CATEGORY: Fluff
FEATURING: waiter!Ryan and collegestudent!Brendon
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mild language
PROMPT: Brendon develops a crush on his waiter at Red Robin, and starts going there every day just to see him.
WORD COUNT: Approximately 1,920

"So I just think watermelons deserve more respect, you know?" Dallon was repetitively tapping his fingers against the glossy restaurant table. "It's just something I think about sometimes."

Brendon just nodded. He and Dallon, his best friend, had agreed to go out for lunch together before their final class of the day. It had been Dallon's turn to pick where they went, and he'd selected Red Robin. Brendon personally didn't care for the restaurant, but he could tolerate it for a day.

"All those poor melons getting blown up in YouTube videos," Dallon went on. "We could be putting that melon to good use, by eating it, but no. We're blowing it up for a few views online."

If you didn't know Dallon, you'd probably think he was high: he frequently rambled, often about the strangest topics, and he seemed to have a permanent case of the munchies. Dallon was as clean as could be, however--just pretty odd.

Brendon himself was pretty odd too, so he didn't mind. That was probably the reason they were friends.

A waiter put two menus on the table, startling Brendon out of his thoughts and Dallon from his watermelon rant. "Hello, welcome to Red Robin. Can I start you off with anything to drink?"

Dallon didn't even glance at his men. "Just a water for me, please."

Brendon looked at his menu for a moment, to see whether they had Pepsi or Coke. They had Coke. "I'll have a Coke, please," he said, lifting his head up to look at the man taking their order.

Immediately, Brendon was taken with him. He had short, slightly curly brown hair, and the eyes to match. He wore the simple black shirt and pants of a typical Red Robin waiter, and he appeared to have a slightly small build, with narrow shoulders and delicate arms.

"I'll be right back," the waiter said, and he gave both boys a smile that Brendon found absolutely dazzling, before he headed off to get their drinks.

"God damn," Brendon muttered the moment the waiter was out of earshot.

Dallon glanced up from his menu. "What?"

"The waiter." Brendon was practically craning his neck to try and catch sight of the man, who was behind a counter halfway across the restaurant. "He's gorgeous."

"You think so?"

"Definitely."

The waiter came back before either customer could say anything else, and gave them their drinks. "Have you decided what you'd like to eat?"

Brendon didn't even hear what Dallon said, he was too busy studying the waiter. He looked to be just a little shorter than Brendon himself, and his name tag read 'Ryan'.

"And you, sir?" the waiter asked, looking at Brendon.

Brendon hadn't even looked at his menu, and there wasn't enough time to now. "I-I'll have whatever he's having," he managed, feeling flustered.

"Alright." Ryan scribbled the order down on his tablet, then took the menus as Dallon handed them to him. "I'll be back with your food soon."

Ryan headed off to go take care of some other customers, and Brendon watched him go.

"He is kind of cute, isn't he?" Dallon commented, unfolding his napkin.

"Back off, Weekes," Brendon said, in a tone that was only half joking.

Dallon grinned. "You know I'm dating Breezy, Bren." He paused. "I don't think I've ever seen you so riled up by a guy before."

"I don't think I've ever seen such a cute guy before."

After two more conversations, one about kitchen counters and another about chickens, Ryan came back.

"Here you are," Ryan said as he set Brendon's and Dallon's meals in front of them. "Two double cheeseburgers."

"Thank you," Dallon said politely.

"Thanks," Brendon squeaked. Ryan gave him a slightly puzzled look as he left their table.

Dallon started giggling the second he was gone. "Brendon's got a crush, Brendon's got a crush," he sang teasingly.

"Shut up, Dal," Brendon mumbled, embarrassed. "We're not in junior high anymore."

"The squeak in your voice indicates otherwise."

The two friends ate their meal together, with Brendon letting Dallon have his bottomless fries. Dallon rambled, as he usually did, about random topics. Normally, Brendon would have been interested, but today he was having trouble paying attention. Any time their server walked by their table, Brendon hoped he'd stop to talk to them again.

Eventually, they finished their meals, and Ryan brought over the check. "Here you are."

"Thank you." Dallon ate his final French fry.

Brendon decided not to comment this time, seeing as he could hardly manage it last time, and Ryan went on his way.

"Are you getting the check, or am I?" Dallon questioned, wiping his hands on his napkin. "I don't remember whose turn it is."

"I'll get it." Brendon opened up his wallet and glanced at the bill, then put a couple of twenties into the check holder.

Before too long, Ryan returned, took the check holder, and disappeared to process the transaction. After only a few minutes, he reappeared with Brendon's change. "Here's your change, sir."

"No, no, keep it," Brendon insisted, a grin on his face.

Ryan smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, sir. I hope you have a great day."

"Yeah, you too." Suddenly feeling shy, Brendon grabbed Dallon's arm, and practically dragged him out of the restaurant.

"You didn't ask him out," Dallon said as they got into Brendon's car, stating the obvious.

Brendon didn't say anything, he just put the key in the ignition.

--- --- --- --- --- 

The next day, Brendon found himself at Red Robin again for lunch. Normally, he would have gone to McDonald's or something to save money, but normally he wouldn't developed a huge crush on a waiter so quickly.

He took a seat at a table alone and tried to actually go through the menu this time. There was a lot of different things he could order, and he was startled when he finally heard a voice.

"Back so soon?"

He looked up to see Ryan, grinning down at him. Something about that grin made Brendon nervous, but also him to Ryan at the same time.

"Uh, y-yeah."

"Well, can I start you out with a drink?" Ryan had a hand on his hip, and Brendon found it immensely cute.

"Just a Coke please."

"You got it." Ryan gave Brendon another smile before heading off to get his soda.

--- --- --- --- ---

Over the next week, Brendon came back to Red Robin time and time again for lunch. The restaurant must have been rather understaffed, because Brendon always got Ryan as his server. Each time, he ordered something different, and each time, he left a good-sized tip.

There were two problems with this. One, Brendon was broke, and two, he was getting awfully tired of burgers.

On his eighth day of going to Red Robin, Dallon along with him for lunch. They usually ate together once a week or so, and since it was Dallon's turn to pay, Brendon would be able to save a little money.

This time, however, when a waiter arrived with menus, it was a girl.

She had long, chocolate hair that went partway down her back, and nice blue-green eyes. Her name tag read 'Sarah'. "Hello, welcome to Red Robin! How can I help you?"

She was pretty, but she wasn't Ryan. Brendon looked down, trying to hide his disappointment as he looked over the menu.

Dallon rolled his eyes at Brendon, then looked to the waitress. "I know this is an odd request, but can we have Ryan as our waiter? My friend here," he added, nudging Brendon's arm with his elbow, "is nursing a massive crush on him."

Sarah smiled. "Of course, I understand completely. My shift's almost up, anyway." She set the menus down on the table. "I'll send him right over!"

"Thank you," Dallon said. The moment she was gone, Brendon elbowed him hard.

"Ow!"

"That's for telling her about Ryan," Brendon said, looking distressed. "What if she tells him our table requested him?"

"Don't you want him to know you like him?"

"I do..." Brendon looked down at his menu. "But I just, I don't know. What if he's not gay?"

"I'm sure it'll work out fine." Dallon unfolded his napkin, and changed the subject. "So, dolphins: are they really as cute as everybody thinks? What if they're killers?"

The two boys talked together for a few minutes before Ryan arrived. If Sarah had told him about the request, his face wasn't showing it. "Hello, and welcome to Red Robin. Can I get you two anything to drink?"

"A water, please."

"I'd like a Coke."

"Coming right up." Ryan gave both men his dazzling smile, the way Brendon knew he would, then headed off to get their drinks. 

After he returned, Brendon and Dallon placed their orders, which came back quickly. Brendon was hardly eating, however; he only picked at his food.

"To conclude, I think Take This To Your Grave is seriously underrated." Dallon ate one of his fries, then seemed to notice his friend's full plate. "Something wrong?"

Brendon sighed. "I've been eating hamburgers here every day for the past week."

"Seriously?"

Brendon nodded.

"You need to ask him out already," Dallon said as he drank some of his water. "Before you go broke."

But Brendon made no move to do so. He spent most of his time at the restaurant watching Ryan: the server led customers to their tables, gave them menus, took theird orders, brought them checks and food and drinks. Every move he made was hypnotizing to Brendon, almost. Though Dallon talked on and on, Brendon couldn't seem to make himself pay attention.

At one point, when Ryan walked by carrying two trays of fish and chips, Dallon stopped in the middle of his sentence to swat at Brendon with his napkin.

"Hey! What was that for?" Brendon protested, shaken out of his daze.

"It's rude to stare at your server's ass, Brendon," Dallon scolded.

"I wasn't staring!"

"You were definitely staring."

Suddenly, Ryan turned around, with that dazzling grin on his face, and a blush dusting his cheeks. "I don't mind."

Brendon thought his heart might explode. His face felt like it was one fire, and he could feel himself sweating.

Dallon nudged Brendon's shoulder. "Ask him out, you dick."

Brendon swallowed and looked up into Ryan's face. "Please date me. I'm so sick of hamburgers."

Ryan laughed, and Brendon thought he was going to reject him. Instead, the waiter set down the two trays of food at their appropriate tables, and then came back to Brendon and Dallon's table. He scribbled something on his tablet, tore off the page, and lightly put it on the plate in front of Brendon. Without even looking, Brendon knew it contained his number.

"I get off work at six tonight," Ryan said casually, still grinning.

"Then let me take you out for dinner." Now that he knew Ryan was gay, too, Brendon felt more confident again. "Just not to Red Robin."

Ryan grinned. "You've got yourself a deal."