The Ranch

Hot Pot (1)

Everyone has finished sharing their past. It's around [2:39 a.m.] according to Lucien's laptop, way past their usual sleeping time.

"Then...I guess we should go to sleep now?" Sherlock didn't quite think this far.

They all felt a little awkward. They can imagine the nightmares they're about to have after having to recall all those bad memories.

In the middle of the awkward silence, a stomach rumbles. It's Theodore, who drained a lot of energy from crying earlier.

"...Yo, Basile, got anything we can eat?" Kai jokes.

Then Basile takes out a whole hotpot set.

"..."

"Then let's eat?" Pierre feels a little hungry too.

Victor and Sherlock prioritizes boiling the ingredients, while the others start eating.

"Uh...does, your sister want some?" Sherlock asks akwardly.

The corner of Abel's lip twitches," And how exactly would she eat it?" He seems to hear something funny, because he starts cracking up, lightening up the atmosphere.

They started chatting with eat other, asking a few, more personal, questions here and there. It was a bonding experience for a group of individuals that didn't have a lot of time to make friends due to their circumstances.

.

.

.

The room is quiet. Everyone is sprawled across the floor asleep.

Sherlock is snoring lightly. Lucien's leg is crossed over Victor's torso. Basile is spooning Abel as Abel sleep-talks about mushroom sheep swimming down a broth river.

As everyone is sleeping peacefully, one person opens his eyes and slowly gets up, being careful not to wake the others.

He's about to step out of the apartment when," Where you going?" asks Theordore, who also pretended to sleep.

Slightly startled, it takes Kai a second to answer," I was just gonna step out for some air."

"It'll be cold, you sure you don't want to wear anything warmer?" Theodore looks at the pajamas Kai is wearing.

"What are you, my mom?"

"What are you, a television character?"

"...fair point." It hurts a little.

Theodore chuckles, stabbing deeper," It'd be one of those ones that puts laugh tracks every five seconds."

"Come on man, I'm just a kid. Go easy on me, yeah?"

"Kid? You look around my age?" Theodore give Kai a questioning stare.

"Your age?" Kai looks at the guy that could pass off as a full grown adult. "How old were you again?"

"Fifteen, you?"

"...thirteen."

"Ah...so we both look older than we are." Theodore softly chuckles.

"I guess we have that in common." He joins in.

Kai smiles, "I looks forward to our friendship. Is that too on-brand as a tv character?"

"Yes, cringy as hell, but yeah, look forward to working with ya." Theodore nods.

"Like that was any better." Kai jokes.

"Oh? So we're not gonna be mere tools for you to use?" Someone pipes in.

The two are slightly started. They turn to see Pierre, who couldn't sleep and overheard the whole thing.