Part 2

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He felt bad for suddenly rushing out like that, but he would rather escape from the rain while he could. He'd see him around campus, Coffee was sure of that. Avoiding the puddles this time, Coffee maneuvered his way throughout the small, pathetic town that he called home. Taking the bus with his last token, he rode his way back to Cornerside Community College. He wasn't exactly thrilled about attending here; it was known for being a party school. However, when you have to pay for school yourself, this was the easiest option. Besides... Sparkle attends here, too, so... it couldn't be that bad, right?

He had no idea what Sparkle's major was, or where they could meet up. Scrunching up his face as he stepped off the bus and hurried into the double doors of the college building, Coffee guessed that information would most likely be brought up during work.  Coffee was more afraid of Sparkle asking for his phone number rather than Sparkle actually rooming with him.

Sparkle swept the last of the floor as the others stacked the chairs, wiping his forehead and sighing happily in accomplishment. He put up the broom and put his coat and scarf on, saying goodbye to his fellow employees and walking down the sidewalk. It took him a while before he made it back to his brother's apartment. When he did he instantly fell onto the couch, not thinking about dinner but how warm the couch was compared to the outside. He sighed happily and curled up into it, taking out his phone and playing on it before dozing off.

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Waking up early was never a problem. Coffee hardly slept as it was;  he sort of just lived off naps. Awake at 5, showered, dressed, and ready to go by 5:30, Coffee wrapped a scarf around his neck, covering part of his mouth with the red material. He really disliked this bipolar weather... Walking out, Coffee made his way outside and traveled to the café shop by foot. No college student wanted to be awake this early on a Saturday, but Coffee didn't mind it. He supposed that was the reason he never complained about working, much like other employees. Coffee's thoughts drifted as he walked downtown, breathing in the frigid morning air. He guessed that it would be a long day.

Sparkle jumped at the alarm clock, an eye closed and a whole half of his hair sticking up from the pillow. He slammed his hand on the clock on the coffee table several times before it stopped beeping. He smacked his lips a bit and rubbed at his eyes before rolling out of the couch in his blanket. He groaned and pouted as he sat on the floor in a blanket-burrito and didn't get up for a good long while. "Get up you dumbass its 5:50, don't you have work soon?" His older brother called from the bathroom, poking his head out with a toothbrush in his mouth."Yeaaahhhh finnee..." Sparkle whined. He hated when his brother called him that. He's not dumb...just tired... He got up and got ready, shooting out the door with no breakfast but with his bag in hand, too hard to put it all the way over his shoulder. He loved being in a rush, but if he was late, the manager would not be happy... He slammed through the doors of the cafe right before the clock striked 6:00 and he panted harshly, his eyebrows knitted and buttons of his coat in wrong places and his hair still sticking up. They had a half hour before shop opened, so he could fix it in the bathroom like always.

Coffee come into work a bit before 6:00, and the quiet was nice. He calmly started setting up things he was told to. Only, when the door was slammed into, Coffee jumped, fumbling with a stack of paper coffee cups before eventually dropping a few. He whipped around with wide eyes to see Sparkle, breathing as heavily as a runaway horse. Nervous beats of sweat began to form of Coffee's skin, and he picked up the fallen cups before placing them on the counter."Are...... um......" Coffee stammered, awkwardly walking over to the smaller boy. "Are you... alright... Sparkle...?" he asked timidly, arms outstretching slightly towards him, ready to assist him if he had to.

"NEVER BETTER COFFEE-CHAN!" Sparkle smiled brightly even though he was breathing so heavily and patted Coffee's shoulder very hard- though he didn't notice himself. Sparkle looked up at how Coffee was so close now, basically towering over him. "Wow Coffee-Chan you sure are tall aren't you?! You're taller than my big bro and THAT's pretty tall..." Sparkle rambled as he got ready for work, placing his bag on a wall rack and tying his apron behind his back.

          

"Ah... um... yes... I'm 5"11" or... 6 foot... something..." he mumbled, rubbing his shoulder a bit. Coffee watched Sparkle get ready carefully, realizing at how small he really was... Coffee felt gigantic next to him. He could probably lift Sparkle up into the air with no problem. "And... '-chan'?" he muttered lowly, mostly to himself. Coffee walked behind the counter to neatly stack the disheveled coffee cups, keeping an eye on Sparkle, making sure his breathing settled properly. He must have ran here...

Sparkle laughed and went behind the counter to turn all of the appliances on. "What did the manager assign you, Coffee? Are you a waiter? Have you ever worked in a coffee shop before? Man, you have such a cool name to be working here I bet everyone will love you...!" Sparkle rambled and smiled happily. He liked talking to Coffee. (Even though he didn't notice Coffee didn't say much back) "Woaahh! Nice name tag! Did you write that yourself?! You have the best handwriting, you're so great Cool-chan..." Sparkle patted Coffee's chest where his name tag was and jumped over the counter, skipping to the tables to take the chairs down.

Coffee mostly mumbled or hummed in response to sparkle's questions, his stance tense, although slouched. Coffee took a step forward, ready to catch Sparkle as he jumped over the counter. He was too small to do that... too little... fragile... Sparkle's spontaneous actions, bold statements, and sudden outbursts, along with all his questions, made Coffee a little on edge. His excessive personality was a lot to take in all at once, and it sent Coffee's head spinning. He was never good at handling people like Sparkle.... although, he was sure it was just pure innocence, and Sparkle didn't mean to suddenly shout or touch him; it was just his personality. Coffee didn't like touching, or being too close to anyone else, but... he didn't mind Sparkle doing it all that much... he was just being friendly. Very touchy... but friendly. Coffee tried to think of the last time he'd been touched so innocently by a friend, but he couldn't. Coffee shook his head to rid of the thought, and focused on Sparkle's haphazard movements. At least that was something interesting to focus on. The way his hair stood up and bounced around while he moved. Coffee hid an inch of a smile behind his index finger, rubbing his finger under his nose so Sparkle wouldn't notice his smile.

Sparkle finished taking down the chairs and sat down at the stool behind the cake counter to rest. He let out a breath of air and fanned out his shirt. "Phooooeeeyy...." He said lightly. He was energetic, but sometimes he really did need a break or he'd pass out. He forgotten to eat since yesterday morning too...

Coffee blinked slowly at Sparkle's exhausted frame. "Mm..." he hummed to himself, getting to work. Coffee calmly made a cup of coffee, walking over to Sparkle. He quietly placed it in front of him, along with some sugar and creamer if he wanted any.".....Good work......" he mumbled under his breath, reaching out to very awkwardly pat the boy's head. He hesitated before speaking again. "........Let me take care of the chairs tomorrow... deal?" he said, looking down at Sparkle with his cool brown gaze.

Sparkle looked up at Coffee, bending his neck all the way back to look at him. He looked back at the cup of coffee and gleamed brightly. Coffee patted his head and his eyes went wide at the touch. Sparkle jumped up suddenly and wrapped his arms around Coffee's middle tightly, patting his back rapidly, his light laughs echoing through the empty shop. This is the first time Coffee has shown him his friendly side! He knew his friend would look up. "Thanks so much Coffee! You are so kind and thoughtful, putting up the chairs is my job, I can do it!" He plopped back down and grabbed a handful of sugar packets, ripping the top of all of them at the same time and dumping them in his coffee, sighing happily.

"Aahh...... uh.......oh........" Coffee, not knowing what to do, did what he does best: mumble incoherently. Extremely shocked by the sudden hug and patting, Coffee tensed up into the fight-or-flight sort of way. Like a cat who is being hugged by a child and wants to escape but doesn't exactly know how to, so they just sort of suffer quietly. Sparkle was.... very excessive.... Coffee didn't exactly know how to handle him just yet. Stepping back, Coffee ran his hand through his hair multiple times before settling behind the counter, a little ways off from Sparkle's seat, but not too far away so he didn't look as if he were alienating himself. Coffee's neutral expression always looked unapproachable. Even when in a good mood, he's been told that he looks pissed off at something. He hoped Sparkle wouldn't get the wrong idea... Just enjoy your coffee, he thought, looking down at his worn out sneakers. He briefly considered getting new ones, but he didn't exactly feel like shoe shopping any time soon.

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