The last part of the five part one shot. Finally

Dan says nothing as he hands me my second coffee, and I hope I don't end up dropping it again.

"Sorry for making you do that. Let me pay you back." I insist.

"No, I think if two people hang out at a coffee place, people don't have to buy their own drinks." Dan suggests. My eyes widen at the implication of 'two people at a coffee place'. Without thinking, I blurt out,
"That's for a date!" And cover my mouth, as everyone in Starbucks was staring at me.

"It would only make sense then, for this to be one". He said this so confidently, yet when I look at him, he's biting his lip, eyebrows scrunched up and cheeks pink. Then, it hits me.

"But it's not, b-because y-you have a girlfriend?" I stutter. At that, the boy just laughs and I look at him, very confused. At any other time I would be fascinated by the repeated hyena sounds from before. Instead, I just want answers. He sees me staring and composes himself.

"Oh, um, sorry," He says, yet to explain the situation. He clears his throat. "I forgot about that."

"You what?! You forgot you had a girlfriend?" I exclaim, questioning whether this 'date' was a good idea, seeing as he didn't even care about his girlfriend.

"No, no! I mean, I forgot I..." He fails to continue, yet again, so I look at his expectantly. "I forgot I said that to you, lied to you."

"Oh."

There was a moment of silence as we stood there, contemplating What we just said. For me, that was me wondering why the heck he would lie to me, and for him, he was probably regretting it or something. I was also processing the fact that I actually had a chance.

I gesture to the red sofa I was eyeing up before. And say, "okay, you can explain everything once we sit down. I'm not wasting the coffee you bought me by it going cold."

We then shuffle past the tables, making our way to the sofa, hoping it won't get taken by the time we get there. I plop down on my seat and Dan sits opposite me, looking nervous.  "So, explain yourself," I say, firmly.

"I was panicked! You were flirting with that... Shop guy, it was the first thing that popped into my head, Granted, a very stupid thing." He explained hurriedly. My eyebrows flew up in surprise. I couldn't even remember that guy now, can't remember if I even found him attractive. I think I do recall considering winking at him, just before Dan interrupted me. And then of course, I think of the fact him lying, to get me away from that guy must mean...

"Aww, you were jealous." I tease. The boy in front of me blushes harder, and pink absolutely covers his face. This just spurs me on more. "Was little Danny jealous that I was talking to the wrong stranger?" And then I poke at his cheeks. Maybe I took it a little too far. He crosses his arms.

"No, I just really needed your help."

"For an imaginary girlfriend. What are you even gonna do with the skirt? Did you even need it?" Dan blushes again at being caught out but doesn't object.

"Initially yes, I didn't need it, but as we were looking I thought it'd be a good present for my friend." He explains. Now I'm the one who feels jealous for no reason. Just the fact he has a friend I didn't know about is enough to threaten me.

"Oh."

Dan then smirks. "Now look at who's jealous." He says, and then winks exaggeratedly.  "She's just a friend. I'm interested in someone else anyway." I knew his game, I knew he was just teasing me, but two could play at that game.

"Yeah, I'm interested in someone too."

I could hear him gulp at my words, and it was the cutest thing ever, almost cute enough to give up on the act. Almost.

"Really? What are they like?" He responds, quietly.

"Uumm, a little difficult to read, one minute they're all cute, then decisive and bossy, then all shy and cute. Incredibly difficult to understand, especially as I don't know them that well."

"Don't tell me you actually liked that shop guy." He says, absolutely clueless. I laugh at his stupidity and decide to humour him with another description.

"Yeah, he was pretty captivating, the first time I saw him in that shop."

"The first time?" He asks, leaning foward, while looking distressed. I'm pretty certain I understand him completely right now, which encourages me to carry on.

"Yeah, I saw him a few times, bumped into him by accident. Kind of makes me think it's fate or something," I continue, watching as Dan's face contorts even more, in confusion and discomfort. Surely he's starting to get it now.

"Oh."

"Oh?" I repeat, trying to ask if he gets it or is being incredibly dense.

"N-no it's fine, carry on." He says. Looks like I'm gonna have to make it a little easier for him.

"But... He said he had a girlfriend and it really confused me."

"Oh" he said again, but this time more upbeat. "then what happened?"

"Well, the cute guy told me he lied, that he was jealous of the stranger I was talking to."

"Did you do anything about it?" He asks, looking at me through his eyelashes, smiling sweetly.

"I don't know how he feels."

"I'm sure he likes you very much, even though he's not known you long. You should see what happens."

I grin, and tease one more time, "should I?" He nods eagerly. I smirk as I get a new plan, and stand up, heading for the door.

"What?" He exclaims, predictably.

"You told me to do something."

"But I thought..."

My resolve them ends and I turn back to him. "just kidding." I'm about to lean closer to him, but he starts hitting me before I can do anything.

"You fucking dick!" He yells, still hitting me, while I end up in fits of giggles.

"I'm, I'm so-rry. I, I couldn't help it!" I say, struggling to speak through the giggles, and Dan's constant attacks.

He then stops hitting me. "So?" He asks, expectantly.

"So what?"

"You know," he encourages, while staring intently at my lips.

"Well I don't know what you're talking about but I think we should drink our drinks, before you have to buy me another drink."

The boy looked really annoyed at me for that, but didn't interject. Well, he didn't for a few seconds. He picked up the cup then sipped and spat it out, all over me.
"But they're already cold!" He exclaims while I try to mop up the hot chocolate now on my jumper.

"Mine isn't," I brag, sipping mine slowly.  Seeing as he bought mine afterwards I had a little more warmth left in my coffee, and I smile smugly.

He starts pouting but then I stand up, and his eyes shine with gratitude, but unlike me, he doesn't object to me buying it, he just sits there waiting.

~~

"No! What are you talking about? Dinosaurs are so much better!"

"I can destroy you with my flames!"

"Well you're not real, so I can just rub you out with my.. imagination!"

"Touché"

I smile smugly as I win the argument of whether dinosaurs or dragons are better. We've been like this for an two hours, and we still have so much more to say.

At first it was general conversation, kind of awkward and we told each other some of the details on our perspective of today. And then we started asking little questions about each other, and i found out Dan's favourite colour was black, he's two years younger than me, and he hates doing law. In return I told him how I was struggling to find work and had no idea where my future was headed. Of course this got all a little to serious, so I asked him what would happen if you break a shatter proof bauble, and that begun a series of weird and wonderful questions, leading up to where we are now.

After such a long silence, of around five seconds, Dan asks another question.

"How do snails breathe?" And that's when I lose it. So far we have been asking sort of, would you rather questions and now it's turned into a new form of random. I start laughing really weirdly, like some sort of machine or something and Dan laughs.

"Nice laugh Phil."

"Says the person with the hyena laugh" I quip.

"Hey! I do not sound like that!" He says, dramatically. I just look at him, sincerely.

"You have no right to tell me off anyway, you said made fun of my laugh." I argue, while smiling. Dan then copies me, smiling with his tongue handing out.

"This is you when you're happy." I cross my arms in annoyance. "It's an endearing quality" 

"you sure about that?" i say, guessing he was just making it up

"I actually love your smile, tongue and all."

"well, i would do anything to hear your infectious laugh again and again." i say, honestly, hoping it's not too much. it seems like two sides of Dan are fighting each other, one wanting to deny anything, judging by the creased eyebrows, but his eyes look hopeful and happy, like he wants me to carry on going. i decide to trust his eyes, plus, after being so mean earlier he kind of deserves it. "and then of course, i'd get to see your gorgeous dimples," I add.

He smiles at this, showing those dimples, but still says, "Alright, no need to be so over the top."

"no, I'm not being over the top. I'm really glad i bumped into you, looking for somewhere warm. I'm really glad I'm indecisive enough to ask a stranger for advice, and i'm really glad i let you buy me coffee." I say, almost like a speech at the end of a Rom-com, but i didn't need to get to an airport to declare my love, no. he was right here and this was just the beginning, no drama needed.

i see that it's really dark outside, so i suggest leaving the shop, even if i really don't want to leave this boy. we walk out of the coffee shop, abandoning our half drank drinks, which had gone cold, and i look at Dan. we stay staring at each other for a long time.

when we do look up, we notice fairy lights above us, for the Christmas lights. they are different colours of red, green and a warm white. snow is lightly blanketing the pavement and even more lights follow down a path. it really is beautiful. Dan then turns back to me.

"I'm glad too. I'm glad I left the house, I'm glad I helped you, and i'm so, so glad i told you i didn't have a girlfriend..that would've been messy." i chuckle at that, and Dan continues. "i feel like you came at just the right time, almost like, dare I say it, a  pre Christmas miracle. and i don't even mind that you didn't kiss me earlier, no matter how much i hated that."

Dan doesn't get to continue as I place my freezing cold hands on his cheeks, and lean closer. i prepare myself to meet his lips, but i miss, and we end up bumping noses. we both start leaning the same way, and Dan has to point which way he's going to go, but when our lips do meet, it feels amazing. his lips are just as i expected, soft and like a cushion. our mouths seem to fit together, and we can share each other's warmth. i close my eyes and appreciate this moment. he hums into my mouth with contentment, and i break away from the kiss.

"tomorrow, same place, two o' clock." i say, with a warm smile, as i inspect his face all over again.

"of course."

Can't believe it took me 10 days to write one one shot.

We have another voter guys!!! beaniiedan Thankyou for voting. I honestly don't deserve it but thank you. WE HAVE 3 READERS SOMEONE GRAB THE CHOCOLATES!!

The next story (cos I guess I ain't calling them one shots) will be written based on human_tomato's brilliant story prompt.