It's been weeks since Alpha and Omega worked the same shift, and today is no different. Alpha isn't sure if it's just bad luck or if the manager just caught the two of them shooting each other dopey little smiles one too many times and got sick of it. Spending the hours with Omega makes the work go by so much faster, and now that their shifts are so different, Alpha can't stand this shit. He doesn't even like coffee, and if he has to make one more half-caf pumpkin spice abomination, he's going to off himself in the break room.
Omega comes by sometimes just to see him, but he can't stay long without getting both of them in trouble, or else he'd hang around all day. He hasn't come by yet, and Alpha has another couple hours left on his shift, but his patience is wearing thin. He's wiping down the counter, fantasizing about being able to throw his apron on the hook in the break room and get in his fucking car. Sweet freedom from corporate coffee hell.
"You look miserable." A familiar voice snaps Alpha out of his daydream. "If I order an iced coffee, do you promise not to dump it on me in protest?" Terzo is leaning against the counter, looking amazing and smelling like fresh, clean rainwater. It must be casual Friday, because he's wearing a blue polo instead of his usual well-tailored suit, but as seems to be usual with Terzo and clothes in general, he hasn't bothered to button it, and Alpha can't help eyeing the little triangle of chest Terzo has on display. Terzo is smirking faintly when Alpha meets his eyes, clearly having spied him looking.
"No promises, man. Maybe if I drench enough customers, I'll get fired and I can fucking go home. You said iced?" Terzo nods, and Alpha starts on his order, really taking his time since there's no one in line behind Terzo and Alpha could desperately use the social interaction.
"You don't like it here?"
"It was fine when Omega was here too. But we've been on different shifts for weeks. I'm stuck here without him and we never fucking see each other." Alpha scoops ice into Terzo's cup a little too hard, frustration cresting. It was his idea to save money, sure, but he'd planned for them to do it together. He and Omega were always able to get through shit by staying together. This isn't what he signed up for.
"Hm. When's your break, Alpha? If you have a moment to chat, I'd love to see what I can do for you." Terzo is watching him work with more fascination than the simple task deserves.
Alpha sets the full cup down in front of Terzo and snaps a lid onto it for him. Their fingers brush when Alpha pushes the cup forward, and Terzo reaches to take it, and Alpha looks up to see Terzo watching him, eyes heavy-lidded and dark. A blush floods Alpha's cheeks, and he's so flustered it takes him two tries to ring up the order. He checks the clock. "I can go on break now," he answers, trying to ignore the nervous-excited flutter in his belly. "Just gimme a second to tell my coworker. She's doing dishes in the back."
"I'll be here," Terzo says with a warm smile, poking a straw into his drink.
Alpha tells his coworker, Cirrus, that he's taking his break, and she hums an acknowledgement, in her own dish-cleaning groove and no doubt dreaming of the end of her shift, just like he is. Before Alpha heads back out to the front, he takes off his apron and smooths down the simple black t-shirt he has on underneath. It's got an old school band on it, the Foo Fighters. Alpha had just grabbed it randomly out of his closet, but now he's nervous, hoping Terzo at least thinks it's good. He takes a moment to run his fingers through his hair, trying to bring some life back to his steam-limp locks.
