The Ghost of Home

Red as Apples

"Oh, Home, I don't know what to do with myself!" Wally sighs wistfully as he leans on his kitchen counter. While you were busy having internalized panic attacks, Wally was having his own conflicts! Though not as bad as yours. You never noticed how he looks at himself in every puddle and window you two walked past, making sure his hair wasn't out of place nor the way he seems to be quite fussy with Howdy, bless his heart, while he looks for every baking material to exist in his store! Today has been nerve-wracking!

Hopefully, a little bit of bonding over baking would slow down the pace!

First-world problems, Home creaks, it's about time you don't use me as an excuse for not having a plus one!

"An excuse?" Wally fumes as he stands up straight. He rests his hands on his hips.

"You are dear to me! You are no excuse!"

The house merely laughs at him, much to Wally's dismay. Little lamb, little lamb! He hears Home make soft little thuds, Aren't you two still acquaintances? You've met for only a few days!

"Friendship can develop at various speeds, I'll have you know!" Wally huffs, looking away. Who knew a house knows how to tease? Is it not natural for him, the first neighbor you meet, to be friends with you? He's Wally Darling! And one of his many mottos is that no neighbor should be left behind! His other mottos? He doesn't remember. "We bond over art! That makes us friends!"

A bit too friendly!

"What are you implying?"

"You and Home seem busy!" You walk into his kitchen. "Am I interrupting something?"

Home makes a noise but Wally intervenes, "Oh, no, no, no! You're never intervening! Come!" Wally fumbles but quickly leveled himself. He grabs both of your shoulders to guide you to his counter. "Home and I were..." Wally trails off.

"You two were..?"

"Discussing my lack of baking skills! Ha..ha! I'm quite a beginner!" Wally pats you awkwardly but you let it slide. You watch as Wally brings out a thick book from his drawers and he rests the book on the counter with a slight thud. From the covers to the pages, it's littered with notes and batter residue. You can tell it was made by a very passionate baker! "It's more of Poppy's thing! But! Worry not, she lent me one of her handy-dandy recipe books! It shouldn't be too hard to follow!"

This feels like a segment from the show, Your eyes wander around Home. You wonder if there are cameras or if they're aware they have an audience. Or rather, used to have an audience. Oh, wait until the restoration team hears about your delusions.

Your thought process was cut off when Wally offered you an apron. Kiss the cook, you read the stitched words on the apron. You peer at Wally's and his says the same thing as well. How many does he own?

"Hm, let's see..." Wally squints at Poppy's frantic scribbles as he ties his apron, "Heart-shaped apple pies..?" he looks back at the packed paper bags, eyes bouncing from one baking pan to another until he finds heart-shaped pie plates! How convenient!

"Here, let me." You walk to the paper bags and grab not one, not two but three of the same shaped pie plates! You lay them on the counter. Speaking of Delusions, you've never felt this much...feelings since you moved out of your own house! You've been unable to make friends or have fun with them because of the size of the city, and it looks like this was enough for you. Wally's peculiar behaviors and the concept of this silly little world, in general, may cause you a little anxiety and discomfort, but a little amount of laughter here and there appears to be just enough for you to reel you in. When did you last prepare a meal with a friend? For a very long time!