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Duke told Jason that he could handle this. He swore he’d get it. There’s no way that he can call Jason for help now, not if he ever wants the man to trust him again.
He’s just going to have to figure this out himself.
Now if Boogle would just tell him how to figure out if this damn avocado is ripe or not! Jason will kill Duke if he brings him unripe produce! Curse him and his desire for healthy food when he can’t go get it himself. Duke would never be at a market on his day off otherwise.
Duke steps forward to try to better see his screen in the sun, but he steps right into a puddle of water hiding beneath the stall.
“Eugh!” He says, stepping quickly backward to try to save his sock.
He trips over something behind him.
Duke flails wildly to try to keep from falling, but he’s a lost cause, and his phone goes flying out of his hand as the stall fades from view, replaced by the blue of the sky.
So. This is how he dies. Ignobly and at the goddamn farmer’s market.
He always knew it would end this way.
“Hey!” There’s a sudden deep shout, and Duke would sympathize with the person’s shock, but he’s a little busy considering his impending death.
Then his head connects with something soft, and someone wraps their arms tight around his shoulders, and Duke’s saved from dashing his head against the pavement. He hangs there for a moment, stunned, before his brain catches up to him and his face grows hot with embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry,” he yelps, scrambling to get his feet beneath himself, realizing he’s probably going to drag the person who caught him down if he keeps struggling but not quite able to stop himself.
The person doesn’t budge. Instead they make a little sound and lift Duke to his feet in one smooth movement. Duke’s not exactly small, so he’s a little shocked.
“There ya go,” the person says, and when Duke looks over his shoulder at them, he’s met with the sight of a man’s chest, muscles straining against a deep blue v-neck. His eyes slowly raise up to see a cocky smirk growing across a gorgeous face, long black hair framing bright blue eyes. “Well, hello there,” the man says. “I’m Danny, and you are?”
“Duke,” Duke manages to say as he finally turns around to face him, his voice small and mortified. “I’m sorry I fell on you.”
“I’m not.” Danny says with a wink, and Duke can feel his cheeks heat even more. “Not every day a handsome stranger falls for you.”
Duke manages to laugh a little at that line, and Danny gives him a real smile.
“Does that ever work for you?” He asks, smiling back.
Danny shrugs, “First time for everything.”
Danny holds out his hand, and for a moment Duke thinks he’s going for a handshake, even though they already introduced themselves. Then he sees what’s in Danny’s hand.
“My phone!” He gasps, taking it back from Danny. “Thank y– wait. How’d you catch my phone and me?”
Danny’s grin widens. “I’m very dextrous.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
Duke rolls his eyes, unable to keep from smiling back. “That line was even worse.”
Danny laughs, running a hand through his long hair. “Sorry, you’re just super cute. I gotta shoot my shot, you know?”
Duke just shakes his head as he puts his phone away, looking to the ground to see if he managed to drop anything else.
…
There’s a spilled coffee cup on the ground behind Danny. And there’s coffee splattered all over Danny’s jeans.
“...Did you drop your coffee to catch me?” Duke asks.
“Yep,” Danny says, unconcerned. “Worth it.”
Duke puts his head in his hands and rubs his eyes. “I am so sorry, Danny.”
“Eh, no harm, no foul,” Danny says, and when Duke drops his hands, the man looks entirely unbothered.
And. Well. He’s already been flirting with Duke, quite blatantly. There’s no harm in seeing what could happen, is there?
“I could make it up to you?” Duke offers, and it’s worth it just for the way Danny’s eyes light up.
“Wait, really?” He asks, his smile wide and happy, crinkling the corners of his eyes. “Yes! That sounds great!”
Danny steps back and offers Duke a hand, and Duke takes it.
“Want to try the avocado coffee?” Danny asks, tugging Duke away from the produce stall.
“The what?” Duke squawks, letting Danny pull him through the market.
“It’s surprisingly good,” Danny offers over his shoulder as Duke follows along behind him.
Duke decides to reserve judgment, but soon enough he’s paid for two cups of something called alpukat. Danny taps their cups together.
“Cheers, Duke,” he says, taking a little sip and humming in pleasure.
Duke takes a drink. His eyes widen. “It’s good!”
Danny laughs, the sound deep and rumbling, and Duke wonders what it would feel like if he put a hand to Danny’s chest to feel the sound.
“Right? Told you.”
Duke takes another drink and gathers his courage, taking Danny’s free hand in his, tugging gently.
“Want to check out the rest of the market with me?”
Danny’s face lights up in a bright smile.
“I’d love to.”
Duke has a lovely time and leaves with Danny’s number.
He makes it all the way back to Jason’s apartment before he realizes he forgot the avocados.