Work Text:
When Yelena started working at Alpine, this was not what she was expecting. She was ready to spend her days somewhere between being bored out of her mind or losing her temper due to a stupid/rude customer. The latter happened. A lot. But there was no place for boredom at Alpine, a café named after their grumpy owner's equally grumpy cat.
The reason was, without a doubt, the employees and one particular customer. They were, for a lack of better word, unique. It's been two weeks since she started here but is yet to figure them out. They were nice enough, she decided, (except Walker) but still immensely weird.
Bucky, the owner of the cafe and the cat, was a mystery. Unfairly handsome, quiet and kind, and never took anybody's shit. Even the most annoying customers feared him and his cat.
Ava was like a ghost. She seemingly appeared out of thin air without making the slightest sound. It was funny when she made John jump and spill drinks. But not when she did that to Yelena. Somehow she never got the drop on Bucky. She was getting somewhat close to her. If not anything, Ava shared her favourite past time at the shop - bullying John.
John Walker was the asshole of the group. He was the typical washed out golden jock boy turned divorced and estranged dad. Though to his credit he did serve in the military, and from what Yelena gathers from local gossip did some brave stuff. But ultimately left because of some scandal. Every friend circle needed that one jerk, she guessed. Though they were not friends.
And then there was Bob.
There were rules about him.
Whenever the lanky, blue-eyed, kinda crazy junkie comes in, you have to give him a hot drink and whatever freshly baked goodie was available. Preferably their signature blueberry ones. Never charge him. Never raise your voice at him. And never ever question when he starts talking to thin air. Break these rules, and you are getting fired.
After working two weeks Yelena was beginning to question this man’s existence. Maybe it was some elaborate prank for the newbie. Whatever it was, she had almost forgotten about the rules when it happened.
It was an absolutely miserable hot afternoon, the sun shining way too brightly, with a heat that made everyone irritable.
Yelena wasn't even sure why they were open, clearly no sane person was crazy enough to battle the heat for their famed blueberry lime pastry. No matter how good it was. The emptiness inside the shop only proved her right.
However, she was wrong. Around sunset, the door chimed and a figure entered. The sight of cowboy boots (who even wore those monstrous things?) and trembling hands greeted them and Yelena's mood instantly darkened. Because she knew this kind of person, she knew an addict when she saw one.
But then she saw him.
Bright, dark-circled eyes in the deepest shade of blue, pupils blown wide; absolutely beautiful.
Bucky never told her, she thinks dazedly, how pretty he is.
Oh, he’s far too thin for a man his height, though she couldn't be sure because of his hunched posture. The deep blue sweater he wore was way too big for him and so were the corduroy pants. His wavy curls were just a tad too long, and his hands were shaking and fidgeting just a bit too much.
And just like that, his eyes lock onto hers, intense and so very familiar, and she thinks something changes her world, her universe.
But then he starts talking, speaking quietly, talking too fast for her to really understand though he does introduce himself as Bob. A couple of times. At times he was pausing to look at the empty air or the floor, nodding or shaking his head, and then continuing on muttering and pulling the threads of his sweater.
Yelena forgets how to be a regular human being, because Bucky has to intervene, coming around the counter with the softest smile she has ever seen on his face. Even his cat who is grumpy with everyone jumps on Bob's lap and starts to purr softly.
Yelena decides it has to be some sort of witchcraft.
“Bob! You have come just at the right time. Your usual right?”
Bob curls up a bit more into himself, looking absurdly small in the huge sweater. Why was he even wearing that thing? He was going to melt. But he lights up and gives Bucky a small smile, nodding.
Yelena feels a sudden urge to find and wrap up this clearly grown-up man in a blanket. But there's something fragile and yet genuinely good about him. She is good at reading people and this she knew for certain - Bob was a good man.
It takes her a moment to break out of her stupor, but soon she goes to plate the pastry while Bucky makes the hot cocoa. He shoots her a knowing look.
“Oh, blueberry-lime!” Bob happily exclaims once Yelena puts the plate in front of him.
She's seriously tempted to feed him every flavour of pastries and muffins they have. Even with the big sweater she can tell he's far too thin.
While eating his eyes focus on Yelena again. Like he had forgotten she was there entirely. If anyone else did that, she'd chalk it down to rudeness. However, with Bob, she thought he was genuine. He actually had forgotten about her.
“Oh, you're new!” He says, "I love your eyeliner. It’s very, um, blue” He keeps petting Alpine as he talks and Yelena can’t help the smile that’s starting to form.
“Well,” she says, “I love your sweater. It’s very blue also. And cosy.” Bob positively lights up but there's still something hesitant about him. Like he's not sure if she was actually complimenting or mocking. Yelena finds herself swearing to hurt and maybe murder whoever made him feel that way.
“Thanks,” he says, and then starts off on a long story involving a fast food joint, meth and, if she heard right, a chicken costume.
She lets the nervous and quiet chatter wash over her, smiling, and she understands.
He stays in there for almost an hour. Sometimes, his hands start shaking worse and his eyes dart around the room and his shoulders hunch inwards, Yelena politely pretends she doesn’t see and continues to talk to him normally.
Once when his hands shake a little too much and a bit of cocoa spills (weird drink choice for such a hot day but she refrained from judging), she just takes the cup from him and holds his shoulder to reassure him that it's no big deal. She quickly wipes the table and pretends not to notice how he looks dazed. Like it was the first time he’d been touched in years.
Sadly, far too soon, the time to close the shop comes. Bob tries to pay but Bucky wasn't hearing it. So, after giving Alpine one last pat and Yelena one last smile, Bob leaves.
Yelena stares after him, not really sure what to feel, and Bucky lets out a breath and goes to lock the door after him, offering, “That’s how you feel, after Bob. We all did” Bucky kept looking at the door. From the counter, Ava and John nodded in unison. Yelena had actually forgotten about them.
“He’s a good person, but something bad happened to him”, Yelena concludes, voice soft.
Bucky finally turns from the door to face her and nods. He looked unusually sad.
“I don’t know what happened to him,” he says with a deep sigh. “But yes. He’s good. Sadly, I don’t think he knows it.” Alpine gives a small yowl as if to agree. Even the cat looks sombre.
Yelena says nothing, absently staring outside. The harsh glare of the sun had softened leaving a beautiful indigo with streaks of orange.
She feels a deep longing settle inside her. Of what she is not sure. She's not the one for romance. Men, no matter how attractive and good they were, were not for her. Same went for women. No, this was something different.
Whatever it was, she hoped to see Bob again. And many more times than that. One thing she knew for sure. He certainly made her day, maybe even life a little bit brighter. She just hoped she did the same for him.