Once Upon a Coffee Cup

[InactiveCoffee]

This is a 1x1 between Dethbycoffee and @Ktulu

He frequents a coffee shop every day after school/work, she works as a barista there. He always sits at the same table by the window, in plain-sight of the counter, preoccupied with a book or their laptop. She can’t help but notice him and admire from afar. Too shy to go up and talk to him at his table, she finds another way to make an impression. She begins to write nice messages on his coffee cups, gradually getting a little bolder each day. “Have a nice night.” “That must be a good book.” “You look nice today.” “You have a cute smile.” Usually, by the time he notices these little notes, she has switched shifts with someone else. One afternoon, he comes in and orders their usual from her. When the order is ready, he makes sure to read the note right away. This time, the message reads: “Would you like to go out with me?”

 

[InactiveCoffee]

@Ktulu -- Starting basically just as the plot summary ends, where he'll find that final message on his cup.


Christian yawned lightly as he entered into his regular cafe, where he had been going every day for weeks now. His laptop and book bag slung over his shoulder, he headed for his usual table, in clear view of the counter, beside the window. He enjoyed occasionally peering out at the passing world as he searched for some kind of inspiration for his writing. He glanced around the cafe as he sat, smiling when he spotted his usual waitress, remembering the notes she had always left on his cups. I'll make a point to read it first this time. he mentally told himself as he set up his laptop like usual. He still had some class work he had to finish that was due in the morning, but he had good enough marks it wasn't something that preoccupied his mind. He ordered his usual as he stared at his laptop, clicking open his internet and logging into the remote access for school to gather his class work.

 

[Ktulu]

Dezerai felt a childish sort of giddiness when she noticed Christian enter the coffee shop, from where she stood behind the counter, drying a mug with a cloth. It was a little out of character for her to do something so brash as what she planned to do today, if the notes she already had been leaving on his cups hadn't already been. Therefore, she was slightly nervous about it. But an attempt couldn't hurt, right? Funny how she had yet to pick up his name.


Setting the mug down with the rest, the brunette grabbed one of the small notepads under the counter and a biro from the pocket of her jeans. Leaving the kitchen area, she approached the student, pen and paper at the ready. "Do you want to order anything?" she asked, like every other day, a slight smile quirking the corners of her lips upwards.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Christian typed out his password, "My usual, thanks." he said absently as he watched the screen load for a moment before clicking through the other pages he had opened up on his screen. He attempted to recall her name, but it had slipped his mind, and he pursed his lips when his screen froze for a moment. "And a muffin, please." he added, realizing he hadn't eaten yet that day, having been swamped with school work and waking up late. He settled back in the chair he always sat in, and began to type on his laptop. He had to get the assignment done, but his mind kept flickering to the notes he had always found on his cups. He wondered if there would be one today, and mostly kept thinking about it so that he would remember to look at it as soon as he got his drink.

 

[Ktulu]

The waitress gave a nod of her head and slipped the notebook and pen back into the back pocket of her jeans. A muffin and coffee wasn't anything difficult to remember. Now, on with what she had thought about doing for a while now. Whether or not anything positive would come of it, she didn't know, but again, Dezerai felt there was no harm in giving this a shot. She had come this far after all.


Returning to her place behind the counter, the brunette picked up a coffee cup and prepared his usual order, along with the muffin. Taking a small breath and grinning slightly to herself, she pulled out the biro again and wrote, 'Want to go out with me sometime?' on the side in neat enough print. Then she put it back down on the tray she had taken out, along with the muffin, and brought it to the student's table. "Here you go; one muffin and coffee. Enjoy." Then, like every other time, Dezerai turned and retreated back to the coffee shop's counter again. She wasn't confident enough to wait for him to read it.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Christian glanced up for just a moment when his coffee and muffin arrived, giving a short, quick smile to the waitress, and looking back down at his screen. He typed a few more words, and paused, as though he had remembered something. He reached for his cup and took a cautious sip of the warm beverage, and then he truly remembered what he had been thinking of. He lifted the cup, spinning it in his hand until he found the message.


He blinked at it for a moment when he read it, and a small smile crept onto his face. He chuckled, and set the coffee down, glancing over at the counter where the girl who was always his waitress, that he made a point to only come to the cafe while she was working, stood. He tilted his laptop screen, and stood, moving over to the counter. "Hey. Uhm... are you the one whose been leaving me messages on my coffees?" He asked curiously, his voice showing that he was a bit nervous in asking. "Cause, I mean... if you are... maybe we could catch dinner sometime? After your work or a day off maybe." He shrugged, sliding his hands into his pockets.

 

[Ktulu]

Well, this was a bit awkward. Dezerai hadn't thought this part through. Just up to leaving that last message on the coffee cup. Laughing sheepishly, she gave a nod.


"Uhh.. yeah, that was me," the brunette confirmed. However her attention perked slightly at his request. "Sure," she agreed, lips quirking into a small smile. "My shift ends at six, if you want to do something then," Dezerai suggested. Was that a bit soon? She wasn't sure. The waitress had dabbled a bit in relationships before, but her interest in someone hadn't ever lasted this long, that she could remember. Now I'm beginning to sound like a stalker.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Christian smiled, "Sure. I can finish up my assignment for college." He said lightly, and stepped away from the counter, and paused. "Uh, my name's Christian, by the way. Your's is... uh... Dezerai, right?" He asked, chuckling slightly at his awkwardness.