(Art by KuruTyan)

You finish up your shift at the Rainbow Factory when Nicole Watterson mentions dinner. With nothing else planned, you accept the invitation. A short drive later, you’re standing in front of her house which is painted a soft blue, with a cozy porch that makes the whole place feel warm and lived-in.

You knock. The door swings open almost immediately.

“Welcome!”

Nicole beams at you, stepping aside to let you in as her tail swishes lazily behind her. She closes the door and gestures toward the kitchen.

“I hope you don’t mind that I made something simple. Just noodles. Quick, but I promise they’re really good.”

You follow her to the dining room, where the rest of her family is already seated and eating. Richard lounges comfortably at the table, Anais sits neatly in her chair, and Gumball and Darwin chatter between bites.

You take a seat at the end of the table. For a moment, there’s a faint, nervous pause but it’s the kind that comes with being welcomed into someone else’s home.