Chapter 2:

Big Brother is Watching You

(Dating Start ~ Undertale)

Evening fell, but the rustic cabin house mainly remained quiet. The only sound that emanated came from the kitchen. Inside, Anne was working at the stove, Luz watching in her seat at the dinner table. The hardworking Thai woman took over the whole operation, no help needed, stepping into the fridge and pulling out ingredients.

"Are you sure you don't want any help, Anne? that seems like a lot for you to handle," Luz offered, her arm prompting her head on the table.

"Positive. Michael cooked last night, so it's my turn to make dinner," Anne stated, her tone growing stern later. "Plus, the last time you tried to cook something, the house almost down. May I remind you of the chimichurri disaster the night before?"

Memories flooded in immediately. A day and a half went by as Luz finally settled in. She decided to make the two a special dinner to show her appreciation and thank Michael and Anne for taking her in. Unfortunately, it was her last time ever using the stove. Ever again. The young Latina fiddled with the pan on the stove, tossing in the beef medallions and chopped onions haphazardly.

Michael and Anne were at her side. The two shared the same expression of caution and terror. Each tried to bud in, offering suggestions but received the same response.

"Relax, guys. I got this under control. I done this a hundred times with my mom, and nothing bad ever happened," Luz half-lied, waving a dismissive hand at her friend's woes.

"I understand, Luz. I really do. However, did you have to add so much meat in a medium-sized skillet and at such a very high setting?" Anne remarked politely, profusely sweating.

"Of course, I have to. The searing enhances the chimichurri burgers' flavor," Luz countered.

"Luz, I think you might want to at least turn on the vents before you start a grease fire," Michael bellowed, being much blunter.

Luz turned and shot an annoyed sneer at the pair. "I'm not going to start a grease fire! How many times do I have to tell you guys? I got this completely under control!" She absolutely did not.

In an instant, the entire pan caught on fire. Smoke engulfed the whole kitchen, and the detectors went off immediately. Luz screamed and ran in circles, panicking. Jumping into action, Anne grabbed a towel to fan the roaring flames. Dashing to the pantry, right next to the kitchen doorway, Michael drew the fire extinguisher and finally put the tiny inferno out. Once it was over, the whole cooking area was covered in foam, including the trio; Michael and Anne glared daggers as Luz shrunk and innocently chuckled.

Luz was about to object but stopped herself and sighed. The young Latina looked at Anne in defeat, a clear sign that she was right.

Anne smiled apologetically. "Although, I might need an extra hand in the kitchen. So, don't worry, Luz. If I want help, I'll be sure to ask you directly."

"Thanks, Anne," she said with a hopeful glimmer.

Her body moved like a machine as Anne quickly chopped the vegetables and meat. Once done, she removed a steel wok and put the contents inside. Oil was poured in, and the stove was set on medium. The very ingredients sizzled melodiously, and the pan moved to the rhythm.

A strange instinct took over as the cook danced without skipping a beat. Anne stirred the vegetables and meats together with her spatula. Hands moved to the spices, adding the right ones at the right time. Her only available audience observed her roommate's movements, never taking her amber eyes off, though not leering at her shorts was quite the challenge.

"Alright. What do you think?"

Luz snapped out of her funk and looked up. Anne had picked up a plain bowl and put her concoction into it before setting it on the table's center. The witch-in-training stared at it with hard eyes as the noodles were the first to grab her attention. Sniffing the air, her mouth watered at the fragrant aroma from the bowl.

Luz was mesmerized, eyes turning into saucers. "What is this decadent-smelling masterpiece?"

"It's Pad Thai. Straight off at the top of Thai Go's menu. It's been a while since I made traditional Thai food, other than with my family. I thought making it would be something we could all enjoy."

The table was cleaned off, and utensils and mats were placed immediately. Before Anne finished putting the plates down, Luz picked up her chopsticks and was about to take a bite, an insatiable hunger filling her gaze. A sharp smack made her drop her chopsticks, and her second attempt was quickly blocked.

"Hey, what gives?" Luz questioned, rubbing her hand.

When Luz turned her irritated gaze at Anne, the vexed woman held up her spatula in a menacing manner while eyeing the witch-in-training.

Anne shook her head slightly with a disapproving scowl. "It's considered rude to eat before everyone else is accounted for and I don't see Michael anywhere, do you? Before we can even have a nibble, we are going to wait till the head of the house arrives, do you understand?"

"Yes, mom," Luz answered obediently.

Anne ignored the Freudian slip and sat down on her side. A chill ran down Luz's back as she brought her head down, deciding to keep her hands to herself and try not to tempt fate. The Latina was terrified of Ann's mom's side and, secretly, a little turned on.

Luz looked over her shoulder, pursing her black lips. "So, speaking of tall, dark, and moderately brooding, where is he?" She asked as Anne had the same thought and pivoted.

(End Dating Start)

As if saying a magic word, Michael came through the kitchen doorway. In one hand, the young man had a small stack of letters, tossing it on the kitchen island in frustration. Only one of them caught his attention, and Michael held it tightly. The young man made his way over to the dinner table as he couldn't contain the chuckle he hid behind his lips. Anne and Luz gave each other a weary look, noticing the eerily good mood their friend was in.

"Michael. You okay?" Anne asked.

Michael sat down and took deep breaths. His expression was an odd combination of anger and delight, the young woman finding it quite unnerving. Anne gingerly leaned over and rubbed the young man's shoulders, giving a light massage to calm him down.

Michael shook his head, holding up the letter. "It's those government agents, again. Can you believe those assholes think they could pull a stunt like this one? I thought we would see the last of them, but it seems they're too persistent."

"Don't you think you're being a little paranoid?" Anne tilted her head.

"Not really. This junk mail is obviously from them. However, from the way its written, it wreaks of desperate and sloppiness that it's almost laughable. Listen to this," he snickered.

Michael started reading the letter out loud: Dear Sir or Madam. We are contractors wishing you the opportunity of a lifetime. We will come to your home for a meager price and renovate every part of its foundations. That way, you can live in the house of your dreams, and this is in no way a covert plan to plant cameras or listening devices. Please reply to us at this address and have a nice day. The deadpanned looking never faded, even at the very end.

"Not only that, but even the address is on the nose," Michael continued. He held the piece of paper and pointed at each font. "Anonymous Incorporated? 5050 NotTheDeepState Blvd? Seriously, this is like something a villain would do in a campy 60s movie."

"Yeah, that does raise a lot more alarms," Anne concurred, taking the paper and skimming through it. "But think of it this way. For all we know this could just be a gag letter to scare you."

Luz threw in her two cents while taking some of the Pad Thai. "Anne's right. I get that we're not from this world and might attract some government agents from time to time, but it's not like Big Brother is actually watching us 24/7, right? That just sounds like something out of those conspiracy theory websites."

"Oh, it does, does it? What about the time when that 'census worker' called us three-days-ago and asked to drop on by?" Michael pointed out dryly while doing some air quotes, picking up his chopsticks and grabbing his portion.

"Yeah? So?" Luz raised a brow.

Michael lowered his head and deadpanned. "The census was conducted two years ago, and even if it wasn't. Most of it is perform online and the census bureau would send an email, or a letter, to remind people."

Sitting leisurely in the living room, Anne scrolled through her smartphone, looking at Twitter and Instagram. Although she didn't have access to her account (or any social media from her Earth), seeing what's considered trendy would help her adjust better. Plus, for her, to say the least, some of the selfies were quite titillating.

That's when the home phone began to ring. Anne nearly jumped out of her seat as she inclined a little. It was positioned at the foot of the sofa, on the end table, the young woman too relaxed to get up and answer it. Rubbing her chin and pondering, she devised a better plan instead. Putting her smartphone in her shorts, Anne lifted her right leg, slammed it down hard on the armrest, and created enough force to pop the phone out of its socket. The landline device flew and was about to hit her face, but Anne snatched it right away before it could even try.

Anne cleared her throat before placing the home phone to her ear. "Hello, you've reached the Therman Residence. How may I help you?"

"Hello, miss. My name is Kieffer Martins. I'm a city council member, and I am calling on behalf of the North Carolina Census Bureau." The voice on the other line was calm and pleasant, a very charming tone that Anne thought was trustworthy. "I'm calling because our records show your house hasn't been visited for an interview. If you like and are available, we could send someone over to ask a few questions."

"Sure, I wouldn't mind but I might need to ask…"

"Anne, who are you talking to on the phone?"

Anne looked up and saw Michael sauntering into the living room, interrupting the young Thai woman mid-conversation. She sat up properly and fixed her top to look presentable and not sloppy. Later, her hand covered the speaking end before giving the young man a half-shrug.

"Oh, hey babe. It's some guy from city hall, asking about conducting a census, or something. He says he wants to send someone over for an interview," Anne said with an innocent edge.

"Oh, really?"

Michael eyed the young woman.

Oh, this I got to hear.

As Anne handed him the phone and he put it up to his ear. Before the census agent could speak, he immediately answered the man, cynicism hinted. His face was a stoic yet convincing mask.

"I'm sorry, sir, but as I recall, I already sent papers detailing the current residency of this estate to city hall. but now that I think about it, I might have misplaced them when I was visiting your mom's house last night!" With a bellowing yell and swing of his wrist, he slammed the phone back into its holder with enough force almost to break the screen.

Anne's jaw nearly hit the floor, body slouching and watching as Michael couldn't contain the smug grin that was plastered, strolling merrily out of the living room while whistling an upbeat tone.

Once he left, the young woman through her hands up.

"What the fuck just happened?"

Luz glowered at the young man before crossing her arms and letting out a frustrated sigh. "Michael, that's not much of a convincing argument. Maybe the guy who called you was a social worker but might have gotten the dates wrong, or he could have been a crook trying to find the right day to rob your house." Usually one with her head in the clouds, this rational side of Luz was quite rare, but she quickly backtracked. "Okay, that last part might not be very comforting," said Luz, twiddling her thumbs.

"I think the point Luz's is trying to make is, if you think that some government entity is spying on us, you need more proof that that. Other than that, it could all be speculation," Anne intervened.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "Oh, then should I also bring up the one with the ice cream truck?" he questioned, shifting his gaze from Anne to Luz. "You were there, Luz. You were practically so excited that you almost dashed out of the house."

"First of all, I did no such thing and reacted in the most mature way possible," she ranted while feigning elegance, tone later growing irritable. "Secondly, it was a normal ice cream truck, which you prevented me from going over, even when they had triple fudge rocky road. That was my favorite, Michael!" At the end of the sentence, the witch-in-training began to pout cutely, Michael giggling a little.

Michael regained his stoic composure. "How many ice cream trucks do you see working in the fall, or have satellite dishes poorly disguised as a waffle cone serving?"

"Okay, you may have a point there. It did seem odd that they would have that, unless they had a built-in plasma screen," Luz in a low tone, pondering.

Michael turned to face Anne and grabbed her attention again. "And then there was also the incident that took place during last night's yoga session. Remember that one?"

The previous night, the trio had transformed the backyard into a temporary yoga studio, mats littering the platform. Before that, dinner had already been eaten, and Anne suggested to Luz and Michael a yoga session to help with digestion. At first, the pair protested, simply wanting to laze around on the couch from the upcoming food coma. That was never going to happen. Not today, that is. Anne was persistent and refused to take no for an answer (that stubbornness never disappeared, only simmered).

Anne took the lead as an instructor because it was her idea. Her casual top and shorts were discarded in favor of a black sports bra and teal mini shorts, hugging her tightly and showing off her flat stomach and toned legs. She wasn't the only one who changed; Michael was wearing a red tank top and track shorts while Luz threw on a white shirt and red shorts, long waving hair freed from her beanie. As a warmup, Anne performed a few stretches, stretching her left arm and leg to the side while touching her right foot, body slanting to the side.

"This pose is called the Utthiha Parsvakonasana, or the 'slanting cattail' as I like to call it," Anne decreed before moving on to the next one. "And this little classic is known as warrior one."

Michael mirrored each movement without missing a step. "You're really good at this, Anne. Where did you learn this stuff?"

Anne waved nonchalantly, slightly blushing. "Oh, it's no biggie. I merely some of this from my time in Amphibia, and then kind of got more into it after returning home. That's all." Looking over her shoulder, Anne commented on the young man's form. "What about you? I kind of pegged you for a newbie, not someone so limber. Though, I guess I stand corrected from the kind of moves I've seen from you." Her tone grew softer, almost sensual.

"Well, you're not wrong on that. I am a newbie. I'm also a quick learner. That, and I have been studying martial arts since I was six, and, honestly, this isn't too hard to do," Michael chuckled.

"Speak for yourself."

Out of the three, Luz was struggling. It wasn't too long for Anne to switch positions, her pelvis and legs lying flat while her arms supported her upper torso, back arching firmly. Michael followed suit with ease. However, the witch-in-training barely managed to get the last one right. She tried her best to maintain leverage; the young Latina's posture shook while using whatever stretch to keep her balance.

Giving his companions a sidelong glance, Michael observed and found it strange. Luz almost had a similar body type to Anne, albeit with smaller proportions, but when it came to athletics, the feeble young Latina fell dead last as she hardly kept up.

"There's a reason why I stick to using spells and incantation, instead of doing the physical stuff. My nerdy body isn't built to handle the tough stuff, unlike you guys," Luz groaned right around when her arms gave way, a dark cloud looming over her. "Seriously, you two are practically superhuman compared to me."

Anne moved, but Michael raised a hand, stopping her.

"Don't worry. I got her."

Luz craned her head earnestly, the young man offering the witch-in-training a helping hand. Right before she could thank him, taking his left and pulling up, Luz noticed he didn't let go. Instead, the young man adjusted her posture, helping her relax. Her face was almost red as Michael touched her knees and upper arms. With each touch, Luz felt the heat radiating off the young man's body, taking in the seemingly intimate way he held her, her teeth biting down her black-painted lips. Anne remained silent, observing the pair from afar, but didn't interrupt, despite her simmering jealousy and ignored stink eye.

"Now, you're getting the hang of it," Michael began as he caressed his fingers and pressed them onto Lux's muscles. "You're putting too much strain on your posture and pushing yourself too hard. You need to let go of all this tension and decompress. That way, moving your body won't be an issue."

"Umm…don't mean to be rude, but you're making me a little tense," Luz finally spoke up, visibly sweating and looking like she was about to melt.

Michael finally took notice of Luz's distress and let go, looking away embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry about that. I didn't mean to get in your personal space."

Luz took deep breaths, calmed her aroused body, and gave him an awkward wave before following his instructions. "It's fine. I should have said something earlier. Still, how do you know this stuff? Didn't you say you're a newbie?"

"I didn't lie about that," Michael affirmed. He moved back to his previous spot and got back into position, getting into the motion right when Anne resumed her lesson, explaining to Luz, "It's merely a trick I picked up in judo training. In order to use your opponent's strength against them, you have to be calm and reserved, showing no openings from tensions. Yoga is basically a type of martial art and I thought teaching you what I know from experience could help you get the hang of it as well. Though, I didn't mean to get so personal back there."

Luz shook her head, still blushing. "I'll be sure to take your advice to heart in case we ever go through another session together with sensei Anne."

"You know I can hear everything you two are saying, right," Anne interjected, her tone slightly miffed.

Much to the Thai woman's dismay, Michael and Luz began laughing. Then two resumed, but the young man couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. This time, not by Anne or Luz.

Standing at the flower bed, the left one beside the backdoor, a camera disguised as a typical daffodil was placed. A gift from the agency, silently planted without notice. The agents admitted it was a tad cliché, but it was the most practical tool they had to gather intel. And with every move the trio made, every twist and turn, the operator captured everything, discreetly taking picture after picture. One stock photo of Michael, then five of Luz (her toned and curvy ass), and fifteen of Anne, particularly her olive-skinned legs and ample perky breasts, sweat trickling from her face and cleavage. Oh, the operator was going to enjoy every last frame. Yes, he would.

Bang. In an instant, the camera exploded. Pedals and circuitry littered the flower bed as Luz and Anne were utterly stunned. The two exchanged shocked glances before shifting at the young man's dark expression. His right hand held a 9mm in hand as he aimed at the bed, smoke radiating out from the nozzle.

"I know about the shotgun in the shed, but how many guns do you have here?" Anne loudly asked since it seemed like a crucial question to her.

Michael lifted his hands, palms out at shoulder height. "I have about five guns hidden throughout the house, and don't worry your pretty, little head. All of them are registered in my name and I am legally certified to use any one of them, but rarely do so. It's just a precaution, that's all."

"A precaution from what?"

Michael huffed. "Boone may be safe, but even small towns like this one will have its fair share of crime. You can never be too careful. Besides, this is the South, and we take the Second Amendment very seriously, which is why it's so safe down here."

Anne leaned back against her chair with rocky ease. "Actually, that makes me feel less safe if you asked me," she muttered, arms crossing with a tensed composure before lifting an eyebrow. "But I got to ask, though. Where were you hiding that pistol?"

"Don't ask questions you may not be prepared to hear," Michael answered almost cryptically as Anne and Luz gave a perturbed leer. "Anyways, you get my point, right? Everything we've been experiencing isn't a coincidence, and it's not me being paranoid."

"Yeah, you may be right. Thinking back on it, now. It all does seem suspicious. I mean, back in my universe, I faced government agents before, but nothing this intense. This is all getting more and more bizarre," Anne murmured, blushing, her nimble fingers meekly playing with her brown, bushy ponytail.

Michael grinned. "My point exactly. So, let's leave it at that and enjoy this Pad Thai before it gets cold."

Anne sighed. "Now, that's something we can all get by."

Heads nodded in agreement.

The trio finally began to eat. Each had their method of breaking bread. Anne took her utensils and ate one clamp at a time, savoring the spicy texture before swallowing and getting the next one. Michaels' hands moved like a surgeons', taking each with chopstick master, immaculately breaking each piece apart, taking the best ones in rows, and taking a bite. Luz, however, didn't have the patience for any of that and started shoveling the contents of her dish into her mouth. Despite the display of idiosyncratic mastication, the atmosphere slowly returned to normal.

Unfortunately, the moment lasted very shortly.

"Wait. There's still one thing that doesn't make sense…" Luz's question was interrupted by Michael and Anne groaning, having already put the topic to rest, to no avail.

A/N: Hey, everyone. I know this chapter is a bit longer than the last one. However, the reason is that this was supposed to be a part of Chapter 5 but was cut out because it would have made the chapter too long. So, I repurposed it into a separate chapter for the mini-chapters (which will be renamed Intruders: Bizarre Escapades, making sense of text size). This one will take place between chapters 4 and 5, and it will explore mostly the government agents' attempts at spying on the group (along with focusing on Michael's paranoid side), flashbacks revolving around what's been going on, and some steamy fun involving Michael and the girls (though not really). Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one because it'll be the last calm chapter in this spin-off, as the following few chapters might get weirder—hint: tentacle monsters. Also, if there are any Lumity cultists who are offended at the portrayal of Luz and Michael having a subtle attraction, may I remind you that she's bi, which this chapter more or less emphasizes. Anyways, have fun.