Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Taboo Milk

With the development, I decide to step in where Nillin usually would.

However, before I do so, they have their own way of stopping themselves while at the same time escalating it. Trieu suggests, "In two weeks time, let's see who gives the best gift."

"No. I can do it in two-"

"Yeah, two weeks."

"You can do two weeks if you want, but I'm doing it in two hours," Fagolan taunts Trieu back.

Trieu clicks his tongue and Fagolan counts, "Three...Two. One!"

The commander disperses into the crowd while Trieu laughs evilly as the rest of us continue to the textile shops.

I look through the different cloths and silks, but no color or design interests me. I think I want a stiff and rough material.

But the inside of the goods I'm making should be soft to the skin, right? Yes. Yes. I wouldn't want something rough scraping against my skin.

They follow me to the silk section gently pat the ones that catches me eyes like the powdery blue, the quite red, or the silky black.

"So, Mae," Trieu clears his throat. "What is a gift that can last a lifetime?"

"Isn't that cheating?" I question with a smirk.

"No. There isn't just rule against it. The Right Wing Commander can ask for help, though I doubt he will."

Trieu rolls his shoulders exhaustedly waiting for my answer.

I close my eyes and take in a deep breath.

"Wouldn't it just being the child's uncle? I think the gift of family is a lifetime gift," I answer truly believing in what I say.

For me there is no grander, no more eternal than family.

"Why?"

"Well," I look into Trieu's eyes, "What is grander or more everlasting than 'love' especially with family?"

"So anything is a good gift, but the lifetime gift you asked for is something you might have already given. Most of the time, it is not what is given but what is said," I say.

Trieu rolls his eyes, "We both know you're better at these things. Just explain it NORMALLY, Mae."

"Oh boy," I pretend to wipe of a bucket of sweat from my forehead. "Trieu, just say something that is uncle-ly. Say something you would say to Gozen's and Diana's children."

"And that is?"

I sigh deeply and ignore him all together.

Then a darken white silk with soft blue tint catches my eyes. I reach my hands toward it and the merchant of the stand says, "That one is not very popular. I'll discount twenty five percent if you buy the whole roll."

"Thank you," I give him a nod and turn to get permission from Carcyne.

She simply rolls her eyes with a smile, "But remember why we're here."

As we buy the roll, I ask the merchant, "Who would you consider to be the best embroider in the nation?"

"Um." He thinks about it and then asks his wife from the back, "Who do you think it is honey?"

She is a beautiful woman with a slender body and soft clear skin, "Now or in the near future?"

"Both?" I remove my tongue from the roof of my mouth.

"The Queen!" She answers without hesitation and it makes me wonder why she even asked me that in the first place.

I give them a nod and we move on to the next shop.