favorite beverage writing wrote: ( 773 / ∞ w )
Citrus loves a large variety of beverages, ranging from bubbly carbonated sodas to warm, herbal teas. Drinks are his favorite part of any meal, as he feels they play a crucial role in the overall taste and tone of the feast.
Citrus does have a favorite drink of all, however—and that’s orange cream soda. He absolutely adores orange flavoring for just about anything, but orange cream soda has his heart. The drink reminds him dearly of his childhood summers, when he’d take breaks back inside the house with a cold, refreshing bottle of bubbly soda. Cream soda is super sweet and delicious, and thanks to the nostalgic throwback it has for him, he loves it.
In his hometown lies his beloved local soda shop, a place he regularly spends time tasting different cream and original sodas. One particularly hot afternoon, Citrus had been enjoying a frosty orange cream soda on a counter stool when a certain viscet walked in.
She seemed energetic as she sauntered promptly up to the ordering counter, asking for a Dr. Pepper. Once the viscet had the glass in her grasp, she took a seat next to him and began sipping away. Citrus didn’t know exactly why, but something felt oddly familiar about how she looked; her markings were distinctively orange, paired with vibrant yellow eyes. He knew he’d seen her sometime before, but he wasn’t sure exactly where or when.
The viscet noticed him glancing over frequently and stopped drinking. “Hey—haven’t I seen you before?” She spoke up, looking as if she was racking her mind for an answer. Citrus nervously broke eye contact and stared down at the bubbles rising within his drink. “Maybe, I think I recognize you too.” He peered back up towards her, “what’s your name?” She sat up a little straighter and grinned haughtily as she responded, “Cinder.”
The name brought up a significantly faded memory of his; one he never realized he nearly forgotten.
It was a humid summer day, and Citrus was practicing climbing towering trees outside his home. He sat back on one of the sturdy branches with a sigh, taking in the new level of sight he was at. He began dozing off when he heard a voice from below him. “Hey!” They called, and he leaned to peer down. A small female viscling stood below at the base of the tree, “wanna play?” He scuffed his way downwards, landing almost ungracefully onto the ground. “Uh, sure. What’s your name?” She shot a proud smile at him, “Cinder! What’s yours?” He forced a smile back at her nervously, “C-citrus.” Cinder punched his shoulder a little too hard and ran, shouting “tag! You’re it!” He winced from the pain but sprinted after her anyways, yelling back “h-hey! That hurt!”
Later that afternoon, the two visclings sat panting in the shade of a tree as Citrus’ mother came out to call him back inside for a break. “Can Cinder come in too?” He pleaded innocently up at her. “Of course, honey. Come on in.” The two visclings followed his mother into the house and were sat at a round table draped with an orange table cloth. Citrus’ mother left the room momentarily, then returned with two bottles of orange cream soda. His face lit up at the sight of the colorful drinks, whereas Cinder tilted her head slightly. “What’s that?” Citrus’ mother warmly smiled, “it’s orange cream soda. Try it!” She set a bottle in front of each viscling and waited. Both grabbed their respective bottles and took a swig; Cinder’s face lit up with delight, and Citrus grinned wide at the taste. “That’s awesome!” He exclaimed and took another drink, relishing in the foamy and bubbly nature of the soda. Little did he know, from that day on it would hold the place of his favorite drink of all.
One thing Citrus remembered the most about first meeting Cinder was that she greatly intimidated him. Whether it was her looks or her behavior, something about her unnerved him, causing him to often be cautious or apprehensive around her. As the two visclings played, though, he grew accustomed to her presence and overcame his daunting feelings.
Presently, though, he felt his fear had somewhat resurfaced. He took a swig of his soda, attempting to overcome it yet again. “What was yours again?” She snapped him back to reality. “It’s Citrus.” He wasn’t quite prepared for the slap on his back that nearly knocked him out of chair—“I knew it was you! How have ya been?” As he recovered, he managed a response.
“Oh, I’ve been alright.”