As the night wore on and fatigue began to set in for Mio, Allison's energy seemed boundless, fueled perhaps by her newfound courage in confronting her father. Despite her exhaustion, Mio pressed on, serving drinks and tending to the bustling crowd with practiced ease. She was dead set on not letting her sleepiness show.
Surprisingly enough, Carol and Gloria came to the counter. their presence was a welcome distraction from the weariness weighing on Mio. "Hey sweetie! How you holdin up?" Carol asked, settling in beside her wife at the counter.
Mio responded with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh you know…the usual. Dead tired and ready to sleep, any minute now."
Gloria responded with her trademark dry humor "Oh dear me, perhaps i was wrong about your skills after all.." she quipped, her tone tinged with playful sarcasm. "Perhaps we should take over?" Her mock seriousness was met with a wink aimed at Carol, adding to the lighthearted banter between the trio.
Mio felt a tinge of embarrassment at Gloria's teasing. “Oh shut it, you could never handle this," she retorted with a playful smirk.
The family erupted into laughter, but their mirth was interrupted by a familiar voice from behind. “Excusez-moi? Did I miss something funny?” The voice was smooth and accented, instantly recognizable to Mio, Carol, and Gloria. Their faces all lit up with delight, knowing exactly who had joined them.
“Well, that’s a rare visitor at this hour. The one-eyed madame herself!” Gloria said with theatrical flair, striking a flamboyant pose before taking an elegant bow.
Amelie chuckled softly, the sound as refined as her presence. “Oh mon Dieu, am I such a celebrity?”
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“In our eyes, you certainly are, madame,” The man standing behind her added, his deep voice resonating from behind Amelie.
“Silas, youre here too!?” Mio's exclamation cut through the air, loud and unabashed. She barely cared if half the bar heard her shout. All she wanted was to run over and give the purple-haired man a big hug, but she restrained herself, barely.
“Ahem, I mean… Welcome to Dead End. What can I get for the two of you this fine evening?” Mio said, her tone shifting to one of professional courtesy.
Amelie laughed softly, the sound like pure elegance. “As professional as always, Mon cher.” She leaned against the counter, ordering her favorite drink, the Sycamore, with practiced ease. Silas, ever stoic, remained silent.
“So, what brings you here at such a late hour?” Mio inquired, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. Allison had joined them, completing the small group gathered at the bar counter.
“Oh, nothing too special, Mon cher,” Amelie replied with a charming smile. “Me and Silas had recently finished our investigation for the night, but I wanted to see mes chéris before we got back home. Isn’t that right, my love?” She turned to Silas, who nodded in agreement, a hint of warmth softening his typically reserved demeanor.
Silas was the very epitome of a perfect, stoic gentleman. But he always melted just a little bit when Amelie called him that...
“Indeed,” he said with a slight stutter, his gaze briefly flickering towards Amelie his eyes like those of a young man looking at his first crush.
And so for the next hour, the five of them had a lovely time, sharing stories and simply enjoying each other's company.
At around 06:00, Amelie stood up gracefully, her movements fluid and elegant. “Well, mes chéris, thanks for a lovely time. Mais je pense qu'il est temps pour moi de prendre congé. Au revoir!” Her voice carried a touch of reluctance, as if she wished she could linger a little longer. At first, Mio found it obnoxious, the way she always swapped languages mid-sentence, but by now it had just become a part of her charm.