Since Blaine started working at the coffee shop he has a crush on Kurt. Kurt his co-worker. Kurt who either also likes him back or is just a very kind and caring person in general. They are more than just co-workers, closer than with their other co-workers. But they aren't exactly friends either. They never spend time together outside of the shop and don't talk much if it's not work related. But the curly haired man is determined to finally ask his crush out on a date today.
Or maybe not today. Today is a bad day. Too many people with too little time. A forth and back of ordering, serving, paying. If Blaine doesn't even has time to talk to Kurt he can't ask him out. Adding on that is that most customers are in a bad mood too. But like Tom, their boss, always says "the customer is king". Tom hates people and Blaine honestly doesn't know why he has a job in which he has to work with people. His employees hate him too and a lot of them would've quit already if the pay wasn't that good.
The customer is king. That's why, whatever they want, do or say, Blaine simply nods and smiles. Americano not hot enough? Iced latte not cold enough? Too much foam on the macchiato? Smile, apologize and leave to get the order right.
Of course there are nice customers as well. Like the old Lady who comes by every day at three to drink a cappuccino and eat a piece of cake. She also leaves a very generous tip and Blaine thinks he never saw her without a smile on her lips. But today the rude customers overweight the kind ones.
Blaine sighs. He still has to work two hours until he can take his break. Once the next order is ready Kurt gives it to his co-worker with a smile. Blaine smiles back and makes his way to the table number 5. A few minutes the curly haired man makes his way back to the counter, an iced latte on his tray "Kurt".
"More ice?" the other man asks but Blaine shakes his head "You won't believe this. The woman actually complained that it's too cold". "But it's an iced latte" Kurt laughs. This beautiful laugh. No matter how bad Blaine's mood is he has to laugh too. Quickly Kurt looks to his left and right, making sure no one is looking, before he uses his freshly washed hand to take half of the ice cubes out of the drink. Blaine laughs again before he takes the drink and goes back to the table.
Each time the curly haired man goes back to the counter the two men smile at each other but they don't really find the time to talk. They won't eve take their break at the same time because it's too crowded.
Blaine doesn't have time to clean a table before the next customer sits down and calls a waiter to a table. "Hell-" Blaine wants to great the customer but he immediately cuts him off "Clean the table! I don't want to drink my coffee on a disgusting, dirty table". "Yes Sir" the curly haired waiter nods and cleans the table with a cloth before bringing the dishes to the back.
Shortly after he comes back to take the man's order. He orders a macchiato and piece of apple pie. Blaine nods and goes to the counter. "Kurt a large macchiato please" he says while getting the pie ready. "Uh. Rude customer?" Kurt asks when he hears the sound of the other man's voice. "Yep. Didn't got the chance to clean the table before he choose to sit down on that one and he accused me" Blaine answers "I'm so glad to join you behind the counter after my break because Michael starts serving". "When can you take it?" the chestnut haired man asks. With a look at the time Blaine answers "A bit more than 30 minutes". "Okay I get coffee ready for you by then" Kurt smiles and the other man grins back "Thank you".
"One macchiato" the chestnut haired man says, putting the drink on the tray. "Thank you" the other man says and goes back to the table. He puts the pie and drink down and just as he's about to turn around again the customer snaps "The drink is way too hot! Do you want me to burn myself?". Blaine turns around again and smiles politely "I apologize. Let me fix it and get you a new one".
"What's wrong now?" the chestnut haired man asks and Blaine shakes his head "Too hot. I let it rest here for a minute and bring it back to him". He actually thought that he could take a moment to breathe but another table calls for him, wanting to pay. Blaine sighs and turns around again.
A minute later Blaine brings the drinks back to the table. Again he turns around but the man still isn't satisfied "This isn't a new drink. It's not fresh. There's almost no foam anymore and what is a macchiato without foam?". "I apologize but freshly brewed drinks with foam are always hot" Blaine explains. "I don't care. It's your job to get my drink right and this isn't right" the man says angrily and throws the coffee glass off the table. It smashes on the ground and breaks into pieces.
"I apologize Sir. We'll get that cleaned up and bring you a new drink on the house" Tom rushes to the scene and pulls Blaine to the side "You will clean that up right now Anderson. I don't want to see a single splinter on the floor anymore. And his drink? Is yours to pay with your paycheck now clean that mess up and get back to work". With that the boss leaves again. Blaine sighs and goes back to the counter "A new large macchiato. Maybe try to make it with lukewarm milk so it's not that hot? I hope there will be enough foam that way". "Will do" Kurt answers, watching the other man get the cleaning utensils. He didn't see what happened, the table not in his eyeline but he saw Tom pulling Blaine aside and knowing Tom and seeing the look on Blaine's face Kurt knows that it was bad news.
As quick as possible Blaine is back at the table to clean the mess. First he collects all the bigger splinters until, ouch, Blaine grimaces. He looks at his left palm, seeing blood slowly running out of a long cut. The curly haired man quickly finishes with the big splinters and now only uses his right hand to wipe the small ones together and off the ground. Last but not least he takes a wet cloth and wipes the coffee off the ground, soaking some of the blood in the cloth too before it drips to the floor.
He goes back to the counter and asks "Kurt can you cover for me quickly? I need to use the bathroom". "Sure go" the chestnut haired man nods and takes the finished coffee, bringing it to the customer. This time he doesn't say anything. Blaine's idea with the lukewarm milk and Kurt making some extra foam for the top worked.
In the bathroom Blaine runs water over the cut before pressing a towel on the wound, hoping to stop the bleeding. Five minutes later he goes back to the counter and picks up his tray again. He thanks Kurt for covering and hears him answer "No problem" while he already goes to the next table and Kurt back behind the counter. On his way to the table Blaine balances the tray with two iced lattes in one hand. It's a risky move and he's scared to break even more glasses but he tried to hold it with both hands but it would sit right on the cut and it hurt. It didn't stop bleeding fully yet but at least it got less so for now he just covers it with a kitchen towel.
"One hot chocolate and one americano please" Blaine gives Kurt the order when he comes back to the counter. "Blaine take your break" the other man responds. "I still have about 10 minutes to go" the curly haired man shrugs and starts to cut two slices of pie. "The cloth you used for cleaning was red and you cover something with the towel Blaine. Did you hurt yourself and still continue working?" Kurt raises an eyebrow at him.
The curly haired man can't resist these blue eyes. He hangs his head in defeat but nods. "When you cleaned up?" the chestnut haired man asks and gain Blaine nods. "Show me where" Kurt says and the curly haired man shows him the cut. "Ouch. That looks like a deep one" the chestnut haired man says "Let me help you clean it properly".
They take their break together and Kurt takes a closer look at the other man's hand. "I think you should see a doctor. You might need stitches" he says but the other man shakes his head "I have to finish this shift. I already get less on my paycheck because of the macchiato and the broken glass and I need pretty much every penny from my paycheck". "Okay how about I wrap a bandage around it for now and you go after your shift?" the chestnut haired man proposes and Blaine nods "Okay. How do you know that much about wounds and stuff?". "My step-mother is a nurse. After some time you pick up stuff and remember it in moments like these" Kurt tells.
Then he remembers "We get off at the same time. I could come with you and make sure you really see a doctor if that's okay for you". "Yeah okay" the curly haired man nods. "Maybe after that I could take you out for coffee? At a nicer place of course" Kurt then invites but the other man shakes his head "You don't have to". "I want to. I would really like to get to know you Blaine. Outside of work. I really like you" Kurt says shyly. The other man's eyes widen for a moment before he smiles "I like you too".
"Well then. Coffee after work it is" Kurt smiles, taking the other man's hand "I'm looking forward to it". "Me too" Blaine says and after a look at the time he adds "We should go back. Our break is almost over". "You're right. You're behind the counter with me now so you do what you can with one hand and I'll help you with the rest" Kurt says and pulls them both to their feet again. "Thank you Kurt" Blaine smiles and the other man simply waves it off "That's really not a problem".