The drive back doesn't take long, and Alain and 'Chelle fistbump. "See you later, Chromatic," he says. "See you round, Amoroso, and you, Percy. Hm. Need to figure out what I'm calling you."

'Chelle laughs as she slides out the car. "You'll figure something out, Alain. You're the nickname guy."

"As long as they are as fitting and dignified as Chromatic and Amoroso."

"That's sort of the idea," Alain says with a grin. "See y'all round."

'Chelle waves, and starts to lead the way back into the house.

Percy follows.

Aaren appears in the hallway. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," 'Chelle says, stepping in to hug her Dad, leaning against him. "Teo said thanks for the food."

"In his own, estimable, Teolike way." Lan steps forward and gets his own hug.

"He asked whether I knew I didn't have to feed him, right?" Aaren asks, holding an arm out to Percy in a silent offer.

"Yes, he did." Hug.

Hug! Warm, affectionate feelings. "I'm hoping you guys have eaten something today?"

"Yes, but I'm totally hungry again now."

"I feel the same."

Aaren laughs. "I'll get started on dinner then. There's sausage rolls to snack on while you're waiting."

-The speed at which Lan and 'Chelle vanish into the kitchen might suggest they have either superspeed, or teleportation. Really, they're just eager.

Percy is not surprised, though he doesn't teleport either. He will go munch on sausage rolls as well.

Aaren clearly has experience working around teenagers munching things in his kitchen while he cooks, and in fact, there's a sense that he likes doing so.

"So," he says as he starts chopping things, "Percy, you given any more thought to what you want to do? You want to stay here, or want us to figure something else out?"

-'Chelle hesitates for a moment, and she seems conflicted, and there's a sense of loss that she tries to shove away.

That's sure a shoved emotion.

"I would like to stay, but I don't know if you could deal with the burden of having another mouth to feast upon your delicious food."

"See, you'd actually be helping me not have to buy yet another freezer there..."

Percy basks at him for a moment...

"...What are you hiding?"

-All three of them are careful in how little they visibly react to that, but there's a brief moment, where they all seem... concerned, and wary.

Aaren is quiet for a moment, focused on his chopping, and then he sets his knife aside and turns to lean against the counter. "I feel like you have some idea of what you think we're hiding?"

It's not evasive, and there's no intent to not answer, but Aaren wants to know exactly where he needs to start this explanation.