Eating Souls, Act One: The Beginning

43: Xander and Rivin get to bond: It used to be an ocean?

It hadn't been a bad trip, in all, he thought. No real missions to be had, but it had also been a week since leaving town, and since he'd seen Amy. The world seemed a little brighter, somehow. He managed not to scowl at several people they passed, and a couple of people smiled at him.

It made him... Happy. Rivin had, for the most part, been well behaved. Her kishin side was safely tucked away, and he didn't have to worry about her suddenly attacking people. Today she had grudgingly accepted his offer to go to ice cream and simply wander the town. She had been unwilling to leave the house, and then the hotel where they had decided to stay.

It was hard to get her to leave unless he promised they would go hunting for Kishin egg, to help soothe the itching in her soul. They only had one close call, with a man who looked alarmingly similar to Bacchus. Fortunately, it was not him, and Xander managed to stop both himself and Rivin from attacking an innocent person.

The sun grinned down on the town, warming the otherwise chilly air. They made their way to the heart of downtown, where small mom-and-pop shops lined every street. Smells of food stalls and restaurants wafted through the streets, mixed with the general smell of people. A couple of bars competed for the loudest music, and nowhere in the city could you escape the most popular radio channels. He was tempted to actually go into some of the smaller places, like the places that sold handmade rugs, or the ones that advertised the cutest succulent arrangements in the city. He'd always liked plants.

He turned to ask Rivin if she'd want one for the house, only to be met with empty space. Panic washed over him in waves. Where was Rivin? What happened? Was it Bacchus?

The thought made him nauseous. "Rivin?" He called.

"Present!" She yelled back from across the street. She laughed and waved at him as he sighed with relief. "I FOUND CAKE!"

"Great." he shook his head, shoved his hands in his pockets, and made his way over to her. "You know, when you take off like that, it scares the shit outta me."

Rivin grinned. "That sucks. I want that one." She pointed to a chocolate covered, heart shaped cake with a symmetrical strawberry arrangement in the middle.

"That sucks."

"Oh, boo." Rivin stuck her tongue out at him. "Don't be a jerk, Jerk!"

"Your insults are amazing." He rolled his eyes. "One star." Before she could complain any more at him, he pushed the door to the bakery open. "Come on, Crazy. Let's have cake for breakfast."

"YAY XANDER YOU'RE THE BEST!"

He froze as she ran past him, blinking dazedly at the cake display. A slow smile replaced his usual sneer, and he followed her inside. She had picked a table near the window, in the sun, and practically vibrated in her seat. He laughed, waved to the server, and sat across from her.

"Leila never let me have cake for breakfast."

"Yeah? Me either."

Rivin rolled her eyes as she leaned back in the comfortable, high backed chair. "That's probably 'cause you didn't live with her. Jerk."

"No, but I saw her a couple times a week. Crazy."

Her eyes grew round when she realized he was serious. She pressed forward, almost standing. "Wait, wha-"

"Do you guys know what you'll be having today?" Their waiter smiled pleasantly, two menus tucked under their arm.

"THAT ONE!" Rivin flung her finger out to point at the cake in the window.

"Awesome!" they laughed. "A slice of-"

"Nuh-uh!" Rivin practically shook her entire body. "No way. I want the whole thing."