki. She had been nagging him about not playing with her.

Onoda's friend Manami visited the café on his next work day. The two had meet by chance when Onoda picked up Manami's water bottle and somehow the two became friends. He didn't share Onoda's love of anime but would listen to him talk anyway. Onoda regarded him as a close friend.

The blue haired boy was perched on one of the high stools along the counter. Lee was regaling him with funny stories as she worked the espresso maker and monitored the coffee drips.

Midousuji walked in as Onoda laughed at Manami's comment about how he was the main character of one of those older women's manga now which had Lee protesting that she was.

The group didn't notice Midousuji until the loaming shadow crossed over them. Onoda sprang into action.

"Ah Midou-kun, this is Manami-kun who's a friend of Onoda-kun. "

"Hello..." Midousuji wasn't sure if he thought that placid smile was very authentic.

"We've known each other since freshman year! Manami-kun has been busy though since his club has been preparing for a competition."

"And we all have supplementary lessons," he laughed while rubbing his head with another smile.

Midousuji thought he might just be ditzy then. Onoda handed over his usual order. He sat down with his textbook in front of him. It was in vain though. The group was boisterous in the busy café and the sounds grated on his ears. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he was involved in the conversation yet the new presence of Manami led him to sulk at his table.

Sadly, Manami's presence wasn't a onetime thing. He seemed to be at the café whenever Midousuji was there hogging Onoda's attention. He always had a slightly obnoxious smile when he looked over at the taller teen. He knew that Midousuji didn't like him for monopolizing Onoda. The boy in question hadn't noticed anything different.

Lee wasn't help either. She was a traitor now. It must be amusing for her to watch the not truly a love triangle.

Manami was getting handsier and closer to Onoda. Midousuji was getting sulkier and grumpier. Onoda was happy to have two friends at his workplace and well-funded weekend trips.

It was the Friday afternoon that Manami swung an arm around Onoda's shoulder and nuzzled into his neck. The white porcelain cup in Midousuji's hands made an ominous creaking sound. He was sure that Manami was fucking with him and wasn't actually interested like that in Onoda. It only cemented his decision.

He caught Onoda after closing that weekend. He was waiting outside the door while the other teen closed up the store. Lee san's encouragements echoed in his ears alongside the anxious twist of his intestines. He shoved trembling hands into his pockets.

"Ah, Midousuji-kun, you were out here waiting?" Onoda fumbled with the lock on the glass door.

"I wanted to tell you something…"Midousuji turned and began the walk to Onoda's. A startled shout told him that Onoda was following him.

"Well…what was it?"

"I don't like it Manami-kun hands around you."

"What? Why?"

"Because you look too happy. It's gross."

Onoda stopped walking. "Are you jealous?" He didn't sound upset.

"No that's gross. Of course I'm not jealous. I don't like being ignored that's all." The taller boy refused to look at Onoda.

"You know, you can tell me that you like me," Onoda rushed out, "because I think I like you too."

Midousuji's jaw dropped; had he been that obvious or had Lee ratted him out.

"Even though you were scary at first, you're nice Midousuji-kun. You always study hard, Lee-san likes you, and you like anime. But you can be awkward sometimes and you sulk a lot."

"You're painfully shy and don't stick up for yourself. I still think it's fun to talk to you and I like it when you pay attention to me."

At this point both young men where blushing, Onoda quite a bit more than Midousuji. They had closed the gap between them slowly as they spoke. Midousuji was looking somewhere near Onoda's shoulder and Onoda's glasses had a little steam on them from the humid night air.

A slim slipped out from a pocket. "You don't think it's weird that we're both guys?"

"Midousuji-kun, I've known I was gay for a while now."

"Well, okay then."

A smaller hand caught the slim hand entwining their fingers. Onoda pulled on Midousuji's hand drawing him down. He brushed his lips across the taller's slim lips. He gave one of his lopsided smiles before drawing him off to continue their walk.

"If you're going to be my boyfriend you have to come with me to Akihabara every weekend."