How was work?

Fay hurried down the street, out of a combination of embarrassment at her outfit and anxiousness to get to her destination. It had certainly been one hell of a week. The trip to France had sucked but she got there pretty quickly. She couldn't get on planes, but sneaking onto boats was pretty easy, as was hitch hiking, thanks to her powers.

Powers she now understood! SO much better... And she knew stuff about the world! She began jogging, too excited to get to the Cat Cafe and see Riye.

Because not only did she learn all that? SHE HAD A JOB. It was a job that made her wear THIS, but a JOB. A-and a cell phone! She'd swung by a store and gotten a cheap phone with the little advance work had given her. It had pre-paid minutes but it was a phone. Now if Riye got into trouble or... just wanted to talk to her... she could!

She got up to the door and took a moment to straighten out her outfit before stepping inside. She noticed one of Riye's coworkers and gave a small wave. "Um.. I...Is Riye here?" She asked, waiting patiently for the employee to go get her.

"Hm?" The woman turned towards the voice, surprised slightly to see...not a woman, but her dress attire. Was it a uniform, or...hobby...? Either way, the woman didn't stand by to guess at things.

This woman was looking for Riye?

"Ah, right; she's in the back fixing up some of the cakes! I'll go and get her." She offered, giving a friendly smile before heading off to the back and throw a door.

There were a few customers, and obviously the cats there were walking around freely...begging for attention. Some sat off in the corners or were lying about on the cat towers for them, lazing about while the customers enjoyed their company.

It wasn't long after the co-worker had left that Riye exited the door she'd come through, holding a clean dish towel as if she'd just washed her hands. "F-Fay!?" It'd been awhile, so she was definitely happy to see the woman, though...her clothes!

Fay had noticed a cat sniffing at her and reached down to pick it up, holding it up in front of her at arm's reach. She narrowed her eyes, staring into the cat's, as if sizing the cat up. Hrm... This cat... did it want to be friends or was it challenging her?

"H-huh?" she looked to the side only to get a kitty swat in the face and let the thing drop, before it landed daintily and bounced away. Fay didn't care though, grinning like an idiot. She ran over. "Riye!" She shouted before flinging her arms around Riye and picking her up, spinning once or twice before setting her back on her feet.

"I missed you!" She said, looking around and blushing, unsure if she should kiss Riye while she was on the clock in front of all these customers.

Before Riye could get any words out, a flustered squeak escaped her as Fay suddenly swept her up in a spinning hug. I-In...In work! H-How many people were watching!? P-Probably every customer in here!

Th...That... Riye attempted to not think of those things, not think of them at all! It'd been a long time, and Fay was back in Japan! She was happy, she was really happy about that!

"M-Me too! I-I missed you too!" She replied, smiling as a shy giggle escaped after she'd finished speaking.

She grinned from ear to ear, so happy to hear that Riye had missed her, even if it was obvious she would. She bounced on her heels, clapping her hands once or twice, before looking around and blushing a little. She cleared her throat and calmly sat at one of the tables, trying to at least not KEEP being so conspicuous. "I have so much to talk about." She said with a warm smile.

"Um... when you get a chance... I can.. come back when you're off work?" She asked, glancing around, unsure of how long that would be. But she was just so excited. She was back and she could talk to Riye!

She had a lot to talk about? Riye was excited to hear, and it showed a bit in her expression as she gave a nod to Fay.

"Okay! Once I finish up making a couple of cakes I was actually going to be off! We can talk then if you want? It shouldn't take me much longer, um...a-about fifteen minutes? I just gotta decorate 'em."

Fay was back in Japan and she had news to share! Riye could hardly wait!

Fay nodded, gently drumming on the table with her hands. She grinned. "Okay! I'll be right here, playing with kitties till you get out." She said, glancing at the other coworkers and blushing a bit before one of the kitties decided her head was a good perch. She became acquainted with the cat and, when Riye did finish her work, she would find Fay, her head and arms laying on the table as she lackadaisically pet the cat, which looked equally lazy at the moment.

Ahhhh, fifteen minutes felt so much longer when she was excited.... ugghhhh

"'Kaaay!" Riye replied, giving one final smile before turning back towards the door she'd come from; "I'll be back soon!"

She just had to finish up with the cakes and she'd be all done! Fay would be able to play with all the kitties while she waited. Just fifteen minutes...

There was news for her to hear, and she was definitely excited about hearing whatever Fay had to tell her; soon she'd be out!

Fay drummed her fingers on the table. So bored... should have brought her 3DS... or... something... anything... the kitties were cute but they all seemed sort of tuckered... she WANTED to go into the back and see Riye working, but she couldn't get her in trouble... ahhhhh.... She could go back in spirit form? No... people would wonder why the girl in the cat maid costume just up and disappeared. They'd think the place was haunted... which was technically accurate right now...


However, one or two of the other workers had gotten a few minutes to kill and had gathered at the table, standing there clutching their serving trays. "H..Hi?" Fay asked, confused.

"Hi! So...Are you friends with Riye?" One asked, though there was something to her tone that she suspected.

"Uumm.." Fay sat up, blushing a little. "I'm..." She glanced at the kitchen. She felt awkward telling Riye's coworkers when she wasn't even here? But... she wasn't going to tell them they were just friends... "I'm her girlfriend, actually." She said with a polite but timid smile.

The two immediately lit up. "Oh my gosh, Riye never talks about her personal life! We didn't know she was seeing anyone."

"You are too cute. Is that costume something for-"

"N-NO! It's.. It's for work, I just started, I-"

"Have you two kissed?"

"How long have you been dating?"

"Umm, about.. I don't.. uhhh.." Oh god. They had so many questions!

Riye had no idea of what Fay was going through at the moment, working on finishing these cakes up. She worked a bit more quickly, but she was still careful enough to be sure they all looked good and delicious!

Done!

Now she just needed to put them away for now so they could be put out for selling!

Everyone loved freshly made cakes! These were sure to catch people's eyes!

Meanwhile, Fay was in her own personal hell. She would have started swinging if she could, but.. these were Riye's coworkers, she couldn't get them in trouble... she wanted them to like Riye.. so...

"Ahhhh.." Fay shook her head, blushing.

"What, it was a simple question?"

"It was a rude question, you can't ask her that."

"But they're just so cute? Look at the two of them? This one is dressed as a kitty cat."

Another one chimed in. "So do you like Riye a LOT?"

Fay had an answer for that one. "Um.. Yes.."

"Aww... Who pays for the dates?"

"I... Only just got a job here, but... I don't know? We hadn't discussed how that'll work..."

"Yeah, I wanna know which of you two is 'the guy' too?"

Wh..How did she.. even answer that? "Ahhh.." She planted her face on the table, covering her head with her hands. This earned several 'awws' from the employees.

Just on time!

Riye finished up all the preparations just on time, and she'd even finished a bit before her predicted fifteen minute mark was up! That made her really happy, she wouldn't keep Fay waiting as long then!

Moving to wash her hands, Riye went about doing that before drying them off and putting her apron away and getting her things.

Good! She was all set!

Clocking out, she headed out the door and back to the front where Fay was waiting to see...

O...Oh no...those two...

"D-Done! F-Fay we can g-g-go now!" She quickly tried to get out. Those two were probably asking weird questions! By the look on Fay's face she didn't doubt it!

Fay was starting to consider whether or not it would be acceptable to just crawl into a ball under the table when she heard Riye's voice, which now more than ever was the most wonderful sound in the world. "A-Ah!" She hopped up. "S-sorry to run out like this!" She said to the girls, too happy to escape their questions, however friendly.

She took Riye's wrist and scurried out the door with her. "Byyye." she said to the cafe, trying to be polite for Riye's sake instead of just full sprinting away like she'd wanted to.

She took a few steps down the sidewalk so they wouldn't be in front of the store and immediately wrapped Riye in a hug. "Ahhhh, they asked so many questions! I didn't want to ignore them cause they're your coworkers, but you know I get bashful about relationship stuff." She blushed, looking into Riye's eyes for a moment before doing what she'd been waiting to do since she got there and kissed her.

Riye gave a small noise of surprise as Fay joined in her escaped, taking her wrist before running off; she followed, not wanting to be around any more than Fay did at the moment. Th-Those two were nice but they were really big gossips!

She let out a relieved huff as they came to a stop, giving Fay a smile as she spoke.

"Aha, it's fine! T-Those two are...gossips, so...they love hearing about that stuff." She answered just before Fay stepped closer. At the kiss, Riye responded, happy that Fay was back in Japan.

Once she pulled away from the kiss, Fay giggled, hugging Riye tight before loosening up, her hands resting on her shoulders. "I don't mind TOO much. I'm proud to be with you." She said with a sheepish grin. "I just... get flustered... Ahh, I have so much to tell you though! About my trip, about my first day at work, which."

She looked down at the kitty maid costume. "Um... I guess... there's complications there... Ahhh" She didn't even know where to begiiin.

"Heheh, s-same here..." Riye replied, giving a small giggle; at the mention of things to tell, she became excited to hear and her attention was on Fay. "Right! Tell, tell!"

Her trip, and her first day at work! Fay had definitely been busy and...work... She assumed the kitty costume had something to do with that, which when she looked at it again...had her blush. C-Costume work?

"Umm... Where to start..." She slipped her hand around Riye's and began walking with her, not specifically in any direction, but generally back towards Riye's place. "Um.. S-so... I got the job.. at that manga store... buuut... the employees there... It's... they cosplay at work." She sighed. "Uhh, I guess it brings in a lot of customers and the other girls there all seem really good at it.. Buut.."

She frowned, walking a little closer to Riye. "The costume they wanted me to wear was... sort of.. skimpy? And I didn't want to wear it... so... instead I have to wear this..... THING..." Venom dripped from her lips at the last word.

"Aaah, so that's why..." That's why she wore this costume, at least...they'd had her an alternative? "I-It's good you got a job though! I'm really happy for you! At least...they had something else for you to wear instead of the one you really didn't wanna wear...b-but yeah...places like that typically do whatever to bring in customers... like costumes and stuff...

U-Um if you feel you don't like it, or see anything you might like to do more you should go for it! If this is fun though then...then definitely good luck!"

Fay had her support! She had a job now, and that meant she'd be able to make money for herself and live here too!

"Mmm..." It... She didn't hate the job... Of course she'd like something else... but... She looked over at Riye and just started smiling. No.. she could put up with this job. It was worth it. Until she found something better anyway. "Mm. It's just... everyone called me cute all day... I... I don't.." She sighed. "I don't mind when you call me that...I... even... maybe like it... A LITTLE." She turned and gave Riye a stern look. She didn't want her to get carried away or anything.

"Just.. those people aren't my girlfriend... though I think some of the creepier guys in there would like to be..." She gave a derisive little laugh

Riye can see how that part of the job would be...not fun. Getting called that by creepy people that are just saying it for gross reasons...Blegh.

She smiled though when Fay gave her that stern look, almost giggling but she'd stifled mostly.

Fine~! She wouldn't get carried away, e-even if she did she'd probably get shy herself...and most of her words would come out stuttered.

The creepy ones though...

"J-Just tell 'em to go away because you gotta really tough girlfriend that'll hit 'em!" Obviously...Riye could not do such a thing, but she was trying to give Fay something to find some amusement in.

Fay was amused. As she blushed, it was obvious she was also flattered. She leaned up against Riye, resting her head on her shoulder for a moment as they walked. "I do..." She giggled. She was more than a little sure she could have joined the Espada, the ten strongest Arrancar in the world... but of course this small silver haired girl could make her feel safe.

"Um.. Uhh..." She cleared her throat. "O-Oh yeah..." Arrancar and all that.. "So... Um... I...I um..." She didn't know how to say all this.... "I... found out I'm.. not human." She winced, squeezing her eyes shut, hoping when she opened them Riye wouldn't be horrified...

She did!?

Riye felt herself blush at that, and she tried to beat it down; no, no blushing right now! She was already blushing a lot!

Fay seemed...nervous now?

She blinked at the woman as she cleared her throat, wondering what Fay wanted to say after having done that. She was...?

Not human?

It was a shock, but...

"Really!? Is that why you have the..." She attempted to glance up at her own head as if to motion towards the place Fay's "horns" were. It would...definitely explain! She didn't seem put off by the knowledge really, but curious more so.

Fay opened one eye, then the other. "Um.. Y-yeah.." She relaxed some. She... She knew Riye wouldn't be freaked out... but seeing her curious... She sighed in relief. "Um.. Apparently.. they're not horns, they're mask fragments... I'm.. an Arrancar... Humanoid hollows who tore their masks off?" She nodded, before quickly clarifying.

"B-But um.. my parents were Arrancar. I wasn't ever a hollow, I was always like this.. I don't know why I can switch to a.. human mode or whatever, it was called a gigai by the one Arrancar I met. But... Yeah... It turns out there's a whole world of Arrancar? It..." She needed Riye hugs and walked up, quickly hugging Riye and laying her head on her shoulder again. Yes. This was the comfort zone.

"It made me feel... okay... like... I wasn't alone.. but because of you, I already don't feel that way... So.. They.. wanted me to come join them? I apparently could have had a very high ranking spot because of my strength." She nuzzled into Riye's shoulder. "I turned them down though. I'm happy here, with what I have."

Arrancar...

Riye listened to Fay as she explained what that was; a humanoid hollow! Fay acted nothing like those hollows she'd encountered! So...it varied...greatly, obviously. Arrancar were a lot different it seemed from the normal run of the mill hollows.

The reason she could have a human appearance was because of a...gigai.

A whole world of arrancar!?

Riye was sure to give Fay he ability to hug her, and she returned the embrace as well as she could to help her feel better.

Her words had her face red, but she meant them, and Riye could clearly tell.

Fay had given up...joining p-people like her...to stay here? Admittedly, she was...happy about that...

"Is it...b-bad that I'm...h-happy you said no to joining? I-I like you here, so..." Riye questioned; "I-I'm really happy you were able to learn so much though! Really, really happy!"

She felt better about things, like she wasn't alone...

She didn't know what was wrong with her... None of this stuff had bothered her or got her all emotional till she told Riye about it. She shook her head. "No.. It's not bad.. It's very good." She realized only now she probably would have been upset if Riye had implied she should have joined them. Instead she was happy at Riye's question. "I like me here too." Here.. Oh! Something that would cheer both of them up.

She backed up a little, arms still around Riye but with a bit of space. "Oh! Tell me.. Um.. anywhere..." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Tell me any place you want to go. In the whole wide world. Doesn't matter where." She was excited.