TW: Stronk words of dislike & violence cuz lil Gremlin and joking about c@nn!b@l!sm? Aster looked up from… whatever it was he was trying to do, he honestly wasn’t sure, to find Dawn walking into the kitchen. "Well, Kitty didn't kill you yet, I see," Aster observed. Dawn shook her head. "Nope. Not yet." “Keyword yet!” Kitty announced from her room. “Stop eavesdropping, gremlin!” Dawn called. "You're not in charge of me!" Kitty shouted back. "Quit eavesdropping, Kitty!" Aster called to her. There was a faint huff, then silence. "How goes the "bonding?" Any progress?" Aster asked a little quieter, doing air quotations on the word "bonding." Dawn shrugged, not wanting to give much away. She still wasn't sure whether she wanted to help Kitty or thwart her. "It's complicated," she added a second later. “Good complicated or bad complicated?” "Just different." Aster sighed. “You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?” She grinned back at him. "Nope. My lips are sealed." Aster scowled at her. “At least help me with dinner? I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.” "Sure. I'm a pretty decent cook. What are you trying to make?" "...no idea." "Okay...it looks kinda like spaghetti...so let's see what we can do!" “Here.” He gave her a spoon. “I don’t know what I was trying to do with that.” Dawn took the spoon, raising a skeptical eyebrow but saying nothing. “I will stand over here and try to blow something up...or something.” Aster said, moving into a corner. "Cool. Just please don't kill the cook in the process or we won't eat tonight." "I will do my best." "Okay, it is appreciated." Dawn set to putting together the meal, humming a haunting tune as she worked. Aster watched quietly, leaning against the counter. "What are you just staring at me for?" Dawn asked after a moment. Aster shrugged. “Got nothing else to do. Plus you look oddly familiar.” "I just moved here, so I doubt it. But, if you skate, I go to the skate park sometimes." Aster’s eyes light up. “Wait, really? I probably saw you at one then. I’ve gone to skateparks all across the world, so it’s an entirely viable option.” "That's possible. You go to any competitions? I've been in a couple." “Uh, not really. Skating has always been more of a ‘for myself’ thing.” "Yeah. I'm more that way now too," Dawn agreed. Aster nodded. "There's just so much pressure when you enter competitions; I've seen some people go from loving skating to haing it because they started doing bigger competitions that just demanded so much from them, and then everyone there expected them to do good because why would you enter a competition if you're no good?" "Yeah, it...it's sad when that happens," Dawn whispered. "Yeah. It really is." Dawn gave the spoon a final smack against the metal pot. "Okay, dinner's ready!" In a flash, Kitty was in the kitchen with them, ignoring Aster's warning glare and Dawn's curious glance. "What is it?" She asked, trying to peer over Dawn's shoulder without getting too close. "Pasta and garlic bread." "Is it-- never mind, dumb question." Kitty backtracked quickly. Unfortunately for her, there was no way these were space noodles. Aster raised an eyebrow at her, and she just stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm gonna sit down. You two can set the table." She declared. "Fine with me. Aster, I'll grab the paper plates and whatever cups I can find if you can find something like silverware? Aster blinked at her for a moment while trying to remember what silverware was. "We need something to stab food with?" Dawn prompted. "Oh! Right! Sorry, zoned out for a second there." He says nervously, searching the drawers. Dawn set out the plates and some mismatched mugs before moving to help Aster find forks. Aster finally found some plastic forks. "Here." "Great. Let's eat before the little gremlin decides to eat me instead." Kitty made a face. "Ew. Humans are disgusting. No way would I willingly eat one." "Right. THAT'S why I wouldn't eat someone. Because it would be gross. DEFINITELY." "Um...yeah? Is that not like normal or something?" Kitty asked while Aster shook his head, eyes wide, making a 'cut it out' gesture. "Nah, not particularly normal but it's cool," Dawn commented. Aster shook his head and sighed in exasperation. "Can we not talk about cannibalism when we're trying to eat dinner?" "What? It's interesting dinner conversation!" "It's kind of ruining my appetite though, so kindly stop it." "Whatever, dude. I'll shut up now." “Thank you.” Aster said, spearing his spaghetti while Kitty eyed hers with distaste. Dawn leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I swear I didn't poison it, gremlin." Kitty rolled her eyes. “I didn’t think you did.” "Then why are you looking at your pasta like it will end your life?" "Because it's /human/ food." "What do you normally eat? Rocks?" "Nothing." "You didn't eat or you don't want to tell me?" "I don't eat." Dawn made a dismissive hand gesture. "No wonder you're so skinny."
Kitty glared at Dawn. "I am not skinny. I am perfectly average, thank you very much." "You look shrimpy to me." "Shush up, human." Kitty said while Aster rubbed his forehead. "You two are going to be the death of me." "Can someone die from annoyance?" Dawn wondered aloud. "I'll have to Google it later..." "Please do." Kitty said. "I'd like to know if I can really can annoy someone to death." Dawn split into a mischievous grin. "Will do!" Aster thumped his head on the table. "The combined force of you two could take over the world. That's not a compliment." "Well, thank you anyway!" Dawn's grim turned even more sinister. "I hate you both." Kitty patted his head. "No you don't. You're physically incapable of hating anything for more than a minute." "That's good to know! I'll have to see if I can change that!" Dawn announced. "No, leave him unable to hate things! It means I can get away with a bunch of stuff." "True...then we can both get away with things!" "Exactly!" "Fist bump?" Dawn asked, putting her fist up. Kitty looked at her blankly. "What?" "It's when you bump fists as a way of being like "I get you," or whatever? It's a human thing." Kitty wrinkled her nose. "If it's a human thing I don't wanna do it." "Alright, little gremlin. Just eat your pasta." Kitty stuck her tongue out at Dawn, but grumpily complied. Aster breathed a sigh of relief. "Peace and quiet." <><><><><><><><><><><><> Writing by Slayde Leola & Calla Tolliver Music from the public domain