Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

.:PROLOGUE:.

Dust swirls in wafting curls of musty brown and muted gold as a broom forcefully pushes heaps of the unclean thick mounds into a corner to be collected and captured kemptly, soft footfalls click across the golden edged ceramic tiling as the sweeper circles around the room almost fluidly in motion. Another pair of more curt, sharp footfalls flood into the room, they meander towards the light-footed sweeper and stop behind them, milky-skinned, soft hands extending to grasp the stick of the broom.

"Barry," with a voice that rolls off her tongue like gasoline about to be set aflame, the man she's addressing compliantly lets go of the broom, warm hands fully relenting to hers, "you need to stop worrying and sweeping like a maniac, everything's perfect, we're gonna be opening soon."

Her rich plum lips curl up gently into a placating smile that instantly allows Barry to relax all his anxiety-knotted muscles, his hands wrap around her thinner ones and a deep, fleeting sigh expels out of his chapped lips.

"I know, Suze, just getting those first day jitters. I mean! What if...no one wants to come in, or, or-"

Silenced by a finger topped delicately with a nail varnished a shade that matches her mouth, Barry blinks owlishly and the woman huffs- irritated- and then slowly retracts her hand in a slick manner. Collectedly, she then brushes her hands across his broad shoulders and over the waterfall curve to pick an imaginary hair from his dark navy plaid shirt. Then, as if she were a fox preying on a mouse, Suzy circles Barry, stopping to straighten the bottom hem of his shirt and tighten the straps to his cheesy-captioned apron; as she comes back around to stand confidently in front of him, a loud repetition of beeps explode in the slightly tense but friendly silence, jerking them both into a wide-eyed pause.

"Well then, Barry, we're open."

Across from a bakery, newly opening, a town-favourite shop has already opened and has allowed a faint breeze to trickle into the store, like hot syrup. A thick aroma of flowers and soil and perfume permeates the store with a lulling warmth of normalcy and zen. A rustle of clothes and footsteps are the only noises in the shop until one of the owners gaze dreamily out the window for a moment, inhaling the hues of the sun through his eyes.

"Hey, Birdy, is's'at a new shop?"

"Hmm?"

"Over there, across the way, it says...um...Bug and Bear Bakey? ...Bakery!" Squinting out the window, the man has thrown a hand over his eyes, and hums musically as his co-worker strolls over to where he's slumped, her light pink hair frames her face and her heat-shaped face seems to glow as her lips pull into a pearly grin of surprise and elation.

"Ooh, that's cute. Maybe we should give them an opening gift, Dan." Then, as if she was psychic and could foresee this was going to happen, her feet take her over to specific potted plant, on show atop their counter, a beautiful collection of White Jasmine flora, then with her soil-stained, dainty but calloused hands, she grabs a pink sharpie from under the counter and scrawls across the card attached to the pot in looping, bright handwriting-before gently handing the pot to Dan. His lips pull into a fond smile and he gently knocks his side into hers in an affectionate way, before traipsing off in a light-hearted manner across the sunny street.

"Arin, there is another shop opening up!"

Arin, who was catnapping with his head cushioned comfortably in his arms and his hair pulled taut and tight into a bun, leaps up somewhat groggily and in a state of sleepy shock before narrowing his eyes cynically at the loud arrival of his work partner with the bright eyes and menacing grin. Throwing back his head, his chapped lips pour a mixture of a low, annoyed groan and a startling yawn-indicating his 'extreme' lassitude. Grinning like a rude pixie at Arin, was the loud-mouthed, oblivious co-worker of his. Ross. His bright, big, oceanic eyes swam with hardly containable laughter and affable meanness.

"It's a bakery, man, we should go get food."

"Ross, it's nine in the mornin', I was asleep two seconds ago and we're opening in five."

"They probably have coffee..."

"Go check if that probably is a definitely and I'll come over with a couple half-price coupons as a welcome."

"Deal!"

Arin groaned tiredly once more as Ross all but sprinted out of their tattoo Parlor, face split by his shit-eating grin and eyes glittering in childlike amusement and excitement. Arin halfheartedly swept his eyes through the big, ever-so-slightly grimy windows of their store to investigate the newly opened bakery. It was cute, painted in a wash of dark purple and navy with green writing and white trimmings. The colours matched surprisingly well and Arin cocked and eyebrow at the choice of neon lights to create the glowing word "Bakery"; underneath the thick glowing font, was the bakery's number for take-away deliveries of pastries and cakes. After admiring the new shop, his eyes hadn't noticed before, for a throwaway moment, he decided to indeed slope over to the counter, grab some coupons and then glancing at the blinking affirmation of coffee text he had received from Ross, trudge sleepily over to the bakery, hand shoved in his back pocket checking his wallet was still present.

With an Aroma of irresistible coffee and cologne wafting around him like a shield from who-know-what, an average height man with shockingly red hair strolled confidently, and at ease into his small coffee shop with a warm smile playing softly on his lips, accompanied by a slight flush of pink to his cheeks probably from the sun and the way it turns even the grumpiest person into a sun-basking, sun-absorbing plant. As the small silver bell that alerted the two-man staff and patrons of the coffee shop(when it's open) to a new arrival, chimed quaintly, the red-haired male swept his eyes around his cosy shop for his partner in Crime at this Coffee Selling business, when his dark eyes landed on said individual, however, Mark's smile did a one-eighty and dipped downwards at the corners as it was pursed into a frown of confusion. There burrowing into shelves under the three-sided rectangle of the counter, was his partner, bright toxic green hair bobbing wildly as his body twisted into the cupboards even more, somehow.

"Jack," queried Mark softly, eyes observing his friend with rapt attention "What're you doing?"

"Finding. Present." Yelped out the other, leaner man, and he squat-shifted and crab walked to other cupboards and practically threw himself in them, "New. Shop. Need. Welcoming. Gift."

The last word was punctuated with an over-dramatic sigh as the younger man flopped onto his back, spine cracking slightly but not painfully as it connected with the dark tiles of the floor behind the counter, Mark lets out a fond, slightly exasperated sigh of his own. He then takes himself to where Jack is sprawled, head skyward, mouth agape in a slightly sneering, silent sight, mixed with a twitching grin, and eyes closed; before, carefully trekking around him to where they make coffee. With the grace of a swan (something that surprises most people), he effortlessly pours and spices and mixes together two coffees in their takeaway cups with a cardboard band around them to protect the drinker from hand-burn. As soon as he's finished, Mark tears his eyes from the drinks to stare at Jack who's no longer spread across the floor but is sat upon his legs staring up at Mark with what one could assume would be awe. Mark smirks, before ruffling his warm, tan hand through his friend's dyed hair.

"I saw the new shop, would you like to come greet the owners with me, and the coffee we specialize in?"

Jack flushes- embarrassed- of course he should've thought to make them coffee, that's the obvious thing to do, but nods sharply nonetheless. Mark's beam is pearly white and he quickly leads the way, waiting momentarily whilst Jack briefly locks up, around the corner to the market square high street of stalls and indoor shops, of which they take up the corner.

Chapter Text

.:One.:

Plum nails tapped a tart, brusque melody upon a polished oak counter, Suzy's sharp olive eyes dart across the shop- proud of her and her partner's
work- with concealed anxiety at the same thing her co-worker was worried about. Behind her, feet dance and click in a nervous waltz and one
of her winged eyes twitch at the grating jittery sound of his footfalls pacing and weaving. With an irritated huff, she turns around and then tenses
as she sees the bead of sweat trickle down her friend's temple.

"B," she whispers comfortingly "we'll be fine. I'm worried too, but if no one comes today, we always have tomorrow and the next day."

In her head, she knows its not that simple but she can hold off on the nitty gritty of life to console her best friend. Her eyes gleam and glitter
with seriousness but with a warm, motherly yet platonic sense of love-Barry meets them and a small sigh drips from his lips like syrup, thick and
slow. But afterwards, he looks back and smiles ardently at her, his own eyes crinkling in the corner.

"Thanks, Suze. I needed that-sorry for being so-"
"I know, Bear, don't worry 'bout it."

Suzy enunciates it with a flap of her pale lean hand, but not in a patronizing manner, and Barry- understanding that- smiles and plucks her
hand from the air and squeezes it. They share a smile, in a sibling manner of love and tolerance and happiness. Their eyes are so warm and relieved and calm that
the whole bakery seems cosy...

BANG!

Suzy lets out a slight yelp and whirls around, green eyes flashing and then settling- shocked- upon the arrival that slammed the door so loudly, that
the quaint bell's peal was masked. Barry's eyes are wide, he looks like a deer caught in the headlights, and his cheeks have flushed pink with
surprise and embarrassment. After an awkward moment, of eyes staring at the scrawny man who just confidently busted in the shop, Barry clears his
throat and takes charge on this moment (silently praising himself for having such a sudden bout of confidence in this abrupt scenario). He circles
around Suzy who blinks widely at him, and then traipses to the counter spreading his hands across it's surface in front of him and letting his chapped
lips break into a pearly, welcoming beam. Their customer- their first customer- takes Barry's beam in stride and strolls up to the counter, with a
thick, electric air of gusto surrounding him, his eyes gleam with mischief but Barry is lost in the bright blue coloration of them. With a subtle gulp, Barry
squares his shoulders and tries to match the small, thin man's confidence with bravado and brown eyes. The lean man meets Barry's eyes and they hold
eye contact for a moment seemingly spanning infinitely but only edging on slightly too long of a gaze, before the customer tears his eyes strain-fully
away from Barry's to stare across the menu. As his irises drags across the handwritten menu his eyes widen somehow, if he were a cartoon his eyes
would've become stars; his oceanic eyes rush back across to meet Barry's and lighten up explosively.

"You have coffee?!"
"Um, yes'sir, we do. Would you like to order one?"
"Yes! Please! A double-shot espresso and tall latte."

With a twinge of sadness that the man is ordering something else, for supposedly someone else, Barry turns his head to glimpse Suzy swiftly making
those drinks with her expert hands and caffeine knowledge. Relaxing his tense shoulders for a second and taking his brief glance off of his best
friend,  his eyes swallow up the appearance of the man. Sharp cheekbones emphasize his face, his large arctic blue eyes standing out brightly
against his pale face and rosy cheeks, said eyes are drawn downwards to his phone where his thin fingers skirt quickly across its screen. Locks of
brown hair flop across his forehead, and Barry wonders how soft they are, before Suzy lightly, teasingly nudges him and his dark chocolate irises rip
from the slender customer.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Barry carefully grabs the drinks from Suzy and passes them to the man, whom's eyes have flickered upwards and have
been ignited suddenly- as if a flame were flickering behind their lavish blue curtains, the man's small lips creep up into a small and he thanks Barry
before passing him some money, and casting his eyes across the menu in a throwaway gaze before shuffling over to the side and hopping from foot to
foot.

"Can...we help you again, sir?" Suzy queries cautiously, her keen, cat-like eyes studiously analyzing the shuffling youth, he opens his mouth, closes
it and then chews the inside of his cheek-humming questioningly to himself.
"W-well, y'see, I'm Ross. I, I'm from the tattoo parlor across the street and up the way a bit. Me and my co-owner were coming over to welcome you
and stuff.."

Barry and Suzy let out a little shocked and happy noise before twinkling at Ross, eyes warm and blithe. Slightly flustered, Ross shrugs his shoulders
offhandedly, eyes slinking over to side as his cheeks burn.

"Thank you so much, that's so sweet!" Suzy claps her hands cheerfully together, eyes sparkling like a constellation had been thrown into them and
coloured bright green. Ross chuckles, embarrassed, and scratches his pinked cheeks with a sheepish nail.
"But, where is you friend?"

As soon as her question slipped from her purple lips, the small silver bell above the strong painted door of the bakery tingled and all three sets of
eyes snapped over to the ajar doorway, specifically to stare at the figure of a person silhouetted by the sun rays that cast across over the man's shoulders and head. Walking
into the bakery, the new arrival smiles weakly and his eyes flick over to Ross and he relaxes instantly, striding over to him, eyeing the coffee he
holds in his left hand. He grabs it and drains it, Adam's apple bobbing as he gulps the hot, dark liquid down his throat. Suzy shuffles next to Barry
and lets out a quiet "oh" before leaning her arms on her counter and then herself upon her arms.

"Are you Ross' friend or, um, partner?"
"Heh, work partner, yeah. Arin Hanson. We both own Animated Ink, it's a good job." Suzy nods.
"Yeah, I'm Suzy and this is Barry we both own this lil' Bakery, we're new to it, but it's already fun!"

Ross' partner's eyes finally meet Suzy's and seems to bug out in shock. 'Shit, she's fucking stunning!',  he thinks, head swimming in the way her
black hair waves and curls over her shoulders, the way her vivid green eyes search his soul and how her dark makeup stands out across her lovely,
milky skin. Her dark coloured lips break into a wide crescent-moon smile at him and he grins back at her, hoping he looked confident and cool.
Suddenly, a thought of remembrance materializes in his head and he lets out a noise before shoving a hand into his sweatpants's pocket and rummaging
around dutifully.

"Here!" He exclaims, eyes lighting up as his hand is retracted from his pocket and shoved at his new acquaintances, "Two free coupons for tattoos at
our parlor, if your into that, and it -uh- doesn't matter how big, small, simple or intricate-it's free."

"Thank you so much!" Barry chirps, smiling largely, Suzy nods, her cheeks warm and face bright, "I've always wanted a tattoo!" She giggles.

Knowingly, Arin and Ross bump shoulders and the back of their cold hands brush as a silent communication, their eyes meet too and their lips quirk up
and their eyebrows pull down sheepishly- the translation of their hidden conversation while the bakers smile and bump their own shoulders having a
hushed conversation about tattoos: shit, they're hot.

Then, disappointingly, Arin clears his throat and shuffles away slightly in the direction of the door. "Hey, sorry to cut this, um, short. But I gotta
take this dookie butt back to our shop." Ross yelps indignantly and whirls to glare icily at his friend, arms crossed hard against his chest, opening
his mouth to retort childishly to the immature comment directed at him, but is gaily interrupted by a bell's tingle and a melodic laugh. As with
the last two unexpected arrivals to the patisserie, a collection of eyes jerk to the doorway, opened to reveal another man.

The laughing man is tall and has a hand thrown into his wild, curly mess of hair, and his other hand, is collected around a potted plant, long, thin
fingers curled expertly around the base. The way of his steps is casual and long, his tall legs traipsing across the tiled floor to click a few feet from the counter, his cheeks red and face embarrassed.

"S-sorry, the fuckin' phrase dookie butt messed me up," his voice is golden syrup and morning rasp, and his smile is a life line to everyone sad,
"but-uh-hey! I got the bakery a welcoming gift, from me- Dan- and my friend's flower shop!"

Weaving around the two tattooists, each with a look of wonder and one with smug cheerfulness on his face, to stand in front of the sleek counter, Dan
smirks meekly and politely at the bakers. With his pianist, green-stained fingers he carefully placed the pot onto it, with such preciscision that
instilled no dirt was spilled onto their clean counter. Then, bobbing his hand up from the pot he extended his arm and tilted his head, in a liking
that reminded Ross and Suzy of an adorable, innocent puppy dog. Barry returned his smile and gripped the taller's hand with his warm palm shaking
once, twice, thrice before releasing it.
"Thanks for the flowers, man."
"They're beautiful!" Suzy opines cutely, gushing at the sweet, quaint white flowers, stroking gently at one with a soft, pallid digit. Dan 
grins bigger, toothily.
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Suzy." Purchasing Dan's hand in her smaller, paler ones, she shakes it formally, " Name's Suzy. And this is Barry."

Dan's face is blushed darker as his hand is dropped by hers, and his eyes flick over to the man now addressed as Barry, his brown eyes take in Dan's
and Dan practically melts under their warmth and intensity, he giggles nervously and and then straightens his suddenly hunched shoulders before
waving and walking to the door.

"Hey, laughy Daughy, we'll come with you- your cute flower shop is just down the street from our parlor," Interjecting before the handsome man with
the voice of sugar, silk and sex can escape from his life, Arin casually smirks at him before sauntering over to slim man only a few feet from him.
"c'mon, Dookie Butt."Ross huffs and grumpily stomps over to Arin before cackling and shoving into him, Dan guffaws beside them and snickers into his
hand, as Arin hisses and shoves back into Ross, leaving Ross sniggering.

"Th-thanks, Man. That's real nice of you two," Dan turns his head sending his crazy curls over his shoulder and out of his laughing, dark eyes, "See
ya, Suze, Bar'. My friend will probably be over later with another flower and craving for cake, so I'll probably tag-along." Suzy and Barry send
their farewells with a brisk wave and an elegant flap of the hand, Arin and Ross chorus their goodbyes joyfully before promenading out of the store to
their shop.

Chapter Text

:.Three.:

Warm beams of summer sunlight drip across the meek groups of people that rush around the pavemented high street, the relaxing warmth of the sun makes Jack feel like he's floating. Mark notices how his Irish mate glows in the golden rays, his cheeks pinkened slightly and his bright blue orbs harsh and vibrant against his sun-kissed skin, he has a dopey smile plastered across his pink mouth and his pearly white teeth are casted out to the world to see. Mark gulps hurriedly and throws his gaze to the crowds of shoppers dancing across the cobbles and footpaths and lackluster roads, a thought of 'holy shit Jack's beautiful' zooming through his head like an arrow, as he searches with his dark brown eyes for the newly-opened Bakery. Humming light and happily in his throat, Jack sways slightly as he walks close to Mark, subconsciously straying slightly behind the stronger, slightly taller man, he brushes against Mark and grins fondly at him when their eyes meet.

"Love this bright weather, don't ya, Jack?" Mark queries, as he sees the sun stars twinkle like fairy lights in his oceanic eyes.
"O'course I do, Mark, It's so much warmer then Ireland, not gon' lie."

They erupt into a soft chorus of chuckles laced with the nostalgia of expensive trips-back and forth from different countries until Jack decided to move closer to Mark and all of their shared friends- and doting thoughts of secret plans whispered over Skype from seas away, to surprise the rest of their friends with visits from Jack and small, hosted Parties from Mark. Clicking footsteps down the pavement, Mark and Jack ambled in sync to the bakery, gazing at the shocking deep rich purple and blue. Mark made a noise of approval at the niceness of the new shop and Jack clicked his tongue and whistled lowly in agreement. It was a perfectly painted, looked stark yet welcoming, and Jack turned as the stepped in front of the door to reach for the coffees, smiling and saying quietly: "Let's go then."

But as Mark shifts to give his best friend the cups, the door to the bakery swings inwardly, a faint chime of the bell signalling it's opening, and in Mark's peripheral spots three men stroll out the door with intent but with lax postures, before he can utter anything out of his voice box, Jack is tumbling with another man made up of a thin, lanky body and a thick, malleable mass of curls and suddenly Mark cannot see a hint of green or blue that proves Jack even exists but /can/ hear a distinct Irish-accented yell stirred in with a clipped curse and the two bodies collide with the ground in a mess of limbs and apologies. Behind the vine-garden of slightly quivering arms and straining legs, two men are wide eyed and appear as shell shocked as Mark feels.

"oh."
"well then."

With a fleeting expression of slight contempt and blanching surprise, Mark moves forward then remembering the coffee cups sighs and strides over to the smaller man, the one masking his grin and "Ha-Ha-Ha" giggles with big blue doe-eyed innocence and O-shaped mouth of surprise,the grin dies and the cackles dry suddenly at the back of his throat when he sees the twinge between Mark's brows and the clipped seriousness that was his tone.

"Hold these please?"
"S-sure!"

The taller but tallest of the three (the tallest of which is tangled together with Jack like thread and twine) eyes Mark offhandedly before walking forward too and grabbing the shoulder of the twiggish man trying to push himself off of Jack, who's half lead on the curb, half-sprawled into the road; thankfully devoid of traffic on this communal Sunday, with a warm looking hand. Spidery limbs retract from around Jack carefully and the bony spine of said man pushes into his companion's palm as he cranes himself upward. Dashing around the top man and his friend, Mark-like a cheetah- rushes to his close friend's aide. But slows as Jack huffs and pushes himself up, he can see the red of his eyes, hot tears of searing embarrassment burning just along the water line of his eyes, making them glossy in appearance, a solid, sharp sounding crack sounds as Jack straightens his back with a strained groan of watery pain and relief, and Mark and the other three men wince-the one whom collided with the young Irish, flinching harshly at the noise.

"I'm really really sorry, I should've been looking where I was going, I mean- wh-what if there were cars today or, or, you fell harder and, and... Oh God do I need to call and ambulance; are you okay??"

Realizing these words had actually been connected to stream of guilty and self-hateful apologies that was almost non-stop flowing from the surprisingly handsome man's lips, Mark relaxed his 'kill-all' posture to be more approachable yet business-like and irritated. He edges abruptly in front of Curly McMelodical-Voice and gingerly presses his hands to Jack's cheeks, before shoving an arm gently underneath Jack's Armpit to carefully pull him to his wobbly feet. Jack grunts and his fingertips press hard into the taught fabric obscuring Mark's bicep, teeth gritting in effort and slight pain.

"M'alrighht, t'anks Mark." Half dedicated to Jack's close friend, half angled  at the man who knocked him over, Mark knew he wasn't fully alright and shifted his arm down to hold protectively around his waist, fingers ghosting possessively over his friend's hip.

"R-right," squeaks the guilty man, eyes-still creased by a drawn-together brow, with guilt- shooting searchingly across Jack's slender frame for any sign of injury, "I'm still sorry, I should've been looking..."

"Me too, It's no worries, mate." Jack's face smoothed into a weak but sincere smile, he throws a hand to his neck and rubs sheepishly before bringing his hand to scrub slightly over his lightly-bearded jaw and ruffle his fingers into his toxic green locks. The curly haired man smiled back, relieved.

"M' Dan, and I'm still sorry so, if you ever want any flowers or anything I can get you some free of charge, full of guilt thought," a humored chuckle sings through his voice breaking the sentence apart, "My flowery shop is over there an' I need to go there actually, I'm so, so, sorry."

Jack chuckles lightly and grabs Dan's hand pumping it up and down twice before releasing it with a muttered reply of his own name and a whisper of it's okay's and such. Securing on his hip, Mark's fingers taps a techno beat and he watches the tall man sharply jog across the way to his shop, lithely yet somehow quite clumsily dancing around market stalls and shoppers. Releasing his grip, and ignoring the slightly sad breath from Jack as he does so, Mark walks to the small man holding the gift coffees.

"Thank you for holding these, Could you tell your friend to be a tad more careful next time please?"

"Yeah, make sure your boyfriend is turned away and stood directly in front of the door too." A curt response brings a cloud of tension thick enough to bite, not from the holder of the coffee's who's hands are now free and eyes are now staring hugely at his friend who has a lop sided frown plastered on his thin lips.

Mark squares his shoulders but Jack nods and grasps his wrist with a placating grip.

"Of course, Sir."
"Arin. And this is Ross, we own the tattoo parlor across the way, maybe we'll see you some time. Be careful."

With a sincere yet edged grin, Arin stalks off, somewhat stormily and Mark lets out a guttural sound from somewhere in his throat. Jack brings his hand to rub at Marks Adam's apple with a tut and then with the hand wrapped around marks pulls him gently into the bakery, careful not to spill the coffee or knock into anyone else, let alone fall.