Tamaki Suoh (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} princetamaki) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} valarlogs,@ 2017-01-28 01:32:00 |
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When: Recently
Where: A local coffee shop
What: Accidental coffee thievery ends up with them making plans for that afternoon
Ratings: Low
Status: Complete
Tas was sure that at some point, someone had explained to him what the names written on the side of the cups meant. Unfortunately, Tas had promptly forgotten what it was, and so the mystery would forever remain.
So when they placed the beverage on the counter, Tas didn’t hesitate to snatch it up, despite the fact that the name on the side of the cup was most certainly not Tasslehoff. It was very nice of them, Tas thought to himself as he often did, for them to just lay out free drinks for whoever wanted them.
***
Tamaki was trying to make it to his school on time but there were days when he just needed the caffeine to make it through the day and Maman’s head would be hurting too badly for their cook to brew any at home. Which was what had him waiting for his drink to be ready even though he was going to be late to school. He heard the young man call his name and he made his way to the counter, a friendly (almost flirty) smile on his face because the boy was very cute and nice but when he got there...no coffee was waiting on the counter and he looked around in confusion. “I thought you called Tamaki…”
His friend started making his drink over again, extra sugar and everything with a promise to bring it out to him personally this time. Tamaki was already going to be late to school so he didn’t see any problem with waiting a little longer for his caffeine. He would get in the same amount of trouble for being late if it was a few minutes more. He made his way over to a table, tripping over someone but he just used his brilliant smile and apologized for his clumsiness, charming the young woman as he begged for forgiveness. He looked around, while he waited, and grinned when he saw someone he recognized. He hadn’t met the young man in person but they’d talked over the network a few times and he thought of him as a friend. “Tas!” he called, waving him over to his table.
***
Tas brightened when he heard his name, and though he didn’t recognize the voice he turned toward the person who was speaking. It only took a moment for him to recognize Tamaki’s face from the Network, and he all but skipped over to him. “Tamaki, hi!” Tas said cheerfully. He had to hop a little to get into the chair. “What a coincidence, finding you here!” he said cheerfully. “Do you come here often? I just love it here! They’re so friendly.”
***
Tamaki grinned at him. “It’s on the way to school! I come in almost everyday!” He said, excitement bubbling up. “Someone grabbed my coffee this morning though so they’re having to remake mine. I’m friends with one of the baristas and he said he’d bring it out to me when it was done.” He told him. “I’ll be late to school but it’ll be okay…” He said his voice trailing off slightly as his eyes fell on the name on the cup in Tasslehoff’s hand.
“Tas...you took my coffee,” he said eyes moving back up to the other’s face.
***
Tas was about to express his condolences on the loss of Tamaki’s coffee - really, people could be so thoughtless sometimes, and the barista really should have been careful to keep an eye on Tamaki’s coffee - when Tamaki mentioned that Tas had his coffee in hand.
Surprise, Tas looked at the cup and realized that the name written on it was Tamaki’s own. “Oh, wow!” he exclaimed. “You’re lucky that I picked it up! Who could imagine what would have happened to it otherwise? Here you go!” he said, holding the cup out to his friend.
***
Tamaki laughed and shook his head, waving the offered cup away. “It’s fine. He’s making me a new one. Just be warned - that has extra sugar in it. A lot of it actually.” He said with a grin. He liked how lighthearted his new friend was, how he didn’t let anything bother him. And it didn’t seem like an act or for anyone else’s benefit. It was just...Tas.
***
“I could tell!” Tas said. He’d already taken a couple of sips. “But that’s okay! I love sweet things. And sweet coffee is so much better than bitter coffee!” Everyone who had to deal with Tas once the sugar rush kicked in would probably wish he hadn’t had so much, but Tas loved it. “It’s definitely better than some of the coffees I’ve had. Some of them taste extra bitter and it’s really hard to finish drinking them. But I love the surprise of not knowing what I’m going to get! I think that’s the best part of coming to a coffee shop.”
***
“I don’t understand how people can drink coffee without cream and sugar. It tastes so...gross,” Tamaki said, having to pause to think of the right word in English. “Extra sugar and cream. That’s the only way I can stomach it. And there’s no way to get through my first class without caffeine.” He glanced at his watch. “Or my second class now.” He didn’t care. His Maman would understand when he told her he’d had to wait for his coffee. Although he’d probably leave out the part about his coffee being picked up by a friend. “Tas...you just pick up whatever cup is ready when you come in? That’s stealing.” He said softly, concern obvious in his voice as he leaned in slightly.
***
“Right? I guess there are people who like bitter things, but it just doesn’t make sense to me! I really like it when coffee has chocolate in it too! Like a mocha! Those are probably the best coffee drinks ever!” If Tas hadn’t already gotten over his guilt (all 0.2 milliseconds of it) of accidentally picking up his friend’s coffee, he would have then. Tamaki’s first class was probably boring, and he bet they still weren’t letting him talk to his friends in class.
Tas gasped, a little offended. “I would never steal,” Tas said. “Stealing’s not right. Oh no, I just take the coffees they leave for whoever wants them!” he said, pointing to the counter where someone was, just now, picking up the coffee that had been left there.
***
“Have you tried the ones with whip cream on them too? They’re my favorites! But I don’t like drinking those on the way to school. I have to rush too much to really enjoy it!” Tamaki said brightly.
He felt a little bad at having offended his friend and he bit down on his lower lip. “Tas I’m sorry. But...the cups they put up there aren’t for whoever wants them. That’s why they write the names on them. So people know which ones are theirs. Didn’t anybody explain that to you?”
***
“I loved whipped cream!” Tas said, excitedly. “Especially when they have that powdered chocolate stuff on top! It’s just so good! Except it always gets on my nose. Not that I don’t mind getting it on my nose. But it would be much better if I could lick my nose. I don’t think my tongue is long enough.” And the next couple of moments, the moments where Tamaki described exactly what the names on the cups meant, was occupied with him attempting to touch his nose with the tip of his tongue. “Maybe when you’re done school, you can come over and we can have hot chocolate with lots and lots of whipped cream!”
***
Tamaki didn’t notice that Tas wasn’t paying attention to his explanation, too busy flirting with his barista friend when the guy brought his drink over to their table. One of these days he’d get around to actually asking the guy out. Him or Haruhi. A little smile showed up on his face when he thought about Haruhi. His schoolmate was one of the nicest people he’d met since moving here and that face...he needed to talk to Haruhi again.
“Sorry - what was that? I got...distracted,” he said, eyes watching the barista as he moved back around the bar. That was another big appeal of this place for him.
***
“Oh, that’s fine!” Tas said. “I was just saying that when you’re done school, you should totally come over, and we can have hot chocolate with a mountain of whipped cream and marshmallows! Oh, I wonder if they still have marshmallows that are shaped like things! I’ll go pick some up right now so they’ll be ready for when you come over. And you’ll have to stay for supper, of course. Raistlin won’t mind! In fact, I bet he’d be glad for the company! Hmm, what’s your favourite food? I was thinking of making some steak and kidney pie, but I’d be more than happy to switch that up if you want!”
***
Tamaki grinned at him. “Have you seen the ones shaped like ice cream cones? They look so fun! And Maman found some shaped like penguins at one of the stores but I don’t know which one. They tasted like vanilla.” He said, taking a sip of his drink.
“I’ve never had steak and kidney pie? Is it good?”
***
“I haven’t!” Tas exclaimed excitedly. “I’ll try and find both of them! I bet that the penguins would like ice cream ones, since they can keep each other cool in the hot chocolate!”
Tas nodded enthusiastically at the question. “It is! Especially mine, if I do say so myself. My mom taught me how to cook, and there used to be riots in the street when she’d make her meat pies!”
***
“They might also have snowmen ones! I’ve seen those in some of the grocery stores! I didn’t get to try them though. I was with my Father and he didn’t want to get them for me,” Tamaki said with a gentle shrug, trying to pretend like it didn’t bother him the way his relationship with his father was. He was mostly used to it by now. It had been like this ever since he was little.
“I’ll let Maman know I’m having dinner with a friend tonight!” He said with a grin. He heard his phone going off and he frowned as he looked at it. One of his friends from school asking if he was coming at all that day. “I should go. If I miss school I’ll be grounded. But I’ll see you this afternoon.” He didn’t mean to sound like he was flirting but it was him...flirting was like air to him at times.
***
“I’ll see you this afternoon!” Tas said cheerfully. “Have fun at school! Even if they won’t let you talk to everyone. But I’d hate for you to get grounded. Then you might not be able to come to dinner!” And that would be terrible. Tas’ parents had never thought to ground him - in fact, they probably would have thought that punishment was as inhumane as Tas himself thought it was, but Tas had had friends growing up who’d been grounded and he knew more or less what it entailed. “Though, maybe if you get grounded I can sneak you in some dinner anyway!”
***
“I’ll see you this afternoon! It will give me something to look forward during all my boring classes. And make up for not being allowed to talk all day.” Tamaki said standing up and giving him a little wave before walking out the door.