Monday - Cooking: Let's start with something simple and very likable.

"Marcoooooh!" He was given a start, and not because of the mention of his name, but because the one who said it was right at his door.

Marco Diaz turned away from his laptop to find Star Butterfly, his family's newest exchange student, currently leaning her royal person against the doorway. Her eyes were noticeably droopy.

Marco quirked a brow. "Do they not knock in Mewni?" he asked, half-joking. In a sudden flash of fear, he hoped that was not some offensive, cultural thing he just made fun of.

Thankfully, either Star did not care or she ignored him completely. "I'm hungryyyy," she rubbed her belly, "and there's nothing to eeeeat."

"Again?" Marco closed his laptop, never breaking eye contact with her. "We just had dinner, like, an hour ago."

"Yeah, but I have an appetite only friendship can satisfy." She drank in the flat look Marco sent her way, then giggled sheepishly. In a quick, quiet voice, she asked him, "Marco, are there any snackies?"

The boy shook his head, much to his new friend's despair. "Not on hand, no. Sorry, Star." Although, just as he said that Marco was struck with an idea. "Actually, I could make some nachos. Are you in the mood for those?"

The way Star began clapping her hands, bouncing on her toes, made Marco grin. "YESYESYES! Those sound soo-per yummy!" Star froze in her little dance, suddenly giving Marco a funny look. "What are 'nah-chose?'"

"This is only going to take a few minutes. I've... never actually made these for friends before. I really hope you like them." Marco smiled shyly as he entered the kitchen, Star skipping just behind him.

With wide, blue eyes peeking over the counter, Star watched her new bestie work his Earth-magic, pressing a button on the mechanical oven to activate it. After putting on a poofy hat that Star just wanted to flatten against his head, Marco took a huge bag out from the pantry and a metal dish from the oven, and proceeded to pour dozens of crispy foodstuffs onto the plate.

Star had so many questions - where did those come from? Did Marco make them? He must have, he's already super smart, and he doesn't need a servant to make her food. He does it himself!

"What are those?" she whisper-yelled, nose poking over the counter when a familiar, sharp scent filled her nostrils.

Marco smiled a relaxed smile as he answered, "These are tortilla chips! Essential in making nachos, as much as the cheese here."

There were several cheeses Marco had taken out from the fridge: orange, white, white with holes. "You can't have one without the other, they're what makes nachos, well, nachos."

Star listened, thought, and then giggled. "So cute!" she quipped.

"Huh?" It was Marco's turn to give her a funny look while he searched for something in the drawer - a metal grater.

Star grinned wistfully as she explained, "These two totally different foods compliment each other so well! It's adorable!"

"Heh... I guess so."

The first chunk, orange, Marco took to a metal grater and proceeded to layer the shavings over these "chips." With bated breath, Star watched him add another layer of chips on top of the cheese, then grate the white hunk on top of that.

"Two layers of chips?!" Star gasped. "Is there another friend coming to snack with me?"

Marco simply laughed. "No, no. It's essential, trust me."

When she realized he was going to add a third layer of chips and cheese, Star was just about ready to squeeze the cute right out of this Earth boy. She thought it was all done after Marco grated some swissed cheese, until he left the fridge with handfuls of veggies - olives, tomatoes, jalapenos. Marco sliced, diced, and sprinkled each one with swift, dexterous cuts.

He had clearly done this many times.

"I would never be able to do this on my own!" Star remarked as the concoction entered the metal oven. "You're so smart, Marco!"

Her friend turned red as his hoodie. "Eh, I'm not that great... So, how was your first official day on Earth?" His smile turned sympathetic. "Sorry you had to be alone - Principal Skeeves didn't want you starting school until next week."

Star waved a hand in dismissal. "Oh, don't worry about it, Marco. It's been great! Your mom is so nice, she showed me tell-a-vision, where you could watch stories, and then she showed me that she can clean your home by herself! She doesn't even need servants, it's so cool! And then, and then she took me to the SUPER-market: an entire store filled with any food you could ask for!"

Star wasn't even out of breath, and she still had a slew of amazing things she wanted to tell Marco about, but he asked her with a cute, quirky smile, "You really think all that stuff is cool?"

"'Cool?' I think it's great!" Star shot both fists into the air. "I love Earth! I love living here with your family!"

Marco said nothing more, he just smiled warmly. "And I hope you love these nachos!" he said with a titter.

He's such a dork, Star thought with a fluttering in her stomach. She remembered what the nachos represented, and said with certainty and joy, "I haven't tried them and I already do!"

Moments later, the oven made a beeping sound and Marco's eyes went alight. "Are you ready?" he questioned, face serious as Sam as he deftly slid each hand into a mitten.

Star straightened up, clasping her hands together. "I was born ready!" And she meant that literally.

Marco's back was to her, yet she could feel the heat from the oven as he retrieved the dish. "All right, Star..." he began, turning. "Feast your eyes on this!"

Happy Wholesome Week, fellow fans! I hope you enjoy my contributions!