Tissue Paper

Tino, alongside Matthias and Lukas, walked down the street in the early hours of the morning in need for some coffee. Emil stayed behind, exhausted from the late night study period with his friends and only asked for some hot chocolate. Tino glanced at Matthias and Lukas who both seemed overly drained from their lectures last night. Neither wanted to talk nor do anything except walk to the cafe for some coffee.

In college, Tino and the rest thought the whole experience wasn't going to be as a bad as everyone said it would be, but considering the fact that Tino had two essays due tomorrow night, a project with his roommates for Chemistry and no time for a rest, Tino considered taking out Business Studies as a major if things were too complicated. Nonetheless, Tino remained cheerful despite his friend's displeasure.

The sun wasn't up yet, leaving the sky to show a beautiful yet mysterious shade of golden yellow and nightly blue in a mixture as clouds flowed down like leaves in the river. Tino admired the sky, taking a moment to look up and imagine what it was like being a cloud where you were carefree. Against this lovely morning was the silence that brought itself around his friends as neither spoke at all. The two just stared into the distance like zombies after years of hunger.

"So, um, how are you guys?"

Matthias grumbled and mumbled incoherently. Lukas looked from Matthias, listening to him, and then to Tino with a blank stare.

"We're dead inside..." Lukas replied stiffly.

"I can see that," Tino said delicately. "Are you guys going to be okay?"

"UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGH!"

"Matt, you can't make goddamn noises like a child," Lukas snapped angrily, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"I just want some coffee…" Matthias moaned verbally, slouching quite ridiculously like an elderly man and walking slower than the rest.

Lukas and Tino looked down at Matthias who was continuing his absurd action as they made their way down the corner of the street and, as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, they saw across the street the only (good) coffee shop in the campus. The light inside indicated it was open, the large window showed some people waiting in line while others sat near the window, chatting amongst themselves in joyful manner. Nobody inside would expect three men abruptly running ironically toward the cafe and burst in as though the end of the world was just a hoax and they could live another day. But Tino resisted that urge out of dignity, following calmly while Matthias and Lukas ran for it and rushed into the cafe.

Tino had to stop when he saw Lukas and Matthias tried desperately getting inside when they got to the door, but they comically got stuck in between as the two men hilariously tried moving in but were stuck.

"Tino, help us!"

"Coffee, coffee, coffee!"

"Guys, calm down, you're gonna make a scene!" Tino then tried pushing Lukas' back and, thankfully, not much force was needed and Lukas was the first to burst inside in a sprint while Matthias awkwardly collapsed to the floor and catapulted toward the counter where a large man with blond hair stared briefly at them.

Tino wanted to come up to the counter and apologize for their behavior, but something in that man's face scream danger. The man wore a dark green apron with a lion's face on it-the logo, Tino thought-and the man's nametag said his name is-

"Berwald, dude, give me coffee!"

Berwald looked down and saw Matthias cowering over the counter like a lost puppy while Lukas was constantly ringing the bell for service. They were definitely making a scene and Tino wondered anxiously if he should leave while everyone gawked in bewilderment. But instead, Berwald glowered over them like a demon; Tino sensed an aggravating atmosphere as Lukas began to slowly stop pressing the bell.

"Wait for your turn," Berwald answered in a deep tone. Tino swore his teeth were clenched.

Lukas and Berwald's voiced up together, "But-"

However, Berwald took his long left arm up and pointed exemplary to a table further away from the crowd of residents. Was he sending them to sit and wait? Nonetheless, Lukas and Matthias, after getting his feet up, creeped arduously to the end while Tino awkwardly stood in place and stare inconveniently at Berwald who, after seeing the boys go to the table, looked over to Tino and gave a hollow expression. The more he stared into those greenish-blue eyes the more he felt apprehensive in staying around too long. Tino then found some control in his legs and rushed quickly but thoroughly to his friends.

"Guys!" Tino snapped at them while their heads rested on the table top, looking more dead than ever. "What in the hell were you thinking, going out there and embarrass yourselves so lowly?"

"Just shut up…" Lukas said dreadfully. He clearly didn't want a lecture until he had his coffee.

Was the feeling of his cheeks burning prudently meant his embarrassment? He could just be anxious after that embarrassing encounter, but then again...when Tino didn't put Berwald's frightening face as the only thing he saw, he considered him a nice person deep down. And Tino only hoped that was just the case.

"Don't be rude to me!" Tino protested back at Lukas who looked boredly up at him.

"Why should I care?"

"Because I'm the one who's paying for the coffee, aren't I? You two are broke and practically begged me and dragged me out of the bed!"

"Well, you would've done the same if you hadn't had coffee for a few days." Matthias retaliated in exhaustion. Tino figured he didn't want to fight, but if anyone fought against Lukas, Matthias wouldn't allow it.

Tino just rolled his sleepy eyes and felt like sleeping all over again. While he rubbed his eyes, he wondered if Berwald was upset with his friends for making such a ruckus this early in the morning, and was he mad at him for not stopping them? Why was Tino thinking such things? Would Berwald really get angry at him? Now he felt himself getting worried for no reason, or for a reason, and he just felt unsure of himself. Then, Matthias and Lukas jerked up in a straight posture, looking wide-eyed behind Tino in anticipation. Tino looked over his shoulder, he saw Berwald making his way over with a tray of three cups of coffee.

Okay Tino, this is your chance not to mess things up and just try to act normal. I'll apologize when he comes and everything will be fine.

First, Berwald placed one cup to Matthias.

"Berwald, you are a savior!" Matthias cheered loudly and took the cup to his lips without even blowing it.

Then came Lukas' cup. Lukas only nodded his thanks and greedily took the cup for himself.

Finally, Tino received his cup and gave his thanks. But before he could say anything to him, Berwald cut him off, saying…

"I added some sugar and cream," He said amiably.

"Huh?"

"You put two sugars and one cream in your coffee," Berwald explained shortly.

Tino was about to ask how he knew how he liked his coffee, Berwald took off rather quickly and caught him off guard. Did Tino do something wrong, again?

When Berwald wasn't in close range, Matthias allowed a chuckle and Lukas continued drinking his coffee as if he wasn't paying much attention to what just happened.

"Looks like Berwald's shy today?"

"Of course he is," Lukas said to Matthias, "I'm sure he was contemplating whether or not he should've told him what he did."

"Think he's gonna do my idea? The one with the tissue-?"

Tino felt ignored and spoke up, "Guys...I'm sitting right here, you know?"

"Oh...crap." Matthias said bluntly and sipped his coffee, as if to avoid conversation.

"If you hadn't noticed," Lukas said, "Berwald seems to like you a little."

Tino felt his face scrunched in shyness.

Berwald was interested in him?

"Really?"

"Yeah," Matthias said, stepping into the conversation he tried avoiding. "He'll ask if your coming when we come without you, he'll ask if you ate anything and give us free food to give to you and sometimes, when you do come, he'll remember how you like your coffee. It's rather sweet!" He gave a wink and grinned cheekily.

Tino had no idea Berwald did all those things… Was that the reason why he gets food from Matthias or Lukas during his exam weeks? Tino remembered feeling hungry on those weeks and not coming to the cafe as much as he wanted to. It was so sweet of Berwald to worry whenever he didn't come over like that…

And then, Tino recalled what Matthias said before, "What did you say about the tissue?"

"What tissue?"

"The tissue, the one you mentioned Berwald would do?"

"Uh…" He looked over to Lukas.

"Don't look at me," he blantly replied, "I don't know what you're saying."

Matthias had nowhere to turn to, so he owned up immediately.

"I...er, told him to try this pick-up trick where you give someone your number on a piece of tissue…"

Oh, so that was...wait…

"When did you tell him to do that?"

"Oh, a couple of weeks ago, why?"

Tino's eyes widen. "Oh...was that the reason why I kept seeing black stuff on my-oh dear." He felt his face become uncomfortably agitated.

There was silence for a brief moment until Matthias' laughter rung in Tino's ears whereas Lukas continued to drink his coffee like it was none of his business.

XxXxXxX

"Um...hey?" Berwald looked up from the coffee machine he was cleaning and saw a shy-looking Tino smiling meekly to him.

"Yes?" Berwald asked, wondering what he wanted now.

"Well, I wanted to...give you this," Tino held between his fingertips a wrapped piece of tissue. When Berwald received the tissue, Tino quickly walked away with his friends who waited over the front door.

Berwald watched in confusion as he unfolded the piece of tissue and read the following...

Hey, I'm sorry for not reading your notes. Here is my number, can we maybe talk?

At first, Berwald thought he was reading the note wrong, but he felt his cheeks blush in shyness. Then out of nowhere, Berwald grabbed his phone and dialed the number with twitchy fingertips. When he heard the other side picking up, he heard a click and said hello.

"I TOLD YOU HE'D CALL RIGHT AWAY!"

"Oi, give it back, Mat!" shouted Tino's voice at the back.

Yes, he thought, I'm going to kill Matthias today after all.

So in the end everyone agreed Tino and Berwald...are not that great at flirting due to Matthias and being totally awkward dorks.