Never Have I Ever…enjoyed the Pumpkin Festival

Sweets are just not my thing. After a growing up with a dad who had a lack of taste buds and a mom who pretty much coated everything in sugar, even thinking of sweet things is somewhat repulsing.

Naturally, the Pumpkin Festival is quite possibly one of my least favorite festivals that Echo Village holds.

While I think this, I stand lazily at my stall on the plaza and look at the horizon, hoping that today I won't have to receive any treats at all.

Of course, this hope is pretty pointless; I hear Rio coming towards the plaza way before she actually comes into sight.

With Hina, Toni, and Niko on her heels, my wife skips up the hill towards the plaza with a basket swinging from her arm. As unfortunate as it is to admit this, I personally know the contents of the basket-with Rio, the Pumpkin Festival has never just been about kids, something that I learned when she first moved in five years ago.

It's literally a day where she gives dessert to EVERYONE in town, regardless of whether they like sweets or not.

I'm painfully reminded of that fact when she approaches my stall and smiles at me, tapping the bell as she says, "Hi, Neil!"

"Hey," I mutter, before leaning on the counter and pointing at the basket. "Did you need something, Rio?"

My question earns me an endearing pout before she puts her hands on her hips and scolds, "Just because you don't like sweets it doesn't mean you shouldn't accept my gifts…"

As she sets down some pudding on my counter, I resist the urge to cringe in disgust before I complain, "Seriously? You're really giving this to me, Rio?" I open my mouth to continue complaining when I look up and see her folded arms and angry look.

Instantly I back-pedal, holding a hand up as I mutter, "Look, look, I'm happy you care about me enough to give me…pudding, but I just-"

"No, Neil." Rio interrupts me, the frown still on her face as she holds a hand up in my face and the kids behind her all give me looks that tell me I'm in trouble. "I understand that you don't like sweets, but I thought that you'd appreciate the thought more…"

"Wait, Rio-"

I'm left floundering as Rio turns on her heel and stomps off, grabbing Hina's hand as she says, "Come on kids, let's go give out treats to everyone else."

"Rio-"

My hand remains outstretched after her as she walks away from the plaza, and to my chagrin I hear Rod's muffled laughter from the other side of the plaza. Looking over, I shoot him a glare which silences him.

Slowly, I bring a hand to my face and sigh deeply-if I don't apologize properly, I'll be spending the night on the couch.

"Neil, you're hopeless," Allen tells me as he, Rod, and I stand off to the side, staring over at the candy house that the villagers have assembled together. Rio stands with the kids, cutting off pieces of the house and giving them out on plates.

As we watch, she glances over at us and I meet her eyes for the first time since entering the festival grounds. Instantly she stiffens in surprise at having been caught looking my way and turns away quickly, her hair flipping over her shoulder as she does so.

Rod throws an arm around my shoulder and leans on me before giving a low whistle and laughing, "Allen's got that right. What are you two fighting about this time?"

"Fighting? We're not fighting…"

I fall quiet as Allen and Rod pause and look at me slowly and silently. Shaking Rod off, I frown and say, "Okay fine, but don't say it like that. You make it sound like all we do is fight and that it's always my fault."

Rod gives me another look but quickly glances down when I glare at him. With a sigh, I say, "So maybe I'm not the most tactful of people…but I don't mean half of what I say. Everyone in the village, ESPECIALLY Rio."

This time it's Allen who leans on my shoulder as he shrugs and smirks, "Honestly, Neil, you're doing it all wrong. If a woman gives you a present, you should just gratefully accept it despite not liking it. Treat women like their princesses, and you won't have to worry about petty fights."

Looking at him, I point out, "And that's why Michelle is just waiting for you to buy her the most expensive commitment ring money can buy."

This gets me another shrug from the stylist, before Rod sighs, "Just go make-up with her already, you're only fun to talk to when you're getting along with Rio."

I open my mouth to make a snide comment when Allen laughs low and points, saying, "Don't look now…but it looks like someone over there is having an awful lot of fun."

Quickly I glance over only to find myself watching as Rio leans down and smiles as Hina holds up a piece of candy on it and offers it to her. I watch as Rio takes a bite of the offered piece of food before out of the corner of my eye I see another figure heading towards her.

Slowly, I leave Allen and Rod behind and walk towards the candy house as I watch Soseki making his way to where Rio stands at the same time. He reaches them before I do, and as I approach I hear him laugh before he says, "Looks like you're being spoiled, Rio."

My wife looks up from where Hina is offering more sweets, before giving Soseki her usual smile and replying, "Hina offered, so it would be rude of me to decline when we're such good friends."

Holding out a piece of gingerbread, Soseki tilts his head and smiles at her before joking, "Here, want some of my sweets too?"

The sight of that sends my irritation into overdrive and quickly I step forward, putting an arm around Rio's waist possessively as I turn my eyes on Soseki. The reporter flinches a bit as I look at him as I say casually, "Hey, Rio, there you are. Come on, let's go home for today."

"Neil…" Rio blushes, as my hand slips from her waist to wind my fingers with hers. "What are you doing?"

"Let's go," I say, turning on my heel and pulling Rio after me, leaving Soseki shaking his head with a smile behind us while the kids all giggle and turn to clamor around him.

We're silent until we get home, and once we're inside I let go of her hand and walk a few steps towards the table before stopping in silence.

We stand there not saying anything before Rio coughs and I sigh. I glance over my shoulder at her and order, "Stay there. Don't move."

"Wait, Neil-"

Ignoring her, I head to the kitchen and grab the nearest piece of candy on the counter-a chocolate bar. Heading back to where Rio is still standing, I keep walking towards her and she quickly backs up but to no avail; within seconds I've backed her into the nearest wall, trapping her between the wooden frame and my body.

Looking down at her, I say nothing but instead bring the candy up to my mouth and bite down. The rich, sugary taste instantly has me wanting to throw up, but I fight the urge to cringe and instead lean in closer, bringing up a hand to trail her hair through my fingers as I do so.

She's blushing even more furiously as she stutters, "Neil seriously, if this is about earlier then I'm sorry…"

With the chocolate still between my teeth, I manage to say, "Bite."

"Wh-what?"

"Eat some."

She looks down with shy eyes before tilting her face up and taking a bite off the other end of the chocolate bar. Slowly I lean into her, bringing a hand to gently caress her cheek as I use my other hand to take the chocolate bar out from between our mouths.

Leaning in, I kiss her slowly and softly before pulling back and murmuring, "That was my gift to you for the Pumpkin Festival."

She hugs me before smiling into my chest and replying quietly, "I thought you didn't like the Pumpkin Festival, or sweets."

Putting a hand on her back, I pull her closer and mutter, "I don't. But I like you."

I have to say, festivals where you give sweets to your beloved are hard on my heart in ANB XD I know that Neil doesn't like sweets but I also feel like he'd be insulted if he didn't receive something during Winter Harmony Day/ the Pumpkin Festival. But he still complains when you give him sweets and he always says, "Look, look, I'm not mad. Thanks." even though he TOTALLY looks mad that my character gave him a treat despite the fact that they're married.

Neil is way too contradictory XD But I love him nonetheless! Also, I ADORE Hina and the way she offers to hand feed your character during the Pumpkin Festival! Surely even Neil, with his tough exterior and his hate of sweets, would want to hand feed Rio...

Okay, enough of my delusions lol XD Thank you all so much for the reads and reviews, as always! They're all very inspiring, and I love to read your reviews because they make me smile :) As always, requests are welcome and see you on the next update!