((This RP takes place immediately following Cards On The Table))
The members of Masozi's household had a bit of a late morning. Most were nursing hangovers. Cari, of course, was the first to wake, and wandered out to make a cup of coffee. She was definitely feeling the effects of the night before, but she wouldn't show it or mention it. She went to start a pot of coffee for the family, and noticed a note sitting next to the coffee pot. "Hm," she said to herself, then set it back where it had been.

The smell of brewing coffee soon roused the menfolk, who staggered out to the kitchen.
Cosme and Kasmai were in fine moods this morning, chatting and carrying on and moaning about their hangovers, which actually didn't seem to bother them that much. They each got themselves a nice cup of coffee and sat at the dining table as Cari finished fixing breakfast.
Finally, what seemed like much later, Masozi finally emerged from his room. He looked normal, but a bit of a cloud followed him. Kasmai and Cosme hollered and whooped when he came out, then immediately quieted with a wince, holding their heads. Masozi shook his head gently and plopped into a chair.
Cosme, in particular, looked crestfallen. "What happened?" he asked. "She was still here when we all came in late."
Masozi shrugged apologetically and folded his hands on the table, staring at them. He didn't want to make eye contact with anyone.

He felt awful this morning. His head was pounding and his body ached. He'd kept it together while Coracias was here, making it "not weird" and finishing their meal and wine together. By the time they'd both staggered off to bed, he wasn't feeling much at all. But this morning? His heart was broken.

"I'm her boss," he said with another shrug. "It just....wasn't meant to be, I guess. I'll be okay." He said with a weak smile.
"What a load of s**t," grumbled Cosme. "How can she do all that flirting with you and then back off all like 'oh no, wouldn't be appropriate' when you call her on it?" He shook his head. "This is why I don't date women."
Cari put breakfast on the table and sat down with her own cup of coffee. "A disappointing outcome," she murmured. "What will you do tomorrow?" she asked her father gently.

Masozi shook his head. "Honestly...I'm tempted to call in. I don't know if I can face her." On top of the heartbreak, he was just...ashamed. He shouldn't have pursued her at all. She was right that it wasn't professional or appropriate, and it should have been his responsibility as the one with a higher position to hold that line. He'd just been...so hopeful that he could find love again, he let it cloud his judgment. Wouldn't be making that mistake again. "Thank you for cooking, Cari," he said.
Kasmai, who had fallen quiet, took a long sip of coffee and nudged Masozi gently. "You sure you're okay?" he asked. He was closer to his father than any of them, and had walked with him during the deep grief he must be remembering now. It had taken him so much courage to even ask, to even hope. To open himself up like that and then get shot down? ******** nodded again. "I'll be okay. I'm always okay. I just need a couple days to..." he took a deep breath in and out. "Pick up the pieces, I guess." He smiled weakly. "Sorry to have let you all down...I know you were excited for me."
"Oh get lost with that," said Cosme, still salty. "This isn't about us."
Masozi chuckled softly. "I'm glad you're all here. Makes it less hard."
---
Masozi kept mostly to himself for the rest of the day. The next day, a working day, he did indeed call in sick. He spent that day planning how to avoid Coracias without making it seem like he was avoiding her. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her anymore; certainly not. But he did want to give her some space from him. She must be doing some processing of her own and he didn't want her to feel like he was still pursuing her. He'd heard that boundary, again, and he'd hold it. So he carefully planned the next week or so of his duties to keep him moving, never staying in the same site for long. The activity would do him good, as well. He'd get through this, and with time, the pain would lessen to more of a dull ache than a sharp pang. He couldn't stop having feelings for her, but he could lock them away pretty tightly, which is what he'd do.