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Before the bell over the door even rings Alaira is nudging Olruggio with her elbow, waking him from the half sleep he'd barely managed to begin. "You'll take the lead on this one. He's a regular. Patient and easy to talk to."
The bell rings as Olruggio pushes off the count. They reach the register at nearly the same moment. "Afternoon." Olruggio greets him with a bit of a forced smile. He'd much rather be asleep.
"Good afternoon! May I get a lavender latte with an extra shot please?"
Olruggio barely hides the disgust that so desperately wants to sour his face. He tried the drink once for the hell of it and was unimpressed with both the taste and the feeling of his mouth being coated in an earthy film for hours after the fact. To him it had tasted like he shoved his face in a bush and then chased it with dirt. To each their own though. "How would you like that?"
"Hot, if you could."
"Consider it done." Olruggio starts to ring up the order but before he can even give the total a hand is reaching across the counter.
"It should be exact change." A slight tilt of the head and a smile that, while small, says more than it should.
"So, Qifrey, you haven't brought the girls by in a while, how are they?" Alaira asks from where she's taken up Olruggio's old position.
Olruggio glances over at the two. They're familiar in a way that makes sense for a recurring customer, skipping pleasantries altogether and instead jumping straight into conversation.
He files Qifrey's name away in the same place he filed the recipes for the different drinks. It takes just as long to pull the shots as it does to mix up the rest of the drink but even with the extra shot Olruggio is finished in under five minutes.
Alaria and Qifrey let their conversation fade as Olruggio approaches. "Lavender latte, extra shot," he mumbles as he slides it across the counter. He retreats quickly, eyes darting between the two.
"Splended, thank you, ah..."
"This is Olruggio." Alaria catches his arm wheeling him around when he tries to sneak away. "He's new, first day in fact."
Qifrey gives him that same small smile as before. "Nice to meet you Olruggio. Don't let Alaira give you too hard a time. She means well."
"I'm sure she does." Olruggio detaches himself from Alaira's hold. "She mentioned you're a regular."
"That I am," Qifrey chuckles softly. "I come by a couple times a week, mostly alone but sometimes my girls accompany me."
"You have kids?" Olruggio didn't mean to sound shocked at the information but Qifrey didn't look any older than himself.
Qifrey thumbs the lid of his drink like he's unsure if he should say anything. "I foster."
Two simple words and yet there's so much pride in Qifrey's voice. There's a sadness in his eyes that he can't seem to hide though. It confuses Olruggio but he doesn't voice it. "That's big of you," he says instead. "I imagine it can be as tough as it is fulfilling."
"It certainly is." Qifrey doesn't elaborate. "Well, I should be off. Thank you both."
For weeks after that it's the same every time. Lavender latte with an extra shot. Money handed over before the total is even said. After the fourth time Olruggio accepts that there's no point in even trying to say it and meets Qifrey's hand with his own palm up and waiting. By the end of the second month Olruggio has stopped asking for his order and instead has it punched into the register by the time Qifrey reaches it.
"Am I that predictable?" Qifrey asks one cloudy afternoon.
"You're consistent," Olruggio counters with a lighthearted shrug. A smirk tugs at one corner of his mouth as he organizes bills. "You're sticking around for a while today, right?"
Qifrey laughs like he's been caught. "You've figured me out, Olly."
The nickname comes from nowhere, stilling Olruggio's hands briefly before he turns to start the drink. "Find yourself a spot to sit, Qifrey," he suggests. "I'll bring it out to you."
Olruggio slides into the seat across from Qifrey minutes later with two drinks and a pastry. "Don't," he shakes his head when Qifrey opens his mouth. "Please, it's my treat."
Qifrey eye's the plate for a moment before nodding. "Thank you. What are you drinking?"
He glances at someone passing by outside. "It's nothing fancy, just tea."
When Olruggio looks back at Qifrey he's tearing the pastry in half and offering some to him. Olruggio waves him off but Qifrey pushes half towards him anyway.
"I insist," Qifrey tells him. "Food is better when it's shared anyway."
"Suppose you're right," Olruggio relents. He takes the offered pastry but doesn't take a bite yet. "May I ask why you stick around on Thursdays?"
"Don't sound so hesitant, Olly," Qifrey says with a light laugh. "I figured Alaira told you already since you haven't said something sooner."
Olruggio flexes a hand under the table at the nickname but doesn't say anything.
"The girls have therapy nearby on Thursdays. It's easier to stay close in the event they need me." Qifrey runs a thumb along the edge of the table. "I used to stay at the office when it was just Agott, but as time went on and we both got more comfortable with the routine - and each other - I started coming here."
Olruggio stays quiet when Qifrey pauses. He can tell there's more to be said and bites into the pastry to give Qifrey the time and space to formulate his thoughts.
"And then Richeh came under my care." Qifrey sighs while resting his chin in his palm. "I stuck around for two sessions before it was suggested to me that she may do better without me...lingering. Which has worked well for her so far so who am I to argue?"
"You care about them quite a bit." It was an unnecessary observation but one that deserved to be spoke aloud. Olruggio had only seen Qifrey with the girls twice before but it was enough to tell he treated them as if they were his own.
Qifrey gives Olruggio a fond smile. "They make it impossible not to."
A customer walks in then and Olruggio stands but hesitates. "For the record, Alaira did try to tell me why you stay but I stopped her."
"Why would you do that?"
"I want to learn about you from you, Qifrey, not from someone else."
Olruggio is turning to greet the customer before Qifrey can reply but he catches the look of shock or surprise, both perhaps, that dances across Qifrey's face before he can school it away.
It's much the same for weeks after that. Olruggio joins Qifrey for his extended Thursday visits. Sometimes their conversation is stilted, sometimes there's silence, though Olruggio doesn't mind. And sometimes, sometimes they talk to much that time slips away and Qifrey panics to finish his drink, now luke warm at best.
In those instances Olruggio would apologize for distracting him which was often met with reassurances of it not being his fault. Qifrey would insist the blame lay with no one but himself. He should've kept an eye on the time, he'd explain.
At some point in those weeks Olruggio began sitting in the chair next to Qifrey instead of across from him. He doesn't even remember when or why he started doing it, only that he realized it one day and Qifrey never questioned it.
If anything Qifrey seems to enjoy the change. He sits a little straighter and smiles a little wider when Olruggio approaches now. He still fidgets with the lip of his cup or the edge of the table even after so much time though.
"It beats picking at my nails," Qifrey explains when Olruggio stares too long. Then he shows off his fingers and Olruggio can see the split skin at the corners of his nails.
Olruggio reaches out to take Qifrey's hand but thinks better of it and grabs his tea instead. "Something you've done for a while?"
Qifrey chuckles and leans forward bracing his forearms on the table. "For as long as I can remember, yes."
With Qifrey's hand closer now it's all Olruggio can do not to take it into his own. He settles for reaching out with his pinky and Olruggio has never been more thankful to have his back to Alaira than the moment Qifrey meets him halfway with is own pinky outstretched.
Olruggio just catches the color dusting Qifrey's cheeks and the bashful smile that accompanies it before it's hidden behind his other hand. He thinks - knows - he'd like to see both in their entirety some day.
It doesn't go unnoticed by Alaira either, who hasn't had an issue with Olruggio taking extended breaks, especially when they're slower.
"You've gotten quite familiar with Qifrey." She comments one afternoon after he rejoins her behind the counter.
"He's easy to talk to." Olruggio repeats her words form months ago back at her with a shrug.
"And?" She presses with a grin.
"And he's good company."
"You like him."
Olruggio glances at her. This wasn't the first time she'd made a comment like that. "What are you getting at?"
"Nothing." He tone was a little too innocent to back her claim. She pushes off the counter and starts to head toward the office. "He's single, you know." She murmurs it like an afterthought when she passes him.
Olruggio feels his cheeks grow warm despite this not being new information. He'd learned as much from Qifrey when he'd asked a cautiously probing question about life at home with the girls two weeks prior.
Still he turns away. "I'm aware."
"Aren't you single, too?"
"Alaira." The warning in his voice has her walking off with a wave of her hand.
There's an unexpected three week break in Qifrey's visits. Olruggio glances at the clock more times than he cares to admit that first week. Worry eats at him throughout the beginning of the second week.
"Haven't seen Qifrey in a bit." He says to Alaira at the end of a shift during the second week.
Alaira hums. "I'm sure everything is fine."
Olruggio shrugs into his jacket. "It's...odd not seeing him. Does it happen often?"
"Often, no. But occasionally. Why do you ask?"
Olruggio is barely listening as his gaze strays to the table they've shared. He's continued to take his breaks there, although alone, the past two weeks. He didn't think he'd miss talking to someone so much but here he was. He'd begun looking forward to Qifrey's visits so not having him around was putting a damper on his mood.
He can't help but wonder if he'd misread things before considering it wasn't long after the pinky incident that Qifrey stopped showing up. He shakes off that thought though. Surely if it had bothered Qifrey he wouldn't have also reached out and subsequently left his finger there.
"He'll be back before you know it." Alaira continued. "I'd wager as early as next week even."
When Qifrey comes back two weeks after that he's got three girls in tow, not two. By the way she clings to Qifrey's side when he ushers them in, she's a new foster and a nervous one at that.
"Agott, Richeh. Always good to see you both," Olruggio greets them first as they walk ahead of the others. "What're we having today?"
They ask for hot teas before heading off to find a table. Qifrey steps forward murmuring reassurances to the girl still hovering at his side.
"Olruggio, meet Tetia. Tetia, this is Olruggio." Qifrey moves her to stand in front of him but keeps his hands on her shoulders. "He makes the most delightful drinks. Please, order whatever you'd like."
She glances at Olruggio then her eyes dart over the menu before lighting up. "A hot chocolate!"
"Tetia, that's a wonderful choice, if I do say so myself." Olruggio adds it to the order while giving her a smile in the hopes of easing her nerves. "And a lavender latte with an extra shot for Qifrey."
Qifrey chuckles but his shoulders sag. "Tetia, why don't you go sit with the others? I'll wait here for our drinks."
"It's good to see you again, Qifrey." Olruggio tells him after Tetia hurries off. "Looks like you've been busy."
"Quite." Qifrey says it without taking his eyes off the girls.
Olruggio watches him for a few beats before turning to start on the drinks. "Forgive me if I'm overstepping when I say this," he begins "but she wouldn't stick to your side if she didn't feel at least a little safe around you."
It's quiet long enough that Olruggio wonders if perhaps he had misinterpreted things. He's working on the second drink by the time Qifrey finally says something. "Thank you for saying so."
Something in his voice has Olruggio glancing over his shoulder. Qifrey is still watching the girls who have secured a table in a corner and were laughing at something one of them had said. A ghost of a smile curls Qifrey's lips but his eyes are sad.
"You don't believe me." It wasn't an accusation so much as an observation.
Qifrey snaps his gaze to Olruggio, he almost looks offended. "I didn't say that."
Olruggio sets two cups in front of Qifrey, pointing at each in turn. "For Tetia and Richeh."
"Olly..."
"Give yourself some grace, Qifrey. Whatever you've done for her so far seems to be working. I mean look at how well she's getting on with the others." He says it gently but there's a sincerity behind it that surprises even himself.
Qifrey's mouth drops open like he's unsure of what to say. He glances over his shoulder at the girls talking animatedly to one another then back to Olruggio. "Tetia was an emergency placement."
Olruggio nods. He spent a handful of hours researching fostering and what all went into it when he first learned it was something Qifrey did. He was familiar with emergency placements because of it."
"She seems happy," Olruggio offered.
"She's a sweet girl." Qifrey confirms.
There's a sadness in Qifrey's voice that Olruggio doesn't expect. "But?"
"I think she might be staying with me on a more permanent basis. I don't know too much about her situation but it's sounding like that's going to be the best option for her right now."
Olruggio gives him a reassuring smile. "She'll do just fine in your care."
"That's all I can hope fore," Qifrey murmurs.
"Smile when you head that way or they'll think something is wrong." Olruggio lowers his voice when he says this and pushes the cups into Qifrey's hands.
Qifrey does as he's told and by the time he returns to the counter Olruggio has the other drinks prepared. He lingers at the counter with them in hand as though he want to say something and Olruggio wonders again if he overstepped before.
"You're very kind."
"I only pointed out the truth," Olruggio deflects.
"Even so, I thought you should know."
Qifrey walks away before Olruggio can say anything. Olruggio shakes his head, just once, and picks up a towels to wipe down the counter and machines. Anything to keep his hands and mind busy between customers. He's just finished wiping down a table used by another customer when Qifrey and the girls stand to leave.
"Thank you, Mr. Olruggio!" Agott and Richeh wave at him as they pass.
"Have a good day girls." He's crouching to look Tetia in the eye. "It was nice to meet you, Tetia. How was the hot chocolate?"
She's right at Qifrey's side again but not as pressed against his leg as before. "Very good, thank you."
That was enough to satisfy Olruggio who straightened. Qifrey is giving him a look he can't quite read. "Everything alright?"
"Wonderful." Qifrey's reply is quick. "We had better get going girls, we've lingered long enough."
Olruggio wants to disagree and tell him that they could stay longer if they wanted. They hadn't been there all that long anyway, only about half an hour or so.
"Qifrey?" Olruggio calls for him when he turns away.
"Hmm?" Qifrey stops short of the door.
The expectant look in his eye freezes the words on Olruggio's tongue. He swallows and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "Remember what i said before," he decides to tell him. "Take care of yourself."
The storm wasn't forecasted to hit for another couple of hours but Mother Nature wasn't one to follow predictions. It's an agonizingly slow day because of it. So slow that Alaira took off hours ago and Olruggio has managed to catch a few moments of shut eye here and there. When the bell over the door chimes he does a double take at the sight. Qifrey looks like a drowned rat standing in the doorway.
"Qifrey, what the hell?" He chokes out.
"It's Thursday." As if that was a reasonable explanation for why he was standing in the shop doorway soaked through despite only walking a few feet from his car to the door.
"It's also pouring rain. You should've stayed with the girls."
"And miss out on my latte?"
"Lattes are not that important," Olruggio snaps. "What if you get sick?"
"You've grown to care for me, Olly." Qifrey says it with a light laugh, fingers digging into Olruggio's wrist.
Olruggio steps back quickly, realizing only in that moment that he'd charged across the shop and grabbed Qifrey by the shoulders. He turns on his heel, stomping back behind the counter.
"Take off your coat at least." Olruggio's tone has lost its edge. Still he shakes his head when he ducks into the back room and grabs a handful of towels. They're small but they'll have to work.
When he returns Qifrey is still standing in the doorway but his coat is draped over an arm. He swaps the coat for the towels without a word and heads for the back room with it. There he wrings out as much of the rain water as he can into a mop bucket before handing it on a hook that's been home to his own jackets on colder days.
Qifrey has settled into a seat by the time Olruggio emerges again, this time with his latte in hand. He takes the towel Qifrey is drying his hair with and replaces it with the drink. "Hold that, it'll help warm you up."
"Olly-"
"Honestly, Qifrey, what were you thinking?"
He can see Qifrey hesitate; can see the way he runs his thumb along the lid of his latte like it'll ground him. "You're wearing glasses today." He finally murmurs, deflecting.
Olruggio's hands still near Qifrey's nape where he's taken up drying his hair. "I don't normally wear them out of the house," he sighs. "But I overslept and needed to shave some time to get here on time. Not that it matters, you're my fourth customer."
"You think they look bad on you."
"I didn't say that."
"You thought it."
Olruggio frowns at the back of Qifrey's head. He wasn't wrong but how had he come to that conclusion so quickly? he finishes towel drying Qifrey's hair dropping into the chair next to him.
The floor beneath Qifrey's chair is growing a puddle Olruggio will have to mop up later. Rain beats a steady rhythm on the sidewalk outside and occasionally pelts the window with help from the wind. It might have lulled Olruggio to sleep weren't it for the way Qifrey keeps flexing his fingers like he's trying to encourage blood flow.
Without much thought Olruggio reaches for one and sandwiches it between his own.
Qifrey meets his gaze over the rim of his cup and blinks once as if to clear his thoughts. Olruggio catches the glimpse of blush and a shy smile again.
"Your hands are warm," Qifrey says softly.
"They're a normal temperature, yours are just cold."
"Do you make a habit of holding your customers' hands?" As he speaks he adjusts his hand so it's no longer in a fist between Olruggio's and instead lays flat between them.
Heat scorches Olruggio's cheeks at the call out. "N-no!"
"Just the ones that make a mess of the floor with rain water."
He's teasing him, Olruggio realizes, and grins. "Something like that."
They remains there until it's time for Qifrey to get the girls. Olruggio ducks into the back again and grabs his own jacket and the umbrella he'd thought to grab that morning.
"Olly-"
"Don't even try." He cuts off Qifrey's protests. "It's not like you won't be back here in a few days anyhow. Besides, your jacket is still too wet."
"But-"
"Please, Qifrey. If not for yourself then to ease my concern?"
Qifrey sighs but takes both. "You're very kind."
"So you've said. Don't be late."
Summer comes fast and with the turn of the weather more and more cold drinks are being ordered just not by Qifrey. He still ordered his latte hot even when it's scorching out. Not that Olruggio can say anything, he still takes his tea hot in the summer too.
Qifrey and the girls sit outside on friendlier days. Occasionally Olruggio will join them too but those instances are reserved only for when the kids beg him to sit with them. They learned quickly that he would deny them very little if they were persistent enough.
Qifrey scolds them every time for disrupting Olruggio's work but there's a lightheartedness to it that all of them know means he's not too serous about it. Without fail he hides his smile behind his latte when Olruggio approaches. The chair beside Qifrey is more often than not left unoccupied for when Olruggio does join them.
"Relax," Olruggio nudges Qifrey with his elbow. "You know Alaira doesn't mind as long as I'm not neglecting other customers."
Qifrey gives him a smile. "May I ask you something?"
The shift in Qifrey's tone makes Olruggio nervous. "Of course, everything okay?"
"It's nothing bad. I was just curious why you talking taking your break when I'm here."
Oh. Oh. Olruggio should have known this would come up eventually. He's not even remotely prepared to answer it. How does he explain that it started innocently enough with just wanting to get to know him, this regular of the shop who drank the equivalent of dirt water multiple times a week, only for him to realize he enjoys Qifrey's company. How does he explain that somewhere along the way he caught feelings?
He decides on the truth. Part of it anyway. "I wanted to get to know you and understand why someone who fosters seemed sad about it."
"I've never been sad about fostering. Sad that fostering in general is necessary, sure, but not that I foster."
"I know that now." Olruggio drops a hand over Qifrey's and gives it a squeeze. "I think it's great that you do it."
Qifrey turns away quickly with his free hand covering his mouth.
Olruggio leans over and peers at him. Sure enough the apples of Qifrey's cheeks are red. "You always hide when you blush."
"Pardon me?"
"You hide your face when you blush like you're ashamed of it."
That makes Qifrey turn back around. "I am not ashamed of it."
Olruggio grins. He'd known that would get a rise out of him. He speaks just over the noise around them. "There you are."
"You're staring, Olruggio."
"I am."
"Quit it."
"I don't know that I will." Olruggio shifts the hand holding Qifrey's, turning it over and lacing their fingers. "Is that okay?"
Qifrey looks at their hands for a moment before looking back at Olruggio who know without a shadow of a doubt that his own cheeks mirror Qifrey's.
To Olruggio's delight Qifrey catches the double meaning in his question and answers by squeezing his hand. "More than okay."
Olruggio decides spilling more of the truth wouldn't be so bad and is speaking before he convince himself otherwise. "I like you, Qifrey."
"I would certainly hope so," Qifrey's tone is light as he lifts their hands. "I like you too, Olly. For quite some time actually."
"Really?"
Do you really think I came here in the middle of a storm just for a latte? No-" he chuckles and the look he gives Olruggio sends the butterflies in his stomach soaring "I wanted to see you."
"You got sick because of that stunt." Olruggio scolds.
"I'd do it again," Qifrey admits softly.
"You will not!"
"Olly-"
"Qifrey, I'm serious."
"Have dinner with me."
"I - what?"
"Come over to my place tonight. Let me cook for you."
"You want to cook...for me?"
Qifrey gives him a small, shy smile. "Is that so hard to believe?"
Olruggio gets back to work not long after that with the promise to text Qifrey when he's on his way later that night. He spends the remainder of his shift with a smile on his face that even Alaira's teasing can't shake.
He feels a little over dressed when he leaves his place that evening. It wasn't like they were going to a restaurant but he'd still decided on slacks and a button down. After a couple of intentionally placed sprays of cologne he was out the door with one stop planned along the way.
Qifrey glances at his phone expecting to see Olrugggio's name scrolling across the screen but finding Alaira's instead. He's quick to finish removing the dish from the over before answering the call.
"Alaira, this is -"
"Come to the flower shop."
Qifrey laughs. "Olruggio is on his way over for dinner."
There's a long pause before she speaks again. "Qifrey, you need to come to the flower shop."
She doesn't need to tell him to hurry. There's a seriousness and urgency in her voice tells him enough. "I'm only a couple of blocks away from there."
"Stay on the phone."
"You're lying." It's all Qifrey can think to say as he comes to a corner some short minutes later. His feet hit the pavement in a taunting rhythm even as he slows to barely miss running into someone before he's taking off again in a full sprint.
Olruggio was selfless to a fault. Qifrey learned that a long time ago through their Thursday talks. But this? Stopping a stranger from stepping out into traffic just to get hit himself was too much.
"Qifrey, I wish I was. Really I do."
"He just texted me not that long ago."
"I know."
"We were supposed to have dinner."
"I know." So soft this time Qifrey almost misses it. "He asked me for some advice. I'd just helped him decide what flowers to get for the girls."
Qifrey doesn't respond. He's too focused on getting to the shop. On making sure he doesn't trip or run into anything or anyone. He only slows to a brisk walk when the crowd becomes too congested. Then he's pushing his way through unceremoniously.
He barely hears the faceless man he pushes past that starts to yell at his back. An officer maybe? Qifrey doesn't care. Not when there's a lump in his throat. Not when his chest aches with an emotion he's not ready to put a name to.
"Don't try to stop him."
Alaira's voice. Begging. Pleading. Reasoning.
The sight is as devastating as it is beautiful. A discarded show here. A shattered windshield there. Flower petals littered the ground in a splattering of color. Crushed stems and bulbs. In the center of it all, bathed in the warm glow of a street light, lay Olruggio.
Qifrey drops to his knees beside Olruggio who tracks his eyes slower over Qifrey's face before grinning. "Hey."
A choked laugh stumbles out of Qifrey's mouth. "Hi."
"I'm late, aren't I?"
Qifrey smiles knowing it doesn't reach his eyes. Slowly, he runs his fingers through Olruggio's hair. Something he's wanted to do for weeks and months. He tries not to think about how it comes away wet with blood. "It's okay," he murmurs.
"I wanted to surprised the girls with flowers."
Olruggio attempts to gesture towards a nearby flower but winces.
"Careful." Qifrey takes the hand in his own, holding it as gently as one would a wounded bird. He doesn't have the heart to tell him that the girls are spending the night at a friends house. "I'm sure they would have loved them."
"I'm sorry." It's barely heard over the wailing sirens that approach.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Olly." Qifrey shuffles impossibly closer. He caresses Olruggio's cheek and thumbs away the tears trailing toward his temple, grimacing when a smear of blood remains in it's wake. "Absolutely nothing."
"We had a date." Olruggio protests weakly.
"We'll have others."
"Qifrey-"
"Don't." He pleads - begs. "Let me pretend."
Because he has to. Olruggio's body is too broken. As skilled as they may be, the medics would only be able to do so much.
Olruggio squeezes his hand. "What are we having for dinner?"
Qifrey forces a smile. "I made us chicken parmesan with homemade garlic bread, oven roasted vegetables, and a salad."
"Sounds...amazing. Dessert?"
Qifrey idly fixes Olruggio's collar. "What would you like?"
"I think I'd like to take a walk to get ice cream. How does that sound?"
"Wonderful."
"And after-"
Someone leans close to Qifrey. He registers the words muttered in his ear. They're meant to be comforting. They're anything but.
He draws a breath that's meant to steady his voice but it breaks around a sob again. He can't hold back the tears anymore. "Could you - we need a minute. Please?"
"Qifrey." There's an urgency in Olruggio's voice that wasn't there before as he reaches out.
In his desperation for more time Qifrey drags him into his lap, careful of the injuries but uncaring of the state his clothes will be in later. It's too soon. Time is running short and they both know it.
"Qifrey, look at me."
"Olly, please." Becuase he knows what that tone means. He knows what Olruggio is going to tell him and he just can't hear it. Not now.
"Smile for me?" Olruggio asks. He fists the front of Qifrey's shirt weakly. "You know how much I love your smile."
Qifrey does even as his vision blurs.
"I am so glad you walked into the coffee shop that day. And that I decided I wanted to get to know you."
Qifrey's heart aches. It was sounding too much like goodbye.
"Will you kiss me, Qifrey?"
Olruggio tastes like mouthwash and salt. Qifrey is sure it will be a long while before he forgets the combination. It breaks him all over again that this will be the first and last time.
"You're warm," Olruggio murmurs when they pull apart.
"That's a first."
"I'm tired, Qifrey."
"It's okay." It's not. "You can close your eyes."
"Stay with me?"
"The whole time."
Qifrey knows when it happens by the way Olruggio's hand loosens its hold on his shirt. The medics take his body away while Alaira envelopes Qifrey in a hug he can only describe as motherly. The sounds like come out of him are inhuman.
It's weeks before Qifrey can bring himself to enter the coffee shop after that but he knew he would need to eventually. To see Alaira and attempt to get back to a normal routine at the very least. He's alone when he goes back since the girls are at their therapy appointments. He has the time and the umbrella Olruggio gave him months ago though it's not raining nearly as hard as it had been that day.
The shop is slow, only two other customers seated and a third at the counter waiting for their drink.
"Be right with you!" Alaira calls over without looking up.
"Take your time, Alaira."
She nearly drops the drink she's making when she snaps her eyes up to his. "You're back."
Qifrey offers a small smile in reply and waits, only approaching the register once she's handed off the drink to its owner.
"How have you been, Qifrey?" Alaira asks it like she's afraid of the answer.
He shrugs. "Depends on the day. Sometimes the hour. Feels...odd being here without Olly."
"Isn't that the truth? Your usual, right?"
"Actually, could I get a hot tea as well?"
Alaira looks at him and he sees that she's barely keeping it together. "Your table is empty," she gestures across the shop for emphasis.
Qifrey realizes as he sits that he severely underestimated how difficult this excursion would be. After so many months of spending this time getting to know Olruggio he now had to refamiliarize himself with not having someone to fill the silence with him.
He stares at the drinks for long minutes after they're placed down - one in front of him and one where Olruggio should have been sitting. When he finally takes a sip of his latte it sours something in his stomach immediately. Tears burn and threaten to spill. Breathing becomes difficult.
Qifrey leaves shortly after that and doesn't return for a very very long time.