Title: Cherry Tarts
Pairing: Baekyeol
Genre: fluff/ cafe au
Rating: G
Word Count: 1800
Summary: Baekhyun doesn't like that guy at all. And the butterflies should really just go away and migrate or something.
For Annie because she's Annie

Baekhyun really hates that guy. That guy with the curly auburn mess that's supposed to be hair and the legs that seem to stretch for miles and miles and miles. That guy with the stupidest smile he's ever seen and the largest, most animated eyes and ears possible for human kind. He's like a cartoon character and Baekhyun hates him.

He hates how curly auburn haired man always walks into his cafe with a shy smile before taking the snapback off his head and he hates how the guy with the really long legs always sits in the same booth at the corner of the cafe underneath one of the dimly lit florescent lights. He really hates how that guy with the stupid smile always orders cherry tart with a soda and then pulls out a thick, dog-eared book from his bag and proceeds to read ignore Baekhyun.

Baekhyun really doesn't understand how he's always the one waiting on said guy and he doesn't know why his heartrate seems to speed up when they talk and he doesn't care either. What he does understand is that he does not, for any reason, like this cartoon charactered guy. And he really doesn't like how the guy comes to his cafe every single day after 3 o'clock, staying under the dingy lighting in the worn cafe booth until 5. 

He's still telling himself this as he walks up to that small booth under the dim flourescent lighting at 3:05 on a Monday in April because he does not like this guy.

"I'll wait on him if you want," Luhan, a hired waiter smirks from the side watching Baekhyun glower at the tall guy with the boylike face. "I know how much you hate him," Luhan continues, smirk widening as Baekhyun's eyes widen in shock.

"No," Baekhyun screeches causing half the cafe to look at him-- but of course that guy isn't looking-- before he snatches a menu off the stand and huffs over to that small booth.

"Hello," he greets tersely as he does every day, trying to ignore Jongdae's snickers and Luhan's obnoxious laughter. "What would you like today?" 

Cartoon character looks up from his book and Baekhyun idly worries for his eyes because the words are tiny little scratches on overly large expanses of white paper and how are you reading that under this tiny light? "Just my usual," Cartoon character rumbles and Baekhyun's knees grow slightly weak because that voice is not y at all whatsoever. "Cherry tart and an apple soda please." 

Baekhyun nods, turning on his heel to go before he catches sight of Luhan and Jongdae sitting at the counter, still sniggering. Jongdae pouts slightly before pulling out a wallet and handing Luhan a crisp ten dollar bill and Baekhyun growls, turning around once more to face cartoon character. 

"I was just w-wondering," he stutters out, flushing as cartoon character's large eyes turn to stare at him curiously. "What your name was. Since you know, you're an old customer and I've talked to you so many times but I've never asked your name," Baekhyun stopped his ramblings when cartoon character laughed and he pouted embarrassed.

"My name is Chanyeol," cartoon character chuckled, eyes twinkling. "And your name," he glanced around for Baekhyun's nametag. "Is Jongdae?"

Baekhyun's jaw dropped as he looked down to where his name tag was. Dammit, he had worn Jongdae's apron by accident. "Baekhyun," he corrected, unpinning the name tag slowly. "I accidentally wore the wrong apron." Chanyeol just nodded in understanding. Baekhyun stood there for a few seconds more looking flustered before turning to flee towards the counter. 

"It was nice meeting you Baekhyun," a very uny voice boomed out from behind him Baekhyun could hardly keep the scowl off his face when Jongdae danced over towards him with a tray carrying a cherry tart and an apple soda. Luhan sat behind the counter, grumbling about Jongdae cheating and ten dollar bills.

"It was so so so nice meeting you Baekhyun," Jongdae cackled, dancing away, the tray out of reach from Baekhyun's grabby hands. "I'm going to go meet your loverboy now," Jongdae whispered, a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he twirled away from Baekhyun's anguished yelps. 

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him," he chanted as he wiped down the counter, staring daggers at Jongdae and Chanyeol whom were conversing happily. Jongdae had sat himself down at the small booth, squeezing Chanyeol over so that they would both fit before casually taking a sip of Chanyeol's apple soda. They had been talking for the past seven minutes and 34 seconds, not that Baekhyun was counting. 

"You hate who," Luhan chortled, taking messy bites of a slice of apple pie. "Jongdae or that really cute tall guy sitting next to him."

"He's not cute," Baekhyun sniffed, scrubbing exceptionally hard at a squeaky clean counter. "And Jongdae's a brat."

Luhan burst into cackles as Baekhyun moped around, glaring at customers until they finally left, leaving just those brave few who were willing to go against Baekhyun and Chanyeol who was still busy talking to Jongdae. 

"Its okay," Luhan whispered playfully when Baekhyun stomped back from where he had gone to refill a coffee. "I'd bang him too if he didn't have the bright orange hair."

"Its auburn," Baekhyun snapped, flinging a dirtied towel into Luhan's face. "Auburn hair," he repeated turning to glare at the small booth again before untangling his apron from himself. "I'm going home."

12 minutes and 40 seconds of talking now, but Baekhyun wasn't counting.

***

The next day Baekhyun moped around the cafe, grumbling obscenities at customers and cursing at teenage boys for walking too slowly. It wasn't until the clock read 3 that his mood finally cleared up and he stalked towards the stands to grab a menu. Much to his dismay Jongdae is already sitting at the booth flirting up a storm. He watches Chanyeol's face crinkle up into a smile and those overly large ears turning pink and realizes once more that he really hates that guy and the butterflies in his stomach need to go migrate or hibernate or something. 

21 minutes and 15 seconds later Baekhyun decides its been enough and stomps over to where Jongdae has just said something and Chanyeol's ears are red and he has a cheesy, ridiculously nice smile on his face and his eyes which are usually wide and round are turned up like little moons which have decided to take a nap. Unclasping the apron from himself, he throws the apron onto Chanyeol's face muttering, "I really don't like you," before stomping out the cafe without so much as a goodbye. He only stops to see the ridiculousness of leaving his own cafe when he's two blocks away and panting and something watery is crawling out of his eyes and his throat is dry and he feels tired. 

He's leaning back against a brick wall, trying to keep the droplets from falling out of his eyes when a taller shadow crosses with his. He looks up to see that guy; Chanyeol. "What do you want," he mutters gruffly, rubbing at his eyes in vain.

"Don't cry," the tall cartoon character comforts, patting an overly large hand onto Baekhyun's shoulder. 

"I'm not crying," Baekhyun argues weakly, batting the large hand away. "My eyes are raining is all." Baekhyun's heart starts thump-thumpa-thumping when Chanyeol smiles because this time Chanyeol is smiling at him and the white teeth are flashing and his ears are still sticking out.

They stand there for a few minutes before Chanyeol starts to speak and Baekhyun is staring at the ground. He feels warm inside and he wonders if that's why the butterflies have migrated back because they're fluttering around in his stomach again. 

"I really don't like cherry tart," Chanyeol begins and Baekhyun opens his mouth to speak but the taller male shushes him with a large finger in front of his lips. "I really don't like cherry tart," he begins again when Baekhyun finally stops struggling, "But I heard you talking with that fluffy haired boy saying you loved making cherry tarts and hoped everyone liked eating them as much as you do. And I decided I would try it. I have to say your cherry tarts are the best tarts I've ever had."

Baekhyun opens and closes his mouth, staring at Chanyeol in shock. Chanyeol chuckles before he continues. "I also really don't like purple hair but I think you pull it off really well. And I also don't like talking to your friend Jongdae very much but all we really talk about is you, so I tolerate him as best I can. And I really do like your smile because I think your eyes crinkle up prettily, and its okay to call a boy pretty right? And I know you really don't like me but-" Chanyeol grins sheepishly, holding a hand out for Baekhyun to grab. "-don't people usually say that there is a very thin line between love and hate?"

***

Baekhyun really likes that guy. That guy with the new haircut who's hair is black and cropped and shows off his ears just enough. That guy with the sweetest smile Baekhyun has ever seen and the softest lips which taste sort of like marshmallows, not that Baekhyun would know.

He loves how that tall, black haired guy always walks into his cafe with a shy smile before taking the snapback off his head and placing it on Baekhyun's own recently dyed brown hair. He really likes how that guy always sits in the same booth at the corner of the cafe underneath one of the dimly lit florescent lights and orders a pecan pie and a soda and then proceeds to place his book away into his bag before focusing on eating his pie and stealing shy glances towards the owner of the cafe.

Baekhyun kinda maybe understand how he's always the one waiting on said guy and he kinda maybe understands why his heart rate seems to speed up when they talk. What he does understand is that he does, for so many silly reasons, like this guy. And he really likes the way this guy pulls him into the small booth and proceeds to kiss his breath away, leaving sweet chaste pecks on his cheeks and his forehead.

But he still really doesn't like the butterflies that flutter around in his stomach because he thinks they should go migrate or hibernate or something. And he also really doesn't like the waiters he hired, their names Luhan and Jongdae because their cackling laughter fills the cafe from 3 to 5 every single day.

But he does like that guy.

Yes, he likes him very much.