Chapter Text
Chapter One – Coffee, Chaos, and Quiet Tension
The dorm smelled faintly of burnt popcorn and leftover energy drinks, a sign last night had been rough. A shorter boy with messy dark brown hair leaned over a bed, tugging on a blanket. His eyes were sharp, expression scowling.
“Mmm… Grian?” a groggy blonde murmured from under tangled sheets.
“Move it, ranch boy,” Grian snapped, still tugging.
Nearby, a taller boy with striking blonde-and-orange hair slung a backpack over his shoulder, drumming his fingers lightly against the desk as he muttered about being late.
In the corner, a white-haired boy adjusted his glasses, eyes glued to a laptop. “If you don’t get up soon, you’ll miss more than breakfast,” he said calmly.
Jimmy scrambled out of bed, flailing slightly.
From down the hall, a loud, familiar voice shouted, “If he’s not up in five, I’m blasting music!”
“Bdubs!” Grian groaned, tossing a pillow at Jimmy. “You’re part of the problem.”
⸻
By mid-morning, the café was humming with activity. Behind the counter, a girl with perfectly braided hair moved with calm precision, stacking trays and pouring drinks. Another girl lounged lazily at the register, smirking at a struggling student trying to carry too many books.
“You’re late,” Gem said flatly.
“Blame Jimmy,” Grian muttered, standing on tiptoe to reach the counter.
“Hey!” Jimmy protested, balancing a tray of drinks.
The door swung open dramatically. A very tall dark-haired man strode in, sunglasses perched atop his head, guitar case slung over his back. Fingers snapping, he winked at Grian.
“You’re late,” gem remarked.
“Fashionably,” he replied smoothly. “Café doesn’t start until I show up.”
Grian glared up at him. “You knock over mugs every day. Don’t pretend you’re punctual.”
Scar just grinned.
⸻
Jimmy navigated through tables, trays in hand, brushing past Tango carrying boxes. “Careful there,” he murmured. Jimmy’s cheeks warmed, but he focused on balancing the drinks.
A brown-haired boy entered dramatically, calling across the café. “Hey, Buttercup! You forgot my muffin yesterday!”
Jimmy froze.
“Stop calling me that! Joel!!” he squeaked.
A pink-haired girl rolled her eyes. “You spend more time yelling at Jimmy than talking to me,” she muttered.
“That’s because Jimmy forgets my muffin!” Joel argued.
“…Totally not because you’re secretly in love with him,” she added, deadpan. Joel nearly choked.
⸻
The bell jingled. Two boys barreled in—a tall, bright blonde and his shorter brunette companion. They bought a single pastry, bickered over halves, and stormed out, leaving crumbs behind. Jimmy ducked to avoid the mess.
A tall figure in a pink hoodie appeared, scanning the café. “Where’d those kids run off to?” he muttered, before disappearing just as quickly.
Grian looked at jimmy who just shrugged, not sure who he was.
Impulse arrived soon after, heading to the back. “Hey, Tango, mind helping me with chem homework?” he called, holding a stack of papers.
Tango’s hair shined under the light as he smirked. “You’re hopeless at balancing equations.”
“Yeah, but I’ve got you to bail me out,” Impulse replied.
Jimmy noticed the easy camaraderie, Tango’s fingers drumming lightly on the counter as he explained something. He felt a flutter in his chest not jealousy, just awareness.
Grian, stacking mugs nearby, muttered under his breath, “Are these two roommates or a tutoring service?”
⸻
Mid-afternoon, Scar leaned against the counter, humming a tune softly. Grian paused, frowning. He didn’t recognize the song, though it sounded oddly familiar. Etho wiped a table nearby and let slip, “If someone changes the cord—” before coughing and stopping abruptly.
Tango tapped a rhythm on a tray. Jimmy caught it, chest fluttering.
Scar glanced at Grian and smirked. “you can smile, you know.” Grian who was scowling side eyes Scar.
Tango smirked at Jimmy, drumming his fingers on the counter in a silent rhythm. Joel was now loudly explaining the “perfect muffin technique” to anyone who would listen, and Lizzie just sipped her tea, eyebrows raised, occasionally muttering under her breath.
The last of the customers trickled out. Cleo teased Jimmy about nearly dropping a tray; Gem scolded Mumbo for breaking a filter again; Scar hovered far too close to Grian while wiping down the counter.
Tango leaned on the counter near Jimmy,“If only people knew what we got up to after work, huh?” He said that a bit too loud for his liking.
Scar chuckled softly, Etho cleared his throat, and Joel shouted from across the room, “Yeah, like raiding McDonald’s for midnight fries!”
The café echoed with laughter. Grian noticed subtle tensions—the glances between Jimmy and Tango, Etho’s half-finished sentences, Scar’s sly grin but shrugged. Probably nothing… for now.
⸻
By the time the café quieted, the group began cleaning. Tango leaned on the counter near Jimmy, brushing crumbs away. Scar hovered near Grian, who glared up at him, arms crossed. Etho adjusted his glasses, pretending to clean.
Jimmy sank into a chair, exhausted, glancing at the trio around him. The blonde-orange flash of Tango’s hair caught his eye again. Nothing had happened yet, but something had shifted in the rhythm of the room.
The café may have seemed calm, but for Jimmy and the others, this was only the beginning..