Kenchanting || Ken

Two Kenants Under One Roof

Penny quickly said goodbye to Allan and made her way to her borrowed residence. Talking to Allan had been so fun she completely forgot. She wanted to practice the routine some more before the party began. She wanted to be perfect. Even though Barbie had been so kind before, and Penny knew she likely wouldn't care if she made a few mistakes, she still wanted to do the routine perfectly. She wouldn't mess it up in front of everyone. She wouldn't ruin Barbie's party.

When she finally got to her temporary, but in all reality likely permanent, home, she quickly ran in and closed the doors behind her. She hummed the melody to the song Barbie played and began to dance the routine slowly, focusing closely on each individual move. She closed her eyes and pictured the others who would be dancing around her, taking great care to be in step with them. 

Once she was able to do it perfectly, without so much as a step out of place, she practiced it at the dance's normal speed, but at this point, she didn't have much time before she had to leave.

Just as she finished and struck out the final pose, her door opened. She and Ken looked at each other with wide eyes before they both let out high-pitched screams. 

"Ah! Ken, you scared me!" Penny said once she calmed herself down. 

Ken was still screaming.

"Ken, it's okay, it's over now."

Ken stopped and cleared his throat to cover up his embarrassment. He straightened up to act as if he was unaffected by everything that just happened, "Right, right. So how are you?"

"Uhh, I'm fine. How are you? And not that it isn't nice seeing you, but why are you here?"

"I live here?" he answered, but he didn't sound too sure of that fact, "Why are you here?"

"I live here," Penny replied. "Barbie said I could stay here until Mattel builds me my own playset."

"Ahh," Ken said awkwardly.

"Wait," Penny realized, "What do you mean you live here? Don't you have your own playset?"

Ken rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Not really? I mean Kens just use whatever playsets the Barbies aren't using. Barbies all stay in their dreamhouses, so there are a lot of empty beds around for us to use. We switch every now and then to keep it fair. I wanted the Barbie Malibu House™ this month, but Ken called it before me." He glared down at the floor as if trying to will a curse upon this other Ken.

Penny frowned, "But you deserve your own home too. The playsets are too small for permanent residence, and moving around all the time doesn't give you the chance to settle in. Maybe they're making you one, and it's just taking them a while."

Ken shrugged, "Yeah, well, that's just how things are. I doubt they'll ever come out with Ken dreamhouses."

Penny looked down and thought hard before looking back up at him with a determined look. "Well, when I get my house, you're welcome to use it at any time. Depending on how big it is, we can even redesign one of the rooms so that you can have a permanent place to call home."

Ken wasn't sure that Penny would ever get her own home, but the fact she offered him a place to call home was more than enough to give him hope. He hoped she did get a place of her own, not just so he could move in, but because he believed someone as kind as her deserved one. 

"I'd appreciate that, Penny." He smiled at her. Barbie never let him stay over, every time he asked she would shoot him down. He hadn't asked in a while because of that, he'd have to ask her again soon. Maybe things would be different this time. 

"Wait if you're staying here for the month, why didn't you come back last night."

Ken's cheeks turned slightly red as he answered sheepishly, "I might've fallen asleep on the beach accidentally."

The silence that followed showed how uncomfortable and nervous Ken was so naturally, Penny told a stupid joke, "Do you know how you put a baby astronaut to sleep?"

"How?" Ken asked seriously, not understanding she was telling a joke.

She paused before answering, "You rocket."

Ken understood this joke, so he let out a loud laugh. Penny smiled widely. This was the hardest Ken had laughed at one of her jokes. It was a pretty simple one too. It made her realize that Ken probably liked simpler jokes. 

She was about to tell another joke, but she then realized the time. She had to get over to Barbie's soon, so she could get ready for the party. "Sorry Ken, I just remembered I have to go and get ready at Barbie's before the party. But I'll see you there?"

"I'll be there." Ken smiled back. 

"I look forward to it." She started to leave but turned back around, "Oh, and I'll ask around and see if anyone has an extra cot we could borrow. I mean, as long as you're okay with sharing this glam house with me? If you're not, I understand, I'll find another place to stay." 

Ken was taken aback. He assumed he'd have to leave and find another place to stay for the rest of the month, but she was okay with sharing the place with him. Barbie never once let him stay over, and they'd been dating since they both have existed. 

"I'm okay with sharing. Are you okay with that?" He sputtered out.

"Of course!" she smiled, before leaving the house. Ken stared at the door, half expecting her to come back and tell him it was just one of her jokes. But she didn't. Only after a few minutes did it truly sink in that she was being serious. He felt excited.

When Penny finally arrived at Barbie's house, Barbie was quick to greet her and invited her in for the second time that day. Two laughed and joked around as Barbie picked out a dress for Penny and helped her put her curly hair in an updo.