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𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮-𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧 — 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠
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COFFEE – IT MADE and broke relationships. It brought together people, was the start of something new for them, and it ended things just as quickly. Once the last drip went from the cup and into your mouth, it was the end of an era for some but the beginning for another. It was the perfect stage for serious conversations because you could hide your expressions under a nice, warm cup of coffee and leave the difficult topic after all the liquid was drained from the cup.
It was the beginning of some relationships, first dates at a nice coffee shop where they might hold hands and they tentatively ask about interests and hobbies, careers and favorite colors, taking things slow as they got to know each other before ultimately deciding whether or not they would like to continue this newfound relationship.
It was the end of others where one would sit across their significant other and end things, say the five words I'm breaking up with you before giving an explanation as to why – the most famous being it's not you, it's me (not that anyone ever believed them when they used it) – and leaving as the person they walked away from tried not to have a breakdown in such a public location. If the break up was loud enough, the others in the building were already giving them a sympathetic look and that was hard enough.
And in the case of Brendon Winchester, sitting in the coffee shop he had been working at since the beginning of the relationship, he was unsure whether this meeting would strengthen his bond with Harry or end it. Didn't know if he would be leaving with one less friend and a broken heart, knowing that their relationship was over and it was his fault – partially, anyway. Didn't know if this would be the beginning of the spiral downward for him, where he isolated everyone and lost himself in the drugs, or if nothing would change.
There were so many possibilities and Brendon was unsure what would happen and that caused his anxiety to peak as his leg bounced nervously under the table. He kept looking around to make sure that he didn't miss when Harry came in, heart racing rapidly in his chest, and it didn't stop when the Osborn boy did enter the building.
Whereas Brendon was completely tense, Harry was relaxed and smiling, he looked so happy and free – he had no idea where the conversation would do. He was so completely clueless and happy, thinking they would talk about finals or something lighter, and here he was preparing to burst the bubble, end the happiness, and confront him with something.
He wasn't ready.
Brendon wanted to run, to hide, to go away forever so that he didn't have to do this even though he knew it was the right thing to do. Even though he knew he needed to have his questions answered and to just understand why Harry would do this because he cared so much about the boy.
