Rivetra Oneshots

Coffee

Modern AU

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I quietly strolled through the park, shivering against the cold air. I had forgotten my jacket on the way out. Well, I had forgotten everything.

A vacant bench was free of snow, a cup of coffee on the seat. I halted, quickly looking around before picking it up to see if there was any left; it was nearly full. My lips welcomed the hot liquid, but my tongue was not as hospitable. It was way too bitter for my liking, but the heat was important.

Before I knew it, I had downed the whole thing. I probably should have realized at that moment that no one would leave a full coffee there for no reason.

"What are you doing?" I heard a voice behind me. I jumped, quickly trying to hide the empty cup.

"Hello," I smiled, turning to meet who had approached me. They hadn't sounded very pleased.

A man, about my age, was staring at me. His jet-black hair contrasted with the light snow falling around us, the snowflakes nestling lightly on his shoulders. He wasn't much taller than me.

"I said," he spoke, lowering his chin as if to intimidate me more. "What are you doing?" My heart pounded, and I knew I would stutter and be caught.

"W-what do you mean?" I chuckled nervously, squeezing the cup flatter and flatter behind my back.

"You stole my coffee," he dead-panned, his accusing eyes refusing to look away. I furrowed my eyebrows falsely, scoffing.

"What coffee?" I played, hoping to get out alive. I felt like he could kill someone 20 times my size.

"The coffee that was right there, next to all of my other belongings?" he prompted, gesturing to an unnoticed backpack and scarf on the ground next to the bench.

I listened to myself breathe as he stared me down, my own eyes flickering between his things and his expression. For a few seconds, logic escaped me, and I stood there not having a clue what to say or do.

"I-I'm terribly sorry," I finally let out, my voice high but quiet. "It's so cold, and I-" I cut off, watching him sit down on the bench and pull out a book.

"Whatever. I went back, anyway; they got my order wrong," he scoffed, and my tense shoulders slightly released. He sipped on the hot drink, and I was still frozen in place.

"And you. . ?" he wondered, not looking up from the book. I licked my chapped lips, still tasting the bitter coffee.

"I didn't have money to buy some for myself," I finished, intertwining my own fingers and pressing my palms together. My knees were shaking, and my teeth were chattering uncontrollably.

"And whose fault is that?" he wondered sarcastically, thinking he already knew the answer. That short phrase was enough to tick me off immensely.

"My ex-boyfriend, idiot." The insult came without a second thought, and his eyes moved to meet mine. "He beat me to a pulp and threw me out," I spat, the bruises on my sides coming to my mind as I stared back at him.

"So now," I continued, my voice wavering. "I have no money, no food, and noplace to stay. All I have is some stranger who thinks he knows me," I retorted, raising one eyebrow. By the time I finished my statement, he was still staring at me, and I felt defeated. I felt like I was collapsing in on myself as I thought of all of the things I had just said.

"If you're trying to ask me for a place, I have nowhere. College dorms aren't exactly roomy," he shrugged, completely ignoring the rest of what I had said. My parents were halfway across the country, and they wouldn't take me in for more reasons than I could name. I really was done for.

My heart felt like it was struggling to beat as I lowered my face into my frozen palms, the sobs abundant. I tried to stop crying after a few seconds, raising my eyes to him again.

He looked like, for just a fraction of a second, he cared. His features quickly returned to normal, or as normal as I knew them.

"You know," he sighed out, lifting his cup to eye level. "This is terrible." He pulled his arm back, hurling the cup over towards the trash can across the sidewalk. When it landed inside the receptacle perfectly, I flicked my head back over to his, my bright hair getting in the way of my vision for half a second.

"There's a machine in my dorm; I'll make you some more if you promise not to cry," he offered, standing up and pulling the straps of the backpack onto his shoulders. I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted me, throwing his scarf in my direction. I caught it, holding it in my hands like I had never seen one before.

He started to walk past me, picking up the scarf and wrapping it loosely around my neck.

"Stay warm until we get there, yeah?" he spoke up, leaving me behind. I caught up to him a few seconds after that, and the only thing I wanted more than to go home in that moment was to know his name.

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lol this will probably never get any reads

yeah I wrote this one all by myself, too, if you were wondering :)