// --- nhi - erasing signs
erasing signs (and coloring them in)
pg. donghae/hyukjae. // prompt: cafe!au
october 2009, round one
a/n: this is our first actual battle fic! round one of four for this month's theme of alternate universes. please be checking us out to give love to mikky because everyone should know how breathtaking she is. ♥ btw, sorry for the crap ending everyone. i'll continue to work hard to become an idol, lmfao! :D
hyukjae had been rewriting the menu when the door of the small coffee shop flew open, bringing in the smell of fresh air and dead leaves along with a brown haired boy. the chimes on the door clanked like childhood lullabies, and when the boy spoke, hyukjae didn't think his voice was far off.
"i saw a sign a couple blocks away and, you guys are hiring?" the boy looked around hyukjae's age, with wind tussled hair and a crooked grin. the boy, donghae hyukjae figures out, leaves his phone number and address on the back of a coaster and leaves as suddenly as he came.
hyukjae knows that he should take signs as they come; don't watch for people that leave too quick, but then donghae's there in the morning with a warm cup of coffee on the counter and a smile that's just as warm, in the barista uniform, and he takes it for another sign.
three days in and hyukjae figures out that donghae's better at his job than he is, and he's been working there for almost two years now, in between university and lessons. the number of dishes broken has noticeably decreased, and the customers linger a little longer when donghae smiles, that crooked smile.
afternoons and closing time is still always slow though, but hyukjae doesn't mind. there's only four people working every day. heechul and hankyung leave earlier, around seven, always saying they have plans after wards. hyukjae doesn't argue because hankyung hired him and heechul has looks that say, "i will never stop hurting you." donghae just grins and continues mopping when they exit hand in hand, laughing.
conversation comes easy over radio stations and the sound of coffee brewing. hyukjae talks about random topics like umbrellas made of rain and a world where everyone was a fish, but so does donghae. laughter comes even easier over awkward silences that aren't awkward at all and funny faces made from opposite ends.
heechul corners hyukjae one day, behind granite counters while he's washing lipstick stained mugs and used plates. a rush of people have just come and gone, hankyung and donghae cleaning up tables out front.
"hyukjae," the redhead says in a song, flashes of teeth and a quick tongue, "if you don't want him to know, i suggest not staring so much." heechul walks right back out, the hinges squeaking goodbye, and leaves hyukjae with his damp fingers behind.
donghae pokes his head around the corner seconds later to see a flush faced boy. hyukjae, hyukjae nearly drops the current cup decorated cup back into the sink in surprise, but he can't say that he minds when donghae laughs like chimes and tells him that he needs him (needs him to play cashier).
the lights are off and it's a complete accident, when hyukjae walks in on donghae slumped against the shelves of the storage room. the streetlights from the alley behind the coffee shop make their way through the open window and onto donghae's face.
the coffee bag falls with a soft thud and hyukjae's muttered apologizes, but he doesn't make a move to leave. he can't, not with the way everything seems to be thudding against his ears. donghae just tilts his head and hyukjae can't help but stare at the way the tip of the cigarette donghae's got between his lips follows the movement.
donghae's beautiful, he knows. hyukjae has known since the first day when the boy swept autumn wind through the door with life following behind. it's a different kind of beautiful though, when donghae blows smoke into the air like he could be made of magic, with half lidded eyes and shadowed angles.
soft hands and long fingers wrap around his wrist, tugging, and hyukjae's last thought of just walking back out and shutting the door dissolves with the sound of sirens at night. donghae doesn't protest when hyukjae takes the cigarette and stubs it out on the pane of the window.
it tastes a little bit bitter, a little bit like everything hyukjae's spent years running from, and a little bit like summer nights sipping soft drinks on the rooftop. it tastes like cigarette smoke and donghae, when the brown haired boy made of seasons kisses hyukjae.
"i won't tell if you don't tell," donghae whispers after they finally turn off all the lights of the cafe and exit through the back door. hyukjae just blinks and watches donghae's footsteps creating distance, and wonders if he should take it as different sign.
hyukjae knows that he should take signs as they come; don't watch for people that leave too quick, but then donghae's there the next day, sitting on the steps of the shop with his chin in his hands and a mini carton of strawberry milk next to him. his eyes light up that much more, when he sees hyukjae come into view, like a kid seeing stars for the first time.
donghae grins like the second time they met, says good morning and hands him the carton before going back inside. chimes follow him and hyukjae stares dumbfounded before looking down at the milk. there's a sticky note on one side, saying, "i like like you ^^"
hyukjae looks back up to see donghae singing to himself through the window, doesn't stop the grin from breaking across his face, and thinks that there really can't be a better sign than that.
pg. donghae/hyukjae. // prompt: cafe!au
october 2009, round one
a/n: this is our first actual battle fic! round one of four for this month's theme of alternate universes. please be checking us out to give love to mikky because everyone should know how breathtaking she is. ♥ btw, sorry for the crap ending everyone. i'll continue to work hard to become an idol, lmfao! :D
hyukjae had been rewriting the menu when the door of the small coffee shop flew open, bringing in the smell of fresh air and dead leaves along with a brown haired boy. the chimes on the door clanked like childhood lullabies, and when the boy spoke, hyukjae didn't think his voice was far off.
"i saw a sign a couple blocks away and, you guys are hiring?" the boy looked around hyukjae's age, with wind tussled hair and a crooked grin. the boy, donghae hyukjae figures out, leaves his phone number and address on the back of a coaster and leaves as suddenly as he came.
hyukjae knows that he should take signs as they come; don't watch for people that leave too quick, but then donghae's there in the morning with a warm cup of coffee on the counter and a smile that's just as warm, in the barista uniform, and he takes it for another sign.
three days in and hyukjae figures out that donghae's better at his job than he is, and he's been working there for almost two years now, in between university and lessons. the number of dishes broken has noticeably decreased, and the customers linger a little longer when donghae smiles, that crooked smile.
afternoons and closing time is still always slow though, but hyukjae doesn't mind. there's only four people working every day. heechul and hankyung leave earlier, around seven, always saying they have plans after wards. hyukjae doesn't argue because hankyung hired him and heechul has looks that say, "i will never stop hurting you." donghae just grins and continues mopping when they exit hand in hand, laughing.
conversation comes easy over radio stations and the sound of coffee brewing. hyukjae talks about random topics like umbrellas made of rain and a world where everyone was a fish, but so does donghae. laughter comes even easier over awkward silences that aren't awkward at all and funny faces made from opposite ends.
heechul corners hyukjae one day, behind granite counters while he's washing lipstick stained mugs and used plates. a rush of people have just come and gone, hankyung and donghae cleaning up tables out front.
"hyukjae," the redhead says in a song, flashes of teeth and a quick tongue, "if you don't want him to know, i suggest not staring so much." heechul walks right back out, the hinges squeaking goodbye, and leaves hyukjae with his damp fingers behind.
donghae pokes his head around the corner seconds later to see a flush faced boy. hyukjae, hyukjae nearly drops the current cup decorated cup back into the sink in surprise, but he can't say that he minds when donghae laughs like chimes and tells him that he needs him (needs him to play cashier).
the lights are off and it's a complete accident, when hyukjae walks in on donghae slumped against the shelves of the storage room. the streetlights from the alley behind the coffee shop make their way through the open window and onto donghae's face.
the coffee bag falls with a soft thud and hyukjae's muttered apologizes, but he doesn't make a move to leave. he can't, not with the way everything seems to be thudding against his ears. donghae just tilts his head and hyukjae can't help but stare at the way the tip of the cigarette donghae's got between his lips follows the movement.
donghae's beautiful, he knows. hyukjae has known since the first day when the boy swept autumn wind through the door with life following behind. it's a different kind of beautiful though, when donghae blows smoke into the air like he could be made of magic, with half lidded eyes and shadowed angles.
soft hands and long fingers wrap around his wrist, tugging, and hyukjae's last thought of just walking back out and shutting the door dissolves with the sound of sirens at night. donghae doesn't protest when hyukjae takes the cigarette and stubs it out on the pane of the window.
it tastes a little bit bitter, a little bit like everything hyukjae's spent years running from, and a little bit like summer nights sipping soft drinks on the rooftop. it tastes like cigarette smoke and donghae, when the brown haired boy made of seasons kisses hyukjae.
"i won't tell if you don't tell," donghae whispers after they finally turn off all the lights of the cafe and exit through the back door. hyukjae just blinks and watches donghae's footsteps creating distance, and wonders if he should take it as different sign.
hyukjae knows that he should take signs as they come; don't watch for people that leave too quick, but then donghae's there the next day, sitting on the steps of the shop with his chin in his hands and a mini carton of strawberry milk next to him. his eyes light up that much more, when he sees hyukjae come into view, like a kid seeing stars for the first time.
donghae grins like the second time they met, says good morning and hands him the carton before going back inside. chimes follow him and hyukjae stares dumbfounded before looking down at the milk. there's a sticky note on one side, saying, "i like like you ^^"
hyukjae looks back up to see donghae singing to himself through the window, doesn't stop the grin from breaking across his face, and thinks that there really can't be a better sign than that.