As I walk out, ready to work… I realize the shop’s closed today.

  ‘And I got all dressed up for work for nothing, I could’ve stayed in my pajamas!

  …

  ‘I swear, I’m becoming more like Yuyu as the days go on.’

  Shaking my head, my tail wilting a little at my unneeded laundry being made, a smell hits my nose.

  ‘...eggs? Yuyu doesn’t usually wake up this early… and I didn’t see her door open either.’

  Poking my head in… I see Salka, cooking up some eggs on the stove. She looks… like a more mature Yuyu, honestly. A bit less… thick, but the aloof expression and scars on her body just sell the maturity more.

  Not that they’re needed or anything, they just… I don’t know, add character? Great, now I sound old.

  ‘I can already hear Yuna in my ear, calling me old.’

  With a quiet sigh to announce my presence to the woman, I walk over and look up at her. “You’re making breakfast?”

  Looking down at me, she nods slightly. “Yeah… it feels wrong being fed by you two, without making anything of my own. I can at least make eggs.”

  Sniffing the air, I can already tell they’re starting to burn. “I think they’re burning.”

  Looking at them, she seems unsure. “They look fine…?”

  ‘Huh, is my nose off? Normally I’m on point with that.’

  “Well, whatever. I’m in the mood for pancakes, so I’ma make some.” Walking over to the fridge, I poke my head in and grab a few ingredients, hearing a surprised noise from behind me.

  Looking at Salka, she’s got a burnt egg on a plate, looking quite disappointed in herself.

  Shaking my head, I put the ingredients back, and instead grab the eggs and some butter, before walking over and throwing away the burnt egg.

  “Wha- hey-”

  “Don’t give me an attitude, that was disgusting. I’ll show you how to make an actual breakfast now, alright?” Looking up at her with a hand on my hip and an egg in my other hand, she looks… almost amused.

  “I-It’s fine, I don’t need-”

  Waving the egg at her face, I give her a scowl. Not with any real anger, just some overdone frustration that she’s not taking the help right away. “Hey, as the star chef of this establishment, it’s my role to make sure nobody here goes hungry, and if I’m offering you a lesson, you should be grateful! Got it?”

  Nodding slightly to me, I smile and turn around to begin my lesson in making some eggs.

  Going through the motions easily despite my short size, the counters all made with me in mind, I’m reminded of when my sisters were little. Yuyu is still not the best chef, but she can make herself food if needed.

  “Hm? What are you thinking about?”

  Cocking an ear at her as I crack an egg into a pan, preparing another skillet for bacon, I smile. “Oh… just reminiscing. This reminds me of teaching Yuyu to cook, that's all.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Yuna? Was she not always a good cook?”

  I can’t help but laugh at the thought. “Haha… no. For the longest, she couldn’t even crack an egg without crushing it. A brute goomba, most of the time.”

  “Huh… it’s hard to imagine… but I’ve met enough meatheads to believe it.”

  And just on cue, an offended and barely awake voice is audible in the doorway. “Hey, who’s a meathead?”

  Both of us turn to look at Yuyu, who’s in pink pajamas, before cracking up laughing, even the tired cat joining in.

  ‘These moments… they’re truly precious.’

  ***

  Now in my blue fluffy pajamas, I pop into Salka’s room. “Hey, you wanna watch a movie with us?”

  Looking over at me, she looks a bit surprised. “You sure?”

  “Duh, yeah. Now c’mon, sis is making popcorn. We gotta decide on a movie to watch.”

  Watching her get out of bed with a bit of effort, I realize her burns are still present. No wonder she’s always wearing thin oversized clothes. And I thought at first it was just cause it looked good on her.

  Or to hide her chrome. I know some don’t like being considered Code skulls.

  Regardless, as we walk into the small living room at the back and sit down, Yuyu is quick to plop into her spot on Salka’s other side, holding out the popcorn for each of us to eat from. “So what kind are we watching? I wanna watch some comedy.”

  Salka speaks up. “Comedy? I don’t know… that usually just feels shallow. What about a thriller?”

  With a played up groan, I shake my head. “A comedy? That’s boring, why not an old kids movie me and Yuna love? So you could see it too?”

  Sis shoots that idea down though. “We’re supposed to be making new memories, not reliving old ones. So no.”

  Closing my eyes with a sigh, I try to think of something.

  Yuna is the one to do so, though. “Why not just a classic movie, then? Nothing too intense, just old and good? Like… an exotic tale?”

  Before I can make a comment about how egocentric it sounds for an exotic to ask to watch an exotic focused movie, Salka actually speaks. “That actually sounds nice, I’m curious about what it’s about now.”

  Pausing, I chuckle and shake my head. Of course she’d figure it out. Ever good at reading the room. “It’s about the original exotics, and the differences and hardships we face.”

  Salka gives me a little look, before nodding and leaning back into the couch. “So… let’s watch it then.”

  I notice she’s deliberately not looking at the shut off screen… huh, weird. “Why are you doing that?”

  “Doing what?”

  Turning on the TV, I find the movie as I question her. “Avoiding looking at the screen. Why?”

  “Ah… I just don’t like the look of my reflection.”

  As I put on the movie, I look up at her with an annoyed look. “Don’t like your reflection? But you look great, be more proud of yourself!”

  Salka and Yuna both stare at me like I’ve grown a second head.

  ‘What? What did I say?’

  “...she looks what, sis?”

  Slowly it dawns on me how confidently I complimented her looks, before I blush and look away and at the tv. “Sh-shut it! I was just trying to help, you dummy!”

  Both of them laugh as the movie starts, and I put my attention into it.

  …

  …

  By the time it’s over, Yuna has fallen asleep against Salka’s arm, who hasn’t complained, if anything, she seems a little happy about it.

  It’s nice, seeing her guard down and just enjoying herself.

  ‘We should do this more often.’

  Yawning and stretching, I shut off the TV. “Well, that was nice.”

  “Yeah, it was. Um… should I put Yuna in her room?”

  “If it wouldn’t hurt, sure.”

  Nodding, she picks her up like she didn’t weigh more than I do, and calmly carries her to her room.

  ‘Strong…’

  Shaking the thoughts out my head, I begin cleaning up the couch of popcorn and drinks. As I go to walk out, I do a double take at my reflection.

  ‘Was I imagining things, or did it just smile at me?... no, it’s just me, why wouldn’t it be?’

  Letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I head for bed myself.

  ‘No, it’s nothing… just tired I guess.’

  Still… I avoid looking at my reflection for the night.