Flash Friday - Spring Faire by Angie Capozello
Many thanks to the lovely Johanna Harness for inviting me to post my #fridayflash here at #amwriting :) For those not familiar with Nox and Grimm, it's a weekly webserial that can be found at http://techtigger.wordpress.com
Without further ado, here's a little romantic comedy for your weekend entertainment :)
-Angie C.
----
Spring had come early to the northern territories. It slipped in with a rustle of green and the rush of water over rocks. Birds sang paeans to the morning sun, and every drop of dew shone like diamonds. It was a perfect day for a faire, Nox thought, as she strolled through town. The puppy in her carry basket yipped in agreement, its stubby little tail wagging madly. “Are you sure you can hold the enchantment?” she asked him. He yipped again, his pink tongue hanging out in a cute doggie grin. He turned his nose to the food tents and whined. “All right, you glutton, we’ll get you a second breakfast,” she said, laughing at his antics. “Although where you put it all is beyond me.”
They turned down a cobblestone street and followed their noses to a baker’s stall. Tents had sprung up overnight along the river’s edge, lined up in neat rows. The park had areas roped off for sporting events, and the fountain square had a band shell set up with a raised wooden floor for the dancing later that evening.
Nox paid for some sugary fried dough that the puppy was drooling over, and wandered over to a flower merchant while he gleefully wolfed down his treat.
“Good day, Lady Ice!” said the shop owner, an elderly earth kindred wearing a plaid frock marked in lavender and green. “Can I help you pick out some posies for you beau? It is traditional to give a garland to the one you love,” she said, with a knowing smile.
Nox blushed a little at that. She and Loki had only been officially dating for a few weeks, and she still wasn’t used to the fact that everyone was talking about it. “I’m a little new to all this,” she admitted ruefully. “What color do you think I should pick?”
A male voice answered from inside the doorway. “I’d go with the red ones. They should match your love’s element,” Loki said, as he stepped out of the shop. He had a wreath of sky blue flowers in one hand, and a pile of coins for the shopkeeper in the other.
The woman gave Nox the entire bouquet of scarlet daisies. “Here, I’m sure I won’t have any more fire kindreds in my store today,” she said and bustled back inside, giving Loki a conspiratorial wink.
Nox had to juggle the carry basket to take them, earning a warning growl when she nearly tipped out the puppy. It didn’t help that Loki was standing so close. He smelled like warm leather and cologne, and Nox felt her blush deepen. Things had been so much easier when their dates were just a cover story. They had planned out every move and simply followed through. Now she was flying without a compass, and Loki enjoyed knocking her off course. Frequently. Gleefully. The suave bastard.
He leaned down to check out the puppy.”And who is this?”
“His name is Moppet,” Nox said, glad for the chance to regain her composure.
“What a cute little fel…low?” The pup let out something that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. “Oh no, you didn’t! You even stuck a bow on him? Leave the poor guy some dignity!”
Grimm’s deep, rumbling voice echoed in their minds. “I have had no less than a dozen pretty girls fuss over me today and feed me sweets. Have you done as well?”
Loki’s mouth opened, and then shut as he gave the puppy a speculative look. “Hey, do you think I could borrow him for a little while?”
Grimm let out a squeaky growl, and Nox laughed. “I think that means no.”
“Get your own moppet.”
Loki laughed with them. “Well then, I guess I’ll have to go back to my original plan and put this on you,” he said, and placed the wreath onto Nox’s hair. “She was right. They look good on you.”
The shopkeeper was peeking out of the window, pretending to clean the panes. Nox sighed. “Let’s find somewhere a little more private. I don’t need an audience while I make your garland.”
Loki gave her a wicked grin. “I thought you’d never ask.”
The puppy rolled his eyes. “If you two are going to make goo goo eyes at each other, I am out of here.” He jumped out of the basket and bounded into the middle of a group of children, stealing the ribbon they were playing with. The kids tumbled after him, giggling and whooping with glee as they chased him around the square.
“I’m so glad that spell worked,” Nox said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this relaxed. He gets so tired of people being afraid of him.”
“You can’t blame them for being scared. He is a six foot tall Hel hound, after all. ” He took the basket from Nox and set it aside. “Speaking of people being afraid, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous. I won’t bite, I promise.”
Nox could feel her cheeks burning again. “Oh, well, that. Yeah, um…ohhh, crud,” she said, and threw her hands up in the air. “I’m no good at this whole dating thing. If there was a technical journal with proper specifications on how to run things, I’d be fine.”
Loki chuckled. “If it makes you feel better, I’m nearly as clueless as you. I’ve never had a relationship last more than an evening.”
“A one-night stand does not count as a relationship,” she said.
“There, you see? You already know more than I do. I’m just better at faking it.”
She let out an amused snort. “Now you’re just being nice.”
“No. I don’t want to blow this either.” He tipped up her chin and gave her a kiss. “We’ll just have to figure it out together.”
A muffled squee of delight came from the inside of the shop. Nox and Loki exchanged a look, and said at the same time, “Somewhere more private.”
Without further ado, here's a little romantic comedy for your weekend entertainment :)
-Angie C.
----
Spring had come early to the northern territories. It slipped in with a rustle of green and the rush of water over rocks. Birds sang paeans to the morning sun, and every drop of dew shone like diamonds. It was a perfect day for a faire, Nox thought, as she strolled through town. The puppy in her carry basket yipped in agreement, its stubby little tail wagging madly. “Are you sure you can hold the enchantment?” she asked him. He yipped again, his pink tongue hanging out in a cute doggie grin. He turned his nose to the food tents and whined. “All right, you glutton, we’ll get you a second breakfast,” she said, laughing at his antics. “Although where you put it all is beyond me.”
They turned down a cobblestone street and followed their noses to a baker’s stall. Tents had sprung up overnight along the river’s edge, lined up in neat rows. The park had areas roped off for sporting events, and the fountain square had a band shell set up with a raised wooden floor for the dancing later that evening.
Nox paid for some sugary fried dough that the puppy was drooling over, and wandered over to a flower merchant while he gleefully wolfed down his treat.
“Good day, Lady Ice!” said the shop owner, an elderly earth kindred wearing a plaid frock marked in lavender and green. “Can I help you pick out some posies for you beau? It is traditional to give a garland to the one you love,” she said, with a knowing smile.
Nox blushed a little at that. She and Loki had only been officially dating for a few weeks, and she still wasn’t used to the fact that everyone was talking about it. “I’m a little new to all this,” she admitted ruefully. “What color do you think I should pick?”
A male voice answered from inside the doorway. “I’d go with the red ones. They should match your love’s element,” Loki said, as he stepped out of the shop. He had a wreath of sky blue flowers in one hand, and a pile of coins for the shopkeeper in the other.
The woman gave Nox the entire bouquet of scarlet daisies. “Here, I’m sure I won’t have any more fire kindreds in my store today,” she said and bustled back inside, giving Loki a conspiratorial wink.
Nox had to juggle the carry basket to take them, earning a warning growl when she nearly tipped out the puppy. It didn’t help that Loki was standing so close. He smelled like warm leather and cologne, and Nox felt her blush deepen. Things had been so much easier when their dates were just a cover story. They had planned out every move and simply followed through. Now she was flying without a compass, and Loki enjoyed knocking her off course. Frequently. Gleefully. The suave bastard.
He leaned down to check out the puppy.”And who is this?”
“His name is Moppet,” Nox said, glad for the chance to regain her composure.
“What a cute little fel…low?” The pup let out something that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. “Oh no, you didn’t! You even stuck a bow on him? Leave the poor guy some dignity!”
Grimm’s deep, rumbling voice echoed in their minds. “I have had no less than a dozen pretty girls fuss over me today and feed me sweets. Have you done as well?”
Loki’s mouth opened, and then shut as he gave the puppy a speculative look. “Hey, do you think I could borrow him for a little while?”
Grimm let out a squeaky growl, and Nox laughed. “I think that means no.”
“Get your own moppet.”
Loki laughed with them. “Well then, I guess I’ll have to go back to my original plan and put this on you,” he said, and placed the wreath onto Nox’s hair. “She was right. They look good on you.”
The shopkeeper was peeking out of the window, pretending to clean the panes. Nox sighed. “Let’s find somewhere a little more private. I don’t need an audience while I make your garland.”
Loki gave her a wicked grin. “I thought you’d never ask.”
The puppy rolled his eyes. “If you two are going to make goo goo eyes at each other, I am out of here.” He jumped out of the basket and bounded into the middle of a group of children, stealing the ribbon they were playing with. The kids tumbled after him, giggling and whooping with glee as they chased him around the square.
“I’m so glad that spell worked,” Nox said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this relaxed. He gets so tired of people being afraid of him.”
“You can’t blame them for being scared. He is a six foot tall Hel hound, after all. ” He took the basket from Nox and set it aside. “Speaking of people being afraid, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous. I won’t bite, I promise.”
Nox could feel her cheeks burning again. “Oh, well, that. Yeah, um…ohhh, crud,” she said, and threw her hands up in the air. “I’m no good at this whole dating thing. If there was a technical journal with proper specifications on how to run things, I’d be fine.”
Loki chuckled. “If it makes you feel better, I’m nearly as clueless as you. I’ve never had a relationship last more than an evening.”
“A one-night stand does not count as a relationship,” she said.
“There, you see? You already know more than I do. I’m just better at faking it.”
She let out an amused snort. “Now you’re just being nice.”
“No. I don’t want to blow this either.” He tipped up her chin and gave her a kiss. “We’ll just have to figure it out together.”
A muffled squee of delight came from the inside of the shop. Nox and Loki exchanged a look, and said at the same time, “Somewhere more private.”
