[Chara responds, after swallowing their food. The fact that they were eating it at all should be sign enough that Chara finds it good, as they go in for more of the fish. In fact, the attention they are getting from Alberto is making them a bit self-conscious about the whole deal, so after this bite, they're going to stop and just stare right back at the other kid.]
[ Once Chara takes a second bite (even if the third is postponed because Alberto's being creepy), Alberto smiles and leans back, picking up his own fork and knife finally, and starts to slice his own up. This kid needs all the validation, Chara, sorry. Especially about cooking — especially about fish... Beats the screaming chickens, though? ]
[And honestly that's all they're going to say on the subject, going back to eating the fish and maybe having some pasta in between bites of fish. And yeah it kind of beats the chickens, but not by much. Being stared at while eating is just weird.]
[ It's enough. Alberto's smile softens into a warm, proud smirk, that familiar half-lidded look of ease he wears so often, as he starts to dig in on his own finally. He's got high standards for fish, and knowing that Chara has never even been to the ocean, he's certain they can't have had very good fish in the Underground. So this has all been very important and enlightening to him. He's just as resolved to cook fish for Asriel someday, too, now, for these same reasons.
As he takes his own first couple bites, though, he lets out an enthusiastic hum of satisfaction. He's so proud of how much he's learned to cook since coming here, even if it's only like... three or four meals. He's at least got them down pat. He's certain Massimo would be proud, and that makes him proud. That Chara likes it just makes him prouder, even if they're not as enthused as Alberto is... But they're not as enthused as Alberto is about anything, so he doesn't expect it. No one is as enthused as Alberto is, in general, really. ]
Mmm~! Benissimo! We did good! Huge help~ Heh, and your first time cooking fish, too— Brava, Chara!
[ He's an enthusiastic eater, too, now that he's decided this was up to par, and has mastered using a fork, twisting his noodles around it, well-practiced. He's, uh, even proud of that, too... I-It took him a while to get the hang of forks... At least he's not eating it with his hands — which he still has no problem with, and even does occasionally to this day. This dinner could be a lot weirder. ]
[Being gawked at is way weirder than someone eating with their hands, in Chara's book at least. As they go back to eating in silence, since they don't have much to say about Alberto's praise.
That and they're being polite and not talking while they have food in their mouth.]
[ Alberto is... not as polite. He's not gross about it, but definitely doesn't mind talking and eating at once, at least pausing between bites as he shovels pasta in his mouth with gusto. ]
Hmm~ So! When we go fishing with Asriel— we'll need a boat. Think we could find one...? Maybe at the bottom of the lake?
[ Th-That's his solution...? Oh, boy. Yeah, cuz a boat that sank is a boat they'd want, clearly. ]
[ Alberto completely interprets that face as just being about the boat. Sorry, Chara. ]
No way— none of the fish we'd want are gonna be by the shore...! No, no, we've gotta get a boat.
[ He takes another bite, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully, ruminatively, before a great idea strikes him, and he waves his fork idly in one hand as he explains, energized by his apparent "epiphany." ]
Ooh~! We could make our own boat! I helped Massimo fix his once— after I, uh, set it on fire... But! But! I think I've got the basic idea of how to do it now, plus I've built bunk beds and at least like four or five Vespas— I can build all kinds of stuff...! How hard can a boat be? The three of us could do it together!
Massimo's boat fit me and Luca, the fish, the cat, and Massimo! And Massimo's like— the biggest human ever, probably? When he sits down to dinner, the table shakes! He's like— this wide, and this tall!
[ Alberto holds his whole arms out at their full span, and rises from his seat to spontaneously climb up and stand on his stool. He might be exaggerating a little... but not by much. Massimo really is huge. He keeps his perch for a moment longer, standing tall and towering over the table, as he continues embellishing this idea with gusto. ]
If a little rowboat can hold all thatand Massimo, we could definitely make one that'd hold just us and some fish! We'd just need some wood — I've got all the tools! We could totally do it!
[ He gestures with both hands at the tools sticking out from the drawers of the desk and the toaster sitting at the bottom filled with more random hardware supplies... He surely doesn't even know what half these things are, why does he have so much of so much... ]
And besides— I wouldn't let Asriel drown...! I'm a great swimmer — even better at swimming than I am at walking, right? If he fell out, I'd save him. But we'll get him one of those floaty vests anyway, okay?
[ Alberto's clearly getting ahead of himself here... But at least on that note, climbs down from the stool and resumes his seat like a normal gd person. ]
[Chara has to stop themself from saying that Asgore is bigger than Massimo at Alberto's showing off the size of his adopted human dad, and does so by putting more food in their mouth. They'll just listen to Alberto speak and wait until the boy is done talking to say their own piece.]
Well, okay. But I really don't think we could build a boat, or should at least wait until it's warmer to do boat fishing. Wouldn't want to hit the ice and like sink the thing.
[They can just find the bad outcome for everything it seems, as the go back to focusing on eating the meal.]
Okay, fair, fair... The weather's been lousy, lately, and I don't wanna get caught outside mid-boating when the sky starts leaking. So— after the sky stops leaking so much, we'll build a boat. There are a lot of fish in the springtime, anyway— at least back home.
[ He takes another bite, rattling off his marine expertise thoughtfully without manners. ]
Mackerel, gallinella, branzino, a ton of fish in the spring...! It'll be the perfect season~
[ He doesn't even know yet that there's snow coming soon enough and he's gonna run into a lot worse weather than these rainy days have shown. Springtime will come as a welcome reprieve far beyond any fishing adventures they have planned. But in the meantime, plenty of time to secure wood for this project. ]
[Chara is hoping that the delay that possible weather changes will cause Alberto to just, you know, forget about the whole boat idea anyway. Anyway, they'll listen to him list off fish and focus once more on their meal.
Since really they don't have much more to say on the subject.]
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[Chara responds, after swallowing their food. The fact that they were eating it at all should be sign enough that Chara finds it good, as they go in for more of the fish. In fact, the attention they are getting from Alberto is making them a bit self-conscious about the whole deal, so after this bite, they're going to stop and just stare right back at the other kid.]
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[ Once Chara takes a second bite (even if the third is postponed because Alberto's being creepy), Alberto smiles and leans back, picking up his own fork and knife finally, and starts to slice his own up. This kid needs all the validation, Chara, sorry. Especially about cooking — especially about fish... Beats the screaming chickens, though? ]
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[And honestly that's all they're going to say on the subject, going back to eating the fish and maybe having some pasta in between bites of fish. And yeah it kind of beats the chickens, but not by much. Being stared at while eating is just weird.]
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As he takes his own first couple bites, though, he lets out an enthusiastic hum of satisfaction. He's so proud of how much he's learned to cook since coming here, even if it's only like... three or four meals. He's at least got them down pat. He's certain Massimo would be proud, and that makes him proud. That Chara likes it just makes him prouder, even if they're not as enthused as Alberto is... But they're not as enthused as Alberto is about anything, so he doesn't expect it. No one is as enthused as Alberto is, in general, really. ]
Mmm~! Benissimo! We did good! Huge help~ Heh, and your first time cooking fish, too— Brava, Chara!
[ He's an enthusiastic eater, too, now that he's decided this was up to par, and has mastered using a fork, twisting his noodles around it, well-practiced. He's, uh, even proud of that, too... I-It took him a while to get the hang of forks... At least he's not eating it with his hands — which he still has no problem with, and even does occasionally to this day. This dinner could be a lot weirder. ]
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That and they're being polite and not talking while they have food in their mouth.]
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Hmm~ So! When we go fishing with Asriel— we'll need a boat. Think we could find one...? Maybe at the bottom of the lake?
[ Th-That's his solution...? Oh, boy. Yeah, cuz a boat that sank is a boat they'd want, clearly. ]
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The fact Alberto mentioned a boat that has sunk does not go by them.]
Or we can fish from the shore, that's a lot easier than finding a boat. Sunk or not.
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No way— none of the fish we'd want are gonna be by the shore...! No, no, we've gotta get a boat.
[ He takes another bite, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully, ruminatively, before a great idea strikes him, and he waves his fork idly in one hand as he explains, energized by his apparent "epiphany." ]
Ooh~! We could make our own boat! I helped Massimo fix his once— after I, uh, set it on fire... But! But! I think I've got the basic idea of how to do it now, plus I've built bunk beds and at least like four or five Vespas— I can build all kinds of stuff...! How hard can a boat be? The three of us could do it together!
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[And Chara's been saving up their money for Asriel's Christmas gift, so they have no plans on spending it on a boat of all things.]
That and you said Asriel isn't the best swimmer, what if he fell out of the boat and drowned or something?
[Covering anything that could happen or just being morbid? Hard to tell with them.]
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[ Alberto holds his whole arms out at their full span, and rises from his seat to spontaneously climb up and stand on his stool. He might be exaggerating a little... but not by much. Massimo really is huge. He keeps his perch for a moment longer, standing tall and towering over the table, as he continues embellishing this idea with gusto. ]
If a little rowboat can hold all that and Massimo, we could definitely make one that'd hold just us and some fish! We'd just need some wood — I've got all the tools! We could totally do it!
[ He gestures with both hands at the tools sticking out from the drawers of the desk and the toaster sitting at the bottom filled with more random hardware supplies... He surely doesn't even know what half these things are, why does he have so much of so much... ]
And besides— I wouldn't let Asriel drown...! I'm a great swimmer — even better at swimming than I am at walking, right? If he fell out, I'd save him. But we'll get him one of those floaty vests anyway, okay?
[ Alberto's clearly getting ahead of himself here... But at least on that note, climbs down from the stool and resumes his seat like a normal gd person. ]
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Well, okay. But I really don't think we could build a boat, or should at least wait until it's warmer to do boat fishing. Wouldn't want to hit the ice and like sink the thing.
[They can just find the bad outcome for everything it seems, as the go back to focusing on eating the meal.]
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[ He takes another bite, rattling off his marine expertise thoughtfully without manners. ]
Mackerel, gallinella, branzino, a ton of fish in the spring...! It'll be the perfect season~
[ He doesn't even know yet that there's snow coming soon enough and he's gonna run into a lot worse weather than these rainy days have shown. Springtime will come as a welcome reprieve far beyond any fishing adventures they have planned. But in the meantime, plenty of time to secure wood for this project. ]
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[Chara is hoping that the delay that possible weather changes will cause Alberto to just, you know, forget about the whole boat idea anyway. Anyway, they'll listen to him list off fish and focus once more on their meal.
Since really they don't have much more to say on the subject.]