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That Kagamine Len! Sometimes, he had Teto fuming. Other times? She found him hilarious.
There he was always challenging her to dance battles, or poking her for a belting and growling contest when singing Ghost Rule. Playful rivalry, no doubt, judging by how he acted. That was how the Kagamines just seemed to be, at least from Teto’s observations. She was still getting acquainted with the other Cryptonloids, after years of only knowing Miku properly. Half of Teto found Len’s ribbing, challenges, and general confident, mischievous, or huffy attitude annoying. The other half? A little endeared and invigorated, if she was being honest. She enjoyed a good challenge, when in the right mood. But even so…irritating. These interactions had kept her from truly getting to know Len. Nor had she done something purely fun with him, like she had or was on her way to doing with the other Cryptonloids.
Teto huffed, hands on her hips as she stared down the bananas she’d been keeping. Over time, they’d gone from pure yellow to splotchy to browner and browner, now perfect to use in what would not only be delicious food, but her first attempt to change the rivalry and finally get to know that frustrating banana brain Len.
“Now just to figure out how I invite him…” She put a finger to her chin, while her head tipped and eyes roamed. “Miku and Rin have said just how crazy that dolt goes for bananas. Maybe I can just flat-out mention it?”
Squinting and humming, she pondered the situation while she transferred the bananas to the freezer. After they were properly sealed inside, she lounged against her kitchen counter and snatched her phone, which lay abandoned near the half-eaten baguette collection. She scrolled her messages, until she came upon the group chat Miku had made for her, the Cryptonloids, and other synths from various companies, mostly in order for event arrangements and collabs. Rin and Len frequently spammed it with memes to poke at everyone, once to the extent Teto witnessed both Neru and Fukase leave, before being goaded into rejoining later.
Tapping on the name list, she swiped through until she found that infamous one. Kagamine Len. She clicked on him, then tapped around to begin a private conversation.
“Okay, be casual about it.” Teto scrunched her face. “How do I be casual to that dork?” With a shrug and tiny “hm”, she typed away.
‘Heya Len Teto here! I know you like bananas and I like bread (well, baguettes but whatever) so why don’t we get to know each other while baking banana bread together?’
She scrutinized the message, holding the screen close. A low, displeased sound escaped her. Backspacing, she started again.
‘Hey Len. It’s Teto. Come over and make banana bread with me. I’m tired of just having little dance fights and stuff.’
“Ew.” She facepalmed, then started over once more.
‘Heya Len it’s Teto! I’ve got some super ripe bananas. Know you like em and I’ve been wanting to make banana bread, so why don’t you come over and help me out? Could be a good bonding opportunity.’
Biting a thumbnail, she squinted hard at it. Why was she even overthinking this to begin with? “Dummy Teto, just go with it.” She gave a dismissive hand flap, hit send, and tossed her phone toward her bright red couch. It landed and bounced, and she ignored it for the time being, digging around for her recipe book. “Baking.” She smiled as she tapped the very recipe she needed. “Best way to make friends.”
On the sofa, her phone buzzed.
‘Uh hey weirdo. Kinda random but ig. Can’t turn down bananas and been bored recently anyways.’
A pause.
‘We meeting at your place or what?’
◁◁ ▐ ▌ ▷▷
Teto kicked the last strewn item under the couch. With a satisfied hum, she placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the rest of her apartment—an open space, decorated in red, grey, and black with hints of pink and the occasional white. Truthfully, it was not always this clean. She liked to live comfy and chaotic, but no way was she about to give Len even more ammunition to tease her with.
“I should do this with the other Cryptonloids,” she mumbled while she trotted to the oven. Messing with the dials, she went ahead and began preheating it. “Wonder what they’d be interested in baking…” Just as she spaced out, knocking tapped the front door. “Oh! One second!” In a haste, she grabbed her apron and fussed with it all the way to the door, until it was tied on. She took a breath, bracing for whatever chaos or snarky comments Len might bring, then flung the door open violently.
“Welcome to my humble abode!” She threw one arm in the air. “Take off your shoes, and if you track anything in here, Kagamine, I will pound you.”
Len blinked owlishly, arms folded over the casual outfit he wore—a roomy black jacket over a white and yellow hoodie, paired with baggy pants. The only part of his usual getup he had was his typical fluffy mess of hair, and the yellow suspender hanging off one side.
“Yeesh okay.” He raised his hands, then entered as she stepped aside. She shut it behind him, and he slid out of his shoes, snorting. “With how much of a disaster you are, half expected this place to be a mess.”
Giving an exaggerated laugh, she scurried past him. “This place? A mess? Never!” From the counter she snatched an extra apron, then shoved it into his arms as he treaded farther in. “Oven’s already preheating. Let’s get right to work, yeah?”
“Ugh, do I really gotta wear this?” He made a face and held it up.
“Absolutely,” she said, brushing her hands together while she headed into the kitchen fully. It was not, in fact, necessary, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to force a pink apron on him. One covered in cartoony baguettes, no less. “You ever make banana bread before?”
“Uh-uh.” Tying on the apron, he followed her. “I cook with Rin sometimes, but not much of a baker.” He leaned on the counter and watched her skim the recipe, which she’d laid beside a bunch of bowls and gathered ingredients earlier. “You bake a lot?”
“One of my love languages.” She nodded distractedly.
“Oh, so it’s not tripping and faceplanting off stage?” He smirked, and the look drew her eyes to him, narrowing.
“That happened one time.” She stuck a finger right in his face. “I’m not clumsy, and you better not make this another one of your weird teasing sessions.”
“Eh.” He shrugged, then squeaked when she put the first large mixing bowl right on his head. “Hey! You’re gonna mess up my hair!” He scrambled to get it off.
“Okay!” She pulled a loaf pan to herself. “I’ll butter this, while you start putting stuff in that bowl.”
“Kay, what?” He leaned over her shoulder to see the recipe.
His breath fanned her neck, and with a grump, she gently pushed his face away. “Just sugar and butter. Cream it till it’s all light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time.” She placed the paper in his hands. “One cup of sugar, eight tablespoons of butter, and two eggs.”
Len stared at it for a long moment, blinking slowly. Shooting her a deadpan look, he said, “You do remember I said I don’t bake, right?”
“Oh.” Teto’s shoulders sank, only to perk right back up. “Well, I’m gonna teach you!”
“Yay,” he said, voice flat.
Quickly, she grabbed a butter stick and used it to cover the loaf pan. “C’mon, you agreed to this.” She pushed it safely away after finishing, then took the mixing bowl from him. Just as quickly as she’d grabbed it, she replaced it by shoving a bag of granulated sugar into his arms. He made a small ‘oof’ sound as it hit his chest, then sighed when she presented him with a set of measuring cups. “Get ready to learn what each one means!”
“I mean, I’m not stupid. I do know how to count, and-” He stopped, for Teto had already begun excitedly rambling off all the different measurements.
After explaining it all, she spooned the sugar and butter into the largest of the bowls. Then, she beat it and cracked eggs between more stirring, while she commanded him to mash the bananas. In a smaller bowl, he used a fork to do it; instead of appearing annoyed or bored, he looked almost entranced now.
For a moment, that is, then the whining started again.
“They smell so good.” He sagged against the counter tragically, while he turned the bananas to mush with each stab and smoosh.
“They’re overripe, dummy,” she said, reading the steps again. “You can’t eat- Len!” She shot him a glare, and Len just stared with a finger in his mouth, like a puppy caught sneaking something he shouldn’t.
He popped it back out with a sheepish giggle. “It was just a taste.”
“Yeah?” she said, brow arching. “And was it good?”
“Yep!”
“You are so weird.” Rolling her eyes, she returned to the recipe. She didn’t get to read even a word, before something cold, squishy, and unpleasant suddenly touched her cheek. With a high-pitched squeal, she sprang to the side, hands flapping at nothing. “What was that?”
Len cackled, withdrawing his fingers, which to her horror were covered in banana mush. “Just look in a mirror or something, banana face.”
“You-” Puffing her cheeks, she whirled to the microwave. Her own dim, pouting reflection stared back, and there was indeed banana smeared on her cheek. “Do you turn everything you do into a prank or competition?” she grumbled as she grabbed a hand towel to wipe it off.
“Pretty much.” He licked it off his fingers, causing her to cringe. “But don’t act like you don’t like it.” He grinned shamelessly, and she sighed, though the sound came out fonder than she’d like to admit.
“Fine, chaos is fun.” She tossed the towel into his face, earning a grump. “Really fun, actually.”
“Good, then you won’t mind if I do this!” Before Teto could react, Len had already stuck his hand in the waiting bag of flour and flung some at her. Squealing again, she ducked and raised her hands, while the powdery substance struck her. A sneeze escaped her, sending more flour spraying across the kitchen.
“LEN!”
He broke into a string of cackles, interrupted by her grabbing the entire bag of flour. “Uhhh…” He backed up, eyes widening and hesitant smile twitching into place. “Teto, you’re not really gonna-”
“I so am!” Grinning deviously, she raised the bag over her head. Len immediately turned tail and charged away, which she did not hesitate to follow, sending stray flecks of flour flying while they ran round and round her couch. The chase was filled with her evil laughs and shouts from Len, sometimes lost in his own bursts of laughter. Several times, she tried to cut him off by looping the other way, but he always seemed to sense it, and thus, avoided her.
So round and round they went, looping the couch again and again, until Teto attempted cutting him off once more…only to trip. With a squeak, she careened forward, and he yelped and braced for impact. She bashed straight into him, sending both to the floor in a giant poof of flour. Her hands released the spilled bag, while she squirmed atop Len, coughing and shaking her head.
“Ugh…now look what you made me do, you dumbo.” She moved her hands to the floor and pushed herself up slightly, only to freeze. Len lay under her, swiping flour off his face and grumbling. He stopped, though, locking eyes as he became aware of the close proximity. She could feel his breath; could count practically every tiny stray freckle on his nose. Had he always had those? It was kind of…
“Get off!” He pushed her, and she squawked as she fell to the side. She now lay flat on her back beside him, both staring at the ceiling and processing whatever chaos had just happened.
Eventually, she sighed and draped an arm across her eyes. “You are such a bad influence. How much did that flour get everywhere? I can’t bear to look.”
“Uuuhhh…” Len laughed. “Yeah, it’s everywhere.”
“Enough to make a flour angel?”
“I mean, no. Flour angel?”
“Good, because that’d be ridiculous.” She uncovered her eyes with a hum. “Though, a flour angel does sound fun.”
“And you call me the weirdo.” He poked her side.
Swatting him, she scoffed. “I never denied I’m a weirdo. I am very aware of my status.”
He laughed, and she met his eyes as he grinned at her. “Yeah, well, that’s good. Normal is overrated.”
Head tilting, she made a surprised sound. Her lips curled into a smile. “Exactly. Though, I don’t think any of us synths are ‘normal’.”
“Oh nah.” He shrugged, tucking his arms under his head, sending some flour off his sleeve. “But y’know, you’re one of the only ones who can actually match me and Rin’s chaos and energy.”
“Really?”
“Mhm. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted this weird baking offer.”
“Hey! It’s not weird!”
“Meh, I’m just not really one for one-on-one stuff, unless it’s with Rin, obviously.”
“I guess I…kinda get that.” Teto’s gaze roamed away, while she pondered the conversation. It was taking a turn she had not expected. “So…you normally don’t, like, visit other people by yourself?”
“Nope.”
She bit her lip, fighting another smile. Why did something about that make her strangely excited? Whatever. Just more stupid Len stuff.
“I like messing with you, anyways,” he said, sitting up and brushing off flour.
Excitement gone. “Ugh, really?” She sat up as well, then examined the mess she’d made. There was indeed flour everywhere. She sighed and said, “What about me is so fun to mess with anyway?”
“You match my energy but different. Duh.” He flicked her forehead, making her squeak. “And Miku really likes you and has said a lot of good stuff about you, so y’know.”
She blinked more. “Wait, so you weren’t just trying to get a rival?”
“Ugh, no?” He frowned in confusion, then snarkily, he added, “I think the correct word for that is friend?” Teto parted her lips, then pressed them together as she mulled this over. Perhaps melding into Miku’s group of Crypton friends was working better than she expected. This entire time, she had wondered if he just teased her because not only was it funny, but he didn’t particularly get along with her. But it was the opposite? How much pressure had she been putting on herself to befriend each and every one of them anyway?
Blowing a strand of red hair from her eyes, she went right back into the teasing air between them. “Aaaww, so this entire time you just really liked me, huh?”
Len’s shoulders raised and eyes widened. “Eh? No, I didn’t…that’s not…” Head shaking, he rose. “Don’t say it so weird.”
“Mr. Confident is actually a big old softie, isn’t he?” She hopped up and shadowed him back into the kitchen.
“Shut up, I am not.”
Teto bit her lip against mischievous giggles. How the tables had turned…
“Aaaww,” she began again, only to break off at the cold squish of banana pressing to her cheek again. “Ew! Why?”
He cackled, then next shoved the recipe in her face. “Come on, bread girl, let’s just get back to your weird sentimental baking or whatever.”
Accepting it, she smiled through a sigh. “Okay fine…but you’re helping me clean up afterwards.”
He cried out in dismay, causing her to chuckle and poke at him, while they set back to work on their banana bread. Thankfully, she had a feeling it would be delicious, once they properly got to work. During the hour it took to bake, they spent the time vacuuming and wiping things down to music Teto blasted from her stereo. The duo sang along, voices syncing strangely well; each tone and note seemed to mesh perfectly, though she did note sometimes he still subtly tried to belt louder than her. For once, it didn’t annoy her. If anything, it was a reminder she had already made yet another new friend in the idol industry, an industry she had felt like such a black sheep in for so long. The thought sent her heart soaring.
“Mmm.” Len shoved a fourth piece of bread into his mouth. “Thi’ i’ gu’!”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Teto lightly whacked his shoulder, then focused on enjoying her own bread piece. “But, yeah, surprisingly you didn’t screw it up.”
Swallowing, he scowled and smacked her shoulder back.
She poked her tongue out, then stuffed the rest into her own mouth. While she finished chewing, Len cut half of what remained and transferred it to another plate. “I’ll take this home,” he said, rising with it. “Uh, thanks for inviting me or whatever. See ya.”
Teto made a short noise as he started for the door. Though she would have hated to admit this before, her heart sank at the thought of him leaving. Especially so abruptly.
“Hey, wait!” She hastened after him. “You’re just gonna leave like that?”
“What else am I supposed to do?” he said as he jimmied his shoes on. “I said see ya.”
She facepalmed. “You’re such a bonehead sometimes. I was actually gonna offer for you to, uh, stay and watch something. You know, to make up for the flour stuff.” She had not, in fact, been about to do that. The offer surprised even her.
Len stilled, gazing at her, then at the sofa and TV.
“You said you were bored, right?” She shrugged, while inwardly she screamed at herself to shut up.
With a casual shrug, he kicked his situated shoe back off. “Eh, sure.” He brushed past her. “Gives me an excuse to eat the rest of this, anyway.”
“Greedy,” Teto said, trying not to smile at the thought of him staying. Something about having a new friend over like this just felt right.
The watching session was just as fun as everything else. A few times, he got obnoxious again, mostly due to some teasing or immature comments. Honestly, though, she gave just as many, and they ended up falling into an accidental, excited marathon of movies. By the end of it, she determined she had indeed befriended that nuisance of a former frenemy. And if she turned as bright red as her hair, when eventually Len dropped off and accidentally slumbered against her shoulder? Well, no one needed to know that but her.