Mark Me Yours [Omegaverse]

Denial Or Discovery

I'm not gay. I'm not gay. I know I'm not gay. The thoughts raced through Edwardo's mind. He was not, and has never been gay.

"I see you've met our seasonal hire, eh Eddie?" Howard delivered Edwardo's usual muffin and jam on a plate. "Michael, why don't you pick yourself something from the case. Safe to say I'm exchanging the usual one coffee for two? I have a feeling you two kids may want to get to know each other a little bit."

Edwardo nodded dumbly, quickly retrieving his phone from where it had fallen on the floor. He offered the cashier a shy smile. Their name was "Michael"... That was definitely a male name. Between that and the voice, there was no denying this very beautiful person standing in front of him was, in fact, a man. He wasn't gay. He was pretty sure he wasn't gay. There was just something about this one person in particular that was making him feel things that all of a sudden had him very, very, very confused.

They sat near the window, away from the door and the cold air that rushed in each time it was opened. Michael opted for a blueberry muffin, deciding it was one of the least messy things to go with. Their coffees sat steaming on the table between them. Michael had rehearsed all kinds of things he wanted to say, but now that the moment was here, his mind was frustratingly blank.

If you would have told Edwardo this morning that his after work snack run would turn in to a coffee date with a beautiful model, who just happened to be a guy, he would have called you crazy. Stuff like that doesn't happen. Yet, it was happening. What was he supposed to talk about?

"You're really pretty- I mean, handsome! Er, that is- your pictures... Your pictures are really pretty!" Edwardo stumbled over his words. The last thing he wanted to do was bring up any gender questions. "What ah, what camera do you use?"

Michael was red as could be. No way the hottest hunk of man in the city was getting flustered over him! Stuff like that doesn't happen. Was this really happening? At least photography was a topic he could hide behind.

"I use my phone camera." Michael tried to play it cool. "Then I edit them on my laptop, but it's nothing fancy."

"Your photos are breathtaking! You truly have a gift!"

"Well now you're just flattering me." Michael batted his eyelashes, trying to get his heart rate under control. "You're a photographer too, what's your go-to equipment?"

Edwardo had to loosen his tie a little. Is it even possible for a man to be that cute? "I have a DSLR, but it's just a hobby. Anyone can take the kind of pictures I do."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that..."

Talking of cameras and techniques was the perfect ice breaker. They were soon avidly discussing lens tricks as compared to editing software, getting caught up in their shared hobby rather than worrying who it was they were sat across from. Edwardo was able to momentarily forget his sexuality crisis, and Michael was able to get his thoughts mostly coherently flowing.

Howard kept half an eye on them from behind the counter, cheery glint in his eye. Maybe he'd known ahead of time that Eddie had taken a fancy to a certain person who posted colorful selfies online? Maybe he offered Michael a job to orchestrate this meeting? Don't get him wrong, he did need a seasonal cashier. Business always picked up around the holidays. Maybe the reason was that wedding cakes were a great sale and he was playing the long game? He wouldn't tell. After the last few days, everyone needed something to smile about.

"There is one thing I wanted to ask you," Edwardo began with caution after the topic of cameras dried up and their snacks were gone. Silence was stretching and there was something he had to know. It was eating at him. "I... Do you prefer to be addressed as male...? I mean- are you a male, because its just, online you kinda seem... And... Wait, this is a weird question, isn't it? Where was I going with this..."