It's in the eyes. Always the eyes.

Chapter Seven| Rainy Day Retreat

The rain begins early in the morning, starting as a light drizzle, barely noticeable until it steadily grows into a heavy downpour. Sheets of rain hammer against the windows, creating a constant, rhythmic patter that echoes through the house. Outside, the wind howls, making the trees in the nearby forest sway and groan, their tops disappearing into a thick mist that blankets the landscape. The storm outside is relentless, shrouding everything in a gloomy gray haze, yet inside the Bandicoot house, it's warm and inviting. A soft glow from the fireplace flickers in the living room, casting a cozy light on the walls.

With the rain pattering softly against the windows, creating a serene, cozy atmosphere inside. Penny stood by the window, her fingers wrapped around a warm cup of tea, the soft steam rising up as she took in the comforting scent. Wrapped in a blanket, she let the calm, rhythmic sound of raindrops wash over her, filling the room with a sense of tranquility.

"I love the sound of rain," Penny said softly, her eyes tracing the trails of raindrops sliding down the windowpane. "But I'm not sure what to do indoors all day. I don't think I've ever spent a whole day just... sitting."

She turned back toward the room, trying to come up with something to pass the time. Just then, Crash wandered in, stretching and yawning, his usual energetic self seemingly softened by the lazy weather. He spotted Penny by the window and grinned, walking over to her and giving her a playful nudge with his shoulder.

Penny laughed at his gesture. "What do you want to do, Crash?" she asked, her voice lighthearted.

Crash responded with a string of enthusiastic gibberish, his hands moving animatedly as he mimicked playing board games and video games. He made a few exaggerated gestures that left Penny giggling.

"So, games?" she interpreted, raising an eyebrow. "I guess that's one way to pass the time." Penny smiled, intrigued by the idea. "Alright, let's do it. You lead the way."

Crash, always eager for fun, quickly dashed over to the cupboard, rummaging through it until he found a stack of board games. His eyes lit up, holding one up triumphantly. Penny chuckled at his excitement, her initial uncertainty melting away as she followed him to the coffee table, ready to dive into a day of games and relaxation.

The rain continued to fall outside, but inside, the warmth of their friendship and playful rivalry was just getting started.

They start with a classic board game, something simple like Checkers. Penny takes the game seriously at first, carefully planning her moves, while Crash, ever the jokester, employs ridiculous strategies that make little sense—like hopping his pieces randomly across the board and making exaggerated sound effects with every move.

"Whoosh!" Crash says as he moves his checker piece, grinning at Penny like it's the most clever move in the world. Penny raises an eyebrow, trying to hold back a laugh.

"You know that's not how it works, right?" she teases, but Crash just shrugs, acting like a defeated general every time Penny captures one of his pieces. When she gets ahead, he pretends to dramatically swoon, falling backward off his chair in a playful exaggeration of defeat.

Penny bursts into laughter, her competitive edge softening as the game becomes more about having fun than winning.

They switch to other games throughout the day, trying their hand at Coco's custom-made "Crash-opoly," a wild version of Monopoly filled with ridiculous twists, like landing on "Nitro Space" and losing half their in-game currency or suddenly being launched across the board with a Wumpa Fruit Cannon. Penny quickly picks up on the absurdity, laughing along with Crash at every strange turn, while also trying to beat him to the best spots on the board.