Meet-cutes are ruining my life so I am here to share it with you too or something like that.. I may have lost the plot its like four in the morning please dont judge me T-T
The chime jingles overhead as yet another customer drifts into the cozy atmosphere of the 'Coffee Den', a quaint cafe located in one of the many back alleys of Gotham. It was relatively empty though. Not because of its location, nope most Gothamites were well accustomed to the usual mugging with a casual stabbing here and there. Oh and lets not forget about the rouges. Rather it was because of the ungodly hours of the morning that this customer had drifted in at.
It was during that sweet hour where most rouges were off to bed or whatever they do at this hour and citizens were beginning to wake. The bliss-filled time where Gotham seemed to quiet down and breathe lighter even if just for a moment.
"Welcome to the coffee Den, where everyone is a friend. What can I getcha?" Danny inquired without looking up from where he was listing off ingredients that needed to be restocked by the person on the shift after his. The greeting meant to be upbeat and peppy however it was 4:30 AM and all he was thinking of was crashing in bed until he would inevitably be awoken to repeat the dull cycle his life had turned into after unforeseen circumstances lead to him living in Gotham.
Usually those working the nightshift were meant to be on strict alert but well.. Even though he wasn't a born and raised Gothamite, Danny wasn't too perturbed by the concept of 'life threatening danger' despite what his managers had tried drilling into him when he applied for this job.
"Mm, Do you have anything with enough caffeine to kill a man?" A tired voice grumbled back earning a snort from Danny in leue of a proper response, having heard this joke a thousand times over by now. However when the customer seriously waits for a response Danny sighs.
"Legally? Nothing I can sell you." A response that earns a groan of disappointment from the stranger, bringing a slightly amused smile to Danny's lips.
"Then.. what do you recommend?"
"Well… It's not enough caffeine to kill you but it's close enough. Would you like a Grim's Grip?" Danny responded after a moment of thought, brain a bit foggy with the need for sleep but remembering the drink fairly quickly considering it wasn't even on the menu anymore. Still though it was his favorite drink, coming close to a straight ecto-shot.. just more fit for human consumption.
For what it's worth, Tim was exhausted. Fresh from patrol and straight into Ceo duties without so much of a break, granted he could theoretically take one if he just disposed of all the sources of his issues but nooo B just had to draw the hard line at murder. Not that B would know if he… No no no, god he needed coff-
Maybe that's why he had forgotten how to think for a few seconds when he finally really looked at the barista running the nightshift. Snapping back to functionality when the guy recommended a drink. That said, his functionality was at best at a solid 7% at the moment.
"Yeah, can I have three and maybe your number too?" Smooth. Tim was certain that if his caffeine intake or his vigilante activities didn't take him out first then it would surely be his shame later when he was coherent enough to really process this moment. For now though he only really blinks tiredly and continues on with that thousand yard stare he gives the second any adrenaline he had gained from his nightly activities wore off.
"Mhm? The coffee? For sure. My number? Well that's reserved only for high paying regulars." The guy grins in amusement without looking up from whatever he was doing behind the counter. Probably typing up Tim's order. Wow, he's pretty, is shooting him down and had not even glanced at him once… totally his type.
"That'll be $42.36. Can I get a name for the order?"
He didn't even really think before swiping his card, mouth unfortunately moving faster than his brain for a second but to be fair his brain was quite sluggish at the moment.
"Tim Drake-Wayne." A response that earns a snort of amusement.
"Sure dude and I'm Bruce Wayne." Yet he writes the name on one of the cups anyways, already moving to get started on Tim's order. A fair reaction to someone showing up in a back alley cafe and claiming to be a billionaire ceo after asking for your number. Still his stupid stupid idiotic mouth just has to keep running.
"Please.. B wishes." He mutters with a snort. Maybe to the rest of Gotham the man was hot, but to him? His totally not dad that is technically his dad could never.
"To be a broke college student working their ass off at 3AM instead of snoozing away in pristine satin sheets like I usually do, y'know 'cause I'm toootally Bruce Wayne?" The Barista sassed with a little eyeroll he probably thought Tim couldn't see. Perhaps he wasn't too fond of Billionaires. Tim gets it, 'eat the rich' and all that.. Maybe the guy could eat- no no, shut up brain.
It was amusing to Danny, usually people who came in and tried to flirt with him were a bit more.. well lets call it 'present'. But no, this dude sounded half dead. Ironic coming from him of all people.
"Three Grim's grips for one tootally Tim Drake-" He teased with a little snort as he finished preparing the guy's order, finally looking at him only to momentarily freeze up. Because oh-
The identity fraudster was hot.
Messy hair, slightly gothic skate punk aesthetic and eyebags that made him look like he had a natural smokey eye. Okay maybe Sam and Tucker were onto something with saying he might have a type.
Having to blink a few times to remember that he had been speaking as the dude owlishly stares at him, already sleepily half reaching for one of the drinks Danny had been placing on the counter. Still he could only really stare as the guy sipped on his coffee, terrible at flirting with those he perceived as attractive - something he had learnt from prior experience. Wait no he is not meant to be flirting. Lock in Danny!
"I totally am Tim Drake tho.." The poor guy muttered, sounding bewildered and generally confused as he looked at Danny.
"You have an interesting sense of humor." Danny snorts before he could catch himself, the quip out his mouth before it could register in his head. Which, a bad habit but he was nineteen and running off of sarcasm, sass, and spite to be fair.
Tim got the inkling that the pretty stranger wasn't from Gotham, or maybe just wasn't interested in the news.. which was impossible because all Gothamites were nosey. It was like their developed self protection mechanism, afterall the more you knew you didn't know the easier it was to protect yourself in Gotham. A careful balance of knowing enough to protect yourself and knowing as little as possible to not end up on someone's chopping block.
"If it's interesting, would you humor me with your name?" Ah yes Tim, because asking like someone from a bygone era was surely the way to go.
"What if you steal it though?" Valid. Wait no, he wasn't an identity thief. He was Tim Drake.. or atleast last he checked. He was wracking his brain for a witty response yet before he could come up with anything his phone was buzzing reminding him that he had places he needed to be since he even got to here.
"Fair. Keep your secrets beautiful." He murmured out distractedly, with a smile that he didn't know was unfairly charming. Running his hand through already messy hair before picking up the to go tray with his two other coffees, mind already in a million places. Yet more pressingly he remembers to leave the guy a hefty tip.
..Because he wanted to prove his identity, not because the other had mentioned his number being for high paying regulars. No, definitely not. Just like he wouldn't be returning another time after patrol as soon as he got the chance. That said, the coffee here is really good.. Yup the coffee. That he certainly drank a lot of.
"Can high paying, soon to be regulars expect you to be on the same shift tomorrow?" He asked just to be sure, pretending his face didn't warm slightly when the other actually let out a laugh at his question.
"Pft- oh yeah. It's my favorite shift, want me to have your drink ready at around the same time?" Oh.. Oh he hadn't fucked up, he was actually expected to return. Okay.
"Mhm. Then see you soon."