amperor | INBOX (labyrinthum)

Somehow, Ken wasn't sure how that statement. As he continued to back away from the machine, he was fully expecting something to happen. Watching the coffee drop down to the container, it was starting to feel like it was supposed to. The air was smelling like coffee and yet, he was still suspicious of it.

"Are you sure? It still sounds like something went wrong."

But then again, who was he to say that? He was only 10 and drank instant coffee.

"Well, nothing is blowing up or burning, so..."

Those are his two criteria for something going wrong. After a moment he perks up a bit.

"Oh, we should get out cups. You take your coffee black, right?"

Akihiko doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, but he tends to like milk or cream in his coffee.

Well, he was right, everything seemed to be okay. Even now with how much the coffee maker was making the same gurgling sound, it seemed like everything was normal.

"Yes, that's right."

He gave a him a look. Yes, he does like to drink his coffee black. He wasn't a kid who can't handle the bitterness!

Edited 2025-08-03 22:30 (UTC)

AKihiko meets the look with a shrug as he finds a container of cream in Shinji's fridge and pulls it out, setting it on the counter. He doesn't like sugar in his, but he doesn't take it black, either.

He finds two cups - one red, one orange - and sets them on the counter. As he does so, the coffeemaker starts getting louder, and Akihiko shoots it another alarmed look. After a moment, though, it seems to turn off; maybe it was the last of the water boiling off?

With the last loud noise heard, Ken gave a small wince. Was it supposed to do that? Who knew that making coffee would be this intense? Especially when the sounds make it seem as though the machine was dying. He knew it wasn't but it was enough to make him wonder. Is this what adults listen to all day long in coffee shops?

"Thanks, Sanada-san." He said before getting his orange cup. "...You sure that machine is going to be okay?"

"I think it'll be fine," Akihiko says, projecting confidence even as he gives the machine a slightly dubious once over. When it doesn't produce anymore noises other than a click as it turns the warmer on, Akihiko finally reaches out. He picks up the pot and pours his cup three quarters full, then gestures for Ken to hold his out or set it on the counter.

"Say when," he instructs before he starts pouring.

"When...?"

Ken wasn't too sure about how this coffee would turn out. At first he seemed confident that he knew what he was doing. But now, it was starting to question everything. Especially now when it was almost up to the top.

"....And I'll have to black." Will he regret this??

They'll probably both regret this.

Akihiko stops when Ken says so and sets the coffee pot back on the warmer. Then he adds the milk to his and stirs it, finally picking up his cup and clinking it against Ken's gently.

"Itadakimasu."

With that, he takes a sip... and grimaces almost immediately. It's very bitter. What'd he do wrong???

It was then that Ken froze midway when he was about to drink it. Looking at Akihiko's face, he immediately looked at the cup of coffee before regret slowly started to sink in.

"...Are you okay, Sanada-san?"

If he got it black, he didn't want to think how bitter it was compared to his senpai.

He takes another sip to test and it's not any better the first time. He sets it down with the grimace still on his face.

"It's really bitter."

To the point that he's looking for a container of sugar if he's going to drink this, actually.

Ken didn't say anything. He simply looked at Akihiko and then back at the coffee.

"....Would more milk and sugar help...?"

He hasn't even tasted his own coffee and he was wondering if he should even bother!

"I hope so. But I don't think I did it right. It tastes worse than the instant stuff."

Akihiko finds the sugar and sets it down, with a small sigh.

"Sorry. Guess it isn't as simple as it seemed."

"No, it's fine! The important thing is that we tried, right?"

But then again, this was him trying to be optimistic. Looking at his coffee, that's when he finally took a sip. In an instant, Ken winced badly as he tried his hardest not to cough it out.

"...Even if it taste really bad."

Ken's words seem to bolster Akihiko a little, and he smiles without hiding it, though he laughs a little bit at the cough.

"How about this," he offers. "We stop trying to drink what's obviously already messed up. I'll take us to a coffee shop and we can get something decent; maybe they'll give us some pointers if we ask nicely, too."

Edited 2025-09-12 02:22 (UTC)

It did hurt a little bit knowing that they messed up with the coffee. However, he knew that he had to get better. With a sigh, he nodded.

"....I think that would be a good idea. Hopefully the next time we do this, we can make it better."

Otherwise, he wasn't sure how he could make a good cup of coffee without messing up again.

"We will. It's just like anything else - it takes practice, and learning what works and what doesn't."

At least Akihiko sounds firm in that belief. For now, he takes Ken's cup and his own, putting them in the sink, and ushering them out the door.

... Leaving the coffee for Shinjiro to discover.

INBOX (labyrinthum)

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i love getting to describe how wild a coffee maker sounds to people

Insert loud gurgling noises here

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wrap?