"Amyr," he answered, not even looking back over his shoulder as he did so. He took a couple more strides in silence before asking another question. It just seemed absolutely boring just walking. "What is your job that you have to go to it at three in the morning anyway?" He raised one thin, black eyebrow in inquiry.
"I'm a stripper. I have crazy hours, oh but the work and pay is good." He says with a nod, even sounding a bit proud. He felt a shuffling in his pocket,took out the gecko, and put it on his head. "Hey there little man! We're going somewhere new so… stay there."
Amyr nodded at Ashton's response, decided not to say anything more on the matter. Amyr looked over his shoulder at Ashton and squinted at the creature atop the other male's head. "Is that a gecko?" he asked. "Also, when we get to my house, which will be in about two minutes, what kind of coffee would you like?"
"Yes it is a Gecko. His name is Flick. I'll just take mine with creamer and a bit of sugar. Please." He even forced a small smile of gratitude on his face before it fell and he looked up at the sky, following a bit slower.
Amyr nodded, then his mouth twisted ever-so-slightly. "Wait, what kind of creamer?" he asked. When he looked back, he noticed Ashton's fascination with the sky and looked up. "Is something up there?" he asked, twisting his head multiple times in mock search. His eyes had actually caught themselves on the stars. Observing the way they shined. It's what he loved about the place he lived. It was so quiet and so unpopulated that light pollution was practically non-existent. He saw the stars he once had to look for and they saw him too.
(that last line? Im stealing that, and I'm using it for the ending line of a book.)
Ashton looked at them in fear and knowing, as memories of what once was and still is flooded his mind. He quickly tried to push the thoughts aside,but the rain on the horrid parade happened when his gecko crawled into his face and whacked him in the eye with it's tail. "Oh-Flick!" He sighed and picked it up, and put it back on his head. He then quickly walked up to Amyr with a sigh. "What creamer you got?" He asked, looking up at him.
(😂 I'm flattered tbh.)
Amyr looked back at Ashton with a pitying smile. As much as he found the fact that Ashton got smacked in the eye funny, he knew not to laugh. "What kinds? Why, I have a lot, so if you name anything, I'll more than likely have it. I make a lot of coffee."
"I'll just pick when we get there." He said with a shrug, as a stick cracked beneath his tennis shoes. He then stuck his hands into his dark purple hoodie, and searched the rooftops, keeping an eye for someone he hoped he would never see.
Amyr turned one last corner to a small, yet pretty house. "Okay, wait out here," he instructed. "I'll bring out all of the creamers I have." He walked into the small house, the door appeared to already have been unlocked. Within a minutes, he came out with two different bags of creamers and handed them to Ashton. "Here, choose one you like."
He dug through them before handing you a caramel nutmeg cinnamon one. "Here. Go do my bidding." He said with a smirk, being a general asshole. He then got a phone call and picked up.
Amyr took the creamer and smirked back. "As you wish, m'lord." With that, he walked off into his house. In a few minutes, he returned out with a hot cup of coffee, visibly steaming, but with a cover around it so that Ashton could hold it. "Here you go," he said extending the coffee to the other.
He took a small sip of the coffee. "So are you like a coffee enthusiast or…?" He questioned, cocking his head to look up at the rather tall male.
He walked back and sat on the stairs of his house. "I guess you could say that. It's kind of why I became a barista," he explained. He took a look around at the trees, their silhouettes faint with the cold colours of the sky. "That, and a lot of people tend to come into the café and I guess I like people…" he spoke, "or I'm just lonely" He ended the sentence, hopeful that the other wouldn't hear, though he still wanted him to know.
"See that's interesting. Loniliness. I don't mind my own company. I prefer it. I love my work don't get me wrong, but. It's mindless. No connection. If I could only work the pole and never have to do the rest of the work I'd be perfectly happy. It's hard for me to be nice as well, or keep up a joyful front." He let out a breath and reached into his bag, and pulled out his card. "I have a sex line but. If you'd like someone to…just have some time with." He handed him the card. "As long as you have coffee as good as this. You may be a pussy whose calm demeanour and cold front gets under my skin, but I like it. In a way." He stood up. "Thank you. For the coffee. Uh. See you around?" He shrugged and walked off, then turned around, and pulled out a small little fish aquarium and set it on Amyr's stairs, and put his gecko in. "He's just gonna sit here. Bring him in if ya want. All I ask is you put some water in his bowl. And let him chill. Don't want my little dude at my work. Thank you again really. I owe ya one." He looked down at his phone and nodded. "Bye. See ya. I guess." And he's off and gone.
Amyr nodded slightly in response and mumbled out a farewell. "Yeah, see ya." The words escaped weakly as he watched the other walk off. His gaze fell onto the gecko next to him.
'What'd he call this thing? …Flick? he wondered. He looked around for a moment before deciding to bring the reptile inside. He didn't want one of the neighbourhood cats to get to it. He carefully picked the small aquarium up and walked it inside, standing on the porch for a brief second to let the wind pour over him, then walking inside. He set the aquarium on a small table in his living room and quickly came back to put water in the bowl before resting himself on the couch.
His eyes trained onto the ceiling, it constantly seemed like it was getting darker and darker until he blinked. It fascinated him for some reason. Though soon the ceiling began darkening, his eyes shut, though they didn't open the way the usually had, for he had fallen asleep.
Ashton headed off to his shift, working the stage, men at his beck and call. It was quite the life he had to admit, except for when the end of the day hit and all he had to home to was either bad rap music and drinks arguing, or an empty park bench and not knowing when his sister will show up so he has to jump town. Oh and his little leopard gecko to. Why doesn't he use his cash for a house,somewhere far away? He's pouring all of it into college classes online, just the basic gen eds and such until he can afford to travel to the School of Performing and Fine Arts. Soon enough his lunch break happened and he headed up to his favorite cafe. His legs shook with every step and it was obviously quite the effort. But he stumbled in the door and waited in line patiently, fixing his hair, knowing that he was getting the usual served looks of judgement by others trying to enjoy their day. He was sweating badly, and smelled like booze. Most probably assumed he was a drunk. He'd rather them assume that then know the truth. He was proud of his work but he knew the general public wouldn't understand.
Amyr had to wake up unfortunately early seeing just how early his workplace opened. It opened at four AM and closed at seven PM. He usually worked the morning shift unless something required that he stayed for longer. The heard the doorbell ring from the front and walked up to the counter. "Good morning! How can I help–" as he spoke, his eyes caught onto Ashton who was just behind the person he was serving in the line. He quickly snapped his ey to the customer at hand. "you." The customer gave a simple order that could be executed quickly. A small black coffee. Within minutes, he gave the customer their coffee and sent them off with a smile. "Have a great day!" he said, "Next!"
Ashton walked up and took a deep breath. "Give me a caramel frappachino, oh and a quadruple shot of espresso please." He wiped some sweat off his forehead and stumbled forward a bit, but regained his balance. He hadn't looked up yet,studying the desserts in the glass case below the counter, wondering if he could stomach it or not. "What the hell,and a chocolate muffin please." He finally looked up and fully realized who he was talking too. He smiled just a little bit at the sight of a familiar face.
Amyr smiled back kindly. "Okay," he nodded, writing down the order. After he finished he pointed to an empty table. "Why don't you take a seat right there? I'll have your order for you in a few." With that, he walked back to make the drinks carefully.
He nodded and nearly fell into the chair, tired as hell. Ignoring the rude looks and side way glances he played on his phone, happy to just have a place to sit breath and relax.
After some time, Amyr returned to the counter, placing the drink and a chocolate muffin onto the surface. He placed his hand on the inward edge and smiled. "Order up! Caramel frappuccino, four shots of espresso, and one chocolate muffin!" he called out the order and waited patiently at the counter for the customer to collect it, bouncing on his heels like there were rubber balls in his shoes.
Ashton got up, a little less shaky, and handed over a 20. "Keep the change. Oh and thanks for taking care of Flick." He then grabbed the coffee and the muffin and sat down, devouring it, and relaxed into the chair. He hoped just a little bit Amyr would come sit across from him. He hadn't talked to someone besides business and getting things in a long time.
"No problem," he said, nodding and putting the twenty into the cash register. He quickly walked back and talked to someone who appeared to be his manager. After a few seconds of talking, Amyr smiled at the short lady and slung a towel that he was carrying over his shoulder. He walked from behind the counter and flopped himself down across the table from Ashton. "Hello there," he greeted, a huge smile still painted onto his face.
"You can drop the happiness act around me. Your cheeks must hurt as much as mine." He winked and sipped his coffee carefully, wondering if he'd have the time to go get some McDonald's after this.
His face snapped down from its smile and he stuck his tongue out at Ashton. "They do not. I'm used to smiling," he pouted slightly. "Besides, I am not acting. It's pretty nice to see a familiar face in this café every once in a while." He began twisted the towel he possessed around his hand lightly. "So would this happen to be the favourite café that you'd spoken of earlier? Or are you just here because most other places are closed?"