Pistachio 10: Fireworks
Title: Fireworks
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Pistachio 10 (lost), malt (PFAH: Danny yearns for your love, the same way you yearn for Lars’s), pocky chain.
Word Count: 500
Rating: PG.
Summary: Summer gets lost and Danny learns where she fits.
Notes: Ivy is not really a bad cook. She just can't resist the urge to carbonize things.
"You cannot," Nathan said, "spend the Fourth of July on your own."
Danny, who'd been planning on doing just that, side-eyed her mentor. "You're kidding, right?"
"Not in the slightest." He shook his head. "It's the Fourth of July, Danny. It's all about the community. You're a patriot, aren't you? Celebrate your country."
"I didn't say I was going to skip it," she said. "I was going to go to fireworks and everything."
"You're coming with my family," Nathan said, with enough finality in his voice that Danny resisted the urge to salute.
She gave in to "Yes, sir!" though.
--
Surprisingly, it wasn't awkward.
There was a barbecue, where Ivy burned things until her mother rolled her eyes and took over. Aaron brought his best friend Lars, who shook Danny's hand and gave Summer the world's solemnest piggy-back ride. They waved little sparklers in the street as the twilight dimmed.
The only false note came when they began the trek down the street to the river, for the best view of the fireworks. Summer, reaching in the near-dark, grabbed Danny's hand.
Then she yelped, said "sorry" very fast, and skittered off to Lars's side.
Danny tried not to feel rejected.
--
It happened sometime during the fireworks. Danny never got the full story, but what she understood of it was that:
One, Summer let go of Lars's hand.
Two, Lars thought she was going to her sister, standing not far away.
Three, she actually headed for her mother, standing further forward than Ivy.
Four, a particularly showy firework went off just then, the crowd shifted, and she never made it to either person.
And five, the worst part by far, was that no one noticed until the fireworks were over, the crowds started to thin out, and Gail asked, "Where's Summer?"
--
Danny, frightened and deeply uncomfortable in the ensuing frantic search, volunteered herself to go find a policeman, and in doing so found Summer.
She clung to the hand of a policeman who was currently speaking into his radio, her breathing perilously close to sobs and her eyes very wide, but otherwise she seemed pretty okay. Not hurt, anyway.
Her eyes lit on Danny, and Danny braced for another yelp. Instead, Summer cried "Danny!" with a sort of desperate joy, let go of the policeman, and clamped on to Danny's hand instead.
"Oh, good," the policeman said, putting down the radio.
--
The Kendalls (and one Warmind) swept Summer up immediately, giving her hugs and lectures with equal abandon. Danny, well used to her mother's frantic fits, was not surprised.
Nor was she really surprised by the way the knot of people shifted to include her. Gail kissed her forehead and said "Bless you" about six times. Nathan hugged her shoulders. Aaron picked her up off the ground. Ivy took a running start. Even Lars pressed her hand with grateful strength.
But none of it felt as good as the surprise of Summer, gripping her hand like steel, and whispering, "Thank you."
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Pistachio 10 (lost), malt (PFAH: Danny yearns for your love, the same way you yearn for Lars’s), pocky chain.
Word Count: 500
Rating: PG.
Summary: Summer gets lost and Danny learns where she fits.
Notes: Ivy is not really a bad cook. She just can't resist the urge to carbonize things.
"You cannot," Nathan said, "spend the Fourth of July on your own."
Danny, who'd been planning on doing just that, side-eyed her mentor. "You're kidding, right?"
"Not in the slightest." He shook his head. "It's the Fourth of July, Danny. It's all about the community. You're a patriot, aren't you? Celebrate your country."
"I didn't say I was going to skip it," she said. "I was going to go to fireworks and everything."
"You're coming with my family," Nathan said, with enough finality in his voice that Danny resisted the urge to salute.
She gave in to "Yes, sir!" though.
--
Surprisingly, it wasn't awkward.
There was a barbecue, where Ivy burned things until her mother rolled her eyes and took over. Aaron brought his best friend Lars, who shook Danny's hand and gave Summer the world's solemnest piggy-back ride. They waved little sparklers in the street as the twilight dimmed.
The only false note came when they began the trek down the street to the river, for the best view of the fireworks. Summer, reaching in the near-dark, grabbed Danny's hand.
Then she yelped, said "sorry" very fast, and skittered off to Lars's side.
Danny tried not to feel rejected.
--
It happened sometime during the fireworks. Danny never got the full story, but what she understood of it was that:
One, Summer let go of Lars's hand.
Two, Lars thought she was going to her sister, standing not far away.
Three, she actually headed for her mother, standing further forward than Ivy.
Four, a particularly showy firework went off just then, the crowd shifted, and she never made it to either person.
And five, the worst part by far, was that no one noticed until the fireworks were over, the crowds started to thin out, and Gail asked, "Where's Summer?"
--
Danny, frightened and deeply uncomfortable in the ensuing frantic search, volunteered herself to go find a policeman, and in doing so found Summer.
She clung to the hand of a policeman who was currently speaking into his radio, her breathing perilously close to sobs and her eyes very wide, but otherwise she seemed pretty okay. Not hurt, anyway.
Her eyes lit on Danny, and Danny braced for another yelp. Instead, Summer cried "Danny!" with a sort of desperate joy, let go of the policeman, and clamped on to Danny's hand instead.
"Oh, good," the policeman said, putting down the radio.
--
The Kendalls (and one Warmind) swept Summer up immediately, giving her hugs and lectures with equal abandon. Danny, well used to her mother's frantic fits, was not surprised.
Nor was she really surprised by the way the knot of people shifted to include her. Gail kissed her forehead and said "Bless you" about six times. Nathan hugged her shoulders. Aaron picked her up off the ground. Ivy took a running start. Even Lars pressed her hand with grateful strength.
But none of it felt as good as the surprise of Summer, gripping her hand like steel, and whispering, "Thank you."