Random Titlan: Spooky Chase (In hiatus)/latina

chap 40

꒷꒦︶꒷꒦ ⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ꒷꒦︶꒷꒦☁︎ ⋆｡˚☽ ꒷꒦︶꒷꒦

𒄆───────˚｡⋆˚ ☪︎˚⋆｡˚──────𒄆

The kitchen was alive with the scent of fried plantains, scrambled eggs with epazote, and fresh tortillas browning on a comal. 

Rono slammed his plate down on the table. "Okay. We need to talk. Like—right now."

Konane nodded solemnly, biting into a tortilla. "Yeah. So, did anyone else get a magical goblin roommate last night, or is that just me?"

"I thought I was dreaming," Peta muttered.

They turned, slowly, to find the four chaneques sitting at the far end of the table, happily eating from tiny plates of food they definitely had not served them.

Eztli's chaneque had an entire avocado in one hand, smearing it across her toast. "You got any hot sauce?"

Konane's was dipping a tortilla chip into what looked like coffee creamer. "You people have weird breakfasts."

Rono narrowed his eyes at the chaneques, still processing the fact that four supernatural creatures were casually eating breakfast at their table. He pointed at the one slathering avocado across her toast. "Okay, first of all—who even are you?"

The chaneque licked a smear of avocado off her fingers. "I'm Tlilti," she said simply.

"And I'm Chikpik," the one with the coffee creamer said, his tiny fingers drumming against the edge of the table. "Your breakfast choices intrigue me."

Konane raised an eyebrow. "You're dipping chips in creamer."

Chikpik shrugged. "And? Food is food."

Itzi, the smallest of the group, swung her legs as she munched on a tortilla. "You all make such a big deal about this. We followed you home. Now we live here. That's how it works."

"That's absolutely not how it works," Eztli said, stabbing a piece of scrambled egg with unnecessary force.

Koko, who had been silently peeling an orange, finally spoke. "Well, it is now."

Peta groaned. "I knew it. We're stuck with them."

"You say 'stuck,' but I prefer 'chosen,'" Tlilti corrected, gesturing dramatically with half an avocado.

Rono looked at Zacil's now silent phone. "Abuela really dropped this on us and hung up."

Konane sighed. "So, we have chaneques now."

Itzi grinned. "Yes. And in return, you should treat us as guest."

Koko nodded solemnly. "And watch over you."

Chikpik dunked another chip into the creamer, then frowned at the taste. "Yeah. Probably."

Eztli pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is my life now, isn't it?"

Tlilti grinned, lifting her toast triumphantly. "Sí. Now, about that hot sauce..."

Peta narrowed her eyes at the doll sitting on the table, untouched but undeniably present. Its glassy eyes reflected the morning light, its small hands resting stiffly in its lap.

She pointed at it. "Alright, but what is the doll doing here?"

Eztli exhaled, rubbing her temples. "Long story."

Tlilti took a bite of her toast, watching the doll. 

Eztli crossed her arms. "Well? 

Konane frowned. "Why are you talking to a doll?"