Hiii! Hope the stuff you're going through gets better soon!
As for a lighthearted idea, I'm being a bit indecisive. I can't really decide which YJ to make it about, so I'll leave it up to you. But my general idea is a no crash au in which barista!reader gets asked out by (insert YJ here), who became a regular at the cafe because of the cute barista. Maybe also leading to their first kiss? Again, up to you.
But yeah, that's the idea that I came up with
Ignore how long this took me, LOL, I decided to make this Nat because I haven't written for her before !! I was tempted to make this Shauna (because I'm selfish), but let's be real, Shauna is not getting a job.
Nat x Reader, fluff, flirting
she/her pronouns used for reader
You hated having roommates, you really did. You had been trying to get this paper done all week, but of course, your roommate had to have her friends over.
You were done trying to work through the noise, constantly getting distracted, so you decided to just go downtown to your local coffee shop. Isn't that what college students always did in TV shows?
You had been there once or twice before with friends, but you definitely weren't a regular. That was the other issue— you didn’t particularly like coffee. Well, aside from the shitty instant Keurig you had in your room for emergency all-nighters only. Coffee was coffee, though.
Now, standing and staring at the menu, it was overwhelming. You weren’t even aware there were so many variations of blends, types, and flavors. A latte, a macchiato, a cappuccino…
"Um," you began, swallowing as you looked up at the menu. You could tell the guy behind the counter was getting fed up with you. "What's your favorite thing on the menu?"
He huffed, irritated. He ran a hand through his spiky, black hair. "Anything, I don't know. I drink it black."
"Oh, well, um," you thought aloud, but then another figure rounded the corner. The girl looked behind her to leave one more puff of smoke in the back room, seemingly coming back from a smoke break.
And... she was really cute.
"Wow, Kev, you really know how to make a sale," she teased him, tightening her apron. She even made the cafe’s corny uniform and hat look good.
"Shut up, Nat," he said, smiling, moving away from the register.
"Go organize the cups, or something," she said, tapping the register a few times to erase whatever he had done previously. That is, before she looked up at you. "Sorry, he's a d-- I mean, he's not great with the customers. Were you able to land on something to order?"
Her eyes were so blue. Or were they green? Maybe a little hazel? It was hard to tell. They were gorgeous, though, and currently flittering around your face in intrigue. "Not really," you replied, a light flush covering your cheeks.
"That's okay," she said, looking up at the menu behind her, herself. "Do you like sweet? Or strong?"
"Strong, I guess?" you replied. "I'm here to get a paper done, actually."
"Ah, you're a student?" she asked, a smile meeting her full lips. "Well, anything with espresso should do the trick."
"Can it be, um, flavored?" you asked dumbly, earning a laugh from her. Her laugh gave you butterflies too-- just like everything else, it seemed.
"Yeah, it can have any flavor you want," she said.
"I like vanilla," you said, scanning the menu one last time.
"Strong and vanilla?" she asked. "I know what you want. I'll make it special for you and then bring it over."
"Thank you," you said, reaching into your purse as you waited for her to ring you up.
"First cup is on me," she said, waving a hand. "First-time customer discount."
"Really? Are you allowed to do that?"
"Probably not," she shrugged.
She turned to make your coffee special, so you left to find an empty table. You couldn't help but feel obviously flattered by the attention and special treatment. You wondered if this 'Nat' did this for a lot of girls, or if this was something more real.
It wasn't too crowded, so you were able to find an empty table that was quiet enough for you to get some work done. Though, you didn't know how much work you'd actually get done now, since you kept looking over to see Nat making your drink and occasionally throwing glances your way.
You didn't know why you were letting this turn into something bigger than it probably was, but what could you say? You were a romantic.
Natalie added in some vanilla sweetener, ignoring the glances from Kevyn.
"Don't," she warned.
"Don't what?" he asked, rolling a coffee bean between his fingers. "Are you being flirty, Scatorccio? Gonna write your number on the cup?"
"Considering these cups are ceramic, no," she finished the drink, stirring it thoroughly.
"So write it on the napkin," he prodded. "She's cute."
"I know she's cute!" she said, whispering louder.
When Nat was finished, she walked your coffee carefully over to you, placing it down on the table without any spillage.
"Here you go," she said, rocking back and forth on her heels, satisfied with herself. "Try it."
"Right now?" you asked, stifling a laugh. "Okay."
You sipped it as she waited eagerly.
"It's good," you said, swallowing. "It's hot."
"Well, it's hot coffee," she let out a short laugh.
You could feel the butterflies starting up in your stomach again. You wanted to hear that sound again and again, especially if you were the cause of it.
"It's really good," you took another sip. "Might have to come back tomorrow."
"Good," she said, walking back behind the register with a pep in her step. "I'll hold you to that."
You didn't need a quiet place to focus or a real reason to want a cup of coffee, but you wanted to see her again. She wanted to see you too, judging by the smile on her face upon spotting you.
"Hey," she greeted, straightening her work hat. "You're back."
"I'm back," you said, nervously.
"If you make it special like last time."
"Always special for you."
So it became a thing. A daily thing. You would've stopped if Nat didn't look so happy to see you every single time. She would try to make small talk, but it was hard with the rush of the cafe. It was a blessing in disguise when, one day, she wasn't behind the counter.
It was that guy again, the same guy who gave you an attitude the first time. You tried not to look too disappointed, but you must've been obviously crestfallen.
"Nat's out back," he said without missing a beat. "Taking a smoke break."
You nodded, looking up as if you were scanning the menu again.
"You can go out the side door," he spoke again. He must've known that you were clearly not there for coffee, anyway. "She's probably sitting next to the dumpster."
"Thanks," you said with a tight smile.
You walked through the cafe to the side door, pushing it open with some force. You didn't have a plan exactly, but you also didn't come all this way not to say hi.
She was easy to find since she was the only one out there, and there was a cloud of smoke above where she was sitting.
When she spotted you, she look almost embarrassed. Her eyes widened and she stood, wiping the gravel off of her pants. "Hi," she said, surprised, neatening herself. "Kev told you where I'd be?"
"Yeah," you said, trying to dull the smile that was forming. The same smile Nat always got out of you, it seemed.
"Sorry, I know it's gross out here," she said, flicking the cigarette down and stepping further away from the dumpster. "Not a super romantic spot."
"I'm messing with you," you said. "The garbage smell is really setting the mood."
"Oh yeah?" she went along with it, pushing herself off the brick to move closer.
You wet your lips, seeing Nat's eyes flick down to watch. She let out a nervous chuckle at the gesture, rubbing her neck with the back of her hand.
“Kevyn could’ve made your coffee,” she teased, wanting to see how bold you’d be. “It’s actually just a—“
“Don’t reveal your secret recipe,” you nudged her boot with your shoe. “Besides, I don’t want him to make it. It wouldn’t be special. And that’s not why I keep coming back.”
“You don’t come here every day for the world’s best cup of Joe?”
“No, I…” you laughed, covering your face. “I actually don’t even like coffee.”
“What?” she said, between bouts of laughter. “You drank the whole thing every time!”
“I didn’t want you to think I didn’t like it!”
The two of you were really laughing now— it all felt so natural. You don’t know how the two of you clicked so fast, but it had happened.
“You don’t have to keep coming to order coffee you don’t like,” Nat said as the laughter died down. “Why don’t you let me take you somewhere?”
You wet your lips again without even realizing, but you did notice Nat’s thick swallow.
"I kinda wanna kiss you right now," she said, almost despite herself.
"Right next to the dumpster?"
"No,” she rolled her eyes, taking your hand. “I get off at seven. And I know a really shitty bar with live music.”