[PRP] This is an interrogation (Xiu / Edel)

[Zyphiris]

The door chimed as she entered. The frost demon was looking a little less composed than she normally was, having had to rush down before opening hours were over.

"I hope you got my message?" she asked nervously, tucking a stray lock of hair away as she adjusted her attire. In her hands were an assortment of shopping bags from certain high-end brands (none that were of ladies fashion, of note), and a wine bottle peeking out of another.

"I can't believe I nearly forgot about the cake," she exhaled. It had been a long day of running around and getting things done for her.

Kaiyumi

lmao Xiu have at her

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu had found the timing of Edel's texts to be quite amusing, but she had immediately got to work thinking about which cake would suit her friend's need. She was definitely no wine expert, but she was at least able to pick out a few that she thought would go well together for Edel to choose from. After setting them aside in a separate fridge in the back, the ghoul went on with her day and serving the other customers.

The frost demoness' arrival was met with a smile, one that became sympathetic when Xiu's gaze flickered down to the sheer amount of bags that the other ghoul held. "Busy day? Can I get you some tea or some water to relax with? I already set aside a few cakes for you to pick from."

Despite how naturally she was speaking to her now, Xiu couldn't help but let her thoughts flicker to her earlier conversation with Ivar now that Edel was right in front of her. Ducking into the back to retrieve the cakes, she casually cleared her throat upon emerging from the kitchen.

"What's the occasion anyways, if I may ask? That was a rather panicky text you sent me!"

Zyphiris

 

[Zyphiris]

"Just some water would do, thank you," she nodded, lining up the bags on the floor before settling down at a window seat. She had barely begun to stretch out her legs when Xiu's question caused her to freeze.

"It's, uh, the one year anniversary of our business partnership," she made clear to emphasize on that point, "And also a birthday." The frost demon didn't specify whose, but it was clear enough.

Letting out a nervous laugh, she continued, "You know, he really does think highly of your cakes. If only you know how picky he is." She drummed her fingers on the table absentmindedly, staring at Xiu with a :> smile.

Kaiyumi

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu poured out a glass of water and brought it over to the ghoul, trying to keep her expression as natural as she possibly could. "Oh, that's sweet! I didn't know that business anniversaries were usually celebrated," she chirped, though the reality of the matter was that she was well aware that that was a semi-common thing thanks to her own family's business, "But goodness, I wish I had known about the birthday bit sooner."

That second part wasn't a lie--the baku's brows creased a little at the news, immediately regretting having not prepared some kind of present ahead of time. She knew that it wouldn't have been expected of her, but she certainly would have wanted to offer some sort of special gift anyways.

"I really am flattered that he likes my cakes so much," Xiu smiled, ducking her head down in embarrassment. Shaking it away, she took a little breath and then continued on, "But wow, the way you say that makes me think that you've known one another for more than a year if you've become so familiar with his pickiness!"

:3c

Zyphiris

 

[Zyphiris]

"Oh, he prefers to keep it a quiet affair," she replied a little too quickly, before realising the implications of what it meant that she was privy to it. "I-I will happily relay the well wishes though," she stuttered, all while trying to laugh it off unsuccessfully.

"Well I do work with him," she reasoned, sounding a little nonchalant, "His pickiness extends to everything, believe me..." She gestured to the multiple bags on the floor. "And this is me hoping that he'd like at least something amongst these..."

Kaiyumi

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu tried not to grin. Ivar liked to keep his birthdays as a quiet affair, huh? And yet Edel was given the privilege of spending it with him. Even if she hadn't spoken to the man earlier that day, if anything would have made her wonder all the more about their relationship, it would have been this little revelation.

"I'm sure that you've picked well," she assured the ghoul with a warm smile, "I think it's mostly the sentiment that counts. So long as it's something from you, I'm certain that he'd be happy." She made sure that it was a subtle enough comment, head tilted and eyes wide with innocence as she said it. Xiu was trying to take great care to keep her promise and not actually divulge what she had learned while trying to figure out Edel's own feelings on the matter.

...Not that it was exactly her business, but well.

"It seems you put so much thought into each of the gifts," she added, honestly impressed by the sheer number, "You must have taken your time to pick them all out!"

Zyphiris

 

[Zyphiris]

Edel sighed, and admitted while smiling, "Some of them were picked by proxy, I simply asked for recommendations based on what he'd liked previously." The ghoul had been very determined to choose a more than adequate gift. Especially considering what she had received from him....

The following comment by Xiu caused the ghoul to pause, eying the baku with curiosity. "I hope so, we happen to share the same tastes and interests surprisingly ..." she evaded.

The frost demon had sensed by now that Xiu had been egging at something. Leaning back into her seat, she squinted at the other ghoul who was smiling way too happily.

"Xiu...."

What was she trying to imply here, hm?

Kaiyumi

living in the nile...

 

[Kaiyumi]

Clasping her hands together, Xiu tilted her head even further and blinked owlishly at the other ghoul.

"...Edel?" she chirped back in response to her own name, looking like the perfect picture of confused innocence. Her tail swished languidly behind her, curling and uncurling around her waist as she continued to stare blankly.

Had she not pursued her dream to own a cafe, perhaps she would have made a half-decent actress.

Zyphirisx

SHORT TAG IS SHORT

 

[Zyphiris]

She had to try very hard to not start laughing at the baku's ruse. Leaning towards her, she asked silkily, "Are you trying to tell me something?"

She could roughly guess what it might be, being the person to have such a reaction in the first place.

Was that a small, indignant pout that was settling on her face?

Kaiyumi

bats eyes at

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu rocked gently on her feet, lips curving upwards into a slightly sheepish smile. "Well, I was just thinking...I mean, it was a pretty casual observation, but the two of you seem to get along pretty well and it's...kind of cute."

She wasn't sure that was the best word to use to describe Edel and Ivar's relationship in front of the former, but truthfully, that was how she felt on the matter. It was cute. Xiu could still remember the first time she actually met the man--after all, it was only a very, very short time ago--and how he and the frost demoness had been constantly casting one another awkward looks. Their mutual uncertainty had somehow been somewhat endearing to witness.

Or maybe she was just weird. Xiu screwed up her face at the thought.

Zyphiris

 

[Zyphiris]

She had gotten Xiu's drift by now, and the ghoul was reduced to biting down on her lip to force back a blush that was slowly, but surely creeping up on her face. It was hard to deny that she was devoid of any affections for the man himself, but that... wasn't the main issue.

"Xiu I...just don't know," she began, looking down at her drink as she fidgeted with her hands. "I think I'd make a terrible wife," she laughed despite herself, "I can't even physically make his cup of morning coffee, much less cook." Those were words said in jest, but they weren't any less true. Edel's expression morphed into something more sombre.

"But truth be told, I-" she sighed, disrupting her sentence.

"I still wake up from nightmares of the past," she admitted woefully, "They come from time to time, and I'm not sure if they will ever stop." She continued to fidget with her hands, casting away the thought of ever being able to share a bed with someone. Much less someone she 'd care for - who'd have to wake up to her screaming and crying on particularly bad nights.

"And with all this going on," she raised her hand with indirect reference to the ring that was on it, "I don't want to drag anyone else into this mess, or that mess, in the grander scheme of things."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He doesn't know, and I don't think I want him to...."

Kaiyumi

more sad violin music

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu spotted the gradually forming blush, but any hint of amusement or glee over the ghoul's involuntary response was immediately washed away by the words and concerns that followed. Smile fading, the baku's expression softened and she bit down on her bottom lip, immediately feeling bad for all her not-so-subtle implications. She should have known that Edel had her own reasons for being hesitant about getting into a relationship, potentially mutual feelings or not.

"Sorry, Edel. I shouldn't have--" she shook her head and then continued, "I mean, if it was just about the 'being a wife' thing, then I'd say that it doesn't matter at all. You don't have to be able to do those things, and if you wanted to, it wouldn't be hard to learn. But the other bit..."

After their time at Amityville, Xiu could hardly fault anyone for not wanting to drag loved ones into the conflict. It was why she never told her uncle everything else, going only to one of her friends if she was in need of a confidant about a recent dangerous event.

"I can understand why you wouldn't want him to know about this--any of this," she said, gently taking the glass from her friend so that she could grasp her hand with both of hers instead, "But my personal opinion is that there's no reason for you to have to suffer over all this on your own. Maybe having another person there to support you will help lighten your load...and honestly, I think that he may be a little hurt that you're keeping things from him, even if it is to protect him."

Actually, the last bit was less of a "I think" and more of an "I know" after her most recent chat with the man, but she didn't think she needed to mention that.

Zyphiris

 

[Zyphiris]

The ghoul remained silent as she took in her friend's words. It wasn't a solution to the problem, but it gave her something to think about. It was quite a dilemma between being honest and protecting the other in a relationship of that nature...

"It's just that I'd hate to disrupt that normalcy," she sighed, "Because I wonder sometimes too, what it'd be like to have remained blissfully ignorant."

She looked up to the baku and smiled weakly. "Well, what I meant was that I'd be condemning the poor man to a life of cold meals," she tried to lighten the mood, "That said, he is a much better cook that I am."

Suffice to say, she was currently being well taken care of.

Kaiyumi

 

[Kaiyumi]

"I think we've all wondered the same thing at least once in our lives," Xiu admittedly quietly, thinking back to those moments where she had wished that she could just be ignorant, "But we just have to made do with our situations and use what we know to protect those who are in the dark."

"And a cold meal isn't anything a microwave can't fix," she laughed, matching Edel's small smile with a brighter one of her own. "And you know that I'm always willing to give you some lessons or tips if you ever need them! I mean, you know where I work and you have my number--if you need any help at all, you know where to find me!"

She tried to lighten the mood as best as she could, that cheery countenance returning to the baku's expression. Holding up her pointer finger in a signal to wait, Xiu disappeared into the back and then returned shortly after balancing a number of cake boxes. Carefully setting them down on an empty table, she motioned towards them.

"And right, the reason you came here! Cakes! Take a peek and take your pick from all of them. I saved ones that I thought would go best paired with wines, so...!"

Zyphiris

I'm sry for my post I'm half asleep so I don't think things make sense

 

[Zyphiris]

"I'll take you up on your offer when you come to visit sometime," she grinned, "I'm sure Ivar would also like to thank you for the hard work you're doing this month."

The ghoul began to wonder if it was alright that she spoke of him so casually. There was a comfortable distance between them, probably due to the fact that they're never broached a particular topic.

...

Edel stared at the selection of the cakes, now more concerned about the occasion they were meant for. She hummed and hawed for a while, not knowing what to chose. "C-Could I just take all of them?" she conceded pathetically, sliding down her chair slightly.

And now you see how her day of shopping went.

Kaiyumi

aslfjhasf DW AT ALL please get all the good rest you need ahhh