Chapter Text
Working in customer service was, in short, a living hell.
Between incompetent coworkers, a manager who only showed up once a month, and the ridiculous drinks customers managed to come up with, Caleb was shocked he hadn't gone gray from stress.
So when he got a moment to himself, he treasured it.
The Starbucks in the large mall wasn't empty, Caleb could never be that fortunate. But the customers in the store already had their orders and were hidden in the corner, talking amoung themselves without bothering Caleb. With his coworker, Harris, on break Caleb was able to putter around the counter. In between cleaning the machines he was even able to steal himself a drink since no one was around to stop him.
It was the closest he'd been to relaxed since starting here.
But of course, the feeling couldn't last long. He was sipping his drink, chewing at the straw absently, when he glanced at the clock on the well. Fuck.
He quickly stowed the drink away, hiding it somewhere he could grab it from later. It was tucked away just in time for perhaps his most obnoxiously ostentatious customer to walk in like clockwork. Same time, same shit, as always.
A tall man sauntered in, dark purple curls falling around his face. He came through the Starbucks every day. Caleb assumed he had to be coming through on his way to work, most people needed the caffeine boost before handling customers. The man draped himself over the counter, resting his chin on his nails. The way he stood showed off the top of his chest since he hadn't bothered to fully button the too tight black shirt, and he was raising his hips in a way that made Caleb take a few moments to steady himself and hide his blush.
This man was going to be the death of Caleb, he was an enigma. Caleb didn't even know his real name, just the surname. Tealeaf. He always used the name for his orders so it was all he had to work with.
"Good morning, darling." Tealeaf said, tapping his nails against his chin. "Fancy seeing you here."
"I am here every day." Caleb said simply enough.
"Not every day, you weren't here yesterday." he said with a faux pout.
"I did have the day off yesterday, yes. But that is incredibly rare." As Caleb spoke he reached over and grabbed a venti cup, scribbling the name Tealeaf across it. Even though he changed the order every time, the one thing Caleb could count on was that it would be big.
"Well- I'm still heartbroken you didn't tell me. Your coworkers alright- but none of them are anything compared to you."
Caleb sighed. "I was unaware I had to update you whenever I took a day off."
"I can't say you have too, but I wouldn't be opposed." He rhythmically rapped his nails against the counter, bright eyes following Caleb. "And I'll take an Ultimate Caramel Frappuchino- shot of espresso. As much caffeine and sugar as you can physically cram into one cup. I have a long day ahead of me."
"Of course." Caleb scribbled the order onto the cup and got to work. It was a bit pointless since he was making it himself, but he was a creature of habit. As he walked around to make the drink Tealeaf followed, keeping a close eye on him. Should he... keep talking? Is that what's expected of him? "What is the long day?" he tried.
Apparently that was the right thing to say because Tealeaf started talking right away. "We just finished moving stores. We're reopening to the public after two weeks so I'm expecting a crowd." he explained, waving his hands a lot as he spoke. It was almost musical, a definite rhythm to his movements. He dragged one hand through his curls and they all somehow bounced right back into place. "All we did was move a floor down- but it's a lot bigger. Certainly nice to be less crowded." he added on, leaning to meet Caleb's eyes with a wicked grin. "Maybe you can visit sometime."
Honestly, Caleb might of considered the offer. But there was one thing standing in his way that made visiting an impossibility.
Caleb had no idea where Tealeaf worked.
No matter how many times he came in, Caleb couldn't pin it down. He'd narrowed it down to a few options, and by now it was a tie between Sephora and LUSH. Caleb had noticed employee's from both stores had the same black clothing Tealeaf always sported. Occasionally they would also be decorated with piercings or brightly colored leggings, like Tealeaf wore often, but it wasn't enough for him to cross either store off the list. Oh- and employee's from both stores were always completely and unfairly gorgeous. Yet another box Tealeaf undeniable checked.
Caleb finished making the drink, pressing the lid into place and passing it into Tealeaf's hands. He took it, reaching for a straw without looking away from Caleb.
"So?" Tealeaf asked, taking a long sip. Caleb watched him too intently, eyes drawn from his bright eyes down to his cheeks and lips-
"Oh- yes. Sure." Caleb agreed quickly, trying to stop going down the rabbit hole.
Tealeaf lit up, standing up straight with a push from the counter. "Perfect! I can't wait!" You'll love it there, I promise." he said happily, glancing at his watch and cursing. "Okay- I need to go because Yasha will have my head if I'm late again. But I'm holding you to that promise! You better visit!" he called out. Most of it was yelled over his shoulder as he ran out of the store to sprint towards work.
As soon as he was out of sight Caleb sighed, running a hand through his bangs.
Gods.
Tealeaf was, without a doubt, the single most confusing person Caleb had ever met. On one hand, he could be incredibly charming and beautiful in his flirting. He no doubt flirted with everyone- Caleb wasn't special- but the attention was nice. Most customers treated Caleb like a coffee making robot, but when Tealeaf focused in on him and started flirting he had no doubt he was viewed as a person. In the mornings Tealeaf seemed to enjoy asking questions about his life. He was always poking for details about one thing or another, curiosity nearing intrusiveness. His smile also managed to brighten the mornings, making Caleb's heart tighten in ways he didn't like to think too hard about.
But then, on the other hand.
Sometimes, Tealeaf was the most insufferable person Caleb had ever met.
Tealeaf's constant 'in your face' energy could be insufferable in it's own way, yes. But later in the day was a different story entirely. It was always his second visit when things changed, just before or just after the lunch rush took over the store. So maybe it was that work really ruined his mood? Or maybe when he was awake enough he realized Caleb wasn't worth the effort of flirting. But no matter the reason- he was an asshole.
As every day before this, it followed the same pattern. After the lunch rush finally settled down Tealeaf walked in again, a purpose in his stride.
Tealeaf had a full face of makeup on this time- he normally did in the afternoon. And it was honestly unfair that he looked so good in it. Dark black lipstick and golden-black eye makeup really should not be allowed to look that good. Tealeaf always had the kind of face that made people do double-takes, and the full face only accentuated that.
"Venti Double Shot on Ice. Remember- it's a Venti. So this time I actually want the extra espresso I'm paying for." he said flatly, not looking up from his phone.
All Caleb gave him was a small grunt in acknowledgement.
"What was that?" Tealeaf said quickly, looking right at him.
"That will be up right away." Caleb said, passing the cup off to one of the coworkers to actually brew as he pretended to check on the pastries.
Caleb had 'forgotten' to give Tealeaf the extra gallon of espresso he ordered every afternoon exactly once. And he hadn't even forgotten it. Tealeaf had ordered the ridiculously caffeinated that morning, yawning complaints about how his asshole roommate kept him up all night and he needed all the energy he could get. So when he ordered the same drink not two hours later Caleb decided to cut down the caffeine. The last thing he wanted was a heart attack on his hands. He figured it wouldn't even be noticeable. But noooo. Apparently trying to keep a customer from dying on the floor of the cafe was the wrong decision.
As he hid behind the pastries Tealeaf lurked right by the counter, making Caleb feel incredibly uncomfortable. He twitched, glancing at him. "So- um. How is the move going?"he asked weakly. Maybe Tealeaf really did just get aggravated by work and some sympathy would help? It wasn't impossible.
Tealeaf looked up from his phone again, raising an eyebrow. He looked at Caleb like he was talking in riddles, or as though he suddenly switched to Yddish instead of English. This lasted a few horrible moments before Tealeaf shook his head and grabbed his drink, exiting the store.
That could of gone better.
Caleb sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. There wasn't much time for him to stew on what a disaster that interaction was before group after group of teenagers crowded in, all of them with an order more complicated than the last. Him and Harris ended up springing around the store, tossing cups from one end of the counter to the other. They knew how to handle the crowds by now, so it wasn't impossible. But that didn't make it any fun. Especially when an old woman spent ten minutes arguing with him about a coupon older than him.
But eventually, most of the teens were gone. The old woman left as well after cussing Caleb out in honestly creative ways. Caleb physically drooped across the register, trying to regain some of his energy. He could breathe now but who knew how long this peace would last.
"Caleb? Are you all right?" A small voice asked from below him.
With a groan Caleb slowly lifted his head, holding part of his hair in his fist. "What?" he asked, looking down and seeing Nott. He really had to look down due to her height, just under five feet. Her long black-green hair fell absolutely everywhere as though she had never seen a brush in her life. It was a total mess, and he wouldn't want her any other way. She was more than his roommate, she was family.
"I just asked if you're alright." she repeated, pushing onto her toes to see him better.
"Oh- yes. Of course. I am perfectly fine. Just tired- very tired." he said with a dry smile. "But what else is new?"
Nott gave him a worried look, playing with one of her many rings. "Can I get you anything? I can pick something up and be back lickety split."
"I promise- I'm fine. This shift will be over soon enough." Caleb shook his head.
"If you're sure." she said. She looked around, not seeing any managers or customers that would rat them out, and dragged a stool over. She hopped on top, swinging her legs through the air. The height difference could really hurt her neck over time. "But so- how was today? Anything interesting?"
"Does a man crying over whipped cream count as interesting?"
"Not really? That happened last week as well." Nott said, getting a laugh out of Caleb. Customers really were weird. She clicked her tongue. "Did the pretty boy come in again?" she asked. Caleb blushed lightly. He hadn't been the one to give Tealeaf the nickname, but after hearing Caleb describe him and seeing him in person a few times Nott decided he was worthy of the nickname. "So that's a yes. Was it as weird and two faced as before?"
Caleb sighed, nodding. "Yes, indeed. I truly do not know what to make of him? He made me promise to visit him at work- then looks at me as though I'm a fool when he comes by later."
"That's definitely strange." Nott agreed. "I know! Maybe he's cursed? Cursed to have a different outlook every time you see him?" she said dramatically, grinning as Caleb started laughing.
"Something tells me that is not the case, but I suppose you never know." he joked, reaching over to pull her close and ruffle her hair. She laughed happily, weakly pushing his hands away. "He could be cursed by some ancient witch. The ridiculous caramel coffee's activate the curse and bring the asshole version of himself to the surface." he continued, getting her to laugh harder.
"Maybe the only way to break his curse is to make a barista cry? So he's trying to break you! You can't let him win! You have to stay strong, Caleb!"
Caleb nodded, wiping his eyes as his laughter finally started to die down. He grabbed his entirely melted drink and sipped it some, resting up against the pastry case. "I promise I'll stay strong, for you if nothing else. I won't cry over coffee."
"Good." she nodded firmly, still absolutely beaming. Kicking her legs she grabbed a straw, discarding the paper and chewing on it.
"You know- I could get you something to actually drink."
"No, this is fine. I like it." She said contentedly, continuing to gnaw at the end. Her teeth were all sharp and a bit jagged and undeniably Nott. Some people gave her odd looks, but the children absolutely loved it. Every kid in the mall adored Nott. She was hilarious, kind, and just a bit terrifying. What more could they ask for?
As they spoke and laughed the bell at the door rang softly. Caleb elected to ignore it, just this once. Harris was on yet another break, which in itself wasn't a problem but gods Caleb really wanted to enjoy the last minute of peace as he downed the remnants of his drink. It was the simple pleasures in life.
"I need three of the sugar cookies- now. And I'm in a rush."
So much for enjoying the last of his minute.
Clearly tired, both from work and not sleeping the night before, Caleb took a moment to process and look up at the customer calling over from the register. It was Tealeaf- because of course it was. His lips were pursed together, drawing Caleb's attention to them and how the color of his lipstick complimented his skin. He shook his head to center himself. "Sorry- what was that you said?"
Tealeaf clicked his tongue. It wasn't like Nott, where it was gentle or teasing. Somehow Tealeaf made the small sound as condescending as possible. "My order. Three of the sugar cookies. And I'm in a rush. So if you could hurry that up it would be great." He repeated. Caleb nodded and pushed off the wall, getting paper to bag the cookies. As he did he heard Tealeaf clicking his tongue, the eye roll almost audible. "It's not that difficult to stop talking when a customer comes in, gods. Come on." he grumbled to himself.
Caleb just kept his head down. He wanteed to get this over with as quickly as possible. As he hustled to the register he heard another customer walking up but stayed on task, he could deal with whoever it was after he took care of Tealeaf. Eyes pointed down he put the order into the register. "That'll be-" he started to give the total, forcing himself to at least glance back up. But as he raised his head his words died, the sight of a familiar face knocking all the air out of his lungs.
What
the
fuck.
A face near identical to Tealeaf's was grabbing onto Tealeaf's shoulder in a death grip, nails digging in. For a moment Caleb thought he was seeing double. But the one that just entered didn't have the same makeup, and unlike the first one's judging expression the new one had an honestly terrifying grin currently.
"Lucien, dear," The new Tealeaf started, turning what should be an affectionate term into pure venom, "Are you being an asshole to my favorite barista?"
The first Tealeaf- Lucien apparently?- scowled and looked over at him. "Does it matter to you, Molly?"
"It's Molly to my friends. Mollymauk to you- you know this." Molly said. He was still smiling, but every word came off as a threat. Even without the words being directed at him, Caleb felt his hair stand on edge.
"I know, Molly." Lucien jabbed.
The two Tealeaf's seemed distracted by each other, completely forgetting about Caleb. And oh gods, there were two of them. How the hell are there two of them. Caleb was NOT prepared to deal with two of them holy shit. Especially when they both suddenly appeared at his work, arguing loudly. He started massaging his arms, breathing going slightly shallow. He was so unprepared for this.
As something gently hit his head Caleb jumped a mile, the two Tealeaf's still to busy to notice. He looked over and saw Nott standing in the doorway to the break room, simultaneously shoving Harris onto the floor and waving him in frantically. Caleb nodded slowly, struggling to think, but forced himself to walk towards her. As soon as he was close enough she ushered him in, closing the door.
By the time he got through the door Caleb was hyperventelating. Nott grabbed his hand and sat him down on the small crappy couch, keeping his hand firmly between hers.
"Caleb- look at me. Okay? I need you to just look at me and breathe. Do what I'm doing." Nott said softly, exaggerating her breaths. Every time she breathed in she squeezed his hands, and every time she breathed out she released it. He tried to breathe with her but it was difficult. Over the years he'd gotten better at managing panic attacks- so being hit so hard was overwhelming. But still, Nott was good at this. She continued to speak softly as he found a rhythm in his breath. Caleb could barely process her words but the tone was soothing. Eventually his breathing was even and he could open his eyes, looking back at her.
"Are you all right?" she asked softly.
"I- I believe so? Yes. I am all right now." he fumbled around before deciding on his answer. "I just did not expect..."
"For there to be two of them?" Nott finished the thought, clever as she was, Caleb nodded.
"Yes- ja. I did not expect there to be two of them." As his head started to clear up he was definitely exhausted, but at least able to picture the two of them outside. They were clearly twins- and the more he thought about it the more it explained. The bizarre personality shifts made sense, as well as the lesser question of how they survived after consuming so much caffeine. He really should of pieced this together sooner. "Even if it makes sense that does not change how overwhelming it is."
"You can say that again." Nott agreed, crossing her legs. She played with her noise piercing for a moment. "At least this means one of them might be actually nice? The- the second one? I'm calling him the second one. He certainly seemed nicer than the... first one?"
Caleb nodded in agreement. "Yes- yes I would agree. That would be the one from the mornings."
"How are you so sure?"
Caleb gestured vaguely, mostly at his own face. "Molly does not wear as much of the makeup. Lucien does." he explained, and Nott made a small understanding sound.
"Ahh.... Well, do you want me to see if they've left? I'm sure Harris took care of them by now." she offered.
Caleb shook his head and forced himself to slowly stand up, hugging his arms in a clear sign of self comfort. "No- No I will be fine." He ruffled her hair again at her worried look. "I did promise you I wouldn't let him break me after all. That has not changed because they've doubled."
Nott gave him a hesitant smile. He doubted she believed him but nonetheless she supported him wanting to try. She reached up and squeezed his hands, gently leading him back out into the cafe. Once they were out she jumped to the other side of the counter. Technically she wasn't supposed to be back there to begin with, but every one of Caleb's coworkers knew her well enough she could get away with it whenever she felt like it.
As Caleb walked back into the cafe he thought he could handle whatever he saw. Passive aggressive bickering was bad, but he'd handled worse.
But gods.
He wasn't expecting this.
An incredibly tall woman had entered the cafe at some poine, and was currently making her way out. But no- she couldn't just be leaving like a normal customer. That would make Caleb's life easy. Instead she was leaving with Molly over her shoulder. Molly was shouting curses, kicking his legs and trying to fight his way out of her grasp like his life depended on it. He was failing, miserably at that, but by the gods he was trying.
"YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER ASSHOLE! YOU'RE THE REASON WHY HE ACTS SO AFRAID OF ME! YOU TOTAL ASSHOLE!" he was shouting, pushing on the woman's shoulder.
"Molly, don't do this here." the woman said softly, ducking her head down to fit both of them through the doorway.
"ILL DO THIS WHEREVER I WANT! IF HE CAN BE A DICK WHY CAN'T I!"
"Come on." The woman continued, as if Molly had any choice in the matter. Molly flailed, revealing a few cuts across his face. But he was gone before Caleb could see it better. The woman calmly continued carrying him down the hall, and his shouting was audible in the distance.
Caleb stared blankly ahead. Lucien took his bag, a sizable bruise on his cheek, and left the store in the opposite direction.
Caleb blinked a few times. He turned back towards Harris. "I am going to take another break." he said, walking back into the breakroom.