halo fifteen (scomiche)

You Make Me Perfect

The last couple months of Scott's life have been full of one learning experience after another. There's the basics: college courses, living mostly on his own, the fact that he likes vodka and dancing, how it feels to fall in love. Then there are the more unique experiences: that the world is cruel, that life isn't fair, that strength ebbs and flows, and that crisis reveals the reality of a person's character.

Perhaps the most surprising learning experience comes once he and Mitch return to their - well, technically his but really it's theirs now - cramped dorm after Thanksgiving weekend.

Making coffee is not easy.

What could there be to it, right? You put the coffee grounds and some water in the machine, press a button, and magic caffeine juice comes out a few minutes later. Simple. He's been making coffee for years. He's pretty sure Mitch will have his new job down pat in a day or two.

Ha.

The first week things are pretty normal. They go to class, study, spend time together, and Mitch spends his first two evening shifts at Java House learning the cash register, how to run the dishwasher, and some boring paperwork stuff. Then he gets to move on to brewing coffee, which apparently takes training and is vastly different from using a coffee maker at home. It's like he's a different person. He's so happy and relaxed; Scott isn't sure if it's a lingering high from their better-than-expected Thanksgiving weekend or if it's the fact that Mitch doesn't have to deal with the hell that was his previous job and previous boss anymore. He's not even irritated in the slightest that he'll miss a Saturday night at the club for work.

The second week, though, becomes a crash course on the intricacies of espresso.

"Cappuccino - two shots of espresso, two of steamed milk, two of foam. That's easy," Mitch says proudly as Scott takes a break from studying for next week's finals to help him with the coffee flashcards he'd made.

"I can't believe you made flashcards," Scott says fondly as he flips to the next one. He means it in a sweet, teasing way laced with plenty of admiration for how seriously Mitch is taking his new job.

Not seeming to be in the mood to joke, Mitch's eyebrows pull together slightly. "Deadeye - two, no three shots in a cup of brewed, which sounds really useful right now, actually. Of course I made flashcards. I'm not gonna let Kevin down."

Flip. "I don't think you're going to let him down by not memorizing all this new shit in a matter of days, babe."

"Latte - easy. One espresso, two steamed milk, tiny bit of foam. The less time he has to spend training me the better. I hate feeling useless and right now the only things I can do are make brewed and pull a barely passable shot."

Flip. Scott snickers. "Heh. You said pull. I'll give you something to pull..." he leers, only half-joking. All this studying is stressful. They could probably both use a distraction, preferably a distraction having to do with sex or something sex-related.

Mitch rolls his eyes. "Settle down, Beavis," he grumbles. "Macchiato - um, double shot, dab of foam. I think. Get me through the rest of these and I'll give you a blowjob."

Half the cards flutter to the floor as Scott startles at the offer. He hadn't expected Mitch to take him seriously, but he's certainly not gonna complain about it. "Oops. Uh, we already did those."

The really? look he gets in response, complete with raised eyebrow and pursed lips, is enough; Scott gathers the fallen flashcards and flips to the next one with a grin. "Get through the rest of these without a mistake and I'll give you a blowjob."