#i'm not happy with the ending but it's 1:30am so let's not delay this any longer

[starswordartblog]

Late entry for @oc-growth-and-development OCtober day 8: Festival

The festival had been fun. The town of Aceno was alight with magical lanterns and full of color with the flags and decorations placed everywhere. There were plenty of food stands too, to Nathan's joy, and also to his frustration once his money was gone. Because he still preferred to live in the wilderness, he wasn't used to the fact food could be in his reach yet forbidden to get if you couldn't buy. Moira had to dissuade him from stealing a few times, and also spend her own money to appease him a bit. She was kinda angry about it, but well, it was her own decision, and it's not like he didn't share the food, with both her and Uni.

As the sun began to set they had to slow down with the fun, for Uni had become tired and couldn't fly anymore. He couldn't walk with the fish fins he had instead of feet, and while Nathan had been insisting he could carry him around for the rest of the day, Moira wasn't buying it, and convinced them to just sit in the park and relax for a while.

"There, there, you tough boys," she sighed, one hand on her hips and the other handing out some cupcakes, "that was the last of my money, so enjoy it, okay? Don't eat too fast."

"Alright, alright," Nathan mumbled, taking a cupcake, "you're tired to walk but not tired of complaining I guess."

Her eyebrow twitched as she bit back the remarks that he was way sweatier, and breathing way more heavily, and she only pretended to be exhausted so he'd stop being stubborn. Saying all that would just rile him back up, it was easier if he thought he was helping her.

Instead she turned to Uni, who had just taken a small bite of his cupcake too. "Hey, Uni, it is good?" she asked, pointing to the sweet.

"Good!" Despite seeming to be around Nathan's age, Uni wasn't too good with words yet, so it was hard to know if that was an actual answer or just him echoing her word back at her as he tended to do. But he was smiling, so that was good enough for her.

"So, what do we say when someone gives us something good?"

"Thanks!" he answered. She had been teaching him that the whole day, and it seemed to have stuck at last, as he didn't even pause to remember it.

"Yes, yes, you're a nice boy now, Uni," she said, puffing her chest and side-eyeing Nathan. "Someone has to be a good example here."

Uni followed her gaze. "Good example here..." he pointed at Nathan's cupcake, or well, the small part left of it. "Good? Thanks?"

Nathan threw his hands in the air. "Alright I get it! Thank you." He pretty much growled the words at Moira, not meeting her eyes. "For the cupcakes, and all the other food before. For dealing with the money stuff. That I guess was important to you." he added, the words getting softer as he started curling up. But then he snapped back, getting back up to be face to face with her. "I'll get better, okay? I'll get better with it and next time I'll get all the food for you, and that toy you wanted from that shop too! I'll get you anything you want!"

Moira blinked a few times in surprise, having instinctively leaned back a bit from the outburst. Then she giggled, "Geez, you're so intense, it's kinda cute." She then put a hand on his shoulders as he made an indignant noise at that remark. "You don't have to give me anything back, I helped you 'cause I wanted to. You do that all the time too, we're friends. Saying thanks is just so your friends know they did good for you. Then everyone feels nice."

"Everyone feels nice. Was nice today!" Uni added.

Nathan sat back down and slid to his brother's side, ruffling his hair with one hand. "Sure was, buddy!"

Moira smiled fondly at the two kids, before finally sitting down next to her to relax. They were so weird, but being friends with them made her feel free as well. She had never been happier, she would never need any other payment.