Living in a Frog World (Male OC x Anne Boonchuy)

Part 2: Chapter 12: Day of the Croaked

Coming down the round leading to Wartwood filled Frank with a sense of nostalgia. It was like being filled with the sensation of returning home. Newtopia was a bustling city. It was clean and secure, but very alien to Frank. He knew no one, and it felt like he couldn't even allow himself to make any relationships with the people he met. Not with how short of a time they had in the capital. That feeling wasn't there when he thought about coming back to Wartwood. It felt like coming home to your childhood home after so long. And it was the same feeling that was running through the frogs that accompanied him and Anne on their journey to Newtopia.

Hop Pop inhaled the swamp air and sighed. "Ah, how I miss the swamp air. The aroma of grass, a whisper of manure, and just a pinch of humidity," he said, happy to be home again. "Do you feel that humidity, Anne?"

Frank turned to his girlfriend and nearly burst into laughter. Anne wasn't just sweating; her hair frizzled outwards from the humidity, making it look like she had an afro covering her eyes, too.

"A pinch," Anne said.

With a chuckle, Frank helped her out by brushing her hair up off her eyes. "There, better," he asked, smiling.

"It is now, handsome," Anne flirted with a smirk upon seeing her boyfriend's face. This caused him to laugh shyly, rubbing the back of his head with a blush on his face. He returned the favor by kissing her on the cheek, making Anne laugh and hug him. Needless to say, the revelation of their love for one another had blossomed spectacularly during their journey back to Wartwood. In fact, Frank would say they were more synchronized in both their actions and thoughts after they officially shipped together. More than they ever had been as friends

That's when Polly gasped as she popped out of Anne's hair and exclaimed, "Eck! Can you two not do that while I'm in here?!"

"Sorry, Polly, but as an awesome girlfriend, it is my duty to show affection to my cute boyfriend," Anne said proudly, hugging her boyfriend and cuddling up to him.

"Wait, I thought I was the awesome boyfriend and you were the cute girlfriend," Frank said, smirking at Anne.

"It's the other way around for me."

Polly groaned in annoyance and hopped out of Anne's hair.

Sprig hopped with excitement as he said, "I hope we can make it in time for the Day of the Croaked festival."

"The what," Anne asked, looking at her frog best friend in confusion.

"Day of the Croaked," Sprig said. "It's the day where we celebrate everyone who passed away."

"Whoa, wait, you frogs have Día de los Muertos here too," Frank asked, his eyes filling with amazement and wonder.

"Dilly lost Mortas?"

Frank chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Día de los Muertos, guys. It's Spanish for Day of the Dead. Every year, we'd celebrate those who've passed away, who are allowed to return to the world of the living for two days."

"Wait, two days," Polly asked.

"One day for kids that died and the other for adults who died."

"Then shouldn't it be called Days of the Dead," asked Sprig.

"Hey, man, I don't name this stuff. For both days, there are big parties, offerings to the dead, everyone dressed up and painted skulls and skeletons called calaveras," Frank said, getting looks from everyone. "They're not real. They're made of sugar."

"Boo," said Polly.

"You use real skulls," Anne asked.

"No, they're made of sugar too," Polly said, crossing her arms, pouting.