Chapter Title: Mallows and Bonfires
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
Ages in this chapter: Tanner (11) Dashen (17)
POV: Dashen
Chapter Summary: On the way home from a job, Dashen shares an experience with Tanner inspired by happy moments from his childhood.
Challenge - Create a story around the following five random words: Wind, Silent, Roasted, Cough, Market
The fire crackled in white noise. One of those white noise peaceful sounds that always seemed to be a relaxant for me. Our parents - of Kossi and me - would often treat us to bonfires when we were young. Together time they would call it. For them. For me and Kossi, it was pure fun. We'd roast sticky mallow treats, see who could burn the outsides the worst, then devour them without being permanently scared by the scalding interior mushy center. Neither of us ever won. Instead, we ended up a mess with delicious gummy goo all over our fingers and faces. A warm memory. One of my fondest.
Tanner and I had been on our way home from a job. It was almost local, being one town over. Walking distance if the day was nice, which it was. Not a big fan of how I made a living, Tanner wasn't keen on traveling with me either. Every so often he'd make an exception. How he decided when those times were, no idea. The former Jedi kid often worked in mysterious ways.
But, here he was with me and the job was complete. We'd even had time to stop in town to the local vendor market that I knew well. I'd picked up a packet of the mallow treats and the way home involved a jaunt out of the way.
"Dash, what are we doing?"
"We," I started, gathering a quick armful of light brush and setting it into a pile, "Are having ourselves a bonfire before we get back into Kaolin."
From my pocket I retrieved a set of flare stones. A quick set of clicks snapping them together, sending sparks flying into the brush and igniting a small flame.
"Why exactly are we having a bonfire?"
"Because we are and we can. My folks used to do this with us. An escape from the reality of the galaxy around us, I guess. And here." I reached into my weathered and worn travel bag that hung diagonal across my chest and pulled out the package of mallow treats.
"What are those?"
So many questions. The most patient person I knew was becoming the complete opposite of that. "Watch and learn, little brother."
Next to me, I had set two long sticks. I removed a mallow from the
pack and stuck into onto the end of the stick. From there, it hovered
over the flame until it roasted into a blackish-brown chunk of stupid scrumptiousness. I let it cool for a minute then handed it to Tanner.
"Eat it. Good stuff. It's a mallow. Sticky, icky goodness. Trust me."
"Smells yummy."
Yummy. Okay, Tanner was eleven. I'd allow it. I mean, the kid still giggled, so I could deal with yummy.
"Wait until you taste it."
He did. His eyes about rolled back in his head and he quickly begged me for another. I handed him a stick and showed him the mallow roasting ropes.
It was silent then for a while, except for the crackling of the fire. Tanner and I stuffed ourselves full of mallow treats. We'd pay for it later I was certain.
The wind picked up and the flames danced higher, toasting our mallows fast and furious - faster than we could eat them. Tanner tried to eat them as fast. He coughed once. Then another cough. And another. Until I found myself pounding him on the back to keep him from choking.
"Ugh, okay, I'm good." He said. "Maybe shoving three of those things into the mouth at one time, not the best idea I've ever had. I think I love mallow treats, Dash."
I laughed. Snorted really. "Mouse, that is the understatement of the year. Should we finish the packet? Only two left."
We shared a look. Tanner and I. Memories of Kossi came flooding back. But good ones. Happy ones.
One last round of roasted mallows. Two sticks. Two brothers. New memories created.
The final treats downed, I moved to extinguish the fire, making sure all embers were out. With the wind still increasing, last thing I needed to was burn down the nearby forest.
Tanner coughed again. I lifted an eyebrow.
"No, Dash, I'm not getting sick."
"Just checking. It's getting chilly and dark is coming. We've got another hour or so walk to Kaolin. We've got bellies full of sweet syrup. Think we make it without falling into a sugar comas?"
"Coma. I can only wish. We're gonna be up all night, Dash. You know we are."
He wasn't wrong. With the number of mallows we ate, our stomachs were bound to be unhappy later.
Sure was worth it though.
"Yeah, Mouse. You're probably right."
"I'm very right."
"That too. But... it was worth every second."
I checked our fire one last time, tossed and arm around Tanner's shoulders and led us toward home.
We did pay for the overdose of mallow treats, it was not the most relaxing night we'd ever had. Little sleep. A bit of vomit. A few stomach pains. But I'd been right about the time together - Tanner and me - enjoying something that I so loved as a child - it had been worth every second of belly aches and slimy puke.
A happiest memory of my past now merged with one of my present.
Brothers and mallow treats over a bonfire. Did it get any better than that?
END
