An Absurdly "Light" Lunch
"Is this… what you call 'lightly prepared'?"
I stared at the spectacle before me in utter disbelief.
The table groaned under a whole roasted turkey, mountains of mashed potatoes, a massive pot of corn soup, and piles of fruits, desserts, and sandwiches.
It was so overloaded the legs might snap any second.
"Of course! I deboned the turkey to cut the weight, trimmed all the crusts off the sandwiches for easy digestion, and the soup's half water so it won't fill you up too fast!"
Marie's proud chest-puffing and shameless logic left me speechless.
"Ah… yeah… you must've worked really hard."
"Thank you!"
With eyes sparkling like that, I couldn't exactly say, 'How the hell am I supposed to eat all this?'
I rubbed my dry face and swallowed a sigh.
If I polished this off, my stomach would explode—or food would back up my throat for sure.
That's when I spotted Charlotte shrinking into the corner by the table.
Overwhelmed by the feast, she was locked in a staring contest with the turkey.
Suddenly, a brilliantly logical idea hit me.
Perfect.
I called her over.
"Charlotte."
"Y-Yes? Sis?"
"Had lunch yet?"
"N-No… not yet…"
She shook her head.
Of course not—it was just before lunchtime.
And those scrawny wrists? She clearly wasn't eating right on the regular.
A growing girl that skinny? No way.
"Perfect. Come sit."
"Eh? B-But… how could I eat with you, sis…?"
My offer made her flinch and wave her hands wildly, face draining of color.
Marie, though, lit up and jumped in.
"Great idea! Join us, Miss Charlotte! Plenty to go around!"
I didn't give her a chance to refuse—grabbed her arm and plopped her in the opposite chair.
Charlotte fidgeted endlessly now that she was seated.
"C-Can I really…? This is yours, sis…"
"Too much for one. Waste to leave any."
I turned to Marie.
"Marie. Extra plate here. We'll share."
"Yes! Right away!"
She snapped to attention and bolted for the kitchen like a shot.
Phew. Dodged a bullet.
I sighed in relief and grabbed my fork.
Plate would be quick—I could start feeding Charlotte while waiting.
But then—
*Clatter clatter! Thud!*
A racket from the kitchen, and Marie burst back with trays stacked in both hands.
Heaped with even more dishes.
"Here you go!"
She plunked a tray right in front of Charlotte.
Every last gap on the table vanished.
"…"
I froze, fork mid-air.
"Marie."
"Yes, miss!"
"What the hell are you doing?"
She blinked, totally baffled by my tone.
"Preparing the meal?"
"No—I said plate. To share."
"Aw, miss."
Marie shook her head with a smile.
"Two people means two full servings, obviously! Can't have the lady of the house sharing scraps."
"No, that's not—"
"Worried it wouldn't be enough, so I gave Miss Charlotte bigger meat cuts for her growth spurt!"
She beamed at Charlotte, all smug.
"Dig in, Miss Charlotte!"
"W-Wow… Th-Thank you…"
Charlotte gawked at the slab of meat half her face size, mouth agape.
I blankly ping-ponged between my food mountain and hers.
Fucked.
Tried to offload, ended up doubled.
No chickening out with it all served.
I dropped my head in defeat.
"Yeah… good work, Marie…"
"Thank you! Eat up before it cools!"
Trembling hands gripped the knife; I carved into the turkey.
Charlotte struggled with her monster cut, all clumsy.
Fork slipping everywhere—meat on the verge of plate-diving.
Still noob at this.
I stretched my knife over and diced hers into perfect bites.
*Clink clink.*
Meat separated, cubed in seconds.
"Here."
Speared the juiciest bit and held it to her lips.
"Ahh."
"…Pardon?"
Her eyes bugged out at me.
"What? Open wide."
"Y-You're feeding me… yourself?"
"Arm's tired. Hurry."
She cracked her mouth open hesitantly.
I popped it in.
*Munch munch.*
She chewed daintily.
"S-So good…!"
"Told ya. Tastier than breakfast. If there wasn't so damn much…"
"Hehe, too kind! Honored it suits you!"
Trailing gripe lost to Marie's squirming glee.
Cheeks puffed with my fed meat? Adorably hamster-like.
Or baby squirrel frenziedly stashing acorns pre-hibernation.
I snagged a sandwich chunk on impulse.
"Try this. Ham and cheese inside."
"Y-Yes!"
"Soup too, before cold."
Spooned some to her mouth.
"Ahh."
"Aaahn."
She slurped it down eagerly.
Odd thrill watching her.
"Strawberry next."
Forked one to her lips—
"Uuuu…"
She ducked her head, quivering.
"What? Full already?"
"N-Not that…"
Snapped up, face tomato-red.
"I-I can eat alone!"
"Huh?"
"You keep feeding me… it's… too embarrassing all sudden…"
Hands clamped burning cheeks; she yelled.
"No more! I'll eat myself!"
"…"
Blank stare at the hovering fork.
Ah. Got carried away.
*Ahem.*
Cleared throat, set it down.
"Fine. You ate so cute, wanted to keep going."
"Hiiing…"
She snatched her fork, mortified, and dove into her food head-down.
Cute as hell.
Couldn't skip mine—Marie staring.
Grabbed a sandwich, chewed slow.
"Marie."
"Yes, miss."
"Meals from now…"
Paused, eyed Charlotte.
Cheeks ballooned with bread-munching.
"…Yeah. Two servings always."
Her spoon froze mid-soup.
"Eh? M-Me…?"
"What. Bad?"
"N-No! Amazing… but daily visits'd annoy you…"
Mumbled with sauce-smeared lips—adorbs.
Chuckle; napkin to her mouth.
"Alone's lonely."
"…"
"Visit lots. Promise?"
Amethyst eyes welled again.
Tear-brink face.
But smile bloomed instead.
"Yes! Definitely!"
"Good. Sealed."
Somehow, we two demolished lunch.
///
"Uuuugh…"
"Uuuu…"
Post-massacre, we corpse-flopped side-by-side on the sofa.
Guts ballooned, shoving ribs aside.
Stay put? Actual death.
Move. Survival imperative.
"Hey, Charlotte."
"Yeeaah…"
"Out."
"Where…?"
"Walkies. Staying means puking."
"But… can't you leave? Door locked…"
True—solid lock.
"Your entry passage."
"Ah! Secret base door?"
"Yep. That way."
"It's… narrow. You fit, sis?"
Worried scan top-to-toe.
Calling me fat? Mild salt.
"Fine. Flexible despite appearances."
Bigger than her, but passable.
Wobbled to corner room.
Shoved shelf—hole at wall base.
Tiny. Doable.
"Me first!"
Prone, zipped through like squirrel.
"Sis! Quick! Breezy out!"
Voice outside.
"Coming. Sec."
Hiked dress, prone.
Deep breath, head in.
Shoulders smooth.
"Pfft, cakewalk. Overthought."
Hand-push forward—
*Thud.*
Something snagged.
"Eep."
Push again.
*Thud.*
Zero budge.
"Wha…?"
Cold sweat trickled spine.
Boobs wedged tight in the wall.