"There's a moment between a glance, and a kiss, where the world stops for the briefest of times." - A series of unrelated one-shots to celebrate my 100th fic on Ao3, based off a pairing, occupation, and a colour (with a kiss).
"I don't know why you bother with these places," Kohaku said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "You don't even like coffee."
Shippou flashed him a grin, mischief dancing in his green eyes. "Because messing with humans is fun."
"And yet your best friend is human," Kohaku reminded him, holding the door open as they stepped inside the cafe. "You're going to get us in trouble."
The fox demon waved him off as they approached the counter. "I can get us out of anything we get into."
"You," Kohaku said, kicking the back of his leg. "Any trouble you get us into."
"Same difference." Shippou rattled off a complicated noncaffeinated order to the girl behind the register, sparks falling out of his pocket and swirling around the pastry display. Kohaku kept himself from rolling his eyes, knowing the barista's reaction would range from a gasp to full-on screaming once she noticed the cookies and croissants started dancing.
"Can I interest you in a custom latte today?" a sweet voice asked, drawing his gaze from the display to the girl's face. Warm eyes accented fair skin and an array of freckles, and she looked at him expectantly, a small side ponytail keeping her hair out of her face. "They're my specialty," she added.
Kohaku found himself nodding, cheeks heating as she smiled in delight. He left the design up to her, unable to even stutter out a response. He slid down the line, kicking Shippou again when he gave him a crooked grin. "Should I start practicing love spells?"
He glared at his friend. "Those don't exist."
"Maybe not, but she doesn't need to know that," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
There was a third kick in the kitsune's future, especially when he leaned over the counter and asked for the girl's name.
"Who wants to know?" she asked, setting the first drink down. "Because if it's you, you'll have to wait until your little show is done." She motioned to the display, two cookies currently using bright orange straws as spears, crumbs piling up beneath them with each jab.
Kohaku burst out laughing as Shippou's mouth dropped open.
The girl smirked, hands on her hips. "You'll have to do better than that to scare me, fox boy." She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she walked away, hands moving gracefully over Kohaku's drink.
"Guess it doesn't work on everyone," Kohaku whispered, one cookie slashing the other in half before Shippou waved his hand, both falling over.
"My stepmom's a miko," the girl cut in, setting down the second beverage. "I've known how to see through those kinds of illusions since I was six."
Kohaku whistled low, leaning against the counter. "Outdone by a six-year-old. Guess it's time for another tail." Shippou pursed his lips, grabbing his drink before heading towards the door. He chuckled, then reached for his own, hand pausing at the sight of the girl's portrait blowing him a kiss in creamy foam.
"I'd have given my name if you had asked," she murmured, suddenly entranced with a loose string on her apron.
The heat returned to his cheeks, and he slowly picked up the latte, careful not to spill a drop. "I'm Kohaku."
A soft smile tugged at the girl's lips, quickly warming the brown in her eyes as she met his gaze. "Rin."
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