Coffee Stains and Sound Waves (frerard) [SLOW UPDATES]

Part 11

So I've been gone for a while, but I'm back now, with updates! Enjoy.

"What's with the scarf?" I looked over to where Mikey was sat on my workbench.

"I'm cold." I wasn't cold, it was barely Autumn, meaning it was still jacket weather. "What's with the constant checking your phone?"

He tucked the screen into his pocket. "I'll tell you if you take off the scarf."

"That has got to be one of the shittiest deals I have ever heard." I went back to sipping my coffee.

"Then I'll have to remove it myself." He stood up, towering over my seated form. Yeah, he was taller, but I could snap him in half like a piece of uncooked spaghetti.

"Alright, I'll make a new deal," I placed my mug on the coaster to my left. "You tell me what's so interesting on that phone of yours, and I'll consider taking my scarf off."

He raised an eyebrow and sighed before sitting back down on the workbench. "Fine."

"Now tell me, young Mikey, what has you all befuddled on your tiny device?"

"So...there's this guy, and he's really sweet, and I asked him out for coffee, but he left me on read." He pulled his phone out, flicking the screen on again in case he missed any notifications.

"What's his name?" It might have been a bit petty that he was so frustrated about this, but at the end of the day, I'm still his big brother.

"Pete." He glanced at his hands.

"Wentz?" He nodded. I giggled slightly. "Look, Mikes, I'm fairly certain Pete's not trying to lead you on, he could've been busy. I'm sure he really likes you back."

"Really?" His eyes lit up.

"Yeah," I got up off my stool to stretch, before grabbing my phone from the back room. "How much time have you guys spent together?" 

I flicked it on as Mikey told me about how they'd met up for drinks once before. There was one new message, from Frank, telling me he'd be over in ten.

Mikey was cut off by a sharp ringtone coming from his pocket. He looked at the screen.

"It's Pete." He answered the phone, smiling to the sound of his voice.  I sat there, listening to Mikey's half of the conversation for a good few minutes. Just as they were saying goodbye, the bell on the door chimed to let me know someone had entered the shop. Franks smiling face walked in, making his way round the counter to wind his arms around my waist and peck my lips.

"Hey baby." He smirked, his gaze remaining on my face.

"Hey Frank." I kept my arms around his neck.

"Ew, save my Christian eyes." Mikey pulled his hood up, yanking the drawstrings until his face was out of view.

I rolled my eyes. "You'll never guess who Mikey here has a huge crush on."

"Who?"

"Pete." Frank started laughing, absolutely losing his shit, as Mikey started to peep out of his hoodie.

"It's not funny guys." 

"What did he say? Are you guys going out again?" I moved to face Mikey properly as Frank continued to giggle behind me before calming down and wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"Yeah, I'm going round to his for pizza tonight."

"Well that ain't coffee, what happened to the coffee?" I feigned disappointment.

"Yeah, but pizza." 

***

Mikey had just left when a customer came in. A girl, probably Frank's age, holding a cracked helmet.

"Can you fix helmets?" She placed it on the counter for me to see.

"Usually, yes, but this looks irreparable and it would just be cheaper to buy a new one." She nodded grimly. "Motorcycle helmets are in the far corner."

She wandered off to the helmet racks as Frank walked in from the back room, holding two steaming cups of coffee.

"Hey, you got a customer!" He said, handing me my Star Wars mug. He stood up on tippee toes to kiss my softly before I turned back to the counter.

The girl came back over holding a black helmet. She smiled at the way Frank had his arms wrapped protectively around my waist. 

"I can give you ten percent off if you let me keep the broken helmet." I looked down at the hard plastic, barely clinging on to the structure.

"Oh, cool, that works. In all honesty, I was just gonna chuck it in the bin." She said, with a polite smile.

The bell above the door chimed again, as an older man walked in. The girl paid for her helmet before leaving.

Frank told me he was going to use the bathroom as the guy walked over. 

"Excuse me, can you tell me what I can buy for my grandson? He really likes skateboarding, see, and I don't know anything about it."

I moved around the counter to the shelf that held the skateboarding gear. "Does he have a board?"

"Yes." The man looked out of his comfort zone as he cautiously glanced at my hair, obviously alarmed by the color.

"Do you know what color the wheels are?" 

"Um...White, I think." 

I moved to the changeable wheel section and began to rummage through the bin. "What's his favourite colour?"

We eventually picked out a pair of neon green wheels and a care kit and were now stood at the till. I rang up his goods as Frank walked back in. The man paid just before Frank was standing behind me, taking his change, as Frank wrapped his arms around my waist. The mans eyes went wide as disgust flashed across his face. He grabbed the bag containing his gifts before hurrying to the door. He spat a quick 'faggots' at us before slamming the door. I felt Franks grip tighten as I turned around to face him.

"Baby, look at me." I guided his face with my hands, kissing him softly. "He's the one who's wrong, not us. Yes he was rude, but look at it this way, homophobia is bound to happen to us."

Frank muttered a quick 'asshole' before kissing me again.

"And anyway, he was old enough to manipulate. I helped him pick out some stuff for his grandson, but little did he know there were cheaper alternatives only a few feet to his left."

Frank chuckled before pulling me into his lips again.