Chapter Text
Cold air hit their skin, not a problem for a cookie with spice flowing right through them.
Tossing one of the boys a glance, Peperoncino understood why the little Bell Pepper seemed to wear such thick layers right at that moment.
Even after all of those elaborate patterns and ion bots to avoid and dance past they all had to stroll down halls of metal that stretched longer than deserts.
Quickly pacing beside him, Habanero jabs Bell Pepper at the hip with his own.
“Wuh- Hey!” The yellow cookie protests, marching even farther ahead with a furious huff.
“Mister Peperoncino!!! He’s hurting me!!”
“I am NOOOT!!” Habanero squeaks, stamping right back to his side and blowing a firm warning punch to his shoulder.
The towering man on guard manages to finally trail just behind them, his mouth contorting into an even wider grimace at the scene ahead of him.
“…Boys.” He chided briefly, the bass of his voice echoing against the chambers. The brief rumble sending shakes down just about anyone’s spine.
Silence brewed between the three bot long after, shame itching the back of the boy’s necks.
Soon they all stopped near what- appears to be a doorway.
Maybe Cauliflower was there…?
“…Can you tell your- DAD to brush his teeth once in a while…?” Bell Pepper mewled.
“AYE!” With another hit, Habanero winds up his other arm in a circle. It was a move Peperoncino knew all too well, Habanero’s bluffing. It’s an intimidation tactic.
Where did he learn such a thing…?
Habanero’s father cocks his head to the side, anticipating the boy’s next words.
“NO ONE TALKS TO MY DAD LIKE THAT!!”
He’s heartfelt, that one.
A smile nearly thaws across the father’s cheeks- if only if it weren’t a half-a-threat…
From the other end of the corridor, footsteps, approaching fast.
Could they have been drawn to the noise?
The sound of a distant- almost panic as the noise closes in on the three of them. Not the sound of an ordinary cookie, the steps seem almost uneven in texture…
On instinct, the father ran and stood facing the nearing threat.
Peperoncino threw a grave look as he peered over his shoulder.
“Please… Step back.” He quietly pleaded.
Eyes back on the target, Peperoncino couldn’t quite see if they had, in that moment his only truth was his faith, his heart, his purpose.
Unsheathing his mighty GreatPepper sword, the tips of the blade illuminated the halls as Peperoncino readied his stance.
Under the sound of close flames, the growing noise and his own heartbeat he caught the whimpers of the two behind him, huddling close to each other.
“If we explode, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I ACTUALLY LIKED LISTENING TO YOUR DUMB NERD RANTS!!” Habanero cries out.
“r-really? Well, I like hearing your surprisingly thought out- nerd rants too!!”
If this wasn’t going to turn out pretty, he was at least… Happy it brought them closer together.
“GAH! Woah- woah! woah…”
So caught in his own instinctive stupor, Peperoncino had hardly been able to process what was soon right in front of him.
A girl- two…
Cauliflower right at her side.
“Do you… Bring your sword everywhere?” The taller of the two asked, a finger curls as she gathers towards it.
In a breath or two, the flames sunk back into the steel.
“I am… Sorry.” he croaks empathetically, dropping his shoulders as he shuffles back into a neutral position .
“I just… I…”
Pushing past Aloe, Cauli stood right in front of the sword, right beneath Peperoncino.
“You must’ve thought we were something big n’ scary huh?” She exclaimed.
The cheeriness of her voice never left her side.
“…Yes.”
His tongue carries heavy shame oozing from his lips as the father dips his head.
Habanero burns with embarrassment coursing through every morsel of his own dough, quickly, he shoves Bell Pepper off to the side.
“WELL- In that case! I was totally lying to make you feel better, y’know! I could’ve totally beaten up a big strong monster with or without my dad!!”
His chin raised to the skies like he awaited the clouds to give him a peck on the cheek.
“You know what you sound like, Habanero?!” The other huffs, crossing his arms as he defiantly faces the other direction.
“You sound like a liar!! And lying is bad!! You could get jail time for forms of lying, y’know!!”
The other groans at the mere sound of Bell Peppers voice.
“Bell pepper,” Began the slender stranger.
“You cannot keep telling people you don’t like are going to jail… Well- I suppose you aren’t entirely wrong… Wait- Did you borrow my law books?”
All the while, Cauliflower stood, bouncing on her toes smiling through any conflict.
As usual.
“I’m sooo glad you’re here, did I mention that? That I’m glad you’re here? I was gonna show you a proper tour of the place but- looks like Bell Pepper already went ahead and started, hrm…”
Just as talkative as Peperoncino had remembered.
All of a sudden, she smacks her forehead with her palm, sliding it down her cheek.
“Oh! Duh, I forgot-“ The botanist exclaimed.
“Aloe, Peperoncino, Peperoncino, Aloe!”
Her hands rapidly gesture back and forth between both parties.
Snapping back into focus, this- Aloe cookie looked right into his deep eyes.
A formal gesture, yet one Peperoncino always felt nervous about.
“It’s great to finally meet you! I’ve heard so-so much about you! Cauliflower missed you a lot.”
She spoke, a grin forming across her cheeks as her hand struck in front of her.
The other cautiously scans the other, Taking her hand, Peperoncino draws to the top of her head.
The same haircut.
As if they were cut from the same cloth.
His face rests easy, knowing that Cauliflower found herself in good company, slightly shaking the other’s hand.
“Good… to meet you, too.” he adds, a soft sigh leaving his lips.
A moment later, another sound hit all their ears.
A strange, cold noise.
Like clockwork, the lot surrounding the group grows a few degrees warmer, flames seeping through his pores all in an instant.
“Aye!”
What popped up was- a new voice, a new face.
The door just slid open.
“I was about to call you guys over and stuff, I’m almost done with this meal…!”
Before them stood a new ally-? one of metal plating every inch of their body, one with a spatula replacing their left arm.
Soft light beaming from a hole in their chest, and from their eyes.
Not a cookie of spice, yet just from a glance he could tell this cookie faced hardships harder than any he’d stand by.
“Who’s this?” The stranger sparked, the pan gesturing towards the tall boulder of a cookie.
“Habanero’s father!” Aloe adds, clapping her hands together.
“And Cauliflower’s friend I mentioned, Peperoncino.”
“…OHHH! hahah!” they chuckled, little blinks of light going off in the screen embedded across their eyes.
With a swerve, the cookie quickly went back to frying- while flying.
“That’s great, you guys joinin’ us for dinner or what?”
“…That’s Cyborg Cookie!” Peering down, Peperoncino found a loud little Cauliflower nudging his side. Optimism sprawled all over her face.
Staring up at the new location the scent of- maybe slightly burnt omelettes filled the area, he couldn’t help but sigh with relief.
Shaping himself up, he quietly grunts, “It’s… great to meet you.”
Pushing past him, Peperoncino felt the tug of his son against his legs.
“We don’t!! We don’t wanna stay for dinner, right dad?!”
…In turn his dad’s stomach growled.
It’s been ages since he’d have the luxury of being cooked for, let alone not having to split the rations.
“…” He shot his son another look with narrowed eyes before drawing to Cyborg. “Yes, please… We’ll sit at your table.”
Not only was this a social nicety, it was in turn what was best for them both.
“UGH!!”
slunk like a sad wish was Bell Pepper, succumbing right to the floor in protest.
Behind the wall, was a half snicker, a slick of a metal tongue.
“Y’know,” Comments Cyborg, so talented in multitasking that they’d already begun filling plates.
“Those boys aren’t all that different.”
With a unified stamp of the foot, they cry out in protest!
“NO WE’RE NOT!!”