The next morning...
Backlund was graced with rare fine weather. Golden sunlight, unblocked by clouds, bathed every corner of the city. The season kept its warmth gentle, making it pleasant to bask in.
Klein had no commissions today and was concerned about Azik's memory fusion, so he stayed home.
"I get the logic, but how are you losing at gomoku to Lil' Amon?" Alaric, in his Jack persona, glanced at the board in front of Klein, raising an eyebrow.
Indeed, Klein was playing gomoku with Lil' Amon, and the board showed Amon was moments from connecting five stones.
Holding a piece, Klein coughed lightly. He glanced at the board but didn't deny it, instead saying generously to Amon, "You're really sharp. I taught you gomoku yesterday, and today you're already better than me."
At Klein's praise, Lil' Amon perked up, practically glowing. If he had a tail, it'd be wagging. He coughed, feigning modesty. "It's not that impressive."
"No wonder you two get along. Kids thrive on praise." Alaric said with a chuckle, ruffling Amon's hair. He poured them each a glass of sweet iced tea, grabbed a fruit platter, and sat to watch the game, sipping his drink.
Tap, tap, tap...
Footsteps echoed from upstairs, unmistakably belonging to a certain Red Angel.
Finally free after wrapping up recent tasks, Medici descended from the second floor, a cigarette dangling between his fingers.
He glanced at the trio, his left hand brushing past the cigarette. A faint spark lit it. Medici took a casual drag, then froze.
The flavor was off... not tobacco, but… mint? Narrowing his eyes, he realized something and looked at Alaric, who was peeling an orange, cup set aside.
"Stop staring. I swapped your smokes for mint ones. There's a kid in the house, and you're smoking? Got any sense of responsibility? What if you set a bad example?" Alaric said, meeting Medici's gaze, utterly unapologetic.
"Tch!" Medici grimaced but didn't stub out the mint cigarette. Letting it burn, he approached, quickly sizing up Klein and Amon's game. He scoffed. "Up this early to play gomoku?"
"Still better than you smoking first thing in the morning." Alaric shot back, unimpressed. He rummaged through the fruit platter, tossing Medici a large, round apple. "Eat your fruit!"
Medici caught the apple, finally ditching the mint cigarette into an ashtray on the coffee table. Munching on the apple with loud crunches, he plopped down beside Alaric, eyeing the board and tossing out snarky commentary.
Then Alaric noticed Klein, previously dominated by Amon, suddenly gaining the upper hand, reversing the one-sided match.
Clearly, either Klein's potential had been sparked, or he hadn't been serious earlier, just humoring Amon. Stung by Medici's mockery, he was now showing his true skill.
Lil' Amon noticed too but didn't get upset or sulky. Instead, he grew more focused, his moves increasingly cunning.
What started as a simple gomoku game now felt as intense as a go match.
"This damned competitive streak…" Alaric shook his head, sipping his iced tea, only to be nudged by Medici's elbow.
"What?" Alaric asked, puzzled.
"Where's my teacup?" Medici demanded.
"How should I know…" Alaric replied, bewildered.
"I washed all the tea sets yesterday and left them in the kitchen, but my cup wasn't there. Besides you, has anyone touched them today?" Medici said, taking another crunch of his apple, his gaze sharp. "Confess and I'll go easy on you. Resist, and it's trouble."
"Uh…" Alaric blinked, a memory surfacing. He gave a slightly guilty smile. "Is it possible your cup's in the trash?"
"What happened?" Medici asked, squinting.
"Last night, I got hungry and went to the kitchen for a snack. I accidentally… broke it." Alaric said, spreading his hands, regaining his confidence. "It wasn't on purpose! The cup's quality was just shoddy. It barely got knocked… Maybe get a sturdier one next time?"
The last bit was offered with genuine sincerity.
"..."
Medici was speechless.
"What's everyone gathered around?"
As Alaric and Medici bickered over whether the cup was faulty or Alaric was reckless, more footsteps approached.
Will bounded down the stairs lightly, curiosity on his face. He joined the group, settling into a corner opposite Alaric. Grabbing an orange from the platter, he studied Klein's board for a while. "This… one of Roselle's games?"
"Pretty much." Alaric said with a chuckle, briefly explaining gomoku's rules to Will.
"Sounds simple… ugh, so sour!" Will started to comment but winced, the orange slice he'd eaten puckering his face.
"You just prefer sweet stuff. I think it's fine." Alaric said. Before he finished, Will, quick as lightning, stuffed another slice into Alaric's mouth.
Alaric froze, then grimaced, grabbing his iced tea for a quick sip.
"Sour, right?" Will said, flashing a triumphant grin.
As the Snake of Mercury, Will lived by the motto of acting his age, so he saw no shame in his antics.
"Hah!" Medici burst out laughing, his mockery unmistakable.
Alaric shot him a dark look, but just when everyone expected him to retaliate with a sour orange for Medici, he instead popped a slice into Klein's mouth.
"Ow, why me?" Klein's face scrunched up from the tartness, baffled, like a cat ambushed while minding its own business.
***
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