Black Bubble Tea 【SoulEater】

.1.

Sona Bordot

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Everyday, the infamous Death The Kid orders black bubble tea on his way to the DMWA. He gets his friends their favorite drinks as well, and carries all eight cups by himself. I've admired him since the attack of Asura- the one no one mentions in Death City as to not spread 'bad luck'- and have never once had a non-work related conversation with him. 

As I watch him enter, the bell above the door ringing me awake, I wonder how he looks so alive and well at six in the morning. He's sporting his usual neatly ironed black suit, the white lines of sanzu prominently contrasting his jet-black hair and burnt-honey eyes. 

"Good morning! Welcome to Pinky's Bubble Tea cafe!", I grin toothily, adjusting my apron proudly.

"Good morning", He nods his head in acknowledgement. "May I please-"

"The usual?", I ask, starting to type it in. "Black for you, honeydew for Maka, passion fruit for Soul, taro for Blackstar, ginger for Liz and Patty, plum for Tsubaki, and strawberry for Crona?"

I start to make his order before he responds, and glance up only for a second to see if his expression had wavered. From neutral to impressed, he rests his chin on his palm, leaning against the counter and watching. I don't mind. It's not as if there's much else to do while you wait. 

"Eight boba pearls for your drink, right?", I ask, counting the pearls carefully. 

"Yes ma'am", He mumbles fondly, just loud enough for me to hear. 

It doesn't take long for me to finish up his order. I set the drinks in their holders the precise way he likes- The first tray has Blackstar's, Tsubaki's, Maka's, and Soul's drinks, and the second has his, Liz, Patty's, and Crona's drinks. I don't ask about the order in which they have to be placed, I just do it. I don't get paid to disregard the customer's interest. 

"Here you go", I chime as he takes the trays, slipping cash across the counter. "Have a nice day!"

"You as well", He picks up the trays, carefully balancing them as he walks, and makes his departure.

The bell rings of his absence, cuing my morning nap. The cafe doesn't get busy until mid-afternoon, which is also when my manager decides to come to work. Managing the cafe isn't hard work, I mean, making boba tea is simple- but it'd be nice to have some company every once in a while. 

My eyelids flutter closed, yet the bell snaps me out of my sleepy trance. I shoot back up, and stare at the door in disbelief- who would come to a bubble tea shop at six in the morning besides Kid??

"Good morning! Welcome to-"

"Help me."

I stare at the man with hair as dark as the night, features as intimidating as I remember, and cower behind the counter, taking a step back to try and compose myself. The owner, the one who had sworn me to secrecy all those years ago, stands before me, blood dripping from his chin to his mud-stained boots. 

"Clyde... No, no, you can't do this in broad daylight! Do you have any idea who just walked in here? The heir to Lord Death! What if I had forgotten a straw and he came waltzing back in and saw you?"

"Then you'd be an incompetent barista and I'd have your blood on me too", He snaps, jumping over the counter and wiping his face with the new towels I specifically bought for the cafe. "Get me my spare clothes from the back."

I give one last glance towards the door, before unlocking the back door and plunging myself into the deep, empty darkness. I whip out my phone, flicking on the flashlight, and shine it on the barren shelves until I spot Clyde's box of spare clothes.