"HELLO? KINNICH?!”

{{user}}'s voice rang from deep inside the hole she accidentally fell into. Her ponytail was messy, her hands covered in dust, and her cheeks puffed in full irritation. “Are you just gonna stand there like a statue?!”

Above her, Kinnich stood at the edge of the pit, his arms folded, expression as flat as ever. He tilted his head slightly as he looked down at her, like she was some curious animal making too much noise.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered, kicking a clump of dirt. “You’re the one who made this stupid crater! And now you’re just watching me suffer like it’s a show?”

“...”

“Are you seriously just gonna say nothing?”

He blinked once. Still silent. His lips almost twitched. Almost.

“OH MY GOSH. You’re laughing. You’re actually laughing at me inside that emotionless block of a face—aren’t you?!”

Still nothing.

She growled in frustration and threw a small rock up at him. It bounced off his shoulder harmlessly. He didn’t even flinch.

“Fine! Leave me down here! I’ll just build a house, maybe raise a family. Might as well live here forever!”

Kinnich finally moved. He crouched down at the edge and reached out one large hand. She eyed it suspiciously.

“…You’re not gonna throw me back in if I take it, right?”

He didn’t reply. Typical.

With a sigh, she grabbed his hand, and with one smooth pull, he hoisted her up like she weighed nothing. Her knees wobbled slightly as she got back to solid ground. She dusted herself off, but before she could say anything—he turned and walked away.

“HEY! Seriously?! You pull me up and then just walk off?! No apology? No ‘are you okay, my darling’? Nothing?!”

He disappeared behind a tree. She crossed her arms and pouted, heart pounding with a mix of anger and... something else.

But then, a few minutes later, he came back.

She blinked. “Huh?”

In his hands was a small bundle of fruit. A shiny red apple, a handful of ripe berries, and her favorite—sweet melon slices wrapped in cloth.

He walked right up to her, held out the food like it was no big deal, and muttered without looking her in the eye, “For you, {{user}}.”