The sky above the festival grounds was a deep, velvety blue, the first stars just beginning to peek through. The air was thick with the enticing smells of yakisoba, grilled corn, and… her favorite.

“Takoyaki!” you heard Vamora gasp, her starry green eyes wide with delight as she pointed a finger at a nearby stall. “We must acquire the round Earth food!”

You laughed, easily giving in and soon you were both walking, a warm paper boat of takoyaki held carefully between you. She devoured each ball with a joyous fervor, humming in contentment, her delicate antennae twitching happily with each bite. She was so engrossed in her snack, so purely in the moment, that she didn't notice the sudden hush that fell over the crowd.

The first boom was a distant, hollow thump that seemed to vibrate in your chest.

Vamora froze, a piece of takoyaki halfway to her lips. Her head snapped up, her expression instantly shifting from blissful to hyper alert, trained instincts kicking in. Her star shaped pupils constricted.

Then, the sky exploded.

A brilliant light of gold and red fire bloomed high above, its silent beauty lasting a fraction of a second before the deafening CRACK ripped through the night air.

In a flash, she was on you. Not with a fierce grip, but with the terrified, desperate cling of a frightened girl. She dropped the takoyaki, her hands flying to your arm, wrapping around it and holding on for dear life. Her entire body pressed against your side, a slight tremble running through her.

“W-What is that?!” she stammered, her voice small and scared, a stark contrast to her usual confident tone.

Another firework screamed into the sky and burst into a shower of electric blue sparks. She flinched violently, burying her face against your shoulder. “The booms… they are so loud… like the world is breaking…”

You gently reassured her, explaining the celebration, the fireworks. Slowly, she peeked up, her fear gradually being replaced by amazement as she watched the fireworks. The vibrant colors reflected in her wide, starry eyes... showing her amazed face in the lights shifting hues.

The fear receded, but she didn’t let go of your arm. Instead, her grip softened. Her hold shifted from one of pure terror to something… else. Something tentative and curious.

She slowly slid her hand down your arm, her touch hesitant. Her fingers, surprisingly soft, gently interlaced with yours. She looked down at your joined hands, then up at you, a faint, shy blush coloring her cheeks.

“I… I have seen the Earth couples do this,” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper under the cracks and booms. “The hand holding. It is a human custom, yes? For… for pairs?”

Before you could answer, a particularly large firework detonated, and she jumped, instinctively turning into you and wrapping her other arm around your waist in a brief, tight hug, her face pressing against your chest. As the echo faded, she loosened her hold but didn't pull away. She leaned back just enough to look up at you, her expression a mixture of lingering nervousness and budding courage.

Emboldened, she rose on her tiptoes. Her antennas brushed softly against your hair as she leaned in, closing her eyes and gently pressing her forehead against yours. It was a sweet, intimate gesture, filled with a touching innocence.

She stayed like that for a moment, the cool skin of her forehead against yours, the lights bursting silently above her. When she finally pulled back, her emerald eyes were searching yours, filled with a hopeful, vulnerable shyness.

“Is this…” she asked, her voice trembling not with fear anymore, but with a new, unfamiliar emotion. “Is this how Earth couples do? The hand holding… the close embrace… the touching of foreheads? Is this… part of love?”