RotBTFD 30 Day Challenge: Day one.
Prompt: Leaves.
Halloween was fast approaching, and the gang was feeling the need to get out of the school for a bit. It was one of those rare fall nights when the temperature was just cold enough for the boys to feel the need to wrap their arms around their girlfriends, but not so cold that they couldn't have a good time. It wasn't against the rules to leave school grounds on weekends, so the crew packed up in Merida's van equipped with all sorts of food, blankets, and firewood for the bonfire they were going to have. Merida's van was stuffed to capacity, hauling along herself, Hiccup, Astrid, Tooth, Jack, Rapunzel, Eugene, Hubert, Hamish, Harris, Emily-Anne, Baby, and Hiccup's dog, Toothless. Merida hadn't wanted to bring along the children, the triplets, Emily-Anne and Baby, but Jack and the others insisted. Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff had had to take Anna's dingy car up to the lake, because eleven people were as many as she could squeeze in, and that was with the triplets in the trunk and people crouching on the floor.
After an uncomfortable half-hour drive, with everyone griping and groaning about the lack of space, they finally arrived at Lake Dun'Broch. Everyone was relieved when its reflective surface, disturbed by the falling of leaves and slight winds, was spotted up the road. Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff arrived shortly after the original troop had unpacked the supplies. Rapunzel and Anna hugged as though it had been days since they'd last seen each other rather than minutes. Hiccup and Astrid began stringing the battery-powered lanterns in the branches around the lake while Merida got the fire started. The others began un-boxing things and turning on some music. The children ran to the pier, daring each other to jump in or stick in their feet. Rapunzel and Anna started up some trees to shake the leaves down on Tooth and Jack. A slow song had been chosen, and Jack had pulled the petite, dark-haired girl in for a dance. Elsa seized the photo op and took pictures of everyone.
Merida wrapped a blanket around herself and roasted a marshmallow over the fire and watched the other couples for about half an hour. Hiccup and Astrid were playing fetch with Toothless. Rapunzel, Eugene, Anna, Kristoff, Jack, and Tooth were dancing under the lanterns. Hubert was child-flirting with Emily-Anne, while Hamish was doing the same with Baby. Harris came over to join Merida in making s'mores, but Elsa was too busy taking pictures to join them.
"Those simperin', love-struck fools," said Merida, a wistful smile on her lips as she pulled the marshmallow off of her roasting stick with the graham crackers and chocolate. Harris speared a marshmallow on the end of his stick and began roasting it. "I hope ye aren't gonna grow up tah be jus' like 'em."
"Nay, never," said Harris, making a sour face. "I dunno why Hubert and Hamish are bein' like tha' with the lassies. They're stupid for it, though."
"Nay, I wouldn'a say stupid," said Merida, ruffling Harris' hair. "They shouldn'a be so direct if they're gonna flirt with the lassies, though. People change so much when they fall in love. We will, too."
Harris scoffed at the notion and then roasted his marshmallow silently. Merida watched the others for a few moments while chewing pensively on her s'more. Baby and Emily-Anne had joined in on the dancing when the radio played a fast song. Tooth and Elsa alternated taking pictures. Jack, Hubert, Hamish, and Hiccup were now teaching Toothless tricks, while Astrid came to join Harris and Merida. Eugene was sitting on the pier singing the song that was playing. Anna was dancing with the other girls.
"Sometimes I wonder how we ever got to be friends," said Astrid, brushing her blonde bangs from her eyes. "I mean, look at us. You and I are strong, aggressive girls. Anna and Rapunzel are day-dreaming artsy types. Hiccup is an awkward nerd. Eugene is a flirt. Kristoff is very unwilling to take part in anything until Anna makes him. Jack is an arrogant prick sometimes. Tooth is a giggly pixie. Elsa is a funny, quiet woman. Your brothers are so much younger than us, so are Emily-Anne and Baby. Then there's a dog. We've gotta be the weirdest bunch ever."
"Ye know, when you put it like tha', we sound like we should be breaking out in fist-fights every so often," said Merida with a laugh. "We may be an odd bunch, but we're the best friends ever. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go try somethin' else. It seems to me that there needs to be some sort of competition going on today."
Meanwhile, Tooth took a break from capturing memories and pulled Jack aside, off into the tree line. The two had become close when Emily-Anne, Jack's younger sister, had gone missing. He had jokingly flirted with her before then, but it was only after Emily-Anne was found that things got serious between the two.
"So, Tooth," said Jack, resting a hand on her cheek. He pulled her tiny frame in for a hug, resting a hand on the back of her head. "All pictured out, huh?"
"Not really, I just wanted to have a moments quiet with you," said Tooth. She pulled back and stuffed her hands in the pocket of her peacock hoodie. Jack's brown eyes met her violet ones and she smiled shyly at her feet. "Don't give me that look, you know what I meant."
"Oh, I know exactly what you meant," said Jack, pulling Tooth in for a kiss. "And I like it."
Tooth smiled awkwardly and folded herself into his outstretched arms. The friends stayed there for hours, until long after Emily-Anne and Baby had fallen asleep. The orange, red, yellow, and amber leaves fell all through the celebration of friends, and the moon rose higher and higher. They didn't return to Arendelle Academy until the wee hours of the morning, but when they did, there was laughter in their eyes and a glow in their cheeks. Elsa took one of the leaves from the lake and put it in her box of memories, knowing she'd remember the night fondly for a long time.