Every day. Every single day for two weeks he had come in and stood in line at the Dolorosa's Fika, every day he had gone up to the counter, every day there would always be that mouth smiling that smile and speaking the words, "Yes, and what would you like to have today?". Every day he would order a small latte and every day he would sit down at the same table to see that there was an extra marshmallow on the lid and his name written in small, spiky writing.
Karkat.
He'd only come to this Swedish coffee shop he couldn't even apply an insult to because his piece of shit for a best friend dragged him here to have a date with him as a third wheel. But now he was visiting it almost religiously, he even got up early to make sure that he got here on the same time to see that perfect smiling face at the bar. Luckily, he woke before Sollux and Gamzee anyway, otherwise there would be some serious shit going down about why he was fretting over his wardrobe choices at nine o' clock in the morning.
Jade, they told him her name was. Jade Harley, the girl Nepeta had undoubtedly drawn holding hands with him on her wall showing fantasies about her friends together. This was the first time Karkat had actually wanted any of them to be true, and he felt extremely guitly about it. He had barely spoken two words to her besides his order, and she used to date Feferi, if that sweetened the pot for anyone.
He finished his coffee, as he always did, walked to the door and opened it, as was the usual custom, but he looked at the woman he dreamed about twittering away to her next customer and swallowed before pushing past two people who had started basically hissing at him to walk down the street back to his apartment.
—
Karkat hadn't even opened the door before he knew two people were dryhumping each other on his sofa.
"Are you fucking kidding me guys, would you stop making out with each other for just one bulge-blistering minute and put those ridiculous playback shells to a use other than listening to your headboards break your walls."
"I lost the game, Kar, you know the rule and we still have like at least two minutes left."
"Are you jealous, KK, because we can start the next race now if you like." Sollux lifted himself off Eridan for once and patted the empty space next to him.
Karkat rolled his eyes and sat down. "Your useless rule about the victor and the loser sucking face for ten minutes is what caused everything that is wrong with our fucked up group. And… and…" Karkat gulped and looked to the TV, where the rainbow road end game screen was still playing through. "I-I have no interest in k-kissing anyone other… other than,um,shit, I-"
"Jade," both of them said in union. Neither of them looked surprised.
"How'd you-"
"It's kind of obvious dude."
"Yeah, we've all walked past at some point and everytime you're lookin' at her like she's the lovechild of Venus n' Aphrodite."
"She's close enough!"
"Yeah, so the fact you weren't here in place a us by now is a real surprise, you know." Eridan stood up, brushed himself off, and adjusted his glasses. "Want a drink, Sol."
"Yeah sure."
"You guys disregarding my romance issues makes me feel really reassured that we're going to be having a platonic soul bond for the rest of our pathetic lives."
"We expected you to have watched enough of your pitiful romcom movies to know what to do by now."
"They're not-"
"Ask her out."
"What?"
"Ask her out, thanks, ED." Sollux snapped the tab off the creaming soft drink that Eridan threw him and managed to get all the froth that overflowed from the action, a skill he had been honing ever since the first time he opened a shaken up soft drink thrown to him by his brother.
"But I can't-"
"Kar, you realise the Dolorosa's isn't a fuckin' Starbucks, right?"
"Of cour-"
"And marshmallow's only come with kid's hot chocolates, right?"
"Well ye-"
"Hmmm. And yet every day she gives you one and even goes to the extra effort to pick up a pen and write your weird-ass name on the cup."
"How did you even know what I order."
"Jade told us. And she never talks about anything than her science class and whining about how much she misses Bec," said Sollux. It was obvious by his tone that he was tired by this talk, as if he was helping some lovesick teenager on his quest to non-virginity.
"Yeah, so we ain't exactly sure why you're not fuckin' as much as Gamzee and Tavros."
"B-because, well… it's not like she's going to accept, a marshmallow isn't some sort of universal symbol of love or anything, maybe she gives it to everyone who orders a latte, she's a really nice person you know?"
Eridan snickered. "You've got it hard for her. This isn't like you at all. When Terezi went out with you, you were like, the guru of unwanted dating advice."
"Do you know how stupid-"
"Just ask her ou-" Karkat punched him in the shoulder for interrupting him for the sixth time and stormed off to his room to salvage any courage he had left to even look at Jade again.
—
He did go into the Dolorosa's the next morning, but still had only the intentions to ogle at Jade with no romantic advances whatsoever, no matter what may or may have not happened when hemay have or may have not went out with Terezi.
"Hi Karkat!"
"H-huh?" Karkat blinked at Jade, hardly even noticing he had reached the front of the line. He instantly blushed at her smile and looked away. "Hello, Jade."
"A latte, right? Here!" She held out a cup, and Karkat took it with shaky hands.
"Th-thanks."
"Oh, I almost forgot your marshmallow, here you go!" She leaned a little bit further over the counter with the aforementioned sweet in her fingers, and held it up to Karkat's mouth.
His mouth opened as he was about to say something, but before he could, she popped it in his mouth and went back behind the bar.
Karkat backed suddenly into the person behind him, apologised gruffly and went close to running out the door.
"Call me!" Jade shouted after him, and Karkat quickly strode off down the street. When he felt calm enough to slow down, he wondered what Jade meant by her last sentance. Then he looked down at his cup, and saw something extra on his drink besides his name.
Hey Karkat, since you never talk to me, I thought it would be easier to do in private! :B
His heart lept as he saw the eight numbers beneath the message.
Her phone number. She had given him her phone number and Karkat had probably never blushed harder.