michael.
It’s ridiculous sometimes the way things come back to him. It’s been long enough now, he’s so used to the life he leads, small things shouldn’t make him think of the past at all anymore. They don’t always, in his own defense. It was always though when happiness was involved. Or more likely, the potential of it. Michael had a way of looking for every silver lining and when things turned out to be positive he thought of the things he missed, as if looking for a reason to be disappointed regardless. Nothing could stand up to the more pleasant memories of his past, people that he longed to see again in the back of his mind.
When he was younger, even back before their mother died, Lincoln would hold the door open for him almost everywhere they went and at least once that day say ‘ladies first’ jokingly as Michael walked past him.
And thus he instinctively begins to ruin coffee with a perfectly pleasant stranger. He didn’t have to let it though, did he? He wanted to enjoy the little things.“Thank you. I think I’ll take my chances as they are. I meet enough random guys as it is.” He replies as smoothly as before as he walks into the cafe. “I appreciate the positive attitude though.”
Blaine eyed Michael’s back with a bewildered look as he let him walk by. He met enough random guys? Well. Looking like that, Blaine could imagine Michael didn’t need much help from puppies to meet as many men as he wanted. The guy was handsome, well spoken and gave the impression that he was sincere. Anyone would appreciate meeting, much less spending time with a guy like that. Still, he teased him a little as he let the door close and took a step to stand beside Michael and checking for an empty table. “Ah. Sorry. A guy like you probably doesn’t need any advice on how to meet more people,” he grinned up at him, “You’re welcome for the positive attitude though.”
Ah! They were in luck! A couple vacated a table by the bakery counter and Blaine gave Michael’s sleeve an tug to get his attention. “Let’s grab it before anyone else can,” and with a tick of his chin in towards their seats–Blaine was off to claim their table grabbing two menus off the countertop on his way past.
The barista paused and smiled at Blaine’s grateful wave and smile, went back to taking the next walk up order–stopped and looked back chirping up with an ‘Hello, Mister Anderson’ to which she received pursed lipped ‘hello back! smile and a lift and tilt of the menus in her direction.
“Sometimes I wonder how I’ve managed to miss winning some ten thousandth customer award in the string of coffee shops lining this street and a block over. You’d think with how much I’m in them, I would by now.” Blaine joked as he pulled out a chair for Michael before taking one beside him. “Maybe I have a small caffeine problem..”
pianokeysandbowties back up 