Chapter 1
There's this little family owned cafe a couple blocks from Billy's apartment, it's not Starbucks by any means but the coffee is good and it's decently priced. Not to mention the cute barista that works there. But Billy keeps that to himself, not need to fall over himself more than usual at the sight of a pretty face. Besides, he was probably straight. They were always straight.
Friday was an easy day, Billy had the day off and was meeting his brother. He wasn't sure how he got his twin to agree to their weekly coffee dates, — Tommy hated it when Billy called them dates and he continued to do it just to bother his twin — yet here the both of them were. Well, there was Tommy sitting by himself. His phone in his hand, probably texting Noh, who was Tommy's boyfriend. The two of them had been seeing each other for a couple years now.
Billy knew Tommy was stupidly in love with the boy, though his brother always liked to say he was allergic to feelings or anything of the sort. Little did Tommy know, Billy had caught the two boys cuddling many times. It was good for Tommy, he didn't exactly have the best childhood. With parents that failed to be just that, and everyone always assuming the worst of him. It was nice that Tommy now had a family that accepted and loved him for the sarcastic, slightly annoying, yet protective and loveable person he was.
"You know when you set a time to meet someone, it's considered polite to actually meet at that time." Tommy said not looking up from his phone. Billy sat across from his older brother, before rolling his eyes. Setting his phone down, the white haired twin looked up, tilting his head to the side. "What's up? You look spooked."
Instantly shaking his head, Billy leaned back in his chair. His hair grabbing at the ends of his hair tugging. "Nothing, I just." His brown eyes caught his brother's green ones. A look of 'don't fucking lie to me' struck him before he sighed. "My neighbor is a homophobe?" He thought he was done with all of that stuff once high school ended. No more hiding his sexuality. No more being weary of people around him, afraid if they were going to harm him for something he couldn't control.
"It's nothing.. Seriously bad. Just stupid shit. Like spray painting 'fag' on my door, leaving dog shit on my door step." The dark haired boy shook his head. It was exhausting, why did people care about who you were into? It still boggled his mind. "Nothing I can actually tie to him, so it's whatever. I just need coffee and to talk about something else."
Nodding, Tommy pushed himself up from his chair, stuffing his phone in his back pocket. Heading towards the register, his hands now in his pockets as he scanned the menu. Sure it worried him, Billy getting attacked for being gay. That was never the issue for Tommy. Then again, he denied his attraction to men for the longest time. He wasn't gay, he wasn't straight, he wasn't even bisexual. He was the type of person that couldn't see himself with anyone unless there was something there, romantically at least. Sex was easier for him, if they were hot, he'd fuck them. When feelings got involved that's when things got confusing for him. But then Noh-Varr came along and Tommy felt this connection he hadn't felt with anyone else.
Even Kate, and the two of them flirted around the idea of being a thing for a while. Billy was almost said when the two split, he had to stop mentally planning their wedding. Either way Kate was like a sister to him, his best friend. It was even better that Kate and Tommy stayed friends, Billy wasn't sure he could've handled the two of them not being friends with each other.
———
Teddy knew the brunet by the name of Billy, — he had to write it on some of his orders — he was on the short side, hair that constantly fell into his eyes. And his eyes. They were this warm shade of brown that reminded Teddy of chocolate most days. Sometimes he'd come here by himself, with a laptop and a stack of comics. Sometimes with other people. From who he remembered, his brother — clearly twins, they looked the same except for their hair and eye color — and a girl, she had long dark hair, always wore purple. Teddy couldn't tell if the girl and Billy were together, he hoped they weren't.
Today Billy was with his brother, Billy looked somewhat upset. His brother looking nonchalant. He always did, Teddy found. The two of them were totally different, it was amusing to watch them talking to each other on his breaks. He always tried to not be a creep about it, but Teddy had the biggest crush on Billy. And he couldn't find himself to say more than 'Welcome to Bean Me Up Espresso, what would you like today?'
Those eleven words were the same eleven words Teddy had said to Billy many times, no 'Hey, I think you're really cute can I get your number?' Whatever Teddy thought of just sounded horribly lame, so he kept to himself. Pining over his favourite customer from a far.
"Welcome to Bean Me Up Espresso, what would you like today?" Teddy smiled at Billy, his eyes shifting to his brother who was eyeing the two of them with an eyebrow raised. When Billy didn't say anything, his brother, rolled his green eyes before pushing him out of the way.
"Grande Caffè Americano." Tommy said already fishing for his wallet ready to pay.
"Why on Earth do you need espresso, it's like three in the afternoon." Billy pushed his eyebrows together.
"Because, little brother. Some of us have boyfriends to go home to. And it's going to be one of those days." Tommy turned to Billy, the corners of his mouth pulling back into a smirk. Instantly Billy's eyes grew wide, upstanding what Tommy had implied before he cupped his hands over his ears.
"Nope. Don't want to hear about your sexcapades." Teddy couldn't help himself but smile at how Billy was acting. It could be taken as childish, but the blond just found himself smitten over his actions.
"That'll be 6.40." He said, pressing the buttons on the monitor, taking the money from Billy's brother. Taking the nearest cup, and a marker, he looked at the boy. "Name?"
"Tommy." Nodding, Teddy wrote Tommy's name on the cup before passing it along. Now it was Billy's turn to order, Teddy fought himself not to pull his bottom lip between his teeth. Billy was just.. So attractive. It was a miracle he didn't have a girlfriend or boyfriend (?). Maybe Teddy would get lucky..
"Feeding your coffee addiction again?" The blond asked, proud of himself for getting out more than his standard.
"It's getting serious, I think I might need an intervention." Billy said back, the smile on his face growing.
"Oh yeah?"
"Maybe even go to some AA meetings? 'Hey guys, I'm Billy Kaplan and I'm addicted to coffee.' Then I'll sit down and hear choruses of 'Hey Billy' before I listen to other people talk about their addictions while wishing I was here drinking a nice cup of Joe with some comics." Billy didn't know what had come over him, was he really talking to the cute barista like they were old friends? He wasn't sure why, but either way the result was great, Teddy's laugh was everything Billy imagined it would be and more. (How was that possible?)
It was bright, and his smile was even brighter. His hand over his chest, head thrown back just a bit like Billy had told the best joke in the world. Granted Billy wasn't really that great at jokes. He was good with sarcasm, that was his forte.
By this point, Tommy had his phone out texting Kate. Telling her all about Billy's new crush, because honestly. Tommy was sure they were going to start making out any second, with how things were going.
"So what are you having today?" Teddy asked the smile from his laughter still present on his face. Billy looked over the menu before he had mentally decided. He always loved the holiday season. All the businesses started getting holiday themed things, and it was just amazing. It made Billy giddy enough not to dread the upcoming weather.
"Tall Gingerbread latte." He said, waiting for Teddy to put the order in before swiping his card.
"That's the gayest thing you could order." Tommy said rolling his eyes.
"You're gay."
"Dating a man doesn't mean I'm gay idiot."
"He's got a point." Teddy cut in, shrugging his shoulders. Making sure to keep a small smile on his lips to let Billy know he was just teasing him.
"Traitor. The supplier isn't supposed to be siding with the enemy." He mocked before signing his name on the electric pad. Teddy grabbed the specific cup before writing down Billy's name. Along with a short note. Don't you know not to trust your suppliers? Tsk tsk Billy Kaplan. Some addict you are.
Billy doesn't notice the note Teddy left him until he's back in his apartment. Finishing the last bit of his latte before reading the scribbled writing on the cup. Smiling to himself, he shook his head. He keeps the cup.