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Asch and Gray stand by a tree covered in red-orange leaves right by the café. Asch takes a sip of his drink and tries not to grimace as sugary goodness attacks his tongue, aware of Gray eagerly watching for his reaction.
“S-So… How's your drink?” Gray asks, his hand slightly shaking around his iced pumpkin spice latte. It’s topped with a drop of whipped cream and cinnamon. “I always look forward to fall flavors…!”
“It ain't bad. Just too sweet,” Asch replies. He had chosen to go for the hot drink while Gray chose his usual, iced coffee. Several sips in, and he still doesn’t understand the hype and why people look forward to the fall months just for this drink. Asch could take it or leave it.
“I-I told you to order it without whipped cream…”
“Nah, it's fine,” he shrugs. “You, on the other hand, asked for extra whipped cream and extra sugar. How are your teeth not rotting?”
Asch doesn't get how Gray and the other sweet enjoyers in HELIOS can handle such flavors. Their taste buds must be different from the rest of society. But he'll end up joining that group since Gray has taken him to so many sweet shops since they started dating. Asch just can't say no whenever Gray's rare confidence leads him to new places.
“I take care of myself! I don’t have cavities anymore.”
“Anymore, huh? Glad to hear it,” Asch chuckles.
They start walking again, side by side with sweet coffee in their hands. Gray has a tote bag with baked goods from the café, some for him and Asch to share during their date, and the rest for Jay and Billy when they return home.
“Ummm…. A-Asch?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you..."
That’s out of nowhere.
“Hah? For what?”
“For trying this with me. The coffee, I mean… Even if you don't like it, I'm…happy you're willing to do this. As soon as the café dropped their fall menu, I really wanted to go with you.”
“Hey, it ain't a big deal. No need to thank me. Hell, I'm glad you're sharing something you like with me," Asch fights the blush that forces its way onto his cheeks. “Why wouldn't I wanna spend time with you? You're my boyfriend."
Gray shrugs. “I'm… I don't know, I’m not really used to this…”
“Then get used to it,” Asch smirks. “And I do like the coffee, by the way. Just not something I’d drink every day.”
“Y-Yeah, pumpkin spice usually isn’t for everyone.”
Spotting an empty bench in the park, Gray walks ahead, colorful leaves crunching underneath his feet. Asch follows and takes the empty spot next to Gray. Asch said he isn't into sugary stuff, but the combination of apple, cinnamon, and maple smells gets him eager to eat. His taste buds just might evolve to match Gray’s.
“Muffin…?” Gray opens the bag, his iced coffee set next to him on the bench.
“Yeah, I'll take one.”
Gray hands over an apple-cinnamon muffin to Asch, watching and waiting for a reaction like before. Asch takes a big bite out of the muffin and washes it down with the pumpkin spice latte.
Gray thinks he looks handsome and cool even while doing something so mundane.
“How was it?” he can’t help asking Asch for his thoughts.
Asch clears his throat. “It’s not… bad,” he says, taking another bite. The muffin almost melts in his mouth. “Not too sweet like the coffee. It’s somehow crunchy and soft at the same time… I’m impressed.”
“Hehe,” Gray triumphantly smirks. “That makes me happy.”
“Good,” he pats Gray’s thigh. “I want to see you happy.”
“A-Ah…! Well, it’s working.”
Though he’s blushing hard, Gray forces himself to focus on his cupcake instead of Asch's words. He stares. If Asch wants to be flirty, then Gray has to match him. He then moves closer to his boyfriend and shows him the cupcake.
“D-Do you want a bite…? You can have the first one… It's gingerbread with maple frosting!”
“Even hearing that makes my teeth hurt,” Asch replies. “But yeah. If you're offering.”
Asch leans towards the cupcake and takes a bite, tasting the spongy cake. His lips are covered in creamy frosting, and before Asch can think of wiping it with the napkins Gray brought, Gray's confidence decides to show up. He kisses Asch's frosting-covered mouth.
Gray quickly pulls back and scrambles for the napkins. “Ahh, what did I do, what did I do—?!” he freaks out aloud. “I-I’ll, um, get some napkins…!”
Asch watches Gray flail for a few seconds before placing a hand on top of his head. What a dork. Can’t even flirt without freaking out. Dorky and cute.
“Gray.”
“E-Eh?” Gray pauses. He squeezes his eyes shut and hopes Asch won’t scold him for the sudden public display of affection. It’s not something explicitly forbidden between them, but Gray’s anxiety won’t let him think otherwise.
“Nice way of cleaning me up,” Asch smirks. “Since when did you get all brave on me?”
“You….you didn't mind…? I-I wasn't really thinking…! And I forgot we were in public, too…!”
“So? Let people see us. You're mine, Gray.”
“So I am…” Gray quietly says, admitting defeat. He dabs the napkin on Asch's mouth and cleans up the frosting, tossing it in the nearby trash can. “Want another bite?”
“Nah, you can have the rest.”
“Okay…”
An awkward silence fills the autumn air as they eat their pastries. Well, Asch and Gray want to believe it’s not. They don’t know how to fill the quietness when the world speaks enough for them. Leaves rustle, birds chirp, and together they sip on their bitterly sweet coffee.
Gray’s face gets hot despite the chill air and iced coffee he keeps drinking. He looks over at Asch. Gray chews on his straw, a bad habit he has trouble letting go of. He can’t help it. Even when doing something so mundane, Asch is the coolest, and that gets Gray nervous in a good way.
Asch turns his head and meets Gray’s eyes. A natural smirk slips on, scooting closer to Gray, their shoulders against each other. Gray’s tense body finally relaxes as he smiles back.
Having Gray so close to him without him freaking out or going into a downward spiral where he thinks Asch hates him is an achievement. What’s supposed to be a bare minimum in any relationship is a big step for Asch and Gray.
After taking a final bite of his muffin, Asch crumbles the wrapper in his hand. He extends it to Gray, who’s also finished with his cupcake. “Trash?”
“Y-Yeah,” Gray hands over the wrapper. He isn’t shaking. “Thanks…”
Asch gets up with the wrappers and his empty coffee cup, Gray still has his, rattling the ice in his cup. After tossing the trash away, he dusts his hands and returns to the bench. Gray stares at the leaf-covered ground as he plays with his straw, poking half-melted ice cubes.
Asch looks at Gray instead. His eyes are always on him.
“Any other place you wanna hit up before it gets dark, Gray?”
Gray fidgets. “Umm… Not today.”
The rookie is like autumn and its weather in a way—unsure. Some days he’s gloomy, and other days he shines brightly.
“I want to give these to Jay-san and Billy-kun before they get cold,” Gray says, holding his tote bag over his shoulder.“Maybe… Maybe we can watch a movie together when we get back?”
“A movie?”
“Did—Did you not want to—”
“‘Course I want to,” Asch walks over and wraps an arm around Gray, kissing his cheek. “We can watch whatever you want. Some Halloween movie or whatever. Just don’t be surprised when Billy and the old man decide to join us.”
“You wouldn't mind…?”
“As long as I’m with you, Gray, it doesn’t matter who the hell is around us.”
Hearing that, Gray walks over to the trash can and tosses his drink away. He interlinks his arm with Asch’s, wearing a subtle smile, sweet like the iced coffee he just finished.
“Then… Let’s go, Asch.”
Asch smirks as they walk home together. He never understood why people impatiently wait all year for autumn and their pumpkin-spiced flavored food and drinks. But he can relate to the relief they feel when a gentle fall breeze finally passes their way after the long, sweltering heat of summer.
He gets the same sensation whenever Gray is around him. Asch can only hope Gray also feels reassured with him.