From 308aee99a6b52cc4cce11c96714880201aafd497 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?UTF-8?q?=E3=83=AA=E3=82=AD=E8=90=8C?= Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2025 22:28:08 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] story: Amber --- content/amber.dj | 200 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 200 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/amber.dj diff --git a/content/amber.dj b/content/amber.dj new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ba1e4b --- /dev/null +++ b/content/amber.dj @@ -0,0 +1,200 @@ +title = "Amber" + ++++ + +It was time to end work for the day. +We headed out of the office to the nearest train station. +The plan: do groceries, cook dinner, head back home. + +We still didn't have any dinner plans for today, so it was time to settle on those. + +--- Hey, Amber? --- I asked.\ +--- Mm?\ +--- Any ideas for dinner today? + +Amber became lost in thought for a while. +Her and I have never been the best ideators when it came to brainstorming food, but she looked as if she was putting her all into it. + +--- Considering all the quintessential dishes in our exquisite home-cooked meal menu...\ +--- Mm-hmm.\ +--- ...taking into account my desires and needs, hopes, and dreams...\ +--- Uh-huh.\ +--- I conclude... + +--- Meat. + +--- ...You realise you're not being very helpful, are you? --- I replied.\ +--- What? Whyyy...? + +I took a deep breath. + +--- Meat is present in a large amount of dishes from various cuisines around the world. +Beginning with the basics, like whether it's fried, grilled, boiled, sous-vide, passing through the details, such as toppings used and side dishes...\ +--- So?\ +--- What I'm saying is that you're skedaddling around my question in the laziest way possible. +You can't just have "meat" for dinner.\ +--- Ruuude! + +A brief moment of silence occurred between us. +I thought a bit about what to eat. + +Vegetables, meat.\ +Vegetables.\ +Meat. + +Vegetables, + +Meat. +Eat. +{~Eat.{~ +Eat.~}~} + +--- I'm making fajitas.\ +--- Oh come on, you know I hate bell peppers!!\ +--- Too bad. + +Amber's face turned gloomy. + +--- I'll pick them out of your plate.\ +--- Promise?\ +--- Promise. + +The train arrived at the station. +It was time to gro gocery shopping. +Go shocerry shopping. +Sho gocerry-- + +`The doors are closing. Please stand back.` + +As the train started moving, I started thinking about the weather. + +The seasons were slowly changing, from winter, to spring.\ +It was the first clear day since last week, with a majestically blue sky, lit up by our beloved friend, the Sun. + +With the orange sunset arriving slowly at the horizon, I pondered at the skyscrapers, roads, rivers, and bridges, whizzing past the window. +I appreciated how the plants in the parks were beginning to bloom. + +The sights outside filled me with a certain nostalgia. + +`Next station: Forestville` + +Time to get off. + +--- Hey, Vec.\ +--- Yeah?\ +--- Can I get a chocolate bar?\ +--- What for?\ +--- Because I want one?\ +--- But you didn't do anything. +You haven't _earned_ it.\ +--- Come ooooon, I want a bar of chocolate!!\ +--- No. + +... + +--- ...Alright, I'll get you one if you eat the bell peppers today.\ +--- Okay! + +... + +--- Wait, what? + +But she realised it too late. +I left her behind in front of the store, with the same old surprised look on her face. + +It's honestly surprising how often she falls for that one. +You'd think her fox genetics would make her really swift and quick-witted, but it's the exact opposite. +She's a bit of a dummy. + +With the groceries done, and Amber still bewildered by my trick, it was time to walk back home. +Four streets down the road, a five minute walk later, was our little house. + +Shoes taken off at the entrance. +My paws felt immediate relief after a whole day of wearing them. + +Three rooms. +One mine, one Amber's, one shared. +And a kitchen and a bathroom. + +I walked into the kitchen across the warm wooden floor panels. +It was time to cook.\ +Well, almost time. + +--- Amber! Don't forget to clean your room!\ +--- Yeah, yeah!\ +--- Don't you "yeah, yeah" me! +You're not getting any food until you throw all those beverage cans out the trash! + +_Now_, it was time to cook. + +An onion, peeled and chopped into tiny pieces. +Three colourful bell peppers, one red, one yellow, one green, cut into strips. +Meat cut into cubes, seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and a pinch of chilli flakes. + +Olive oil poured into a deep wok, heated up on the induction stove, together with a regular frying pan for the meat. +I poured the onion and peppers onto the wok, letting out a fragrant smell. +While the vegetables were sizzling out their water, I cooked the meat well done on the other pan. + +I mixed the meat into the vegetables, and let the ingredients soak in each other's aromas. + +Fajitas was ready. +It was time to eat. + +Well, almost time. +Again. + +--- Amber! Have you cleaned your room as requested?\ +--- Uhh, yeah!\ +--- Shall I come in and see?\ +--- Uhh, no!\ +--- So you haven't cleaned your room yet.\ +--- I don't have enough fuel! +Let me eat first!\ +--- Try not to clean your room afterwards and I'm turning off the breakers.\ +--- Sure thing, _MOM_! --- she exclaimed as she sat down in front of the table.\ +--- Knock it off. + +She slid her hand across the table, almost as if to knock the cutlery off.\ +But instead, she picked it up, and exclaimed,\ +--- Let's dig in!\ +--- Let's dig in. --- I replied. + +And dig in, we did. + +--- What did you do to the peppers? --- Amber said while chewing on the food.\ +--- What do you mean?\ +--- They're surprisingly good.\ +--- I know, right. + +I swallowed the bite I was chewing on. + +--- But I didn't do anything special. +Just followed the recipe.\ +--- So you're telling me bell peppers were always this good?\ +--- In essence? Yeah, though, these are better than usual.\ +--- You should make them more often.\ +--- Ha ha, we'll see. + +We finished our place, and I once again reminded her. + +--- Don't forget to clean your room.\ +--- Yes sir, Mr. Vector!\ +--- A surprising amount of enthusiasm, I hear.\ +--- Life's better when your fuel tank's full! + +I didn't question the fuel tank thing, so as not to walk straight into her japes, and instead went straight to my room. + +Tired and full, I laid down on my bed, and thought. + +"How long have we been roommates again?" + +I looked at the calendar on my phone. +"...a couple months, huh." + +"Feels more like an eternity." + +And with that last thought, my eyes began to close. +My mind slowly drifted away, and soon enough... + +It was time to dream. +