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 Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:44 am
Menelie Masozi headed to the Tangled Vine after the work day was through, after the sun had gone down. Kasmai was cooking tonight and while he appreciated his son's enthusiasm....the truth was that Cosme and Cari were much better cooks. So he'd told them not to wait for him (it was well past supper after all) and decided to come here after work. He paused at the bar to greet the staff, and put in his order for his usual glass of house red and whatever the chef happened to be cooking tonight. He then took up his customary table in the corner (he was, after all, a man of habit) and sighed pleasantly as he relaxed. It had been a very productive day and he was satisfied. Daisicle Eniko, as every other evening, was busy preparing the restaurant-and-bar for the post-dinner crowd, when it switched from fuzzy and food to spirits and snacks. She'd greeted a later-night customer with a good evening and took his usual order before seeing him off to his usual corner. It was with practiced movements that she relayed the order to the kitchen - basically make whatever - before uncorking a half-filled bottle of red, pouring it into a glass, and placing it upon a wooden tray.
With a smile, she walked over with the drink and placed it on the table before him before leaning against the wall a bit. The place was otherwise empty due to it being a weird time and a small village, so she didn't really worry about the unprofessionalism. "Kasmai cooking again?" Menelie Masozi snorted with a wide smile. "Guardians bless him for wanting to help out, but it is truly not his skill." He lifted the glass in a little toast before taking a sip. "My fault for not teaching him, I suppose," he joked with a sardonic expression. "Am I really so predictable?" Daisicle "Yes, yes you are." She responded back without even an iota of hesitation, even going so far as to cross her arms as she said so. "You're about as predictable as the morning sunrise and even easier to read than a children's book. I presume the entire village knows your business at any given point in time, even your son who's food you dislike." She shrugged at this point - she was blunt beyond the point of tact when not servicing a customer. Menelie "I think I'm more discreet than that," he said defensively, crossing his own arms. Did his son really know that he hated his cooking? He made a scrunched up face. "And besides, there are worse things to be than predictable--which I I call dependable, thank you." The bit about him being easy to read did needle him a bit, though. He'd thought he was closed-off; terminally so, in fact.
"And what business of mine do you claim the whole village to know?" He asked pointedly, fired up now. Daisicle Eniko pointedly raised an eyebrow as he voiced his complaints, internally noting that she wasn't sure she'd ever seen him so spirited. Guess he was doing better these days. She looked down and appeared to inspect her fingernails as she deflected his defensiveness. "Well, you've caught feelings for that newer worker of yours," she looked back over at him and cut him off after seeing his expression. "Hun, I just told you everyone knows your business - word spreads fast in a small town."
She glanced over to the kitchen and straightened up before offering him a more polite smile, "I'll be right back with your wonderfully-tasting dinner," and then running off to fetch it.
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Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:44 am
Menelie "Now wait just a minute," said Masozi defensively, but was cut off by her heading for the kitchen. He sighed and rubbed his face with one hand. Was it that obvious? If it was, he hoped nobody thought he was doing anything inappropriate, or taking advantage of his position.
He was taking a long drink of wine when Eniko returned, wondering if he'd been so transparent that Coracias herself knew. Surely not, as she would have sassed him about it by now if so. Or maybe she did know and was politely ignoring it because she wasn't into him. Guardians, what a mess. Daisicle Eniko eventually returned with a simple plate of sliced chicken breast served with some sautéed greens and rice - basically the employee meal, just plated a bit nicer. They didn't have much otherwise left at this time of the evening. She placed it in front of him before leaning back against the wall. "Don't worry, she either hasn't caught on yet or is quite good at pretending she hasn't - she used to be a merchant, so I'd personally presume the latter." Menelie "Dammit," he said quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose."I feel like a fool." He also felt odd with her just standing there while he ate, so he motioned to the other chair. "You can sit if you like." She must be exhausted this close to closing and there wasn't anyone else here. "Unless you've got duties to get back to. I won't keep you. This looks delicious, by the way." He gestured to his meal, which he gratefully began to eat. He always worked up an appetite on days he actually did field work. Daisicle Eniko shrugged before waving off his suggestion. "I'll get an earful if I go that far - appreciate the thought though. Also wouldn't want to risk someone else wandering in later and getting the wrong impression." She smirked a bit meanly as he set himself up for this comeback, "Don't worry - I'm sure it'll be better than whatever your son made." Menelie "Fair enough," he responded, though it wasn't clear to which part he was responding to. He'd obviously gotten his mind all whipped up while she'd been gone, and now he appeared fragmented, absent almost. Daisicle Eniko internally sighed as she mentally prepared herself for the incoming therapy session. "C'mon hun, why are you acting like it's the end of the world that the village knows about your crush? I'm sure it isn't as big of a deal as you are imagining it to be."
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Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:45 am
Menelie Masozi leaned back in his chair and ran his hands over his face. "Honestly I don't mind that much what the village thinks. I mean I'd hate for anyone to think I've done anything inappropriate, but other that that, I get it's a small town and we all know everything about everyone."
"It's her I'm worried about. If she knows, like you suspect, she is at the very least pretending not to. And what would that even mean?" He rested his elbows on the table and put his forehead in his hands. "I am so miserably out of practice at this..." He'd thought he was healing, finally, but now...he wasn't so sure. Daisicle At least he wasn't trying to fight the rumor. Good for him. "How much have you even told her anyways? Have you spoken about Kasmai and Cari's mother? Have you even insinuated your attraction?" She signed lightly. "Even if she's heard rumors, she doesn't seem the type to just act on it... I'm not sure if your rose-tinted glasses are too thick to realize, but she has some impressive degree of control of herself - better even than me. I highly doubt she would say anything to put her current position at risk." Menelie "Great," muttered Masozi, "Cause I wasn't already way overthinking this." He groaned and leaned back in his chair. "Guess I'm going to have to make the first move after all. Dammit." He swirled his glass of wine and then finished it. Daisicle Eniko raised a brow. "Hun, were you really expecting to not say anything to her and hope that she'd reach out to you - who is her direct supervisor with whom she works, might I remind you - without any confirmation that you aren't still in a relationship with the mother of your children or otherwise pining for her? All based on a rumor? Especially knowing she was the pupil of that sociopathic father of yours?" She rubbed the bridge of her nose a bit. "Guardians have mercy... This boy..."
"Look, I'm not trying to pick on you, but you do realize how silly that sounds, right?" Menelie "That's exactly why I was trying to be discreet," he snapped, then immediately softened, blushing. "Sorry." He sighed deeply. "I'm acutely aware that I'm her direct supervisor with whom she works, which is why I haven't been more direct. There's a clear power imbalance and I don't want her to feel I'm taking advantage of that. And don't you bring that b*****d into this, it's complicated enough already."
After a moment he ran both hands through his hair. "You've given me a lot to think about," he said softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "And you're right. It's best I be direct. I just...don't know how to bring it up without making a complete a** of myself." He gestured broadly. "Obviously." Daisicle Eniko smiled gently, feeling quite good about her decision to bring all of this up. It seemed like while it wasn't something he'd -wanted- to hear, it was something he'd -needed- to hear. "I'll say - though at the moment your biggest offense is letting that lovely chicken go cold." She motioned to the plate that he'd yet to touch.
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Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 7:46 am
Menelie Masozi startled. No wonder he was so grumpy. "Ech, you're right." He started in on his meal again. "Hate to talk with my mouth full, you understand," he explained between bites. He was already putting together a plan for all this. How to put all his cards on the table, so to speak. The thought made him feel shaky, but he knew Eniko was right. Coracias wouldn't bring it up on her own. It was up to him. Daisicle "No worries - hope I was able to give you some food for thought to go with the food for your stomach." Eniko laughed a little at her own joke before straightening up and stretching. "Guess I should go switch the sign to Closed and start cleaning. If you could just leave your dishes on the bar when you're finished, I'd appreciate it. Did you want another glass before I go by the way?" Menelie "No problem," agreed Masozi. "And no thanks, the one is enough. And, uh, thanks for the food--for thought and otherwise. "
He finished his meal after she left, then put his dishes on the bar and left enough coins to cover the meal and the drink, plus a quite generous tip. He hoped she felt appreciated. "Goodnight," he called as he left.
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