USUK Oneshots (Hetalia) [Completed]

The Customer

(Author's Note: I know this idea is used way too much and is super unoriginal, but I really wanted to write something with a coffee shop AU, so here it is.)

Arthur sighed as he realized the busy time of the day was starting at the cafe he worked at. He only worked here part time so he could get free tea, but the busy parts of the day got extremely busy, which made the last part of his shift the part he dreaded.

And then he walked in. One of his most dreaded customers. He immediately got the iced mocha latte with ten sugars and extra cream ready, as he immediately knew what he was going to order. He wrote the name 'Alfred' on the side, and sat it on the counter before going back to getting orders and getting other cups.

"Hey Artie!" His loud voice boomed through the cafe, making some who were enjoying the peace look up from their seats.

"Please refer to my name tag and refrain from calling me that," Arthur said, not looking up from what he was doing.

"Aw, come on, Artie. We're buds, I can call you that," he said in a slightly childish voice.

"I've told you this many times, but we're not "buds", so your coffee is on the counter, please pay, and find a seat or leave," Arthur says calmly, pushing the drink towards him, before placing some other drinks that others ordered at the counter next to it.

"Alright bro, but I'll be back tomorrow to talk to you!" the man known as Alfred replied happily before walking over to the self-pay register and walking out.

"Like you always do," Arthur muttered under his breath. He didn't know what it was about Alfred. He was so annoyingly overenthusiastic and almost childish at times. That must have just been who he is, but it bothered Arthur why it affected him so much. He dealt with so many annoying customers, but why didn't they bother him the way Alfred did? They always just seemed to make him frustrated, while Alfred. Alfred was so different. He was annoying, but it didn't make him frustrated, just... Slightly impatient but there was something else... He must have just been used to him coming in to annoy him so much. Yeah, that's it.

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Alfred had continued to come to the cafe, and continued to bother him. Eventually, he even started asking for Arthur to take a break from work to have coffee with him. Well, he wouldn't have coffee anyways, as he was loyal to tea, but he always refused. But Alfred was persistent. Like a stubborn child, he never gave up on anything. After months of asking, Arthur finally gave in. He decided after his shift, he'd sit with Alfred for ten minutes pretending to care about the conversation to humor him and be able to have an excuse to drink some tea.

Said "ten minute indifferent chat" ended up being dragged out, and without Arthur realizing, Arthur had wasted over an hour just talking to Alfred. Why had this conversation been so interesting? Why didn't he just leave once he'd fulfilled his promise so he'd stop asking? Why did he like it so much he wanted Alfred to ask again tomorrow?

Why?...

Well, maybe he'd find out that answer if he had another "short" chat tomorrow. Maybe then his questions would be answered. Or maybe he'd just enjoyed the company of this strange, unique man. Maybe... No, it couldn't be, he couldn't actually enjoy Alfred's company.

Or did he?....