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[icy_veins]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, ERIDANUS SUNGAZER. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 099.23.886.00 *** Archmage has joined 099.23.886.00 <Archmage> Hello, this is Eridanus Sungazer. <Archmage> In the event I am currently unavailable, please leave a message. <Archmage> I will answer back, promptly. If I feel you are worth the trouble.

Comments

[isawallflower]

No! It's not, that's like... This is just a thing people do sometimes, okay? It's a completely legit business.

[ Riley's...okay, she's not good at hiding the things she's nervous about, per se. But she's had practice with it, making it seem like she's only mildly stressed about something instead of completely freaking out. Cairo, however, is like...an expert. The master of the go with the flow technique. Everything Riley's learned about how to mask her fears, she's learned from Cairo.

All this to say, she's got no idea Cairo's nervous about this. Okay, she could have told her before about all this, she wasn't happy about that. That's her bad! But now? She assumes Cairo's fine with all this as they approach café. Maple in his soft carrier is already mewing in excitement; he knows this place, it's the nice place where he gets to play. ]

The cats aren't in the kitchen, Cai...

[ She trails off as she spies someone standing outside. A manticore, it seems, which is apt. He looks familiar, but she can't quite...


Wait. Wait— ]

Eridanus?!

[icy_veins]

[In his idleness, Eridanus had taken to glancing around the somewhat busy street in between glances at his watch—all these new, sharpened senses are certainly being indulged. He feels as if he can see everything, even the faintest of movements.

It also means that when Riley shouts his name from half a block away, his head is quick to swivel in her direction.

Immediately he strides towards them in long, graceful steps, his arms held up wide and welcoming as a warm smile cuts across his mature face. He looks far more like Erin now than he did as a troll, that's for sure.]

Riley! [He exclaims, his attention wholly on his 'daughter' for the moment,] my, it feels as if it's been months since I last saw you! I've missed you, my dear...

[His words trail as he finally notices Cairo proper.]

Is this the friend you wanted me to meet?

[bestforyou]

[Cairo has some comment about the cats not needing to be in the kitchen for it to be fucked up on the tip of her tongue before she turns to see this person Riley wants her to meet. Oh. Huh.

Well, he's already like twice as good as Riley's birth parents so Cairo tries to relax slightly. It doesn't really work. Her posture is still very rigid in a way that Eridanus might recognize: it's pretty similar to the way Riley will sometimes freeze up. Sometimes, you pick up habits from your best friend and they're... maybe not good.]

Cairo. [Wary, considering.] It's nice to meet you.

[It would have been nicer if Riley had explained much of anything about this, instead of simply saying they were going to meet someone. Cairo's hair isn't even really done, just kind of pulled back hastily with a headband. It feels like she looks unkempt, which is stupid and she knows it is but at the same time it feels like meeting anyone that Riley considers a parental figure deserves better. Whatever. It's fine. It'll be fine.

For all her faults, Riley's a pretty good judge of character. If she likes this guy, he must be okay and Cairo should try to not be rude.]

[isawallflower]

[ The smile looking back at her is her father. She's never had another one to compare it to, so with how much his features resemble Erin Soelberg, she's caught up immediately in memories that don't exist. Riley pulls Cairo along by the arm, which is such a strange reversal for them but she doesn't have any time to actually process how strange that is, as she's so lost in this.

She forgets herself, for a moment, as she lets herself be swept up in a great big hug. ] Dad— oh, it's so good to see you...

[ And she pulls back, because it's not just them here. ] Umm, yes!! Yes, uh, and Cai, this is Eridanus. He's been, uh, taking care of me, ever since I arrived.