“When do you think the next one will come out?”
“Ah, I dunno.”
“Because, if I have to be honest? They left off at a really terrible spot last volume and I don’t want to see them make the same mistake they did with Captain Catfish.”
Poppy sighed and shut the volume she was on, her thumb wedged against the spine.
“Ennoea, why would you bring up Captain Catfish’s ending? You know I’m still not over the way they killed off the only character with a coin in the story.”
Ennoea giggled, the comic book she’d brought today held up against her face in an attempt to hide her laughter.
“Oops, I must have forgotten!” She ducked out of the way of Poppy’s elbow as she retaliated. “It’s just the perfect example of what to avoid in series endings.”
Poppy leaned backwards with an over the top groan, one hand pressed against her forehead in mock anguish.
“No, it’s the perfect example of how to break my heart.”
The dragon woman threw herself across Poppy’s chest, her comic book set neatly down on the side table next to the sofa they shared. She clung to her friend’s thick, practical shirt, using her knees for support as she perched against her.
“Oh no, Poppy! Pops, speak to me! Will you ever recover from this horrible and tragic broken heart?”
Poppy shook her head, solemn in her suffering.
“No. You’ve killed me.”
“Nooooo! Poppy, Poppy, it’s too soon for you to die! My poor, sweet, gentle-”
“Ok, I’m just checking in for a minute to make sure nobody’s actually dead.”
Ennoea froze as her dad stuck his head into the room, as cool and casual as ever as he looked over his daughter straddling her best friend, clutching at her shirt in desperation. Ennoea started to reply, but her tongue tripped over everything she thought of saying as her face turned a deeper and deeper shade of red. Poppy snorted underneath her, having turned to look at the tall, elegant man in the doorway. He gave her a mild wave.
“Try not to do any actual killing, Enny, I’d hate to tell Behemoth his daughter died on my watch.”
He stepped out of the doorframe as Ennoea collapsed in a heap on top of Poppy, covering her face with her hands. Poppy grinned and reached up to pat her friend on the back.
“You hear that, Ennoea? No more murder for today. We’ll have to suffer through the next volumes with brave hearts and no more teasing.”