'This is weird' Was the only thing Eve could think as she watched Ophelia diligently placing strips of meat and vegetables inside the hotpot broth.
An awkward silence was apparent on the table, that Ophelia didn't notice as she hummed a tune softly while watching the meat cook inside the spicy broth for a few seconds before taking them out and placing them inside each of their bowls.
Eve wanted to break the silence as it was suffocating her, But she didnt know how to start a converation or even know what to say to Ophelia. Afterall they've been having a cold war that spanned a whole 4 years, none of them making a move to better it. Well until Ophelia took her hand and acted like the older sister that she was before the fight, the one Eve imprinted into her very mind.
Why did she suddenly want to become close again? Eve didn't get it, there was no reason that would've pushed Ophelia to become close with her, unless she wanted something...
Eve's expression become more and more gloomy as her thoughts went further down the wrong direction, while the group that sat infront of them felt her gaze burning a hole into their backs, causing them to have a cold sweat
Random Group: Hic! Scary!
Eve: It wasn't intentional!
"Hey Eve" A chopstick went infront of Eve, snapping her out of her train of thought as the gloomy look on her face disappeared replaced with a look of surprise, raising her gaze to look at Ophelia's smiling face.
"Y-yes?" Eve stuttered.
'Sh-t' Eve cursed in her head because of being caught by Ophelia while thinking badly about her, feeling guilty as she knows Ophelia hasn't done anything wrong for her to be suspicious of and...she had always hid that gloomy expression from Ophelia since they were children. She knows how her face was scary when she was thinking of something so negative or spacing out, ever since she were a child everyone around her always told her to smile more as she looked like the world wronged her or everyone owns her money when she was spacing out, But even when she smiled they still called her scary.
She felt her palms sweat nervously, dreading that Ophelia would tell her that too, she didn't want to be seen like that by her sister...Clenching her fists underneath the table away from Ophelia's gaze, she not wanting to be called a gloomy person by her sister too.
"Aren't you going to eat?, do you not like it if i cook the meat for you?" Ophelia looked at Eve embarrassed and a little worried.
"Eh?" Eve paused as she stared at Ophelia surprised, she thought that she was hearing things, she was whole heartedly expecting to be called gloomy or Ophelia saying her expression was scary just like everyone had done.
But unbeknownst to Eve, Ophelia saw her expression as funny as it reminded her of that surprised pikachu face image all over the internet.
"Eve?" Ophelia called out to Eve to snap her out of her daze, smiling at how cute her foolish little sister was being.
Ophelia saw Eve slowly going into a panicked expression as she hastily picked up her bowl and started to eat, trying to reassure Ophelia that she didn't mind Ophelia caring for her with her own actions.
"See, I don't mind at al- Hup!" In the process of trying to explain while having a mouthful full of food, Eve ended up choking on a piece of meat that she was about to swallow.
Cough! Cough! Eve felt tears sting her eyes as she patted her chest to alleviate the discomfort from choking, she reached for her drink that was just a bit out her reach (Being nudged gently to her hold by Ophelia); Quickly drinking the whole glass down before she stopped coughing.
"Are you okay, Eve?" Ophelia asked when Eve finally calmed down as she felt Ophelia's palm on her back, soothing her calmly in a way too familar to Eve. Raising her head to look at Ophelia's smiling but worried face that overlapped a memory long rooted into the very depths of her mind.
"Eve?"
...
"Eve found you!" An immature voice called out excitedly before pausing as the owner of the voice stood at the doorway of the room.
"Hey hey... are you okay?" The same voice turned into a more concerned tone, surprising the 7 year old Eve when a warm palm went on her back, halting her sniffling at being caught crying in one of the unused rooms in the house.
"I-im fine...Sniffle, go away!" Little Eve yelled, trying to flick away the small hand that was placed on her back as she tried to act like a big girl, It was embarrassing for her to be caught crying like a small child. She tried to make herself look more gloomy or scary like the other children called her, frowning more and glared at the 14 year old Ophelia that was worrying about her.
A gloomy expression that could unsettle even an adult had no effect on the younger Ophelia, Her only focus was that her little sister was crying!
"There there Eve...Big sister is here, its okay" The younger Ophelia sat down beside little Eve, rubbing her back to sooth her crying and sniffling. But it had the opposite effect, little Eve only needed to feel the warmth and care that the younger Ophelia had for her to finally let her bottled up grievances flow out freely.
Little Eve jumped into Ophelia's arms, her sobs racking her small body as she was held by her older sister, letting out all of her frustration and sadness from the words of her peers and adults around them. They always called her a gloomy child and...
"It isn't fair! I tried smiling...i tried being friendly! b-but" Little Eve finally finding a pillar of support letting all of her feelings out, albeit it was hard to understand from her sobbing and sniffling but the younger Ophelia stayed with her, calming and listening to the small child curled up in her arms, soothing her when her crying became too much for little Eve's small body to handle.
Younger Ophelia listened to it all, from how girls in Eve's class called her scary to the boys calling her an ugly monster. No one wanted to play or talk with the gloomy child causing her to be plunged into a gloom filled world so early on.
But feeling the warm and soft hand on her head caused her to look up to Ophelia who was smiling warmly to the small eve, stunning her at how warm...So devoid of disgust her gaze was.
"Hey Eve, wanna know a secret?" Little Eve felt the hand on her head started to pet her gently, she could only nod to Ophelia's question in a dazed manner too stunned to speak or even hiccup.
"I think Eve is the cutest girl in the world and don't tell mom but...." Ophelia put on a show of looking around nervously as she placed a finger in her lips to do a shushing motion.
"I think Eve is also the prettiest, even prettier than mom!" The younger Ophelia smiled cheekily tapping little Eve's nose, which brought out a giggle from the small girl.
"Really?" Little Eve sounded a bit doubtful but the small child didn't dwell on it long as she trusted her sister very much, smiling happily as she slowly forgot about the mean things people have told her.
"Really, i promise that anytime Eve feels that way i will come and cheer her up!" Ophelia smiled as she kissed small Eve's forehead, smiling when she heard the giggle from the younger girl.
"Pinky promise!" Little Eve held her pinky out for her to take, looking adorably expectant.
"Pinky promise" The younger Ophelia hooked her pinky with eve's, smiling warmly to the small girl.
...
"Feeling better?" Eve heard Ophelia ask, who was rubbing her back when she finally settled down.
"I'm fine now" Eve smiled to Ophelia as a light blush of embarrassment covered her cheeks, She was a bit reckless and she shouldn't have talked while she still had a mouthful of food, she could've avoided this embarrassing situation.
"Your still reckless as ever huh? My cute little sister" Ophelia only laughed as she patted Eve's head one last time before going back to her seat, some things never change.
"Hey don't laugh at me! it was an accident" Eve crossed her arms as she jokingly took offense to Ophelia laughing at her, turning her head away, closing her eyes as a small 'Hmp' came from her.
"Aw c'mon Eve dont give me the cold shoulder" Eve's action only prompted Ophelia to laugh more at her(eve's) somewhat childish actions, Eve opened one of her eyes to peek at Ophelia before laughing as well when she couldn't take it seriously anymore, Eve missed these light bickering they had; it's long been overdue for them to return to their closeness before the fight.
The night continued on with a light hearted atmosphere, filled with bickering, jokes and sharing of stories (Mostly by Eve telling Ophelia what she had been doing and interest she developed recently).
The two sisters finally felt a piece clicked into place, they were finally right where they should be...Home.
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Little Theater
Archie:Hosttt!!! Why haven't i appeared yet? I want to come out and show the viewers what i can do!
Ophelia: *Ignoring Archie and writing something*
Archie: Host? Are you listening?!
Ophelia: Oh!, Yeah im listening. Dont worry you'll appearing in the next chapter *pat pat*( ´･･)ﾉ(._.`)
Archie: that's a 'promise' then!, btw host what are you writing?
Ophelia: The truth of course! *Holds up a sign that has 'MY SISTER IS THE CUTEST' written on it*
Archie: Ah- i see....(｡･-･)