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Lena screws her eyes, biting her beak as she stares at the inside of the cupboard she’s just opened. The sound of Dewey rummaging around in the fridge comes to her attention.
“Do you guys need to go shopping or something?” she asks, giving them a passing glance. The empty cupboard mocks her. She could have sworn most of the snacks were always kept there, she’s been over enough times to know, but they’re mysteriously missing.
Maybe they reorganized? Money bags is really particular about where things are at, though, and Beakley especially is. Besides, why would they only reorganize the snacks? Those are left to the whims of her and the other kids. The adults generally don’t touch them, aside from Della. Lena found her downing a bag of marshmallows once. It vividly reminded her of Webby.
Dewey closes the fridge, having obtained a few cheese sticks. They pause in unwrapping one to give Lena a puzzled look. “Uhhh… no?”
“Huh,” she says. “That’s weird.”
Dewey sidles up beside her. “What are you talking about— what the—?” they gape, staring in shock. Wordlessly they look back to Lena, gesturing to the cupboard in distress.
She frowns. “Someone stole them, maybe?” It’d be strange, though, if they managed to get into a highly secured manor and the only thing you took was a bunch of chocolate. Wouldn’t they take more things than that? Unless they were specifically trying to annoy the residents living here. Which they definitely succeeded, because Lena wanted her m&m’s, and they’re not here.
It’s not too big of a loss, but she still feels the disappointment of it. Privately, she’s glad something this small doesn’t ruin her day anymore. Years ago it would have.
“There were kitkats, Lena,” Dewey stresses. “You can’t just take all of the kitkats! I swear, if it was Louie he’ll never see the light of day again.”
“Well, tell me how Louie dying goes.” Lena waves a hand. “Do you know where Webby is?”
Dewey takes a moment to respond, glaring at the cupboard like it’ll tell them who the culprit is. “I dunno. In her room, probably.”
“Cool, thanks.” She retreats from the kitchen, leaving them to the crime scene.
She came over around ten minutes ago, and weirdly enough Webby still hasn’t come to greet her. Lena is slightly worried about it, but she’s been able to convince herself Webby isn’t upset with her. Webby’s not the type to avoid someone if she is, and especially not Lena.
But, still, just to give herself some time she decided to stick around the three nerds for a bit—mostly teasing them—and wait to see if Webby would show up.
She didn’t. Lena thinks it’s enough time to go hunt down Webby herself now.
With some trepidation, she heads through the long, winding halls of the manor. She’s never liked how big the place is, it’s completely unnecessary to her. And the idea of walking past so many empty rooms… it gives her chills. She’s really glad her dads didn’t move into a big place. Her house is a lot more cozy than the manor.
After what feels like an eternity and just a minute, she brings herself to the door of Webby’s room. No matter how many times she visits the manor, it never manages to stop feeling like a liminal space.
She takes a breath, staring at the door. It’s just Webby. There’s nothing to be intimidated by. Her hand moves, and with some hesitation, knocks on the door.
“Webby?”
A moment passes. No response.
Hm.
They’ve been dating for a few months now, so maybe it’s okay if Lena goes inside? If Webby’s napping, or not there, or something, she can always just leave. Though, Lena doubts Webby would be doing the former. A knock would definitely wake her up.
She knocks again, just for good measure, and when left without a response yet again she cracks open the door. "Web—?"
She blinks.
The room is a mess of blankets and pillows, a well-made fort within it and Webby's favorite fairy lights strung around. In the center of it all is what Lena can describe as a giant nest. It's a big pile of every soft and comfy thing someone could manage to scrounge up in this house, bean bags and quilted blankets, a guard of stuffed animals lining around it. And a familiar fluff of hair is peeking out of it.
Lena can't help but giggle, grinning as she stares at the home her girlfriend's made. "Ah. What are you doin’ in there, pink?" she shoves her hands into her pockets, sauntering up to the nest and crouching in front of it.
Two brown eyes meet Lena's. "'M guarding the snacks," Webby stage-whispers. When Lena quirks a brow, Webby opens up part of her nest, revealing the missing treats.
"Guarding the snacks? You're like a little cute dragon, huh? Protecting your hoard," Lena smiles softly. "Dewey was really upset about them disappearing. I think they're gonna kill Louie."
"Well Louie's just gonna have to deal with that, cause I'm not giving them back yet," Webby pouts.
Lena reaches out a hand, giving Webby's beak a poke. She chuckles when Webby scrunches her face. "I'm not saying you have to. Actually, would you mind me joining your snack nest?"
Webby's eyes light up, and in a flash, Lena's dragged into the pile of blankets. She yelps, getting a face full of fluff. It takes her a moment to sort herself out, untangling herself from the mess until finally she's comfortably curled beside Webby. Wordlessly, Webby hands her a package of caramel m&m's, which Lena immediately tears into the second they're in her hands.
"Hey," Lena starts, after a minute of them eating. Webby glances up from her hands, where she's been folding them and making hand puppets when they're not occupied by chocolate. "You good?"
Lena's not oblivious. Webby only does these things for comfort. The giant fort and nest, hiding in her room and not even coming down when Lena came in which is almost unheard of, taking all the snacks... she clearly hasn't been having a good day.
Webby smiles, thumping her head against Lena's shoulder. "I am now."
When Louie comes by later, having sniffed out the snacks, they chase him out with pillows and Webby's terrifying aura. By then, Webby's grinning and energetic, the spark back in her movements. They settle back into the nest, now turned more into an impromptu bed, and talk for hours.
Sitting in a fort with her girlfriend and all the snacks in the house, Lena can’t say she’s felt more content.