Work Text:
Love is not an uncommon topic in Okhema. Rather, it is moreso widely revered, obnoxiously so to the point where each time the days inch closer to the fourteenth day of the month, Okhemian merchants cash in on the opportunity like scapegoats to a flame. Heart shaped decorations laid everywhere one could lay their eyes on, colorful posters plastered over every single possible surface, detailing the store’s discounts—which were usually just lies to make it seem like there was even a price drop—for the month, and marketable plushies and other such items cashing in on the love craze, much of which will end up in the trash bins the very next day. For the Amphoreus month supposedly dedicated to all things balanced, this one particular week seems to throw all logic out the window and render the so-called balance useless.
Castorice goes to pick up a plushie of Tantalon, two identical, gigantic red hearts placed on either side of the scale sewn on the plush’s hands. She carefully inspects the plushie, admiring the clean and precise stitch marks that seemed invisible if one doesn’t look closely. She lifts plushie repeatedly up and down in her hand, weighing it, observing how well stuffed yet light it was.
“For something meant to be consumed by the masses,” Castorice muses to herself. “The craftsmanship is quite remarkable.” She sighs a bit. “It appears I still have quite a ways to go in my own plush making journey.” She places the plush back into the pile, continuing her walk to Marmoreal Diner.
“CASTORICE!! OVER HERE!!!” She spots Phainon seated at an outside table, giving the mortician a massive wave her way, paired with an even wider grin, and she responds in turn with a more smaller one.
“Sorry for the delay, Lord Phainon,” Castorice goes to take a seat, and Phainon slides a cup of tea her way; They’ve hung out long enough to know each other’s preferred orders. “I had gotten distracted perusing some of the items being sold for the upcoming… er, ‘holiday’.”
The white-haired man waves a dismissive hand, going to pour some milk into his chalice of pomegranate juice. “No biggie! I don’t think anyone is immune to the festive spirit happening right now.” He sets his milk jug aside, going to fish out his teleslate from his pocket as Castorice goes to take a sip of tea. He swipes his finger rapidly against his screen. “Even I’ve picked up a new side gig! Check it out!” The mortician leans in, eyes going to read the numerous reviews regarding Phainon’s ‘Cupid work’.
Sorting by: most helpful
[ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ] by CallThatIceElationIfYouWill
NEVER AGAIN.
< DO NOT HIRE THIS MAN. TRIED ORDERING HIS ‘and your friend Phainon!’ PACKAGE AND HAVE NEVER FELT MORE INSTANT REGRET THAN I DID THEN. HE WILL SHOW UP LIKE HE IN AMPHOREUS’ WORST FASHION SHOW WEARING THIS HORRIBLE COMBO OF BRIGHT PURPLE AND YELLOW. HE SCARED MY DATE OFF AS WELL AS EVERYONE IN THE VICINITY. DO NOT LET THIS MAN HELP YOU > 550 people found this helpful.
[ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ] by PinkDromasClub
Bro gotta GO
< take his teleslate away im so serious he just sent me and my date far from third base and well into a foul ball and now im sitting here cryinb to Happel Oan songs with tears streaming down my face asking if it was casual or not oh my amphoreus :crying_face: :crying_face: > 336 people found this helpful.
[ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ] by Trippy-TSixSeven
:thumbs_down:
< ts shld hv ngtve strsz > 1738 people found this helpful.
[ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ] by Ae0n_of_Appl5
Translated with Nymph See original
< no., Appl.Es. > 33 people found this helpful.
Castorice only blinks as Phainon laughs to himself, his chest puffing out with pride. “See, all five star reviews! This field’s practically calling to me!” The mortician goes to take a long sip of tea, deciding against telling her friend that those ‘five star’ reviews were the exact opposite of what he thought, and what field could this even fall towards? Ruining people’s love lives? Phainon goes to cheerfully pick up the milk jug, resuming his pouring as he speaks. “Y’know, you should hire me to help you court Hyacine! I think it would go really well!”
Castorice chokes on her tea, setting the tea cup against the saucer plate rather harshly as she goes to raise her fist to her mouth, shoulders shaking with each cough as she attempts to reign in her soul and not let it depart down the River of Souls. “P-PARDON?!” She manages to wheeze out.
The worldbearer remains unfazed. “You should hire me to help you court Hyacine. I think it would go really well,” He repeats, stressing his words just a tiny bit more, and Castorice looks incredulously at the man as though he had spoken in an ancient tongue long lost to Amphoreus.
Phainon tilts his head. “Was I off the mark then? I thought you liked her, given how much I see you two together. You’ve been glued at the hip since our Grove days! And the way you stare at her??” He whistles a note. “You seem pretty down bad. Like, REALLLL bad.” The lilac-haired woman goes to grab a stray napkin, wiping her mouth as she debates her words carefully. How is it that her friend, the same airheaded friend who during their Grove days, would practically flunk every single one of Anaxa’s quizzes to the point where it was a miracle he even graduated on time, managed to figure out something Castorice was planning to keep with her until she so much as pathetically perished away???
The mortician traces a gloved finger around the rim of her tea cup, her thoughts ranging from what the fuck???? to WHAT THE FUCK??????? She sighs. If it’s already that obvious, then there really was no use denying it, now was there?
Castorice goes to bring her hands close to her, placing them on top of one another on the tabletop, averting her gaze as to not meet her friend’s eyes. “…it is as you think Lord Phainon. I… do quite fancy Hyacine in the romantic way.” She does her best to ignore Phainon’s screeches then, the man practically bursting with joy where he sat as he shakes his fists with glee.
“OhmyTitans, that’s adorable!!!” He goes to nudge the fellow heir a few times as though they were students gossiping about their little crushes, the latter who’s covering her face with her hands as her ears blaze red. He goes to down his bizarre pomegranate juice-milk concoction, smiling wider when he’s done, and Castorice could only sit there musing in her regret.
The white-haired man springs up from his seat, going to smack Castorice rather hard in the shoulder, his eyes sparkling. “Leave it to me! I’ll devise the perfect plan to help you woo her heart. Hyacine won’t even know what’s comin’!”
“I would prefer if she never knew. At all.” Her words falling on deaf ears as he instantly gets to work typing away at his teleslate, and the lilac-haired woman can feel her pocket vibrating with each message Phainon sends.
“There! I sent you a whole detailed outline about what exactly you’re gonna do and how!” Castorice goes to stare at the ‘Hyacine wooing plan’ named hyperlink with a slight frown. “We’ve got this! You’re totally gonna bag the girl by the end!”
“Or face my demise now.” Phainon only laughs, going to smack Castorice in the shoulder once again, this time with enough force to send her all the way to Styxia without the help of Cipher.
“Go for it, Castorice! Chase that Sudden Spark!”
•—————————•
Phainon
—
< Word of advice, say something nice! >
—
Castorice reads over the lengthy list of ‘compliments for ladies to say to other ladies (for the ladies, of course)’, which she believes he just ripped off from some source off of the interweb, her body tensing as she watches the time on the corner of her screen slowly tick up.
“Cassie?” The mortician jumps, her teleslate flailing around in her arms as she squeaks. She looks up to meet Hyacine’s happy—albeit confused—expression.
“H-Hyacine! What a surprise!!” What surprise? She’s practically been standing in the very far corner of Twilight Courtyard staring intensely at her teleslate and mumbling to herself like some idiot for the past twenty minutes! If anything, she sticks out like a sore thumb! She goes to hurriedly pocket her teleslate, lest the other see the horrible pick-up lines Phainon had in store for her. “Has anyone ever said how absolutely wonderful you look today? New ribbon, perhaps?” The physician tilts her head, chuckling all the while so.
“Unfortunately, there’s no new additions or changes for my outfit, I’m just wearing what I typically wear! However,” she goes to take a few steps forward, placing a hand behind her back while using the other to swipe tip of Castorice’s nose, a smile sweeter than the syrup Mydei puts on the Janus’ pancakes whenever he cooked for them all blooming on her face. “It’s sweet that you think I look dashing even like this, Cassie. I’ll try harder to make you fall on your knees next time we see each other.” She says with a wink, going to step back, and Castorice could only stand there stunned, her cheeks slowly coloring red. This was very clearly not going the way Phainon said it would! How did she already manage to fail the very first step!?
Hyacine’s expression grows amused, and she goes to gently take Castorice’s wrist, tugging on it. “C’mon, Cassie! We haven’t had our daily tea break yet! We’ve got loads to discuss about the recent book we’ve picked up from the Library of Philia. I’ve just been waiting here all antsy to talk about it with you!” She guides them to a nearby table, and after the tea is served, they get into an animated discussion regarding the latest chapter of the series they both enjoy. Each time Hyacine so much as laughed or smiled at what Castorice had to say, she could feel her heart practically about to explode! The lilac-haired woman has to make sure to take long sips of tea to keep her idiotic blushing self from going insane each time Hyacine so much as looked her way.
“…now that you bring that up, I really did enjoy that part!” Hyacine claps her hands together, her eyes shining so vibrantly Castorice thinks she’s the damn equivalent of the sun. “I thought it was so cute that she did that for her best friend, and given the timing right now with the current love craze, it’s almost like they’re lov—“ an alarm brings her to a halt then, and the physician goes to pick up her teleslate with a frown. “Ah, it’s already been thirty minutes. I should head back to work before Perahippas comes to drag me back herself.” She goes to stand up, and Castorice could almost utter curses then and there on how cruel fate was for cutting their conversation short. She flashes a smile at the mortician. “Call you later? There’s still so much more we haven’t touched on yet, everything about this chapter was too good!”
The lilac-haired woman nods, a smaller, more understanding smile mirroring Hyacine’s own. “Of course. I look forward to continuing where we left off when the time comes.” She goes to wave at the pinkish-teal haired woman, watching the other’s figure descend further into the Courtyard.
As Castorice goes to take the elevator back down, she pulls up the list of compliments Phainon had so died thirty-three times to get her. While it was a shame she couldn’t get a chance to compliment her on her way of pronouncing the syllable ‘e’, Castorice was still glad to have had the chance to even speak to Hyacine at all.
“Although, it is rather funny. I sometimes feel as though she takes the care to make sure to allot time for me no matter what occasion.” Castorice ponders to herself, though that line of thought was so immediately cast aside as soon as the elevator reached the bottom floor.
•—————————•
Phainon
—
< Give her a gift, it’ll make her mood instantly lift! >
—
“Urgh, this is perhaps the third time I have passed by this stall by now…” she notices the merchant eyeing her, and Castorice gives a half-hearted wave their way as she continues walking. The mortician had practically dropped her teleslate on her face seeing Phainon’s message upon waking up. A GIFT!? Her lips purse together as she tries to rack her brain for anything at all.
I am sure Hyacine already has plenty of bows at her disposal, and… she eyes the tacky heart shaped gifts decorating the rest of the stalls. That is far too direct, even for me. She sighs. It’s futile at this point. There’s no possible gift perfect enough to even THINK about giving to her beloved Hyacine—
“APPLES! GET YOUR APPLES HERE!!” Castorice blinks out of her thoughts, looking to see a merchant waving around a huge sign.
‘One crate of apples for just half the gold coins!’ She blinks again. Right, she recalls Hyacine telling her rather excitedly one time about Ica’s record breaking apple inhaling skills, though she also recalls being far too distracted about how beautiful the physician had looked dipped in the sunlight’s warm hues, complimenting her already warm and inviting personality.
“Ah, would you like to buy some apples, miss?” Before she knows it, the mortician is already standing at the stall, coin purse already in hand.
“Er, yes.” She looks at her coin purse then to the plethora of crates behind the merchant. “How much for all the crates there?”
“For one of the crates, it’s—“ he pauses, blinking rapidly. “I’m sorry, I think I misheard you.”
“You did not,” Castorice quickly says, surprising even herself. She goes to clear her throat. “I would like to purchase all your crates. Of apples.” She adds as a lame afterthought. She jumps as the merchant practically leaps over the stall, falling to the ground with a loud thump as he goes to grab Castorice by the shoulders, shaking her.
“Oh, to Kephale themselves, it truly is a blessing! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!! You basically just bought my entire stock for the week! I-I’m free!!” He bursts into tears. “I’m—I’m finally free to see my family, wahhhhhhh!!!” He goes back behind the stall, wiping his tear-stricken face as Castorice goes to empty all the coins from her purse. One by one, he goes to wheel out the crates. Once the final one is rolled out, he gives a thumbs up. “Just leave the delivery to me! It’s free of charge as thanks!” She smiles, going to write the destination down on a sticky note and placing it against a crate around her height.
“My sincerest thanks, mister,” The merchant beams with pride. “There is no rush on the delivery, but it would be ideal for it to arrive at the destination before nightfall.”
“Roger that!” He gives a little salute, going to check the location before going on his way, whistling praises to each Titan all the while so.
“I dare think that is quite the good gift, if I do say so myself,” she muses to herself, a tad bit of cheekiness shining through. She can give herself a pat on the back just this once.
—
“Alright,” Perahippas goes to check off another item off the inventory. “The redsoil seems to be in stock. We got loads of chimera kibble… is there anything else we need…?”
“Doo, do do do?” Ica goes to fly around the items curiously, going to inspect each one by nudging it with their muzzle.
She gives the Pegasus a look. “There’s nothing there for you to chow down on, Ica.” The Pegasus only doos in response.
*knock knock!* The brown-haired woman blinks, turning around, her eyes widening as she goes to stare at the massive crate tower currently occupying her vision. A head peers out.
“Good day! I’ve come with a special delivery of apples!”
“Apples?” Perahippas parrots, blinking, as she goes to look at her clipboard. “I don’t recall even ordering any apples.”
“Must be a special gift then!” The merchant says, an unusually high lilt in his tone as he goes to unload all the crates, and Perahippas could only stare as the number of crates far exceeded the amount she could count on all her fingers and toes. Ica immediately goes to nudge open the lid of a crate, proceeding to dive in and chomp away at all the apples they could fit in their little mouth in their apple splendor. The merchant goes to salute, walking away as Perahippas could only continue staring dumbfounded.
“HYACINE. YOU’VE GOT TO COME SEE THIS.”
“Hm? Perahippas, what’s wron—“ the physician blinks. “That’s… quite a lot of apples. Did you make a mistake in ordering them?”
“I didn’t even order them! They just magically came on their own!!” She puts her hands to her head, muttering to herself about how crazy it was for a ton of apples to come in as well as the cost of it all, and Hyacine goes to inspect the crates. Upon feeling around, she finds a sticky note, and she goes to grab it.
To Hyacine,
I have ordered a ton of apples set to deliver to Twilight Courtyard. They were on sale and I had recalled the time you told me about Mister Ica’s numerous record on apple consumption. Therefore, I thought this would be useful for you. I do hope you and the Courtyard staff, along with Mister Ica, enjoy my little gift.
Kind regards,
Cassie :)
Ah, Hyacine’s eyes widen. She thought of me.
Hyacine smiles to herself, going to pick up an apple, bringing it close to her face to mask the baby pink dyeing her cheeks. She contemplates creating apple based gift baskets for all the heirs, the staff of the courtyard, as well as the students of the Grove that she occasionally tutors, and goes about mentally dividing the apples between the chimeras, the dromases, as well as Ica. Perhaps she’ll even make the round trip to deliver some apples to the elderly folk and the children of Okhema to brighten up their day.
She sets aside a special time to craft some apple themed desserts to bring along for a picnic, just between her and Castorice, and her smile turns a tiny bit more giddy at the thought.
•—————————•
Phainon
—
< Help a lady out, then go and take her out! >
—
“To be honest, I do not quite understand what you mean by this one, Lord Phainon.” Castorice goes to swing her scythe at a nearby Furiae Philosopher, while Phainon goes to parry a blow from Furiae Warrior, stabbing it in the chest.
The worldbearer grins, leaning against Dawnmaker’s handle. “Don’t worry! I got ya covered!” He makes a circle motion with his finger, and Castorice turns around, going to slice the Furiae Archer coming towards her in half and watching it dissipate into a trail of tiny golden flecks. He goes to reach into his pocket, pulling out what appeared to be two tickets. “I made a reservation for you two for a private bath house!” The mortician promptly chokes.
“Erm, what?” Castorice nods her head to the side, and Phainon simply cuts down the Furiae Warrior without so much of a glance, grin turning obnoxiously wider.
“You two. Bath house. Alone. Together.” The white-haired man grows more proud of himself with each word. “Heh, I really work miracles, don’t I?” He casually walks up to other heir, placing the tickets neatly into a dress pocket. “It’s set for the evening, so you have plenty of—“ he bumps the lilac-haired woman slightly to the side, going to parry an arrow as he swings widely at the Furiae Archer. “Geez, so many Titankin today… Aglaea really wasn’t kidding.” he turns back around to the mortician, parting a bit of his hair that got in the way of his vision during combat. “But you’ll have plenty of time to, y’know, chat her up a few! Go somewhere romantic… maybe have a fun date somewhere… then go to the bathhouse and relax…” his expression turns more teasing, a smirk forming on his face. “Maybe even smas—“
“Keep that line of thought,” the mortician begins, her gaze narrowing. “and I will make sure with all of my being that your farewell is among the worst to ever come by, Lord Phainon. I swear as Aidonia’s Holy Maiden of Death, stop suggesting such naughty things.” Castorice glowers, her face turning inexplicably red as Phainon only lets out a hearty guffaw in response. He goes to pat his friend on the shoulder.
“Well, whatever happens, I’m sure it’ll be one step closer to winning Hyacine over!”
“I sincerely doubt that—“
*Ding-a-ling!* Both heirs blink as Castorice reaches for her teleslate, her eyes widening.
“Ah, it is Hyacine. She is asking if I am available to call right now.” Phainon smirks.
“Well, now! Speak of the physician herself! Don’t wanna keep a lady waiting, now would ya?” Castorice only makes a face as Phainon guides her to a safer spot. “Stay around here, I’ll make sure to keep watch while you have your lovely chat with your girlfriend~” he snickers, and the mortician goes to shoo the man away with a wave of her hand, and as he walks further away, Phainon gives her another smirk, somehow even more smug.
Castorice shoots him a look, going to press answer.
< “Cassie!” > She practically feels herself melting, it was really all too cruel. < “Sorry, are you busy right now?” >
She shakes her head, before remembering the other couldn’t see the action. “No, not particularly. I am just out on an expedition in Castrum Kremnos with Lord Phainon on Lady Aglaea’s orders. The Titankin here have grown a bit in numbers, so we are trying to manage them as best we can.”
< “Ah, got it. I’ll keep it a bit short then.” > Castorice inwardly curses, for she would do nothing more than to keep on hearing Hyacine’s lovely voice like this. < “There’s a new boutique that opened up in Marmoreal Market. I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me once you return?” >
“Absolutely,” the mortician’s answer comes faster than a heartbeat. “I would love to, Hyacine.”
The physician giggles, a fatal blow to Castorice’s heart. < “Great! I’ll see you then, Cassie! Stay safe!” >
She feels a blush creeping onto her face, and in the corner of her eye, she sees Phainon cheering with one arm while slaying down three Furiae Warriors at once. “Y-yes, I will! See you soon, Hyacine!” She goes to hang up, placing a hand to her chest as she feels her entire neck burn. Her heart’s practically beating faster than she could even possibly think!
Phainon walks up to her, saying nothing, though the knowing look already told her everything. She simply glances away as they continue to scout the remaining area for rogue Titankin.
—
The mortician steps out into Marmoreal Market, weaving past bunches of people as she searches for Hyacine.
Something catches her wrist. “Cassie, over here!” She turns her head to see the other woman, dazzling as ever, situated near a wall.
“Apologies if I made you wait.” Castorice goes to join Hyacine in leaning against the wall, her gaze lingering to the people passing to and through the market.
The physician shakes her head. “I’d only just gotten here myself just a few minutes before you did. I had to leave Ika with Perahippas while I met up with you.” She puts a hand to her chin. “Though, I hope they won’t go eating all the apples. Perahippas really might hand her resignation letter the moment I come back.” Castorice only giggles.
“If that were to happen, I will make sure to talk to her about it,” Castorice says, a tad bit bashful and guilty, and Hyacine laughs.
“Thanks, Cassie,” she feels a tiny squeeze from Hyacine’s hand still on her wrist, and she daringly meets the other’s gaze. “That really, really means a lot.” They stay like this for a minute, gazes lingering, before Hyacine casually breaks it off. She goes to tug the other from the wall. “There’s a bit less people now, let’s make our way over to the shop!” Castorice only nods, mind slightly in shambles from the past few minutes.
The moment she enters the store, Castorice wonders if she had stepped onto an entirely alternate dimension. Her gaze lands on a rack of clothes, and she could just barely make out the price tags sticking out. She tries not to let her surprise show from how much these articles of clothing costed.
“That is practically the amount I spend on three large bundles of thread… for one simple shirt!” She mutters to herself, appalled, placing a hand near her mouth as Hyacine wanders further in the shop to look around. She pauses by a jewelry section, where colorful, ornate bracelets catch the light’s glow.
She goes to inspect a few, her eyes landing on a specific pair, before drawing back, going towards the clothes rack as she hears Castorice’s heels step closer.
The mortician peers her head at the rack Hyacine was currently rummaging through. “New outfit?” The pinkish-teal haired woman turns to the other with a smile, shrugging.
“Not really. I just wanted to try on some different clothes for a change of pace.” She goes to pull out a simple dress, examining it before placing it back. “It’s nice to have a few different options at your disposal.”
“I never really thought about that,” Castorice admits, going to fiddle with her gloves. “Outside of this dress, these gloves Lady Agalea had made for me, and a few choices of lounge wear, I do not quite have as many other outfits as I thought.” She blinks, her tone turning a fraction concerned. “Should I be purchasing clothes rather than materials for plushies??” She goes to count on her fingers, her expression growing more intense with each finger raised. “Er, let me see. If I start saving now and forgoing the latest thread colors, then… um…” Hyacine only laughs.
“It’s not really that big of a deal, don’t worry, Cassie!” She goes to a step closer to the other, going to take a piece of the ribbon on Castorice’s chest between her fingers as she leans in. “I quite like you no matter what you wear.” The physician says, voice hushed as to not let any of the other patron’s dare listen to the words Hyacine only ever intended for Castorice then.
She watches as the lilac-haired woman’s face explodes in red hues. “I-uh—er, I, um—!” the physician only laughs, a brief apology mixing in with her giggles as she brings the fabric back down to where it was before with a small pat, taking a step back to look through the rack. Her eyes catch onto something, and it’s then she decides to show no mercy to her poor friend.
“Cassie,” she calls out, and Castorice looks over, face still mildly red, as Hyacine holds her hands behind her back. “Which do you think would suit me better?” She pulls one hand from behind her back, a light, sky blue themed sun dress in one hand. “This? Or,” she tries to keep her expression neutral, though the glint in her eyes gives her intentions away easily as pulls out a rather… suggestive piece of wear. “Or this?” She practically feigns innocence as she watches multiple expressions dance across her the mortician’s, before turning mortified, sputtering out gibberish as she tries not to pass away then and there.
Hyacine tilts her head, stepping a bit too close to the other as she holds the lingerie closer to the other. “Is that a no, then?”
“Yes—! No? Uh—agh, Hyacine, this is far too much—!” The mortician backs away, covering her face as her ears turn red. “Why does a store even have this??” Hyacine only laughs at how high pitched Castorice’s voice comes out, going to place the lingerie to the side.
“It probably was an accident,” she says. “Although, maybe it’s a sign that I should try it and you let me know what you think—“
“AbSolutely nOt—!” Hyacine full-on laughs, tears springing in her eyes as she clutches her stomach, and while a few people look on curiously, most continue looking around the store. After a few moments the physician calms down, and she meets the other heir’s pout.
“Listen,” a few chuckles break through her words, though she goes to place a hand on the lilac-haired woman’s cheek. “I’m sorry, Cassie. I just thought it would be fun to tease you a bit there. Forgive me?” She goes to gently rub her thumb against Castorice’s cheek, the latter only sighs fondly.
“Of course I do, Hyacine. But please,” her expression turns exasperated. “Make the topic related to dress wear and not underwear?”
“I solemnly swear on it~” Hyacine says with a grin, and she goes to lightly pinch the other’s cheek before stepping away. “I think I saw a few fitting rooms over here.” Castorice goes to follow Hyacine, waiting outside as the physician steps into the booth. She turns around, “y’know, you could join me—“
“No.”
Hyacine giggles. “I’ll only be a few minutes.” She closes the curtain, and Castorice goes to lean against the wall, placing a hand to her head. Not only Phainon, but also Hyacine teasing her?! Doesn’t she know how insane of a question it is to ask if she would look good in THAT??
Do not think about further, Castorice, she thinks to herself, her expression turning grim. Lest you want to destroyed where you stand at this point. She sighs a bit. It’s just a friendly joke after all. Hyacine knows how flustered Castorice can get, and she probably just took that opportunity to tease her more.
That was all it was, right?
…right?
—
“A private bathhouse?” Hyacine’s eyebrows raise, and Castorice nods, as they continue walking down the road towards the bathhouses.
“I received it from… from a friend, and I was wondering if you would like to join me?”
Hyacine’s smile almost knocked her off her feet then. “Of course, Cassie! How could I say no to that? Not when it’s you inviting me!” She picks up her pace, skipping slightly as she adjusts her hold on the paper bag, the boutiques’ logo slapped right in the center, and Castorice only smiles, thankful this opportunity was even available to her. She makes a mental note to thank Phainon the next time she runs into him.
They enter bathhouse, and Castorice goes to hand their tickets to the receptionist, who shows them the area. As Castorice goes towards the locker area, she goes to change her clothes into a simple white dress as well as a sandals designated for relaxing in the baths. She goes to draw her hair into a bun, using a pair of hair sticks Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon had gifted to her upon arriving in Amphoreus, shortly after Aglaea had welcomed her. She had always kept it on her person for good luck.
She steps out towards the bathing area, blinking to herself as she takes a look around. It really was a private bathing spot, as Phainon had promised. She spots a few bottles of ambrosia on a mini table with two chairs, and as she glances at the tub, she realizes how rather… small it was.
Castorice blinks again. This felt rather intimate, more than anything. Perfect for a couple!
…or for someone who’s head over damn heels for their best friend. Not that Castorice would know such a thing, of course.
“This place certainly is cozy,” Hyacine comments. She’s wearing similar attire to Castorice, only her sleeves were frilled and puffy, and a small teal ribbon sat neatly on the neckline of the dress.
Castorice tries not to stare too much, opting to watch the wisps of steam rising from the water. “It is, though, it is not really a bad thing.”
“I agree,” Hyacine gives her a look then, and Castorice can’t seem to name the expression the other was giving her even if she tried. “It really isn’t a bad thing at all.” She goes to take off her sandals, placing them to the side as she wanders near the tub. Hyacine goes to place her legs in first, sitting at the edge and swishing her legs around, watching the ripples disperse through the water. “It’s quite warm, actually! I expected it to be hotter, given the amount of steam.” Castorice goes to join her, though, she decides to plunge her entire body in, splashing Hyacine slightly.
“Cannonball,” the mortician says flatly, keeping her face above the water as Hyacine only laughs. She swims towards where the physician is sitting, going to rest her back against the wall. She feels her muscles relax, and it’s only then it hits Castorice just how sore she was from her early morning expedition with Phainon.
“Ugh, perhaps having that miniature contest with Lord Phainon on who could slay the most Titankin was not the best idea so early in the morning… forgive me for not heeding your advice, Lord Mydei…” she mumbles, wincing as she rubs her shoulder, the action not going unnoticed by Hyacine.
“Cassie, move up a bit,” Castorice blinks, though does as she’s told, and when she does so, she feels a pair of rather cool hands rest on her shoulders, and the physicians breathe tickles her ear. “Let me know where it hurts, okay?”
“S-sure,” she goes to cup her hands together, allowing a bit of the bath water to pool into her palms, where she lets it seep past her fingers, which twitch every so slightly the more Hyacine keeps feeling her around.
“…ow!” Castorice sucks a breathe in sharply, closing one eye in pain.
“Looks like a pretty bad muscle knot,” Hyacine goes to gently press her fingers against the knot, making small, yet firm circular motions. “You’ve been going on a lot of expeditions recently, you probably overdid yourself a bit.” The mortician feels her mouth dry up, a bit ashamed, and Hyacine huffs a laugh, as though knowing what the other was thinking. “It’s alright, Cassie,” she speaks in a soft tone, going to wrap her hands around Castorice’s shoulders, enveloping her in a hug. “You’ve really been working hard.”
“I… er, not as hard as you! You—you get plenty of people who are in need of your help and everything!” Beneath the water, Castorice clasps her hands together. “The most I do is tend to patrols on Lady Aglaea’s request, other than that, I am rather inadequate.” She feels Hyacine hug her closer, and the remaining words seemingly die in her throat, her protests growing stagnant as she feels the physician bury herself in the crook of the mortician’s neck.
“…nuh uh.”
Castorice blinks slowly. “Nuh uh to…?”
Hyacine lifts her head, going to look down at Castorice with an expression of utter fondness and care, and the lilac-haired woman wants nothing more then to bury herself deeper into the water out of pure embarrassment. “Nuh uh to putting yourself down like this! We’re both Chrysos Heirs, are we not?”
She ducks her head. “I… suppose so, yes. But that does not mean—“
“No ifs, ands, or buts, Cassie!” Hyacine retorts back. “We’re both important, and what we both do is important as well! End of discussion!” Castorice falters. This was one of her weakest points with Hyacine: not being able to truly refute back against the other. It’s been an ongoing trend since their school days, more so after they’ve attended Anaxa’s lectures, and Castorice just can’t find herself to win against Hyacine’s surprising stubbornness when it appears.
The mortician simply nods, deciding to leave it at that. “…alright, Hyacine. I will not try to bring it up any longer.”
“Good.” Hyacine says happily, going back to burying herself against Castorice’s neck, and the woman so briefly wonders if this is what people do during baths with their… friends.
Not that Castorice was against it, of course. She knows for a fact she will scream about it later to her flower decorated pillow and to poor Pollux. A few heartbeats pass, and Castorice blinks.
“Hyacine, are you not going to get into the bath?” The physician looks rather sheepish, lifting her head up slightly.
“Ehehe, not really. I actually was going to take a bath with Ika later. Their fur has been matting as of recently.” She watches as Castorice’s jaw practically drops to beyond Amphoreus, and she quickly interjects. “but I didn’t want to pass up this opportunity to be with you more! If anything, I truly do enjoy our time together… a lot.” If it wasn’t for the steam, Hyacine’s red face would be far more visible.
Fortunately, Castorice is a genuine idiot and doesn’t seem to notice at all. “I see. Well, I am very thankful you agreed.” She turns a bit, her expression full of gratitude as she smiles wider than any smile Hyacine has seen on the other before, stunning her then. “Thank you for coming along with me, Hyacine.”
Instead of a reply like she was expecting, Castorice gets splashed in the face with the bath water.
“Oops!” Hyacine looks genuinely apologetic. “S-sorry, Cassie! I didn’t mean to—ah!” She yelps, feeling an entourage of droplets aimed at her way, and she giggles, as they proceed to get into a water fight.
—
“That was a nice bath,” Castorice goes to stretch her arms into the air, feeling her joints crack with a satisfying pop, and Hyacine goes to take in the evening breeze, the sky dipping from its orange-yellow hues to a deeper indigo, painting the sky into the night’s colors. She turns to the pinkish-teal haired woman. “Since it is getting rather late, let me walk you home.”
“That’s very kind of you, though, before you do that,” Hyacine goes to rummage in her bag, and Castorice tilts her head. “I have a present for you!” She beckons the mortician to hold out her left hand, and as she does so, she feels Hyacine’s fingertips graze her skin. She fiddles her hands for a bit, before pulling back, satisfied. “There we go!” Castorice lifts her wrist up to see a small silver bracelet now adorning what was once empty, and in the middle, a tiny emerald sat, exuding a faint green glow akin to the grass in the Courtyard. “I saw it at the boutique earlier, it’s actually a matching pair!” She goes to pull down her sleeve, revealing a similar bracelet on her own left hand. The physician turns a bit more bashful. “I hope you like it, Cassie. I thought it would be fun to match.”
“Like it? Hyacine, I love it.” She says earnestly, almost taking the other heir aback, though she quickly composed herself. “It is a wonderful idea to have matching bracelets, I will make sure to treasure it.” The smile Castorice gives Hyacine is blinding then, and she only gives one in return. They make their way back to Hyacine’s place, and as the physician is going to greet the other farewell,
“Hyacine,” Castorice calls out, her voice somewhat unsteady, and the woman looks over in question.
Before the physician could even blink, Castorice goes to move closer, leaning down as she hovers near Hyacine’s face. Her heart’s practically protesting, but she was already so close. She moves closer, pressing a soft, yet fleeting kiss to Hyacine’s cheek.
Castorice stands gay straight back up, going take a strand of hair between her forefinger and thumb. “A-as thanks. For the bracelet. And for letting me sap up so much of your time.”
Hyacine’s gaze softens. “Oh, Cassie,” she daringly utters, voice almost about to crack, but she tries her hardest to keep it stable. “You’ve never wasted my time. Not even for one second.”
Castorice only nods rather fast, comedically so. “Great! Um, that—that is really great.” She turns around, beginning to walk back to her own place, though she looks back to give a wave. “See you soon, Hyacine. Have a wonderful night.”
Hyacine returns it, her wave far bigger. “Good night, Cassie! Sweet dreams!” She watches as the other descends, and once Castorice’s figure is fully gone from her view, she touches her cheek, a wide smile blooming on her face as she hops up and down.
•—————————•
Phainon
—
< Spend time together, make her feel better! >
—
“Mm, still no response… I wonder if she is alright...” Castorice mumbles with a frown, placing her teleslate away as she goes to watch the few dromases on the road pass by. She decides to chalk it up to Twilight Courtyard being busy, going to sway her body side to side as she waits.
The mortician hears footsteps approaching, looking up to see Hyacine. She goes to greet the other, but pauses.
Eh? Her eyes widen. Maybe Castorice was imagining it, but Hyacine looked rather… gloomy.
The physician finally makes her way over. “Cassie!” She goes to smile, though it was a bit less than the ones she’d typically give the other heir. “Sorry if I made you wait long, I was just finishing up something last minute.” Castorice’s brows furrow the more she notices how off Hyacine’s expression looked with each word the other woman said. Upon hearing silence, Hyacine blinks. “Cassie? Everything okay?”
I should be the one asking that, not you.
“Y-yes! Pardon me, I was… um, lost in my thoughts for a moment.” Hyacine huffs out a laugh, and they begin walking towards a more secluded area, the sun already starting to dip past the horizon. The mortician can’t help but glance every so often at Hyacine’s back, wondering what expression she was making then.
“Ah, we are here…” they arrived at a far part of Okhema, where people rarely pass by, making it the perfect spot to have some alone time if one so desired. She goes to clasp her hands together, looking down at the ground, as Hyacine goes to lean against the ornately carved guardrail.
The pinkish-teal haired woman breathes in, going to take in the view. “Wow,” her eyes sparkle a bit. “This really is a wonderful view, Cassie! Thanks for showing it to me!” Castorice’s heart aches then, and before she knows it, she goes to speak.
“…I am glad you think so, Hyacine,” the other heir blinks, confused, turning to face the mortician. “But I cannot help but think you seem a bit… distracted.” Her fingers go to play with the ribbon on her chest, stroking the fabric repeatedly as she gathers her courage. She goes to meet Hyacine’s eyes, trying her best to not glance away from the depths of teal. “Are you alright, Hyacine?”
“Ah…” the physician’s eyes widen then, and Castorice feels as though she royally fucked up. Thoughts come in and out of her head as she stands, glued in place, but regardless, she keeps going. Even despite the doubts, she wants to convey it to Hyacine. To show she’s not alone.
She goes to inhale. “You—you can lean on me if you need to, erm, you do not have to bear it alone.” She puts a hand to her chest, her expression firm as the sunset’s glow overtakes them both. “Please, rely on me! We are friends, right? I do not think I would be a good friend if I were to just let you feel sad by yourself, so, uh—“ the words swirl around in her head, causing her to stall, but she shakes it off, reaffirming her resolution once more. “Confide in me! If it is too much, then, please share it with me! You do not have to feel burdened, Hyacine! You can cry if you want to!! Do not just force yourself to be happy for other people’s sakes! You can feel too!!!” She pants a bit, her voice cracking as she bends down to place her hands on her knees, face flushing upon her rather stupid declaration. What was she thinking?! Why would she say any of this?! It really was only a hunch, but regardless, what’s done is done. She only shuts her eyes, still bent down, hoping that perhaps the pavement would go and swallow her whole then and there.
Castorice feels a gentle tap on her head, and she looks up to see Hyacine looking at her with such fondness. “Thank you, Cassie,” she motions to a nearby bench, and they go to sit, and Castorice watches as Hyacine repeatedly weaves her fingers together, her gaze turning somber. “…There’s a child who came in this morning feeling sick. I did the usual check-up and everything, and after a few more tests, I realized they contracted a chronic illness.” Her eyes turn misty. “I asked Perahippas to run a few lab tests to be sure, just to see if I was perhaps wrong, and sure enough… they do.” Her voice lowers. “They only have a few months, perhaps even weeks left, and… and when I told their parents, they—“ a few stray tears start falling from her eyes, her voice choking up as she balls her fists. “They were so distraught, Cassie.” She whispers. “They were so upset, yelling at me to help their child, to help cure them, to do anything! But,” her shoulders sag, and the tears continue falling down her cheeks, as she sobs harder, going to lean against Castorice’s shoulder. “There’s really nothing I can do Cassie! I-I can’t do anything, and that’s what truly frustrates me! The most I can offer is medicine to help alleviate the symptoms and help them not feel as much pain but—!“ she wheezes in a breathe, her entire body shaking. “That’s all I can do. It’s really all I can do.” She utters, her tone broken and filled with such despair as she brings her hands up to her face, sobbing as Castorice simply listens, for that is what she can do in the moment, her Death Touch be damned.
They stay like this for awhile, the sun continuing to dip lower and lower as Hyacine slowly calms down, and Castorice’s heart can’t help but ache. She’s known the other woman hides how she feels from her patients often, choosing to uphold a happy front for the sake of other people’s happiness.
But the longer you put other people’s wishes first Castorice thinks sorrowfully. the more you truly lose sight of yourself. Castorice of all people knows how it feels, thinking about to her cold, icy days in Aidonia, and she most regrets not being able to give them all a far more proper farewell, her own adoptive mother included. She feels Hyacine’s head rub against her arm, and she blinks, looking over to see the other woman slowly getting up.
“Thank you, Cassie.” The physical goes to rub her eyes, wiping away the remaining tears. “I haven’t cried like this in awhile, it’s cathartic.” She chuckles weakly. “Though, if anyone were to see me like this, they’d probably think lesser than me.”
“That is not true.” Before Castorice could even BEGIN to think about what she’s saying, her mouth moves for her. “I would argue against that. If anything, people should appreciate you even more for what you are doing. You have helped so many people and have brought so much joy to others, if anyone were to do away with you simply because you allowed yourself to properly feel, then I dare say that is their problem.” She feels her face flush, the heat creeping towards her neck and collarbone, and she knows for a fact she will regret what she’s about to say, but she continues on regardless. “I truly do love you for that reason, Hyacine. Both the strong and what you may deem as ‘weak’ points of you are what make you so alluring to me. If anything, you are like the sun, Hyacine. You are so bright and dazzling and being so much joy and happiness into people’s lives, it would be a shame if anyone appeared to hate that. If anything… it-it really made me fall deeper in love with you.” Her heart’s thumping loudly in her ears, her breathes shaky. Yep, it’s over. As Cipher and Mydei had so lovingly put it one time while running into the two by chance, she’s sincerely cooked to all oblivion. Castorice doesn’t know the expression she’s making then, and she refuses to look at the other in fear of what’s she’s said, of what she’s exposed after holding it all in for so long.
Just like that, it all came spilling out. Years of keeping in these feelings, this yearning, all toppled out in a matter of mere minutes, seconds even, as though it were nothing.
Castorice goes to get up from the bench, failing to notice Hyacine’s outstretched hand towards her. “Um, forgive me, I do not quite feel well. I think I will head home early.” She barely manages to say, stumbling on her steps as she starts walking away. The world feels like it’s twisting in on itself, her vision growing more disoriented, and she simply turns back to muster a wave and half smile, turning back to walk as quickly as she could back to her place, her she will go to weep for all eternity.
“Cassie, I—! I…” the words falter in her throat, and Hyacine could only bring a hand to her face, feeling her face as it radiates warmth and it’s the moonlight’s beams.
•—————————•
*Bzzzt!~ Bzzzt!~ Bzzzt!~*
Castorice groans, going to reach a hand towards her nightstand, feeling around until she finally finds her teleslate. She lifts her head up from her pillow, going to eye the notifications groggily.
“Ten messages from Lord Phainon, some sale discounts of the thread store I happen upon every now and then, a message from Lady Aglaea telling me to… ‘feel better and that the world is not quite over like you think it is, dear’, and…” she sighs softly. “The rest are from Hyacine… goodness, how much of a fool could I possibly have been?” She groans, setting her teleslate to the side as she goes to once again agonize herself about what she had said two days prior. She pulls the blanket closer to her body, throwing it other her head to create a makeshift hoodie for her to wallow in. “I cannot believe I said any of that, what was I thinking?! Eugh, Hyacine must think I am some… some weirdo now!” She sinks deeper into her pillow, a few tears seeping past her watery eyes. She decides to go to sleep, leaving reality behind and entering her dreams once more, where she hopes to stay for good.
Or at least, that’s what Castorice planned on doing, but a persistent knocking at her door made it harder to otherwise. Castorice only sighs, going to hold the blanket tight around herself as she slowly makes her way to the door, opening it as
“Cassie!” The mortician blinks once, then twice, her gaze finally focusing on the other woman in front of her, face riddled with both relief and worry. The mortician feels her face flush, and she goes to slam the door shut, but Hyacine already predicted that, placing a firm arm on it to keep it open. “W-wait! I… just, listen to what I have to say first? Please?”
Castorice averts her gaze, sinking deeper into the blanket hoodie. “There is no need, Hyacine. I already know that you will reject me, and that you are here to cut ties with me and cast me away for good.” The lilac-haired woman says bitterly, gaze turning more hollow. “It is alright, you can save us both the trouble by ending it all here and now. I do not mind one bit.” Hyacine frowns at that.
“Cassie, no—I,” she pauses. “I wouldn’t ever think about doing such a thing.” She says softly. She makes her way inside, Castorice letting her, and she goes to close the door as she enters. She smiles a bit, seeing how rather similar the place was to when she had come over during their time in the Grove, minus the various trinkets and items collected over the years, alongside a plush-making station. She goes to place down a basket on the table. “This was from everyone else. I’m—they’re all worried about you, believe it or not, so they complied this gift basket in hopes you’d feel better soon.” She shuffles her feet, expression turning a bit embarrassed. “Phainie was adamant on coming over, but I volunteered to in his stead. I… may have abused my physician privileges slightly, but more than anything, I really, really wanted to see you, Cassie.” She watches as Castorice’s face gets obscured by the hood, and she only smiles sadly. “Let’s go sit down. I have a bit I want to say.” The mortician only nods, going to lead them both to her bedroom, where they go to sit on the edge, where they sit silently. Hyacine doesn’t usually get at a loss of words, rather finding them easy to convey, however, for once, she has so much to say, yet no idea how to express any of it. How could she express her gratitude towards Castorice? For everything the other’s done for her up until now. For truly being one of the most important people in her life? How could she express the utter joy she felt hearing Castorice say how much she loved her so? That her feelings were in fact reciprocated?
How could she express it all to Castorice, the ones she’s grown to absolutely love with all her being? Hyacine goes to play with her thumbs, her legs slightly moving back and forth as words seemingly appear and disappear in her mind with ease.
“I-I am sorry,” Castorice says, breaking the silence first. “I said some… things in the heat of the moment, um,” she holds the blanket tighter to herself, and Hyacine wants nothing more than to pull it away and give her a hug. “That I did not mean to say aloud. For that, I do apologize.”
“…” Hyacine directs her gaze to her lap, folding her hands together. “Cassie, what you said that night, it really meant a lot. Like,” she motions with her hands. “A whole lot. You really cheered me up then, you know. Being so adamant like that, seeing me for who I am yet still cherishing me all the same.” Hyacine blinks, a few tears streaming down her face, and Castorice’s eyes widen.
“Y-you are crying—!”
“Don’t worry,” she goes to wipe them away, a radiant smile in place. “They’re happy tears! Really happy tears, knowing I’m so loved by you, Cassie.” She feels her face heat up, but disregards it, going to continue staring at the mortician with such a loving gaze. She goes to cup Castorice’s face, the blanket falling from Castorice’s head and onto the bed, exposing the mortician’s fragile state, and her voice comes out, hushed and ever so fragile.
“I’ve so much I want to say, things I want you to hear, but I don’t exactly think it suffices.” She goes to look into the other woman’s eyes. “Cassie, can I kiss you?” The lilac-haired woman blinks, and she so briefly wonders if this was a dream. She doesn’t know if she nodded feverishly, said yes manically, or a combination of the two, but when Hyacine’s lips had met hers in that moment, Castorice long already knew this was real. Castorice goes to part, but Hyacine holds her in place for a bit longer, deepening the kiss. Finally, they both part, faces flushed, as they stare at each other.
Hyacine giggles. “Cassie, you look shocked.”
“That is because I am,” she admits, and the physician goes to place a hand on Castorice’s cheek. “This does not feel real.”
“It doesn’t,” Hyacine agrees, her smile growing wider. “But it is, and I really wouldn’t have it any other way.” She goes to envelope Castorice in a hug.
“So, um,” she fidgets slightly. “How long have you liked me?”
“Since I first laid eyes on you during our time in the Grove,” Hyacine says with such causality, giggling internally as she can practically feel Castorice’s flabbergasted gaze on her. “I couldn’t help it! You were so pretty! And the lighting at the time? It only worsened my gay panic.” She shakes her head. “If anything, how could I not fall in love with you? You’re the prettiest person in all of Amphoreus! I thought I made it pretty obvious that I like you romantically, since I kept doodling hearts on your papers and quizzes whenever I handed them back to you, and the flowers I chose for our matching flower crowns at graduation weren’t exactly flowers with platonic meanings in mind…” She laughs, feeling Castorice bury her head against her shoulder with a slight whine of embarrassment. “I even tried to make my crush on you way more obvious the past few days! I don’t exactly go around getting that touchy with people, let alone give them massages, and I don’t exactly go joking around with anyone about seeing me wear something more suggestive, Cassie.” She smiles, noticing the emerald glint peering out from her arm still firmly wrapped around the other, its meaning etching itself into this very moment. “Perhaps I should’ve been a tinyyy bit more direct from the get-go rather than teasing you all this time, but I really do love you a lot, truly. And I hope that, if you’ll let me, I promise, now and forever, to truly show you just how much I adore you.” She feels Castorice lift her head up.
“…that sounded more like a marriage vow.” Hyacine only laughs.
“Then let it be! I’ll come up with better ones when the real thing comes.” Both their faces flush at that, but who cares? Hyacine long threw logic out to the wind the moment she met the other woman, and since then, she’s only grown more fond of their little moments together, those memories blending into one another, adding onto Hyacine’s devotion for Castorice the farther the days go by. She finally goes to pull away from their embrace (sort of), placing her hands on the mortician’s shoulders. “Right, should we have some tea? This usually would be our time to meet up at the Grove and chat, but things are just a tad bit different now,” she gets up, spinning around and giving Castorice a wink. “Though, not exactly in a bad way, I hope?”
Castorice gives a slight shake of her head as she joins the other out of the bedroom. “Not at all.” She meets Hyacine’s smile with one of her own, just as wide. “In fact, I dare say the madness of love is the greatest of the Titan’s blessings.”
•—————————•
Castorice goes to pull out her teleslate, pulling up a familiar webpage and pressing the review button. She gets to work typing out a review, going to make sure it’s up to her standards, and posts it, smiling to herself. She goes to get up and, to her slight surprise, is met with a floating plushie hovering in front of her face.
“Dodo doo~” she smiles a bit wider, holding out her hands as Ica drops the familiar Tantalon plush she was looking at mere days ago.
“I managed to get the last one before they went ahead and discarded them after the fourteenth passed,” Hyacine says, tone full of joy as she bounces up to the other. “I thought you’d enjoy analyzing as ‘Amphoreus’ number one plush maker’!”
Castorice tilts her head. “Well, that is rather new. I do not quite think anyone has ever called me that before.”
“Made the title up myself!” She tugs the mortician, going to kiss the other’s cheek. “I think it’s rather fitting for my awesome girlfriend.” Hyacine remarks, nodding to herself.
“Then I shall have to come up with an even better title for you, Hyacine, fit for someone such as yourself.” The physician only giggles. She goes to grab her girlfriend by the arm, tugging her, and watching with amusement as the other woman comes, though stumbles, at Hyacine’s beck and call.
“C’mon, Cassie! I’m quite in the mood for shopping!” She smirks. “Maybe we should go back to that boutique so I can try on that lingerie—“ she doesn’t get a chance to say any more as the mortician cuts her off with a kiss, though, she doesn’t object to it one bit, wrapping her arms around Castorice’s neck to pull her in for another one.
—
Phainon blinks, going to see the new notification on his screen, is expression turning (ice)elated as he looks at the new review.
“Hm? Hiya Snowy! Whatcha’ looking so happy for?” Tribbie comes skipping into view.
“Did something good happen?” Trinnon adds, trailing behind.
“Ooooooooo!” Trianne practically shoves Trinnon and Tribbie to the side, both giving the energetic girl a look of vexation, trying to get a good view of the white-haired man’s screen. “Did a new wooden weapon drop?! we’d love to get a new addition to the singular wooden sword we own!”
Tribbie blinks, a frown on her face as she places her hands on her hips. “What? This doesn’t apply to all of us! You just want a new weapon, Trianne!” The latter only sticks her tongue out in response.
Phainon simply laughs, going to ruffle each of the Triblets hair. “Nope, unfortunately not a new weapon or anything like that! I just got another five star review for my Cupid services!” Trianne goes to look over Phainon’s shoulder.
She makes a face. “What? Snowy, that’s clearly—“
“We’re so proud of you, Snowy!” Tribbie hurriedly interjects, going to telepathically scold Trianne in place as she offers the best smile she could.
“You deserve it,” Trinnon adds, giving a double thumbs up to pair with the action.
Phainon rubs the back of his head, expression slightly bashful. “Aw, thanks! It really is hard work being a Cupid—“
“A Cupid, you say?” The worldbearer freezes, and he slowly turns around.
“A-Aglaea!” The Goldweaver’s eyes narrow, her heel clicking impatiently against the stone. “What a nice surprise! I was just talking with the Triblets here about—!” He motions to the side, only to find it empty. He turns back to the other heir, turning paler by the second. “Listen, I can explain—“
“You will not explain anything, mister.” She goes to pinch him by the ear, dragging him off to the bathhouses. “I’ve been hearing all about your little stunts through my threads. Why on Amphoreus did you think wearing that horrid combination of purple and yellow would help the situation?! I have given you plenty of outfits far better suited for the occasion! Have you learned nothing!?”
He blinks. “Wait, that’s what you’re angry about?? Really?—Ah! Ow, ow, ow! I’m sorry!!!!!” Phainon’s pleas are drowned out the deeper Agalea drags him into Okhema, where many merchants are already discarding the red and pink decor in favor of the next holiday craze to cash in on.
Later on, Aglaea had confiscated the gold Phainon had made from his little hustle—which admittedly, wasn’t even a lot—though she makes sure to drop two single gold coins into his hands, to Phainon’s confusion.
She gives a knowing smile. “For the two people you did help make happy.” Aglaea walks away, going to stash the remainder of the coins away as Phainon jumps up and down with glee, happy to have made even a little profit from his rather short-lived services.