Estimated Reading Time: 21 Minutes

.

Boyz Chillin

Ness was sitting in his usual spot, fingers gliding over the strings of his guitar. The gentle strumming filled the room, each chord resonating with a soothing rhythm. He was in his zone, lost in the melody when his phone suddenly started ringing, interrupting the flow.

Annoyed, he glanced at the screen resting beside him on the bed. Nate. His clone. Ness sighed softly, the vibrations of the phone still buzzing. He had already told Nate he was busy. A part of him felt guilty for ignoring the call, but he was in no mood for interruptions.

His fingers hovered over the phone before he decided to let it ring out. It's fine. Nate would understand. He'll call back later, but right now, his guitar demands his full attention.

Ness: "Sorry, Nate, but this is for Tina."

Ness continued strumming, the hours slipping away unnoticed as he immersed himself deeper into the music. Time seemed to blur, and soon his fingers began to ache, the familiar sting of overuse setting in.

He was too far in the zone to let anything—especially pain—slow him down. With a quiet focus, he tapped into his psychic abilities, sending waves of healing energy to his sore hands. The tension in his muscles eased instantly, and the throbbing pain dulled.

Usually, he wouldn't allow himself this luxury. He took pride in enduring through the discomfort, in pushing through like a normal human would. But now, his need to keep playing outweighed that pride. His fingers glided effortlessly across the strings again, his mind refusing to break the trance.

Five Hours Later…

Knock!

Knock!

Oh goddammit! Why is everyone bothering him today? This is so annoying.

Knock!

Knock!

Ness: *Sighs* "Coming!"

Ness reluctantly rose from his bed. With a sigh, he gently set the guitar aside, its strings vibrating softly as they settled. He walked over to the door, and pulled it open.

Standing in the doorway was Lucas, holding a bag full of food. The smell wafted into the room, filling the space with the tempting scent of something freshly cooked. Ness blinked, cocking his head to the side in confusion, a puzzled look settling on his face.

Lucas noticed the confusion on Ness's face, and his smile slowly faded. "You forgot about the potluck, didn't you?"

Ness's eyes widened in shock before he groaned and immediately facepalmed. How could I forget? He had been planning for this day, excited to show off his cooking skills. His mind raced, trying to piece together how it had slipped away from him. He was supposed to impress the group, to showcase something special. But now…

Dammit, he thought, lowering his hand from his face. Everyone's going to be disappointed. He could already imagine the looks of expectation from the others, and now all he had was a forgotten promise.

Ness sighed, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over him. "I can't believe I messed this up," he muttered under his breath.

Lucas: "Too busy playing League?"

Ness: "Y-yeah. Something like that."

Lucas: "Or was it the guitar?"

Ness: "The guitar? N-no. It was League. You know me haha…"

Lucas tilted his head slightly, his gaze drifting past Ness and into the room. His eyes landed on the guitar lying on the bed. It didn't take much to piece together what had happened.

Ness, noticing Lucas's shift in attention, quickly moved to block his view, stepping in front of him with a slight panic. But it was too late. Lucas had already seen the instrument.

Lucas: "You were playing, weren't you?"

Ness avoided eye contact, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah…But I started playing not too long ago before you got here."

Lucas: "You're not a good liar."

Ness: "I'm not lying."

Lucas: "You lied to me earlier."

Ness: "I panicked."

Lucas: "Why?"

Ness: "I don't know. I thought maybe you get mad at me for playing."

Lucas: "That's not why I'm upset. I'm upset because you're doing what you used to do."

Ness: "L-like what? I'm getting better, aren't I?"

Lucas: "You are, but you're still forgetting about your friends. You're still trying to do your own thing."

Ness: "I'm sorry…"

Lucas: *Sighs* "It's ok. You'll still come right?"

Ness: "Of course!"

The two had an awkward walk over to Popo's place. When Popo answered, surprisingly Sonic didn't rush into them like always. In fact, Ness saw that the hedgehog was already inside.

Popo: "Broooskiiiis, come in! I'm excited what you dudes cooked."

Ness: "Y-yeaah—about that…"

Popo: "Come in. Don't just stand there."

The two Earthbound boys stepped into the room, the door clicking softly shut behind them. As they entered, they were immediately greeted by the warm, inviting aroma of food that filled the space. The savory scent drifted through the air, wrapping around them like a comforting blanket.

Lucas set the bag of food down on the table. The guilt immediately gnawed at Ness's insides. The group looked at the nervous brunet and thought that maybe the food he brought was inside his backpack, but when he sat down, he didn't pull out anything.

Sonic: "So, where's this delicious dish you were talkin' about?"

Ness: "I—f-forgot about the potluck."

Toon: "Aww, what!"

Popo: "Dude, how could you forget? You got the best memory out of all over us."

Sonic: ["Typical."]

Ness: "I got distracted. I'm sorry."

Sonic: ["Why am I not surprised."]

Pit: "That's ok, Ness. I forget things all the time. Like that one time when I forgot to do Palutena's laundry. Oh man, she was furious. She turned me into a ring for a couple days. Not the first time that's happened though haha! Oh! And there was this one time when I forgot to clean the weapons she made me infuse. She didn't let me eat that night."

Toon: "What the fuck!"

Popo: "Bro, she sounds like Nana haaahaaa!"

Ness: "That's terrible! Why'd you let her do that to you?"

Pit: "I didn't have a choice."

Sonic: "Dude, have some self-respect."

Lucas: "That's really sad. I'm sorry, Pit."

Pit: "Guys, I was fine. I'm a tough guy."

Ness: "Tough guy? That's straight up abuse!"

Pit: "She was just showing me a lesson."

Popo: "Bro…"

Lucas: "I don't think that was a nice thing she did."

Sonic: "Kinda glad she's gone."

Ness: "Sonic!"

Sonic: "What? She sounds like a complete bitch."

Pit: "Hey! My goddess isn't a b word."

Toon: "'B word'?"

Pit: "Yeah! Sonic just called my goddess the b word."

Lucas: *Snickers*

Sonic: "Hahaha!"

Popo: "Haaahaaa!"

Pit: "It's not funny! I don't appreciate you disrespecting my goddess like that."

Sonic: "Oh Pit…"

Pit: "What?"

Popo: "Just say bitch."

Pit: "I can't do that! I'm an angel. Saying such words is a sin."

Sonic: "Wow, hahaha! I can't." *Wheezes*

Pit: "Oh come on. Lucas doesn't curse. Why aren't we laughing at him?"

Ness: "He definitely does…"

Lucas: "You have no proof."

Pit: "See!"

Sonic: "Nah, Ness is all the proof we need. He knows blondie best."

Toon: "It is hard to think that Lucas would curse, but I can see it."

Popo: "Everyone curses."

Pit: "Not me."

Popo: "Well you should. It's fun."

Pit: "Nope. I wouldn't dare say such fiendish words."

Toon: "He'll probably break."

Pit: "No I won't. I'm devoted to be the purest of all angels."

Toon: "Question. You never thought about sex?"

Pit: "Nope."

Ness: "Didn't you say you wanted a girlfriend though?"

Pit: "When did I say that?"

Ness: "I think we talked about it once."

Pit: "No, I don't need or want one."

Sonic: "Ok so that's a lie."

Pit: "You guys can believe whatever you want. I'm trying to enjoy this food."

Toon: "Oh right. We got distracted."

Popo: "Let's dig in, everyone!"

The group set their food on the dinner table. Each member grabbed a plate and started digging in. Pit made gyro sandwiches, Sonic made chili dogs because of course he did, Popo made eggplant cheddar soup with sourdough bread, Lucas made hash browns, Toon made salt grilled mushrooms, and Ness made nothing. Yaaaay!

Sonic: "Alright guys, we all gotta rate the food."

Toon: "That's a great idea!"

Popo pulled a joint from his pocket, lighting it with a quick flick of his lighter. He smoked that shit. Almost instantly, he started coughing, the smoke hitting harder than expected.

"H-Hell *coughs* yeah!" he wheezed between coughs, his eyes watering slightly as he tried to regain his composure. Despite the sputtering, a grin spread across his face, clearly unfazed by the rough start.

The group tried Sonic's first.

Sonic: "Sooo, what'd y'all think?"

Toon: "This isn't bad at all. I rate it a solid eight."

Sonic: "I think you meant to say ten."

Lucas: "I love it! I'll give it a ten."

Sonic: "Lucas, my man~!"

Popo: "This shit's pretty fire. I'll give it an eight."

Ness: "It's better than I expected."

Sonic: "It's a ten, right?"

Ness: "I wouldn't say ten. More like a seven."

Sonic: "A seven?"

Ness: "It's alriiight. The chili dog could use more flavor."

Sonic: "Oh yeah?"

Ness: "That's my take on it."

Sonic: "Gee, Ness, I didn't know your taste buds sucked ass."

Ness: "Aww, is someone butthurt because he didn't get a ten?"

Sonic: "I think we both know that it's a ten. You're just jealous because you hate admitting that I'm better than you at everything."

Ness: "Ha! I'm a better cook by far."

Sonic: "No you're not."

Ness: "I-

Sonic: "And you can't prove it either~"

Ness: "I-I…"

Sonic: "That's what I thought~"

Ness: *Growls*

Popo: "Ok, how about we move onto the next, aye?"

Ness: "Yes, let's."

Popo: "Alright, let's try miiiine."

Each dug into the eggplant cheddar soup.

Toon: "This is amazing! Solid ten."

Sonic: "What!"

Popo: "Haaahaaa~! Thanks, broskii."

Sonic: "I hate to admit it but it's pretty tasty. I'll give it a seven and a half."

Lucas: "It's good. I'll give it a seven."

Popo: "Hell yeah!"

Ness: "It's acceptable, I'd rate it around a six and a half. The consistency is a bit too diluted, which diminishes the intensity of the flavor, preventing it from really standing out as it should."

Popo: "Whoa, those were some big words."

Lucas: "He likes to do that."

Sonic: "Ness is tryin' too hard."

Ness: "What do you mean? I gave my honest opinion."

Popo: "Damn, bro did not like my soup."

Ness: "I liked it. It's alright. Nothing too special."

Toon: "Wow. So blunt."

Ness: "What? I thought we were all being honest here."

Lucas: "Don't mind him. He's pretentious~"

Sonic: "Hahaha! You got em, Lucas!"

Ness: "Hey! I'm not pretentious!"

Lucas: "You kinda are."

Ness: "Who's side are you on?"

Lucas: "I love you~"

Ness: "This isn't true love."

Popo: "Haaaahaa! Ness, bro, you're good. No need to get all upsetti. I totally get it. I do need to hone my cookin' skills a bit more."

Ness: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a jerk…"

Popo: "Nah, I love your honesty."

Ness: "Are you sure?"

Popo: "Bro, I'm chillin'. Let's try Toon's!"

Toon: "I'm a little nervous."

Popo: "Nah, it's gonna be great."

The group eagerly dug into Toon's dish, forks clinking against plates as they took their first bites. But almost immediately, they all paused, exchanging uneasy glances. The taste was overwhelming, but not in the way they had hoped. It was off—way off. A gritty, earthy flavor coated their tongues, as if they'd just taken a mouthful of dirt.

Ness winced, trying to swallow without making a face, while Lucas subtly pushed his plate away. The silence in the room said it all: Toon's dish was a disaster.

Toon: "So, what'd you guys think?"

The group exchanged worried glances.

Lucas: "Uh—it was good."

Toon: "Yeah? What'd ya rate it?"

Lucas: "Um, like maybe a seven."

Toon: "Whoo! Hell yeah!"

Popo: "Uh, yeah. It was yummy. I'd give it an eight."

Toon: "Oh hell yeah!"

Ness: "It was—well…"

Toon frowned, his gaze shifting toward the brunet who was clearly struggling with the taste. "What?" he asked, his voice sharp with a hint of defensiveness.

Ness blinked, trying to keep his expression neutral, but the taste lingered too strongly to hide his discomfort. "Uh... it's just... different," he said carefully, avoiding eye contact as he set his fork down.

Toon: "Rate it."

Ness: "I would give it a—y'know, a six." (Honestly, it's a three at best.)

Toon: "Not the best rating I was expecting, but it's you, so I didn't expect much."

Ness: "Hey!"

Toon: "You're a picky eater."

Ness: "I'm not picky. I'm a critic."

Sonic: "I'm sorry, Toon. I have to be honest here, it's a three at best."

Toon: "What! A three?!"

Ness: (Whoa, that's exactly what I thought too.)

Sonic: "It's pretty bad. I think I'm the only one bein' honest with ya because I can tell everyone else here doesn't like it."

Toon: "That's not true! Right, guys?"

Everyone in the room averted their gazes from Toon, an awkward silence settling in like an unwelcome guest. They began to rub the backs of their heads, a nervous habit that spoke volumes about their discomfort.

Toon: "Oh fuck all of you. My food is great! Y'all just don't understand Hylian cuisines."

Sonic: "I wanna try Link's cooking."

Toon: "If you hate mine, you'll hate his too."

Sonic: "Nah, he's probably a better cook."

Toon: "Nope. I'mma blame it on the taste pallet."

Ness: "Yeah! It's the taste pallet. I'm not used to it. That's all."

Popo and Lucas quietly agreed.

Popo: "Alright, the last one is Lucas's."

Lucas: "O-oh! Um… Yeah ok."

The group eagerly dove into the hash browns that the blonde had prepared. As they took their first bites, their eyes lit up with delight. The flavor exploded in their mouths—crispy, golden, and seasoned to perfection.

Sonic: "Holy shit, Blondie! This shit's fire! Nine for sure. Almost as good as mine. Almost."

Lucas: "T-thank you!"

Toon: "Yeah! I'd give it a nine too."

Popo: "Damn, dude, where'd you learn to cook this?"

Lucas: "I watched a video on Youtube."

Popo: "This is some good shit. I'll give it an eight."

Ness: "Wow, Lucas, I forgot how good you are at cooking breakfast items."

Lucas: "Haha! Thanks~"

Ness: "Eight for sure."

Lucas: "That means a lot coming from you."

Sonic: "Bro's in love."

Ness: "Quiet you."

Sonic: "Hahaha!"

Lucas: "Thank you guys. I'm glad you liked it."

The group continued to shower Lucas with praise, their enthusiastic compliments swirling around him like a warm embrace. He felt a swell of pride wash over him at the recognition. He couldn't help but smile as he basked in the admiration for his cooking skills. Each compliment reinforced his confidence, making all the effort worthwhile.

To top it all off, he had earned the highest score of the night—a small victory that felt monumental. It was nice to see his culinary creations appreciated, and he couldn't wait to share more delicious meals in the future.

The boys filled the room with laughter and easy banter, their voices bouncing off the walls like a well-loved melody. They teased each other over old jokes, traded stories, and shared knowing smiles, each remark lighting up the room a little brighter. Eventually, though, their energy began to wind down, the conversations slowing until only a comfortable silence remained.

Ness and Lucas exchanged a look, then rose together, saying bye to their friends and stepping out of the room. As the two Earthbound boys were walking to Lucas's room, Sonic sped up to them.

Sonic: "You guys gonna fuck?"

Lucas: "!" *Blushes*

Ness: "No! Go away!"

Sonic: "Hahaha! Later, losers~"

Ness rolled his eyes as he watched the blue hedgehog leave. "How annoying," he said, in an annoyed tone, obviously annoyed. (Lol xD)

As they arrived at Lucas's place, Ness's expression shifted, a subtle frown pulling at his features. The blonde noticed immediately.

Lucas: "What's wrong?"

Ness stepped into his best friend's room, taking in the familiar surroundings with a quiet sigh before settling into the desk chair.

Ness: "I can't help but feel a sense of guilt. I can't believe that the potluck slipped my mind entirely."

Lucas: "Aww, it's ok. We all forgive you."

Ness: "I don't think Toon did."

Lucas: "I saw that he was able to bounce back."

Ness: "I guess… I don't know, I feel like I made another mistake. I mean earlier I made you upset."

Lucas: "I'm over it. I shouldn't have gotten all defensive like that. I have to remember that even I can get distracted."

Ness: "Why're you always taking my side? I feel like… Nevermind."

Lucas: "Wait, what were you gonna say?"

Ness: "It's nothing. I just need to be better."

Lucas felt a strong urge to ask more, but a strange hesitation held him back. A part of him sensed that whatever Ness might say could lead to disappointment—or worse, heartbreak—and he wasn't ready to face those feelings just yet.

Lucas: "I see…"

Ness: "Yeah, I don't know. Anyway, I won't waste any more of your time. I'll see you tomorrow."

Lucas bit his lip, his attention fixed on Ness as he rose from the chair, preparing to leave. As the brunet took a step forward, a wave of panic stirred within Lucas, and in that moment, he realized he wasn't ready for his friend to go—not yet. On impulse, he grabbed the bottom part of Ness's shirt and tugged at it.

Lucas: "Wait!"

Ness: "!"

Lucas: "I—I have a question."

Ness: "O-oh, uh… Ok."

Lucas: "Something about you suddenly wanting to learn guitar doesn't sit right with me."

Ness: "What'd you mean?"

Lucas: "Have you spoken with Ninten recently?"

Ness: "No, why?"

Lucas: "He's been trying to get you into instruments for a while now. Yet, suddenly you wanna learn, and you've just confirmed that he wasn't the one that got you into it."

Ness: "What're you getting at?"

Lucas: "I want you to be honest with me, Ness."

Ness: "Honest with what?"

Lucas: "A-are you doing this to impress Tina?"