s o l o m o n

f o u r

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"I don't remember hiring either of you." Ciro's cane had signaled his arrival far before he spoke. The end of the cane that collided with the wooden floor was capped with gold to match the dragon's head he held on to. It made a dull pounding against the steps as he descended.

"How do you know we don't want to buy anything?" Thebes had his arms crossed over his chest, adamant against a force that wasn't even visible to him yet.

"Good afternoon, Thebes," Ciro said exasperatedly, pushing the curtain to the side as he appeared. He avoided entertaining the thought of either of the boys deciding to purchase something in earnest. It seemed absurd to him.

"Sleep well, Mr. Yokazi?" Hyx spoke up, the urge to make a good perception of himself in the eyes of the older gentleman seeped into his voice. Despite his friendship with Yusa being far too long to change any ideas Ciro had about him, Hyx wanted the old man to like him.

Occasionally, he would slip and allow a 'geezer' or 'old pirate' when he assumed Ciro couldn't hear him. The old man could almost always hear him.

Something in Hyx drove him to pursue any ounce of validation he could get from Yusa's grandfather. The cause for having this goal was unknown to him though that did not seem to matter. He was just as adamant with or without good reasoning. He did his best to respect his elders, but the old man was like a brick and refused to budge in his favor. Ever since they were little kids, Ciro didn't have a liking to Hyx and that always troubled him.

"Cut your hair, hippie," Ciro grunted without so much as a glance in Hyx's direction.

Hyx feigned a polite smile, looking away from the old man as he trundled past the edge of the counter and into the back room. He could see Thebes cracking a smile in his periphery, showing restraint from laughing by biting his lip. "Always a pleasure, sir!"

Yusa covered her mouth until her grandfather was out of sight. "I like your hair."

"Why does he hate me?!" He hissed.

"He doesn't hate you, that's just tough love."

"He hates you, dude!" Thebes countered her attempt at consoling Hyx with a slap on his brother's shoulder.

"Why does he like you more than me?!" His voice cracked, emphasizing his distress.

"He might like you both more if you left," Yusa said. She was keen to get to work on the necklace since it had to be delivered before sundown. It was worth wondering if there might be a picture inside. Maybe of someone special or of Lupo himself. It might also just be empty, and the necklace had value to the Moon Priest that was more private than what she could assume. She knew she had no business being as nosy as she would like to be but there was no harm in curiosity and simply thinking to herself.

"Don't you two have other things to do? Like jobs?"

"Ooh, look at me, little miss working class." Thebes mocked her in a high-pitched voice. "I have a job and get paid for my labor." He was clearly intending to ridicule her although nothing he said was insulting.

"Yeah, that's how it works."

"Fine, we'll go." Hyx stood from his seat. "Aunt Dinah'll be pissed if we don't go help her."

The bell above the door jangled, Thebes stood in the open entryway for his brother.

"We'll hang out tomorrow, yeah?" Hyx asked, walking backwards towards the door.