summary: you’re struggling and the barista decides to help.
Tim enjoyed working at a hole in the wall coffee shop. It was never too busy and it allowed him to get to know its regulars better. He liked the calm atmosphere, the clinks of the mugs, the sounds of the brewing machines, and the constant noise of people typing on their laptops, one of them being you.
He remembers the first day you came to the shop, it was a nice summer night, a rare occurrence in Gotham. You came in with a group of friends, a boisterous group clearly enjoying their youth. You had been a bit more timid, a shy smile appearing every time one of them made a joke. Tim would be lying if you didn’t catch his eye the second you walked up to the register to order. Your greeting had him melting along with your cute fidgeting. He thought that it was just a small attraction and that he would never see you again after that minuscule interaction but life loves proving him wrong.
You had become a regular, never failing to come every day at the same time. Your order always changed and it gave Tim a chance to talk to you more, to offer things and describe them. You usually always came to study or to do your homework and sometimes coming along with friends. As time passed he began to develop a small crush on you which by the way the owner of the coffee shop totally disagrees with. He was always eager for your arrival and a grin would appear the second you walked in. But that would always be it. He never could muster up the courage to ask you how your day was, what you were working on, or even ask you for your name. He enjoyed the small mystery of trying to figure out your name. Giving you a new one every day but none of them ever fitting enough. Tim wished he had the courage his brothers did so he could ask you out and get to know you better but he just didn’t.
Even now as you sat in your corner all he could do was shoot you small glimpses hoping to catch your eye. It was pathetic really.
“Just go over there and talk to her,” his coworker disrupted his thoughts, ”you’re on break now anyway.” She smirked at him knowing Tim really had no point at trying to argue.
“But she’s working um right now she probably doesn’t want to be disturbed,” Tim replied as he picked up some stray mugs and proceeded to arrange them.
“Oh really? She seems to be struggling right now and I bet she would love your help,” she argued, Tim glanced over noticing your scrunched eyebrows and your constant erasing of the work on your paper. He debated the idea in his head it was the perfect chance. He was on break and he was pretty smart so it wouldn’t hurt to try helping you out. This might also be the only chance he would ever get to actually talk to you.
“God, I’m going to regret this,” he murmured as he walked off well knowing the grin his coworker was sporting.
You were starting to debate if you should just go home and text your friends for the answers at this point. The numbers on the sheet were starting to look like blurs and your patience dimming. You were so concentrated at erasing that you didn’t notice the figure looming over you.
“Uh…do you need some help?” Tim said nervously, your eyes cast upwards blood rushing to your face once noticing his presence. Gosh, this was embarrassing the cute barista boy has noticed your struggles and now here he was offering his services to you.
You glanced back down at your homework, it wouldn’t hurt to accept his help, but man was your pride going to suffer.
“It would be much appreciated,” you finally answered, to what seemed to be an eternity to Tim but in reality only being a few seconds. Tim sat down across from you his heart fluttering as you looked up at him, a blush present on your cheeks.
Toad's Cave 