Work Text:
"It's Red Cup Day."
Willy looked up from his paperwork and raised a brow. Terence closed the office doors behind him and made his way to the wooden desk. Glancing down at the papers scattered there, Terence could hardly make heads nor tails of the writing, but he assumed it was all legal work. The state of the poor desk suggested Willy was beside himself with boredom. Terence recalled Willy explaining how he hated doing paperwork, and how Doris hated him doing paperwork, so this might be a good moment for what Terence was going to suggest. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets Terence looked Willy in the eye.
"It's Red Cup Day at Starbucks. Buy a seasonal drink and they give you a free red cup."
Putting down his pen, Willy drew his legs onto the chair and stretched his arms out before wrapping them around his knees. "A red cup? Starbucks™ going Solo™ are they?"
"Nah," Terence grinned. "It's not a Solo™ cup. It's a Starbucks logo cup, with a white lid. It has little white stars and snowflakes on it."
"Gripping. And?"
Terence quirked a brow. "And?"
"And you brought this up." Willy looked puzzled. "So what's up?"
Terence could see the cogs turning in Willy's head. He smirked and pulled up one of the chairs, bringing it next to the desk before sitting down. "It's seasonal… A once a year type deal. This is the 25th anniversary."
"And?"
"And people collect these cups."
Smiling like a cat eyeing a canary, Willy adjusted in his seat, facing towards his friend. "Do you collect these cups?"
Terence shrugged. He studied the man before him, sitting on his little throne, thinking. "No, but there's always time to start. This could be our first year."
"Our first year?" Willy giggled. "Do I seem like the type to drink coffee? I'm already out of hand in most people's opinion, though not mine… Imagine what caffeine would do to me! I'd be bouncing around like a jumping bean!" His giggles turned into laughter at the thought.
Terence smiled. "They have other seasonal drinks, like tea and hot chocolate."
"Hot Chocolate! My dear fellow, I am Willy Wonka. The hot chocolate I make is pure perfection! Why on earth would I need any other?" His aura turned smug and playful, and unwrapping his arms from his knees, he rested his chin in the palm of his hand and smiled.
"Alright," agreed Terence, "that's fair. But I raise you this: Why go all the way to France for stained-glass windows when you could just as well go to a regular old church?"
"That was for study, and, as I told you, my dear fellow, Chartres has the prettiest blue on stained-glass you will ever see."
"You could just as easily have gone to a church here and studied the windows, is what I'm saying."
Terence watched Willy plant his feet on the floor, cross his arms, lean back and snicker. "No, I couldn't, dear chap, and neither could you. Chartres is the only cathedral in the world with that color blue, and besides, it's a lot more exciting traveling to France than to outside my door!"
By now, the edge in Willy's voice could cut. Terence crossed his arms, mirroring Willy. "That's what I'm saying! The adventure of going to France… To Chartres… Wouldn't you say that was the cherry on top? Going on an adventure, and making a memory?"
"Well…" Willy pondered, his feet sneaking back up onto his chair, his arms again around his knees as he considered. "I get it. You're sneaky. You're suggesting cup capturing might be an adventure?"
Terence nodded and sat up. "We could start our own little tradition, going out every year just for the red cups. We'd be marking every year reunited, and making a memory. Our own little adventure, with a souvenir. Plus, warm drinks on a cold day... What could be better right now?"
Dropping his forehead to his knees, Willy burst into a fit of giggles. Probably panic. Terence shrugged and turned his head towards the floor-to-ceiling window behind him. He'd tried. He'd let it rest. It was getting dark, and the snow was falling again, as it had off-and-on all day. Hearing the chair squeak behind him, Terence turned to see Willy stacking papers. Once they were sorted into piles, Willy stood up and leaned back into a stretch. "Let's go then! I don't readily think of red cups as you, but, adventure readily is, and I'm game for that, even if it is local. I'm sure not many people are in a coffee shop this late in the day, so that makes it a perfect opportunity to go unnoticed!"
Terence nodded and stood, putting his chair back by the couch. Willy grabbed his coat and top hat before taking his cane and leading Terence out of the office. The chocolatier practically skipped down the hall towards the Great Glass Elevator, Terence in tow. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as they stepped in, Willy swirling his finger before finding the button he was looking for and pushing it.
After stepping out of the warm entrance, the cold air hit like a ton of bricks, a wake-up call as they entered the real world. Terence glanced up towards the sky, admiring the pinks clashing softly with the oranges of the setting sun. The snow squall had passed. Willy looked up as well, smiling at his friend's simple enjoyment. However harsh it could be, the real world offered some wonders. The two set off, Willy striking up a merry conversation about Terence's beverage preferences.
Ordering the drinks was easier than Willy had anticipated. Save for the two baristas working the counter and an older woman reading a book by the frosted windows, the café was deserted. Willy had slipped on a pair of shades at the last second, intent on letting Terence do the talking. He watched Terence order a Peppermint Hot Chocolate for him, and then a Peppermint Mocha for himself. The barista only raised a brow at Willy before shrugging and accepting payment from him. She then handed Terence the two red cups with their white lids and left to make their drinks. The two walked to the end of the counter to wait, the two baristas glancing at the odd pair only once. Terence handed Willy one of the empty cups and smirked.
Year One.