𝙳𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜? 𝚁𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚜?

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟾

cw: this chapter contains heavy mentions and descriptions of food / drinks! this is somewhat a filler chapter, so please feel free to skip!

It's been quite a while since the whole Aesop situation came about, a few weeks — coming up onto a month, to be exact. It's.. been difficult, but we've managed. I got Aesop a mask, got him a phone, and he's starting to form a better relationship with Brooke! ...Somewhat. Mary's still skeptical, but aside from her.. we all don't seem to mind him very much. He's like a new addition to the friend group! Which is quite nice.

...This is all besides the point — the point is, Aesop's never been out of the apartment aside from going to school. Which.. isn't the best.. at all, so to try and make it up to him, we're going to a coffee shop! kinda cliche, I know.. but it's small, and.. it'll be nice. hopefully.

"..Clark, what is this odor? It is very.. heavy. I do not enjoy it very much."

The demon muttered to me as we stepped into the coffee shop, "Coffee. You wanna try it?"

"..Do you enjoy it? It.. tastes better than it smells, correct? I do not believe I have tasted.. coffee before — though, I have had tea plenty.. this is.. greatly different."

We took a seat as he spoke, voice hushed. I simply nodded as I waited to respond, putting in my earbuds. I extended the other to him as I began to speak, "Mhm, I like it. But, you can add sugar and stuff to make it sweeter.. or stuff like caramel to change the flavor.. kinda."

The boy took the earbud extended to him, popping it into his ear almost immediately. "I see. That is rather.. odd. Although, I suppose I may try it."

"Cool." A faint smile formed upon my face as I spoke, pulling out my earbud which I had just put in — I knew I would have to stand.. so I don't even know why I put it on in the first place. "..Kay, so you just wanna coffee?"

"Indeed, that will suffice." The demon took the loose earbud, holding it tightly between his gloved palms.

I nodded, walking toward the counter and ordering. I simply got two coffees — one iced, one hot, just so the demon could try both. As I spoke to the cashier, and as I paid, I kept looking back towards Aesop, and he was fine, but it was still worrying.. considering how many new people started coming in.

I headed back over to our table, setting down the two coffees as I sat. "There're two kinds, the iced and the hot one," I pointed to each respectively as I spoke, "You can try both if you want."

The boy nodded, tugging at the ends of his sleeves as he looked toward the drinks set in front of him. "I see." He swallowed his now.. somewhat obvious discomfort as he handed me back the earbud he held previously.

"..Thank you." I took the earbud, quickly standing as I put it into my pocket. I grabbed the two drinks, putting them between my arm to hold them. "..Let's go outside. It's less crowded."

I offered my free hand for the other to grab, and with a moment of hesitation, he took it loosely. We made our way outside, sitting down on a nearby bench.

"Which one do you wanna try first?" I set the cups down in between us. I didn't see a reason for letting go of his hand.. I mean, it was kinda nice? So, we just continued holding hands.

"...I suppose this one. It is nearest toward me." He picked up the hot coffee, staring down into it. "It is rather pretty."

"Mhm, it's a nice color.." I picked up the iced coffee, glancing over toward the other.

He fiddled with the mask now resting on his chin, taking a few sips of his drink. "..It is hot."

I drank the iced coffee, chuckling slightly as the other spoke. "Coffee's usually hot, silly." I held out the drink I held, "Wanna try this one? It's cold, you might like it more."

The boy huffed at the name, "I was not aware.." He took the coffee from my grasp, taking small sips out of my cup.

"What do you think?" I tilted my head slightly as I asked the question, head resting in the palm of my free hand.

"..They are both fairly similar, aside from the obvious temperature difference. I suppose I like it. I have not had anything similar before.. so it is rather nice." He stared down into the cup once more, swirling the liquid.

"That's nice." I nodded, "..um, by the way, sorry for.. never like.. taking you out before..? I hadn't realized, ehe."

"Oh. It is alright.. being out is somewhat weird, anyway." He shrugged, setting down the cup in its original place.

"Ah, also, based on what I have learned, as well as your wording.. and our hands intertwined, it makes it seem we are on a date of sorts." He chuckled as he spoke, glancing toward his feet.

I flushed, "..n-no..! that's.. haha, no—" although, the more I thought about it, it probably did look like we were a couple or something..

but.. a real date with Aesop... that didn't sound too bad..?

what am I even thinking...?!

... shit.