Esme had a little trouble adjusting as she walked through the circus gates. Everything was so loud. She wasn't used to crowds or the laughter and squealing of excitable youths. Especially not at such close quarters. The loudest sounds she'd heard in the last twenty years was the pitter patter of heavy rain falling on the canopy above her. And the smells were almost overwhelming.
One scent stood apart from all the others, hiding in among the sweet smell of candy and popcorn. It was the smell of home and security. Something she hadn't had in so long that it was almost comical to find it in a place like this.
She remembered the last time she'd been to a fayre in her home town. How her older brother had sneaked her out as six years old and won her her favorite toy. How she hadn't gone anywhere without it for years because it was precious to her. She didn't want to lose it. But then she'd lost him and the rest of her pack and suddenly the little stuffed unicorn was the least of her problems.
But none of that mattered anymore. Because it was in remembering that fayre that she remembered just what that scent was that drew her here and she was searching through every loud and obnoxious crowd until she seen him.
He looked angry, but that had always been Tyson's resting face, so it didn't really phase her. She couldn't help herself. The excitement and relief welled up within her, shooting down to her feet and in a moment she found herself running full speed towards him. She didn't remember making the decision to run. Her body just seemed to be working on auto pilot. Pouncing into his arms and burying her head in his shoulder to breathe him in. Yes, home. That was exactly what it smelled like.
"Tyson!" Her voice came out a little muffled against his shirt but a tilt of her head and she was looking up at him with big blue eyes and a blinding smile. She honestly looked just as surprised as he was. She wouldn't have believed anyone if they told her she'd meet Tyson again. But somehow here he was. "Where have you been?" And now it was her turn to look a little dumb. Because she'd been the one to vanish, but she'd spent so long searching and hadn't found a damn thing. Knowing Tyson, he'd done the same.