#hansxstephen

This story starts with Hans landing in Berlin, after leaving Klaus and Jake, at the beginning of Collateral. It is about how Hans met Stephen and fell in love with him.

Ch. 1 (excerpt)

“So sorry, sir, we are out of vanilla cappuccino. In fact, we just served the last cup to the customer ahead of you.”

In a country bent on drinking regular coffee, and not that much into specialties, he had to stumble upon the only one other person who happened to have a sweet tooth, just like him. A bit annoyed, he turned to see the person who had snatched the bitter-sweet fix he needed right from under his nose.

Hmm, Hans thought, as his eyes met moss-like greens. He could forgive the guy. Too handsome to hold anything against him. Tall and slender. Nice attire, not extremely formal. Extremely nice smile, though. And wavy chestnut hair that begged to be ruffled. With a sigh, he turned to the counter to order something else. After a long flight and the ride by train to the city center, he still needed his coffee. This was just a stop before hailing a taxi.

“Please,” he heard a voice next to him, and he saw the stranger fond of vanilla cappuccino handing him his cup. “I haven’t touched it yet, and I think it’s still hot enough.”

“Hot enough indeed,” Hans gave the guy a quick once-over. “But I cannot accept it.”

The stranger blinked a few times, making him look almost pretty. Then he smiled. Hans wondered if the lights in the café suddenly grew brighter. No, it was just the guy’s smile.

“I insist,” the guy added and held out the cup.

Other people were waiting in line, and Hans had no intention to make them wait even more. So, he ceremoniously took the cup, addressing thanks, and watched the stranger order something else.

“Would you mind sharing a table?” he asked suddenly.

His gaydar was on high alert. There was no way a straight guy would have smiled so sweetly at him upon hearing that question.

“Not at all,” the charming stranger replied.

Hans gestured for a small table by the window.

“I’m Hans, by the way,” he offered his hand. “And thanks again for this,” he raised his cup. “You’re a lifesaver.”

The hand holding his was warm and firm. And the green eyes were sparking with a bit of mischief, as beautiful full lips curled upwards.

“Stephen. As for being a life saver, I would not use that term to describe myself. I’m more in the legal field than the health department.”

Willing to share personal information so soon? Hans took a sip from his coffee and almost groaned in delight. The stiffness from the flight was going to be gone soon, or at least as soon as he was going to finish that. He didn’t miss the suddenly forlorn look Stephen threw at him. Without overthinking things, he pushed the cup towards the guy.

“Maybe we can share?” he smiled.

“Oh, god, thanks,” the guy said with enthusiasm and took a long sip.

Then he pushed back the cup towards Hans.

“Well, besides the fact that you are working in the legal business, you also don’t mind exchanging fluids with a total stranger. That expands my knowledge concerning you,” he joked.

Maybe he was swimming a bit too far from the shore here, but the guy seemed open to that sort of conversation. And not only, seeing that he had no hang-ups about drinking coffee from the same cup with another guy, and one he had just met, on top of it all.

“You? A total stranger? I know your name,” Stephen said, and a flirtatious smile colored his lips.

“Didn’t your parents tell you not to be so gullible?” Hans laughed. “I could be an ax murderer.”

“Are you?”

“Straight to the point, are you not?”

“Straight is not a word I am fond of,” Stephen said, looking at him, laughter wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

“Um, touche,” Hans smiled. “So, what are your plans?”

Stephen smiled, leaving the question hanging.

(End of excerpt)