Meal time

"Come on over!" Nemo says.

"What's up, Dracy. You going to start joining our meals now?" Lupin asks.

"We welcome you, Dracy." Victoria says.

"Stop calling me that! I had **** in the matter, as Elliot was quite insistent." Dracula II says.

"Ahah. Meals are so much more enjoyable with a bigger group. I welcome you to the table as well." Doreen says.

"I change my mind. I'm eating in my room!" Dracula II says.

"Stay here and eat." Van Helsing says this quietly, but with strength. "If you want to keep an eye on me so I don't escape, isn't it better if we were to eat together?"

"Don't premise to tell me what to do." Dracula II says.

"Come on, chill out. Here, sit right there. I cook the meals so they taste great when we all eat together as a group." Nemo quickly ushers Dracy to a seat and pushes her towards the table.

"Now let's enjoy our meal." Doreen says.

"Hmph. Humans food! It's so mediocre! Mmph, hmph!" Although she won't stop complaining, Dracy eats with more enthusiasm than any of us at the table.

"You're being rude to the cook." I say.

"It's fine! I can tell how Dracy feels about the food by the way she's scarfing it down." Nemo says.

"No, he's right. My words were disrespectful, considering that I'm being provided with food." Dracula II says.

"Glad you like it. Good thing, huh, Van Helsing? You were the one who was most worried." Nemo says.

Van Helsing says nothing.

"Ahah, is she pretending not to hear you?" Doreen asks.

That's how we welcomed a new member into our mealtime gatherings.

I feel like I'm being observed and look up. My eyes meet Victoria's, and she smiles, as if to play it off.