Sara peered up from the puzzle to observe Amber, who was methodically taking out the border pieces, organizing and fitting them together. It was such a casual and comfortable air that the younger was gifted with the image of her leader's soft, content smile. They'd been striking idle chat, more one-sided than anything, and both were thankful of the quieter lair since everyone else had gone out for snow cones. Sara had stayed behind, being just as absorbed in the Time Square two-thousand-piece puzzle as her commander.

Amber had half of her attention on the puzzle, the other half listening to Sara's mind dribble leak out from her beak. She had no idea that she liked to babble so senselessly. However, one thing had stood out among the somewhat mindless chatter.

"I think I'd only truly be in a relationship once I see the guy get angry, and then see how he'll react." Sara waved her flipper in a broad gesture, unaware she'd gotten Amber's undivided attention with her own insight. "You know, to see if he'll take it out on me or not."

The snort that Amber noised was completely unintentional. "So you'd wait months to be with someone to see if they'll backhand you when they're pissed?" She smirked, pleased by the incredulous look on Sara's face.

"W-well, yes," she sputtered but quickly recollected herself. "I don't want to be abused…"

Grunting, Amber sat up in her concrete seat and leaned forward almost conspiringly, all the while that same smirk was on her face. "Then here's what you do, break their most prized possession and if they're still with ya, then you're good." Of course she said this with humor, a crude sense that was able to get her girls and the boys to laugh at. Although she never could seem to do it with Private and Kowalski; they were too uptight about it in her book.

"I don't think I could do that," the teal-eyed penguin giggled, recognizing the joking air. She slipped two pieces together, giggles morphing into loud laughter as Amber continued.

"Unless it's like his mother's ashes, then don't do that." She barked her own laughter, joining her subordinates joyfully. "Oh, is this your most prized possession?" Amber said with fake innocence as she began mimicking the situation going on in her head. She swept a couple of stray pieces to the ground with surprising care in the swift gesture. "CRASH! Oh, those were your mother's ashes? I'M SO SORRY!" She then pretended to sob, dramatically coming atop the table, flipper slung across her eyes. "It was my mom's idea!"

"What kind of life lesson's is your mother teaching you?!" Sara joined in humorously.

That did them in, and they laughed uncontrollably till tears were spilling from their eyes. They toppled off the furniture and beat at the ground as if it'd help them breathe again during their laugh attack. Eventually, they came down and relaxed, panting heavily while allowing stray giggles loose. That threatened another laugh attack but they composed themselves well enough.

"So…no breaking urns with someone's mothers ashes?"

Amber hummed a yes with the hint of her earlier smile and sat up, gathering the fallen pieces. She placed them on the table and then rubbed Sara's head affectionately, chuckling when she giggled quietly and batted her flipper away. Her essence practically bubbled with an unanswered question to her mother figure, who willingly answered.

"Don't worry," she assured and smiled as a familiar, chubby, British penguin came down into the HQ. A wide grin on his face came at the sight of Sara and he eagerly gestured for her to follow him with a flipper holding a cone he had chosen for her, a light mixture of green and blue. She placed a flipper on Sara's shoulder, winking at her when Sara peered coyly back. Her flush of embarrassment at the sight of Private only served in making Amber laugh. "Yeah, don't worry," she repeated and chuckled quietly. "You got a good guy in my book."

Sara pursed her beak a bit, the upward turns of her beak and the sparkle in her eyes being the only indication of mischief. "Better safe than sorry, yes?" She then skipped merrily to Private, questioning innocently, "Hey Private, do you happen to have a prized possession on you?"

Amber laughed heartily yet again, catching Sara's good natured wink. While of course they were joking, she couldn't say for certain that the young bird wouldn't try.

This is very similar to a conversation I had with my mother and I couldn't resist making a little drabble about it (Course I twisted it to their personalities)! Oh, I love my family. XD Who needs television when I got them, eh? XP