Title:: Coffee Messages
Pairings:: Aiba Masaki/Sakurai Sho
Genre:: coffee shops!au, romance
Length:: drabble
Word Count:: 1543 words
Rating:: PG
Note:: third day of Sakuraiba Week with prompt coffee!
Summary:: can two people fall in love just with messages in coffees?
The dark clouds which covered the whole city decided to cry over it, wetting all that was under them. Included a man who had just gone out of his company in his recess to have lunch. Sakurai Sho, a 35-years-old businessman was running through a street while searching a place to stay until that heavy rain would stop. Suddenly, his eyes stared at a new cafeteria which seemed really cool by his grey style. He did not think about it twice and came in, finding it pretty crowded due to the rain. Then, he walked to the bar and sat on a stool, waiting for a waiter to serve him. Sho was actually looking at everything because that place was really nice to stay and the voice of a man scared him.
“Sir, what would you take?” when Sho turned around, he found a pretty man in front of him, with brownish hair and almond eyes. His smile was like a sunshine and his expression was soft and cute. After a second, being absorbed by such an angel, Sakurai reacted and asked the first thing he thought of.
“A coffee, please” that was not what he wanted at all. He wanted a lunch, that was what he was doing there, having lunch. Then, why did he say a coffee? It was already late, because that man had already taken his petition and was already preparing the coffee in the machine. He took advantage of that seat in front of it because he could watch him perfectly, how that man worked.
Then, after a moment, he returned with his coffee. “Here you have sir” the man smiled and Sho smiled at him back. After, he glanced at the coffee and saw a wonderful drawing on it. It was a lotus perfectly drawn with the milk. Sakurai could not keep in silence.
“This is really amazing! You're really good at it” he praised his work and that man flushed.
“Thank you so much sir” he bowed and continued serving more customers. Sakurai could not handle his attraction for that being and he spent a long while looking only at him. Sometimes he even was caught by that mysterious man and his embarrassment grew up swiftly. However, he glanced at the hour and saw how late it was, so he left a few coins beside the empty coffee hoping it was enough and ran to go back to the company.
*****
He did not know why he was returning at the next day too, maybe it was because the coffee was really good, or because the drawing was really cute, or simply because that man was there. Sho opted for the last option at the end. He had never met someone that shiny in his life so his need to see him again was so persistent. That was why he was entering that cafeteria once more, searching the seat of yesterday which was luckily empty. He sat, being a bit nervous wondering what he would think about him, but as the last day, he came to serve him with a smile.
“Welcome back, sir. Another coffee?” he remembered him. Sho nodded filled with happiness because that man had remembered not only his face but also his order. And his curiosity could not be controlled.
“Excuse me” Sho spoke suddenly, making him turn around to see what he wanted. “May I know your name?” the businessman asked with low voice, full of embarrassment and insecurity. His answer, instead, was just a wide smile and he continued working. Sho frowned, not understanding anything. Maybe that was too much for a second day and after all he was just working, of course he had to receive the customers nicely.
Then, after a while, Sho saw how he moved the milk and ended the coffee. “Here you have” he answered happily and Sho looked at the drawing excited. However, this time there was a word. It was written Aiba on it. Sho raised his gaze shocked and gained a flushed smile before Aiba would return to work. So indeed he was quite different from the usual customers after all.
*****
Of course, at the next day, he was heading to the cafeteria to see Aiba and get another coffee. Luckily, he could sit on the same stool and was greeted by him again. “Hi, sir. Coffee, right?” it was already evident what he wanted there, so Sho nodded. But this time Aiba stayed there as if he wanted to say something else. “Do you want to request a drawing?” finally, he asked completely shy and Sho loved that reaction.
“Aiba and what else?” he did not doubt it. He was sure Aiba was just his surname so it was a splendid chance to know it. Then, Aiba smiled while nodding slightly and went to prepare it. As always Sho kept staring at him, but when the waiter found him, it was not already uncomfortable, but it was perfect to flirt with their gazes. “Here you have” this time he stayed there, waiting for him to react. Sakurai lowered his eyes and read Masaki.
“Aiba Masaki, right?” Sho spoke, gaining a nod.
“And you?” Aiba dared to ask, showing his desire to know more about him and Sho chuckled.
“I don't have coffees so... Sakurai Sho” he joked, making him laugh, and told his name.
“Nice to meet you, Sho” the businessman could not hide his surprise when he heard his name straight instead of his surname, but as long as Aiba went away, he could not reply. He wondered what he was feeling inside, what that hard feeling in his chest was.
*****
He continued going to the cafeteria for the next two weeks and Sho knew more about Aiba through the coffees drawings. His age was 33 years old, he was from Chiba prefecture, his birthday was December 24th, he liked dogs and travelling. Each day was a different subject and he loved their connection, how they got to know each other without almost talking. Somehow the weekends were so boring without him that, as long as he desired to see him again, he went on Saturdays too, surprising Aiba pleasantly.
That day was the start of the third week and Sho was going there so happily. He wondered what it would be this time. Then, when he sat on his stool and saw Aiba coming to him, his expression changed when he saw how weird he was. “Hi, Sho! Coffee, right? Drawing?” as always, he asked all of that, but Sakurai could see something was happening to him.
“Draw your thoughts” he asked, leaving Aiba really taken aback. If that was their way to talk, maybe like that he was going to be able to say it. Then, he saw how Aiba prepared it, but doubted when he was going to draw. His hand was quite shaking and his face did not show that radiant smile. That somehow made him worry about him.
Luckily, Aiba started to draw and left the coffee in front of Sho before going away quickly. Sho kept looking at him surprised, but glanced at the coffee to see what it was this time that made him be so nervous. What he read made his heart race without a stop. “I... like you...” he read. Sakurai wondered if that was really happening. He looked at Aiba, but the latter never looked at him back, just working moody and messily. Then, he decided to drink it all and grab a paper and a pen from his briefcase.
For Masaki
This is my number. If you want to know my answer, call me.
Sho
He wrote and left it beside the coffee before going out without a word more. He wondered if Aiba would call him after all.
*****
That day was special, because he was going to the cafeteria to see Aiba and take a coffee, but not as the other days. Finally, yesterday he received a call by the waiter and they planned to have a date there, together. Sho was really happy and more when he entered the place and found Aiba in a table, already waiting for him, with normal clothes instead of the uniform and a nervous smile. Sho was really loving that moment as never before when he approached and sat in front of him, asking a coffee to one of his coworkers.
They started to chat, with words, with their voices, a long chat about everything in general, but never talking about their feelings. They laughed, they flushed, they looked at each other and smiled full of happiness. Sho could admit he had never found another person like him and that fact was making him horribly blessed. Then, when they were already ending the coffees, Aiba stained his upper lip and Sho chuckled cutely.
“You’re stained” he said, but Masaki was not finding it at all. Knowing it was only one chance per life, Sho sighed. “There’s no other choice” he muttered, leaving Aiba frowning, and raised his hand like if it was going to clean it, but it was just to caress his cheek so he could kiss his stained lip after, answering Masaki's feelings finally like that.
//Hi! I think this is one of the best drabbles I could write of Sakuraiba! It's so aesthetic and cute, don't know, I loved writing it so I hope you love reading it~ See ya!