Chapter 1

Ash walked out of the hospital slowly. It's been a boring week and his muscles seemed to shrink from lying in bed 24/7 except from when he went to the bathroom. Never again will he spend his day off in the swimming pool and then sleep with the AC on all night without a blanket on. Pneumonia and hypothermia are no joke when they're combined. Curse his weak immune system.

Dan's car was waiting in the parking lot. Dan was in the car humming to a song that Ash did not recognize. Ash opened the passenger seat door and climbed inside.

"Good evening, Cotton Candy" Dan beamed at him.

Ash faked a frown but he did feel better already seeing Dan. "I told you to stop calling me that"

"Can't help it, man. With that pink hair on you I'll never stop" Dan laughed.

" Anyway... What's that smell?" Ash asked.

Dan reached to the space between the seats and handed Ash a to-go cup of coffee. "Taste this. Don't worry it's regular coffee. It'll send you to bed in no time"

Ash took a sip from the coffee and it was devine. "Holy- ! Where did you get this from?!" Ash exclaimed.

Dan turned the engine on and drove out of the parking lot. "A new coffee place opened across the street from your flower shop. Their coffee is so good I'm a regular now" Dan said cheekily.

"If i knew that would happen i would've spent a week in the hospital sooner" said Ash between sips.

"I know, right?" Dan laughed. "That place was empty for like 3 years and out of the blue, three randos show up, buy it and make this necktar! Also they're so cool like you'd wanna hang out with them for sure"

"If you say so" Ash said reluctantly. Meeting new people was always awkward for him. An introvert like him rarely hung out with people other than his designated extroverted social butterfly best friend Dan. " Thanks again for looking after my flowers while i was in the hospital" he muttered.

"Don't sweat it, man" Dan waved him off. "Business wasn't all that lately and it's nice to stop and smell the flowers". Dan pulled up next to Ash's building and scratched his chin. " How about you buy me coffee every day for the next week and we call it even?".

"Deal " Ash said as he exited the car. "So you want to do the thing?"

"What thing?" Dan raised an eyebrow. " The thing where you try everything on the menu just to 'broaden your horizons' " Ash air quoted.

Dan laughed. "already ahead of you, man. Start with item number 8". Dan waved and drove off.

Ash walked inside the building and went to his apartment. He turned on the heat and went straight to bed.

The next day Ash went to his flower shop a bit early. Call him sentimental but he missed the place. When he finished cleaning around and watering all the plants all the shops on the street have opened. He glanced outside and what do you know, the new coffee place already had a line inside. So Ash decided it's better to go early so he put the 'brb' sign and closed up. Dan was already inside and waiting in a booth. The line for the coffee moved fast though. But when it was his turn to order he got momentarily distracted by the counter guy's tattoos. He was wearing a tank top so all the tattoos on his chest and arms were on display.

The guy cleared his throat and Ash was pulled back to reality. "Sorry sorry... I'll take one decaf with extra cream extra sugar and item number 8 please" Ash said while silently wishing that the earth would crack and hed fall in that hole and never exit again

"It's cool" the guy smiled. Zain was written on his clip-on name tag on. "you interested?" He asked

"Excuse me?" Zain laughed "In tattoos i mean".

"Oh ! They're so cool. Where'd you get them? " Ash asked

"Jaryd drew them and Jason colored them" Zain said while pointing at two other guys working on lots of coffee machines. " We have small tattoos place going on in the backroom as a side gig"

"Awesome " Ash said with a little too much enthusiasm.

"So what's your name?" Zain asked.

"Ash."

"Well , Ash, I'm Zain and your coffee will be with you in five minutes. Take a seat"

Ash went and sat in the booth with Dan and they waited. "Did you see the tatts on that Greek God? " Ash whispered .

Dan snorted. " He's taken, man. Don't get any ideas"

Ash dramatically clutched his nonexistent pearls. " Dan you wound me. I'm talking about his tattoos and you think I'll jump him then and there? Also when did i ever make the first move? "

Dan nodded at that. "I didn't know you like tattoos"

"I mean they're cool and i always wanted one" Ash huffed his hair out of his face.

"Sure i guess... " Dan looked at Zain from the distance. " They all have tattoos".

"Would you get one?" Ash asked

"Nah . But what would you get? " Dan asked confidently.

"A red rose on the back of my hand" Ash showed him which hand.

"You flower nerd" Dan laughed.

"You love me" Ash said dramatically.

"Yup" Dan answered.

"Order for Ash!" A voice came from behind them. Ash went to grab it and was stunned again with another guy with an armful of tatts and a smile that shines like the sun.

"Now this is something you don't see everyday" Said the guy while grinning. 'Jaryd' written on his clip-on name tag.

"Huh?" Ash asked, confused.

"A guy that can pull off pink hair" Jaryd pointed at Ash's hair.

Ash felt the blush climbing on his neck and up to his face." Thanks" he muttered as he pushed his fringe out of his face. He grabbed the order and walked back to Dan.

Dan looked at Ash suspiciously. "What the hell happened to you?"

"What?" Ash was still reeling from his interaction with Jaryd.

"You're red as a tomato and stiff as fuck" Dan pointed out.

"That guy with the red stubble said i pull off the pink hair" Ash mumbled.

"Jaryd? He's pretty straightforward. Everything he says is fact" Dan shrugged and had a sip of his coffee.

Ash dragged a long sip of his coffee too.

"Why is it a big deal anyway? I compliment you pink hair everyday" Dan asked looking kinda dejected.

"No , you call me names" Ash pointed out and drank from his coffee. " Also you're my best friend and you have a girlfriend. But when a stranger who is potentially single does it it's a whole other story".

"Not 'potentially'. He IS single" Dan drank again." And very bi-curious"

"How the fuck do you know that?" Ash whisper-screamed.

"He bought drumsticks from me 3 days ago and we talked for a bit"

"Do you go around asking people about their sexualities?! " Ash was baffled.

"Nope ." Dan gave an innocent smile. " He asked if i knew any gay bars nearby. Not for him though. For Zain and Jason. He on the other hand hinted that he would be looking around inside"

Ash hummed as he finished his coffee. Then he and Dan left the coffee shop and went on their separate ways. Ash kept thinking about the whole thing with Jaryd. Dan is a gold mine with his social butterfly information. Ash will wait and see what would happen.