ONLY YOU

His Beautiful Barista

"Good morning." Zee said when he entered his favourite cafe.
"Good morning Mr Panich!" Saint Suppapong smiled at the man.
"The usual?" He asked Zee and he nodded.
"Thanks Saint." Zee said but his eyes lingered on the bruising on Saint's jaw.
"What happened Saint?" He questioned him.
"I banged my face onto a door." Saint replied while averting Zee's eyes.

Zee could feel his blood boiling. It was not the first nor the second or even the third time he has seen Saint in bruises. He would tell Zee that he was clumsy and accident prone. Zee did not believe anything he said because he had been coming to the cafe for more than a year and Saint was not clumsy nor accident prone. The man could work wonders with his coffee making skills and if he were as clumsy; he would not be able to be working there and make those delicious coffee of his. Zee knew that someone was abusing Saint. He believed it was be his partner. The ungrateful bastard.

"Have you gone to the doctor? This looks painful." Zee carefully touched Saint's jaw.
"It's not that bad Mr Panich." Saint whispered.
"Why are you so clumsy that you hurt yourself all the time Saint? You need to take care of yourself better." Zee murmured while still staring into Saint's eyes.
"I will Mr Panich. I promise." Saint smiled.
"You worry too much." He patted Zee's shoulder while nodding calmly.
"That was what you said last month when you injured your finger." Zee stated.
"How about before that Saint? I worry about you." He murmured.
"I've been clumsy all my life." Saint smiled.

Zee saw the moment Saint lied. He would always gave him a reassuring smile. He would always patted his shoulder as if telling him that he was totally alright. Yet, Zee could see the pain in his beautiful eyes. Zee was first drawn to the man because of his smile and then his eyes. It was one of those stressful days at his office and he decided to take a walk around his building. It was by chance that it started drizzling and Saint's Cafe was nearby. Zee entered the cafe and was greeted by the most ethereal man he had ever seen in his life. He was instantaneously attracted to the beautiful man. The man introduced himself as Saint Suppapong the owner of the cafe. He was gracious enough to give him a small towel to dry himself. Saint offered him a hot mug of coffee and Zee could not say no to.

    He enjoyed the rest of the afternoon talking to the pleasant man. Zee learned that he had just graduated from a local university and his late grandfather's inheritance allowed him to open the cafe. He ran his cafe on the ground floor while living above the shop. Then he learned that Saint was already in a relationship with someone. That someone was his high school sweetheart. They had been together since they were 17. In their final year of university, his boyfriend was involved in a horrific accident and the man was scarred for life. His boyfriend did not finish his university degree but continued to wallow in his frustration. The bastard practically did nothing to help Saint and Zee knew that he was abusing him.

"If you need me to help you... Tell me Saint. You know where to find me. You have my number." Zee reminded Saint. He had lost count how many times he told the same line to the man.
"I have people who can help you. I can protect you Saint." He murmured.
"Thank... Thank you Mr Panich."
"Call me Zee... We're friends! We've passed the formalities." Zee told him.
"You have medicine for this?" He asked Saint and he slowly nodded.
"You...You can let go now... I still haven't made you coffee." Saint smiled nervously.
"What am I going to do with you huh?" Zee whispered.
"You don't have to do anything." Saint murmured.
"I'm alright." He slowly touched Zee's hand holding his face.
"No you're not Saint. You know that. I know that." Zee replied.
"He... I will take better care of myself... No more... No more getting hurt." Saint promised Zee.

Zee stared at the man and then sighed. He took a few steps back and sat at one of the stools in the cafe. Saint slowly moved back to his station and began preparing the coffee for Zee. The cafe became quiet except for the occasional tinkling of Saint making coffee. The  busy morning crowd had not begun crowding the streets nor the cafe as it was still way before rush hour.