(Humanized + new OI continuity/AU)

"Here's your coffee, sir," the barista smiled as she handed Police Hat a warm cup of coffee. He gripped the cardboard insulator and smiled back, saying his thanks.

Police Hat turned to leave and let his gaze wander around the cafe. He brought the drink to his mouth, and the coffee's warm aroma seeped into his nose, anticipating the sweet sensation of caramel and hazelnut and freshly brewed coffee steaming on his tongue. The patrons right now were mostly students having after-school hangouts, but others had laptops and paper spread out next to them, or were simply on their phones by themselves. Police Hat tipped his cup gently upwards, and the coffee inched closer and closer to his slightly parted lips.

He almost didn’t see her. And when he did, he nearly choked on his drink.

She sat by herself at a table close to the corner, with an open binder in front of her and a drink beside her. Over a plain cream-colored shirt, she wore a dark blue jacket with similar jeans. Her hair was the same as he remembered it: short, but with a slight fluff, and so softly blond it almost looked white. Her golden hazel eyes stared intently at her papers, completely unaware he stopped to stare.

Some psychic force compelled him to walk over. Another whispered to walk away. It wasn't until another person brushed past him that he loosely gathered his wits and, partly to get out of the way, silently walked to her table, apprehensiveness attempting to smother his quickening heartbeat. He hadn't talked to her in a year. What would he even say? What would she think when she saw him? Would she narrow her eyes with resentment? Widen them in surprise?

Maybe…even be a little glad to see him?

He'd barely opened his mouth before he noticed the earbuds in her ears. She wouldn't even hear him.

Maybe he shouldn't disturb her.

As Police Hat turned to leave, Pudding Cup flicked her gaze upwards and they briefly made eye contact. She blinked, and slightly narrowed her eyes as if thinking of something to say. 

She looked away.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Silence. The chatter of patrons and soft clack of cups on tables echoed dully around them.

"Could I sit here?"

More silence. Police Hat looked out the window at people walking by.

"...Knock yourself out."

Police Hat set his coffee down and pulled out a chair, and sat across from Pudding Cup as she returned to her work. Police Hat scanned his eyes over the papers: they looked to be physics equations.

"What's that for?"

"College stuff. Studying for a test."

"College?"

"Yeah. Went back after the season was canceled."

Police Hat felt as if he were walking on eggshells. "You…dropped out?"

"Being a reality show contestant is tough," Pudding Cup waved her pencil at Police Hat, "pretty sure the only reason you kept your job is because you're a try-hard."

"I– No!" he sputtered. "My supervisors were very generous and flexible with my hours and duties."

"Mmmhm. Whatever you say."

She was teasing, but there wasn't a hint of a mischievous smile on her face. Police Hat averted his eyes and silently drummed his fingers on the table.

"What major?"

Pudding Cup twirled her pencil. "Physical therapy."

"Really?"

"It's something I'm kinda interested in. I dunno if it's something I actually want to do though." She took a sip from her vanilla bean frappuccino.

"Well, it's normal to not know for certain what you wanna do. Lots of people just kinda wing it."

"Sure thing, Mr. I've-wanted-to-be-a-police-officer-my-entire-life."

"I'm a minority exception."

"Yeah. I don't know anyone else as weirdly passionate as you."

Police Hat rolled his eyes. "It's not weird. Someone needs to hold up the law."

"Speaking of which, shouldn't you be at work, or something?"

Was she asking him to leave? "I actually just got off my shift. Decided to grab a coffee, and uh…here I am."

"Surprised you didn't immediately go home and file reports or something, considering how much of a workaholic you are. You did that back on the show."

The show.

"Well, that was part of the compromise. I'd take on more report filing in exchange for less active duty."

"Makes sense," Pudding Cup shrugged.

Silence fell on them again. Police Hat's gaze wandered around the cafe, from the virtual menu hanging above the counter, to the groups of friends endlessly chatting with each other, their conversations melding into incomprehensible messes of words. Blenders grinded and chopped up ice chunks behind the counter. Cars roared by on the roads outside. Keyboards clacked away. The scratch of Pudding Cup's pencil grounded him amidst the sea of noise. For some reason, he didn't dare reach for his coffee.

His eyes fell back on Pudding Cup. She worked diligently, stopping every so often to evaluate her writing, or key something in on her calculator, or narrow her eyes before she erased her work. He hadn't really seen her this focused before, not on academics; usually it was determination to win a challenge. 

It was strange, seeing her outside of the competition. In all honesty, he didn't think he'd see her again, period. But a year came and went, and now they were a regular college student and a junior police officer. Two people living normal lives. Two almost-strangers, and one's lousy, lousy attempt at reconnection.

She looked up at him.

"What?"

"Hm?" He swiftly averted his gaze. "Um- nothing, sorry."

Pudding Cup regarded him for a moment. The slight tan from outdoor work; his strangely delicate hands loosely interlocked on the table; and his light brown hair that gently swept around his cerulean eyes, the latter giving a subtle sharpness to his complexion. He wore a simple, light blue dress shirt, as he often did.

She put down her pencil.

"If this is about everything that happened–"

"It's not. I just…wanted to catch up."

"You're a horrible liar."

Police Hat sighed and looked at the wooden floor. "You blocked me. And it's been a year. I needed to talk with you."

"Uh-huh." Pudding Cup looked past him. "Well, you can stop feeling guilty or whatever, because I don't really care about it anymore. So–"

"I never said sorry. To you. I was angry and took it all out on you." He tried to meet her eyes. She shifted away. "So, I'm sorry."

Pudding Cup kept her eyes on the equations and numbers she wrote in her notes, but the Xs and velocities and limits turned to mush in her brain. Before, she would've told him it was too late; that the damage had been done. But now a sudden and intense tiredness came over her, like the world had been eased onto her shoulders. She sighed silently.

"'Kay. Like I said, I don't really care anymore."

Police Hat furrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth. He heard it. The hint of a lie in her deadpan voice. It meant so much to her back then, why would it not matter now? 

But who was he to pursue it? He was on thin ice as it was. 

He closed his mouth again.

"...Okay."

Pudding Cup leaned back in her chair and stared at the white ceiling, arms slack by her sides. 

"There's a second season of it, you know."

"I know."

"Do you…do you watch it?"

"No."

"Me neither."

Pudding Cup let her head fall forward to be level with Police Hat. "Honestly, I'm sick of hearing about it. Everyone at college used to go 'hey, isn't that the show you used to be on' or whatever and I just. Don't even wanna talk about it. Some people still do. Buncha' jerks," she huffed.

She caught Police Hat's eye as he was about to speak.

"And don't say crap like 'everyone's allowed to watch it' because I know. They just don't have to be so in my face about it."

"I wasn't going to say that."

"You totally were."

Police Hat frowned and tapped his foot, his work shoes making a distinctive thump against the ground.

"Did anyone ever talk about…him?"

Pudding Cup cupped her mouth in her hand and stared at the wall.

"...If I had a nickel for every time someone did, I wouldn't have to go to college anymore."

"It must've been hard for you."

Pudding Cup flickered her gaze toward him.

"Yeah."

Silence again. Unanswered questions laid heavy in the air around them.

"Do people at work talk about it?"

"I was asked a few times when everything was over. Not so much anymore."

"Must be nice to have your privacy respected."

Police Hat managed a small smile at her dry humor. "Yeah. Not sure about everyone else, though. Haven't really heard from them."

"Mm. Me neither."

Beyond the coffee shop's window, the shadows of buildings grew longer.

"Do you…miss it?"

Pudding Cup turned to him incredulously. "What, the show? Hell no. It was just drama after drama and everyone there was just so annoying." She dragged her hand down her face. "I have no idea why anyone signed up for the second season."

"I mean, it was nice to meet other people. Even if some of them were a pain."

"Don't kid yourself. We both got completely screwed over."

Police Hat stared at his hands and let out a shoulder-slumping sigh.

“Yeah. I guess we did.”

“Don’t fall into the nostalgia trap,” Pudding Cup huffed. After a few moments’ silence, she pulled her backpack up to the table, the noise grabbing Police Hat’s attention, and stuffed her binder and notes inside.

“It’s getting late; I should go.”

“Oh. Yeah, I should…probably be going, too.”

Pudding Cup scraped her chair against the floor as she stood up to leave, and the two of them left the cafe in silence, Pudding Cup tossing her empty drink in the trash while Police Hat held on to his cold, half-drinked one. Chilly autumn air greeted the both of them when they stepped outside, and Pudding Cup zipped up her jacket.

“Which way are you going?”

“College dorms are over that way,” Pudding Cup indicated to her left.

“You’ll be okay going alone?”

“Police Hat, I’m an adult. I’ll be fine.”

“Right, yeah.” Police Hat breathed through his teeth. “Sorry. But, uh– it was nice talking to you again.”

Pudding Cup pursed her lips. “Um…yeah. You too.”

“If you…ever want to talk again, you have my number.”

Pudding Cup slightly narrowed her eyes at Police Hat, who gripped the back of his neck with his hand.

“...Just putting that out there.”

“I’ll…consider it.”

Police Hat nodded concisely. “Okay, um…okay. Get back safe.”

“Planning on it. You too.”

Police Hat waved briefly to her and Pudding Cup put up a hand in acknowledgement before they fully turned around to leave, and for the time being, went their separate ways.