Little Mao Mao didn't really understand Ol' Blue's seeming refusal to be happy about anything in the few days he's gotten to know him. But then again, could he honestly believe he was happy until the older dog came along? Despite Blue's constant frowns, they weren't contagious to the little kitten. Perhaps a night of celebration may be the key to unlocking the heart of this relationship...

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It was night in Pure Heart Valley and all the Sweetypies were standing outside on the grass under the sky to watch the fireworks up above. They oohed and aahed as each firework rocket exploded in color, some even applauding.

Little Mao Mao had joined in on the excitement and was just as enamored by the loud splashes of radiant color. Never before had he gotten to see anything this spectacular since…well, he had seen plenty of them, to be honest. It’s just that they had never seemed that good ever since the first day he sat outside, waiting for his father to meet up with him again. He would look up at them and see them as just colored exploding fire with no real value in them- just explosions, nothing more, nothing less.

But for the first time in a long time, he could feel they were wonderful again, feeling he could return to enjoying them again without any other worries to occupy his heart.

“Yawn”

Mao Mao looked up to his side to see the taller blue dog standing next to him not even bothering to stifle his tired and rather bored yawn. He looked up at the fireworks display with his signature glum and drab gaze in his eyes, not even once curling his lips upward into a grin. His arms remained folded across his chest.

“Mr. Blue?”

“Mm?” The dog known as Blue looked down at the black kitten in response to hearing him speak. His arms remained folded.

“You don’t like the fireworks?”

“No no, I don’t dislike them.” Blue looked back up at the sky that was still ablaze with colors. “They’re just not that exciting to me.”

That made Mao Mao tilt his head in confusion. “Not exciting? How can fireworks not be exciting?” He turned his head back to the sky just as another rocket streamed upward and smiled again.

“Well, you seem to like them a lot,” Blue remarked as he observed the kitten.

“Yeah!” Mao Mao replied happily. “They’re always so beautiful. I thought they were boring before, but now I like them again.”

That made Blue raise an eyebrow. “Again? What made you stop liking them before?”

Mao Mao fell silent. He looked down at the ground with a faint frown, which not even the cheers of the other Sweetypies could dispel.

Blue carefully watched the expression in the kitten’s dampened mood and remained silent himself, feeling he probably shouldn’t press for an answer. So instead, he moved on to the next train of thought. “So, uh, you said you like them again now. How come?"

Mao Mao turned back to Blue with a renewed warmth in his eyes. "You helped me, Mr. Blue. I couldn’t like them when I was by myself, but then you came and took care of me, and I wasn’t scared anymore.”

“Oh, that’s good.” Blue nodded, despite his fascinated expression. Even though he didn’t return the kitten’s smile, his tone was much softer. He placed a paw on the kitten’s shoulder, who in turn leaned his head in on that paw, even placing his own on top. He sighed in a way that expressed more comfort than any time he took baths in the hot springs back with his father.

After a brief moment of soaking in Blue’s touch, Mao Mao felt comfortable enough to talk to Blue again. “So do you think and don’t think the fireworks are beautiful, Mr. Blue?”

“Oh, no no, I think they are, but not by that much,” Blue answered, shaking his head while he raised an arm apathetically. “It’s nothing personal, but I’m just… not impressed.” With that, he wordlessly resumed his observation of the fireworks show, unreceptive to Mao Mao’s fixated stare upon him.

Mao Mao noticed that he and Mr. Blue were still holding paws together. He pondered why Mr. Blue said he was not impressed; in fact, he felt like he was reminded of something regarding his father, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on what that was. Memories of his father flashed through his mind and he looked back up at the night sky with a positive determination.

“I’ll impress you, Mr. Blue! No matter what, I’ll do everything I can! You made me happy…now it’s my turn!”