Chapter Text
2018 was one of the most chaotic rollercoasters you have ever been on. Shit was absolutely insane this year. There were absolutely some good times, and bad times as well. You really needed a little bit of time to yourself, opting to travel this holiday season rather than stay with your family. This isn’t to say that you needed a break from your family for any particular reason, but you have spent most of your time with them throughout the whole year.
You found yourself wandering the streets of New York, incorrectly assuming that the city would be much quieter on Christmas Eve. No, in fact, things were as they always are: loud and busy. However, you were strangely at peace with it. You stumbled upon a small coffee shop, not unlike you to have a craving for something warm on such a cold evening.
Some warm apple cider, or maybe even hot chocolate.
You ordered and received your drink and sat quietly in the corner of the café, taking solace in the muffled sounds and dim lights of the city.
Just as you had gotten nice and comfy in your newly claimed corner, the bell on the door jingled; another customer stepping quickly inside to warm up. You paid no mind as you sipped and sat. That is, until the fresh, unfamiliar face made their presence known to you. “I hope I’m not intruding,” he said, “but you look kind of lonely in the dark over here.” You peeked over your cup to see a tall man with glorious hair and the warmest of smiles. You granted permission with a nod, and he gently sat in the seat in front of you.
“It’s nice to see someone new come in here. I know just about all of the regulars in this place…” the man trailed off. It wasn’t lost on you that he was attempting to make conversation, but you weren’t exactly sure what you could say to him without coming across as awkward. He smiled anyway, eyes glistening as he waited for you to open up. You started off calmly with “I’m not from here. I just decided last minute that I needed a getaway…” He nodded in understanding, stirring his hot tea, but staring at you still.
“I feel you on that one. It’s nice to detach from society for a little whi—oh, am I messing this up for you? I am so sorry,” he rambled. It was honestly endearing, and you couldn’t help but smile at him. He seemed relieved by your expression, taking a deep breath and adding, “Um, my name is Dan. It’s nice to meet you.” He held his hand out for you to shake, and indeed you did. Dan’s hands were surprisingly strong and soft all at once, not that it bothered you. You introduced yourself and took another sip of your drink.
“That’s a beautiful name; it certainly suits you,” he said. His subtle flirtation didn’t go unnoticed by you either, and you felt your cheeks go warm. “So, what brings you here, of all places?”
“Well, long story short, I’ve had one crazy year… full of ups and downs… and I just wanted to find some balance again. It’s strange, I was seeking out some sort of normalcy, and yet I’m in the middle of New York in a coffee shop… talking to someone I may never see again,” you said.
Great, now who’s rambling?
You fiddled with your cup, wishing you had more to drink and the moment that thought crossed your mind, the barista was bringing you a fresh one. Dan was looking down at his lap, grinning as if he was embarrassed.
“I may or may not have bought you another drink. I hope that’s okay,” he said bashfully. Again, you smiled and thanked him sincerely. It was perfect, almost better than the first one you ordered. “You say there were many ups and downs, what do you mean by that? If you don’t mind me asking.” You gave yourself a moment to think about what you would disclose with Dan. How much information is too much? How much information would you have to go in depth with? By this time, Dan started to notice the worry forming in your features.
“I realize that might be too personal, I’m sorry,” he dismissed the question in hopes it would settle your nerves. “But you also said you may never see me again, and it has me intrigued, I’ll admit.” You threw Dan a questioning look, silently asking him to continue. “Well, I’m not a big believer in fate… and as you may have noticed with the fro and boring hot tea, but Christmas isn’t exactly my bag either.” This made you laugh almost loudly, but you were still just as confused. Just as he was going to finish explaining, the manager of the café was informing you that they were about to close for the night.
The two of you left quietly, and then you realized “Oh, my god… I have no clue where my hotel is from here.” Mortified, you nearly slapped yourself in the face with your hands, panic setting in. “I just spent all night walking, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was, if you can believe that.”
“Hey, no worries. We’ll just use Maps and I could drive you back, no biggie smalls. My car is just around the corner here,” Dan offered, kindly. With the frigid air nipping at your skin, you would be a fool to decline a ride back to your hotel. It was late, nearly midnight, and it would only get colder as time went on. Dan opened the passenger door for you, and you gracefully took your seat, searching for your hotel. "Ah, here we go! It's only a twenty minute drive from here, apparently."
Not that far of a drive, you felt kind of bad for making Dan go out of his way for you. "Hey, I know what you're thinking," he said, "but this isn't a big deal. I'd hate for you to be out here by yourself, ya know?" He found an old 80's compilation CD to listen to, and began driving. It had several of your favorites, and you couldn't help but hum along with him. You weren't paying any attention to him, but it made him smile fondly at you. The rest of the ride over was spent in a not-so-awkward silence, and as you finally reached the hotel, you started feeling kind of sad. This new friend you've made would be long gone after this.
"Everything okay?" he asked, shutting the car off. You shook your head, fighting off this impending sadness. You didn't think it rational to feel this way about a person you only just met. You didn't know anything about Dan other than he has a great taste in music, and a kind personality. You stepped out of the car, silently thanking Dan for bringing you back. "Not a problem at all… Hey uh, would you like me to walk you up? Crazies come out at night, and all that." You smiled to yourself, secretly thankful to have just a few more minutes with Dan.
"Yeah um, that would be nice, thank you," you said. As if he were holding his breath before, he sighed, seemingly relieved. Dan, too, was thankful for the few extra minutes with you. He felt compelled to make sure you were alright because deep down he knew. He knew your paths would cross again.
To be continued...