Noah could smell the caramel popcorn from two blocks away. The annual fall festival meant rainbow lights, music shaking the streets, and the chance to win a giant plush duck. It also meant nerves, because somewhere among the carnival games and laughter, he would need to tell Thomas that his family might be moving.
He tried to pretend nothing had changed. He wore his favourite hoodie, the one Thomas secretly thought was ridiculous, and he arrived thirty minutes early just to pace. People-watching usually calmed him, but the crowd only made him feel smaller this time.
Thomas found him anyway. He showed up with windblown hair and stars in his eyes. "Sorry, Mom made me help with the volunteer booth," he said, handing Noah a slice of apple pie on a napkin.
"Pie as a peace offering? I could get used to this," Noah grinned, hoping his voice didn't tremble.
Thomas smiled and nudged him toward the game stalls. "Come on, let's see if you can finally beat me at ring toss."
The festival lights flashed and shimmered over Thomas's face. Everything smelled like cider and sugar. For a few minutes, Noah let the joy win. He laughed when he missed the bottle completely, and Thomas cackled when his ring bounced off the table and landed at some kid's feet. The prize duck was comically large. Thomas said, "You know, if you win that, you have to carry it for the rest of the night."
"I'll carry it. I'll marry it. Anything for carnival street cred," Noah replied, tossing another ring and somehow, miraculously, landing it. He pointed at the duck. When the carny handed it over, Noah hugged it like a trophy, even offering its fuzzy head to Thomas as a makeshift dance partner. Thomas didn't refuse, not this time.
They wandered, sharing jokes and sticky fingers from jelly donuts. As the music faded for a moment, Noah finally worked up the nerve.
"Thomas. There's something I have to tell you," he said, forcing himself to meet those steady blue eyes.
Thomas's expression shifted, the easy smile replaced with something serious. "What's up?"
Noah's throat felt tight, but he powered through. "My dad got transferred. We're moving. Next week." There, it was out. The words fell flat in the golden carnival light.
Thomas went so still it felt wrong, like the whole crowd and the lights faded away. "That far?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"Not too far. Greenville. But not here, not Brooksville," Noah answered, voice thick.
There was a long, shivering pause. Thomas looked away, hands clenched on the stupid duck's wing. "You weren't going to tell me?"
Noah shook his head, cheeks stubbornly hot. "I just found out. Didn't want to ruin tonight."
Thomas let out a soft, hurt laugh. "Well, surprise. It did."
Noah reached out, barely brushing Thomas's knuckles. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to do this without you."
For several heartbeats, the festival kept spinning around them, too loud, too bright. At last, Thomas nodded. "We'll figure it out. Right?"
Noah nodded too. He wanted to believe it. "Yeah. We will."
They stayed close after that. Quiet, tired, heavy with something new and sad but still hopeful. When the fireworks started, Noah leaned in, resting his head on Thomas's shoulder, grateful when Thomas didn't pull away.
For now, that was enough.