𝓂𝒾𝒹𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 (𝒶 𝓀𝑜𝓉𝓁𝒸 𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓉𝓈 𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀)

~Dark Roast (Sotam)~

Hey guys! So I got a request a day ago to make a Sotam oneshot, and I was struggling in figuring out the prompt. But then I made the connection that both Sophie and Tam drink bitter, cold, black coffee as dark as their souls. So that's what I went with.

I gotta say, Sotam isn't really my thing. I can see why people ship it, due to both their "tired college student, done with life vibes" but I just don't personally like their duo romantically.

Oh, and also a coffee shop AU, because why not?

Here you go, KoTlC5! Your Sotam is here!

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✩Sophie's POV✩

The weight of the information crammed into my brain for my upcoming exam was already crushing my brain bit by bit, sucking the energy from my eyes until they were just little slits atop gigantic eyebags the color of bruises. I broadcasted my horrible posture to the entirety of the campus coffee shop as I walked into the cafe with a ching! of the swinging glass door. I could see out of my blurred vision people giving me looks ranging from sympathy to utter disgust, but I couldn't seem to muster enough energy to care.

The barista greeted me with a wary, but cheerful smile as I walked up to the menu. He was short and bony with distinct dimples and bright periwinkle eyes that were so full of light and sleep that I wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him violently until he told me his secret to looking half decent.

"Hello!" he said blithely, sweeping his strawberry blonde bangs dangling from just over his eyes. "What can I get you?"

"Coffee," I mumbled. "Dark roast. No sugar or milk."

The barista gave me a look that mixed confusion and concern into one glance. "Um, we ran out of dark roast. Do you want me to get you some french press?"

I sighed mentally, but forced an exhausted smile to curl onto my lips despite the whirlwind of irritation spinning inside my chest. I was going to snap, sooner or later today. Just wasn't going to be this poor, dimpled barista just trying to do his job.

"Sure, french press sounds good-" I was interrupted by an annoyed looking barista basically shoving the first one out of the way.

"For God's Sake, Dex, I told you already!" the barista snapped at the reproachful looking barista- named Dex, apparently. The second barista turned to me, his metallic silver bangs swaying as he moved his head. His eyes were almost as exasperated as mine, the silver sparkles looking more gray as he turned to me.

"Sorry, he keeps forgetting. We keep a stash of dark roast for the depressed, tired, burnt out college kids in the cafe, just in case someone like you comes in." The silver banged barista brushed his bangs out of his face gracefully. "I'm Tam."

"I'm Sophie." Somehow my tired face managed a smile as a similar one plastered onto Tam's lips. "Thank you."

Tam chuckled softly, making me smile even brighter somehow. I didn't know someone that sleep deprived was capable of smiling that large, for that long. "It's fine. The last time some kid came here and we ran out of dark roast, wow." Tam raised his eyebrows dramatically and blew out his mouth to suggest it didn't go so well.

I giggled softly, handing him a ten dollar bill to pay for my coffee. "That must've been a nuisance."

Tam shrugged, taking the ten out of my hands and brushing his finger against mine which shouldn't have made me smile as much as it had. He, however, seemed unfazed. "Not really. It wasn't my shift when it happened, so I didn't have to clean up the mess the guy made. Ugh, I forgot his name- Dex, what was the pissed off guy's name who ruined the potted plant decor a couple weeks ago?"

Dex got up from the floor where Tam shoved him with an aggravated expression on his face, his dimples nowhere to be seen. "His name was Fitz, and by the way, thanks a lot for shoving me to the ground, asshole!"

Tam covered his mouth to muffle his snickers. "Sorry, Dex. My bad." Dex scoffed, and stalked off to the backroom. He turned to me, his light blue eyes shining with glee as he smiled at me.

"I'll make your coffee, now," Tam announced. "Oh, and by the way-" Tam snatched a crumpled piece of paper from his apron pocket, and scribbled down something in black pen. He placed it in my hand casually as I stood there, my mouth slightly agape.

"My number," Tam explained, peering at the series of written numbers with me. "Um, call me and we can meet up sometime."

I blushed a bright red as the pieces clicked in my head. Was someone actually asking me out? I snapped my head up to Tam, eyes wide and crazed.

"Um, yeah! Yeah, that would be awesome," I said awkwardly. Tam only grinned softly, winking at me and making me blush an even darker shade of crimson.