Author's note: Sorry again for the short chapter, but ooh the drama in this one.

The pair found themselves in Blowhole's entertainment room. Of course, this was one of the fanciest rooms in the lair, equipped with a massive, curved, LED lit smart TV, several plush couches, shelves filled with movies, series and music, a surround sound system that would put a cinema to shame and a little wooden table where Kowalski was currently setting up a game of Monopoly. Blowhole lay outstretched on one of the couches and watched as Kowalski set the game up for them.

Kowalski chuckled and shook his head at Blowhole. Blowhole could be dark and humorous at the same time quite a lot. Kowalski appreciated how Blowhole wasn't easily offended too.

"Pompous porpoise... Or brain-dead bottlenose," Kowalski chuckled as their conversation continued.

"Pinheaded pillock penguin," Blowhole snickered back.

"I don't see how these are effective code names."

Blowhole smirked and looked to Kowalski.

"How about Kentucky fried Kowalski?"

Kowalski laughed and shook his head.

"How about we get back to basics?" He said. "I'll call you your real name, Flippy, and you can call me Kowalski?"

Blowhole tried not to get angry, he kept a smile on his face but couldn't mask the irked growl that escaped his throat.

"Do not mock me, you pulchritudinous penguin!"

Kowalski paused in thought and then chuckled.

"I know that one, that's a synonym for beautiful."

Blowhole suddenly flustered.

"I-is it?"

Kowalski nodded and continued to unpack the Monopoly box and set up the board.

"It doesn't sound like a pleasant word," Blowhole carried on.

Kowalski started to organize the play money as he laughed and shook his head at the dolphin.

"Don't take it back," Kowalski said pitifully.

"The bromance is real."

"You shouldn't use words you don't know the meaning of."

"Well I thought I did!"

Kowalski chuckled for a moment before the door to the room opened and the hum of electrics rang through his ears. That sounded like a segway...

"Brother!"

It was Doris. She appeared from behind the couch and grabbed Blowhole playfully, not thinking he would have a guest or even care if his sister messed with him.

Kowalski startled and dropped the play money causing Doris to look over at the commotion and gasp upon seeing someone she would never have thought in her wildest dreams would be there. She took a moment to look back to Blowhole, making sure it was really him and backed away confused.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

Blowhole sat up with a worried look on his face.

"Doris, I can explain."

She crossed her flippers and glared at Blowhole with a hateful look.

"You had better."

Blowhole chuckled nervously and looked back to Kowalski for moral support. They both knew they had messed up with Doris at least once in their lives and usually it took a miracle to cheer her up again.

"Yeah, well, uh, remember that night Kowalski didn't show for your date? Well, I kidnapped him. I forced him to work for me, a bunch of crazy stuff happened and now we're here."

Blowhole smiled awkwardly and Kowalski just sat on the table staring at the two.

Doris leaned over to get a better look at the table and then continued to scowl at Blowhole.

"You forced him to work for you... and now you're playing Monopoly?"

Blowhole blushed and twiddled his flippers.

"Yeah, we're friends now?" He said in a questioning tone as if he was wondering whether that was the right thing to say to Doris.

Hint, it wasn't. Doris let her flippers slip to her sides where she shook her head and tried not to let rage fill her.

"I thought we were done with the lies, done with the deception."

Blowhole raised his flippers defensively, trying to calm Doris down.

"Hey, we are."

"Obviously not if you've been doing this behind my back for who knows how long!"

"It's only been like 2 weeks, I promise."

"You've been hanging out with my boyfriend for 2 weeks."

"Well, actually, we only officially became friends today."

Doris shook her head and grabbed the handles to her segway before looking over to Kowalski, her face changed all together from the angry scowl to a look of hurt.

"Kowalski, I thought you weren't like this but you've been lying to me too?"

Kowalski dropped everything altogether and stood up.

"No, Doris, please. I couldn't tell you!" Kowalski panicked. He'd never been in an argument like this with a girl before.

"Why not? Because Francis would do something? He's got nothing on me! You know this! Why not trust and tell me?"

Kowalski flustered for words and mumbled out in a panic. Doris' head lowered in disappointment and she turned.

"You two idiots are perfect for each other."

She started for the door and Kowalski hopped onto the couch in a fit to chase after her but Blowhole grabbed him and stopped him in his tracks, so he just watched as the door closed behind her.

"Leave her. She'll calm down, she always does."

Kowalski pushed himself away from Blowhole and shook his head.

"You'll always be siblings but we might not always be boyfriend and girlfriend!"

Blowhole pouted and sighed. This was just great. She was probably going to to home and tell their mom and then Blowhole would get in trouble and it was always so embarrassing to visit when their mom was mad at him because she'd make a point of trying to punish or tell him off even though he was a grown functioning adult.

"Let her calm down."

Kowalski flumped down on the sofa and buried his face in his flippers with a groan.

But Blowhole took the opportunity to try and cheer Kowalski up, not that he could help at all in this situation.

"Hey, I'm genetically as close to Doris as you're going to find and I'm way smarter," he chuckled.

Kowalski looked up from his flippers but did not smile.

"You're a downgrade."

Blowhole chuckled nervously and chose to ignore that jab. Kowalski was just heated from the disagreement with Doris, that was all.

So he picked up some of the play money Kowalski had dropped and began to organize them.

"Come on. Show me how badly you're going to lose."

Kowalski sighed and hopped back onto the table. Even if he was bummed out about Doris there was no use in letting the game go to waste when he had taken time to nearly set it up completely. It would also give him a chance to take his mind away from his troubles. Plus, he had never played with someone as intellectually competitive as himself. So this would certainly be fun.