Day of the Barista

"The usual?" Austin asked, hip cocked, studying Nelson. His eyes were entirely too bright for this early in the morning; his little half smile woke Nelson up more than anything he was serving.

Nelson grumbled a sound that could charitably be called an affirmative.

Shaking his head, Austin wrote Nelson on a to-go cup without needing to ask. "One 'surprise me' coming up."

Nelson waited by the counter and watched Austin work, his mind still groggy, coming online one synapse at a time. Every fiber of his being would rather be in bed, but this coffee shop had something his bed never would.

Austin flitted back and forth behind the counter, movements sure and practiced. There were multiple machines and a dozen ingredients involved. He could be doing advanced chemistry for all Nelson knew. At any moment, he might bust out a bunsen burner and beakers.

When he was finished, he slid the cup across the counter, complete with a side of word salad that couldn't have contained more than a dash of English.

Then it was his turn to wait as Nelson took a sip... and did his level best not to grimace as the double shot of whatever burned over his tongue, all scorched earth and no prisoners taken. He bid a fond farewell to his taste buds.

How did people drink this?

His attempt at an appreciative noise drew a scoff from Austin.

"One day, I'm going to figure you out." He vowed it like a blood oath, as he had every day for the last two months. "There has to be something you like."

He chattered away, and Nelson pretended to take another sip, though he wasn't fooling anyone.

The cadence of Austin's voice rolled over him, warming in a way the cup in his hand never could as he stole the few spare minutes Austin had before another customer arrived.

He never got more than those few minutes, even on good days.

So when the next caffeine-deprived zombie staggered in and dragged Austin away, Nelson lifted his cup in a salute and headed out into the predawn hours that shouldn't be allowed to exist.

Austin could try all he wanted; he'd never find a cup of coffee Nelson actually liked. But he wasn't wrong. There was something Nelson liked.

Just not on the menu.

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