Let's make a deal

Iskra

Iskra expected he'd want to leave back to Halo as soon as possible, the unbearable weight of being home here, one more thing to bear when he's so tired of shouldering his grief all these years. Yet...the daunting part had been returning. Now that he's here, he finds he's slipped back into the rhythm of the beach town, and each corner he turns grants him a fond smile, the good of the place outshining all the misery he expected. His memories from here are bright, and it's only the end that's tarnished. Maybe he's just more at peace than expected after doing a proper send off to his mom, maybe it's just that the warmth of the good times are lighter and they float up against him, burying all the ghosts, at least for now. Whatever it is, he's walking the streets, content.

He's still dressed in his green swim trunks with Ludo patterning, and his Catch Of The Day tank-top with the fish over it. He's got his flipflops, shades, and ample sunscreen over his pale legs. At his side, Goose trots along, tongue lolling in the heat, ears slanted sideways with lazy indifference.

Hearing the lift of voices, Iskra glances over to the stall's commotion, perusing other nearby wares while leaving his ear open for the man's troubles. Goose has less of a mind for laying low, and though there's raised voices, there's also tantalizing smells. He pads over to the stall, nosing at one of Tal's hands to check he's not the one with the goods.

I can see the sunshine for the first time in a while
It's like I've been baptized by the warmth of your smile