Ben ran a finger around his collar as he waited to be served, feeling uncomfortable with the suit he’d forced himself into as much as his surroundings. The coffee shop wasn’t the usual kind of place that he went to. This close to the campus it was full of college kids trying to look cool and the kind of furniture that he would rather fill a dumpster with than have anywhere around food. But after the meeting with his accountant, he needed coffee badly enough that he’d ducked into the closest place that he could find.

Luckily, there were only a couple of people in front of him and they turned out to be together so his order was taken pretty quickly. So quickly that he hadn’t had a chance to look around. And when he did—trying his best to not be irritated by the way the barista had frowned when he’d simply ordered a large black coffee to go, rather than one of the concoctions from the dazzling menu on the blackboard behind him— his eyes landed on a familiar face and his heart dropped into his shoes.

It could have easily not been Cal, not with his head down, scanning over the papers in front of him, or the way he was dressed like a librarian in brown slacks, and a tan shirt under a light green sweater. But Ben recognized the glasses from the first day they’d met in the park. And his hands, of course. Hard to forget those fingers when they’d mapped every inch of him. Even if he was wearing a tie.

Even as Ben gaped, he was already planning on grabbing his coffee and leaving before Cal spotted him. But the barista telling him his order was ready caught Cal’s attention and he looked up, right into Ben’s wide eyes.

The glimmer of happiness that came with recognition was so fleeting, Ben only had a second to enjoy it before the shutters came down and Cal looked almost distressed. His eyes flitted around him, scanning the patrons at the other tables like he was trying to see if anyone had noticed. He glanced anxiously at the door before his face settled on something like polite acceptance and sent a reserved smile in Ben’s direction.

There was a second where Ben hesitated not quite sure how to act or what to do. Back at the apartment, everything was straightforward. They had their bubble and knew their roles. Out in the open like this, Ben was struck by the feeling that he still wanted Cal just as badly, and somehow was very aware that even though he never simply took from him, Cal wasn’t his in that moment. But despite all that, his body had other ideas and before he knew it he was stood at Cal’s table. He didn’t sit down.

“I like the suit,” Cal said, like they were old friends. “Business meeting?”

Ben had to clear his throat. “Accountant. And I hate the suit, just for the record.”

Cal huffed out a laugh. He glanced at the door nervously as he started to shuffle the papers together. Ben didn’t really look at them. It made sense that Cal was a student, even if he did look a little older than most of the others milling around the place. It might account for some of his embarrassment and definitely would make sense that he’d taken to sleeping with men for money. Even though Ben hadn’t gone to college, he knew that debts must rack up pretty quickly.

Ben sighed heavily, realizing that he was staring. He said “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—” just as Cal started to say, “I’m sorry about last week—”

Ben huffed out a laugh and smiled, feeling awkward. “That’s okay. I-I’d like to—Will you let me know when you’re free?” He knew it was a mistake as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Cal blushed and looked down at the table. “Sorry, sorry…” Cal glanced at the door again and they way he did it had Ben asking, “Shit, are you working—waiting for someone?”

Cal’s smile was tight. He looked strangely nervous, like he wanted Ben gone yesterday. “Yeah, I kinda—”

A scuffle at the door interrupted him, and Ben swore he saw Cal curse under his breath as a rumpled and clearly flustered girl came tripping through the door and made straight for them. She landed in the chair opposite Cal without so much as a glance at Ben, who just watched with wide-eyes as she started babbling and pulling books out of her bag, littering the table with papers.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I’m a late but the damn bus was late and then I bumped into Professor Emery in the quad and he started on giving me a hard time about that psych assignment that’s late and I thought I’d never get away and I’m really sorry but I’m freaking out and my parents are coming next week and oh my god you have to help me because they’ll drag me home to Indiana if I fail your class, so please don’t fail me, sir, please I just—”

Finally, she noticed Ben standing there, her eyes tracking slowly up his body to his startled face, before looking back across the table at Cal who was hanging his head.

Ben wanted to make a joke to break the tension but for the life of him he couldn’t think of anything to say. Cal could though.

“It’s alright, Janice. You’re not that late. Why don’t you get a coffee and take a breath.” He took his wallet from his back pocket and slipped a note across the table to her.

Janice took it with a mumbled, “thanks,” and left them to it with a furtive look at Ben as she scurried past.

Cal sighed heavily and slumped back in his seat, taking off his glasses and covering his face with his hands. Ben wasn’t sure what to do so he just cleared his throat and gestured to the door, even though Cal wasn’t looking at him. “I guess I should leave you to it then.”

Cal slowly pulled his hands down, looked ruffled and pink around the mouth and Ben found himself not wanting to kiss him any less. But Cal was silent too long and Ben nodded and walked out of the coffee shop in a daze.

He didn’t get very far. Just a few steps away, there was a hand on his arm and suddenly Cal was there. “I’m—I’m sorry. I didn’t want—” It seemed strange to see Cal fight to get the words out when that was usually Ben’s department. “Look, can we talk?” Cal’s face was earnest. “Not now obviously. I have deal with…but later? Not at the apartment. I don’t want to confuse things, I just—”

Ben was already nodding. “Yeah. Yeah, of course.” Whatever you want.

Cal’s shoulders seemed to relax and the smile he gave Ben was a world away from the closed off expression that had been plastered on his face in the coffee shop. “Good. Good. Okay then. I’ll—I’ll text you, okay?”

Ben smiled. “Okay.”

Cal thumbed over his shoulder. “Okay, well, I should get back…” He started to turn but added, with a smirk, “I wasn’t kidding about the suit, Ben. It looks good.” Somehow he managed to make it sound like he thought it would look better on the bedroom floor and Ben hoped, maybe, he hadn’t fucked things up between them after all.