#gpgp ask

At first, it was how easy it was to ragebait him. Ramon's love language is to tease/make fun of people tbh, and Keh's the perfect victim.

But also another major reason is that...Keh's kind of a pathetic loser, just like him. (Motherfucker uses a flavor enhancer on his pizza 💀😭) In the end they're both just different flavors of the being a pathetic loser. They also happen to cope kinda the same way.

She probably looks up to Cicero...

The reason is that her job is wonderful, but her behavior must have seemed like a hero to Bella.

As for Octavia...

Well...

I think it would have been awkward right after Bella found out that the object she'd been talking to wasn't really Octavia.

Of course, Bella is sociable, so she probably became friends with Octavia quickly!

(Sorry if it's a bit out of character) Nasir had finally decided to help the Detective find the dough, and was accompanying the Detective whenever he investigated Cicero's shop.

Cicero wasn't entirely sure what to think about it. It could be worse-Nasir showed no interest whatsoever in her family history, and had a reputation for being fair. The chances of him assuming she stole the dough due to her family history were minimal.

However, he could still assume things based on...other factors. "Don't think I haven't noticed your strange behavior when either of us approaches this picture." Nasir says, gesturing towards her family photo. One photo off from the button used to hide the dough.

Not that the distance mattered that much. They'd noticed that she acted strange around the photos. Her family photo really was just a photo, but if Nasir investigated further...

Could she kick them out? No, too suspicious, especially after Nasir had mentioned that. So Cicero stays in her usual spot (could she hide the photo well enough? What would she even do, if they continued looking?), and watches as the Detective and Nasir inspect her family photo. And find nothing.

Which doesn't really stop them. Nasir immediately pivots to inspecting the area around. And asking Cicero to move.

Cicero pauses, before moving. She knew from the moment she gave the Detective permission to search her shop that she'd be caught, just like her Mother said she would, but she'd hoped that she'd at least have some more time....

But Nasir and the Detective don't continue searching the photos. Instead, they take out a blue magazine that Cicero also didn't want found, for different reasons. But having someone read through that vile magazine still beat loosing her only chance to save Octavia.

Cicero still isn't happy about it, though! Out of all things, why that magazine? Why that specific magazine, that specifically made a point of demonizing Marinar, and her family, and just...

Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm. She really couldn't afford to

But one look at the Detective, and it comes out anyway.

"Hmph. I don't know why I even kept that magazine here. It's junk."

"Junk?" "It's all lies! All the stories about Marinar are simply speculation." Cicero starts speaking faster, louder, without realizing it. "People don't realize how much this story has affected my family for generations. Aargh!" Cicero hears a ripping sound, and looks down to see the magazine article ripped into two.

Had she done that?

She'd done that. Nothing else was nearby, that could've damaged it. Her hands were also clenched.

It was undeniable. She'd ripped it.

In front of Nasir and the Detective. She'd lost control. Shown upset about that story. She wasn't supposed to do that. Especially not in front of the people investigating her. Would they get mad at her for ruining a piece of evidence?

Why had she even thought it was a good idea to show her frustration concerning her family's reputation? This wasn't a good look, not at all...

But the Detective and Nasir were simply staring at her with concern, and pity, and...not disgust or anger, the emotions Cicero was used to.

Cicero's next statement is a bit more genuine than the other things she's said since this case started. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tear up the magazine up like that." She feels her eyes sting, and knows that she's about to cry. Not in front of the Detective. She couldn't afford to lose control again. But that doesn't stop the tears from building up in her eyes.

And Cicero, for the first time, kicks them out. She's not going to cry ni front of them, she won't. Nor can she trust herself to stay composed, after all that. "Y-you should go."

Thankfully, neither of them protest. They just leave.

And Cicero does end up crying.

-------

Once she's feeling a bit better, Cicero decides to visit the Detective's shop. Not Nasir's. She's not entirely sure why, but the concept of talking to the Detective just seems easier.

Maybe too easy. Because when she does talk to the Detective, she ends up venting a lot more than she should have. What was just an explanation-what she'd planned, just explaining that hearing the rumors frustrated her-eventually ends up with her expressing that she wished that she could make people realize that Cheeser wasn't all that heroic.

Pause. Too much. Cicero looks to the Detective, expecting some form of a negative reaction.

She really had forgotten, in the heat of the moment. In her anger, and just frustration at the case, at Pizza City, at everything.

Cicero opens her mouth to apologize, but then the Detective asks her to continue.

Had she heard that right?

Cicero looks at the Detective's expectant expression, and decides that maybe she really had heard it right.

She absolutely was going to regret this later. But the possibility of actually explaining the truth to someone who wasn't her family...of having someone who was actually willing to listen...it really was too much for her to resist. So Cicero explains how Cheeser had ruined multiple Ovenists, just because he thought that cheese pizza should be the only type of pizza.

And the Ovenist listens. He doesn't interrupt, or look at Cicero funny, or anything. He just listens.

And Cicero doesn't know why, but her all consuming anger is gone. She feels somewhat better than she usually does.

"Sorry, I don't mean to lecture you. I came to thank you for all the zucchinis you harvested. Take these as a gift." Cicero had originally planned to use the artichoke seeds as some type of bribe, to make up for her outburst earlier. But now she genuinely did mean to give them as thanks.

"They're artichoke seeds! The Romanos were known to be the first ones to put them on pizza." At the word artichoke, the Ovenist gives some kind of reaction. He'd seemed happy before, but he seemed even more pleased now.

Cicero explains that she'd meant to keep the artichokes exclusive, but due to the Detective's help she felt like sharing them. Which was true, especially since he'd given her the zucchinis for free.

"I'll see you around!" Cicero says, then exits the shop.

First of all, HOLY SHIT this is AMAZING YUMNA OMG THANK YOU I loved reading it, I re-read it several times :D

Also I will be saying A LOT of stuff, so I'm putting it under a cut.

And also thank you, Tastyslice75, for the great review.

Ah thank you so much for this! Sorry I was late in answering, I was having a fever and it's only now that I managed to looked into my blog.

Here I made you this in return:

It's the one with Angelica right?

Again, Rosabella has no opinion as she hasn't went through it yet (Angelica hasn't gotten her hands on Rosie's pizzeria lmao)

As for Hiro...he isn't sure what to think. He is still very salty that Angelica had the AUDACITY to ask to buy his pizzeria (mainly because it's also his house as his previous one fricking burned down. Pretty sure Angelica just didn't know, but oh well)

He forgives Megabyte for the whole stealing formula thing. (yet again, salty at Angelica. Not only did she steal recipes for pizzas when she could just find some on food.net or smth, she programmed a robot to steal. And said robot didn't know. Hiro is very unforgiving when it comes to that stuff.)

He didn't like the rivalry. He has had enough of it tbh. He just wants to work in his pizzeria and then get rest. That's it.

I have! I actually doodled this au a while ago.

Swap! Keh just becomes an awkward nerd and Swap! Ramon becomes some… evil cheater.

And some crossover with canon for fun:

I love swap aus… I may draw more of this in the future…

He was quite surprised (and amused) lmao.

I think it’s pretty obvious who he voted for in Group A…(He didn’t realize Keh can see his votes LMAO)

For the other groups… group B either Buddy or Eleanor, group C probably Parker because he’s not close with anyone else in that group.