Submission (#1863) Approved

“That’s not how you do it!” Vervain clicked to his companion anxiously as gray and white banded paws fiddled nervously with the fireworks display on the table, quickly moving the lighter away from any of the explosives sitting complacent near the trio. The snake swirled in quizzical anxious movements inside of the terrarium, as if pondering something. Naturally both the snake and the Terra who held it both were not keen on getting blown up, or injured, as the clock ticked down to New Years. They all still had a few hours until midnight actually struck, but it never killed anyone to prepare early.
With a gentle touch, the larger beast Terralien placed a soft paw onto Vervain’s shoulder. As though it were magic, he felt his body simmer down, blood pressure lowering, and peace once again slithering throughout his body. Antoinette cocked her head wordlessly to the side, wings on the sides of her visor folded in and lax, her body posture unworried. “It’s okay.”
Vervain lowered his head, upset that he had become so paranoid that his enjoyment of the event and his companionship had been dimmed. Though, once again, the deer-hosting Terralien looked at him with a gentle feeling.
To Antoinette’s right, their sleek, metallic friend emerged from the shadows with a whisper of a whirring sound, metal feet clacking against the concrete outside of the house. The sleek white exterior and electronic eyes on the visor flickered between the two organic friends. The clouds swirling around its plane-like tail were thin and wispy. “I was not thinking when I placed down the lighter,” A metallic hiss sounded as Jett spoke softly, “I apologize.”
“It’s okay, I’m sorry for being snappy,” Vervain spoke too, the room hanging in silence and unease until all three took gaze at the sky after hearing a loud crash. A large firework for red and orange sparkles, with mist like patterns swirling between them, boomed above the outdoor trio in the sky. Its speckled pattern coated the starry night blissfully. As the three watched the first few early fireworks begin to whizz and hiss during their ascent into the air, Antoinette grabbed both of their paws and guided them to sit down in the lawn chairs they had brought outside. Though it was late and chilly outside during this time, the fire barrel that Antoinette had provided proved extremely useful. Fire crackled from within, burning the thick logs as smoke flowed out to the left of the barrel. The heat radiating from it kept the organic Terralien’s warm, and though metallic, proved to also be a source of comfort for Jett as well. A win for them all.
Antoinette’s wings stretched as she looked at Jett and Vervain, who were sitting in silence. “I’m glad to be spending new years with you two.” She chatted softly, as though a grin could be seen on her visor.
Jett perked up at the soft tone and kind words, huffing out a puff of cloudy smoke from the crevices of his metallic exterior, the hum of machinery and organic organs inside of him working in tandem with one another. As he maintained a relaxed posture, the mechanical Terralien’s eyes curved upwards. “Me too.” He chirped.
Vervain, catching wind of the conversation now, scrunched up his body and looked at both of his companions. “If I wasn’t happy, I would be the most moronic Terralien in the world. I’m pleased and overjoyed to be here with you two.” He snickered, as the other two listened and felt his kind words within themselves. It was sweet, sickeningly so, but it was home. Being with them felt like home.