Chapter Text
'Do you like cocoa?' Rika calls out from the pantry.
'Whuh-?' Good job, Grusha. 11/10 coolness there.
'Just asking if you like cocoa, no need to panic, hon.' Rika laughs as she pours hot water from the kettle into her mug. 'If you want some, I can make it for ye.'
He was visiting HQ to follow up on some reports he'd submitted last week. Honestly, he was raring to clock out as soon as possible at first but maybe, just maybe, delaying his return isn't too bad either.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Rika was the one spearheading this meeting. Neither does it have anything to do with the fact that Geeta had other urgent matters so Rika was left handling this alone.
'If it's not too much trouble, then I don't mind having some.'
'Any requests? Whipped cream, extra sugar, coffee powder, or something else?' She calls out once more as she picks up a spare mug to make his share.
'Wait, coffee powder?' Grusha thought she'd misspoke.
'You'd be surprised, it tastes surprisingly good. Larry's got a weird knack for food and stuff.'
'Uh... Surprise me? No preferences whatsoever.' He couldn't help the suspicion lacing his voice as he replied. For a report followup that takes like 30 minutes at best, she's amping up the formalities a tad bit too much in his unprofessional opinion.
The opening and closing of drawers and cupboards continue, followed by the rhythmic clinks of metal against porcelain as she stirred her... creation? Concoction? Who knows, to be honest.
At some point she started fiddling with some plastic packaging and she must have messed things up, because a loud bang resounded through the pantry and she cursed under her breath at... whatever happened.
He wonders if he should go to the pantry and give his drink a look before leaving it to fate. Or maybe he should have given the pantry a cursory glance to check that she's not putting inedibles in his cup. Hindsight is truly 20/20, huh.
'Alrighty! 'Ere ya go!' She sets down his mug before him. 'One Rika Special, on the house! Give it a shot.'
Grusha was never a picky eater. He prefers sweeter drinks, but can stomach coffee and tea just fine. He doesn't have a strong preference for specific flavours as long as it's good.
Even then, he has to wonder if cocoa really needs 3 different flavours of whipped cream plus rainbow sprinkles on top of that in order to taste good. Surely there has to be a limit to how much sugar one can consume in one gulp, right? And that's just the toppings he can see above cocoa's surface. If it looks like a jester's fever dream already, who knows what shenanigans are going on down below?
'Thanks...' He manages to force out a brief word of thanks after recovering from the visual omen presented before him. He glances over and sees Rika scooping up a bit of whipped cream and squealing gleefully right before pulling back to chug whatever the hell she made in quick succession.
Grusha is afraid.
'...Just spare me this once.' He mumbles as a prayer of sorts as he braced himself for the inevitable destruction of his stomach. He gingerly brings the mug to his lips and closes his eyes.
Suddenly, Grusha knows what pain and regret taste like.