The pizza arrived in a mountain of boxes that Sally insisted on arranging "strategically" across every available surface.
"Okay so THIS one is classic pepperoni which is entry-level but essential," she explained, opening boxes with the enthusiasm of soone revealing sacred texts. "THIS one is supre which has EVERYTHING and will test your commitnt. THIS one is Hawaiian which is controversial—"
"Why is it controversial?" Zale asked, genuinely curious.
"Because SO PEOPLE—" Sally shot a look at Alex, "—think pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza. Those people are WRONG but we respect their incorrect opinions."
"It’s fruit on bread with cheese," Alex said. "It’s objectively weird."
"It’s DELICIOUS and you have NO TASTE."
Naga picked up a slice of pepperoni pizza, studying it with the intensity usually reserved for potential threats. He sniffed it carefully, tongue flickering out once to taste the air around it.
Sally’s eyes went WIDE.
"Did you just—did your tongue—IT MOVED WEIRD—"
"Slling it," Naga said quickly, taking a bite before she could investigate further.
His expression went through several rapid changes: confusion, surprise, consideration, and finally sothing approaching approval.
"This is... acceptable," he said. "The at is well-cooked. The bread is soft. The cheese is—" He paused. "—surprisingly good."
"ACCEPTABLE?!" Sally looked personally offended. "It’s PIZZA! It’s a GIFT FROM THE FOOD GODS!"
"It’s adequate nutrition," Naga anded, taking another bite.
Leo had already claid three slices and was eating with the focused intensity of soone who’d crossed a deadly marsh on pure determination and was now applying that sa energy to consuming pizza.
"This is really good," he said between bites. "Better than dried at. Way better than the rations we carried through Eagle territory."
"Eagle territory?" Sally’s ears perked up. "You guys went HIKING? Is that the out-of-town thing? Were you on so kind of wilderness adventure? IS THIS A SURVIVAL GROUP?!"
"Sothing like that," Alex said evasively.
Zale had chosen a slice with vegetables, examining each topping with careful interest before taking a small bite.
"The flavors are... complex," he said. "Multiple textures. The...bread is soft, but the cheese— I never had anything like this. It’s stretchy. How is it made?"
"From milk," Sally explained. "You take milk, do so science to it, and BAM. Cheese."
"Science," Zale repeated, clearly filing this away for later contemplation.
Drakar had claid an entire pizza for himself—the at lover’s special—and was eating it with the dignified air of soone consuming tribute.
"Interesting," he rumbled between bites. "Humans have created sothing both simple and indulgent. Efficient for feeding large groups, yet satisfying enough to be enjoyed. I approve."
"Final boss man approves of pizza," Sally said, nodding sagely. "This is the best day of my life. Also—" She grabbed another slice, "—we haven’t even gotten to DESSERT pizza yet which is where things get REALLY interesting—"
"There’s dessert pizza?" Leo looked up, interested.
"Oh sweet sumr child," Sally said. "There is SO MUCH you don’t know about food. We have ICE CREAM. And COOKIES. And sothing called BOBA TEA which is a WHOLE EXPERIENCE—"
[Your sister is going to give them all sugar highs,]
System observed.
[This will be entertaining.]
"This will be a disaster," Alex corrected.
Skye had been quiet, carefully eating a single slice of cheese pizza while watching How to Train Your Dragon with the kind of focus that suggested he was seeing sothing deeply aningful in the animated Viking boy learning to fly with his dragon friend.
"They can’t actually fly like that," he said suddenly, pointing at the screen where Hiccup and Toothless were doing aerial acrobatics. "The bodies are wrong. The dragon’s wings are too small for his body mass, and the turns are too tight—a real dragon that size would need more space to maneuver—"
He stopped, realizing everyone was staring at him.
"I an," he added quickly, " If dragons were real. Which they’re not. Obviously."
Sally’s eyes were SHINING.
"You know a LOT about theoretical dragon physics," she said slowly. "Almost like you’ve... studied them. In person, maybe?"
"I like birds," Skye said, which wasn’t technically a lie. "Flight things interest ."
"Uh-huh." Sally was clearly filing this away in her ntal "SUSPICIOUS THINGS ABOUT ALEX’S MYSTERIOUS FRIENDS" folder. "Birds. Sure. That explains the sad bird energy."
"Sad bird energy?" Skye repeated.
"You have the vibe of soone who used to fly but can’t anymore and it makes you sad," Sally said with the blunt honesty only teenagers could manage. "Like a bird with a broken wing. taphorically. Or maybe literally. I don’t know your life."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Skye’s hand had gone very still on his pizza slice.
"Sally," Alex said quietly. "Maybe—"
"It’s okay," Skye interrupted, his voice rough. "She’s not wrong. I did fly. I can’t anymore. And it does make sad."
He looked at Sally directly, silver-grey eyes eting her surprised gaze.
"But I’m learning that maybe that’s okay. That maybe I can be more than just soone who flies. That maybe being broken doesn’t an being worthless."
Sally was quiet for approximately three seconds.
Then she lunged across the couch and hugged him.
"YOU’RE NOT WORTHLESS!" she declared fiercely, squeezing him tight enough that Skye made a small startled sound. "You’re AMAZING and you explained dragon physics to which automatically makes you my second-favorite person after my brother and I’m adopting you as my sad bird friend and I’ll call you bro from now on we’re going to watch ALL the flying movies and you’re going to HEAL—"
"Sally—" Alex tried.
"—and anyone who made you feel bad about not being able to fly can FIGHT —"
"SALLY—"
"—because you’re PERFECT and also I’m keeping you—"
Skye, who had gone absolutely rigid when the hug started, slowly—very slowly—relaxed. His arms ca up, hesitant, and returned the embrace.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Sally pulled back, wiping her eyes quickly.
"Okay," she said, voice slightly thick. "Okay we’re watching Lilo & Stitch next because it’s about FAMILY and BELONGING and there’s an alien who’s destructive but learns to be better and I think you need that ssage right now—"
She grabbed the remote, aggressively scrolling through streaming services while muttering about "emotional support movies" and "found family narratives."
Naga leaned close to Alex, scales pressed against him in the way that ant he was feeling protective.
"Your sister," he murmured, "has a very large heart."
"Yeah," Alex said, watching Sally explain the entire plot of Lilo & Stitch to Skye before the movie even started. "She does. She’s had to grow up too fast since our parents died, but she’s... she’s good. Really good."
"She reminds of River," Leo observed. "The way she just accepts things. Sees through the surface to what matters underneath."
"River is three months old," Alex pointed out.
"And wise beyond his months," Leo said seriously. "Like your sister is wise beyond her years."
Drakar, having finished his entire pizza, was now examining the empty box with interest.
"The container itself is clever," he said. "Designed to be disposable yet sturdy enough to protect the food during transport. Humans have developed impressive solutions to logistical problems."
"It’s a pizza box," Alex said. "It’s not that impressive."
"Everything is impressive when you’ve spent a thousand years watching lesser species struggle with basic resource distribution," Drakar countered. "This—" he held up the box, "—represents efficient thinking. I respect it."
"Final boss man respects our pizza boxes," Sally called from the couch without looking away from the TV. "I love him. Can we keep him? I want to keep him."
"He’s not a pet—" Alex started.
"I wouldn’t mind being kept," Drakar said, amused. "Your sister’s enthusiasm is refreshing. Most creatures are too intimidated to speak to so casually."
"That’s because most creatures have survival instincts," Alex muttered.
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