SHERLOCK STRANGE IMAGINE

TIME TO LOVE 1 [D.S]

Stephen stands in the corner of the hole-in-the-wall coffee bar on Fifth and Main, hands tucked into his jacket pockets as he waits for his drink. Given that it’s a weekday morning, there are quite a few people here already, which means the wait will be a bit longer, but the falling snow outside makes the warm coffeeshop all the more hospitable, so Stephen doesn’t mind.

He spares a glance toward the floor-to-ceiling window facing the street and sighs lightly as he takes in the ever growing mounds of snow along the sidewalk. Perhaps walking here had been a mistake. While the walk to the sanctum sanctorum isn’t far, in this cold, it would definitely feel like a long trip back.

In the midst of contemplating whether or not to just take a gateway back, Stephen hears his drink called out. He watches the barista place it on the counter and walks towards it. Just as he’s about to reach an arm out for it, he sees another arm in his peripherals also going for the drink.

“Oh, sorry!” you exclaim, quickly retracting your arm. Stephen pauses in his motion to get his coffee as he turns to you. “I didn’t realize you’d ordered the same drink.”

He smiles in understanding as he now picks up his drink and stands off to the side so he doesn’t block the counter. “You’d think they’d just start taking customers’ names to avoid something like this,” he murmurs so the baristas don’t overhear. The quip pulls a giggle from you, and Stephen decides he likes the sound of it very much.

“Although to be fair, I doubt many customers ask for so many shots of espresso in their coffee,” you reply teasingly. The barista calls out the order for the second time, signaling to you that your own drink is ready, and you grab it from the counter with a thank you. You then make your way to the counter on the opposite side of the room where you can add extra cream to your coffee until it’s to your liking. Stephen walks alongside you so you can carry on your conversation.

He chuckles. “Colleagues of mine used to wonder how I wasn’t just twitching after the caffeine crash.” He takes a sip of his drink, delighting in the warmth.

“My friends still wonder that about me,” you remark with an offhanded shrug. “I guess I’ve just grown so used to such a high amount of caffeine.” When you’ve replaced the lid on your cup you bring it up to your lips to test the drink. You nod in approval as you lick your lips. “So tell me…”

“Stephen.”

You smile in thanks. “So tell me, Stephen, no one orders that many shots of espresso just because they can. Hectic job?”

The truth is that this drink order originated from when he was still a neurosurgeon. Weird hours at the hospital meant he needed a quick way to wake up. Now… well, even though he doesn’t need it for guarding the sanctum, he still orders it because it’s habit. He’d been taking this order for so long that the seemingly (to the outsider) suicidal number of espresso shots didn’t affect him anymore. But of course he can’t tell you any of that, especially because it would also then require explaining his accident and his sorcery training and yada yada yada… Not anything you needed to hear about, basically.

So instead he shrugs. “Just been a late night.”

“Ah, I know those well.” You look off to the side, brows furrowed slightly as if remembering an unpleasant memory. “Procrastinating as much as I did in college meant I’d be up late the night before an assignment was due.”

“And how about you, Miss…”

“[Name].”

“Miss [Name]. What has you getting so much caffeine in your coffee?”

“Paperwork. A lot of it. Due by the end of the day.” You sigh heavily. “I’d been sick the last few days and got behind so I’m heading into the office today to finish it all. I don’t want to take any of it home with me.”