Alphonse Elric, the nervous alchemy teacher has just gotten the number of an attractive, sweet barista at his favorite cat café, Purrfect Brew.
Currently, Alphonse is weighing out the options of asking her out on a date, while ranting to his brother and his wife.
"Just go for it, Al!" Edward, his brother that is currently a state alchemist exclaims. "If it makes you feel better, we'll evaluate if she likes you or not."
Winry quickly got up a WikiHow article. "Here! '4 Ways to Tell if Someone Likes You'! WikiHow should work with this." Winry handed Ed the laptop, a devilish smirk on his face as he tries to decipher his brother's feelings.
"Number one! Body language!" Edward shouts, pointing a finger at his little brother.
"W-When we sit next to each other, she always moves closer to me..." Alphonse muttered, his feet fidgeting a bit as he glanced around the room.
"How about friendly gestures?" Winry inquired, tilting her head a little.
"S-she's been giving me free teas... and she's been playing with cats with me ever since she started working there," Alphonse stated, his face slowly going into a realization of the possibility of mutual feelings.
"But the biggest question....." Edward started.
"Is she single?!" Winry and Edward belted in complete unison.
"Yes....." He replied.
"You're a 26-year-old man, Valentine's Day is coming up, and you'll have a break in a few weeks! Go ask her out!" Ed barked, as Alphonse tried to cool his face down at the thought of even asking her out.
"But what if she rejects me?" Alphonse groaned, sinking further into the couch.
"Look. I have this coin." Winry stands up and shows a quarter from her pocket. "Heads, you ask her out and go on a lovely date. Tails, you don't ask her out and eventually become a balding middle-aged man who's out of shape and is now hoping what if-"
"Just flip the damn coin!"
Alphonse has been in thought of his talk with Edward and Winry for a while now since it is almost the day. Despite his lack of self-confidence, he could at least try to gather the courage and ask her out. After all, he just wouldn't be able to go to his favorite cafe ever again, so what's the loss?
Everything. The loss is everything. He doesn't even know anything about her, now thinking of it.
Is she a chocolate or flower person?
Introvert or extrovert?
Bottom or to-
Let's forget that last one. But maybe, if he just gets her a genuine gift, he can win the heart of the barista.
In the meanwhile, however, he'll have to put effort into getting to learn more about her.
"Mr. Elric?" He heard a student call. Shit. He forgot he was a teacher for a minute.
The once mentioned cute and sweet barista was enjoying a leisure day, humming a tune as she washed some of the dishes and cups.
"You've been putting a lot more care into your work lately. What's up with you?" Her coworker, who's currently watching over her shoulder as she washes the last cup.
"W-Well....." The barista felt her cheeks heat up as she fidgeted with her name tag. "I've been thinking about someone lately...."
"Who?!" Her loud friend retorted, her eyes excited like a cheerful puppy dog.
"Well.... he's incredibly cute and he's been coming here often." (Y/n) stated. "He's so interesting.... even when he's just petting Mrs. Bells."
"Damn, I haven't seen you this ditzy.... well, ever." She remarked, spying into (Y/n) eyes, as she saw a lovestruck look on her dopey face. "Go ask him out! If you admire him that much, then just go for it. Take him on a date for Valentine's Day!" She ordered.
"Well... I have been thinking of getting him something." (Y/n) takes out a large mug, with mini golden cat ears coming from the top. "I thought it'd be cute since he comes here so often."
"I think you should personalize it more." She added, grabbing a permanent marker from a desk in the back room. Her coworker started writing until she turned around the mug and showed her what she wrote.
"That's super cute! Thanks!" She gave her coworker, Chloe, a generous hug before checking the time. "It's almost 3! I better start making his tea." (Y/n) rejoiced, tying her hair into a ponytail before getting his tea ready. She usually sees him wait a few minutes before drinking it, so she's trying to make sure the tea has cooled down a bit before he arrives.
Meanwhile, Alphonse is nervously driving to the café, with (Y/n)'s favorite sweet, in a cute red bag. The sweet had a cute bow on it, with a charming bouquet of your favorite flowers coming out of the bag.
He slowly pulled into the cafés' parking lot. He unbuckled and grabbed his work bag, before reaching for the bag and stopping, his hand frozen over the red bag as thoughts bolted through his head. What if she doesn't like it? Will she reject me? Alphonse took a deep breath in, before slowly grabbing the bag with his hand and going out of the car.
The chime of the door's bell made my head turn to the source of the noise. I see the charming golden-haired man I'm so used to seeing every day, I'm not complaining, though. I reach to adjust my uniform, my hands getting clammy from my sudden nervousness.
I freeze for a second, her enchanting (e/c) eyes as she sweetly smiles at me, as she waves to me. I feel my heart pounds against my ribcage, as I try to walk over to the counter as her eyes are on me.
"H-Hi!" I stammered as I glanced over to the cute mug on the pickup station.
"I bought that for you the other day. I knew you could be interested in it, so I had my friend write your name on it so I could always tell what mug to make your tea in." She explained, her cheerful yet sincere expression as she said it. I feel my heart swirl, as her eyes studied mine for a reaction. "What do you think?"
"I love it!" I exclaimed, leaning over the counter as I glance up and see our noses almost touching. I frantically back up. "S-Sorry!" I shouted, getting the attention of some of the café members. I feel embarrassed as she tries to calm me down, while her face is a light shade of pink.
"It's ok!" She muttered as she handed me my apple bread before smiling at me. I walk over to my table, with both my bread, tea, and the bag in hand.
I walk over to the counter to the cat room, since I'm currently on break. Sprinkles walks over to me, her tail wrapping around one of my feet. I sit down on one of the cushions on the floor and let her come into my lap.
"I wish I could just ask him out... why does it have to be so hard?" I question, petting her gently. "He's so kind and sweet..." I focus my attention on the cat on my lap and find an idea. "I could use you as a test dummy to ask him out!"
Just as I was going to start, I hear the glass door open of the cat room.
I walk into the cat room and take a seat next to (Y/n). Her head turns from her cat to me, but then my red bag.
"What's that?" She inquired, leaning over me to peek at the bag.
"I got it for you..." I answered, my hands shaking as I give her the bag. She sees the flowers coming out of it, and lightly smiles. She reaches into the bag and sees her favorite candy in it.
"How did you know?" She questioned, a goofy grin on her face. She inspects at the candy, then up at me.
"You mentioned it sometimes in conversation and I knew you might lik-" before I could finish, I felt her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me into a soft hug. She's leaning forward a bit, her chest against mine.
"Thank you." She replies. I gently wrap my arms around her waist, letting her warmth engulf me. Can she hear my heart pounding? God, I hope not, it feels like all I want is to be here, at this moment, with her in my arms. The sweet aroma of tea and sweets on her.
But it had to end.
And then there was silence.
"So...um.. how was work today?" (Y/n) politely asked Alphonse, his hands fidgeting in his lap.
"It.. it was good... you know.. rowdy teenagers and all."
This was his chance, as the silence slowly engulfed both of them. His chance to finally tell her how he feels, and to finally ask her out.
But he didn't.
"(Y/n)! Your break is over!" Her coworker exclaimed, (Y/n) begrudgingly standing up and giving Alphonse a modest smile. A sorrowful smile. A smile that almost made Alphonse's heart sink. Miss. Bells sits in his lap, her eyes now studying his sorrowful expression. She snuggled into his lap, trying her best to comfort Alphonse.
(Y/n) passed the back room, intentionally going back to attain the caramel sauce for a stupid customer who keeps remaking their frappe.
"I thought he would ask.." She murmured to herself, Valentine's Day soon coming up. "Maybe.. maybe he just doesn't like me... I just thought..." She felt tears brim her eyes, her throat getting dry and scratchy.
I can't do this, I need to finish my shift. She told herself, drinking her water and blinking away her tears. She grabbed the caramel sauce and went into the counter, making the fourth frappe. (Y/n) slipped it over to the checkout, the impatient woman grabbing her drink.
"You call this a drink? There's not enough caramel in this!" She slammed the drink down on the counter, the lid coming up and half of the contents spilling onto the counter.
"Mam, please calm down. We can't make you another frappe because it's wasting supplies."
"Let me speak to your manager." She hissed, her height making (Y/n) feel insignificant.
"She's out for the day."
The woman raised her hand, swinging towards (Y/n)'s head at full force.
Before it stopped.
"Ms, you should leave this establishment." A man, with long, golden hair slicked back in a ponytail spoke his strong grip on her wrist. She quickly sauntered out, heels clicking behind her. "Are you okay, mam?"
"Yes, thank you very much. Would you like a free drink and snack? I'd want to show my gratitude."
"Sure! I'll have an apple pie and a plain black coffee."
"Great! What's your na... wait, are you the full metal alchemist?" Her eyes lit up, seeing his iconic leather jacket and a black t-shirt.
"Why yes, I am. How did you know?"
"My... friend teaches alchemy and I decided to learn about it." She smiled, drawing his signature logo on the cup and filling it with coffee, then fetching a bag for his pie. "Here you go! It was nice to meet you." She smiled, her eyes peering into the glass door to see Alphonse with cats surrounding him.
Alphonse peeked up when he heard the chime of the glass door, to his older brother, who squats down next to him.
"So.. how'd it go?" Edward questioned, sipping his black coffee.
"I didn't end up asking her.."
"She likes you. I am 100% sure of it, Al." He smiled, "she knew me because of you, she started to research alchemy." Edward showed him the little drawing on his mug, a smile on his face. "I even ordered some tea for you so she would come in to talk to you. Good luck!" Ed dipped out of the room and sat down at a nearby table to observe. (Y/n) shuffled into the room, his cat-eared cup in her hands.
"Hey.. your friend said you wanted more tea? I just got the same type you usually get." She gave it to him, a smile on her face.
"Thank you, (Y/n)."
She went to the door, her hand on the handle before she turned around to him, taking a deep breath before sitting down next to him, facing Alphonse to talk.
"Listen. I...like you...quite a bit. Would you like to go out with me?" (Y/n) asked, her hands on her lap. She felt one warm hand on top of hers and she separates her hand to hold his.
"I'd love that." He smiled at her, his golden eyes studying hers. She leaned in, and gently kissed him on the cheek, the smell of his cologne in her nose.
And that's where they sat, hand in hand for 10 minutes. The sound of lingering purrs and meows circling through the room. (Y/n)'s head on Alphonse's shoulder, with the both of them feeling alone with each other in Purrfect Brew.
I'm alive!
Okay so, I've kinda disappeared for the past three or so months and I've faded away from Wattpad for what seems like no reason. In early April, I got punched in the head multiple times and got a concussion. It affected me being able to look at computers and screens (and generally drained me from the little energy I had) so I decided to stop writing this story for a bit. What I didn't know is how much more popular it would get in about three months (thank you for 5k!)
I took some time to also develop my writing (like mechanics and basic sentence structure) so I could improve this story and future stories to come. I'm still recovering but I'll make sure to reply to as many comments that I can and start working on the requests as soon as I can.
Thank you for reading! ❤️