Sorry for the wait! I'm still so new to OTL;;
1. Coffee Shop AU
"The usual"
4:45pm
She'll be here soon.
Link idly gazed at the dusty clock on the wall, his fingers mindlessly fidgeting creases into his apron, trying to keep his hands occupied. The cups were cleaned, the silver was polished. Now, he can only wait.
4:25pm
The late Friday afternoon sun peered into the crevice of the alley; a strip at the edge of the city where another quiet day had come and passed by at the coffee shop.
"Sorry I can't stay back today. You sure you're alright to keep the place open by yourself?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it, Shad," Link smiled, continuing to wipe the rim of the glass before stacking it with the rest.
"Thanks, Link! You're a lifesaver!" Shad eagerly waved his way out of the door and was gone before you knew it.
4:45pm
She'll be here soon.
Link idly gazed at the dusty clock on the wall, his fingers mindlessly fidgeting creases into his apron, trying to keep his hands occupied. The cups were cleaned, the silver was polished. Now, he can only wait.
Click, click, click. The sound of heels echoed down the alley, closer.
"Hey," the husky voice chirped from the doorway. Link snapped his head up from his deep 'productive' concentration.
"Hm? Just you today?" the woman strolled across the room, dropping down into the armchair- her "usual spot"- taking out her laptop and notepad, as she always did.
"Y-yeah!" Link stumbled over the simple answer.
"Hm."
"So, uh... The usual today?"
"You know it," she smiled to the side before leaning back into her laptop, typing away.
The usual. An Espresso. The same exact thing she ordered since the first time she came here. It had been a month since- two months at least. But, he still didn't know her name? Why did he care so much? Because she was a loyal regular- right? Yes, it must be that; he pondered as he worked the machine, one cup filled to the brim.
He placed the drink on the tray and- "No need to do that."
"H-Huh?"
"No need to be so formal, hon," she reached out an open hand for the drink, other hand still typing away, still focused on the screen.
"A-Alright..." slightly confused, he nimbly walked over to the table, offering the caffeinated concoction before him- "Hey," she stopped, hand on the cup in the process of receiving it. He froze. "Y'know, we've never really exchanged names, huh?"
"Y-Yeah!" he piped in, perhaps a little more attentively than he should've been.
"Huh..." she mused, finally taking the steaming cup from him, extending out her other hand, "Midna."
"Link!" he impulsively returned his side of the exchange, "'name's Link"
"Link," she smiled to herself, "Take a seat," she broke the handshake, gesturing to the chair across from her, snapping him out of his daze.
"Yeah?" he dully asked, even though he had decidedly agreed anyway, clumsily pulling out a seat for himself, realising how stupid he must've looked.
"Of course," she chuckled, cupping the toasty beverage in her hands to take a deep, hearty sip.
"So, uh... Is the Espresso alright?"
"As always," she repeated, taking yet another sip.
"That's good," he smiled politely.
What was that? How boring could you get!
"So..." She shut her laptop with a solid thud and sunk comfortably back into the armchair, "Tell me a little more about yourself, Link."
"Huh? Me?" he jumped a little, pointing to himself in an almost comical fashion. She simply nodded.
"Well, uh... My name is Link, and, I uh... I already said that, didn't I...?" he winced at his own stupidity, only to be met with playful giggles in response.
"No, no, you're fine! Keep going!"
And he did- well, he tried. And when he was done, she just kept asking questions, upon questions, wanting to know more, and more.
Their conversation had ended up in a fit of constrained giggles and friendly teasing.
"Oh! Oh my goodness, what's the time?" she breathed, trying to oppress the laughed that lingered at the back of her throat.
6:03pm
Had we really been chatting away for that long?
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she mumbled, hastily packing her belongings back into her bag.
"Ah! Don't worry! I can keep the shop open if-"
"Oh no, hon, it's not that- I just need to get going," she smirked, quickly scribbling down last-minute notes before ripping the page out, promptly picking up her possessions, making her way out the door-
"Wait!"
She turned on her heel to meet him, face to face, "Hm?"
"I-I-I-" he choked, "I- You haven't told me about yourself!" he huffed, desperately.
"Oh?" she cocked her head to the side, a snark grin playing on her lips. She leaned in closer, and closer. Oh, so dangerously close. He held his breath, feeling the bright red burn on his cheeks and her breath on his nose-
"Well then..." she whipped out a small, folded piece of paper between their lips, "you'll have to find out then, won't you?"
"H-Huh?"
She swiftly dropped the note into the pocket of his apron, patting the small pouch in assurance. Turning her back to him once more, "I'm glad we finally had this date. I'll see you next week then, huh, Link?" Midna giggled out the door, down the alleyway, disappearing at the corner.
'What?'
Link blinked furiously.
'What just happened?'
He inspected himself as if to check that everything was in order, patting himself down- 'The note!'.
He clumsily picked out the paper, carefully unfolding it.
Numbers?
Numbers!
Oh my goddesses!
I got her number!