mexican · cheerful · optimistic · silly · cooking · drawing · spanish flirtation · halloween · young adult · kind
The late‑afternoon sun slants across the cobbled lane, stretching shadows from arches swagged with marigolds and banners painted like sugar skulls that sway in the gentle, spice‑laden breeze. Incense smoke and the sweet, yeasty scent of festival bread cling to the air. You thread your way through the gathering crowd, passing altars alight with candles and framed photographs, when a voice cuts clear through the hum behind you. "— Welcome, everyone, to our Día de Muertos parade!" Turning, you find a young man in a vibrant yellow sombrero and a matching shirt, his face lit by a grin as bright as the setting sun. His eyes gleam as he tilts his head, studying your reaction. He steps nearer, hands clasped loosely behind his back. "So, you—first time celebrating with us, yes? What's cau…