"Hmm, so that's what happened."
Noah's mother speaks with an understanding hum. The kids are overshadowed and cornered by her on a bench, specifically Noah, his attempts of escape failing.
"I'm glad Noah wasn't bullying you or hurting you."
"Mum! Why would I."
"Yes, I know I know. I'm sorry."
The mother eyes him with a genuine warm smile. She places two cups on the table in front of the kids, then taking a seat beside them on the bench. Setting a bag of marshmallows down on the ground.
Tulip stares at the drink in her hand, shivering when she realises how cold she is and how warm the cup is, pressing it against her face. Noah and his mother who sees this are startled and Noah stops her, instead tilting the cup to her lips.
"Say ahh, drink it."
With a confused face, she opens her mouth at Noah's pestering and sips the drink they call hot chocolate. Noah sits there awaiting her reaction but gapes when she downs the entire cup.
"Ah, ah?!"
Dumbfounded, Noah is speechless and stares at Tulip who licks her lips and smack them to finish. No sound is heard then the sound of laughter from his mum who adoringly watches Tulip.
"Here, a stick for you, and you, the marshmallow will be down here when you want more."
"Marsh-mallow?"
"Mhm, they're really good!"
Noah shakes his head enthusiastically, hopping off the bench and leading Tulip to the fire, Tulip goes after him. The fire pit in front of them burns with passion, tiny sparks spew about and the fume has Tulip swatting the air whining.
"Ha ha! Don't open your eyes so wide."
Tulip goes against moving closer to the fire, opting to hide behind Noah using him as a shield, he lets her finding her entertaining.
"Not too far though. Do this, yes like that."
Pulling out their sticks with marshmallows attached, they inch them closer to the fire and rest them over the fire, leaning it using Noah's creation he made long ago for these occasions.
"Now we wait."
"Ait?"
"W-ai-t"
"W…ait. Wait?"
"Yes!"
Noah cheers and has Tulip high-five him when she successfully learns after him. Getting into the role of a teacher, he introduces more words until Tulip knows of them properly. Occasionally twirling their sticks to evenly burn the marshmallows.
Behind them Noah's mother supervises. After a while of watching Noah repeat words and the girl repeating back after him, the woman sighs and her gaze turns tense.
"She's somewhat nonverbal, how will I ever get her back to her family?"
The woman finally utters the words, sighing with pity, she gazes at the unaware girl looking so pure despite her appearance and speech issues.
'Does she even have one?'
The woman questions quietly, then drops her head to the side and stares at the grass that has started growing again but patchy due to the last rampant storm.
'Matted hair that's achieved when lost for a while or when playing roughly for hours. A girl like her playing roughly... I doubt it.'
Countless abandoned kids are out there in the streets, that could be who Tulip was before Noah found her. The guards that scout the streets see them as pest and are ordered by the higher ups to get them off to the street. Tulip is fortunate to have run into Noah and brought home.
The reason for there to be so many abandoned children is ever since the storm 10 years ago mployment has been scarce, money has become a problem, and with kids being another mouth to feed, people abandon their kids.
Lots have changed since then, lots of jobs that existed back then might not exist anymore, but there are new ones too. In addition to that, people have learnt to be more independent and a community. However, it looks like it's still happening.
Time passes by like that and Noah and Tulip return to the bench. Marshmallow fluff on the corners of their mouth and their giggles when watching each other lick their sticks empty.
"Alright now, that's enough. Let us head in."
Noah fuss refusing while Tulip obediently follows.
"Is Tulip staying with us for the night?"
Noah questions his mother as she prepares their bath. The mother dumps a small bowl of herbs into the water and mixes it around with her hands. The aroma of herbs that complement each other fills the bathroom with a pleasant scent. Then turning to Noah waiting for her answer and Tulip wandering around the room curiously.
"It seems so."
"Ha!- really?! Yay."
The boy claps excitedly, jumping on his muddy feet that litter the bathroom floor. The mother sighs dolefully looking around her floor that's covered in mud the little girl who's running around not only with her muddy legs but muddy hands.
Noah giggles, running after Tulip who halts her steps to listen to his quick-paced prattle. Tilting her head with absent-minded eyes visibly not understanding but Noah cheerily tells her anyway.
"Let's get you two undressed, come here, bring Tulip along."
Noah runs to his mother who waits for them in front of the tub that's now filled up with water and herbs. Appealing steam comes out that has Noah rushing towards her dragging Tulip who doesn't know what's happening,Noah doesn't complain that he has to drag her himself.
"Quick! Quick!"
Hurriedly undressing, Noah struggles with taking off his shirt and whines to his mother who focuses on the immobile Tulip. His mother who finishes undressing Tulip then helps Noah who paces around impatiently, his dizzy eyes shown when the shirt is pulled off.
Noah giggles, dipping his feet in and moving his toes, pleased with the water temperature that's between hot and warm. Tulip beside him is wide-eyed, her big eyes get bigger and without another second to waste, she dips her whole body into the water causing the water to splash out of the tub. Noah's mother is horrified but Noah laughs and goes after her, the tub that's drained of some of its water looks like it's back to its original with the two of them.
Laughter is heard between the two attempting to swim in the water, Tulip would dip her head too long in the water, and Noah's mother advised her not to do that. Although Tulip who doesn't understand continues, causing his mother to meticulously keep watch and take action when she stays too long underwater. Noah watches them, laughing each time, entertained by the strange girl who does silly things.
Splash Splash.
Noah splashes water to Tulip who looks at him dazedly after each splash, Noah amused by her expression doesn't stop and chuckles whenever he darts the water. Then Tulip raises a straightened arm beside her and moves it towards Noah along the water creating the biggest splash.
Noah gasps, instead of feeling defeated like how he usually would he gapes at Tulip who looks at him smugly, fascinated with her technique.
"Do it again!"
Noah says, splashingTulip more so she could do it again. She does, raising a straightened arm again and charging it towards him who expects it this time. Astonished and trying it for himself. Tulip covers herself when he copies her actions.
They both do this until Noah's mother stops them and starts to scrub them, Noah struggles when she scrubs harder at spots where mud clings on. Tulip struggles against her as well, wincing at the material that she doesn't like the feel of, and the hands that separate her matted hair. Expressing her dislike with her saddened face.
Noah who sees this quickly goes to comfort her, not wanting to hear her cry and wail again which had him almost getting into trouble.
"Don't worry Tulip, we'll eat after this! Eat, mmm"
Noah exaggerates, patting his belly and licking his mouth like she did when delighting in the hot chocolate. Tulip lights up when watching him, getting distracted from the feeling of discomfort.
"Alright, done. Tulip gets out first and Noah second."
Noah's mother wraps a towel around Tulip who steps out of the tub when Noah encourages her to, instructing her to be careful and take one step at a time. The cozy towel has Tulip warmed up from the sudden gust of cold air when stepping out of the water, tippy tapping her feet contently.
The boy watches her attentively, a towel wrapped around his body too except he doesn't understand Tulip's emotive movements, but beams regardless, telling her to wipe her feet like he is before going out of the bathroom.
"Follow me!"
"Careful!"
Noah's mother shouts behind the kids who scamper off, scurrying down the hallway and around the steps upstairs, nearly slipping because of trickling water that hasn't dried off. When Tulip who follows him almost does so too he faces forward laughing, about to climb the ladder that goes up to his rooftop bedroom until he realises Tulip doesn't know how to keep hold of her towel.
Tulip catches up to him with a weak smile from running, Noah who takes notice of her weakened appearance scans her anxiously.
"Hmm, this won't work. Here."
Noah adjusts her towel, tucking it in tightly like his so it won't fall off as they climb, stepping beside her and pointing up to where the ladder goes up to.
"You go first!"
Tulip looks at him and his pointed finger, reaching for it and tracking where it goes with her eyes. Doing this a couple of times with a puzzled face. Noah stares at her with an awkward expression.
"Right, you don't understand…ahg!- let's try this."
Tucking his towel tighter around his waist, he reaches to tuck one arm below Tulip's knees and the other around her shoulders, prepared to feel the heavy weight of a growing girl like her with closed eyes.