Pen Pals Across Realms

Mia was as quiet as Hibiki, asking only once or twice in almost one word questions when she needed clarifying. As he looked between her father and her, she made a small questioning sound and tilted her head slightly before starting to mimic his actions.

He was quiet so she was and she was trying to learn from him after all so she had to listen carefully...

Aito turned back to the drinks, continuing to show Mia what she needed to do to make them on her own. When she'd made that sound he glance over to her again; what? Was she confused? Following her glance it went back to Kaimu before he turned his attention back to the drinks.

"s'Nothing..."

Kaimu didn't notice the glances that were being directed towards him, as he was distracted with giving the spoiled kitten the attention she was demanding.

Mia had never known it was both this easy and this hard, having had little experience with them before this point. She was learning though and Hibiki was nice help. At his nothing, she smiled and nodded.

Whatever he was thinking it was not important then... Papa seemed to be enjoying the kitten at least and she smiled towards him as she finished up her first Latte. Blinking at it, it definitely didn't look as pretty as Hibiki's and she frowned just slightly. "I think...its done...Sh-Should I try it first?"

She glanced over and frowned again. Not...as...pretty...

"Ah, yeah..." Aito gave a small nod as Mia finished making her latte; she was frowning though...What was up?

She looked at his...before looking back to her own...

"...Looks fine..." If that was even what she was concerned about.

Eeping, she wondered if her thoughts were that obvious though she did blush just a bit at the words. It looked fine... She nodded. It did... look fine...

Mia took a sip, pulling it back and staring at it for a moment. "Its a bit bitter... Papa might need sugar, he likes sweet things..."

She liked the taste though and very shy smile appeared as she looked up at Hibiki, glad she had successfully made her first drink. "...Thank you..."

"Ah..." Aito gave a nod, "Sugar's fine..."

Even if it didn't look at nice as professional ones did, those required practice to do so...considering her ability at making other things he doubted it would take her long to get the hang of coffee drink appearances.

Hearing her thanks pulled him from his thoughts, to which he gave another nod to in response. "Mn..."

Mia nodded then and grabbed a sugar bowl from the counter near all the coffee things. Getting a spoon as well, she set it in the bowl after she took the lid off and then picked up the latte. She then headed for her father, smiling as she set the drink in front of him. "Here try this!"

He was busy with the kitten but that was fine too! She turned immediately after giving him his drink and hurried back over to Hibiki to await her next lesson.

Kaimu's attention went to Mia and the drink as she placed it in front of him; it smelled nice, and when she asked him to try it he gave a nod before shifting Regalia into one arm so he'd have a free one to drink with.

Taking the drink, he could feel the heat from it so he knew not to just take a large drink from it.

"Aa, this is good, Mia!" Kaimu smiled after having tasted it; it had tasted nice!

Kaimu hadn't needed sugar! Mia blushed and ducked behind the counter, hiding her red face from her father as she became incredibly flustered. He liked it! Her violet eyes peeked over the edge and she gave a tiny nod so as to not knock her head on it. "Th-Th-Thank...y-you..."

Kaimu gave a happy laugh as Mia thanked him for the opinion despite being flustered. It had been good though! Mia had done a great job!

Aito blinked, looking at the two as Mia hid and thanked her father. It seemed she didn't take compliments easily...

Mia cowered as Kaimu laughed, shaking her head a bit. He seemed so happy as she slunk back behind the counter again...before seeing Hibiki...and hopping behind him because she could stand up straight. She held the back of his clothes, peeking around the young man at her happy Father before hiding again.

"G..." Aito didn't know what to say as Mia suddenly went to hide behind him.

She got this shy about being complimented? Why...Why was she hiding behind him!?

Kaimu's laughter stopped, but his smile remained. He hadn't meant to make her nervous.

"Y-You can...start the next...one...Hibiki..." Mia spoke quietly, still behind him and rather close. Kaimu had had this done to him before so he would easily see she was taking courage from her friend... Though she shot a small shy smile to her father before burying her face against Hibiki's back.

"S-Sorry... I get...n-nervous...about that..." Compliments from well...anyone but Masaru sent her into minor freak outs at times...

"Ah..." Aito turned back to the counter, looking over everything they had in preparation for the drinks.

What next? Frappes were popular...

"Frappes are popular...cold, there's also iced coffee..." He named off, glancing behind him slightly for a short moment. They could really make whatever... "Preference?"

She might have one she wanted to make over the rest...

Kaimu went back to playing with the kitten after returning her smile, hoping it would hep Mia some to not have him continuously praising her, no matter how much he wanted to...

Maybe...Maybe one day she'd be able to accept compliments from him. One day...

"Sounds...good... Frappe..." Mia nodded, straightening a bit but still holding his shirt and hiding behind Hibiki. She looked up, blinking for a moment after answering... Wouldn't that be harder to make then? Her eyes glanced away and down, blushing a bit. "M-Maybe...iced...coffee...if its easier..."

She had no idea how to make any of it, so anything was good! Maybe she could show Masaru her skills later? Her eyes glanced to Kaimu as he played with the kitten at that thought. Papa seemed to enjoy her drink and liked it so... that was good.

"We can start with iced and then move to the frappe then..." Aito replied, giving another nod; iced coffee was definitely easier, easier steps.

That in mind he went about showing her what needed to be done, after having gotten together what they'd need again. Like last time, he was slow so she could watch the steps, but he was quiet as always, using small sentences to explain what needed to be done.

Mia watched and copied Hibiki's directions, smiling softly and nodding when he gave her steps. Letting him correct her at times with a sheepish grin, after a bit she finally, finally had a proper iced coffee made!

Looking at it, she took an experimental sip and winced as the taste was a bit... "Sweet... Definitely a papa drink..."

Holding up the cup, she carried it carefully to the table before setting it down and smiling at the man. "Try this one now!"

Aito watched silently as Mia finished up and went to taste it, noting her wince at the taste before her mentioning it's sweetness. True...the iced coffee most of the time was sweeter in comparison to the hotter drinks.

"Ah..."

Kaimu looked up as Mia brought over another drink, and as she asked him to try it he glanced at it for a short moment before freeing one of his hands from the kitten to hold it. A cold coffee drink then, they'd mentioned iced coffee...

He took a drink from what Mia had made, it was definitely sweeter than the last though both were good and his smile returned upon setting the drink down; "It's really good, it's sweet!"

"I thought you'd like it more..." Mia was shining with happiness, glad her papa enjoyed the drink. Sweeter things seemed his forte, at least from what he seemed to eat normally. She liked making him them at least and he seemed to enjoy them.

She turned red a bit and hurried back over, leaving him to his second coffee drink as she went back to Hibiki's side. Hiding behind him slightly in preparation of more compliments from her Papa, she nodded. "O-Okay...he liked that one... Frappes...are really sweet too right?"

It...was becoming obvious Mia wasn't one for sweets despite her obvious skills in making them.

"Mhmm!" Kaimu gave a nod, definitely happy with the drink as Mia began to shine with her own happiness before she hurried back over to Hibiki. "These drinks are really great, Mia!"

He couldn't help but say it again, he enjoyed them, and was happy Mia had asked him to try them for her. He was a proud coffee-drink guinea pig~

When Mia asked about frappes, Aito nodded; "Yeah...they're blended drinks too..."

Mia ducked behind Hibiki, hiding her face against his back and rubbing lightly. In a voice only Hibiki could hear clearly enough he murmured. "I-I need Masaru...for this... Papa is...too nice..."

She would die from how happy her father was, how excited and pleased he was over this simple simple... thing...

"...Okay... and after that...cappuccino and those again?" Mia's mind finally registered that... Kaimu getting more caffeine might be a bit bad... "...He might explode or get really hyper. We...might need a new guinea pig soon..."

"..." He wasn't sure what to say when Mia mentioned that that Masaru person might be better to have taste test rather than her father; whatever, if she felt more comfortable with one than the other then that was that...

Kaimu occasionally took sips from the drinks he'd been given, though most of his attention was on Regalia as he continued to give the attention-hungry kitten the attention she wanted. Regalia was obviously pleased with this.

Aito gave a nod at Mia's next words; "We can do that next..."

When she began speaking again though, about her father getting hyper, he blinked; that...he guessed that might be for the best...they were dealing with a lot of caffeine after all. "Ah..."

"...Mm, would you like...some snacks or something first...you've been teaching me so much..." Mia shifted shyly behind him, seeing her father still drinking the coffee they had given him. Hibiki was really nice even if he was quiet.

"I-I could even...show you around! Theres lots to see... in the Soul Society...too!" Since...it might take Kaimu a bit to drink those... And she didn't want to force Hibiki to stay here and make drinks with her all day...

"s'fine..." Aito replied, though it was more of a muttering; snacks were fine, it wasn't like he needed them but if Mia wanted to offer...

Show him around? He didn't doubt there was a lot to see, but... Where would they even start if they did that? There wasn't anything that...particularly interested him, he didn't think.

"What...would you like... The fridge...is pretty full of things..." Mia peered up at man, slowing coming out from behind him. Hibiki said it was fine? Did that mean he wanted something or was fine without?

She did at least let go of his shirt and move towards the fridges with a smile, attempting to help... Did he want to go for a walk then too? She... Mia had no idea and was now lost on what to do.