Anime One-Shots

(Akira Kurusu X Reader) Better?

Slowly smacking your lips together, you did your very best to focus on the different scents and flavors that filled your senses. Try as you might, you couldn't pick out anything particularly special. Sure, the flavor was nice and it seemed balanced, but it was nothing to go crazy over. "This is the new cup, right?"

Standing on the other side of the bar, wearing a messy, striped apron, Akira nodded. "Yes, it is."

"I see." Though you were finding it hard to believe him, you wanted to give Akira the benefit of the doubt. Following his lead, you took another sip of the hot liquid. Yet again, you failed to taste anything different from the last cup he had offered you. Maybe he had made the same type of coffee twice in an attempt to trick you. You wouldn't put it past him. Growing a bit suspicious, you placed the cup onto its saucer and narrowed your eyes at him. "Is this a trick question? Is this the same coffee as last time?"

As Akira lowered the cup from his lips, the thick, a cloud of fragrant steam fogged his glasses completely. Even without being able to see the upper half of his face, his confusion was obvious. "No, it's not a trick question, and no, it's not the same type of coffee." In a way that reminded you a bit of a puppy, he tilted his head to the side. "Why?"

Now that you knew he wasn't just pulling a prank, you actually felt a little disappointed in yourself. Akira had gone through the trouble of making all this coffee, and you couldn't even appreciate it properly. Despite the slight bit of shame you felt, you answered his question honestly. "Because this cup tastes exactly the same to me as the last cup did."

"Really?" After glancing down at the cups, just to make sure he hadn't accidentally switched them up somehow, Akira looked back to you. "Exactly the same? You don't taste any difference in them at all? Not even a little bit?"

"Yes, exactly the same in every single way." You nodded, albeit weakly. "I didn't notice any differences whatsoever."

The small, empty coffee shop suddenly went quiet as Akira took yet another sip. Even after he had finished everything in his cup, he remained silent for several seconds. When he finally spoke again, the amusement in his voice was undeniable. "Me either. I'm glad I'm not the only one." Suddenly smiling, he nodded in agreement. "This one is supposed to have earthy undertones, and this one is supposed to have a floral scent."

"I'm not even sure I know what an earthy undertone is, but they both just taste, and smell, like coffee to me." Yet again, you took a sip from each of the two cup placed before you. The coffee was much better than what you made yourself, but you really didn't notice any earthy, or floral undertones. "Good coffee, but still."

Though he had followed Sojiro's instructions to a T, Akira still felt the need to double check the directions. It didn't make sense that neither of you would be able to taste a difference in the coffee. Both of your tongues couldn't be that unrefined, could they? "Maybe I'm making it wrong. I could have missed a step somewhere along the way."

"I really doubt that's what's going on here." With a flick of your wrist, you brushed aside his concerns. "It's probably pretty hard to screw up coffee, especially when you've got all the directions right in front of you."

"You probably shouldn't ever say anything like that to Sojiro." With an expression that was a mixture of amusement and worry, Akira grabbed another tin of coffee, turned away from you, and walked deeper into the small kitchen. "He wouldn't take it well."

"He probably wouldn't let me back in the shop if he heard me say something like that. Either that, who he'd give me a whole history lesson on coffee." As you spoke, you watched Akira's movements. He looked like he was getting everything ready to brew yet another flavor of coffee. In slight disbelief, you looked up at the clock. It was already past 10pm. While it wasn't necessarily late, it was far too late to be binge drinking coffees. At this hour, you should have been heading home, not ingesting even more caffeine. "You're not going to make another cup for us, are you? Where already two cups in, if you make a third cup, neither of us will be able to sleep tonight."

Already too far into the process to stop now, Akira just shrugged. "We've only taken a few sips from the others. I think it'll be okay."

You knew all too well that just the small amount you had already drank was going to be enough to make sleeping difficult. There was no way you could drink anymore and even hope to get to sleep. "Unless that's decaf, I really doubt it."

"Oh, right. Decaf." As if he had completely forgotten about that possibility until you'd mentioned it, his eyes slowly drifted to the large shelf full of decaf coffees. "Why didn't I think of that?" In an almost embarrassed way, he ran his fingers through his messy black hair and smiled. "It's too late now though."

You wanted to be upset with him, or at least a little annoyed, but you couldn't be. If only he wasn't smiling at you like that, you might have had a chance. "If I can't sleep, I'm going to text you all night long just to spite you. If I don't sleep, neither of us sleep."

"Fair enough." Now fully focused on finishing up what you hoped would be the last two cups of coffee, he agreed without a second thought. "I'm not going to promise that I won't turn my phone on silent though."

"You wouldn't dare." Though he couldn't see it, you glared at him fiercely.

Without so much as acknowledging your last sentence, he placed the saucer in front of you with a smile. For a third time now, your senses filled with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. "Drink up."

I'm serious you know. Don't you dare turn your phone off. Try it and you'll regret it." Still glaring directly at him, you picked up the cup and brought it to your lips. As soon as you did this, the scalding liquid just barely grazed your lips. "Gah, that's hot!" Jerking the cup away so quickly you almost spilled it all over yourself, you placed it back on the bar and gently touched your burned lip with your fingertips. "T-that's a lot hotter than I thought it would be."

"Did you burn yourself? Let me see." Leaning over the bar, Akira took your chin in his hand and softly ran his thumb over your lips, causing a strange, but not unpleasant tingling sensation.

You weren't sure if it was embarrassment, or the fact that he was so close to you, but something was making your heart race. It was beating so hard and so fast, you could feel it in your throat. "It's just my lip. Not a big deal."

"It looks a little bit red, but it should heal in no time. But, just to be sure..." Tilting your chin up, just slightly, Akira leaned down and pressed his lips to yours. You were so surprised by the kiss, you completely forgot about the fact that you'd hurt yourself. If that was his plan, it had certainly worked. Now holding your face in his hands, Akira slowly brought his kiss to an end. Refusing to release you just yet, he fixed his eyes on yours. Immediately, you caught a little shimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Did that help at all?"

Why did he have to ask you something like that? Was he just trying to embarrass you now? That had to be it. There was no other reason. At least, none that you could think of. That being said, thinking at all was proving to be just a bit difficult at the moment. "No, but at least now the rest of my body is just as hot as my lip."

"Hmm, I see." Once again, Akira brought himself closer to you. "Then maybe I should try again."

Leaning back in your seat, you quickly started shaking your head. It wasn't that you weren't okay with Akira kissing you, he had kissed you before, but the door to this shop was made of glass. Anyone that happened to walk by would get a front row seat to the kiss, and that, you didn't want at all. Especially when you weren't technically even supposed to be here. "On second thought, I think it did help. I feel completely fine now. It's a miracle."

"Oh really?" Smirking as if he had expected this all along, Akira finally stood up straight, giving you some much needed personal space. "Then I'm glad I could help."

"Yeah." Face still burning from the unexpected kiss, you bravely lifted the cup from its saucer once more. Before attempting to take a sip, you closed your eyes and quiet mumbled into your coffee. "I'm sure you are."