Paradise Lost (JSAB)

((AU ONE SHOT)) Salted Caramel

This is based off a dream I had, which I really liked. This is an AU btw, before anything gets too confusing.

2050 hours, a park

A tiny young figure walked down the concrete path in the wooded path, the trees above shielding whatever leftover embers of daylight remained. Sunset was almost three hours ago, and no rays of its golden light reached the earth. Clasped between their tiny little fingers was a paper cup, white as snow, filled to the brim with hot bitter coffee sweetened with cream, sugar and salted caramel. They drank tiny sips from it, feeling the hot liquid fill them with a tender warmth that felt like someone was hugging them but from the inside. The gravel beneath their thin soles crunched quietly with every step, to the point of almost silence. As much as they liked being silent, and could turn into noiseless wind at any moment they so wished, Tetra sometimes liked the sounds. They yawned, before taking another sip of their Starbeats™ latte. It was the only place that still served coffee so late, so it was practically the only thing they drank. It tasted like white girls.

Another sip, as they watched the rising full moon creep from a blanket of clouds. It made them nervous, the sight of the silver nickel, but they sighed. It was probably best for them to get out of the woods now, they thought, as they quickened their pace, now refraining from drinking their coffee completely, watching for any potential movements in the bushes-

CRASH

Tetra smashed face first into something, something much larger and bulkier than they were, making a shocked squeak as they fell back onto their behind, dropping their cup of coffee as its contents splashed onto them, boiling liquid searing their skin painfully but not excruciatingly. The now-empty cup was lying on the gravel, their clothes ruined by the sweet brown drink as the aromatic salted caramel which they loved evaporated into the air. No...

"Ah, shit, I'm so sorry!" Was the voice coming from the thing Tetra bumped into, and when they looked up they were face-to-face in the darkness to a tall, heavy shape looming above, head almost touching the lower branches of the trees above. He offered a hand, extending it as he bobbed down, checking if they were hurt. "A-Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't see you, oh, I hope I didn't hurt you or anything!"

"I-I'm fine, thank you for the concern..." Tetra responded, taking the stranger's hand. It was warm and squishy, yet firm at the same time as he helped them up. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"I'm so sorry about your drink."

"Oh no, it's fine, I barely even got into it. They shrugged. This exchange should be quick, preferably they would get out of here as soon as possible, considering their location, and the stranger would go about on his business, never to see them again. They might have changed their mind some other night, but not now. 

"Oh, you barely even got into it? That's even worse, here, how's this, I'll buy you a new one!"

Tetra blinked for a second, surprised by the offer. "O-Oh, sure? You don't have to, though, it's really fine, it was only 30 beatpoints (~$6), wasn't worth much in the first place, so it's fine."

"Oh, it's not about the money, it's about the principle, you missed out on a hot drink and it's cold out, so it's more than that. Come on, I'll buy you a new one."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely! It's as you said, it was only 30 beatpoints, so it's nothing! My name's Trist, by the way."

"Hi, Trist. I'm Tetra."

"Tetra, hello, come on, it's kinda dangerous out here in the middle of the woods, don't you think it's kinda dangerous for you to be out here all alone so late? I-I mean no offence."