i can't help it if i want to kiss you in the rain, so
Flora’s grin folds into something warm and bright at the certainty in his voice, his confidence in his mother’s prediction lifting her mood even further. "I’ve only met your mom a few times," she says, the words lilting with easy sincerity, "but she’s pretty smart. If she says you’re going to be tall, I’d put my money on it."
His wide-eyed shock at the idea of adults not knowing everything pulls a laugh from her, soft and melodic in the cosy little shop. She shakes her head with an exaggerated wrinkle of her nose, curls brushing her cheeks. "Nah. They’re all just really good at faking it." Then she gestures around them with a sweep of her gloved hand, her laughter blooming again. "I mean, I couldn’t even pick out candy without your help. That should tell you everything."
Flora scoops the snowball cookies he recommends into her already overburdened basket, giving an approving nod at the delicate etched detailing. It feels like a very Halo thing to bring on a trip meant to watch the world turn to shimmering colours. "Perfect," she murmurs, before offering him another reassuring smile when he checks if she’s sure. "Absolutely."
Flora heads toward the counter, and as the shopkeeper rings through the mound of cocoa bombs, dinosaur chocolates, pretzels, lemon drops, snowball cookies, chocolate oranges, memory-snow malted balls, and all the sugary treasures heaved onto the counter, Flora doesn’t hesitate in settling the payment for both her haul and Erebos’s. Her fingers are quick, practiced, the gesture as easy as breathing. "I’ve got to get back and pack," she says as she gathers her bags, shifting them in her arms until they settle comfortably. The cold outside presses faintly through the door, a reminder of Halo’s sharp bite. "But I’m super grateful for your help. And when my boyfriend devours all these treats in, like, four seconds, I’m telling him exactly who he has to thank."
She punctuates it with a playful wink, curls bouncing as she leans down just slightly to meet his eye level. "Say hi to your parents for me, okay?" With a final warm wave, she turns toward the door, shoulders bracing as the crisp air spills in. The cold seizes her at once, crisp and bright, but her smile stays warm as she steps out into the snow-dusted world beyond the little shop and lets the door swing shut behind her.
~FIN
His wide-eyed shock at the idea of adults not knowing everything pulls a laugh from her, soft and melodic in the cosy little shop. She shakes her head with an exaggerated wrinkle of her nose, curls brushing her cheeks. "Nah. They’re all just really good at faking it." Then she gestures around them with a sweep of her gloved hand, her laughter blooming again. "I mean, I couldn’t even pick out candy without your help. That should tell you everything."
Flora scoops the snowball cookies he recommends into her already overburdened basket, giving an approving nod at the delicate etched detailing. It feels like a very Halo thing to bring on a trip meant to watch the world turn to shimmering colours. "Perfect," she murmurs, before offering him another reassuring smile when he checks if she’s sure. "Absolutely."
Flora heads toward the counter, and as the shopkeeper rings through the mound of cocoa bombs, dinosaur chocolates, pretzels, lemon drops, snowball cookies, chocolate oranges, memory-snow malted balls, and all the sugary treasures heaved onto the counter, Flora doesn’t hesitate in settling the payment for both her haul and Erebos’s. Her fingers are quick, practiced, the gesture as easy as breathing. "I’ve got to get back and pack," she says as she gathers her bags, shifting them in her arms until they settle comfortably. The cold outside presses faintly through the door, a reminder of Halo’s sharp bite. "But I’m super grateful for your help. And when my boyfriend devours all these treats in, like, four seconds, I’m telling him exactly who he has to thank."
She punctuates it with a playful wink, curls bouncing as she leans down just slightly to meet his eye level. "Say hi to your parents for me, okay?" With a final warm wave, she turns toward the door, shoulders bracing as the crisp air spills in. The cold seizes her at once, crisp and bright, but her smile stays warm as she steps out into the snow-dusted world beyond the little shop and lets the door swing shut behind her.
~FIN
