Ankh put his head down on his arms, glaring across the counter at Chiyoko. She was, as usual, all smiles, but Ankh was pretty sure he was about to be punished for something stupid like glaring at customers too much. Chiyoko set an unusually deep ice cube tray and a box of popsicle sticks in front of him. Ankh poked at the box until it tipped over and the sticks fell out. "Oi… What the hell is this, woman?" Even confronted with his growling and demeaning talk, Chiyoko continued to smile and it frustrated Ankh to no end. She didn't fight with him the way Eiji did. She refused to give him that satisfaction and he was sure it was her way of spiting him and asserting dominance. All that sweet talk and big smiles… It made him sick.
"We're going to do something fun today. It's getting hot out, so the prices are going up on the popsicles and we can't afford to buy a new box every other day…" Chiyoko began to explain. She noticed the scowl on Ankh's face deepen and she leaned on the counter to be at eye level with him, hoping that explaining the project would ease that annoyed face. After all, he was so much cuter when he smiled. "…So we're going to make our own."
Ankh's head came up quickly and he stared at her and the items between them. "You can do that?" Ankh looked to the ice tray, the bitter anger replaced by a very child-like curiosity. This was Chiyoko's favorite way for Ankh to be. He was such a sweet young man, so full of wonder about things. She wished a bit that he'd had a happier life growing up and that he could have done this with family and friends. But if he had, he wouldn't be the Ankh that she was so fond of now. Ankh picked up the ice tray, examining it curiously. The slots were deep and narrow, and there were only eight instead of twelve like the normal ice trays. His gaze flicked to the popsicle sticks, then back to Chiyoko. "Woman." His voice took on a demanding tone that got no reaction from the woman across the counter, "You know how to do this? Show me." He thrust out his arm, holding the tray in front of her face.
Chiyoko giggled and took the tray, placing it back on the counter. She retrieved a large bottle of orange juice from the refrigerator, as well as a banana and a small carton of strawberries. She held the banana out to Ankh. "Peel this and I'll cut it up after I cut the strawberries."
"What does that have to do with—"
"Don't you want popsicles?" Chiyoko interrupted calmly and began cutting a few strawberries into small, neat slices. Ankh puffed out an annoyed breath and grumbled under his breath as he peeled the banana. He held it out to Chiyoko with a deep frown, which she responded to with that ever-cheerful smile as she took it from him. "Pour the juice in tot he tray. Be careful not to spill it." She instructed then cut up about half of the banana.
"Tch… I can pour juice without spilling it." Ankh mumbled as he picked up the container. It was just opened, so it was pretty heavy and he was actually al title nervous now about spoiling it everywhere and embarrassing himself. Stupid woman… It would be her fault for making him nervous. He managed to pour it and only spill a little over the side from overfilling one of the indentations. Chiyoko smiled and got a paper towel, cleaning it up. Ankh was convinced that little smile of hers was meant to be condescending. She was taunting him.
Chiyoko dropped the slices of fruit into the juice and put the lid on the tray. She then pushed the popsicle sticks toward him. "Now, see the little slots on the lid?"
"Of course I see them. I'm not blind."
"Stick these in." Chiyoko picked up one of the sticks and slid it into the slot to demonstrate. Ankh rolled his eyes but did as he was told.
Chiyoko lifted the tray away from him and Ankh's eyes widened slightly, slight distress on his face. "H-Hey! What are you doing now?!"
"Now we put it in the freezer." Chiyoko responded sweetly and opened the freezer to put them in, "Now we wait a few hours and then they'll be frozen and you can eat one." Ankh stared, then pushed himself up and vaulted over the counter, scurrying quickly to Chiyoko's side to stare at the tray on the freezer shelf as if in awe of some miracle. When Chiyoko closed the freezer, Ankh promptly sat on the floor, staring up at the freezer door. Chiyoko crouched down, tilting her head slightly. "What are you doing, Ankh?"
"Waiting." Ankh snapped.
"It will be a few hours. They have to freeze completely." Chiyoko said softly. Surely he didn't intend to just sit there. She knew how easily Ankh got bored. But he just nodded firmly as if he already knew that and continued staring at the refrigerator. She sat on the floor beside him and smiled, "Can I wait with you?" Ankh just nodded again. Chiyoko smiled and leaned on Ankh's shoulder, expecting him to shove her away, but he didn't move. "Ankh-chan is pretty excited." she cooed happily, "Once these are done, I'll cut up the rest of that fruit, and you can make these when you run out, okay? It'll be a lot less expensive than buying a new box of them already made all summer. I'll even pick up a second tray next time I go shopping." After all, another 300 yen on a tray would be nothing compared to having to buy box after box of popsicles to keep ankh from misbehaving.
Ankh let his weight settle against Chiyoko a little without really thinking about it. Maybe this woman wasn't quite as terrible as he'd thought. She stayed with him the entire two hours, talking idly about things Ankh couldn't have cared less about. He'd simply nod or let out a small grunt in response, not paying even the slightest bit of attention to what she was saying to him. He just continued to think about her and all of these things she kept doing for him. "Oi… Woman." Ankh finally spoke, his voice low and curious.
"Yes?" Chiyoko's gaze flicked up to Ankh, whose eyes were still locked on the freezer door.
"…You let me live her without working, buy me clothes, put up with the trouble I make and the things I force you and Eiji to do for me, and now this…" Ankh said, "…Why?"
Chiyoko smiled and closed her eyes, still resting against Ankh's shoulder, "Eiji's said you've had it very hdd up until now. You had a bad childhood and you're estranged from your family. I think that's very sad." she explained, taking Ankh's hand in hers, "You seem so lonely all the time… So I try to do little things to try to make you happier when I can. Seeing Ankh-chan happy makes me happy too." Chiyoko smiled and squeezed Ankh's hand lightly.
Ankh continued to not respond to the small affections she showed him. "Getting me to dress normally and placating me with popsicles just keeps me from scaring away your customers. That's all that's important, right?" After all, humans were full of selfish desire. That was the whole reason for his existence.
"I'll admit, that's part of it." Chiyoko confessed softly, "But it's also for your sake. I want you to live a happy life here, and that's more important to me than the customers. Anyone who comes here is used to things being a little weird anyway so it's not that high of a priority." Ankh fell silent again. Was it really for his benefit? Her concern for him felt genuine, and he was pretty good at being able to identify bullshitting. He was a little surprised that she continued to hold onto his hand, and even more surprised that he allowed it and that he allowed her so close in general. But she'd shown him something special, so he could do this in return this one time.
Ankh opened his mouth to speak, but Chiyoko suddenly pulled away. He turned his head to look up at her, watching Chiyoko's surprisingly graceful movements as she rose and crossed the few feet to the refrigerator to take the tray out. She pulled the lid up a bit, inspecting the contents, then smiled and pulled it off entirely. She freed one of the popsicles front he tray before placing the tray back into the freezer. She turned and crouched in front of Ankh, holding out the popsicle they had made together. "Here. Try it." And there was that sweet, cheerful smile again. It surprised Ankh. It was… sort of pretty.
Ankh took the popsicle and shoved it into his mouth, glancing away from Chiyoko for a few seconds. He then took it from his mouth again. "It's not terrible…" he mumbled, not wanting to admit that he liked it better than the ones they bought from the store. Chiyko smiled and took hold of Ankh's wrist, tugging his hand up a bit so she could take a small bite of the popsicle. "H-Hey!" Ankh snapped at her.
Chiyoko giggled, "It came out pretty good." Ankh huffed and batted her hand away, going back to eating it himself. But he gave a small smile as Chiyoko settled again beside him on he floor and resumed her stupid idle chatter.