(Note: this is a continuation of the Harvest Festival Tale that was released!)
Julian holds up his pumpkin to show you. "What do you think?"
You laugh, looking at it. "You went for the classic triangle eyes, huh?"
Julian smiles, shrugging, "What can I say, I'm a sucker for classics."
You shake your head, holding up your own pumpkin, "What do you think?"
Julian smiles at it, "It's good, buttttt..." He raises an eyebrow. "It would look better with triangle eyes."
You dismiss him, taking a glance at everyone else's intricately carved pumpkins.
"Hey, you wanna go for a walk with me?" Julian asks, setting his pumpkin down on the table.
"Of course." You reply. Julian offers you his arm, which you take. While being in the maze you hadn't gotten the opportunity to see the entire festival.
You pass a booth handing out apple cider. You both stop, each taking a cup. It warms your hands. You didn't even realize how cold it was until then.
"A toast?" Julian proposes, raising his cup.
You chuckle, raising your glass as well, "And what exactly are we roasting for?"
Julian scoffs, "What aren't we roasting for? Amazing friends? A wonderful night? Time spent with you?"
You blush, tapping his cup with yours, "To us."
"To us!" He chants, downing the apple cider. You take a drink as well. It's delicious, it's the perfect temperature and you can tell the apples are fresh.
"Shall we continue, my love?" Julian says, taking a dramatic bow and extending his hand to you.
You laugh, taking it, "Have you been drinking?"
"Oh, only a couple." Julian smiles. "Besides, you like it, you know I get more affectionate when I'm buzzed."
That you can't deny.
You both stroll along the path. The sun's almost setting by now as you reach another booth. It's a bobbing for apples booth.
"Step right up!" The man in front of it says. "Catch an apple in your mouth within 30 seconds and win a plush of your own choosing!"
You look at the prizes that the man mentioned. They're on a shelf behind the booth. Each plush appears hand made, with each one unique and cute.
"Oh, Julian, look!" You say, pointing at a little plush of a crow with button eyes. "It looks like Malak!"
Julian grins, "It does." He steps up to the booth, handing the man a couple of coins. "One game is all I'll need." He says confidently.
You shake your head, "It's harder than it looks!"
Julian winks at you, "Yeah, but I'm special."
The man tells Julian his time has started and Julian dives his head into the water, searching for an apple. You bite at your lip, watching him.
"15 seconds left." The man shouts and still Julian hasn't caught anything. He splashed around in the water, his mouth empty.
"5 seconds." Your heart sinks. There's no way-
Julian resurfaces, a crisp red apple in his mouth. He spits it onto the ground in triumph.
"See, told you I could do it." Julian breathes heavy, wiping his wet hair from his face.
"Congratulations, sir, pick your prize!"
"The little stuffed crow, please." Julian tells him. He takes the toy from the man, presenting it to you.
"Here, a memento from our first Harvest a Festival." Julian says. You take the toy from him, holding it close to your chest.
"I love it."
You bring him in for a kiss. It doesn't matter to you that his wet hair drips onto your face as you kiss. Julian gently kisses back, tugging you closer to him.
After a minute you pull away, staring into his eyes, which seem to soften as he looks at you.
"Best Harvest Festival ever." He says.
"Only Harvest Festival ever." You laugh.
Julian shrugs, "Still the best and next year we'll top it."
"Oh will we?"
"For sure."
