"I'm getting some hot chocolate. You want some too?"

"Hot chocolate? Really? Kiddie drinks?" Cedric smirked as he flipped his book and turned to his side to see Sofia wearing her comfy warm coat with her hair tied to pigtails. He looked out the window, and almost everything was white with the winter morning snow. But despite this, the workshop was really warm and heated with the heating crystals in every corner

He didn't feel cold whatsoever, but he might as well take a break and have some hot drink

"Get me coffee, Sofia" he uttered to her

Somehow, uncertainty came to Sofia upon hearing that. Her eyebrow raises as she looked at him

"Uhm… I thought you hated coffee, Mr. Ceedric?" he bubbled in doubt "The last time, you said it tasted bitter and it was disrespecting your tongue with how it tasted"

Tensed, Cedric's eyes widened hearing this. Everything she was saying was true and he knew it well

"And then.. you said adults are goofy for liking such a drink" she continued. A giggle came out of her all of a sudden "Which is funny because you're an adult yourself… hee-hee!"

"JUST!" Cedric exclaimed, finally having enough of the girl's jest "Get me some coffee, Princess Sofia…"

"Pretty please" he pleaded with pleading eyes

"Fine…" Sofia rolled her eyes playfully upon seeing this "But only because you said please" she made her way out the workshop by the door

Sighing to himself, he turned his attention back to the book he was reading. As his eyes followed every word strewn on the pavement paper, it didn't take long for him to feel the comfort and daze of the winter morning

He started thinking of the things he wants to do this year, perhaps anything snow related. He figured he oughta make a new potion about winterstice and stuff..

His sinister thoughts made his way into him again as a smirk forms on his face

"Perhaps a spell that can help me steal the am–"

Suddenly, a cold hand reaches his cheek which made him flinch

"Hee-hee!"

A certain cheery giggle that he knew very well made him frown. He turned to her, and the warm steam brushes his face

Her sly grin caught his gaze and she stared giggling again "You were so focused into thinking about something and making a goofy face that I couldn't help myself"

"Dang, you got the whole squad laughing, Sofia" he said in a stoic face, clearly sarcasm. Sofia was a naïve little girl, and so she assumed he meant it

"Here's your coffee" she hummed, as Cedric eagerly accepted the cup from her.

The little girl sat across Cedric on the table as she takes a quick sip of her hot chocolate. Cedric watches carefully with how she seemed contented with hers, meanwhile, he wasn't with his. Sofia then turned to Cedric upon noticing he hasn't drank his coffee yet

"What's wrong… I thought you wanted coffee?"

"I DO WANT COFFEE" he exclaimed in defiance "I'm just… waiting for it to simmer down.. and all.."

"Simmer down huh…" Sofia takes a quick sip of her hot chocolate as she gives him her signature leer of suspicion

"This is what adults drink, not kiddie stuff." He proudly stated

A few moments later and Cedric still hasn't taken a sip of his hot coffee. It's gotten to a point where he has gotten uncomfortable over the little girl's watchful stare towards him

Finally had enough, Cedric decided to take a quick sip of his coffee. And the moment, his tongue reaches the hot liquid… and it was surprisingly not bad as he thought.

He did it again, and it actually tasted quite nice

A smile forms on his face as he takes another sip from the supposedly "coffee", and it didn't taste anything like a traditional one would. Perhaps he has gotten to it already – either ways, he was happy about it

His gaze lands on the princess watching him with a proud look on her face. Perhaps it was because Sofia made it that she adjusted it so he would like the coffee

"I appreciate this, Sofia" Cedric uttered as he takes another sip

"Appreciate what?" she raised her eyebrow in curiosity

"I appreciate you making the coffee like this for me" he said in response

.

.

.

"That's the thing though…" Sofia bubbled in as she puts her mug down on the table

"That's not coffee, Mr. Ceedric…"

.

.

.

"What?"

"That's hot chocolate, the same as mine" she grinned as she pointed his mug "So basically, you saying you like the drink I gave you is you admitting you like hot chocolate.."

"N-No I don't.." He looked away in embarrassment as he presented the mug back to her and wiped his lips "It tastes awful actually.."

"Aha-ha-ha! It's too late for that now!" She giggled cheerily as she pushed the mug back to him "Just drink it.." she then leaned in closer to whisper something to his ear "I promise I won't tell anyone that our Royal Sorcerer likes kiddie drinks"

"Wha.." Cedric looked very embarrassed in that moment as he looked at the snow falling outside. He felt humiliated and played. The squirt has done it again, and he fell right into her trap yet again

"Don't you have anything better to do today, Princess?" he scowled as he drank more of his kiddie drink

"Not really" Sofia hummed softly as he gazed unto the same window Cedric was looking out on "It's a winter morning, so I'd like to just rest"

It was snowing outside, which brought a whole new ambient feeling inside. And with their hot drinks, the cold seemed nothing. Cedric smiled, days like this are his favorite where he could just do nothing and watch time pass by. No more were the days where he could do whatever he wants without repercussions. This was basically how he thought his years of being the Royal Sorcerer would be like just a year ago. But clearly, he was wrong

He turns to the girl beside her, and he was certain. This Winter, there was no way that was gonna happen.. not with this certain squirt on his tail

Sofia finally notices him and smiles "Mr. Ceedric?"

He smirked and gave the girl a soft scratch on her head which she was very ticklish of. Her giggles filled the tower, so did Cedric's laughs as the duo spent their winter morning in an awfully childish way

~ d~

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"You do realize what you're doing is procrastinating right? Something lazy people do?"

"Procrastinating""

"Eventually, you'd end up like me. A lazy bum who stays indoors for days"

"Hee-hee! Then I get to stay here in the workshop all the time then!"

"Yeah never mind. Go and be productive, Sofia."

"Oh come on, Mr. Ceedric... Why do you hate me being here so bad?"

"How would you feel if I somehow started hanging out in your room and never wanting to leave?"

"I'd be happy with that, Mr. Ceedric. I get to have my own personal Mini-Mr. Ceedric!"

A grimace immediately fell unto the Cedric's face as he turned to her. And just like that, a certain eerie feeling made him chill all over

"I-I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear that.."