The lights were off in the kitchen when Vert and Rom entered. It was concerning to Vert, at least at first. If Ram had come here, shouldn't the lights be on? Not off, as they were right now? More importantly, shouldn't she see Ram somewhere? There wasn't a sweet little CPU Candidate in sight from what Vert could see, at least besides for the one that had accompanied her... As a matter of fact, from the looks of things, this room hadn't had an occupant for hours. Wouldn't they be better off searching elsewhere for Ram...?

With all of this in mind, Vert was about to leave when she noticed that Rom didn't seem particularly perturbed by the state of the room. In fact, it seemed as though she had come here expecting the lights to be off. Strange as it was, if Rom wasn't worried, then she supposed she shouldn't be either. Still, what was it that they would find here? Was Ram hiding somewhere? Vert wouldn't have expected such a thing from the normally boisterous girl, but who was she to question how she dealt with being upset?

As the CPU followed after Rom, who seemed to be being quiet with purpose now rather than because of her nature, Vert realized that there was a sniffling noise coming from somewhere in the room. It was being stifled, as though the source of it had been making a much louder sort of noise until Rom and Vert had arrived, but it was still there, that much was for certain.

Vert's eyes twinkled as she caught sight of a familiar pair of feet. The legs they were attached to were pulled up to their owner's chest and being hugged close to the person's body, and beyond that, Vert couldn't tell.

Ram was hiding under a table.

Ram... was hiding under a table.

It was like she was a little puppy. She must truly have thought no one could see her in such a place...!

It took a lot of self-restraint not diving on the floor and cuddling her into submission, but Vert held back. She had already begun formulating a plan once she had heard that Ram was heading for the kitchen, and seeing where Ram was now, she knew that it would be all the easier to put into action if Ram wanted to hide in that sort of way. It might even serve as a fantastic ice breaker between the three... or ice melter, rather. She just needed to get a few things first...

"I see... I guess it's just you and me then, isn't it Rom?" The CPU of Leanbox put on airs as she made a point to walk right past the table she now knew Ram was hiding underneath, instead heading towards the cabinets. She made herself busy, making much more noise with her actions than she knew she needed to — she wanted to be heard, after all. "My, it's too bad, you know. I would have thought she would have loved some nice and warm hot chocolate, especially with how cold it is, but I suppose I just don't have to make any for her, now do I?"

Rom looked from Ram, who was very obviously under the table and paying very obvious attention to every word leaving Vert's lips, to Vert, who was going about her business as though she truly didn't have any idea where Ram was, despite the very obvious hiding place she was currently hidden in. At first, the CPU Candidate didn't understand what Vert was trying to accomplish — this... this seemed just mean! — but as Rom watched Ram, completely oblivious to everything except the infuriating noise of Vert making one of her most favorite things but not doing it for her, Rom realized something.

The sniffling noise she had heard — the noise that she had actually been listening for from the very moment she had entered the kitchen to begin with — had stopped.

When she looked at Vert for conformation, the fact that Vert was holding three mugs and offered Rom a wink was all Rom needed to know Vert's heart was in the right place. Offering an apology to her sister inside, Rom quietly trailed after Vert — she knew her sister well enough to know that this was definitely going to work.

"No... Ram must have left..." Rom would have felt guiltier lying like this, but it was hard to as she watched Vert gathering things from around the kitchen to make enough for all three of them. Three mugs, three plates, more than enough marshmallows even for three... Still... If she wanted to help Ram, she had to be a little bit of a big girl to do it, didn't she? "Can I, um... Can I..."

Setting down what she needed on the counter, Vert glanced downwards in Rom's direction, tilting her head. Rom was already doing magnificently as far as playing along went, and Vert couldn't have asked for more from her.

"Yes, Rom? What is it?" She offered a welcome smile for the Candidate, hoping it would ease any tension she might have about "lying" to Ram like this. It was harmless in the long term, after all. They just needed to... push her a little to warm up to the conversation they needed to have right now. "You can tell me anything. No matter what it is, you should feel like you can say anything you want to me."

And besides, Vert truly did mean that.

"O-Oh, well..." Swallowing, apparently Vert's words having done just the trick, Rom took a deep breath before looking at Vert like she was about to fight the Deity of Sin herself. If one didn't know the girl, they might have thought that Rom was preparing to go into battle rather than having a conversation about hot chocolate in her own kitchen while her sister was hiding under the kitchen table, yet here she was, a fierce (for Rom) expression on her face, raring to go (for Rom). "S-Since Ram isn't here... I... I want extra... Please...!"

Vert blinked, momentarily caught off guard and focusing more on the request itself rather than the context in which it had been requested in. It was strange! Right? Wasn't it? Vert was making plenty, enough for everyone to have three cups if they wanted, Ram included, and Rom was close enough to be able to see that just fine — so what was...

"S-Since Ram isn't here..."

Oh.

... Oh!

How... How positively devious of Rom! Vert had no idea the girl had it in her! She was acting like since Ram wasn't here, that meant she could have even more! It was extra that could go to Ram if she were here, but since she "wasn't" here... Oh, Vert was so proud!

"Absolutely, Rom, you can have all of the extra, how does that sound?" Vert leaned down and ruffled the girl's hair affectionately, which earned her a somewhat bashful, blushing smile in response — embarrassed and perhaps still guilty, Rom had still managed to do what she set out to, and she most definitely deserved some of Vert's praise for that. "You can have every last drop."

"Really...? All of it...?" For a moment, Vert faltered. That wide eyed, innocent expression on Rom's face almost made Vert wonder if, with the prospect of that much delicious, hot and chocolatey drink on the line, Rom was forgetting what they were trying to do here. "I've never had that much before... Is that okay...? Can we have marshmallows too...?"

It seemed even Rom had her limits. Even so, seemingly on the verge of losing her "ally" to the lure of fresh hot chocolate she could have all to herself, Vert just giggled. She was learning so much about these sisters today. It made putting up with the cold and having to take an extra bath more than worth it.

"As much as you want, Rom." Vert raised her voice ever so slightly now, eyes trained in the direction of the table where she knew Ram was hiding away. Hopefully it would only take a little more of a push to get Ram to come out from underneath there so they could all be together and have this talk. "Since there's no one else here besides me, if you want it, then you can have it. You certainly don't have to worry about sharing any of it..."

To Vert's tremendous surprise... nothing. She had been waiting for the moment she heard a bump and a cry of pain as Ram emerged from the table after hitting her head on something, but there was no such reaction. Nothing like it. Though, although it was hard to see most of the body under the table from her position now, it did look like Ram was at least reacting to what Vert was saying. Was she quivering a little? Restraining herself? That meant she was probably close then. That was a good thing, wasn't it?

Maybe she just needed to push a different subject while the hot chocolate got ready.

"Rom, this will be a few minutes before it's ready. Would you join me at the table?" Vert gestured towards the table — the exact table that Ram was hiding beneath — as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Without waiting for Rom to answer, she smiled, a flash of her goodwill hopefully shining through, and nodded towards it as she made her way over. "I'd like to continue our earlier discussion. Do you mind sitting? I'm famished."

This time, Rom didn't quite follow Vert's lead. She did know as much to not to say "But Ram is under there..." out loud, but she was still confused as to what Vert was intending this time — her mind was torn between oodles of hot chocolate and helping her sister come out, with a dash of remaining guilt. In other words, she wasn't totally remembering just what they had been talking about earlier to begin with.

"I don't mind..." She had, at least, accepted that Vert wasn't as much of a threat as she and Ram had initially thought, and so while she was still wary, Rom was certainly willing to go along with whatever the CPU asked and give it a chance. Besides, this would mean being closer to Ram, and maybe if she was closer to Ram, Ram would feel like coming out sooner? If that was what Vert was thinking, then Rom couldn't really disagree with that, could she? She just hoped Ram would hurry up and come out soon, she was starting to feel bad...

The blonde couldn't help but smile. Rom really was such a sweetheart. If only they didn't have their cover to think about, then she might just have to grab her and love her and hug her and take her home forever and ever!

E-Er... That is... Vert, get it together! Ram! Ram!

Shaking those brief thoughts aside, now that Rom was more on her side than ever, at least in this covert operation anyway, Vert was feeling particularly confident, so she decided to be rather bold with her next move. In other words, as she arrived at the table, she pulled out the seat directly in front of where Ram was hiding and sat down, acting for the world like she had no idea a little CPU Candidate was less than a foot away from her at this very moment, much to the surprise of both CPU Candidates — not that she could see one of them, but she could practically feel it. As for the other... seeing Rom about to gasp, Vert quickly held a finger to her lips in a "ssshhh!" gesture.

"O-Oh...!" Rom shook her head. She had almost given it away! The girl quickly covered her mouth with her hands, or too-long sleeves, rather, and Vert gave her a thumbs up of approval in response, before nodding to the seat closest to Vert — the next one closest to Ram after Vert's seat. Nodding in turn, Rom quietly made her way over, trying to calm her pounding heart down. In a way, it was almost like they were playing a game of secret agent, but instead of having to kidnap one of Blanc's stuffed animals (that she thought no one knew she owned), they were trying to lure out Ram... I-It was scary, but exciting...! "So... Um... What were we talking about before again...?"

The CPU laughed. She had been wondering just how caught up in the moment Rom was becoming, and that had answered that question quite nicely, now hadn't it? Seeing a faint blush rising to the girl's cheeks, Vert shook her head and reached over to pat the other girl on the head — making sure to scoot forward ever so slightly in the process.

"Don't worry about it, I'm happy to remind you. It's a very important, very grown up conversation, so I wouldn't want you forgetting any of the details." Although Vert's emphasis had been primarily for catching Ram's attention, seeing Rom's eyes widen in childish wonder at the importance Vert was placing on this conversation made her glow inside. Blanc was so lucky! "You sounded surprised when I told you Blanc was happy before, remember that? Did you really think that she wasn't happy?"

With that question asked, recognition crossed Rom's face as the earlier words she and Vert had exchanged returned to her mind. The girl bit her lip and looked downwards. She hadn't expected this to return before they had dealt with her sister, and she wasn't sure... She wasn't sure if she was okay talking about it without Ram there to help her...

Vert smiled understandingly at this reaction. She had certainly made some amount of progress earlier, but perhaps it was too much to expect Rom to be willing to open up to this extent so quickly? She couldn't blame the girl if that was the case, especially considering she was probably much more concerned about the more immediate issue of Ram still hiding under the table — which was precisely why Vert had chosen such a hot button topic to discuss while their treat finished up. Hopefully it would be all ready for them by the time this matter was settled, if she was lucky.

"It's okay, Rom." Her voice gentle, quiet, Vert hesitantly reached out for the girl's hands, taking one of them, bundled in the girl's sweater as it was, in her own. The girl looked up at her, wide eyed, and Vert just nodded reassuringly. "My, I told you, didn't I? You, oh, and Ram if she were here, can tell me anything. If you think I'm a smelly old bat or that I'm sucking Blanc dry, you'd better do it. Just be warned, if I don't like what you say, I might have to do something about it. A CPU has her pride, after all, and I can't have anyone, no matter how sweet, saying things about me, especially from another nation. What would people say if I didn't do something about it?"

Rom's eyes were as wide as game discs now. Her mouth had even fallen open a little. How could Vert sound so scary and so sweet all at the same time...?! She wasn't sure what to think! She wasn't sure what to do! Was this still part of getting Ram out from under the table, or did she mean it? Oh, she wished she could ask Ram about it...!

No, Ram needed her right now. She had to be brave. She had to be strong! Vert wasn't all that bad... Was she?

There was only one way to know for sure.

"R-Really...? So... You... You would do something...?" Her words didn't come out as bold as Rom had hoped they would, but the question still managed to make its way out of her without any cowering in fear — which she wasn't even entirely sure if she felt anyway — so she supposed she could consider this a victory, couldn't she? "I... But... What would you do?"

The CPU's eyes twinkled in delight at the reaction she was getting. Oh, it was cruel, and perhaps the timing was horrid considering what the twins seemed to think of her right now, but if she played this right, then it would all work out in the end. And if Vert was good at anything, it just so happened that she was good at playing.

"Oh yes, Rom. I happen to be very, very cruel to people who slander me." Vert nodded seriously, leaning closer and closer to Rom with each word she spoke, her voice getting lower and lower with each syllable. It was all for effect, of course, but the effect she was getting was just so cute! Could she be blamed for playing a little too much? Could she really? "When someone says something about me... I take them home... I put them in a room all by themselves... And then I subject them to the most horrible... unyielding... endless... merciless... unforgiving... destructive..."

The sadist- er, the CPU of Leanbox let that hang in the air for a moment, both for dramatic effect as well as for...

"Stoooop! You leave Rom alo-OW!"

As if right on cue, Ram finally made her move... or tried to, judging by what Vert was hearing. A loud thunk came from underneath the table, likely from the girl trying to make her escape, followed by silence once again.

"... Yes, destructive tickling. Well, I'd say that's a job well done, wouldn't you, Rom?" Now that she could admit to what she was doing (trying to lure out Ram), as Vert pulled away from Rom, she offered the girl a teasing smile, which earned her a relieved look from the girl who was just about to clamber off of her seat and look under the table — the same thing Vert was in the process of doing. Rom seemed to get the message, pausing in her descent to the ground to begin forming a reply to Vert, when...

A sniffling noise interrupting both of their thoughts.

Rom ducked under the table without another word or look exchanged between the two. Frowning, Vert gripped the side of the table and finished lowering herself to see just what the damage was, clicking her tongue upon seeing what state Ram was in.

It could have been worse, at least, but it certainly could have been better.

"My goodness, that's going to leave a mark... Ram, come out right now so I can put some ice on that." Vert offered her hand towards the girl, knowing she'd probably have to start from square one if she tried to take her out by force.

"N-No! Y-You can't make me!" ... perhaps force might be necessary even so.

Vert sighed, withdrawing her hand, guilt sweeping in on her as she watched the tearful girl clutch her head while still trying to look defiant and strong all the while. She had tried to stand up and rammed right into a sharp, steel part of the legs underneath — which had apparently, among other things, completely restored her weakening stubbornness. Had this backfired...?

What could she do now?

Was there anything she could do to get Ram to come out now...?

"You... You can have some of the hot chocolate Vert is making if you come out and listen, Ram..."

The blonde's eyes widened, and she and Ram both looked to Rom in surprise, who was looking more determined than ever to help her sister out from underneath the table so she could join them. Vert found a wave of appreciation for the girl swelling in her chest, and she was nearly drawn to tears herself as she watched Ram begrudgingly start crawling out (towards Rom, of course). W-What a nice save that was! Wonderful! Stupendous! And about time, too, Ram!

Now... Maybe now they could finally talk...