This is Prompt No. 32-Candyfloss

For the rest of the day, Shane and Mitchie swept around the streets of Washington acting "normal." The fairground, however frugal, was bursting with happiness, for people were glad to set aside the horrors of war for a day in the hopes of focusing on how life used to be. There was plenty of music from young men and women aspiring to be fine players, and even though they made mistakes, the crowd hooted and hollered just as loudly as if they were famous and outwardly perfect.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Shane asked as they sat on a creaky old bench under a tree in the park, watching all the different couples and families walk by.

Mitchie nodded, an almost permanent smile still on her face after the whole day. "Very much," she assured him. "This day has been wonderful. Thank you."

Shane smiled at her. "You're most welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

"The question is," Mitchie began, "did you enjoy the day?"

"Definitely," he told her easily. "I spent it with you." Mitchie blushed, ducking her head and nodding like she was grateful that he had said such a thing, but that she really didn't believe him to be serious, so he went on. "I'm being completely serious. Spending a day with you has become one of my favorite things to do, and having you all to myself today has been wonderful."

Mitchie looked up at him and smiled genuinely. "I'm glad," she said truthfully.

At that moment, a candyfloss cart passed by amidst the other people out and about. Mitchie and Shane both turned towards the vendor's voice as he called out, "Candyfloss!"

"Would you like some?" Shane asked eagerly, glancing from Mitchie back to the candyfloss seller, no doubt judging the distance between the two and wondering how fast he would have to run to catch him.

Mitchie, knowing that if she said no, Shane wouldn't get any for himself, said, "Sure. Thank you."

She barely finished the "thank you," before Shane was off the old bench and racing down the street to catch the seller. She had to laugh as she watched him tear down the street. He looked like an overgrown kid! She tried to control her giggles as Shane returned with two fluffy specimens of candyfloss, one in each hand.

"What?" he asked her curiously. "Your face is all red."

At that statement, Mitchie fought desperately to keep her composure and not laugh. "It's nothing," she assured him when she felt that it was safe to talk once again. Without saying anything else, she took one of the treats from Shane's hand and bit into it, more to hide her giant grin than to enjoy the treat. "This is good."

That sent Shane off on a different train of thought, which was Mitchie's point. "It is," he told her. "I haven't had candyfloss in forever."

Mitchie turned the fluffy confection around and around on its stick. "With the war going on, the ingredients for this must've cost a fortune." Her eyes snapped up to Shane's face, alarmed. "You didn't spend a lot on it, did you?"

The guilty look on his face assured her that he had. "Well…" he began, but conveniently trailed off.

"Shane!" Mitchie exclaimed. "You shouldn't be spending your money like that! Flippancy is not ever rewarded."

Shane rolled his eyes and said softly, "You're my date, not my mother."

The request of silence on the subject was absolutely clear to Mitchie, and she conceded. "Very well," she sighed, "but just this once, please, Shane."

Shane sighed dramatically and ran his fingers through his hair before arguing, "What are you supposed to do with money if you can't spend it at some point in your life?" His gaze softened and he ran the back of his hand over Mitchie's cheek, smiling apologetically. "Let me guess, save it?"

Mitchie nodded sheepishly. He knew exactly what she had been thinking. "Maybe, but it's your money, and I won't say another word on the subject. You can spend it however you'd like, whenever you'd like. Okay with you?"

Shane nodded with a smile. "Sounds great."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, eating their candyfloss, before Shane wiped his forehead, once again overly dramatizing the motion, and said, "Pfew!"

Mitchie turned to look at him and frowned. "What?" she asked.

"I just realized something," Shane said, and Mitchie could see that his eyes were twinkling with glee. She was almost afraid to ask.

"What?"

"We just had our first argument as a couple," Shane told her, "and it was just as silly as they always say it turns out to be."

Mitchie had to laugh. "So is the discussion that follows the silly argument," she teased.

"Hey now!" Shane exclaimed, putting his hands into the air as a sign of surrender. "I beg you, don't start our second argument on the same day. I need time to recover."

They both burst out laughing and it took quite a while before either of them could regain their breath. "Oh gosh!" Mitchie wheezed, holding her stomach and trying to hang on to her candyfloss.

When the laughter had subsided, Shane glanced up at Mitchie and noticed that she had a tiny little piece of candyfloss in the corner of her mouth. He whipped out a handkerchief and handed it to her saying, "You have a little bit of candyfloss right in the corner."

Mitchie took the handkerchief and tried to wipe off the smudge of candyfloss, but she kept missing the actual area. "Is it gone yet?" she asked, slightly frustrated, and definitely embarrassed.

"No," Shane told her and took the handkerchief. "Here, let me," he offered. He leaned forward and began to wipe the small smudge off her skin. When he had finished, Shane stilled. He hadn't realized how close he had gotten to her, and now their eyes were both widening as they found themselves inches from each other.

Encouraged by the flicker of a smile across Mitchie's lips, Shane slowly closed the gap between them and kissed her softly, sweetly.

He was struck by the pureness of it all, their first kiss.