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She'd think that watching how her sister flourished when Shiori arrived was a one time thing. She didn't get it, but she was just happy that Fuwawa wore a big, genuine smile on her face whenever the detective was in the cafe. Silently snickering, having confidence that their relationship would not outperform that of a twin. Something felt wrong when she noticed something was sprouting on Fuwawa's feelings,
"Hey, Moco-chan, could you watch over the counter a bit?"
"I think I want to…"
Nervous paw points to the detective sitting on a 2-person table, tail's wag telling more than it should. Mococo only raised a brow at it.
"…Sure, I'll be fine."
Mococo waved her off, rummaging through the drawer for a herbal cigarette. This has been the norm now, and she thinks Fuwawa shouldn't even bother asking her anymore. She's basically always in position every time she sees Shiori enter the store.
Eyebrows furrowed when she couldn't find a lighter. Fuwawa must've used it all to light the stove and haven't gotten a replacement since. The younger Abyssgard's ears withered, chewing the cigarette in her mouth in a defeated whimper. She could use her claws to strike a spark, but the last time she did that, Fuwawa got really furious, and she doesn't want that happening.
"Need a light?"
A voice echoed through Mococo's head. She sat up almost faster than the speed of light in a jiffy, ears perked in attention.
"H-huh? You're… Elizabeth Rose…"
Mococo's eyes were blinded by a curtain of red, a blue flame burning eternal on someone's chest. Eyes red, and Mococo thought it looked beautiful up close.
"Bloodflame."A hand drew close and swiped the cigarette lit. Mococo wasn't sure of the logic behind that, but maybe the Bloodflame part of the name had a big factor to play in that.
"T-thanks. I should treat you to a voucher on the house for this."
Mococo adjusts the cigarette in her mouth, standing up to properly treat the customer.
"Hahah! Don't worry about it, pupper. I'm just here to pick up some flowers, you're doing me a bit favour already by manning the counter. My partner— Shiori, can be a bother sometimes for Miss Fuwawa, so consider this a compensation."
Elizabeth clarified, a gentle smile never left her face. Mococo can't find out why she feels so relieved.
Attentive ears did pick up the fact that Elizabeth is here for picking up flowers, so her paws immediately got to work. Grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper, writing down words on the sheet, next to the preexisting ones. And Elizabeth catches up on this.
"You and your sister's handwriting is really similar to each other, huh?"
"By the way, the order should be under the name of Panthera. You may have heard of her as she frequents around this place, but she's a great friend of mine."
Mococo's ears flickered to the sound of that name. Of course she knows this name, why would she not? The whole reason why she's manning this counter alone is because of that Panthera! And that Novella, but it wasn't the main point. However, she is grateful that Bijou often lent a hand with their business.
"Oh,"
"Oh…"
"…Wasn't aware you two were connected…?"
Mococo spouted out a question.
"And, how did you know these were Fuwawa's?"
Mococo spouted another question, her tone implies this one was more significant than the other.
Elizabeth only side eyed Shiori, who was having fun with the other Abyssgard.
"We detectives have quite sharp eyes. And someone was very interested in knowing your sister in a deeper aspect."
Elizabeth grinned, and Mococo doesn't know how she's not supposed to find that creepy.
"Uh… Huh."
Mococo's body language told Elizabeth that her partner's antics were not really… Normal.
"Shiori's someone like that. She's weird, in the head. But she's kind, and caring. I promise you that."
The sincere smile on Elizabeth's face pushed Mococo's worries away. However, she will be keeping a tight eye on the other detective. Mococo hummed, before turning to yell for,
"Biboo—!"
No response.
"Biboooo—!"
Yet again, no response. Mococo's ears twitched in irritation, and Elizabeth found it somewhat cute.
"Okay, uhm."
"Sorry, could you wait here for a bit?"
"We are… short-handed."
Mococo raised a paw to point at the other Abyssgard. Elizabeth let out a hearty laugh, waved a hand at Mococo for affirmation.
"No worries, I'm in no rush for as long as your sister and my partner are distracted."
Elizabeth replied, sharing companionship over the fact that both their colleagues are both not engaged with their actual goal of why they're at where they are in the first place.
Mococo returned a smile of her own, and she could've sworn she saw Elizabeth's blue flame crackling with it. She thought it was just a coincidence, and that flame has way more mystery than that Novella. Waddled off to the garden by herself with her tail following behind her.
"Orange and red roses, bouquet wrapped in white and black. Quite the colour choice, huh?"
Mococo commented on it, paws working meticulously to tidy up the bouquet. Elizabeth chuckled, signing the form confirming that the order was in fact, picked up.
"It's for a friend. She's part of ERT."
Elizabeth slid the paper back to Mococo.
"Gigi Murin?"
Mococo read the name on the card.
"Yes, that is her."
Elizabeth nods.
"She is amazing, huh?"
Mococo smiled.
"…She really is."
Elizabeth had a delayed response, but her voice plated with admiration, something that Mococo caught up on. Her paws tightened the ribbon on the bouquet, a beautiful big butterfly ribbon. If Elizabeth looked up to her so much, then she ought to do the best job on making the gift look pretty.
"Sounds like you're very fond of her."
"What is this bouquet for?"
Mococo carried the bouquet with both hands and passed it to Elizabeth, who took it with gratitude held high in her gestures.
"There was a competition, she scored first place. I think that deserves a big bouquet of roses." Elizabeth replied, ready to set off to drag her partner away from the other clerk.
"I think so too. Do congratulate her in my regards?"
Mococo waved at Elizabeth, who waved in return with a nod and a smile, signalling,
"Will do."
"Shiori told me that Biboo is hanging out with Ms. Panthera in her shop."
Fuwawa told Mococo as she tidied up the counter. Mococo only eyed Fuwawa's paws, words few but thoughts many.
That name, Shiori, has always hung around Fuwawa's words ever since they've met. Mococo didn't think much of it, but she thinks she's starting to realise that the relationship between the two isn't, well, light. With their part-time worker now attracted to the panther lady, and her own sister being close to the detective, there was an obvious pattern and common ground between the two occurrences that Mococo just can't ignore.
"No wonder. Oh, well, we can't really force her anywhere, we should be grateful that Biboo is even willing to help us from time to time."
Mococo dully replied, before heading off to the storage room, words like, "I'll check the inventory really quick," hung off around her mouth. She knows she harbours no negative feelings for the two finding themselves someone they're comfortable with.
In fact, she feels happy, but something does hit different when she was the one seeing it all unfold in front of her.
She knows she isn't jealous of her close ones having better games than she did, because if that was the case, Bijou would've pointed it out in a heartbeat. Maybe more so… Surprised? Not in a thousand visual novels would've she encountered a situation like this.
"Cigarettes again?"
Elizabeth complained, but still lit it up for Mococo nonetheless.
"It's herbal, so it's probably healthy. A few weeks ago, we got them as a gift from a regular who had a face too generous for us to refuse, and Fuwawa doesn't smoke, so I'm taking care of them. I don't really smoke, either, but, I'm more likely than not to smoke between Fuwawa and me."
Mococo pushed a box towards Elizabeth, the labelling on the container suggests that it was the box of herbal cigarettes that their client had given them.
"I understand the kind gesture you two provided to them but… Herbal cigarettes, despite their names, aren't actually healthy. In fact, smoking overall is bad due to the chemical inside, speaking in a simpler term."
Elizabeth frowned, her eyebrows furrowed with it. Mococo took note of it, but something else that also caught her eyes was the way Elizabeth was staring at the box.
"It has only been 3 cigarettes, and judging by the fact you said a few weeks ago, you haven't actually been smoking that frequently. Is it a coincidence I've always visited you during the time you just so happened to smoke?"
Elizabeth inquired, noticing the little ear flicks and occasional tail wags of Mococo whenever the truth she spoke hit the spot from time to time.
"Huh?"
"Now that you mentioned it…"
"It is quite the coincidence."
Mococo nodded, recalling past events. The first time was during the day she received the box, testing the product out. The second time was purely out of boredom, and the third time, today, was finally remembering that she does have something to finish and get rid of.
"You're not a heavy smoker. No, you aren't actually a smoker at all. I suggest you stop taking these cigarettes ; It's harmful for you,"
Said Elizabeth, who scooped away the box of cigarettes to herself and away from Mococo.
"Well- I mean, I don't… Mind? But, if you can find where you could use this efficiently, it's all yours. I heard these are more 'premium' products, so I don't want to waste them."
"I'm sure Fuwawa doesn't have any objection towards it either. If anything, she's been complaining that it took up too much space in the drawers."
Mococo shook her head, hand motioning out sweep as an affirmation to Elizabeth's take request.
Mococo didn't expect to see a huge grin on Elizabeth's face when she gave the green light. She knew her little puppy heart skipped a beat to the sight by how her tail wagged without her own consent.
"Thanks, Mococo! It'll be a big help."
Elizabeth held the box up in a cheers gesture, and Mococo only nodded to it.
"All yours."
The next time Mococo met with Elizabeth, she was alone. Although her hair is a bit messier than last time, her outfit suggests nothing more than a busy day. Mococo felt like she had become the detective instead.
Greeted Elizabeth with a smile tugged. She'd see the same crackle on the blue flame, and she's starting to wonder if her existence as a whole had anything to do with that. The dreadful expression on Elizabeth regardless prompted Mococo to start preparing a fresh cup of ginger tea, whereas Elizabeth tried to wave her off from being such a caring pupper. Didn't stop Mococo from making it, and she could only accept it with gratitude worn on her tone.
"The cigarettes you gave me; they were a great help. Shiori and I had successfully gotten some information out of someone we suspected to be related to a case we are still actively racking our brain cells around for. They had considered it a good exchange."
Elizabeth said, sipping on the cup of ginger tea. Surprise painted over Elizabeth's face. She had expected the tea to be a sharp, stinging tasting flavour, however it was sweeter than that. Honey was added for its sweetness, and it completely caught Elizabeth off guard.
Red eyes of hers spotted Mococo who stared at her with a gentle expression that Elizabeth could never put into words, and she thinks the honey on her tongue had gotten bland.
"Seems like I still remember how to brew tea after all."
A big grin on Mococo's face had Elizabeth's heart caught in an entangled mess of supposedly her feelings. Clear her thoughts away with a very audible,
"Ahem!"
"I…"
"I think my working efficiency would skyrocket if you were the one who made my coffee every morning…"
Elizabeth spoke her mind, but the younger Abyssgard's toothy grin only grew wider, and it might've been more effective than the tea itself in terms of pulling up her spirit. Mococo's blue iris peered from her half-lidded eyes, and that in itself was a sight that Elizabeth thinks she wants to see everyday.
"Then you'll just have to come visit us every morning, hm?"
Mococo said, clearly a joke to play on the concept of pulling in new customers, but Elizabeth thinks she might actually do that just to meet with Mococo every opportunity she gets.
"I'll consider it."
Nodded Elizabeth, who took more sip of the honeyed ginger tea. She'd think she's delusional, but for whatever reason, it felt like this drink was made with love and care.
"Moco-chan?"
Fuwawa called out to her sister, and this was caught in the eyes of Shiori, who just took a seat with Elizabeth early in the morning with breakfast in mind. She only sees Fuwawa lifting aside Mococo's headset slightly before whispering into her ears, while Mococo leaned into Fuwawa to better hear whatever whisper tales she had to tell. She could spot sneaky eyes peeking over to her occasionally, and she wonders what the ordeal is all about.
They would finish gossiping, only then would Shiori spot Mococo leave the counter with her headphones down hanging by the neck. She waddled over to the table with a notebook and pencil in paws, eyes glancing over to meet with Shiori every so often. Now she stands before them, pencil meeting the paper, ready to take an order. Yet instead of asking to take their orders, she started with,
"Did you have a fight with my sister?"
It was scarier because Mococo asked so casually, no emotion behind it, yet Shiori felt a shiver down her spine. If she was trying to be intimidating, she is nailing it. At this rate, she wasn't sure which one is the older sibling here.
"Uhm… No…?"
Shiori replied with all the truth in her heart,
"Hm, m'kay. Gimme your orders."
Said Mococo, who seemed to be satisfied with the answer and asked no further questions regarding the topic. Instead, she continued taking orders, and none of them dared to ask what happened. A glimpse of Fuwawa behind the counter couldn't tell her much, but she thinks the little smile on her face and tail wagging behind her was really cute. Fuwawa doesn't seem mad, in fact it was the opposite. It's not like they ever had a fight either, and nothing on the older Abyssgard even suggested a fight. Why would Mococo make that assumption? What did Fuwawa tell her?
Mococo left shortly after taking their order, passing the paper to Fuwawa once she arrived to the counter. Shiori could see Fuwawa who concentrated on reading the orders, and she knows her heart is fluttering on the sight with how she feels like her chest is blooming. And she knows Elizabeth is definitely side-eying her right now with a displeased look on her face.
"Something happened?"
Elizabeth asked, but Shiori only shook her head, and as her partner, she can absolutely tell that she isn't lying.
"See, on time like this, you put on your detective branded thinking cap,"
"Though as for me I have this swag looking thrift store baseball cap."
"Let's lay this down properly. Fuwawa always took my order, and Mococo always manned the barista station, what made it different?"
Shiori would ask Elizabeth, who was taken by surprise by the sudden question. Elizabeth almost didn't want to bother, but she had just the answer to that question. Or at least, a main lead that could lead to a stable speculation.
"A few days ago, Mococo told me something that flavoured the fact that she doesn't brew a lot of tea for the customers, to the point that she thinks she'd forget how to even serve one."
"You think Mococo was never really the one in charge of the barista station?"
Elizabeth tapped the cap of her pencil onto a paper on the table, a spare one she'd rip out just to entertain Shiori's detective game.
Shiori nodded, taking in the information Liz had to say.
"Maybe they'd swap roles so often as long as you, the variable, is present in the premise. That's why I never actually see them in their respective roles, because you're always here with me when I visit."
Elizabeth added, circling some probably important key words on the paper and passing it to Shiori.
"And that's our answer."
Yet, Shiori immediately took it as a conclusion, much to the dissatisfaction of Elizabeth. Her brows furrowed so much, Shiori thinks that's going to give her wrinkles.
"What? We can't just take speculation as an answer? You're a detective, you should know!"
Elizabeth whisper-raised her voice, rejecting the fact that they should just decide on a conclusion with just one new clue. She'd want to slam the pencil onto the table, but that'd garner unwanted attention and she's not willing to give away her reputation for a mock detective game.
"Chill down, Liz. Take a look at it this way,"
Shiori vaguely points towards the barista station. Something they failed to notice was a black coffee machine that wasn't there before during the last time they came into the store.
"It's a new addition. Nothing interesting, right? But think about it, if you are the main barista for the cafe, you'd want to get used to the new equipment. If our theory that Mococo was always the waitress is right, then this conclusion is set in stone."
"It's not a big leap to assume that Fuwawa always switch role just to talk to me, hehe,"
Shiori lets out a cheeky giggle, and giggles even more to the frown present on Elizabeth's face.
"Fuwawa's words were probably along the lines of, 'you don't have to stay at the counter today,' earlier to Mococo. That's why she'd think we had a fight or something, but that wasn't the case. I do think it is kind of funny that they've already defaulted to switching places and need no further communication. Well, as far as I can tell."
"Still, that was scary though, I'd never thought Mococo had the ability to be so intimidating, considering how she looks. You'd think she's a sweet, silly little sister."
Shiori summarised her thoughts, not wanting to draw any attention from the Abyssgards. She'd only see Elizabeth go through her own thoughts, contemplating over words before her lips parted to say something that Shiori would've never expect hearing,
"So, what you're saying is…"
"Fuwawa chose the new coffee machine over you."
"…Oh."
"Ouch……"
Shiori took a while to process it, but when she did, she dropped her head in defeat, her smile completely wiped off her face. Elizabeth could hear her partner heave the heaviest sigh she'd ever heard in her life, even through hundreds of dreadful cases. A lopsided grin found itself on Elizabeth's face when she saw Shiori fighting for her life in front of her. She found it funny, but somewhat felt sorry for her.
"Well,"
"I conclude that it is your defeat."
"Right…"
'Shiori Novella 0:1 Coffee Machine,'
Elizabeth would write on her notes.
"Earl Grey tea and… Dunno what this is."
Bijou serves the detective's order to the table. Well, barely. The table was filled to the brim with papers and documents, she almost couldn't even place the cup without touching any centimetre of the papers.
"What the hell are all of these??"
Bijou's perplexed, and neither Shiori or Elizabeth blames her, because they're equalled vexed.
"Detective games."
Shiori points out the main document, one paper listing multiple candidates on a crime to solve. Bijou visibly swallowed, getting increasingly concerned about the big publicity they're generously giving.
"Uhm, in public? Really?"
Bijou complained, but Shiori only laughed, maybe a bit too delightful. Bijou raised a brow at that, but she thinks a smile suits Shiori's face better than that frown she had hanging around.
"Don't worry, it's not extremely serious. Because,"
Shiori's hand went to grab something in her bag, before pulling out a packaging that seems too fictional looking to be real.
"It's a game. Well, detective game, like I said. That's what these are, made up, fictional, for game play purposes, but sincerely I need to give it the f-word from how overly complex it is."
Shiori placed the paper on the table and buried her face into her hand and groaned heavily.
"Huh? Aren't you guys like, detectives?"
Bijou points to Shiori, Elizabeth then the table. The detectives only looked at each other and sighed.
"The difference is, we can't individually interrogate the suspect, can't read their facial expression, can't see their houses, can't look at their appearance, can't get the pretty guy's phone number… ARGHHH—!"
Shiori almost flipped the table.
"Woah, woah! Okay!"
Bijou grabbed ahold of the table, preventing Shiori's fury, before presenting another inquiry,
"Why so sudden? It's not often I see you two bored out of your minds."
Her hand traced some papers before stacking up together, deeming it not necessary to spread out across the entire table. It did clean up some room to push the cup further from the edge of the table, which soothed Bijou's anxieties by a whole rockslide.
"Well, on a surface level, yes we are quite bored. On a deeper level, we are prevented from investigating until further notice, so we are… Venting our frustration through a mock case."
"…We got it on sale. We have… Three more different cases to go through."
Elizabeth pulled some neatly sealed documents from her bag, and slightly chuckled at the expression Bijou made.
Bijou would take a glance at the documents, twinkling eyes scanning through each of the suspects' faces. She blinked a few times, before pulling the paper closer to her face with squinting eyes, then pushing it further back away. Both Shiori and Elizabeth looked at Bijou, confused by her behaviour.
"Seeing somethin' that we don't have, Beebs?"
Shiori asked with a grin, but didn't expect Bijou to actually nod and confirm Shiori's question.
"The guy you're looking for is the fourth one, he reeks."
Bijou placed the paper down on the table, but before she could elaborate,
"Biboo—!"
Mococo called from afar, pointing at some more orders to deliver. A quick glance at the clock suggested it's going to get busy soon.
"Oh beep! I got too caught up with the talk!"
"Tell me if I've gotten the right guy when you guys find the answer later!"
Bijou scurried off in a hurry, but Shiori only fixes her gaze on the person Bijou pointed out.
"Well, so far, half of the evidence we collected did point to this guy… Did she just take a wild guess? She didn't even read our papers but she seemed pretty confident."
Elizabeth asked, but Shiori shook her head. Tore her gaze off the guy in the picture to take a look at Bijou.
Her eyes locked closely. Her mind runs her through the course of multiple memories she shared with Bijou.
"Beebs always had an affinity for figuring out people's emotions, I guess. She had quite the many right guesses throughout the time I've known her for, based on emotions alone."
Shiori sat back up from her previously slumped and improper sitting posture, now straightened up to look at the bundles of documents once more.
"If the guy is really the fourth suspect…"
Shiori rest her head on her hand, flipping through the clipped papers,
"Then she just spoiled the hell out of our fun."
Shiori giggled, and Elizabeth's expression softened at the sight of her relaxed partner.
"That seems to be the least of our concern right now. Alright, let's find some nice base to support her hypothesis and get back to work."
Elizabeth continues to shuffle through the files, red marker in hand to circle important words.
"Oh!"
"So it's cracked. Maybe a bit easier than I thought, but we decided to go over the top and question literally every single detail on paper, huh?"
Elizabeth declares victory for finally solving the case, before leaning back entirely onto the chair. She slumped, defeated despite their victory.
"Well, I guess that was part of the fun, overthinking the hell out of it."
Shiori scoffed.
Finally, they started cleaning up all the documents spread all over the table. There's no need to be careful of categorising anything wrong now that everything is practically useless. It was fun while it lasted, and definitely worth the money considering they got it from a sale anyway.
That's when Bijou finally marched over, bandana tied high yet hair still draped over her right eye. Shiori notices Bijou walking towards them, a nice grin presents itself without her consent.
"Hey champ. Guess who was the killer?"
Shiori smiled, a toothy grin made Bijou mentally note that she has really sharp fangs. Albeit it wasn't the point, but looking at her expression, she had a proud feeling that her initial thought was correct.
"The fourth one, yeah!"
Bijou beamed, and they all shared a moment of laughter together. Elizabeth pulled out a neatly summarised note to Bijou.
"It's a very basic story. With a knife, cut the rope, fell the chandelier, and crushed the victim. All because of a conflict over money and attention. It spun us around because we had been misled initially, but you were spot on despite not reading a single word from any papers."
"How'd you do that?"
Elizabeth asked, curiosity worn on her face clearly.
Bijou only glanced at Elizabeth, and then to Shiori, then back to Elizabeth. She's unsure what to say, mostly because she wasn't really aware of why either.
"Uhm, I guess they just looked like one…? Like…"
Bijou held up her hand and vaguely gestured.
Elizabeth blinked. Maybe twice or more. She didn't get it, and when she looked at Shiori, she dared to shrug and smile. Maybe none of them gets it, and maybe that is the charm after all.
"Okay, miss mind reader."
Shiori chuckled, but her nimble eyes peeked something else.
Bijou's body language largely suggested that she had something in mind. Constantly looking between Mococo and Elizabeth, fingers rubbing each other, legs loosely swinging back and forth when she doesn't find the opportunity to express herself.
"Whatcha' fidgeting around for? Looks like you have something to ask."
Shiori bit the bullet.
"Okay, well."
Bijou tilts her head, frowning that Shiori could read her. Completely forgotten detectives are just born like this.
Her hand slowly settled down on the table's edge, the entirety of her arm now supporting her body, she wore an expression telling nothing but serious. She turns to Elizabeth, who jumped slightly from the surprise.
"Liz, are you…"
"In a relationship with Mococo?"
"…no?"
It was a tiny squeak of voice, yet one so pathetic and weak sounding that it made Shiori burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha—!!"
"What's with this drama? What's going on there, Beebs?"
"Found something that we shouldn't have known about?"
Shiori gave Bijou a look, but the latter only looked unsure, uncertain.
That's an expression that's almost too rare to be on her face. Shiori shifted, sitting properly from her previously slumped posture.
"I-I mean, I may have been wrong!"
"But, the way Liz and Mococo look at each other…"
"There's definitely something up! Not just with my little Biboo superpower!"
Bijou would exclaim, and as someone who understands the gem on a deeper level, Shiori starts to take this a bit more seriously. If this was a joke, the expression on Bijou's face would've been so much more different.
"Explain, Liz?"
Shiori, now changing her attention to Elizabeth, asks the big question.
Elizabeth only looked at Shiori, and then Bijou, and then back at Shiori again. Her face was written all over with confusion, maybe a little worried.
"I promise I'm not that close to that younger Abyssgard!"
Elizabeth waved her hand, shaking off the allegations, but Shiori wouldn't falter, because she really, really trust Bijou that much.
Her gut feelings have never led Shiori to the wrong place, it is this that she knows all too well.
"Alright, alright, maybe WE will ask Mococo instead, how about tha-"
Yet before Shiori could finish her sentence, a looming footstep gradually closed up behind her back. Heavy sneakers dragging across the floor, and she'd know that it didn't belong to the older Abyssgard.
"What was that about me?"
Mococo said, her shadow draping over Shiori's entire existence. She could feel cold sweat rolling off her face as Mococo's bright voice sounded from behind her.
"Uh…"
"Have you considered, being a little less scary, Mococo?"
Said Shiori, before tilting her head all the way back up to see a Mococo. She'd see the latter jolt a little when she did that, and she's somewhat sure it's because of her own pair of daunting eyes.
"I'm only scary because you have something to hide."
A reassuring smile cracked through Mococo's previously neutral, smile-less face.
"C'mon now, spill it, what's going on?"
Mococo carried on pressing for answers, while hardworking paws collected emptied cups of what used to be filled with their drinks hours ago. It's now they realised they've spent quite the time in the cafe. Felt a little defeated if a little silly detective game took them that long.
"Mococo!"
Bijou was the first one to speak up. Swallowed down her cowardice and brought out her big Biboo courage.
She was the one who brought it up after all, and this only reinforced Shiori's trust in the gem's words more.
"Are you in a relationship with Liz…?"
Bijou asked the big question.
Mococo paused in her motion suddenly. The sudden stomp on the brake pedal almost made the cup tip over and fall— but it didn't happen, much to everyone's relief.
She continued cleaning the table.
"N-no, not really."
"Uhm, assuming 'Liz' is short for 'Elizabeth'?"
"I didn't… really see her like that."
Mococo's barker wavered, words stuttering over each other, voices awkward, and that clearing of the throat only made Shiori's suspicion rise. She knows Elizabeth notices this too, but refuses to mention it because that'd be no help to her situation, only worsen it.
Shiori would notice Bijou's confusion. Unable to make sense of why Mococo and Elizabeth would both refuse to admit it. She'd think the gem's relationship with Raora had ruined her own perception of personal space and feelings.
She chuckled.
"Okay, maybe that's the case, huh?"
"Or maybe this is something you two aren't willing to share with both of us here?"
Shiori teased, earning a yelp of dissatisfaction from Elizabeth. She'd snicker.
"You're overthinking it!"
"We barely talked."
"Only friends over and over."
Elizabeth cleared her throat and clarified with a stern voice, hoping to clear the misunderstanding. She wouldn't know that Shiori wouldn't be convinced anytime soon with how much she trusts Bijou's words.
"Yeah? I guess it's about time we change that."
"Mococo's a capable woman, Fuwawa spoke very highly of her. Maybe worth a consideration, huh?"
Shiori continued teasing Elizabeth and the banter only went back and forth. It was due to this that Bijou was the only one who'd notice that Mococo's tail stopped swaying the moment Shiori mentioned that part about Fuwawa.
The fact that her own sister talks about her a lot even in her absence.
Happiness, Bijou could feel. At least, she thinks so.
It's the little bliss on her smile that reaches her eyes that confirms Bijou's thoughts. Toothy grin on Bijou's face when she sees the happy patter of tail.
"Oh, these twins,"
Bijou thought to herself.
The detectives eventually left the store after long hours camping and ruffling through sheets of fictional cases. Paid the drinks in full and left without any mess, much to the Abyssgards' delights.
With not much activity in store, the business finally settled down to closing hours. The sun wasn't yet dawning, however it's about time they rest their poor paws, and Bijou's poor back.
Mococo raised a brow at Bijou's abnormal schedule. Usually, Bijou would've bolted off somewhere after shift, probably spraying graffiti or meeting that panther tattoo artist. But no, this gem has been suspiciously following behind her tail at every turn. It felt horrifying for a moment.
"Biboo…?"
"Why are you following my tail so tightly?"
The gem stopped.
Mococo almost thought she said something wrong.
"I'm observing."
Bijou spoke up.
"Uhm."
"I think I'd rather you help out with cleaning the counter…"
"Unfortunately I can't observe you when I'm doing those things, however willing I am."
Bijou was unfazed, and Mococo only tilted her head in confusion. Though, she doubts that last part of the sentence a lot.
"Alright, whatever suits you."
Mococo turned around and continued cleaning up the counter.
The door bell rang,
and that's because Fuwawa left the store, seemingly to run an errand. That was when she could feel a sudden shift in Bijou's behaviour, even without looking. Is it a coincidence that it happened only after Fuwawa left? Mococo doesn't think so. Bijou has something she wants to say that she can only say when Fuwawa isn't around.
"Mococo,"
Bijou called out, and the other end was already anticipating it.
"Your feelings,"
"They're abundant."
Bijou bit her words here and there, but she tried her best to get it out. It felt weird, Mococo wasn't particularly used to the gem beating around the bush, afraid to speak up.
Usually the loudest mouth around the place was her, whether it's complaining or gushing over something else.
"I think so too."
Mococo replied, but she saw it more as a gesture of manners, like letting Bijou know she's listening.
"Between you and Liz…"
The name made Mococo's ear twitch.
"I'm sure there's some feelings underneath. Some that you don't see yourself. Maybe some that you aren't willing to tell. I understand."
"I don't think I want to say what I feel is wrong, I've rarely ever been incorrect; However, just because it's not often that I'm wrong doesn't mean I'm always right."
"Regarding these feelings between you and Liz, I'll leave that up to you guys."
Bijou took a deep breath, then continued,
"That's the first thing, and significantly the lesser important one."
"Mococo,"
Bijou repeats herself, like an echo of the beginning of their conversation.
"When Fuwawa and Shiori started to get closer together, and I started getting closer to Raora,"
Bijou would see the ear flicker again, but this time she takes a mental note.
"Did you feel… left out?"
"…No."
Mococo answered honestly, her genuine shrug supported it, and Bijou knows that's not a bluff.
"Okay."
"Then you feel like they're taking us away from you."
It was the only answer left. Bijou has long since felt like something was off, but she just couldn't place her finger on it. Now she's bibrave, daring to ask questions she previously was too cowardly to ask.
No responses from Mococo. It was an awkward silence, and Bijou swore to every god in existence that Fuwawa wouldn't come back right now. She could feel the palms of her hand starting to sweat from how nervous she is, even though she doesn't usually have sweaty hands.
"Yeah."
After long seconds that felt almost like eternity from how many thoughts just raced through Bijou's mind, Mococo finally gave an answer.
Was it loneliness?
Bijou thought, but it doesn't feel like it. Mococo isn't the type to get like that. Was she afraid to be forgotten?
Did she think Fuwawa would forget about her?
It was something way more complex.
"You're thinking so hard about it,"
Mococo said, her tone light, voice soft. Bijou hasn't heard this kind of voice from her before. But all she saw was a smile on Mococo's face, an expression delightful to the eyes.
"Your business with Raora, Fuwawa's business with Shiori,"
"I have nothing against any of you. I'm happy that you two are happy."
Mococo turned around, closing off any remaining eye contact she had with Bijou. And the latter only stared.
And her big Biboo brain had an idea.
"Do you think you'd be happy too if you were to end up with Elizabeth?"
She said, loudly, since no one else is in the store.
Bijou only watched as Mococo paused every activity she had been doing. A few moments of silence, like something is going into her mind. And a silent wag of tail, in which Bijou smirks in seeing.
"… I don't think that'd ever happen."
Mococo continued what she left off doing.
It didn't explode into another conversation, but at that moment, Bijou suddenly knew what her next goal was, aside from getting the hot pink panther lady and making more graffiti. She is definitely going to try her HARDEST to pit Mococo and Elizabeth together.
And she will definitely not give up.
Though, the doorbells ringing when Fuwawa entered back into the store definitely gave her a fright.