low on sugar (maybe you can help with that)

Yukuaki was having a perfectly normal day, chatting idly with Xyla behind the till, when a boy with fluffy light blue hair stumbled through the open door of the coffee shop and collapsed against the counter.

Alarmed, Yukuaki leaned over the benchtop and made to step out around to check on him, but the boy pulled out a long orange box and weakly thrust it in his direction.

“Large hot chocolate, as much chocolate as possible. Six marshmallows,” he mumbled before passing out. Xyla and Yukuaki both stared for a moment, stunned by the unexpected presence of an unconscious boy who was currently sliding off their countertop.

After a good chunk of silence from the other customers pretended to not notice what had just happened, Xyla spoke up.

“You should probably move him somewhere that’s not the floor.”

“Why me?” Yukuaki eyed the boy, who was crumpled in a position that was bound to be incredibly uncomfortable.

“Because I’m making his order, of course! D’ya think he’d mind me adding some ingredients other than chocolate?”

He sighed; Xyla was going to poison the boy. Might as well move him to somewhere comfortable before his demise. Slipping out from behind the counter, Yukuaki bent down and scooped the boy up in a bridal carry. He was surprisingly light, and Yukuaki moved him to one of the unoccupied sofas with ease. He couldn’t help but study his face, his pale eyelashes, cheeks slightly tinged with pink, and the slight part of his lips.

Gently tipping the limp boy onto the plush seat, Yukuaki made sure that he wouldn’t roll off and stepped back to the counter to observe the box that was still lying there. Glucagon Kit, it was labelled. Curiously, he picked it up and flipped back the lid. Inside, it contained a small syringe, as well as a string of pictures that appeared to be the instructions for said syringe.

Oh, of course. Low blood sugar.

“Hey, Xyla,” he called, waving the kit. “Have you used one of these before?”

Xyla turned around, setting the half finished drink down and squinting at Yukuaki’s hand. “Oh, yeah. Just follow the instructions, it’s not too hard.”

“Uhuh, thanks, if I accidentally kill him it’s your fault.”

Holding onto the kit up to his eyes, Yukuaki scanned the pictures while walking to where the boy still lay. He carefully plucked the syringe out of its case, followed the instructions as best as he could, and found a suitable section of creamy pale thigh. Cringing slightly, he injected and removed the needle as steadily as his hand allowed. Unsure of what to do with the used equipment, he simply placed the stuff down onto the nearest table and walked back to check how Xyla was getting on.

Xyla was adding the final touches when Yukuaki returned. She had whipped up a surprisingly normal-looking hot chocolate, complete with chocolate shavings and the requested six marshmallows.

“Huh. Doesn’t look half bad.”

Xyla laughed. ”Course it does. You really think I’d experiment on a poor defenceless stranger?”

Yukuaki was about to reply with a Yes, probably when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the boy stirring. Immediately, he dashed to his side, bending down next to his head. With a groan, the boy sat up and dazedly looked around, eyes setting on Yukuaki. They were the clearest blue he had ever seen, and for a moment Yukuaki forgot how to form words.

“..sorry for doing that to you.” The boy’s voice was sheepish, and his cheeks flushed faintly as he looked away. “Thanks, though.”

“No, no, it’s fine!” Yukuaki said earnestly. “I just hope I didn’t do it wrong.”

The boy shook his head. “Either way, it worked.” He hesitated. “Have you..made my order yet?”

Yukuaki quickly nodded, and rushed back to the counter to grab the hot chocolate, ignoring the look Xyla was giving him and being careful to not spill a drop. He sat down and watched as the boy reached out to hold it, hands enveloping the cup as he gently blew and took a sip. A smile spread across his face, and Yukuaki was completely enraptured.

“I can’t believe I even forgot to introduce myself.”

Yukuaki blinked, snapped out of..whatever that was. His face broke out into a slightly embarrassed grin as he realised that no, he did not know this boy’s name yet.

“I’m Callum,” the boy said, holding out a hand. “And as you probably figured by now, I’m prone to low blood sugar. The joys of having a pancreas that’s abused by my immune system on the regular.”

Reaching out his own hand, Yukuaki smiled wider. “Yukuaki, at your service.”

Just as he was about to open his mouth again, Xyla yelled, “Yukuaki! We have customers! Get over here and ask that boy out AFTER you’ve FINISHED YOUR SHIFT.”

Rolling his eyes, Yukuaki stood up, cheeks slightly pink at what Xyla had proclaimed at him. He turned towards Callum, noting that his face was also flushed. “Sorry, would you be willing to―”

Callum smiled, taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

“I can wait.”