Discord
Macaroon - 2020
Shivers, Patchwork Kernel
No content warnings.
Blink loses a bet.
Shivers, Patchwork Kernel
No content warnings.
Blink loses a bet.
Ravine stepped into the tiny hotel room kitchen and hopped onto the counter.
A bright green macaroon was in the ruffneck's paw, which promptly made its way towards her mouth.
"Oh, hey, uh,"
The dog looked up.
Juno was standing at the entrance to the kitchen.
"Ravine?"
She lowered the macaroon.
"Need something?"
"Just, uh... I-I know it's silly, but... ...Well--"
"Juno, just tell me."
"C-Could I have your macaroon, if that'd be okay?"
She looked in their direction, not saying a word.
"I just... I had mine already, and it was actually really good. Y-You did a good job picking them out, and..."
They swallowed nervously. "...well... I know it's--"
A metallic click was heard, and Juno looked down to see Ravine pointing her revolver in their direction.
"WoahWOAH h-hang on! I was only--"
"Knock it off."
"I... I'm sorry I asked, I-I just--"
"How stupid do you think I am?"
The gesabott stared back at her for a few seconds, then sighed.
A blurry fog enveloped them for just a moment, but soon faded; a snake corvice standing where Juno was before.
The corvice leaned against the opposite wall, and Ravine put her revolver away.
"The gun was a bit much, don't you think?"
"Safety's on."
"Even so."
"You shouldn't use that so recklessly. Or disguise as any of us, for that matter. You're lucky I didn't--"
"Ohhh, come now! I needed the practice. Don't be such a poor sport."
"You're one to talk. Shouldn't have bet yours if you didn't want to lose it."
Blink folded their arms with a huff.
"I had them."
"Mm."
"I was sure they were bluffing. I can tell these things."
"Uh-huh."
"In my line of work, I certainly can."
"Kind of makes you a bad spy, then."
They glared at her.
"Maybe we should have Pepper be our stealth expert from now on, since they beat you."
They scoffed. "Oh, please. That buffoon can't do what I do. You know you're lucky to have me."
"Mm."
"At any rate, what exactly gave me away? Surely it was something other than my performance. I felt I emulated Juno well enough."
"No, you didn't."
"I disagree."
"Well I've known them longer."
"Then what did I do wrong?"
"They don't stutter that much. They also wouldn't ask me for food, of all things; they barely eat in the first place. That, and I just know them a lot better than you do." She stopped to finally eat the sugary treat, a dismayed Blink looking on.
"...Also, I saw them leave to go give Pulse their macaroon just a bit ago."
"So you cheated, then?"
"...Sure."
"Why would they give it to--" They groaned and headed for the door. "I'll be back."
"Good luck with that."
Blink opened the door.
Ravine called after them. "And if you're mean to them, I'll shoot you."
They turned back. "Me? Mean? Of course not."
"Sorry, but I'm going to have to confiscate those."
A karacel wearing a hotel uniform and nametag stood in front of Juno, who was looking particularly nervous.
"Wait, I'm just... still just a little confused why--"
"Your friend's payment didn't go through, so until we can get that figured out, I need to take them back."
"Oh. I'm reallyreally sorry about that. I'll just- I'll give them back, and then we can go talk to her, and I'm sure we'll... get this..." Juno's display showed squinting eyes.
"...figured out..." They cocked their head.
"...Oh come on, Blink, that's not funny! You scared me!"
The karacel's eyes widened, and a haze obscured them for an instant before Blink was revealed once again.
"How did you possibly see through that?"
"Your nametag. The guy that served us the macaroons was named Marion, not Maron."
"...I was close enough."
"Plus, I know you love these." They shook the little clear plastic box they were holding, causing the two macaroons to slide around inside.
"I do, and I put a lot of effort into trying to get them... Which is exactly why you should give those to me--" They reached for the container, but Juno pulled it away.
"Nooo. Why didn't you just ask me instead?"
"...You're right." The snake drooped their head down in mock-shame, placing their claws in their pockets. "I could have just asked politely." They put a claw on Juno's shoulder, still keeping their head down. "I'm very sorry, Juno."
They lifted their head up, locking eyes with Juno. "So, may I please have the macaroons?"
"These? No."
"...Pardon?"
"I can't."
"And why is that?"
"They're not mine to give!"
"One of those is Pulse's, but you could give me yours, at least. It's the charitable thing to do."
"Oh, neither of them are mine."
"...Then who does the second one belong to? "
"It's for Sasha."
The corvice scoffed and turned away. "...Sasha hardly counts as part of our group."
"Sure they do!"
"We've no room for hack doctors."
"They're not a hack!"
"I didn't see a medical degree on their wall last we visited."
"They weren't busy for once, so they offered to help with the research. We need all the help we can get, and they were nice enough to volunteer their free time, so be nice, okay?"
Blink just grumbled.
"What happened to the one you got, anyways?" Juno asked.
Blink avoided eye contact. "...Lost it."
"How did-? Nevermind. ...If you really want one, then... you can have mine, I guess."
They turned back to Juno and clutched their chest melodramatically. "Oh, thank you Juno. You're a wonderful friend. Truly."
Juno rolled their eyes. "Sure. You can just tell Pepper that--"
"Why does Pepper have it? "
"Oh, well, I gave it to them earlier. They asked for it. But I bet they'd--"
The corvice groaned, shoved their hands in their pockets and stormed off.
"What's wrong? I'm sure if you just explain..." Blink was already out of earshot.
Blink opened the door to the hotel room to find Pepper sitting in one of the cheap chairs nearby.
They had an orange macaroon in their paw, which they were idly looking over, with two more on the table.
"Oh, hey there Blink." They sported a tiny, wry smile.
"...Just one. That's all I ask."
Pepper lifted one of the macaroons. "Just one what?"
"Just--" Pepper unceremoniously ate it in a single bite.
"Hm?" They spoke as they munched.
Blink's gaze narrowed. "You won mine, fairly, and I... begrudgingly respect that. However, Juno has graciously decided to give theirs to me. So one of those macaroons you've got belongs to me."
"That's too bad, because I just ate Juno's."
"You..." Pepper lifted the second to last, bright yellow macaroon. "Just a moment!"
Pepper stopped inches from their muzzle. "What's up? Somethin' wrong?"
"You know very well what's--" They moved the macaroon closer. "Nono, let me... build a case, at the very least. It's only fair!"
The pockitt leaned back with a smile. "I'm listening."
Blink cleared their throat. "You see... You won that macaroon from me, and that's fair, as I said. But Juno still wanted to give me one, and you have two left. Which one is which doesn't really matter, so you can still give me one of those, and you wouldn't lose anything in the process--"
"Sure it matters."
"...Why."
"Different colors."
"That does not--!" Blink exhaled.
"Alright, then you could give me yours. After all, these were the last half dozen they had. And we both know I enjoy these more than you do, so... you could give me one, since you have three in total--"
"Two."
"I'm counting the one you ate."
They cleared their throat and continued. "At any rate, that way, I would get to experience the macaroons this city has to offer, and you would still have two of them. It's a win-win, isn't it? If you simply... give one of those to me."
"Well,
you see,
I would,
but..."
Pepper looked at Blink as innocently as possible. "...I just can't seem to help myself. They are too good!"
"But--" They popped it into their mouth and crunched it, leaving a single pink macaroon left.
"Mmmmm, delicious. You really should've had one of these! Such a shame, huh?"
Blink was steaming.
"...You know how much I love--"
Pepper shrugged. "Not my fault you're so bad at poker."
"There's still one left."
"Oh this one?" They stood up, holding the macaroon in their paw. Blink followed them, eyeing the confection as if it would disappear the moment they looked away.
"This one I'm saving." Pepper retrieved one of the clear plastic to-go boxes from the counter and placed the macaroon inside.
"Saving for what exactly?"
"Later."
"Why would you- ...That's hardly..."
"Riiight here." They placed it on the end of the countertop. "So eeeeveryone can see it." The pockitt put their paws on their hips and smiled wide at the corvice, who looked moments away from detonation.
"Have it your way. I'll go and ask Pulse for theirs, then." They turned and stormed off.
"Have fun!"
Blink walked out, their face burning red.
Pepper couldn't help but snicker the second the door shut, wiping their eyes and leaning against the kitchen wall, grinning at the singular macaroon in the container.
Moments later, the door opened again, Ravine entering.
"Back already, huh? I thought you were relieving someone of duty."
"That was the plan." The ruffneck sighed and put her paws in her pockets, then hopped up onto the counter, right next to Pepper.
"And?"
"The stupid macaroons I bought. Juno dropped one, so I said I'd go back and get one from you ...if there were any left. I'm surprised you still have one considering I saw Blink in the hallway." She glanced at the container on the counter.
"You really think I was gonna give them any? Where's the fun in that?"
She shrugged. "Guess not. Either way, would you be willing to let me give that one to Sasha?"
"How do I know you're not--"
Juno and Blink could be heard arguing in the hallway, though it was too muffled to make out well.
Ravine hopped down from the counter, bumping Pepper slightly in the process. "Oh hell. Of course they'd get into it with Juno over that."
"...Guess that solves that, then." Pepper mumbled.
"Look, I need to get out there, so do you mind if--?"
Pepper handed Ravine the clear to-go box. "Sure, sure. Don't want anyone to miss out."
"...Except Blink."
Pepper beamed. "Yep."
The ruffneck rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks. I'll be back."
"Later."
She left with a wave, and a smile.
Ravine shut the hotel room door behind her and started making her way down the hall, only to stop at the corner.
She bent down and picked up an audio recorder off the floor, then slipped it into her pocket, right next to its remote control.
She began to whistle, a fog obscuring her for barely a moment as Blink's whistle echoed through the hall.
The snake rounded the next corner, and passed by Ravine.
They nodded to her, holding the container with the pink macaroon in their claw.
Ravine arrived at the hotel room to find Pepper still in the kitchen.
"Oh hey, if it isn't Ravine Classic. You just missed Ravine 2: The Sequel."
She did a double-take. "...What?"
It clicked. Ravine grabbed the door handle again. "I'm gonna kill them."
"Nah, don't worry about it. They'll be back in a second, anyways."
Ravine stopped, her eyebrow raised.
Pepper just smirked. "I went by the bakery and paid for one of the plastic display macaroons. That's what Blink's carrying right now. I knew they'd be coming back disguised as somebody, so I switched it out. Real one's with me." They patted a little indent showing in their jacket pocket. "And you should've seen their - or, well, your - face, walking out of here looking so smug. Can't believe they thought I'd fall for that. "
Ravine looked unimpressed.
"What? Come on, I just pulled a fast one on our resident super-spy. You've gotta admit that's impressive."
"Check your pocket."
"...What?"
"Check your pocket."
Pepper shook their head. "Yeah, no, it's still right where I--"
They pulled out the macaroon and looked over it in their paw.
It was plastic.
"Called it."
"...How the hell ..."
Blink hummed their way down the hall, pulling their prize out of the container and popping it into their mouth.
It tasted delightfully sweet, with just the faintest hint of victory.
