Work Text:
It's a regular day for Shen Tang. She's at work at the small hole in the wall coffee shop and bookstore she'd found ages ago. Books and Beans was a nice place to work all things considered. They weren't too busy and her boss and coworkers were super nice. She didn't have to work, her parents would gladly pay her way through life and they did to some degree, but she enjoyed getting to go and be surrounded by books and coffee and good company. She's behind the coffee bar making herself an extra chocolatey iced mocha with whipped cream when the bell on the door chimes.
"Good afternoon." She greets cheerfully before looking over. She almost spills her coffee as she lays eyes on the most beautiful woman she's ever seen. Long shiny black hair that sways as she walks and perfect almond eyes that crinkle slightly as she looks around with a small smile.
"Good afternoon." the goddess come down to earth speaks in a smooth surprisingly low voice.
Shen Tang's eyes trail lower an recognizes that the woman's clothes are well made from expensive fabrics. Name brand blue jeans and a gauzy light purple top. Shen Tang starts to take in the woman's flawless figure before she catches herself and shakes her head to clear it. "Well, welcome in, if you need a drink I'm your girl and if you need anything else well, I guess I'm still your girl as my coworker's on her lunch break right now."
The woman nods and says her thanks before she starts walking around the shop. She starts with books lingering longer at the romance section than the others. She picks up a few novels to look at more closely. Most are put back but a couple she holds on to. She gets to the end of the wall of fiction and turns to look at their selection of stickers and bookmarks. She stops at the pin display and picks something out.
"Alright, I believe I'm ready to check out." The woman says smoothly, making her way to the register.
Shen Tang bounds her way up behind the register and begins to check her out, in more ways than one. She shakes her head again and tries to focus. The woman has picked out three romance novels that Shen Tang hasn't heard of. Shen Tang rings them up and packs them away before moving on to the stickers and pins. They're mostly comedic but generic until she flips one pin over and sees a familiar animated face. "Dang it you took the last Wei Wuxian pin. I was hoping to snag one today. I'll have to wait till we order more to get one I guess."
The woman's eyes go a bit wide. "You can have it." she stumbles out.
"Oh, no, I couldn't. I can wait." Shen Tang waves her off.
"No seriously. I really don't need another one." The woman lifts up her bag and attatched to it is at least a dozen mdzs pins mixed in with some other danmei merch. And that's not even getting into the keychains Shen Tang had heard jingling as she walked through the store.
"Oh wow that's an impressive collection." Shen Tang compliments before her eye catches on a familiar pin. "Holy shit that's limited edition! I didn't manage to get one they sold out at lightning speed."
The woman glances at the enamel pin Shen Tang is gawking out and chuckles lowly. "Yeah I know the author well. I used to beta his fanfiction back in the day and we've stayed friends so he hooked me up with some merch."
"That's so awesome!" Shen Tang gushes before looking down for more things to check out and coming up empty. She frowns and finds herself genuinely disappointed that their conversation will have to come to a close.
Seeming to sense Shen Tang's mood shift the woman speaks up. "I'd also like to try the coffee, by the way."
Shen Tang's smile blooms once again. "Of course! Let me just check you out here and then we can move over to the coffee bar."
They spend that time talking about all their favorite bl series and find that they have shockingly similar taste. Shen Tang learns that the woman writes and vows to read her work on green JJ. "What name should I put?" Shen Tang asks even though it's certainly not necessary with them being the only ones in the shop. She's curious okay? Can you really blame her?
"Mingyan. With the characters for drizzle and mist." The woman, Mingyan, replies simply.
Shen Tang writes Mingyan on the cup and hesitates for a moment before adding a little heart next to it. She quickly makes the requested nasty americano with a splash of cream. As she passes it over the counter their fingers brush and Shen Tang nearly malfunctions.
"I believe you have to charge me for that." Mingyan jokes with a smile.
"On the house." Shen Tang decides. "Gotta make sure you come back."
"I will definitely be coming back." Mingyan promises.
The two simply smile at each other for a moment before Mingyan turns to leave. Before she can get out the door she glances down at her cup, pauses, then turns back around. She fishes around in her bag, pulling out her receipt and a pen before marching up to the counter with determination on her slightly flushed face. She puts the receipt on the bar top and writes on it for a moment before passing it over into Shen Tang's hand.
"My phone number." She explains as if Shen Tang can't see that.
"I'll text you when I'm off work. There's a tgcf pop up shop next weekend. Maybe we could go?" Shen Tang suggests, her own cheeks starting to heat.
"It's a date then." Mingyan nods resolutely laughing at Shen Tang's flustered face.
"Yeah." Shen Tang's voice cracks. She tries again. "Yeah. A date, yeah."
Mingyan laughs again softly before leaving with a wave.
As soon as she's out of sight Shen Tang jumps and fist bumps the sky a few times.
"You're so weird." Her coworker laughs at her as she walks through the door, finally back from lunch.
"Shut up. I have a date with a gorgeous woman don't ruin this for me."