“Hey!” Ryder shouts, kicking at the ice. “Rude!” He stands and changes his chair.
Dude, this guy. And the other one is fire? Can’t imagine how horrible that is.
-
Ben looks back up to Miki, seemingly in a good mood. He pats Cages shoulder. “Just teaching Kiss a few things. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t hurt him.” He picks his phone up off of the island and slips it in his pocket before going to the stove. “What do you want for lunch?”
Dio cackled at Ryder's reaction as he poured the water over his tea leaves. The ice disappeared almost instantly, leaving just a hint of fog in it's wake. Lackey rolled his eyes and leaned on the other side of the doorframe.
You gotta watch out for the little ones.
–
Miki watched Ben pick up his phone and swallowed, skipping down the stairs to join them in the kitchen. "Ahhh, something with rice. Rice sounds nice. I'm in the mood for rice."
Silver crept to the edge of the hallway, not quite within sight from the kitchen. We're gonna die. I can't do this. I'm gonna have to lock myself in my room until tomorrow night.
Ben nods, “Cage?”
Cage nods, acting completely normal and coming to take Ben arm, watching him start to pull things out. “Sounds yummy!”
Ben ruffles his hair. “Alright.”
Kissa sits on a stool at the counter.
Finally in a better mood i see.
She rests her chin in her palms, a soft smile flitting across her pink lips.
Gabriel stands behind her, invisible, and glares down on her.
Silver lay down on the floor beside the railing, watching them in the kitchen. Miki sat on a barstool on the far side of the island from Kissa. "I love how we can just say one thing like 'rice' and then Ben produces a meal worthy of those little salad sprigs and the dressing zig-zagged across the plate like at a fancy restaurant."
Ben clicks his tongue. “Those are much to small for your bellies.”
Cage giggles. “You speak the truth.” He wraps his arms around Ben’s midsection and squeezes him. “AH, make the food faster!”
Ben shoves him off with what could be the slightest and easiest to miss chuckle. “Shoo. I want to have this ready for Vi when she gets home and you’ll slow me down.”
"True." Miki agreed. "You make fancy food but like… with real people portions. Hey, Cage! Where's your Animal Crossing game? I wanna hit some people with a shovel."
Cage turns and races into the living room, picking up the DS and bringing it to her. “Don’t hit the frog! She thinks we’re friends and gives me money in exchange for sea shells.”
Ben rolls his eyes. “You still smack them? Why do you even play that game.”
"Oh, somebody in this game actually does give you money?" Miki asked. "Wait, you know about this game, Ben? Have you played it?" to Cage she whispered, "He doesn't hit people with shovels, does he?"
Cage giggles. “Miki, you do know that Ben lived with just me for years. Of course he’s played it!”
A small smile crosses Ben’s lips for a split second as he slips the meat into the over and sets the vegetables to steam.
Kissa blinks, laying her head on the island.
She can feel Gabriel’s presence behind her, and more than that she can feel his glare. She closes her eyes.
Even if something did happen, do you really think you could stop me?
He glares down.
Id at least try.
"I wanna see Ben play Animal Crossing and catch the tarantula." Miki said as she whacked one of Cage's neighbors with the shovel. "Oh my word, look, he's so mad."
Silver frowned, watching Kissa as she sat at the island. From the look on Kissa's face, Silver was pretty sure Gabriel was somewhere near her, invisible.
Cage peeks over Mikis shoulder. “Shovel him again.”
Ben runs a hand through his hair, taking a step back as his food cooks.
Something is off.
“Where is Silver?”
A small, malicious smile crosses Kissa’s lips for a few seconds.
Aw really? C’mon Gabriel, you know I’m stronger than you.
He blinks.
No. Your magic may be stronger but your will is not.
Miki grinned and hit the NPC again. "Cage, this is awful. Why is this so fun."
Silver started, almost choking on her own spit, and rolled back away from the railing so he couldn't see her. She lay on her back, sprawled across the floor, and stared at the ceiling, holding her breath.
Ben furrows his brow.
Everyone is in here, except her. Is she alright?
He turns around and leans on the counter, “Miki?”
"Hmm?" Miki glanced up, and processed his question about Silver. "Oh, yeah, she's upstairs. I saw her a few minutes ago."
Silver ground her teeth and glared at the ceiling. If I rat on you, Miki, it's your fault.
Ben gives a small nod. “Is she alright? She’s normally with us.”
Is she angry with me?
Cage nods. “Yeah, no she’s fine. Don’t worry Ben.”
Ben purses his lips.
Im worrying.
"Yeah, she's fine." Miki said. "She's probably in our room or something."
Silver closed her eyes, bracing herself, and sat up, pressing her face between the bars of the railing and looking down at Ben. "I'm right here, Ben." she said, voice quiet.
He looks up, a little startled. He blinks, studying her expression.
Somethings wrong.
Kissa sits up, looking to Sil.
You see that?
Gabriel nods.
im sure everything’s fine.
Kissa rolls her eyes.
I bet she killed one of your attic animals and feels guilty.
Silver waved her fingers at him. "Hi."
Miki took a sharp, deep breath and stared at Cage, eyes wide.
We're gonna die.
She cleared her throat and said under her breath, so Silver couldn't hear, "Ah, Ben. She's… she started her cycle this morning. You know how she is when it's her time of the month…"
Cage chokes on his drink.
Ben gives Miki a small nod.
I guess that makes sense.
He looks back up at Sil and gives her a small smile.
“Are you going to come down for lunch?”
At least she’s not mad at me.
Kissa furrows her brow.
heh, classic move, Miki.
Gabriel looks over Kissa.
She didn’t kill my animals.
Silver pinched her lips together, glaring daggers at Miki. I will kill you.
Slowly.
She nodded to Ben, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm hungry."
Miki clicked away on the DS, pretending to play but actually typing a message. She nudged Cage and turned the screen toward him. "Hey, what do I do with that?" The message read; sil is gonna murder us
Cage looks over the screen, wiping his face. “Ah no, you’re right. You can just sell it. I have that piece already.”
Kissa narrows her eyes at Sil.
I know what you’re doing you little freak.
-
(30 min time skip to when the food is done and being set up)
The front door creams open and Violet walks in, taking her heels and jacket off.
Cage gives her a small wave.
“Good morning!”
She gives a tired smile back. “Good morning.” She walks towards the island, eyeing the food. “This looks amazing, Ben.”
He smiles leaning forward and kissing her forehead. “Go get more comfortable and then we’ll eat.”
Silver finally got up off the floor and swung her legs over the railing, gliding down into the living room and landing on the couch.
"Oh my word I'm so hungry." Miki said, still sitting at the island, now staring at all the food. "Hurry up, Vi, I've been sitting here smelling this for half an hour and it's agony."
Violet gives a small chuckle and heads up to her room, changing into a pair of slacks and a relaxed blouse. She takes her hair down and heads downstairs again. “Alright, eat up.”
Ben dishes her up a plate and hands it to her.
She looks over the room, Kissa and Silver looking a little stiff. “Is everything okay?” She quietly asks him.
He shrugs. “You expect me to know?”
Silver stood up and stepped off the couch, coming to the kitchen to dish up her food. Miki slid off her stool and went to the fridge, putting more space between herself and her sister. Silver sent her a glare behind her back and carried her plate back into the kitchen and crouched in the corner of the couch to eat.
Violet bites her lip, catching the glare. And not only that, but Kissa was obviously glaring at the space behind her.
Why are the siblings angry? What is going on?
“You see that?” She whispers.
Ben turns around, looking over everyone.
“They like lunch?” He whispers back.
She rolls her eyes.
Why do I even try.