Work Text:
Stan brushed snow off of his shoulders hastily before slipping through the door into the warm bakery. He shuffled on his feet for a moment, trying to leave most of the slush on his shoes on the large doormat. The light was already falling outside despite the clock being only a few minutes past four. He shivered in the lingering cold, thinking dark thoughts about Beverly who had sent him to get her “hangover-curing bread and pie”. She refused to go on her own in the pending blizzard and Stan was way too nice.
“Just go that place around the corner. They switched out their whole staff a year ago so it’s supposed to be good now.”, she had said, waving one arm half heartedly from underneath her blanket on the sofa.
“Hello, may I help you?”, a man looking about Stan’s own age behind the counter asked, shaking Stan out of his thoughts. He was smiling kindly.
“I’d like some bread.”, Stan said dumbly, awkward as always when he was caught off guard.
“You’ve come to the right place then!”, he smiled wider. “Do you want some recommendations?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.”, Stan took another step inside, closer to the glass display shielding pies, pastries and cupcakes. The bread was stacked on shelves behind the counter.
“Our baker just started making these, they’re amazing.”, he pointed to a bunch of loaves. “It’s sour dough with cranberries and walnuts. The apple bread is also very tasty. Then there are all these regular kinds.”
“I think I’ll have one of those.”, Stan pointed to the first kind, the other man nodded enthusiastically. He grabbed a paper bag and put a loaf in it, laying it on the counter carefully.
“Anything else?”
“One piece of the raspberry pie, please.”
“Coming right up.”
Stan paid, grabbed his bags and returned to winter land.
-------
“Did you buy these at the bakery around the corner? God, they stepped up their game.”, Beverly almost moaned as she shovelled another piece of raspberry pie into her mouth. “It’s so good. Best hungover bread and pie I’ve ever had.”
“Yeah, the guy working there was really nice too. He gave me recommendations and all.”, Stan watched her eat, laughing at her blissed out expression.
“I could live of this. I don’t care if I get fat and ugly, this is better than sex anyway.”, she pouted as she finished, picking crumbs off her plate and putting them in her mouth.
“I guess we’ll be going back then.”
“We have to!”
-------
“This is amazing!”, Beverly pressed her hands against the glass display and gaped at the pastries behind it. Stan lingered a step behind her, smiling softly “I want one of everything!”
It had only been a few days, but Beverly kept nagging at him to come with her there again. So here they were, admiring cupcakes and pies and what else they had.
“We do give out taste samples if you’d like some.”, the same young man from before stood behind the counter, staring at Beverly with a high blush dusting his cheeks.
“No, we don’t. Why are you lying to the customers, Ben?”, another man in the same age came out through the open door behind the counter, frowning at the other who was apparently named Ben. Stan stared, mouth almost falling open. He was gorgeous.
Ben let out an indignant sputter, hissing much like a cat at the one who had joined him for a moment. The new guy looked over at Beverly, mouthing opening in a silent oh.
“God, always forgetting the new protocol.”, he let out a tinkling laugh, bumping his shoulder against Ben’s before turning back to Beverly. “Sure, try anything you want. I have fresh bread in the kitchen if you’d like a slice too.”
“Yes, please!”, Beverly almost yelled, nodding excitedly.
“Would you like one too?”, bread-guy’s eyes met Stan’s, a soft grin gracing his lips.
“I-I, no, I-”, Stan stammered before Beverly not so subtly elbowed him in the stomach, giving him a wide eyed look over her shoulder. “Okay!”
Bread-guy gave them a carefree salute, returning to the backroom. Ben started picking up samples of some pies and cupcakes, pointing out and telling the names of each one to Beverly who was following his every move like a hawk. The other man returned, two pieces of bread with a dash of butter on each on a plastic plate.
“Here ya go.”, he said, handing the plate to Beverly but directing his smile to Stan. This time it was cheeky, and Stan blushed. Bread-guy had totally noticed he was being checked out. Fuck.
“Thank you!”, Beverly took the plates and scuttled over to the table section.
-------
Richie pressed one hand against his mouth once he had returned to the bakery’s kitchen, muffling his squeal. His eyes were wide and there was laughter on his breath.
“Ben!”, he hissed at his coworker and close friend. “Ben!”
Ben shuffled inside, one eyebrow raised questioningly. “What is it?”
“Did you see that? That guy was totally checking me out!”, Richie almost clapped his hands together, then he realised how ridiculous he must be looking and quickly composed himself.
Ben smiled softly. He knew Richie had a hard time meeting new people, especially in a romantic way. With his family being difficult with accepting his sexuality and his first actual long term relationship ending up abusive he was glad seeing his friend this happy even if it was just from some random costumer making eyes at him.
“Yeah, I saw, Rich.”, he said, offering a lame high five. Richie slapped their hands together, firing off a giant grin.
“Does he come here often?”, he asked eagerly.
“I don’t know. I think I’ve seen him once before.”
“You have to let me take the payment if he comes back!”, Richie grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. “You have to!”
“Okay, okay, I will if I see him again.”, Ben laughed, shrugging out of Richie’s grip and stepping back out in the front room. He could hear Richie babbling to himself like he always did when he was excited, his brain acting up so badly he couldn’t even think quietly when he got in a happiness induced rush.
-------
Beverly had been ecstatic as they left the bakery, a box with different pies that she had bought in one hand and a bag of the freshly baked bread in the other. Stan could only think of the gorgeous man joining Ben behind the counter, smiling at him like that.
-------
“Are you seriously asking me if you can go and buy me bread?”, Beverly had both eyebrows raised. “Stan, are you okay?”
“I just need a reason!”, he exclaimed, standing on her doormat with a sullen look on his face.
“But why?”
Beverly had been to caught up with her pies to notice anything about the men working at the bakery and Stan’s meaningful, albeit tiny, exchange with one of them. He hadn’t dare say anything either, thinking she’d find him silly. But now he desperately wanted to go back even if just to get a glance at him again, and he needed a reason.
“There’s this really hot guy…”, he mumbled towards the floor, weighing from foot to foot nervously.
“Come again?”
“There’s this really hot guy working there.”, he said, lifting his head and looking at her. Her face softened before she let out a bright laugh.
“So you want to buy me bread to have a reason to check out some baker?”
“Well, yeah.”, he felt his face get hot and he looked away again.
She laughed again, louder this time. “Just go, come back with some bread when you’re done.”
------
Ben had forgotten his important task that time, not really recognising Stan as he walked in this time. Richie had been devastated as he came out with some cupcakes on a tray, seeing Stan leave. Ben almost felt ashamed at his mistake. He convinced Richie there would be another chance.
------
“You’re going back again?”
“He’s so pretty, Beverly.”, Stan said seriously. He was standing on her doorstep again, needing to know if she wanted a special kind of bread or pie this time. The girl wasn’t keen on cupcakes.
“Okay, that’s it. I’m coming with you.”, Beverly said, grabbing her jacket and pulling on her shoes. “I need to see this baker. Do you know his name?”
“No, I just think of him as bread-guy most of the time.”
“Bread-guy? Damn.”
------
Beverly walked in first, smiling widely and waving as she saw the man who’d given her all the samples. What a nice man. Said man gasped before waving back, disappearing into the back room for a moment. He came back with some other guy in tow, who looked just as awestruck at seeing her and Stan again as the first one. He was tall, with curly hair pulled back from his face in a messy bun, sharp cheekbones and a nose to die for. Beverly could see where Stan’s attraction was coming from.
She spun around, mouthing “Is that him?” at Stan. She got a minuscule nod in return and smiled widely. Stan had his eyes on a pretty one, then. She turned back around.
“I’d like a piece of the raspberry pie.”, she said.
“And for you?”, Stan’s man asked him. Stan stuttered and stammered, unsure what to say.
“He’ll have the same.”, Beverly saved him, whispering back to him; “I’ll eat it for you, don’t worry.”
Bread-guy(Beverly snickered silently at the nickname) hustled over to the pie, bumping along the other guy. Both of them made a rather hilarious sight as they tried to managed around each other while one of the could’ve easily just grabbed both pieces of pie at the same time. Beverly heard Stan laugh quietly behind her.
“Here ya go, it’s on the house.”, bread-guy announced, placing both plates down on the counter and smiling widely, eyes for Stan only. Beverly pushed him forward to grab the plates, smiling to herself as Stan fumbled and almost dropped them.
When they were walking him a while later(Beverly having to open to top button of her pants because those pieces of pies weren’t exactly small, mind you) she gently bullied Stan into admitting he wanted a date with they guy.
“So when are you going back?”, she asked, laughing.
“I don’t know, we’ll see.”
------
“Richie! Richie!”, about a week later Ben came running into the kitchen so fast Richie was sure they were either being robbed or something had caught on fire. Ben grabbed his arm and thrust a towel into his flour covered hands. “Your boy is here!”
“What?!”, Richie gaped, wiping his hands as quickly as humanly possible without being sloppy. “Oh my god. Oh my god!”
Ben grabbed the towel again, ripping it out of his grip and quite literally threw him out of the kitchen. He stumbled into the front room, grabbing the counter to avoid falling on his face.
“Hey.”, he said breathlessly.
------
Stan startled as someone came flying out of the open back door, slamming against the counter and righting themselves quickly.
“Hey.”
It was bread-guy, and he was somehow even prettier this time. His hair was gathered in a sloppy bun on his head as usual, a smear of flour covering one prominent cheekbone and he was totally blushing.
“Hi.”, Stan said, closing his mouth tightly and turning his eyes to the bread in front of him.
Bread-guy shuffled awkwardly, leaning one arm on the counter before grimacing and straightening, trying another pose. After a few long seconds of this he just opted for wrapping his hands together behind his back and bouncing on the balls of his feet. Stan hid a smile inside the collar of his jacket, recognising the nervous try to look good all too well.
“Do you want anything?”, bread-guy asked, smiling widely.
“Bread.”, Stan replied simply, pulling the collar down with one hand. “I want cranberry and walnut bread.”
“Right, that’s my speciality.”, bread-guy announced proudly. “We didn’t have that until just a month ago, when I found my grandma’s old recipe. It’s the best.”
“So you’re the baker?”, Stan asked, though he was pretty sure he knew the answer already.
“Yes! I’m baker!”, bread-guy winced as soon as the words tumbled out. “The… The baker...”
Stan laughed brightly, relaxing somewhat. Apparently he had met competition for being the most fumbling and awkward guy around town when talking to new people. The other man managed a small chuckle at his mistake.
“Well, Baker, what’s your real name? I’m Stan.”, he said, digging through his pockets for the money he had in there.
“Richie.”, he said after a moment of looking surprised.
“Thank you, Richie.”, Stan put the money on the counter, taking the paper bag with bread in exchange. “See you.”
“Good bye. Welcome back soon!”, Richie yelled after him as he left.
-------
Richie wheezed, slumping down on his butt behind the counter. He had gotten a name for His Boy. Stan. His name was Stan. He smiled so wide his cheeks hurt. Ben came out from the kitchen, spotting him on the floor and laughing so hard he almost cried.
“I’ve never seen you like this, Rich!”, he chuckled. “It’s hilarious.”
“Yeah? Well, we got a real connection, me and Stan.”, Richie said, getting up from the floor and going to wash his hands and get back to kitchen duty, smiling all the while.
-------
“Bev! He has a name!”, Stan slammed the loaf down on her kitchen table.
“Hello to you too. Take your shoes off.”, she guided him back into the hallway in her apartment. Stan was so excited he had just rushed in as soon as she opened the door. “And of course he has a name. What is it?”
“It’s Richie.”, Stan said, shrugging of his jacket and toeing of his shoes.
“Did you tell him your name?”, she was laughing now.
“Yes. Yeah, I did.”
“Good for you.”, she started cutting up the bread. “You know I love this bread but you better get yourself a date with him soon or start dumping loaves on someone else because my freezer is getting full.”
“I’ll do my best.”, Stan fell backwards on her couch, sighing happily.
------
Stan took a deep breath, steeling his nerves and trying to stop his heart from beating its way out of his chest. It was time. It was bloody time. He noticed briefly he was thinking in British as he flung the door open to the bakery. It slammed on its hinges, making a loud noise and startling Richie so badly he dropped the tray of cupcakes he was carrying.
“Oh god.”, Stan exclaimed, seeing the mess of rolling cupcakes and frosting splattered on the floor. “Shit.”
“Stan-”, Richie started, staring at him in shock.
“I need to do this before I freak out and run away!”, he spoke too fast and his tone was too loud, but Richie obviously understood because he nodded with a dumb expression on his face. “Do you want to go on a date with me?!”
Richie nodded dumbly again, his jaw dropped almost to his chest. He caught himself after a moment. “Yeah, yeah, I’d love that.”