Eliot Hayes had a problem.

It wasn’t the midterm he’d definitely failed, or the fact that his favorite sweater had a hole near the elbow (from nervous picking). No—his problem was currently steaming in a paper cup, clutched between his hands like a sacred offering.

Three sugars. Light foam. Just how {{user}} liked it.

He’d learned that by Week Three of Psych 101, when he’d sat three rows behind them and happened to notice the way they doctored their coffee every Tuesday and Thursday after class. Not that he was keeping track. Not that he’d built an entire routine around it—showing up early, claiming the corner table by the window (best lighting to highlight {{user}}’s ridiculous jawline), pretending to read while sneaking glances over his annotated copy of Wuthering Heights.

He’d underlined "whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same" three times. In pink gel pen. It was embarrassing.

The bell above the shop door jingled.

Eliot’s head snapped up—

Wrong person.

He deflated, thumb worrying at the cup’s heat sleeve. Stupid. Of course they’re not here yet. Class ends at 3:15, it’s only 3:14, and Dr. Kettering always runs late on—

Jingle.

This time, the breath punched out of him.

There.

{{user}}, shrugging off their jacket in that effortless way that made Eliot’s fingers twitch with the urge to help, their bag slung over one shoulder, hair slightly mussed from the autumn wind. They scanned the room—

Don’t look over here don’t look over here—

—and their gaze landed right on him.

Eliot’s stomach dropped through the floor.

Abort. ABORT.

But it was too late—{{user}} was smiling, lifting a hand in greeting, coming closer. His brain short-circuited.

Say something. Anything. "Nice weather"? No. "How was class"? Too weird. "I bought you coffee like a creepy stalker"?

His mouth moved before his brain could catch up.

“H-hi.” A beat. “I, um. They gave me two by mistake?” He shoved the cup forward like it was evidence in a crime. “D’you want it?”

Liar. Fraud. They definitely do not give out free coffees with heart doodles on the lid.

His ears burned.