Princess made dinner. The four pups were on their high chairs eating their mashed potatoes and avocado pudding. The kitchen was filled with the rhythmic clinking of small plastic spoons against bowls, Princess’s chest rising and falling in quick, uneven puffs as her hands flew around the counter, plating yet another massive batch of food.
The pups were eating on their own, some messing themselves up but still trying. Green pudding was smeared across little cheeks and tiny fingers, their small feet kicking happily against the colorful chair legs while their lungs let out sweet, messy giggles.
Beam and Kiara were also present, all having spaghetti and meatballs. The dining table was packed with steaming platters, the rich scent of tomatoes filling the air as forks twirled rapidly through long noodles.
Then....
"I really want to go home... I may have something important to do at my mother’s house, or maybe she needs me at the library," Kiara said. She set her fork down with a loud click, her lungs expanding with a dramatic, heavy sigh as she leaned back against her chair.
"The library closes by 8. It’s past 8," Princess said flatly. She didn’t even look up from her plate, her jaw working continuously as she forced herself to swallow another big bite, her heart pumping a fast, restless rhythm against her ribs.
"Well, the council have been discussing making the Petrova Library open 24/7." Kiara countered smoothly, tilting her head back while her fingers tapped a fast, impatient beat on the table.
"Kiara, just finish your food." Princess commanded, her voice dropping into a firm tone that made her chest expand with a solid, unyielding breath.
"This is the 3rd plate you are making me eat. Do I look like someone who wants to be fat?" Kiara said dramatically. She gestured wildly at the mound of pasta sitting in front of her, her posture stiffening as her breathing turned fast and annoyed.
"Beam hasn’t been complaining, so you should eat... and shut your hole." Princess said without a single trace of hesitation, her eyes narrowing as she took another rapid bite.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Kiara gasped, her eyes going wide as her breath locked up in her throat.
"Do not use the F word in the presence of my children," Princess warned instantly. She shot a sharp, dangerous glare across the table, her lungs pulling in a tight, protective breath as she glanced toward the high chairs.
"Are you kidding me? Do I look like Beam to you? I have a life, unlike her, who doesn’t," Kiara said, throwing her hands up in absolute disbelief while her lungs pumped out indignant, shallow puffs of air.
"Hey, I have a life too. At least mine is not fake like you and your fake lifestyle," Beam shot back. She stopped chewing mid-bite, her head snapping around toward Kiara as her heart rate spiked with sudden irritation.
"Owwwn, you’re just jealous of me and my new bae. Now that we happen to be the hottest couple on Oakgram..." Kiara scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a sharp, arrogant tilt of her chin, her breathing turning smug.
"Why would I be jealous of you and your girlfriend? I’m talking about you bragging about being the leader of this on the internet," Beam said flatly. She set her fork down with a heavy thud, her chest heaving with a deep, frustrated breath.
"I wasn’t bragging. They asked questions, and none of you answered, so I answered. What is wrong with that?" Kiara demanded, her voice rising in pitch as her eyes flashed.
"Can you two just shut up and let’s have a peaceful dinner?" Princess said, stopping the unwanted argument.
"This can’t be a peaceful dinner, Princess. You are making us overeat, I’m getting sleepy.." Beam finally admitted. She was eating her 4th plate. She rubbed her tight stomach with a groan, her face flushing slightly as her breathing turned heavy and uncomfortable.
"But I thought you said you liked it." Princess said, her brow furrowing into a tight, confused line, her hand freezing over her own plate.
"I do like it. It’s delicious, but you should have just made three servings instead of ten, or God knows how many are left to be eaten. Tisha texted that she was making shepherd’s pie for dinner. I don’t even know where I would be storing the pie." Beam explained, letting out a long, exhausted breath that made her shoulders slump forward.
"You can just not eat the pie," Princess said simply, taking another steady breath through her nose as she tried to keep her posture solid.
"Tisha doesn’t like it when I don’t eat dinner with her." Beam muttered softly, her heart thumping in a small, guilty rhythm at the thought of her girlfriend waiting.
"We should have just thrown a party instead of this dinner. Since when did we start eating dinner together? It was only lunch. Now it’s dinner. Soon you’ll tell us to move in with you," Kiara said. Her tone was sharp, her lungs letting out a huff of pure exhaustion as she glared at the remaining food.
"As an Alpha, you should use that dominant authority. Go to Eriko’s house and drag that Omega back. I don’t know about Beam, but you are torturing me. I am supposed to be on a strict diet." Kiara pushed, her eyes locking straight onto Princess’s face, her voice dropping into a heavy, serious edge.
"Is having a peaceful dinner so hard for the three of us now? I intended to make three servings, but I ended up making more than that. Instead of wasting the food, let us just finish it together as my friends." Princess pleaded quietly. Her throat went tight, her breathing turning short and careful as her defensive wall began to crumble just a little bit.
"You can put it in the fridge, and let’s just continue tomorrow. I’m tired," Beam said. She shook her head slowly, her own lungs releasing a weary, quiet breath as she looked at her friend’s stressed expression.
Despite having the pups with her, Princess still felt something missing, and it was Faye. Overthinking had made her cook too much spaghetti and made her friends stay for dinner so she would feel less lonely. Her chest felt terribly hollow, her heart pounding a dull, achey beat against her ribs while the cold quiet of the empty room threatened to swallow her whole.
"You guys can just go. I will finish the food on my own. I don’t need you to help me out," Princess said as she continued to eat. She stuffed another large forkful into her mouth, her eyes staring blankly down at her plate as her lungs pulled in short, painful gasps of air.
Both friends became silent. They sighed and continued eating. The heavy atmosphere returned to the table.
Then Leonny started making noise from where he was sitting, his legs dangling as he looked like a happy little bird. His small hands began clapping together in a fast, chaotic rhythm, a loud, joyful squeal erupting from his small lungs as his entire face lit up with absolute pure delight.
His mommy was home.