Smells Like Coffee ~ (Etho x Bdubs)

Chapter 29 - Tying a Bow with Fraying Ends

Ok. So he was gonna do this. Bdubs was going to forgive someone, and talk to them normally and uh- maybe make a friend....

wHICH HE WAS GREAT AT FOR THE RECORD!

He just uh... had an outgoing personality. Which was a little strong for some people, and he wasn't sure Etho of all people would be someone to break that streak.

"Streak? What are you saying Bdubs? There's no friendship streak." He shook his head, almost like he was scolding his own thoughts. "I have plenty of friends. There's no streak with friends."

He took a deep breath, and tied the apron behind his waist. Today was going to be fine, like any other day, and he wasn't going to think about what Keralis said about the party, or the daunting tip jar and interest rates, or the way Grian had been fidgeting significantly more than normal and refused to tell him why, or the classes he had after his morning shift that he was not prepared for, or-.

"No. No, I'm not thinking about any of that."

Cleo was in the backroom, filing horrid paperwork for things Bdubs wasn't sure he wanted to know about. They had almost paid off the bill- from what he could tell at least (He was still new to it all and was seriously gaining more respect for Cleo as he learned how much she had to manage)- and they weren't going into more debt.

But that left him working alone for an hour or so. Then either Cleo would be done, or Grian would clock in.

"Wait no- he took the morning off, so uh, Keralis then?" He paused. "Because Scar had class today I think- or was he doing the online classes?" Bdubs shook his head. It was too much effort to keep track of his own ever changing schedule, but keeping track of everyone else's? Impossible.

It was fine. He had handed the store on his own before (even if the Jellie accident wasn't something they brought up often), and he could do it again. More smoothly this time hopefully.

50 minutes. 50 minutes of running the front of the store by himself, and he was doing pretty good! The average group of tired college students who thought: "Hey I woke up at 6 before, why not now?" when choosing schedules made up most of the customers. They looked like zombies, half dead and sluggishly walking through the store from muscle memory alone.

It was a task to take the orders and fulfill them himself, but he was doing it! Staying on top of everything and keeping focused.

"And there's your order sir, have a great day!" Bdubs was upping the enthusiasm, hoping to rake in extra tips if he could and keep his energy up. It also served as a pretty good distraction from-

Distraction... from....

Bdubs lifted up his gaze as the last person picked up their drink, and as they moved out of the way, Etho was walking up to the counter.

His hair was slightly fallen over his face per usual, with his striking red eye looking right at Bdubs. He clearly had a smile under his mask, which was a little different- but a good difference! The only problem was that Bdubs was having a slightly harder time breathing and he was clearly a little sweaty from working so much, and the room had so many people all day that it was clearly warming up on its own and it wasn't him at all, and uh... Etho was at the counter now.

"Uh uhm." Bdubs tried. Oh god he was making a fool out of himself immediately. He didn't even say hi first.

"Hey Bdubs, if you aren't busy today-"