With You [2022]

“Aw, come on Meems, I’m not saying it’s bad that you’re the ‘mom friend’ of the group,” Mata laughs, poking Noemi’s cheek.

The latter puffs her cheeks indignantly, pushing back against the large finger prodding at her fibers. “How is it not bad?  You’re saying you think I’m old and annoying!” Noemi cries, ears drooping.  “I know what it means to be the ‘mom friend’ and it’s not a good thing!”  She hesitates, and her voice is quiet when she speaks again.  “I’m not THAT much older than you…”

“Nooooo!” Mata’s ears pull back.  “That’s not what I mean at all!  Look-” She falters for a moment.  “I don’t think you’re old and annoying.  I think you’re mature, dignified.  Probably because of how Emily raised you.  You care deeply about the wellbeing of others, even when you have no reason to, and you’re easy to talk to and trust with… Confidential matters.  Like, if someone’s having a bad day, they can come to you for a hug and you’ll be warm and comforting and put them at ease.  It’s a good thing!  I promise!”

Noemi considers this for a moment and then flicks her ear.  “Hmph… Fine…  Still, couldn’t you have found a better term for it?”

“Ohhh, stop~” Mata coos, cupping Noemi’s face in her hands.  Leaning in, Mata nuzzles the candle fox affectionately, murring softly.  It takes a few seconds, but eventually, Mata’s affection wins Noemi over and she chuckles, embracing her friend and nuzzling the other fox in return.

Sitting together in the sunlight and soft breeze of the Windy Valley, the girls chatter away idly about various things for a time before Noemi unpacks the picnic basket she’d prepared.  Setting out the plaid cloth on the grass, she weighs down the corners and starts laying out the various trays of food and drinks.  Once everything is ready, the two help themselves to the food and beverages, taking in the sights of the valley around them when a stray cherry blossom petal drifting in the wind lands on Mata’s ear.  She takes it, holding it in her palm and gazing at it.

“It’s so pretty here,” Noemi muses, gazing at the pink trees and stray petals.  “I’m really surprised you didn’t bring your camera.”

Mata shrugs.  “Sometimes, it’s nice to just… Get away from everything.  You’re right, though, I would have gotten some amazing photos here.  Oh well, there’s always another day.”

“That’s true,” Noemi’s tone is thoughtful.  “Another day won’t be the same, though… The light, the scenery, it will be different,” she muses to herself, catching Mata’s sly expression afterward.  “Hey, you know I’m right!  I might not be a pro photographer like you, but I still know that a moment in time can never be repeated or experienced the same way.”

Mata nods, grinning wide.  “Yeah.  If you think about it though, doesn’t that make it more special?  A one-of-a-kind experience that only those present in the moment get to share and remember… And those who aren’t present, well, they miss out.  Simple as that.”

Now, it was Noemi’s turn to smile slyly at Mata’s dig at Haseo and Will.

The two girls had offered to bring them along on their excursion, but Haseo decided it was more fun to stay indoors and play his video games and Will seemed completely disinterested.  Mata was visibly disappointed at Will’s refusal; she thought he’d had fun taking photos with her the last time they went to the Hidden Garden together, and she thought the Windy Valley would be a nice change of scenery.  But, evidently, Will wasn’t feeling the jof of being outdoors on this particular day, so the two girls ended up taking the journey by themselves.  As she thought about it, Noemi realized she actually knew very little about Will and Haseo, despite her best friend spending more time in their cramped apartment than in her own home.  Curiosity overtakes her.

“What’s it like, living with those two, anyway?”

“Ugh,” Mata puffs a breath of air out, blowing her bangs out of her face momentarily.  “It’s all ‘video games this,’ ‘livestream that,’” she grumbles, waving her hands.  “I swear, if you were to take away every electronic device in that dingy apartment, Haseo might actually die because he wouldn’t know what to do with himself…”

Noemi giggles.  “That bad, huh?”

“Don’t even get me started…” Mata groans, covering her face with her hands.

“Well, it’s nice to know we’re being talked about so amicably when we’re not here to defend ourselves~” a sly voice purrs from behind both of them.

Noemi jumps, startled at the sudden intrusion, but Mata just scoffs.  “What, finally decided to come and blow the stink off of yourself, huh?  About time~”

“Rude,” Haseo drawls, but there’s amusement in his tone.  “Sorry that playing video games is actually my job, and requires a certain amount of hours per day to be put into it.”  The seams of his hands split open in a bizarre grin, baring the jagged teeth concealed within his hands.  “The apartment doesn’t pay for itself, you know.  But,” he drags out the last word playfully, “If it displeases you THAT much, I suppose we COULD always move in with you, instead~  Your house is pretty roomy, and I wouldn’t have to worry about paying rent, meaning I’d have way more time to be dragged along on your silly little adventures~”

Mata’s ears pull back and she whirls around, taking a mock swing at the cackling beast.  Noemi watches the exchange silently, gaze focused warily on Haseo.  Mata’s earlier point about her caring about everyone’s well-being did hold truth; Noemi found herself constantly concerned with Mata being near Haseo, and though she didn’t know him well, Noemi worried about Will too.  The two seemed to get along perfectly with Haseo, but something about the large Scarfox always made Noemi uneasy.  In the times she’d brought that up to her best friend, however, Mata had always dismissed the fears saying that “Haseo LOOKED intimidating, but he was harmless.”  Noemi figured Mata would know, given that she practically lived with him and Will at this point, but she still worried from time to time.

A voice cuts into Noemi’s thoughts, pulling her back to the present.

“So, room for one more?”

Noemi looks at Haseo blankly.  “Huh?  Oh, su-”

“Nuh-uh!” Mata interjects.  “Too late!  You’re no longer invited~” She purrs.  “Girls only~!”  To emphasize her point, Mata scooches closer to Noemi, linking arms with the candle fox and sticking her tongue out at Haseo.  “You had your chance and you passed on it, so scram!”

Noemi looks back and forth between the two, noticing the eyes on Haseo’s hands rolling in annoyance.  She chuckles weakly.  “M-Mata, it’s fine, don’t be like that…”  She turns her attention to Haseo’s face.  “You can join us, if you want.”  She gestures to the empty side of the plaid cloth.

Haseo takes his place opposite the girls, and Noemi moves to prepare him a plate when he holds up his hand.  “You don’t need to, I can get my own.”  Deflating a little, Noemi sits back, tapping the tips of her fingers together.  Haseo notices this, and his ears pull back slightly.  “Oh, I didn’t mean-” He falters.  “Um, sorry.  I just didn’t want to inconvenience you.  I am kind of crashing your little party, seems rude to make you wait on me, too.”

Hm, so maybe Haseo isn’t that bad afterall, Noemi thinks.  If nothing else, he seems polite.  Waving her hand, she smiles kindly.  “Not an inconvenience, at all.  Please, help yourself.  There’s more in the basket.”

It’s Mata’s turn to watch the two interact, amused at the formal and awkward exchange the two are having.  As it keeps up, Mata snorts and flops dramatically against her best friend.  “Come ON, already! We’re all friends here, no need to be so formal,” she says the last word with a hint of mock disgust, earning a disapproving look from both Noemi and Haseo.

“Aha~” Mata pokes Noemi’s cheek again.  “There it is, that disapproving ‘mom friend’ look~”

“Oh, so THIS is the ‘mom friend’ you’ve been telling me about?” Haseo’s multiple eyes focus on Noemi curiously as he takes a bite out of the sandwich he’s holding.

“You WHAT!?” Noemi cries.  “Are you seriously telling others this!?”  She groans and covers her face with her hands, embarrassed.

“But it’s NOT a bad thing!” Mata protests.  “Haseo, tell her it’s not a bad thing!  She doesn’t believe me!”

Haseo’s eyes dart between Noemi and Mata, pupils shrunk down to dots.  “Sorry, but… I’m taking Noemi’s side on this one…  How is that NOT a bad thing?”

Mata cries out in frustration, repeating her earlier spiel about being dignified and mature, waving her hands frantically as she speaks.  Haseo watches her, the eyes on his hands half-lidded and rolling periodically.

“So basically,” Haseo finally interrupts Mata’s rant, “What you’re saying is that caring for the well being of others is being a ‘mom friend’?  Wanting to make sure your friends and loved ones are being taken care of?”

“Yeah!” Mata exclaims.  “See?  You get it!”

Haseo hums thoughtfully, an amused lilt in his voice.  His hand mouths grin wide, and all of his eyes focus on Mata.  “I guess that makes you MY ‘mom friend,’ then.”

“Wh-”  Mata wheezes like the wind was just knocked out of her, and a snort is heard from behind Noemi’s hands, the latter’s shoulders starting to shake in silent laughter.

“N-now hold on a minute-”

“You’re always concerned about the wellbeing of Will and I, aren’t you?  Always getting on our case to take breaks, make sure we’re eating properly, getting enough sleep,” Haseo purrs, “texting us to make sure we’re okay when you’re not with us~ You really are like a mom, you know?”

Noemi is laughing out loud now.  “It’s true.  Even just a little while ago, you were complaining about them doing nothing but playing video games.”

Mata looks back and forth between her two friends in disbelief as reality sets in.  Clutching her ears, she lets out a playful cry and flops backwards with a dramatic “Ohhhhhh nooooooooo!!!!”

In good spirits, the three friends laugh and carry on with each other for a while before packing up the picnic setting and spending the rest of the day roaming around the Windy Valley.  When it’s finally time to depart, Haseo goes first.  Turning around to face the girls, he gives a playful salute with his hand.  “Thanks for today, ‘twas fun.”  He turns his attention to Noemi, taking the candle fox in from head to toe.  “Take care, doll, see you again sometime.  Don’t let this one bully you too much, she can be a real handful sometimes~”  Cackling, he disappears just as Mata charges forward and takes another swing at him.

Noemi covers her mouth with her hand, giggling quietly, watching as Mata yells at the empty air perplexed by Haseo’s teasing.  If she were to view herself in a motherly role, Noemi thought, then this would be like watching her child playfully bicker with their boyfriend.

Hearing the giggling sound, Mata turns around.  “Don’t encourage him,” she grumbles, but the smile on her face betrays her attempt to sound unamused.  “Well, I should get going too, I guess.  Thanks, Meems, today was a lot of fun!  Maybe next time we can come back and do some photo shoots here?”

Noemi nods.  “I think that would be wonderful.  I’m sure Caedim would love to come back here, too, it’s been a while since he’s seen this place.”

“Cool, looking forward to it, then!” Mata turns away and is about to leave when Noemi’s voice stops her.  Turning around, she sees a sly smirk on the candle fox’s face.

“Text me when you’re home safe, dear,” Noemi teases.

With a cheeky grin, Mata gives the same salute that Haseo did.  As she starts to vanish, transporting back to the human world, her voice echoes.  “Sure thing, Mom~”