Love incomplete [Dustberry]

Nursery

The nursery play area was as busy as ever. Kids of all shapes and sizes ran around chaotically, narrowly missing a collision once in a while. Others had spread themselves out in the reading corner, deciphering words and phrases from the brightly coloured books.

And if you looked close enough among the chaos, far in the back. You'll find a pair of skeletons sitting by each other, one in a star printed baby blue shirt, while the other wore a grey hoodie, purple rings found by the ends of the sleeves. Each child was focused on their own little creation. Crayons, pencils and felt tips were scattered half-hazardously around the circled table, some finding themselves on the floor. Stacks of papers of different colours were messily placed at the middle of the table some having been drawn on already. Across from the skeletons sat a small purple cat monster and a dark skinned human girl. Both as engrossed in their projects as the two opposite each other.

The light blue skeleton (blue as his friends liked to call him) lifted his head. Star shaped eyes looking down at the master piece he had conjured up. In his soft boned hands was a picture filled with some indescribable lines, most of which was a soft green. Four figures were drawn in the image, each seeming to hold their own little object, wide spaghetti like smiles drawn smoothly on their individual faces.

The first character was drawn in a soft blue, in his hand stood a yellow object of sorts, its surface and top half specked in green. The person next to this character was outlined in a dark brown, black hair coming down to their feet and bright purple dress complimenting the lighter blue shirt of the first character. In their hand was a picture of what could possibly be an ice cream cone. Three scoops being coloured in different intricate colours.  The character standing next to them was drawn in a dark grey hands elongated to look like claws. They were holding a pink flower. Colour going against their whole pallet. The last person was drawn in a cute magenta. Ears looking like horns on their head. A long tail was propped in the air behind them, its end a blank white. They had what looked to be a bright yellow balloon.

Blue smiled at the picture, calling out to the people at the table to look at it. The children looked at it in awe, complimenting the younger for the picture. The skeleton next to him looked down at his lap face dusted in a purple blush, while the girl across covered her face in a shy manner. Both bashful and embarrassed. Blue giggled cutely looking at the other skeleton (dust) oddly and the human opposite himself. The purple cat who was named indigo admired the hand drawn image some more, soaking in the pride of having such a talented friend. Her tail swished lightly pleased to be drawn so well. She gave blue back his picture while showing everyone hers

It was of her on what looked to be a whale with a horn. Surrounded by an expanse of light and dark blue crayon.

"Why does the whale have a horn." Asked the human. She seemed to have recovered from whatever bashfulness that took over.

The cat girl looked at her dumbly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, but at seeing the bewildered looks of her friends she sighed and smiled softly explaining how if was a sea animal called a narwhal. To which blue loudly exclaimed. 

"SO ITS A SEA UNICORN!!!!"

"Yea, I guess... I guess it is!"

                ---

A few minutes had passed since then. And during that time dust had shown off his portrait of a crayon field, filled with flowers of every colour, a tree in the top left corner.

Blue had managed to paint the tips of his fingers a startlingly bright red, while indigo had managed to eat three crayons (each of which was a bright yellow). Her excuse being "if their not gonna' feed me then might as well make the use of what we have."

And while her friends were eating crayons, painting their fingers and lucid dreaming. Veara, the girl sitting opposite to blue was still busy adding to her drawing. It was coming together nicely. A soft smile touched her lips as she brushed a gentle hand over the coloured paper, watching as flecks of crayon moved with the wax coated tips of her fingers. Feeling a rush of warmth  grace her round cheeks as she regretted drawing what she did (what if he didn't like it?).

Due to her caught up in her embarrassment, Veara didn't notice a now conscious dust look up at her oddly. The sleepy boy could see the constant swelling of her soul as a sweet smelling scent encircled the table. Confused he sluggishly got up, walking softly around the table to where the girl sat. She hadn't noticed him yet, too busy admiring her drawing. The smell was stronger here.  A deep purple brushed his cheeks for a second time that day, and it only seemed to turn a shade 10 times darker as he peered over her shoulder.

'Is- is that me?' The bluntness of his question didn't seem to go well with the bright hue of his cheeks. He hadn't meant to scare her, but dust now found the girl peering timidly up at him, eyes as wide as saucers as she fumbled with her art. Veara had opened her mouth to say something only for nothing to come out. Ducking her head she nodded, taking dusts hand in her sweaty one and placing the picture into his grasp.

During this exchange, both of the children failed to notice the curious eyes of blue. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous at each sneaky glance of the portrait now in dusts possession. He wanted one too.

Shyly he made his way around the table, softly tapping vearas shoulder.

"Veara... can You draw me a picture too?" The young girl smiled handing the boy a piece of paper from the place she was working. Blue looked down at it in confusion, wondering what she was asking him to do, to which Veara encouraged him to turn over.

So the blue boy twisted over his wrist, beaming once again. He loved it when the quiet girl would draw him something. To him it helped prove their friendship. He had hugged her as a thank you skipping away to the book corner. Dust had also mumbled a thank you, heading to put the gift in his bag.
Veara picked up the last sheet of paper from the table looking around the room for the energetic cat girl. Smiling she headed over to the kitchen corner.

Blue and dust stood next to each other placing the paper into their individual rucksacks. Once done, Blue grabbed onto the others wrist pulling him away to the book-bag entrance. Dust had stuffed his free hand in his pocket, looking down towards his untied shoe laces shuffling quickly across the fake wooden floor. This was a normal thing.

The ringing of a bell caught dusts ears as they entered the main area of the play room. Swiftly, before he could turn anywhere else, Dust gripped onto Blues hand, now pulling him towards a targeted destination. Anyone attending nursery on the same days as dust can tell you that he was an absolute beast at lunch. The boy would always be the first to sit down and the first to ask for seconds. Those who got in his way would either get their shins kicked or closest body part bit. Ringing the lunch bell was equal to releasing a starved tiger from its cage.

-------

All the children had sat around the table, finishing the last remaining bites of their sandwiches and yogurt pots. Chatting happily with each other. A happy stomach makes a happy child.

A session of painting had been held for all the kids with the staff joining in as well. The work had consisted of butterflies, flowers, Spider-Man, unicorns and a collaborated piece by dust and blue of a dog flying through space. It was truly inspirational.

Then finally it was home time and everyone was heading home, smiles and exited speech directed at their respected guardians. The group had said their bye's waving to each other.

A typical day.