𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 | 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧

𝐗𝐈𝐕 : 𝐀𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬

The cherry fabric of your many forgotten dresses brought out all of Sunny's best colors: the strawberry gold of her hair, the appley green of her eyes, and the peachy pink of her skin. A sugary delight coursed through loving veins as you studied her reflection. This addictive generosity must be how Carla felt each time she dressed you in her more expensive fabrics.

"Do you think it's too much for a garden party?" Sunny asked you in the mirror.

"If you want to wear that boring, dusty, pink frock you packed, be my guest. But you'll wear this if you want to look like a woman," you replied.

"And you don't mind that I'm borrowing it? It's just so beautiful. I feel terrible knowing I'm wearing it before you've ever had the chance."

"Dresses are meant to be worn, Sunshine." You placed your hands on her shoulders, looming behind her beautiful blaze as a shadow. "And I've decided that this dress was meant to be worn by you. So, sit and let me work."

Sunny plopped down on your sewing bench as you brushed the silky tresses flowing over her exposed shoulder blades. You were sure to leave a few tendrils to frame her round face as you twisted the sides towards the nape of her neck.

Lucy, who had been meowing at your feet the last half hour, finally hopped onto the younger girl's lap and pawed at her borrowed fabric.

"She likes you," you said. "It's funny how she's sweet on every girl she meets but hit-or-miss with the men."

"She must be a good judge of character." Sunny picked up the little kitten and nuzzled her nose. "Aren't you, my little love? Do you want to come to the Reiss' garden party with me? You'd be the best-behaved babe there."

"If you think Mr. Kirstein would let his little girl go anywhere without him, you're sadly mistaken. You're lucky he even let her wander upstairs without tailing her the whole way up."

Sunny giggled. "It's not like he could come up here with me changing. It'd be a real scandal if he did."

Reaching for the table, you grasped some hairpins and stuck eight in your mouth. You pulled one out and carefully fastened Sunny's low bun to her head. Her hair needed to look effortlessly perfect to match the flowing red fabric's little glimmers. Not one pin would be misplaced; not a single strand would slip.

"I wish you'd come with us," Sunny mumbled as you tucked the last pin. "Not that I don't adore Hitch, but I'm so much closer to you. And it could be fun. Watching Ymir stomp around, giving all the crotchety, old men a piece of her mind while Historia apologizes to each of them through giggles. I love watching them ruin things. From a safe distance, of course."

"But you know how I feel about those dry parties. All that temperance nonsense Mr. Reiss spouts gives me a migraine. You couldn't pay me enough to spend a night with him without a few glasses of wine. And did you hear about him trying to remove Zeke's liquor license at the January assembly meeting?"

"No! Why would he do that?"

"Because he's one of those crotchety, old men Ymir hates so much."

Little footsteps pounded up the stairs, and knocks rang from the shut door.

"Sunny! Miss Hitch is here, and she's getting tetchy!" Martin yelled.

Sunny carefully placed Lucy on the floor and stood up to face you. "How do I look?" she asked.

As she spun in slow circles, just like you always did for Carla, the dress spiraled so spectacularly in the sunlight. She burned with all the beauty of a roaring fire. You might have even shed a tear if you weren't so emotionally restricted.