[PQ] [seasonal event] kindness keep a lonely company

AMALIA Amalia misses the last of their antics, fails to spot conspiratorial looks and smirks, though an amused groan is audible from the back of the room when Jigano lets loose a pun. She busies herself with cleaning the pans, sorting and sifting in the back of the shop in an attempt to maintain some semblance of order. Part of her cannot help but be sure she will have to manage the front, too, unsure of the level of faith she can have in her assistants. Returning from the depths of the bakery's interior, Amalia is pleasantly surprised to find the place nearly immaculate. With little to do but wait, the busy girl takes a break to lean against a wall, watching contentedly as Jigano sweeps and Deimos and Kiada clean the counters. It is not apathy which stills her, or sloth: instead it is a strange thing, something beginning to fill into the pit of her soul. Arms crossed over her chest, the lonely girl takes a moment to enjoy the tranquility of the scene, basking in the glow of friendship, hard work, and an oven full of fresh bread. Though as seriously as they are taking their cleaning, it is nothing compared to the lengths they've gone to prevent one another from remaining unfloured. Stepping forward, Amalia arches an eyebrow in resigned surprise, hardly able to keep the laughter from her lips. Ghosts, the lot of them, covered in white, their clothes and skin and hair speckled with dust. Her grandmother's rule had been put in place to prevent just this sort of thing, but it had never worked then- and the girl doesn't know why she expected adulthood would cause people to take it seriously now. She will have to think of something other than her grandmother's traditional reward: a great hug, a kiss on the cheek, and the wooden Spoon of Cleanliness seem a little improper, here. At last the requisite time has passed, and Amalia begins to withdraw the bread. Loaf after loaf emerges, each one golden and beautifully decorated, if not perfectly round. Birds, moons, snowflakes- and, of course, her four seasonal treats. Smiling up at the trio of bakers, Amalia extends her arms to show off their work, a proud and delighted smile illuminating every inch of her face. "Thank you all so much. They're beautiful, you did so wonderfully- if anyone is looking for a bakery job after this, you're hired!" Her tone is half-teasing, half-sincere. She would happily have their help, and their company, whenever it is offered. Looking them over with a critical eye, Amalia seems to fall deep into thought. "It's hard to really say who's cleanest," she muses, mischief pulling at her lips. "But, if we were to give a prize for least dirty, I suppose the winner would have to be..." She lets the moment stretch, that last syllable a wavering note as she peers at each one. Amalia is beginning to regret this, because the rewards her grandmother would give are, perhaps, not quite adequate here. The silly spoon, maybe, but the hug and kiss... Raising her face up to Deimos, Amalia cannot help the flush which creeps across her cheeks. That the behemoth managed to keep himself so clean is unexpected, but not wholly unwelcome. For a brief moment a wild part of her entertains the idea of sliding around the counter and against his chest, letting his arms wrap around her waist and pressing her lips to the skin of his cheek--- Tearing her eyes from him abruptly, Amalia clears her throat. "Deimos!" she announces, half-turned away, pretending to hunt for something as an excuse to hide her crimson cheeks. "And for your reward: bragging rights, and you may choose one loaf to sample and take home." Standing back up with a knife in hand, she lays it across her palms in dramatic presentation, extending it toward the glacial man. "It is up to you, o clean one, to decide if your compatriots are worthy of a taste." Deimos Kiada Jigano Congratulations! You have finished baking some lovely bread. Feel free to post again to wrap up, or to keep going as long as you like. Our winner of the flour fight by dice roll, Deimos, may select one loaf to cut into. He may also decide if he feels like sharing~ ;D I tend to avoid getting emotional I'm not shutting you out It's just the way I'm born But I see myself next to you until we're old