Soulmate AU

Blossom-Chapter 1

Charlies POV

I pulled the neck of my sweater over my chin, hiding a shy smile from the overly friendly barista as he handed over my muffin. "C'mon Charlie, you've never shown me your blossom before, I'm so very curious." He purred, drawing a squeak from me as I buried my burning face further into the sweater.

He laughed before carefully reaching over to ruffle my hair. "I'm just joking with ya hun. You're just too damn cute!" He chuckled and nudged me towards my regular table. "Go sit before you combust, get some of that work done while you have the time."

I gave a shaky nod and another shy smile before taking my seat near the windows, pulling out a battered laptop, a pad of paper, and a slightly chewed pen out of my beat up messenger bag.

I started up the laptop and nibbled on the warm muffin, melting into my chair with a muffled sigh. It was so nice being here, finally getting a few hours of quiet to be able to work.

It's always so peaceful here

The clacking of the keys mixed with the relaxed atmosphere of the shop and let me fall into a sort of daze as I compared numbers and shifted schedules around for the home.

Alice got a raise, so that's an extra fifty, we could split that and put twenty-five to groceries and twenty-five to-

A harsh voice cut through the pleasant haze I'd settled in, making me flinch away. "What the fuck are you doing in my seat?"

I peered up at the man, idly noting that his leather jacket looked like it needed to be washed and the tattoo on his neck was very pretty before it registered that he was scowling down at me. I tried to bury myself deeper into my sweater, hands twitching nervously.

The man's face darkened further as he slammed a fist on the table, knocking my muffin to the floor along with the pad of paper and pen. "Answer me."

My hand snaps to my chest as I rapidly sign out sorry, looking past him for my barista friend, or anyone really, to help me out.

"Well? Why the fuck won't you-" He was cut off as a larger male grabs him by the shoulder, pulling him away from me and steering him towards another table. "That's enough, they were here first, and there is a perfectly good table right over there."

He turns back to me with a soft smile, eyes taking in my shaking form with a hint of worry. "I'm sorry for my companions behavior, have a nice day."

He was barely away from the table before I had shoved my computer and paper back into the old bag, only pausing to wave goodbye to the barista fellow before I was sprinting out the door.

I didn't even get to finish my muffin...

Third person POV

"Fucking runt, stole our fucking table, who the hell..." He trailed off with a hiss, fingers flexing around his coffee cup.

He ignored his friends grumbling and pulled out a pile of papers from from his jacket. "There was no reason for you to attack them like that, we've never seen them here before and I'm sure they've never seen us, so it was very rude of you to think they had chosen the table on purpose." He shuffled the papers and handed over half. "Down to business, Caleb and his group vandalized eight of our holdings, not to mention the fire that at the club and the hospital bills for Vic and Charlotte."

A plate of croissants was dropped to the table by a very agitated barista. "Thanks a lot Axel, you scared away my little buddy!" He sighed dramatically before snagging one of the croissants and biting into it savagely. "And I was finally getting them to leave their sweater, man you shoulda seen the first time they were in here, buried up to the eyes in their clothes, it was adorable."

Axel scoffed and snatched the croissant nearest him. "The runt was in our spot Rus, and then they kept waving their hand around, it was-"

Rus slammed his head on the table and groaned. "They're mute you idiot, that hand waving? That was sign language, they were saying sorry."

Axel's jaw worked before he finally just shoved the entirety of his croissant into his mouth, glaring at the reports in his hand as he chewed.

How the hell was he supposed to know that?! It's not like he'd ever known anyone who spoke in sign language...

Rus glanced at the other man at the table, noting the amusement in his eyes and the way his mouth twitched up in a smile. "How's it goin' boss? You're here earlier than usual, didn't give me time to bake-up those scones I've been meaning to have you try."

Boss sighed and took a sip of his coffee. "I am sorry, but there seems to be more paperwork than usually anticipated. I thought I spoke to you about calling me that, you are a friend, call me Teddy."

Rus scoffed before he was called back to the kitchen. "Right, see ya later, Boss."

Teddy tsked and went back to looking over the papers, rapping his knuckles against the table in irritation. "The bills for the building repairs are covered, but I don't know what to do with the hospital ones. We can talk to Beth about taking up the accounting again, but she was very adamant last time I brought it up."

Axel nodded in agreement, eyes losing focus as he tried to add up the numbers, earning a mild headache for his efforts. "I don't know about you, but this shit hurts to look at."

Teddy clicked his tongue in agreement before carefully taking the papers and tucking them back into his jacket. "I'll take my chances with Beth then." He shifted in his jacket, the warmth of the cafe settling over him uncomfortable.

Axel chuckled and shrugged off his own jacket. "C'mon Teddy, take it off, not like you're gonna be naked."

Teddy chuckled softly before letting his jacket side off. "I know that, must you be so crass? Honestly, if your mother was to hear you, well, she'd pour soap down your throat." He smiled softly in remembrance of the fiery woman.

"Holy shit..." Axel breathed, earning another disapproving glare. "Teddy, man, look at your left shoulder."

His brows furrowed and he did as he was told. "Why would..." He trailed off, gaping at the sight.

From his shoulder bloomed a pale blue flower with a black center, five delicate petals uncurling in the warm air.

It bloomed...

"Oh my god, Teddy, who the hell is it?"

Panic shot through as something occurred to him.

"I... I don't know."

A/N I'm going to try to keep the schedule of updating this on Tuesday! So hiya everyone, it's great to be back and I hope ya enjoy! ^3^