A/N: Two things –
First, I know that I used Starbucks in here instead of Deathbucks! Get over it! I bet Deathbucks doesn't have discounts on refills with reusable mugs or maybe they do. But I used Starbucks and you will move on with your life.
Second, I know it is so bizarre to think of why I wrote this. I got the inspiration from my dad. I hate coffee and my dad spends his free time trying to convince me into drinking it because he says it will be very convenient for me when I go into a college dorm when I do not have enough time to make tea and whatnot.
So I tried Starbuck's Veranda coffee blend. It smelled nice but tasted as usual, bitter like black coffee. Even with creamers it still tasted gaudy. So my dad joked about me putting Nutella in because I am a huge fan of it. I tried it to make him satisfied and found out that it tasted rich, creamy and the Nutella just made the coffee my new favorite because it added volume and depth to the thin liquid.
-x-
The students had an important final in Stein's class coming up. And when there was any kind of test given out by him, it was hard and it was epic. Luckily, Maka knew how to pass all of his tests with a straight one hundred percent.
Want to know her secret? Cram study session at Starbucks. And not at the last minute. The moment they are told to go and study is when she hits the books while everyone else just lingers off and worries last minute.
Maka coughed. The autumn day was cold and crispy and the rest of the athletic gang in her friends were playing basketball. Maka rolled her eyes and she adjusted her bag over her shoulder.
"Crazy people, playing sports out in the cold," Maka mumbled. She then saw the source of her destination.
In this crispy cold weather, the store front shined even brighter than the grinning sun.
"Starbucks is equal to heaven," Maka murmured in a daze and she went to the shop as if there was a spell casted upon her.
Maka opened the door, the door chiming to signify that another customer came in. Some of the employees were happy to see another source of money income. Some people glared at her when they realized she would occupy another table for a long time.
Maka paid nobody a heed and she dumped her heavy bag down on a table and waited. Just when she decided to go get up and wait in the line to order something, a waitress came up to her, smiled and took out a pad and a pen.
"Hello Miss! What shall I get for you?" She asked cheerfully. Maka thought about it.
Tea surfaced to her mind, and it was the only source of caffeine she takes in because coffee is too strong ad too bitter for her. But she is so tired that she needs all the kick from caffeine she can get.
"Coffee," Maka said.
"Decaf?" she asked, nodding as she wrote down the order.
Maka almost snorted. If the coffee didn't have any caffeine then it would be a complete waste to buy coffee! She would just sit there like a fool and suffer the bitter taste.
"No, just the regular," Maka politely smiled. The girl grinned, and tucked away her notebook and nodded before walking off.
When Maka cracked open her first textbook and read a few pages, the waitress came back with a tall cup. Maka looked at the waitress with a surprised look and the young lady sheepishly smiled before saying, "You looked tired so I snagged the largest cup."
The heavy and thick atmosphere presumed and then the waitress nervously asked, "Would you like to buy this reusable mug? You get 50 percent off all of your drinks here!"
"This includes coffee?" Maka asked.
"Yes!" She beamed.
Maka looked at the price tag of the mug. Twenty brainwashing dollars. She had a twenty five. Enough to buy a mug and two refills. But then again if she got discounts she could drink as much as she needed during the next three weeks.
"Fine," Maka sighed.
"Good!" the girl beamed and ringed Maka's purchase. She poured the coffee into it and left some creamers.
"Me and my craving for caffeine," Maka grumbled as she poured some creamers and tried to drink it and enjoy it. A big fail.
"Hey Maka. Woah you bought the mug," a soft voice came. Maka looked and turned to see Death the Kid.
"I need all the kick I can get," Maka whispered.
Kid chuckled and sat in front of Maka. Without warning he took a book and started reading it, irking Maka a little.
"Don't you have your own books?" Maka asked, "And better yet don't you know the material already? And why are you here?"
"I know," Kid smiled, "But sharing is caring. And I know the material but I like to sit here with you and study rather than play shirts and skins with the others in basketball."
"That game has just gotten steamier," Maka rolled her eyes.
"OMG," Kid tried to talk like a flirty teenage girl and resulted in getting elbowed perfectly in the stomach so he couldn't complain about asymmetry.
"Ah shut up," Maka smiled and took another sip of her cup and winced at the gaudy taste of coffee and creamers."
"I wouldn't drink coffee with just creamers," Kid said.
"Oh what do you advise, O Wise One?" Maka sarcastically begged.
"Nutella," Kid chuckled.
"Chocolate spread?" Maka asked incredulously.
"With hazelnuts and milk, genius!" Kid smirked and Maka rolled her eyes.
Kid took the jar out of his bag and smiled proudly as if the jar were a Nobel Prize and said, "The secret to making coffee a lot creamier."
"I don't buy it," Maka shook her head.
"Look, let me try it with your coffee and you have a sip of it yourself. If you still think it is not worth your tastes, then I will buy you the next coffee. But if you like it, I will give you this jar," Kid smirked.
Maka groaned and the way Kid summed up the bet, it looked like she wouldn't lose anything. So what was there to gamble?
"Fine," Maka sighed. Kid grinned at her and opened the lid of the jar and opened the foil, signifying a new jar. He took a spoon and put a lump of the chocolate spread into Maka's coffee.
Kid then carefully mixed it and made sure the coffee blended perfectly with the chocolate. When the coffee with creamers changed from a light tan to a creamy brown, Maka raised an eyebrow. Kid stopped stirring and he handed the mug back to Maka and beamed.
"Take a sip and see for yourself," Kid smiled. Maka didn't know what he was all excited about. It was just coffee.
Maka rolled her eyes and brought the mug towards her lips. When she tasted it, she didn't find it too sweet like she hoped.
Maka was about to tell Kid he lost when the flavors of Nutella kicked in. It was rich, creamy and a little on the sweet side. Something that made her insides bubble in happiness. Kid eyed her facial expressions and grinned to himself.
"How did you like it?" Kid asked.
"Not… very sweet," Maka mumbled.
"It isn't supposed to be," Kid admitted, "It is supposed to be more creamy and satisfying."
"Oh the joys," Maka drawled, and she took another sip and she found herself smiling unconsciously.
"You like it, right?" Kid grinned and passed her the jar. Maka looked at him in astonishment.
"I couldn't take it!" Maka insisted, trying to push it back.
"I bought it, and was about to use it. But I think you need it more than I do. And look!" Kid pointed at the package, "They come in pairs! So when you finish this jar, you can have the other one!"
Maka felt guilty and she said, "I feel bad for taking it."
Kid smiled and kind of blushed and said, "Hey, this is what friends are for, right?"
Maka eyed Kid suspiciously. Although he was generous, he never bought stuff for other people and gave it to them freely.
"Kid," Maka patiently started, "The last time I checked the definition of 'friends' with you, you said friends are there to give you ideas, not ideas and free stuff."
Kid blushed. Maka was right. But he couldn't confess now!
"Well?" Maka pressed.
Kid blushed and looked at his wrist watch. He nervously sputtered, "W-Well would you l-look at t-the time! Gotta go!"
Kid dashed out of the café before Maka could stop him.
"What an odd boy," Maka murmured.
-x-
"Hey Maka," Soul called.
"Yeah?" Maka asked.
"Gonna go for movies with the rest of us?" Soul grinned. Maka sighed and shook her head.
"Nah, I am gonna skip and go to Starbucks," Maka sighed. Soul rolled his eyes.
"You always study. Sometimes you need to have some fun and loosen up," Soul said.
Maka shook her head and said, "No. If I want to be on the top of my class, then I have to study more. You remember what happened when you tried to study last minute, Soul."
Soul remembered that incident and embarrassment came crashing down on him. Maka eyed his change in character and she smirked.
"Told you so," Maka said simply.
"But you have to relax, Maka," Soul sighed.
"After the exams I will relax," Maka said simply.
-x-
Maka came into the café. She took the mug out and bought coffee with it. Maka smiled to herself when she realized that the waitress was right. She really did get a discount!
Maka hummed to herself and she poured in the creamers and mixed in one scoop of Nutella. When the coffee turned from tan to chocolate brown, Maka smiled and took a sip and it was as creamy as she wanted it to be. Kid's idea was not bad, after all!
"I see you like my idea," a smug voice came. Maka turned around and saw Kid. She smiled and waved him over to her seat.
"I guess so," Maka smirked. Kid blushed and sat down.
"So why aren't you with the others?" Kid asked, reading another one of Maka's textbooks.
"Why aren't you?" Maka countered.
"Because I hate studying last minute," Kid smiled.
"Glad to know," Maka smirked. Then she went into studying. She read so much and she would down her coffee very slowly. Kid eyed this and he smirked.
"You know, if you drink it too slow, then all the Nutella will sink to the bottom," Kid snickered. Maka checked it by trying to scoop some with a spoon.
When Kid was laughing, Maka's face turned red. She was tricked!
"Kid! You tricked me!" Maka tried to stay angry but she found herself smiling.
"Oh did I?" Kid laughed.
Maka felt heat crawl up her face. She fought it down with all of the self-control she had but some of it still faintly remained there on her cheeks. Kid was able to bring out forth expressions she never knew she had.
Maka decided, she loved studying before finals. Because she knew Kid would always be there.
-x-
By the time Soul realized how much he would actually have to study, he started to freak out over it. But Maka was close to finishing her study. She just wanted to hang out with Kid at the Starbucks while Soul had tried to beg her to stay.
"No, Soul," Maka said, "I want you to understand what horrible consequences last minute studying has!"
"I know what it does, but please help me!" Soul pleaded.
"Maybe in a few hours. I want to go relax. You relaxed before while I studied," Maka said and she walked out the door before Soul could ruin her happy mood.
Maka hurried over with her mug and coffee mug and Nutella jar and paid for her coffee. She saw Kid sitting on one of the chairs there, and he waved her over to sit next to him. Maka happily complied with the request.
"Hey," Maka whispered, as she mixed in the creamers and Nutella and watched in fascination as the liquid turned into a creamy brown.
"Not studying?" Kid asked.
"No. And what about you?" Maka asked.
"Well I always use your books without permission, so I must be the one asking you," Kid asked and smiled when Maka was the one who had to answer that question.
"I am relaxing," Maka said simply.
"Before a test?" Kid asked.
"What's wrong with it? And I know all the material and I am not freaking out like the others now," Maka smirked.
"True. Liz and Patty are a bit of a headache," Kid sighed.
"Are they studying now?" Maka laughed as she sat down next to Kid.
"Yes," Kid sighed, "And they are making a big ruckus out of it."
"That must be fun," Maka sighed and then said, "Soul is also cramming in last minute as well."
"Oh joy," Kid drawled.
"I don't have anything else to study so I just wanted to see you here. Maybe go see a movie like I should have?" Maka laughed.
Kid smiled and said, "I am sure you brought a book."
"Damn right I did! And I brought one for you as well," Maka smirked as she brought out two thick books out of her bag.
Kid laughed. Maka always came prepared. He knew she always came prepared. And he knew she always picked out books that were his taste as well.
Kid opened the book and started reading. By the time he bobbed his head up to thank Maka for her generosity, the girl was immensely engrossed into the book.
-x-
In the middle of his book, Kid softly snapped his book closed, but of course Maka didn't see him. Kid didn't want her to acknowledge that he stopped reading.
Kid looked into her cup. On top of the creamy brown liquid, was a little foam. It was the dairy creamers forming a little cloud in her drink because Maka neglected her coffee for too long.
Kid scooted the cup towards him and took out a caramel cone out of his pocket. In careful calligraphy, Kid wrote something on there. Then when the calligraphy met his symmetry standards, Kid softly scooted the cup back to Maka. She didn't notice anything because of her immersion in the book.
Kid softly smiled and then said, "Hey, I think you should take a drink out of your coffee. It is starting to foam at the top and I know you hate to waste a good cup of coffee."
Maka immediately snapped out of her trance in the book and beamed at Kid and said, "I should!"
Kid laughed. One thing he loved about Maka was how deeply immersed she can get in a book when it is to her liking. Most of the classical books have this effect on her.
When Maka was about to drink a sip from the cup, she noticed the foam that Kid mentioned. And then she saw perfect golden handwriting on top of that foam, in neat cursive letters.
Maka Albarn, will you do the honor of being my girlfriend?
D.T.K.
Maka's first thoughts when reading the confession was how the hell Kid was able to squeeze such an intricate message into a mug. But then she realized it was a confession coming from the heart. So then at that moment a blush started to climb up her cheeks and Maka looked at Kid who was also blushing.
"Kid, do you mean that?" Maka asked.
"Answer the question," Kid said, embarrassed. Why couldn't he have confessed in a normal way, with flowers, a chick flick and a kiss on the cheek? Under the moonlight confessions are incredibly cheesy and exactly how a normal girl would want. But Maka wasn't normal. She doesn't like the same things a normal girl would like.
Maka's lips curved into a smile and she beamed as she said, "A thousand times yes."
Kid couldn't help it but breathe out in relief. When Maka looked at him confused Kid explained, "I thought you would have wanted to be confessed in the rain or moonlight or after a movie date or something like that. And I confessed over coffee!"
"I am not a normal girl, if that is what you are asking, Kid," Maka smiled, "And you should know me much better than anyone else that I hate cliché confessions. I like uniqueness like calligraphy on food."
Kid smiled and felt a little bit better about himself.
"C'mere," Maka smiled, "And hug me until I finish that book. Let's read together. And I think couples drink out of the same mug."
Kid blushed but nevertheless wrapped his arms around Maka and seated her on his lap. He nestled his chin on her shoulder and would read at exactly her pace and sipped out of Maka's mug when he felt like it.
Who knew that coffee was the new way to confess?
-fin-