My Enigmatic Barista

|| 05 ||

The evening of his birthday, Wuxian paced slowly around his apartment, the quiet ticking of the clock echoing in the background. His gaze kept drifting back to the door, a flicker of hope lighting his face each time he glanced at it, only for it to fade as the minutes ticked by. It was nearly midnight, and despite his best attempts to stay calm, the nerves had started building hours ago.

He had spent the evening preparing his apartment, setting everything up with little touches—a warm throw on the couch, soft lighting, and his favorite music low in the background. It was all perfect, everything set for the two of them to spend his birthday together, something he had wanted for so long.

But now, at 11:50, the doubt started creeping in.

Wuxian leaned back against the wall, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he let out a slow, frustrated sigh. The glow of the clock felt mocking, each minute ticking closer to midnight with no sign of Wangji. He couldn't help the questions swirling in his mind. 'Was he wrong to hope for this? To think that maybe tonight would be different, that Wangji would show up just for him?'

He turned to check his phone, hoping for some sign—maybe a message or a missed call. But the screen was blank. He felt a pang of disappointment, and his heart clenched as he set the phone back down. 'Perhaps this wasn't as important to Wangji as it was to him. Or maybe he wasn't that important...'

The clock kept striking, Wuxian could count each second along his heartbeat.....11:58.

Wuxian sank onto the edge of the couch, hands loosely clasped as he looked toward the door one last time. He took a deep breath, swallowing the bittersweet ache as he tried to reassure himself. 'No, There had to be a reason. Maybe Wangji got caught up in something. Or maybe he'd planned to come but couldn't.' Wuxian wanted to believe it, but the quiet disappointment gnawed at him.

Then, just as he was about to turn away, the doorbell rang, cutting through the silence. Wuxian's head snapped up, heart leaping as he rushed to the door. Without hesitation, he flung it open, and there, standing in the dim light of the hallway, was Wangji. His expression was unreadable, yet his gaze softened as he took in Wuxian's wide-eyed relief.

"Sorry, the work got stretch a little" Wangji murmured, his voice a quiet warmth that melted the tension in Wuxian's chest.

Unable to contain his smile, Wuxian pulled Wangji in his embrace "It's ok. You made it," he said, his voice a mixture of gratitude and something softer, more vulnerable. Wangji's hand snaked around Wuxian, sealing them into a unspoken bond as the world around them fade, the time itself held its breath.

Midnight strike breaking their trance, Wangji's lips parted just against Wuxian's ear and the soft wish from Wangji........."Happy Birthday" was all Wuxian needed to feel warmth spread through him. Grinning happily, Wuxian pulled Wangji inside, Wuxian's hand lightly brushed Wangji's arm—a small, tentative touch, as if to confirm he was really there.

The apartment was quiet as Wangji glanced around, taking in the small but thoughtful touches Wuxian had prepared. They stood for a moment in comfortable silence, both feeling the significance of Wangji's presence here, now.