Chapter Text
Well, today sucked. Catching your now ex-boyfriend banging your roommate was bad enough, but in your bed? That was just uncalled for. You sighed as you opened the door to your favorite coffee shop and slunk inside, mind still reeling. It was too early for alcohol, so you were going to settle for as much sugar and caffeine as they could into a large coffee cup.
The sight of the barista working, Taehyung, perked you up a little. His warmth in his smile could thaw a thousand icy hearts, and from what you had seen of him, he was kind and endearingly goofy. He was also one of the most beautiful people you had ever seen.
"[Y/n]!" He greeted cheerfully when he saw you, lips widening to the signature boxy smile that had girls flocking to this coffee shop from all over campus. "The usual?"
"Hey, Taehyung," you greeted, managing a tired grin that you hoped distracted from what were probably red, swollen eyes. By the way his smile dimmed, you weren't successful. "Actually, can you get me the most caloric monstrosity you can come up with? With two shots of espresso and extra whipped cream?" His eyes widened at the deviation from your usual black coffee or plain iced americano, and a tinge of empathy entered his eyes.
"Coming right up," he promised, and immediately began bustling behind the counter. You watched idly as he worked, though your mind quickly went back to your own dilemma. Well, you were definitely moving out now, you weren't about to keep living with someone you couldn't trust. Luckily, the lease was in your roommate's name only, so it was up to her to find a subleaser. Otherwise she'd be the one eating the cost of your half of the rent. You silently thanked the patron saint of lazy college students for this small blessing.
"One [y/n]-special, on the house." Taehyung's deep, melodic voice broke you out of your reverie. You automatically reached for your wallet before registering what he had said.
"What? That's really sweet of you, but don't have to go to the trouble of doing that," you said in surprise. He just smiled and pushed the cup towards you.
"It's no trouble to cheer up a pretty girl," he insisted. It once again took you a moment to process his statement, and you reflexively looked around, confused. He couldn't be talking about you, could he? You could clean up pretty nice, sure, but you weren't exactly feeling like the belle of the ball at the moment.
Feeling like an idiot, you pointed at yourself for confirmation and you felt heat rising on your cheeks as he nodded in amusement. You could tell he wasn't even hitting on you, he was just stating what he perceived to be a fact. He wanted to cheer you up, and you were pretty. Just that realization pulled a more genuine smile out of you and you accepted the drink with a quiet thank you.
"There it is," he said, adorably pleased at having cleared some of the dark clouds from your expression. "I hope your day gets better."
"Thanks, Tae. You're the best," you said gratefully, taking a sip of the confection and missing the way his grin widened at the unexpected nickname.
You left the cafe feeling much lighter than you had when you entered, that small act of kindness giving you the strength to begin planning. The beverage was indeed horrifyingly sweet, but the shock of it was what you needed to clear your head. The next step was to talk to someone about it, obviously. The first thing you had done upon finding your (ex, you reminded yourself) boyfriend and roommate scrambling to put on their clothes was to robotically grab your backpack and laptop and go straight to the coffee shop. You pulled out your phone and rolled your eyes at the number of missed calls and texts. Ignoring them, you called your older brother.
"[Y/n]!" He said cheerily, picking up on the second ring. "What's going on?"
"Hey Jackson," you answered, your brother's voice adding another layer of balm to your wounded heart. "Um, I need some advice."
You spilled out the entire story of how you had gone to work on a group project, only to realize you had the wrong day scheduled, and come back to… that whole thing. He was furious, as you knew he'd be, and the only thing that was keeping him from beating the ever loving shit out of your ex was that he was currently studying abroad in France. Which was why you had decided he was the safest person to call.
"Focus, bro," you scolded, trying to calm him down. "Right now I need to figure out the most pain-free way to find a new place and get the fuck out of there. I can probably crash on Mina's couch for a couple days, but she lives in a studio so that won't be sustainable."
"You're right," Jackson sighed. "I'll ask some friends and see if anyone needs a subleaser, and you should do the same. I will say you seem to be taking this surprisingly well."
You paused as you considered what he said. It was true, actually. While you did feel hurt and betrayed, it was almost… distant. You somehow felt more annoyed at the disrespect and the inconvenience of moving than anything else. Well, you would take that over being heartbroken because of some cheating jackass.
"Yeah, I guess… maybe it hasn't hit me yet. I'm definitely dreading going back to grab my clothes and school stuff though. What if he's there?"
"You should bring a friend or two," your brother advised. "I know there weren't any problems like that during, but people can do crazy things when they're emotional. If you want, I know some guys. They can straighten him out." You almost rolled your eyes at how mafia-like he sounded, but his advice was good. Maybe you had binged one too many Reddit relationship horror stories, but it was better safe than sorry.
"I'll see who I can rustle up. But if I can't find any muscley boys I'll take your meathead friends," you teased, enjoying his squawk of indignation.
"Just because we appreciate the benefits of a healthy work out, does not make us…" you smiled as he ranted at you, and the conversation lightened into your standard sibling jibes and banter.
"I should go, I need to call Mina and figure everything else out," you finally said regretfully, knowing that you'd have to have to undergo another round of explanations with your best friend.
"Yeah, sure. Tell her I say hi. I'll let you know if I get any bites about the housing situation."
"Thanks for everything, bro. I love you."
"I love you too, pipsqueak. Call me if you need anything."
"I will."
There was a pause, and before you could hang up, your brother quietly added, "you're too good for him, you know. He doesn't deserve you. And you didn't deserve what he did."
He hung up quickly, probably embarrassed at being a sensitive human being. You would have snickered if your eyes hadn't suddenly begun burning at the unexpected sweetness. It figured. Seeing the guy you were dating balls deep in another girl didn't make you cry, but a heartfelt compliment from your brother did. Feelings were weird.
You took several deep breaths, waiting for the hot feeling in your eyes to dissipate, before deciding to text Mina. You didn't think you could handle another full phone conversation in public. Luckily, she texted you back right away.
You
Hey? Can I come over? And crash for a few couple days?
Freshly single and need to avoid my place for a bit.
I'll explain everything later.
Sexy Bitch
Whoa what? Yeah I'm home, come over whenever.
I'll open a bottle of wine.
You
Marry me.
Part of you dreaded the unearthly shrieks of rage Mina was sure to emit when she heard the story, but the rest of you was ready for her warm hugs and the abuse she was sure to spew at your ex. Just knowing people like her, Jackson, and even kind acquaintances like Taehyung were supporting you was enough to keep your back straight and eyes forward. You would be just fine.