Julian Devorak Coffe Shop AU

First Date, Part 2

Y/n's POV

"Hi."
Julian and I stood before each other outside the Rose n' Robin's, a rather attractive building -sweet and cosy looking.
We both smiled, awkwardly maybe, but there was true sentiment behind it. He looked handsome in his own clothes, he looked handsome in his work wear too, but especially so now. I hoped he thought the same for me.
As if he had read my mind, he told me "you look beautiful."
Heat rose in my cheeks, this was a date, definitely a date. I was both delighted and scared for my life.
"You too."

The inside of the cafe was in fact cosy, more of a tearoom if we're being picky -I assumed Julian didn't know the difference. He seemed happy, sat across from me, but there was an undeniable speck of fear tainted in the back of his eyes. I was rather distracted by his eyes, or at least the one that wasn't concealed, they were heavy lidded and tired-looking, inquisitively scholar-like and stunningly grey.
Instead of ordering at the counter, the waiters came to us. Julian had ordered a black coffee, I opted for the seasonal hot chocolate.
"Not a hazelnut latte?" He'd asked.
I shook my head, "I like the seasonal drinks when I can get them."
He smiled, playfully, "Nadia's said ours will be up next week."
"I look forward to it."
I felt the tips of our shoes touch, Julian quickly moved away, his knee hitting the table with a painful sounding thump.
He muffled a yelp, blushing and embarrassedly looking away.
"Are you alright?" I was sniggering and felt awful about it until he struck me a pained smile.
"All limb and no coordination it seems."

By the time we'd gotten through two drinks each we had already discussed a lot. I'd found out we both had an interest in the arts and that he was currently writing an essay "Will There be Another Plague?" I had already gathered that he was quite the interesting character from our routine exchanges, but now I felt that ball of warmth in my chest growing brighter and hotter.
I asked about his family.
"Mazelinka raised Portia and I, she's been a kind of 'honorary grandmother' after em-" it appeared as though he didn't know how to word it. "Well, our parents passed."
"Oh, I'm sorry," which I was.
He smiled, brushing it off. He said he was close to the family he had and was glad to have supportive friends.
We talked more, the places we've been and which Jeff Goldblum character would win in a fight.
I was still curious about the eyepatch but, like with his parents, I assumed he'd tell me in time.

(Swap to Julian's POV)

We'd split the bill, Y/n insisted on it. We decided to take a walk through the park, I always felt that everything was more beautiful in the autumn -especially the city park. The bitter weather, however, was not as pleasing.
I had really enjoyed having a proper conversation with them, they had a way of being both interesting and interested, asking questions while also not being afraid to answer all I had to throw at them. They were modest about it, but they had a fascinating way to them, in the way they spoke, their interests, even the way they sat. I was rather intrigued by it all.
As we walked, Y/n described a film they'd recently seen at the cinema, passionately explaining the plot and characters, trying their hardest not to give anything away just in case I wanted to watch it too. I made a mental note.
We stopped once we reached the cenotaph, they finished talking and looked at me.
There it was again, that angel-like beauty that made them appear like one of Tolkien's elves, or an oil painting. It hurt to look at them so, the same way it hurts to look towards the sun. Emotion took hold of me, squeezing at my heart, I knew at that point that I could never provide what they deserved.
My words formed in clouds before me, "whoever wins your heart will be extremely lucky."
For a second they looked shocked, then their eyebrows knitted in confusion. They took their time to piece together what I'd said. They pulled their coat tighter around them and turned to the stone structure.
"It feels wrong to be here," they said. "It feels like going to your friends house and not talking off your shoes when you come in."
Now if what I had said confused them, I have no idea what that did to me. Then, I felt it too, that awkward discomfort. I breathed a nervous laugh. "Maybe you were one of them in a past life."
I hope that was received better than it sounded.