Hot Chocolate ~ Dirk x Reader

"The Second Ice Age approaches. The temperatures will only get worse, leaving me and all I hold dear to the bitter wind and seething ice. I say my prayers, for I fear this may be the end. I can hear the mighty mammoths footsteps approaching already, my time draws near."

"[Name], would you get dressed and come down here please?"

The girl groaned from underneath her comforter, closing her journal and tucking the pen into the wire spiral.

"Yeah, give me a second!" she called back, throwing the blanket off of her and placing her book on the shelf where it belonged. The blinds were open, and when she glanced out all she saw was the icy window pane, her only barrier against the freezing temperatures outside. She fussed at the very thought of going outside in below zero temperatures. She didn't want to believe it, but getting dressed obviously meant her mother wanted her to go out.

"Sigh and bear it," she told herself. She simply threw on a few layers of clothes, pajama pants and sweaters, followed by her winter coat, hat, scarf, and mittens. Any more clothing and she'd have to roll anywhere she wanted to go, but any less and she'd freeze to death in two seconds. With all the layers, she just might be lucky enough to make it to six.

Waddling down the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed her snow boots from beside the door. Her mother stood by the stove, looking through various boxes on the counter. She sighed and tapped her fingers on the granite counter, and her daughter waited patiently for her to speak.

"Wouldn't you say this is the perfect time for some of my homemade Hot Chocolate?" her mother asked, not taking her eyes off the boxes. [Name] whipped her head around, nodding eagerly. That would drive the thought of the weather right out of her mind! Her mother smiled back, turning and leaning against the counter. 

"I think so too, but I'm all out of baking cocoa. Would you take the car and go up to the store to get me some please?" Groaning. Her mother rolled her eyes and grabbed the keys out of the dish on the counter, jingling them. "Come on, dear, this is one of the only times I'll let you use my car."

[Name] pouted quite clearly, but with a disgruntled sigh, she swiped the keys from her mothers hand and put on her other boot. Her mom giggled and wished her well, and with that she got herself out the front door and ran all the way to the car. Without the wind, it was already below zero, so now it was just an ungodly terror. She got herself in the car and started it up, cranking the heat dials with shivering hands. For a few minutes she waited for the car to warm up, rubbing her hands together. She was lucky that they hadn't put the driving ban on her state, even Mama's hot chocolate wasn't worth walking to the grocery store in this weather.

When the engine was ready to go and the car was heated up, she backed out of the driveway carefully, watching for any ice that may have frozen. With caution she hadn't used in a long time, she began to drive the two-mile journey, keeping at an even 25 miles per hour. It didn't seem like that was a problem, she was the only one on the road. The cold scared people out of their wits, and if she was honest, it was no different with her.

Soon enough, she made it to the grocery store, and though the parking lot was near empty, it was still open. Odd, but fortunate. At least she wasn't coming out here for nothing. She turned the car off and took the key out of the ignition, stepping out once again into the chill. She slammed the door behind her and bolted for the entrance, dodging and jumping over ice patches until she made her way inside the sliding glass doors. It was just as empty inside as it was outside, with only one register open. That poor cashier. 

Wasting no time, [Name] made her way right to the spices aisle and began to search for the Hershey's Cocoa her mother needed. She scanned the aisle with quick footsteps, not focused on anything but simply finding the cocoa and getting the hell out of here and back to the warmth of her bed where she belonged. She was so absorbed in searching for her needed ingredient that she didn't notice the person approaching her until he was tapping on her shoulder.

"Yes?" she turned around only to be greeted with the apathetic expression of one of her school friends. 

"Hey [Name]," Dirk greeted, a tilted smirk on his usually oh-so-stoic features. She smiled back, turning towards the shelf and reaching for the cocoa powder.

"Hello Dirk. What brings you here in this delightful weather?" She turned back to look at him again, arching her brow questionably.

"Oh, it is delightful. My coolness creates a cancellation effect so I remain perfectly fine." She rolled her eyes, and he smiled gently in return. She gestured her head towards the front of the store, walking to the register with the cocoa in hand. Dirk followed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.