compete against the stars (with all of our hearts)
Characters: Stella Gray, N Harmonia
Word Count: 509
He’s not sure what to make of her. Her companion seems to like her and it’s almost magnetic, the way she draws him in each time their paths cross. Something that feels strange is the way she looks at him: not up like his subjects, or down like his father. Well, she is looking up—she’s honestly rather short—but the point of it is that she doesn’t seem to expect anything of him.
She simply takes his hand and tugs him along with a laugh and a smile. They’re in Nimbasa, another chance encounter, and she leads him to the amusement park—in the distance, he catches sight of a ferris wheel.
There’s a wide range of attractions, though, and she stops at a row of game booths. There’s something in her smile, he thinks, that wasn’t there the last time they met—what it is, he isn’t sure.
She winks, and he’s not sure what it’s supposed to mean. Before he can ask, she spins around to face one of the vendors, exchanging some money for a set of darts. “Hey, N! Watch this!”
He does, watching with interest as she shifts her stance, looking from the darts in her hand to her targets. After a moment's consideration she throws the first one and the sound of a pop can be heard, followed by another. Somehow she’s taken out two balloons with just the first dart.
Admittedly he doesn’t know much about these games; the rides and their mechanics have always been more a point of interest. But he keeps watching as she throws the second and the third, neither as impressive a shot as the first but still seemingly respectable.
With a proud smile, she selects her prize: a chain necklace with a silver triangle charm, which she carefully places around his neck. It's almost ceremonial, as if the object is meant to be treasured.
After a moment’s thought, he follows in her steps; taking in his hand a set of darts. His throws are precise, practiced, but that’s not important. The attendant asks him what he would like for his prize.
He picks a shimmering hairpin in the shape of a star and hands it to her; which she puts on without hesitation.
Suddenly, she takes his hand again, tugging him toward the vendors selling food that’s more sugar than anything else. The cotton candy she hands him is far too sweet, but he’s smiling anyway as she takes her caramel apple; which seems like it’s been dipped in about twenty things that aren’t caramel, but she seems happy with it.
She looks to him, a serious expression he hasn’t seen before on her face. “Are you having fun?”
And her smile is back, as if it never left. “That’s good! Is there anything you want to do here? I guess this isn’t as much your thing as it is mine, huh…”
“Actually, there is one thing.”
This time, it’s his turn to reach for her hand. “Let’s go on the ferris wheel.”
