Chapter Text
caleb had seen a lot of things in his two years running pawsitive brews.
dogs eating menus. dogs knocking over entire displays of artisan treats. one memorable corgi who'd somehow gotten stuck inside a decorative barrel. a miniature poodle who had a bone to pick with the espresso machine.
all part of the charm, really.
but he'd never seen someone look so professionally defeated by a fluffy cloud on four legs.
the man stood just outside the café's glass doors, leather messenger bag in one white-knuckled hand, the other gripping a leash attached to what appeared to be a small, overexcited polar bear.
the samoyed puppy was doing that thing where it threw its entire body weight in random directions, pure concentrated chaos in a cloud of white fur, tongue lolling with absolute joy at its own antics.
the man, however, was decidedly not joyful.
"i—excuse me—please—" he stumbled forward half a step as the white fluffball launched itself at a passing golden retriever twice its size. his glasses slid down his nose. "would you kindly—that's not—we don't know them—"
the puppy had zero interest in stranger danger.
caleb paused mid-wipe of the espresso machine, dish towel still in hand.
something about the way the man stood so rigidly proper even while being dragged in three directions at once. the slight furrow between dark brows that suggested this was a problem he couldn't solve with whatever skills he usually relied on.
interesting.
"apollo, stay," caleb murmured to his german shephard, who'd been napping in a sunbeam near the counter, paws twitching with dreams. apollo opened one amber eye, assessed that nothing life-threatening was happening, huffed, and went back to sleep.
caleb tossed the towel onto the counter and headed for the door.
the bell chimed cheerfully as he stepped outside into the autumn afternoon. the air smelled like coffee and fallen leaves, and the street was busy with the usual lunch-hour foot traffic.
"need a hand there?"
caleb felt his usual easy smile settle into place, the one that put nervous customers at ease.
the man looked up, and caleb got his first good look at those eyes—hazel green behind silver wire-frame glasses, currently broadcasting a very polite, very controlled version of i've made a terrible mistake and am too stubborn to admit it.
he was tall—maybe an inch shorter than caleb's own height—with sharp features that probably looked severe in certain lighting but right now just looked stressed. black hair slightly mussed from the wind. wearing a three-piece suit in charcoal gray that was too formal for a dog café.
"i..." the man paused as the puppy lunged toward a passing jogger, tiny paws scrabbling on pavement. he adjusted his grip on the leash. his forearms were visible where his sleeves had been pushed up, and caleb caught a glimpse of old scars before quickly looking away. "i was told this establishment allows dogs."
establishment. caleb bit back a wider smile. who talked like that? it was like someone had fed a dictionary into a person-shaped container and forgotten to add the casual conversation software.
"it does," he said, tone easy and reassuring. "but it helps if the dog knows that's where you're trying to go."
the puppy had now discovered a fascinating leaf. the man watched it with an expression that might have been fond exasperation on someone more expressive.
"i see." his jaw tightened slightly, and caleb noticed the muscle jump there. "in my defense, i've had him for less than a week."
"ah," caleb crouched down to the puppy's level. he let the samoyed sniff his hand, which the cloud immediately interpreted as an invitation to forget about the leaf entirely and attempt to climb into his lap, all wiggling excitement and puppy breath. "what's his name?"
"snowball," there was the faintest hesitation before the man added, voice carefully neutral. "i didn't choose it."
caleb grinned, scooping up the wiggling bundle of white fur with practiced ease. snowball immediately started trying to lick his face, tiny tail going a mile a minute.
"well, snowball, let's teach you some manners, yeah?" he glanced up at the man who was watching with an unreadable expression. something between relief and uncertainty and maybe the smallest hint of curiosity. "i'm caleb, by the way. owner, barista, and apparently dog wrangler today."
the man's posture shifted slightly, his shoulders loosening. "zayne." a pause, and then, with what sounded like genuine gratitude, "thank you."
caleb stood, snowball tucked securely in one arm and somehow already settling down, the puppy's energy redirected into chewing on caleb's apron strap.
"don't thank me yet. come on, let's get you both inside before snowball here decides that pigeon over there is his new best friend."
inside pawsitive brews, the usual afternoon crowd was in full swing. the café occupied a corner unit with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in gorgeous natural light, exposed brick walls decorated with photos of happy customers and their dogs, and a layout split between a traditional café space and a sectioned play area where dogs could socialize. indie music played softly under the ambient noise of conversation, the hiss of the espresso machine, and the occasional bark or playful growl.
caleb's staff—mina at the register, knox manning the espresso machine, and riley wiping down tables—all looked up with interest as he walked in with snowball and the extremely well-dressed stranger.
"alright," caleb set snowball down in a clear area of the play section. the puppy immediately started sniffing everything in sight, overwhelmed by the new smells. "first rule of pawsitive brews: puppies this young and this energetic do better if they're not immediately thrown into the pack. we'll let him adjust to the space first, then introduce him to the calmer dogs."
zayne stood slightly stiffly, watching snowball explore, his hands now free but looking like he didn't quite know what to do with them. he settled for crossing his arms, which only made him look more unapproachable. the other customers were giving him curious glances—he stood out like a penguin at a parrot convention.
"you said you've had him less than a week?" caleb prompted gently, leaning against the partition that separated the play area from the café proper.
“six days,” zayne confirmed. his eyes followed snowball, watchful. “it was… unexpected.”
"all good things usually are. we do puppy training sessions on weekends, but i'm guessing you need help sooner than that?"
zayne glanced at him. "my colleague recommended this place. she said..." he paused, as if weighing his words. "she said you were patient. with difficult cases."
caleb’s smile soften. "snowball's not difficult. he's just a puppy. they're all energy and love at this age." he watched as the samoyed discovered apollo and approached with cautious curiosity. apollo sniffed him once, then fixed caleb with a look.
"besides," caleb continued, "every dog's just looking for someone who understands what they need. sometimes that takes a little extra time and patience, that's all."
when he looked back at zayne, there was a moment—an odd, unguarded softness in his expression, thoughtful and nearly vulnerable, before discipline snapped shut around it.
"i see," zayne said quietly. "then... i would appreciate any guidance you could offer."
caleb’s smile didn’t change, but something in his chest eased at the way zayne said that.
“well,” he pushed off the partition. “we can start by you grabbing a seat. you probably haven't had lunch yet. i’ll make you something. on the house.”
caleb caught mina’s look out of the corner of his eye. then knox’s raised brow. then riley very deliberately pretending to wipe the same spotless table for the third time. they all thought the same thing.
since when do you personally make drinks during rush hour?
he ignored all of them.
zayne hesitated, just for a beat, like he was recalibrating to a change in plan he hadn’t anticipated. then he nodded once. “that would be appreciated.”
“corner table,” caleb pointed briefly, already turning toward the counter. “closest view of the play area. you’ll be able to keep an eye on snowball.”
zayne followed his gesture and moved as instructed, long strides controlled and purposeful even here. he set his messenger bag neatly at his feet before sitting, posture straight, hands folded loosely on the tabletop.
snowball, meanwhile, had decided apollo was the most fascinating creature in existence. the puppy bounced forward in a clumsy bow. apollo huffed, then lay down and allowed the puppy to climb halfway onto his back.
caleb smiled and walked back to the counter.
“what am i making?” knox muttered under his breath as caleb slipped behind the bar.
“whatever you want,” caleb said easily. “but i’m handling this one.”
knox snorted. “sure.”
caleb reached for a mug, then paused, glancing over his shoulder toward zayne’s table. he took in the dark circles just barely visible beneath the man’s eyes, the tension that hadn’t fully left his shoulders.
decision made.
he started heating milk.
a few minutes later, caleb approached the table with a mug of hot cocoa topped with a careful swirl of cream and a dusting of chocolate shavings, plus a small plate holding a pastry he knew was popular with first-timers. he set everything down gently.
“hot cocoa,” he announced. “and a chocolate croissant.”
zayne blinked, clearly not having expected that. “but i didn't order—”
“i know,” caleb said lightly. "besides, you're gonna need it. puppies can be exhausting."
that left zayne momentarily stalled. his gaze dropped to the mug, then lifted again, blank, as if the right words wouldn’t come.
“…thank you,” he said finally, quieter this time.
caleb leaned against the back of the opposite chair, casual. “so. six days with snowball. how’s that been treating you?”
zayne exhaled. not a sigh exactly, but close. “challenging. he’s energetic. curious. vocal.” a pause. “and he chews my furniture.”
caleb laughed before he could stop himself. “yeah, that checks out.”
zayne sipped the cocoa cautiously, his eyes widening a fraction before he schooled his face back into calm. caleb, pointedly, didn’t react.
“i decided to come here after… other options proved ineffective,” zayne continued, gaze drifting back to snowball. “i heard being around other dogs might help him adjust. and perhaps, around someone more experienced.”
“other options?” caleb asked, keeping his tone easy. curious, not probing.
“i… attempted to manage it myself,” zayne's fingers tightened briefly around the mug, warmth seeping into skin that looked perpetually cold. “structure. schedules. exercises.”
“that all sounds right,” caleb said.
“yes. in theory.”
snowball pounced on the ball, missed, slid a little on the polished floor, and promptly decided this was the floor’s fault.
"but i am not home as often as i'd like." he softly admitted. “i thought that if i couldn’t provide him with sufficient companionship on my own, then at least i could ensure he had access to a space designed for his needs.”
caleb nodded. “that’s okay. we can work with that.”
we.
the word seemed to register. zayne looked at him again, searching.
“you mean…?” he began.
“i mean,” caleb smiled, “if you’re up for it, i can help you set up a routine. short training sessions. enrichment ideas that don’t take hours. stuff that fits your schedule.”
zayne considered this with the seriousness of someone evaluating a treatment plan.
“that would be very helpful,” he said at last. then, almost as an afterthought, “i would compensate you for your time.”
caleb waved it off immediately. “consider it part of the service.”
apollo chose that moment to yawn loudly and flop onto his side, snowball immediately clambering onto his chest like he’d won a prize.
zayne’s eyes softened again.
caleb followed his gaze, then glanced back at him. “looks like he’s already making friends.”
“yes,” zayne said quietly. “he seems… calmer.”
caleb watched the way zayne watched his dog. like snowball was something precious and fragile, something he was determined not to fail.
“hey,” caleb said, voice easy but sincere. “first-time dog parents always look like this.”
zayne huffed a soft breath. “i find that hard to believe.”
“trust me,” caleb replied. “i see it every day.”
their eyes met, just briefly. caleb held the eye contact for a second too long.
definitely not on purpose.
from across the café, mina leaned over to riley and whispered, “give it a week.”
apollo cracked one eye open, looked between his human and the well-dressed stranger, and thumped his tail once against the floor.
and caleb, blissfully unaware of just how doomed he was, smiled.
“so. same time next week?”
zayne did, in fact, come back.