Soulmates- Snowbarry AU One-shots

Barista AU One

It was her first day working at Jitters. She needed this job and she needed it to go well. Her school expenses were beginning to catch up with her and so she needed to feed herself somehow. Medical school was always going to be difficult but she knew that it would be worth all the hassle in the end. 

She turned up for her first day early by ten minutes. Enough time for one of the more senior employees to show her the ropes and it wasn't long before the cafe began to flood with customers looking for their daily caffeine boost before work. For anyone else, this could be a tough job with so many customers coming in and out all with complicated and diverse orders but not for her, she could work under stress. Even thrive in it.

The other barista was constantly calling her name. 'Caitlin, do this...' and 'Caitlin, do that...' she had a feeling that this other woman didn't like her very much despite the fact that they had just met and she had done nothing to offend her.

After about half an hour, things were starting to die down a bit. There was still a regular wave of customers but nothing like the early rush. There were so many faces, so many going in and out that she didn't really take notice of anything or anyone in particular. 

She was simply cleaning the espresso machine when it, or more accurately he, caught her eye. If it wasn't for what he was doing, or at least what she thought he was doing, she may not have spotted him in the shop. Perhaps she was simply imagining things but she could swear that he was staring. It was only at that moment when she realised that he might be staring that she truly took notice of him.

He seemed quite young, her age perhaps. He was simply sitting at one of the tables near the front, drinking something from a mug. He must have been served by the other barista because she didn't recognise him and she would certainly remember if she had served him. She hadn't really taken notice of any of the customer's faces but this man she would have most definitely remembered.

Caitlin could not help but notice how handsome he was and that made her blush like a schoolgirl. She couldn't help it. Just the thought of him staring at her and perhaps being interested in her made her flustered and by just looking at him she was most definitely interested in him too. 

For a few moments, she found herself staring right back at him, blushing deeper and deeper with every second that passed. A part of her wanted to go and talk to him but another part was too shy to do it. So instead she decided to leave things in his hands so she didn't have to make a decision. She simply smiled bashfully right at him, tucking some hair behind her ear innocently, her cheeks rosy red before heading back to her work.

Every few seconds, she would look up again at him and when the first looked she saw him return that smile which gave her a whole new type of butterflies. It was a wonderful smile. A movie star kind of smile. The kind of smile that you could stare longingly and adoringly at for hours without a single smidge of boredom. It was that smile that made her want to get to know him, to find out what he's like and whether he might be boyfriend material. She wouldn't mind being on his arm.

"Excuse me miss, can I get a drink?" 

"Uh, sure. Sorry, I was a little distracted," Caitlin blinked rapidly, laying her eyes on the customer in front of her which she had been shamefully ignoring whilst swooning over her gazing admirer.

"I can see that. I don't blame you. But I can see you two flirting from across the room," the customer giggled quietly.

"Yeah, he is rather... dreamy..." she paused unwillingly simply to gaze longingly once again meeting his gaze. "Anyway, what would you like to drink?" she snapped out of her trance once more turning her attention back to the customer.

"Just an espresso please, takeaway,"

"Sure, that will be one dollar, sixty-five cents," she replied smiling, heading over to the machine and making the shot whilst the woman got her purse from her handbag. By the time that Caitlin turned around and took the money and handed over the drink, the dreamy man from earlier was gone. As if he had never been there at all...

...

The next day Caitlin came for her shift at the same time. Though she hadn't had too much sleep as she had been up writing a paper in her apartment but she found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. All she could think about was the dreamy man from the coffee shop. A part of her wished she could go back in time and say hello to him this time and introduce them. She was obviously attracted and interested in him and she thought that he was interested too. 

That might of been her one chance to speak to him. What if she never sees him again? 

But somehow fate stepped in and as she entered Jitters for her second day of work, there he was. But not as he was yesterday. Today things were quite different. He was standing behind the counter, talking to another barista whilst getting ready to serve coffee. Is he a barista here too?

Taking a nervous deep breath, she stepped forward and went behind the counter, at first trying to avoid him seeing her but naturally, she failed and he walked right up to her.

"Hey, you are Caitlin Snow, right? You were working here yesterday and I checked the roster to see your name," he greeted with that smile that gave her butterflies.

"Y-yeah, that's-s me..." she trailed off nervously. After all that time yesterday staring and blushing and flirting like that, this conversation made her feel so embarrassed.

"I'm Barry, Barry Allen. I'm the boss I guess. I own the place so I guess you work for me. But Is till like to help out and stuff. I'm not really the lazy kind of boss," he offered her his hand to shake which she nervously, her hands shaking as she realised that she was attracted to and swooning all over her boss.

But his voice gave her even more butterflies. It wasn't harsh or too mean. It was friendly and warm and approachable and laid back. The kind of voice that she could listen to on repeat forever, making her feel safe.

"I-I'm sorry about yesterday," she cleared her throat, trying not to sound so shy and nervous. He probably wouldn't appreciate her shyness and would prefer girls who were more relaxed like him. But God did he make her nervous. 

"What do you mean? We flirted a bit, I won't deny that, but I also won't deny that I am interested in you and I think from the way you reacted yesterday you are interested in me too. You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied, once again making her all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Well, you're my boss and I work for you. I mean, we shouldn't be... flirting. We shouldn't be interested in each other," she shook her head, blushing bright pink.

"Look, I have no problems with it if that's what you're worried about. Besides, I know that I won't be your boss forever, that you are a medical student and you are only working here to pay off student expenses. It's only a job and a part-time one at that. I'm interested and you are interested in me too. Go out to dinner with me tomorrow. It doesn't have to mean anything until afterwards if you don't want it to and it doesn't mean that we are together if you don't want it to mean that but I want to get to know you better. What do you say?" 

"Okay, but we will be working together for most of the day today so we can start getting to know each other now," she smiled, taking his hand shyly.

Barry smiled right back at her, taking her hand and kissing her palm, loving the blush that tinted her cheeks. 

They spent the rest of their time together, getting to know each other and by the end of her shift, it felt like they had known each other their whole lives. The conversations that they had rolled off the tongue and many laughs were shared. The two of them had just clicked instantly and fit together perfectly. Just like a matching pair.

Their time together had been so wonderufl that it had ended in a kiss. It was a brief kiss. Accidental even. It wasn't forced nor was it intended, it just happened. The two of them were standing there under the doorway, watching the rainfall when their gazes fell to ecah other and before either coukd think they just leaned in and shared a soft and beautiful touch of the lips out in the rain...