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Coffee and then, Coffee

by helloliriels

We ran around, late in to night -

barely stopping,

      barely breathing.

Quick ready laughter

                    touched

      Our sides.

.

Can't recall

          the last time I

genuinely laughed

before.

Had I?

      Had you?

      Carefree?

.

You drank coffee,

I drank tea.

.

A crack and then,

    the man was down.

You kneeling to catch

      hands

  in cuffs -

      breath

in huffs.

      Exhilarating -

Me and you,

            You and me.

.

If I had feelings,

      you'd be

                  the first

                  to see.

.

You grab a coffee,

I order tea.

.

Sorry I can't do a double.

      Another mistake.

They thought

                that

                        you and I

Were

mine and me?

      You protest again, yet

      I say

                          nothing.

What is it people -

        unobservant,

        see?

                "Something sweet for you two, then?"

        "Black, no sugar"

                "Tea, yes. Three."

.

The frequency changed

    Why, you can't say...

                Your eyes they catch

                mine

                Looking back;

They lock together               

Constantly.

          The air electric

Radiates.

          A sudden gruff

                avoidance starts.

You seem to be ...

      Angry with me?

.

Frustration sounds,

            In every huff.

      In every snark.

    In every bite:

Coffee,

      And then,

Coffee.

.

      And still

      Here I

      Sip tea.

.

It's over now.

      The villain caught.

      the risk I took

                    too readily...

      Will you bark?

Will you bite?

.

            Your eyes,

            they shine back

                  dangerously.

.

          Curious.

He ... ?

.

I raise a hand

to ask - on guard;

      You're straining now

      against a force -

A force that's not

                    unknown to me...

.

            You take my cup;

            When next I move.

Expecting rage

Not sympathy.

.

      "there's sugar there"

                  "know that, ta!"

      "but you...?"

            I pause,

    and blink -

                                  "Coffee?"

.

            I fixate on:

                  Your lips,

            Your eyes,

The cup that's raised.

The white of teeth.

.

              You're sipping then

          hold smooth a while -

    a while and then,

hand back to me.

.

    "You know, I tried," you say,

    "I tried - "

  But I deduce:

              "You like the tea?"

  You nod and then

              hear myself say

a thought aloud:

            "Well then,

kiss me."

.

Amazed.

by the

simplicity,

  we shift

from

I

    and

            You

to

WE

.

posted on AO3 3/18/2021

audio recording available on SoundCloud by helloliriels

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