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Selena giggled but didn’t spout off another iteration, though perhaps not for a lack of trying. Judging from her expression, she was still thinking.

Hector had a feeling that this would keep going for quite a while if he didn’t change the subject first. “Have you had something to eat yet, yourself?” he asked.

That seemed to catch her by surprise. “Er, um, no...”

“Then why don’t you go grab something from the kitchen and join me?” said Hector. “Or you could have some of my steak, if you want.”

“What? No, I couldn’t possibly--I mean, I made that for you. It’d be weird if I--um--I don’t know if--that’s just--I mean, honestly, how could you even--?”

Hmm. Had that been a weird suggestion on his part? Maybe it was. She certainly seemed flustered by it for some reason.

He didn’t really get it. “Do you want some of my spinach, then?”

She took an abrupt break from her fumbling. “...I hate spinach.”

Hector couldn’t help snickering again. “It’s not for everyone, I guess. It’s pretty healthy, though, I think.”

“If it wants me to eat it, then maybe it shouldn’t taste like a bag full of lawn mower shavings.”

“I’m not sure it wants anything. It’s spinach.”

“I’m more of a carnivore,” she said.

“Oh, so you do want the steak.” He started cutting her off a portion.

“No, I--agh, if I want one, I’ll make one later! You just sit there and eat! I swear if you keep trying to give that to me, I’ll start to think you were lying before about it being good! That you’re just trying to find an excuse so you don’t have to finish it!”

Man, she sure was getting animated again. It was really strange how she could waffle back and forth between being so reserved and being so full of energy.

He was mainly just amused, though, and he did indeed go back to eating quietly as he waited for her to settle down.

Once she did, another bit of silence descended upon the table, though it felt decidedly less awkward than before. Instead, it felt more like they were both waiting for the other to make some sort of move so that they could try to counter it.

Or at least, that was Hector’s feeling, anyway. He smiled as he chewed.

“...Warm as a woolly mammoth,” said Selena.

Oh, goddammit.