Black Coffee (Larry Stylinson)

Prologue

So here's my story: black coffee!! I really hope you like it, and be sure to vote and comment and all that jazz :)

(here's the link to the playlist for the story, made by @shamrocksandnandos *thank you!* and you should listen to it while you read ;) http://8tracks.com/michaellightninq/black-coffee )

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black Coffee

Ben ran his fingers through his mop of curly hair. His emerald green eyes looked a bit tired, but it would have to do. He had to work and pay the hotel bill, or else the manager would kick him out.  

For some odd reason, Ben found himself working as a waiter at a small town diner, living in a motel just down the road. He didn't remember who his family was or what they were like, but he soon morphed into this life. He had friends, his co-workers- everyone seemed to adore him. And the girls seemed to love him, which was always a good thing.

This is what he's been doing everyday for a year: getting up, going to work, taking a stroll through town then back to the motel room for late night TV shows and sleep. It's all Ben ever knew, and he was perfectly okay with that.

Ben grabbed his keys and went to his beat-up used car, careful not to slip into the puddles. It took two or three times to start it, but when it did, music blasted from the radio.

"-the way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed! But when you-" Ben quickly changed the channel; he hated pop music. He shoved in one of his favorite CD's, and soon his car was filled with the soft strums of the guitar and the deep voice of an angel, Ed Sheeran. At the back of Ben's mind, he wished that he could meet Sheeran one day.

He took the long way to work, noticing he was a little early, and enjoyed the way the rain hit the windshield, and the sound of Ed's soft voice together. He liked the little things like this. He didn't like to feel rushed, which is why he gets up earlier than he needs to.

Soon, Ben couldn't procrastinate work any longer, and parked his car outside of the restaurant. He shook his hair loose one more time before lifting his hood up and over his head. He quickly took out his keys and made a beeline to the door. Inside, he could see Felicity laughing at him.

"What?" he asked smiling at her, shaking the water droplets from his hair.

She just laughed, "Oh nothing, Ben. Just that you look absolutely hilarious running like that!" she giggled again.

He swatted her away, trying his very hardest not to blush. He put his apron on, and grabbed his notepad and pen. "Just get to work Felicity!" Ben mumbled. Really, he didn't look that stupid running, right?

He made a few rounds, taking everyone's order quickly, giving everyone a kind smile. Then he saw him; the boy who sits in the same spot, sipping his coffee everyday.

He had light brown hair that either swept in front of his forehead or was swept up in a perfect style. He had light blue eyes, that always seemed sad. He always had bags underneath his eyes, leading Ben to believe that he never gets enough sleep. He's always slouched over the coffee that he orders everyday, only ordering from Ben. He wouldn't let Felicity or Paige take his order; it was always, "Where's Ben? Can he wait on me?"

Pretty soon, it became assumed that Ben would take his order without question, even though he knew his order was always black coffee, no sugar.

"May I take your order?" He asked, already scribbling 'black coffee' onto the notepad.

"Black coffee please." he asked, looking hopeful into Ben's eyes... As if he didn't already know that they always served coffee.

"Sure thing!" he said cheerfully, ignoring the fact that this guy gave him a strange sense of comfort, even though their conversations never drifted.

"Thanks, Hazza- I mean, Ben." The guy said awkwardly. Ben raised his eyebrow slowly, before mumbling a quick, "You're welcome." and turning towards the kitchen.

As he filled up the coffee jug, his mind couldn't stay put. Hazza? What was that? A name? Why did it have such a feeling of recognition for Ben? He had never heard that name for as long as he could remember.

He shrugged off the feeling, taking the jug back out to the house. "Here you go." he said quietly to the boy as he filled up his cup, steam rising.

The boy gave a half smile, not looking up to meet Ben's curious gaze.

For a year, this boy came into this shop ordering the same thing everyday. Ben's never taken the time to ask why he's always alone. Ben's never asked why he wanted him to serve him. He's never even asked the boy what his name was.

That was going to change today.

"Who's Hazza?" Ben asked, looking at the boy who spiked his curiosity.

The boy snapped his head and looked at at Ben with those same hopeful eyes. "He's the boy I fell in love with."

He's gay. For some reason, this fact didn't gaze Ben at all. Instead, he pulled out the seat across from the boy, and sat down.

"Want to talk about it?" Ben asked carefully, letting the boy know that he had noticed his sad eyes.

The boy swallowed thickly, "We fought. We were doing so well, until that fight. I can't even remember what it was about." He said placing his elbows on the table, and burying his face in his hands. "The last thing I said to him was, 'I hate you'." Ben could hear the sobs bubbling in his chest.

The were silent for a few seconds, until Ben's curiosity got the best of him again. "What happened to him? Is he dead?"

He looked up at Ben, his eyes red from tears, "The Hazza I knew is dead. I worry that i'll never have him back again."

Ben heart broke for the poor lad. He didn't know what it get like to be in love, but looking at the way this Hazza tore him apart, he could feel it. He could feel the way this guy loved his Hazza.

"If it was meant to be, he'll come back. If he doesn't, try moving on." Ben was awful at giving advice, but he tried his best.

A sob escaped from the boy's mouth and he began crying into his hands. Ben stayed, not knowing how to help, but rubbing his shoulder.

After a few minutes, the boy calmed down enough to look back up at Ben. He strained a smile, "Thanks."

"No problem." he smiled back. "What's your name?"

"Louis." he said quietly, that god damn hopeful look back in his eyes. What he was hopeful about?

"BEN!" Paige yelled. Ben jumped before patting Louis on the back.

"See you tomorrow." he said before running off to feel the wrath of Paige's lecture.

Louis sat there, trig to corral his own sobs, wiping his face clear of tears.

His phone rang with the sound of an 'Isnt She Lovely' cover. He pulled it out and answered.

"Hello?"

"Louis?" it was Niall's voice. He sounded concerned. "I think it's time to come home now..."

Louis' eyes widened, "No! I think he's coming around! I'm so close!" he tried not to sob again. "I can't leave him Niall."

"Louis... The band needs you."

Anger rippled through him, "It isn't the band without Harry, Niall! Just because he lost his memory, doesn't mean we can jus abandon him like this!" he took a deep breath, "I'm not leaving until Harry leaves with me."

"Louis, you heard the doctor. He's probably never going to get his memory ba-" Louis hung up the phone. That wasn't going to happen. Harry was different. He would get through this.

So there he was, sipping his coffee, watching Harry poke Paige's cheek trying to get her to lighten up. He didn't even know that his entire life before that fight, was wiped clean. He didn't know that he used to love and be love by the boy waiting day by day for a miracle: for the love of his life to recognize his face.