Eddy watched as Matt slank on back with their coffees. He had requested a flat white for himself, remembering Brett liked those. And Brett was his happy place so he thought of him often and what the man liked. Made him feel closer even if Brett wasn't around. Maybe when he left he'd grab Brett a coffee to go? That could be a nice thing to do.
He smiled softly at Matt, "Welcome back."
Eddy smiled warmly, his eyes forming little crescents. He felt shy and unsociable but was told he was good at making people feel like he only had eyes for them. Or at least that's what he was told in his training, since that could be a tool used to manipulate people into trusting and opening up to him. Maybe that's why Matt liked him? Because he was just a trash person tricking the poor guy.
"Thank you," Matt smiled with a small chuckle, carefully placing the flat white in front of Eddy and sitting down with the same for himself, having decided to try it since Eddy liked it. While in line he had made himself take a deep breath and go over his feelings about Eddy's boyfriend. There was honestly a good chance nothing bad was really happening, but he was still a bit suspicious towards the boyfriend. For now, though, he'd just focus on being a good friend to Eddy while trying to be himself. Usually that meant people left, anyway.
"Decided to try a flat white myself, since you like it. Haven't tried it before."
"I hope you like it, it's pretty good from what I remember. I've really only been drinking black coffee for three years. Minus special occasions," did that mean this was one of those special occasions too? Or was Eddy just talking? Matt may never know. Eddy was just talking though, since it was true. Being on a restrictive diet meant just black coffee. In a way it subdued the hunger.
Matt tilted his head curiously.
"Why only special occasions? Surely your boyfriend can afford to take you out for fancy coffee with a car like that?" he asked, not meaning to make it sound as accusatory towards the man he didn't really know as it did. He quickly realized, though. "That sounded rude, but... you know what I mean, right?"
He could feel his chest tighten, expecting an angry reaction. It wasn't uncommon for him to say things wrong.
"Oh that's okay," Eddy smiled a little, he didn't like conflict so he wouldn't make a scene, "I can see why that would be confusing. It's just that I only got discharged from service recently like a few months ago. So I've been on a restrictive diet for a couple years to maintain my mandatory weight. So sugary drinks or coffees with other things weren't bad on occasion but yeah."
He explained softly.
"Oh, that makes sense," Matt said softly, exhaling slowly. "I'm sorry it came off so rude, though. I really didn't mean for it to be rude."
He carefully lifted his coffee and blew on it before sipping, using it as a way to shut himself up before he went rambling too much. He needed to calm down a bit, he thought.
"I'm not upset, you're okay," Eddy offered gently, then picked up his own coffee, "Thank you for getting me coffee by the way, I appreciate it."
"It's no trouble," Matt said with a small smile. It was a bit of trouble, though. Still a few days left to the next paycheck. "I'm happy you were up to meet, though. It's not every day I meet someone I feel like I have much in common with, so it was refreshing to run into you."
Eddy sipped his flat white, it tasted almost foreign to him but in a good way. He listened to Matt carefully, mauling over his words as if important. Which Eddy did think they were important otherwise he wouldn't really listen and do what he thought was important instead, "I feel the same, I don't think I can put it into words like you can but I'm glad to have met you and that you invited me here."
He smiled again but quickly glanced out the window when something from the corner of his eye caught his attention. His heart thumped against his chest as if it were about to burst. His shoulders tensed as he sat up straighter. But there was nothing. Huh, nothing?! Then what did he see? Eddy shook his head a little, "Sorry, thought I saw somebody."
Thought it was the man, the one he dreaded, walking in the occasional bursts of people but no one was there that even resembled his handler.
"Someone you know?" Matt asked, looking out the window too to try and see. He could sense Eddy's anxiety, but didn't really know how to respond to it. "Or... is it more like... something related to your service?"
"Someone I knew from my services so I guess both. He wasn't there though, just me scaring myself," Eddy chuckled softly, trying to brush it off. He honestly could understand why Brett didn't believe him about seeing his handler on the dock. Eddy was crazy and seeing him everywhere! Maybe he didn't even actually see him that night.... No, he knew what he saw and the man was there!
"Anxiety is tough," Matt said with a small smile. "I'm a pretty anxious person myself."
Eddy smiled softly, it was sweet Matt was trying to ease him by relating to the struggles. Eddy thought it best to not mention the real danger he could possibly be facing though so he'd just focus on what Matt was trying to offer, "It really is, it can feel hard to navigate. You're pretty soothing though, at least to me."
He tried to relax and sip his coffee again, getting a little foam mustache as he did.
"Yeah, you think so?" Matt asked, finding himself focusing on Eddy's lip. He clumsily reached to the table and found his napkin, offering it to Eddy. "Oh, you've got something on... uh..."
He showed on himself, running his thumb on his own upper lip. "Just there..."
Eddy giggled softly when he took the napkin, "I do, and thank you."
He found himself blushing, and feeling traitorous for doing so. Only Brett should be making him blush, obviously.
Matt smiled a bit when he saw Eddy blush, feeling his own cheeks warm up a bit.
"No worries. You do look cute with a mustache, though, I have to say," he said with a soft giggle.
Eddy laughed warmly, "Thanks, but I'm not quite sure I'd pull off an actual mustache. Or even a beard for that matter."
"Why wouldn't you? Would be cute," Matt hummed, winking at him before sipping his own coffee. He felt giddy from how Eddy's laugh sounded, loving it so much.
Eddy giggled again but this time it was a bit higher pitched because he was feeling really shy. Was this flirting or how friends teased along with compliments sometimes? Eddy didn't know, it had been a long time since he socialized with people outside of his bubble, "I don't know why, since I haven't tried but call it a gut feeling."
"Maybe you should try? Prove me wrong?" Matt snorted, now also having a coffee mustache. "I'd love to see that, at least."
Eddy chuckled then pointed at his own upper lip, "Now you're the one with the mustache but no napkin since you gave me yours."
He grinned.
"Ahh oh no! Whatever will I do?" Matt asked with a playful pout. He looked around for any spare napkins, but only saw Eddy's. Not the one he had given to Eddy, but the one Eddy got with his coffee.
Eddy chuckled softly as he picked up his napkin, "Want me to get it for you?"
His eyes became crescents again from his smile. He had always been quite touchy in the physical sense with all his friends in his youth. He remembered some of the other boys teased him for it in primary, equating it being girly.
"Oh, yes please," Matt said softly, leaning forward a bit so he could reach easier. His cheeks were burning, though. Was it normal for people who had a partner to be touchy like this? Matt didn't know, because he didn't have a lot of friends.
Eddy reached over carefully to wipe it off, "There we go, you can have my napkin too now."
"Thank you," Matt chuckled softly, carefully taking it. His fingertips brushed lightly over Eddy's hand, and he felt himself shiver from the light touch.
Eddy tried not to pay it mind, simply smiling at him as he brought his hand to himself.
