#and throws snowballs at robin/duck

[rexscanonwife]

I've been listening to a lot of artists like Kero Kero Bonito and Bo En as inspiration for the Vibe of my dhmis s/i!

The puppet version would definitely have a really catchy song about all the fun things you can do in different kinds of weather and I really just want all of those guys to just have fun for once but it's this series so it'd probably start going way downhill at some point or another ajfjfj

[stevie-petey]

episode nine: the fall

You shake your head at the teen in disappointment. “Never thought I’d have to say this, but please stop licking your sweater, Steve.” He puts his hands up in surrender, albeit with a slight scoff. “Sue a man for not wasting food.”

Summary: surprise ! life still carries on even with minor brain damage from constant concussions :( on the bright side, you and the gang all become homies. meanwhile, steve grapples with the warm fuzzies and parental issues before his worst nightmare happens: you meet robin. the horrors !

Rating: general, some swearing

Warnings: fem!reader, use of y/n, swearing, mentions of wounds

Words: 9.1k

Before you swing in: this is it !!! last official chapter of season 2 :) this chapter is pure fluff yall. just 9k words of utter disgusting bug n steve, so i hope it makes up for how long it took for them to get to this point lmao. enjoy !

-

True to your promise with Jonathan, nothing necessarily changes between the two of you; things just shift. You stop being so tactile with him out of respect for Nancy, now only reaching for his hand for comfort rather than to have him so near. It takes some trial and error, but eventually the two of you manage to strike up a good balance.

You still spend most of your days either together at his house or yours. Only now, Nancy accompanies you, and it’s lovely.

“Dustin told me that Steve practically drooled over you last night before the Snowball.” Jonathan teases you, hunched over his kitchen table scribbling a half-assed essay that’s already a day late.

Nancy giggles as you throw your pencil at the boy. “That did not happen, mind your own business.”

“I don’t know, Y/N. He kept staring at you today during lunch.” Nancy slides over her paper and taps her pencil on a particular problem she’s stuck on. She’s still getting used to talking about this with you, but she pushes aside her unease and tries anyway. “Do you know the answer for number five?”

Her words cause you to blush, your mind still reeling from your conversation with Steve last night. You told him you’d wait for him, and he looked at you as if you’d promised him the world and more. Then, today at lunch, Steve had boldly found you sitting with Nancy and Jonathan outside and joined.

It was a welcome change, and he sat so close to you that your thighs pressed together underneath the picnic bench you’d been eating at.

“He wasn’t staring at me,” you mumble, embarrassed and still feeling his weight pressed against you, before sliding your paper over to Nancy. “And I got Henry Ford.”

Frowning, Nancy erases her answer. “That makes no sense.”

“My answer or Steve not staring at me?”

“Both.” Nancy and Jonathan say at the same time.

You throw another pencil at Jonathan. “I wasn’t talking to you, write your late essay.”

He ducks, “Would you stop?”

“Not unless you stop speaking.”

“This is my house, bug–”

“And I can call your mom right now and she’d let me stay.” You cross your arms at Jonathan, knowing you’ve already won the argument. “Any more complaints?”

Jonathan goes back to writing his essay, grumbling under his breath about how you can’t keep pulling the mom card, and you giggle at his anger alongside Nancy. He’s the one who wanted the two of you to get along, he should’ve known that you and Nancy would just make his life miserable.

The three of you go back to working quietly at the table, you and Nancy occasionally asking each other for help on certain questions, while Jonathan grows more and more frustrated by his essay. After he’s angrily scribbled out his fifth line, Nancy snatches the paper from him and points towards the back door.

“Out,” she tells him.

Jonathan blinks. “What?”

“Go outside, take a small walk, and calm down. You’re frustrated and won’t get anywhere if you keep this up.”

They stare at each other, Nancy silently daring him to argue with her, and you watch in amusement. She has him wrapped around her finger, and after only a few seconds, Jonathan sighs and gets up from the kitchen table. “I’m doing this because I want to, alright?”

You snort. “Sure, buddy.”

He gives you the finger, presses a kiss to Nancy’s forehead, and then grabs a coat to go outside.

Once he’s gone, Nancy turns to you and sets down her pencil. “So, how long are you planning on pretending that Steve doesn’t like you?”

You whip your head up, dropping your pencil in the process, startled by her forward question. “I’m sorry?”

“You heard me.”

“I…” Though you’ve slowly gotten used to Nancy being with Jonathan, it still feels too soon to talk to her about Steve, even if she’s given you her blessing. It feels too raw, too inappropriate, to discuss it with her. “I don’t think we should talk about this–”

“C’mon, Y/N. It’s obvious he at least feels something for you, and if anyone deserves Steve, it’s you.” Nancy gently takes your hand, her voice sincere. “He came outside for lunch looking for you today, he drove you to the Snowball, he’s been visiting you at work ever since you smiled at him last year.”

You look away from her. “It’s… complicated.”

“It’s not…” Nancy swallows, clears her throat, and looks away as well. It still has taken her time to adjust to the shift between the four of you, to finally understand that it’s now okay to talk about these things with one another. “It’s not because of me, right?”

A beat of silence passes, and when you don’t say anything, Nancy sighs. “Shit.”

“He’s still healing, Nance.” You admit, feeling bad for bringing this upon her. You don’t want her to feel responsible for any of it, it’s not her fault that the boys you’ve loved have loved her first. The wound of it has healed now, though the scar that it has left will never fade.

You both know this, neither one of you want to admit it to the other.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.” She shakes her head, the familiar guilt of somehow always the one hurting you clawing at her. “I wish things had been different between me and him.”

You shrug, you don’t see any reason to blame her. “I don’t.”

“You don’t what?”

“I don’t wish things had been different between the two of you,” you admit, knowing how bizarre it may sound. When Nancy raises her eyebrows, you’re quick to explain. “What I mean is, if Steve had never been with you, who knows who he’d be now? Or if Jonathan had never been my best friend, would you still have found each other?”

Nancy bites her lip, still unconvinced. “I don’t know, Y/N…”

“I think, truthfully, that we all unwound with who we were supposed to.” You’re not sure how to explain this, to express your unusual way of viewing such complex situations. “Without our histories, without being so intertwined with one another, I don’t think we ever would’ve unwound how we were supposed to. Does that make sense?”

“I think so,” Nancy nods, although hesitant. “And Steve is still… Unwinding from me?”

You cringe, knowing how silly it all sounds. “I know it sounds dumb, but he is, and while I’m not saying he doesn’t like me… I told him to take his time.”

“You’d really wait for him?”

“I would.”

Nancy sighs and goes back to her assignment, continuously amazed by your selflessness. “You’re too good.”

You shrug again, now used to being told this by others. It doesn’t bother you like it used to, you’ve come to view your kindness as something wholly yours and no one else’s to understand. It took so much violence to become so kind, and you will never, ever apologize for it now. “It adds to my charm.”

Jonathan walks back in right as Nancy bursts into loud laughter, you do as well, the remaining tension between you and her now gone. He sees the way she clutches her stomach and how you have to grab onto the table so you don’t fall over as you laugh. “Did I miss something?”

You wipe at your eyes, still giggling. “No, bee. Sit down and do your work.”

“Yeah,” Nancy giggles again, feeling breathless. “What Y/N said.”

“You two are the worst.” Jonathan slumps in his seat and goes back to his essay.

“You love us,” you tease, knowing that he hasn’t told Nancy this yet.

He smiles shyly and avoids Nancy’s eye. “Yeah, I do.”

They both blush and there’s a childish energy to them, shy and soft and sweet. You watch them with a warm smile, endlessly happy for them both; they’re sweet to watch, still shy around one another.

As you watch Jonathan and Nancy giggle softly as they help each other with their assignments, looking over at you for help as well, you know that junior year is finally starting to look up.

–

Steve continues to join you, Jonathan, and Nancy for lunch. He makes himself a permanent seat next to you, never once straying far from your side, and eventually he even ends up back in the library with the three of you.

It’s reminiscent of your sophomore year, back when you’d just defeated the Demogorgon and Nancy had gone back to Steve. For a brief few months, you’d all study in the library together and formed your own nice, albeit tense, group.

Then lines and threads became tangled and unspoken feelings became harsh actions.

Now, Nancy and Jonathan are whispering about something, off in their own world, and you’re currently helping Steve with an English assignment.

It’s the last day before winter break, so it’s hard getting him to pay attention to what you’re saying. All he can focus on is the way you’ve pinned your hair up, some pieces of hair falling over your face, and how you look so lovely in your white sweater.

“Are you listening to me?” You ask him, narrowing your eyes.

Steve coughs, knowing he’s been caught. “Yeah, totally.”

“Okay,” you cross your arms and lean back in your seat, distancing yourself from the boy, which only makes him frown. “What did I just say, then?”

“C’mere,” he huffs at you, tugging at your chair so that you’re now pressed flush against him; just the way he likes it. You blush, your stomach flutters wildly at the idea that he can’t be more than five inches away from you. Steve sees this, sends you a wink, and tries to use this to his advantage. “We both know I wasn’t listening, angel.”

Angel.

It’s become his new name for you, though he hasn’t said it since the night of the Snowball; the name drips from his lips as if saturated in sunlight. Although you want to litter his face with kisses and call him lovely and handsome and wonderful, you know that in this instance, Steve has only used the nickname to get on your good side.

And two can play that game.

“I don’t know, honey.” You lean in closer to Steve, angling your head so that you look up at him while you use your own name for him. His breath always hitches when you look up at him like this, when you call him honey again for the first time all sweet and soft. “I was hoping you’d been listening.”

Steve gulps, he’s still not used to the way your voice dips low when you want his attention. How when you call him honey he swears he can taste the residue of it in his mouth. He leans closer as well, your faces inches apart, and he’s forgotten what the two of you are even talking about. “I–I’m sorry?”

As soon as he’s apologized, you pull yourself away, just before Steve’s lips land on yours, and go back to the English assignment. You’re immensely pleased with yourself, especially when Steve almost face plants against the library table when you suddenly move away. “Apology accepted! Now, let’s go back to Shakespeare, shall we?”

Steve’s jaw drops, only now realizing that he’s been tricked. “Oh, that was evil, Y/N.”

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” You wink at him, and Steve has never wanted to kiss a smirk off of someone’s face more.

He’s addicted to it, honestly.

Later that day, once school has let out, Steve drives you to work. This was another shift that came with Jonathan and Nancy getting together. While your best friend still drives you to school, it’s now Steve who drives you to work and picks you up.

He enjoys spending the time with you, having you all to himself during the simple ten minute drive to Bookstrordinary. The two of you rarely say much during these drives, and it’s everything Steve could ask for and more; he simply has you with him, nothing else needs to be said or done.

Mrs. Waters greets him with a knowing smile, the woman has become more invested in Steve’s infatuation with you than even your mother. “Hello, young man.”

“Hi, Mrs. Waters.” Steve gives her a wave and walks over to his usual station: behind the counter, waiting for you.

You give your boss a quick hug and clock in. “Any new shipments today?”

“All the new books are in the back, so make sure your handsome man does all the heavy lifting, sweetie.” Mrs. Waters giggles at her own words before she slowly makes her way into her office.

“Well,” you nudge Steve. “You heard the woman, you’re a handsome man. Go do the heavy lifting.”

The compliment, though indirect, still rolls over Steve in slow, warm waves. He smiles bashfully at you. “Handsome, huh?”

“Oh, don’t pretend as if you didn’t know.” You flick his nose and walk over to the back door to start retrieving the new shipment. “Seriously, though. Could you help me with these boxes?”

Steve is quick to run over and help, he will always be happy to help you, but before he picks up a box, a thought occurs to him. Leaning against the doorframe, he smirks at you. “I’ll help, after you explain to me that little stunt you pulled earlier in the library.”

“What stunt?” A huff escapes you as you try to pick up a box, but Mrs. Waters had been right. The shipment is heavy, and Steve is currently useless.

“The whole ‘honey’ thing.”

You look up at Steve, knowing exactly what he’s asking, but you toy with him anyways. “Only if you explain the whole ‘angel’ thing.”

“C’mon, Y/N.” He groans, annoyed that you’re so good at dodging all of his questions. He doesn’t know what makes you Hendersons so great at deception, but it’s a terrifying thing to witness. “You’re an angel, it’s a fitting name for you.”

Though you’d been expecting him to say this, hearing Steve’s explanation still causes you to blush. Normally it bothers you when people call you an angel and act as if you’re some person above everyone else, but with Steve you know that he means it so genuinely. To him, you’re an angel because he knows you so well.

He doesn’t view you as this innocent creature that can do no wrong; Steve knows how you came to be, he knows the anger you once held, and it’s because of this that he has come to view you as angelic. It takes a lot for someone to become kind again, and Steve knows this better than anyone else.

“You’re sweet honey,” you finally respond, your face still warm from the vulnerability. You want to try for him, become okay with the feeling of being seen. “You asked for a nickname, and that’s what I’ve landed on. Any more questions?”

Steve practically melts against the doorway, and you almost giggle at the sight. “I’m honey?”

“Mhm, sweet honey, but honey sounds less dramatic.”

He laughs, his head is spinning and he’s so enamored with you. “Okay, I like that, but can I ask one more question before I agree to helping you?”

You roll your eyes but nod, secretly enjoying this moment with him. “Ask away.”

“Why honey? Not that I’m complaining, but…” Steve shrugs. “Not so creative.”

You gasp, “Are you saying you don’t accept my nickname for you?”

“No! I–” Steve frantically tries to correct what he’s said, but you grab his hand to calm him down.

“Relax, Steve. I was teasing,” you give his hand a squeeze, his fingers are strong against yours, and take a deep breath. The explanation is more intimate than you’d like, but he deserves to know. “Did you know that honey can be used to treat wounds?”

Steve shakes his head, silent as he listens.

“It’s a natural remedy, an unsuspecting cure, disguised as something only sweet.” You’re suddenly shy again, but you offer Steve more of yourself because you can; because he’s here, all warmth and love and summer. He’s healed wounds within you that you hadn’t known existed until you noticed their scars fading—cuts that have littered your skin from abandonment, guilt, and love. “When I was young, my dad would take me to this local farm on my birthday every summer and he would buy me honey. We’d use it to make sweet tea.”

You pause, the memory practically on your tongue as you remember the taste of the local farmer’s honey and how it would drizzle, slow and smooth, into your sweet tea. You remember your father’s laugh, how he would boast to the entire town that his sweet tea could win awards. “I never really liked tea, but my dad’s sweet tea was amazing.”

The honey had been his secret ingredient.

Steve is quiet after you’ve finished your story. He takes his time responding, he allows the story you’ve told to sink in, he rolls it around in his head, memorizes its details. He knows that you don’t like talking about your father, and the fact that you’ve shared a happy memory about him with Steve…

“Thank you,” he says. There’s a weight behind his thanks, he knows he will never be able to put into words how much this means to him. He tries, though, and pours every truth that he can into his words, “I love the nickname.”

The two of you begin unpacking the new shipment of books after that, working silently side by side.

It’s a lovely summer day within Bookstrordinary, even though it’s the middle of winter in Hawkins.

–

This Christmas Eve, you have your entire kitchen on lockdown. No one is allowed to come in, all food and drinks have been thrown onto the dining room table for others to use. Your hair is tied up, your apron is on, and you’ve banished Dustin from even looking at you.

“This is excessive, even for you.” Dustin scoffs from the living room, annoyed that he can’t even sit at the counter and watch.

You’ve just preheated the oven and are now whisking your dry ingredients together for Mike’s favorite brownies. There’s a rack of Will’s oatmeal raisin cookies on the counter cooling off, alongside Mrs. Wheeler’s sugar cookies she loves. “You lost your baking privileges when you mixed up the salt and sugar last year. Those gingerbread cookies were awful.”

“They’re both white! How was I supposed to know?”

“Stop talking and leave,” you point towards the living room with your whisk and some powder flies out of the bowl in the process.

Dustin tries to argue, but then the doorbell rings and he immediately breaks out into a shit eating grin. “Perfect timing.”

“What–” You try to question what your brother is up to, but he’s already run to answer the door. Sighing, you slowly mix in your wet ingredients and mumble to yourself, “I hate him. I really do.”

“Who do we hate?” Steve slides into the kitchen, not a care in the world, and slides right into Jonathan’s peanut butter cups. “Shit!”

“Steve!” You quickly catch the desserts, barely able to hold onto the bowl of brownie batter in your hands. Once the crisis is averted, you turn to Steve and begin hitting him with your batter covered whisk, effectively ruining his sweater. “What are you doing here?”

“I invited him!” Dustin now slides into the kitchen as well, a gleeful look in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Steve looks down at the batter he’s covered in and scraps some off with his finger before bringing it to his mouth. He hums, nods appreciatively, and smacks his lips. “Ya know, why haven’t I had this before?”

“The brownies are for Mike.” Dustin says, sneakily popping a peanut butter cup into his mouth.

“Wheeler should share, this batter is delicious.” Steve licks some more off of his sweater and you and Dustin cringe at him. When he sees this, he simply shrugs at you both. “What? My sweater is clean.”

You shake your head at the teen in disappointment. “Never thought I’d have to say this, but please stop licking your sweater, Steve.”

He puts his hands up in surrender, albeit with a slight scoff. “Sue a man for not wasting food.”

You blow a piece of hair out of your face and go back to the batter. “Again I ask: what are you doing here?”

“Like the kid said, he invited me.” Steve points to Dustin, who sends you a thumbs up. “Didn’t know I’d be walking into a war zone, though.”

“It’s Christmas Eve,” you say, as if this is all the explanation he needs. When Steve only tilts his head at you in confusion, you huff and put down your bowl so you can quickly explain. “I bake everyone their favorite desserts for Christmas, and normally it’s fine. However, now I have Max, Nancy, Hopper, and El to add to my baking list and I…”

You stumble, now suddenly feeling the effects of baking all day catching up to you. You’re slightly woozy, you can’t remember if you had lunch today. “I’m doing great, honestly.”

“She’s going insane.” Dustin loudly whispers to Steve, his fingers circling around his head in a “crazy” motion.

Steve ignores the boy and stands next to you, placing a hand to the small of your back and leans over your shoulder, allowing you to lean back against him. It’s a simple gesture, and you melt immediately against him. “Give me a bowl and recipe, angel. I’ll help you bake.”

You reluctantly move away from Steve and quickly find a piece of paper and a pen to scribble the recipe for Nancy’s chocolate chip cookies. It’s an easy enough recipe, you trust that Steve can handle the basics.

As you hand the recipe to him, Dustin’s jaw drops. “What, no fair! Why can’t I help bake?”

“Salt and sugar, Dustin. Salt and sugar.”

Steve gathers the ingredients he needs. “Do you have a spare apron?”

“I mean, sure,” you show him where one hangs next to the doorway. “But you’re already covered in brownie batter, so I’m not sure why you need one now.”

“Wanna match with you,” Steve quickly ties the strings around his waist, the apron is far too small on him and it makes you giggle.

Dustin, now very much third wheeling, throws his hands up in the air and marches out of the room. “You two are disgusting, ya know that?”

“Love you too!” You call after the boy, who responds by marching even louder towards his room.

With your brother gone and with Steve’s help, you manage to get through the rest of your baking list in no time. While you hadn’t expected Steve to necessarily fail in the kitchen, you were also pleasantly surprised by how comfortable he seemed to be while helping you bake.

“How’d you get so good at measuring sugar?”

Steve doesn’t look up from his measuring cup, too focused on the task at hand as he carefully counts out how many cups he will need. “My mom.”

“Oh,” you breathe out, not having expected the answer. He never really brought his parents up, something that you’ve noticed but never touched on with him. You figured it was like your father, never wanting to talk about someone who has hurt you.

Hesitantly, you try to learn more. “Does she bake with you a lot?”

“She used to,” Steve counts his third cup and mixes it into the bowl, now working on Max’s coconut bites. “Back when I was little, we used to bake her banana bread together all the time.”

His voice is light, the conversation isn’t a painful one for Steve, so you decide it’s safe to press further. “Well, if you can remember the recipe, I’m sure we can bake it today.”

Steve looks up at you, eyes wide. “You mean it?”

“Of course I mean it, dummy.” The way he’s looking at you with such genuine enthusiasm makes your heart hurt; he’s surprised you’ve offered him kindness. “I was going to bake you those caramel banana cookies, so I have some ripe bananas anyways–”

You’re cut off by Steve’s arms wrapping around you. He holds you tight, and he smells of sugar and cinnamon; it’s an addicting scent. “Thank you,” he breathes out, touched that you would do such a thing for him, and you tighten around him, happy that you’re able to give him this.

Later that night, when you walk Steve to his car after a long day of baking, he opens his passenger side door and grabs something from the seat. You watch him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What are you doing?”

“You think I came all the way here on Christmas Eve without a gift for you?” Steve teases, a smirk on his face as he hides something behind his arms.

You gasp, “You planned this, didn’t you?”

“Dustin called, I answered, and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to surprise you,” he shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. “Plus, I got homemade banana bread out of it, so shush and close your eyes.”

“Fine, but only because I have your gift waiting in my room. The second we’re done here, I’m running inside and bragging about my impeccable gift giving abilities.”

Steve chuckles fondly, knowing that whatever you will give him will ultimately be his favorite gift he’s ever received. “Okay, moron. Close your eyes.”

With a giggle, you close your eyes and eagerly await whatever you’re about to be given. Steve’s gift from last year, a signed poster of the original Spider-Man comic, now hangs on your bedroom wall. You love it dearly, every time you look at it, you smile.

Something soft is placed within your hands. Its texture is woolen, the material is heavy yet lightweight, and while you can’t figure out exactly what it is, you can’t help but notice how expensive it feels. “Okay, open your eyes.”

You do, and when you see what Steve has given you, you gasp. “Oh, it’s beautiful!”

Within your hands is a cardigan. The wool it has been knitted with is a lovely cream color, and you bring the clothing closer to admire all the wonderful details within the knit pattern. With small pieces of wool, hints of baby blues and pinks weave in and out of the cream. Along the front are buttons made from a beautiful dark wood, polished to perfection.

Steve lets out a nervous chuckle and stuffs his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, well. Figured I owed you a new cardigan after basically tearing apart your old one.”

“I was bleeding out, Steve.” Your finger traces over a button, its wood is cool to the touch and so smooth that you can hardly believe it’s real. “If you hadn’t torn my favorite cardigan to stop the bleeding, I wouldn’t be alive today to call you an idiot for even considering I would be mad about that–”

As you admire one of the sleeves, your finger catches on something. Turning the clothing around, you see, within the inside of the sleeve, a messily sewn on patch. The stitches are crooked and horribly uneven, clearly done by someone unskinned with a needle. “What’s this?”

Steve clears his throat, uncharacteristically flustered. “Just… Something I added.”

The patch is small, no bigger than an inch or so, with messy handwriting on it that has become familiar to you through long hours at Bookstrordinary helping you write down all the orders needed for shipments.

S.H.

Steve must mistake your stunned silence for disgust, because he quickly tries to take the cardigan away from you in embarrassment. “Fuck, you–you think it’s weird and you hate it and I went too far–”

He had wanted to give you a piece of himself somehow.

His panicked rambling is cut off by your entire body being thrown against his. Suddenly he has an armful of you, flushed against him in the December chill, and Steve’s heartbeat threatens to beat out of his chest. He has you right where he wants you, in his arms with your perfume swirling around his brain as he buries his face into your hair.

Everything calms within him, all the panic and insecurity he had just been feeling is now gone.

“It’s perfect,” you whisper, not even bothering to hide the fact that you’re now crying. No one has ever made something for you, and the hand sewn patch that now resides on your beautiful cardigan makes everything within you burn.

Steve’s fingers slowly make their way to your hair and he risks pressing a kiss atop of your head. He relishes in the way his lips feel against your hair, how it feels like he’s done this all his life. “You really like it?”

“I love it.” You pull your head from his chest and catch his eye. They shine when they look at you, and you can’t help but think about how similar they look compared to last summer. Last July Steve had looked at you like he’d fall to his knees for you and kiss every crevice of your skin if you’d asked him to, and you had run away, terrified of the feelings you weren’t ready to face.

Now, as Steve stares down at you still as if you’re holding the sun within your hands, all you can think is home.

Home.

What a fascinating concept, being able to find a home within someone’s arms.

And it’s a fall like no other.

“I’m glad you love it,” Steve is breathless, both relieved and in awe that he’s done something to render you this speechless, that he has this effect on you.

Neither of you know how long you stand there wrapped in each other, but eventually you force yourself to detangle from the boy. When Steve groans at the loss of your touch, you gently shove him away with a smile. “I still owe you a gift, dummy.”

He thinks about this for a moment, hums to himself and taps his finger against his chin. You giggle, which is all he wanted to make you do, and finally he seems to come to a decision. “Fine, I will allow this because I wanna know what you got me.”

“Mhm, that’s what I thought.” You flick Steve’s nose and begin walking towards your house. “I’ll be back in a second!”

Steve watches as you run back inside, the cardigan he has gifted you is clutched tightly to your chest, and he knows he’s falling as well. He can feel it, the slight tug within his chest that expands into a warmth that steadily beats alongside his heart.

As you promised, you’re back with a small box wrapped in a simple blue paper within no time. Only this time, you’re now wearing the cardigan and Steve’s heart skips a beat when he sees you.

You’re practically skipping as you return to his side, stupidly excited for Steve to see what you’ve gotten for him; you all but shove the gift into his hands. “Open it!”

He can’t help but laugh at your enthusiasm, though his heartbeat still hasn’t quite settled yet. “So bossy.”

You ignore Steve’s teasing and instead watch the look on his face as he unwraps the box and opens its lid. Within the box, tucked delicately between sheets of tissue paper, is a framed photo of Steve and Dustin.

A mix of emotions cross Steve’s face, from shock to curiosity to pure adoration. His lips part slightly, a slight gasp escapes him. “Y/N…”

You’re beaming, though you shrug as if it’s just another Monday for you. The photo is your favorite, taken the other day while they worked on a robot set that Steve had brought over. “Jonathan left his camera at my place a few weeks ago, and you and Dustin looked incredibly sweet working together, so… I snuck a picture while you two were busy bickering over drill bit sizes.”

In the picture, Dustin’s hands are gesturing wildly at Steve, his eyes manic, yet there’s a genuine smile on both of their faces despite the clear indications that they’re arguing. Tools are scattered around them and a poor, misshapen robot lays discarded on the table in front of them, long forgotten in the midst of their argument.

It’s the perfect photo, honestly.

Steve lets out a wet chuckle, his eyes are shining with fondness. “That kid is such a pain in the ass.”

“Yeah, but you can’t help but love him anyway.” You nudge him, drawing his attention back to you. “It’s not often I see Dustin befriend someone so quickly, ya know.”

Steve ducks his head down, flushed from what you’re implying. “Yeah, well. He’s a good kid.”

“He is.” You stand on your tiptoes and press your lips against his cheek, before whispering into his ear, “and so are you.”

You feel Steve shiver, and he grips at your waist so that you can’t back away again. He pauses for a moment, allows your words to sink in and your kiss to seep throughout his body. There’s more he wants to say, his lips practically beg to be drawn to yours, but he takes a deep breath and says what he knows he can give you. “Merry Christmas, angel.”

“Merry Christmas, honey.” Your lips graze Steve’s ear and he shivers again. This, he knows, is where he was always meant to be.

–

Spring comes, and Steve doesn’t get into any of the colleges he applied for.

It’s a hard blow, and the months you’ve spent trying to rebuild his confidence comes crashing down within seconds.

Steve draws into himself, you don’t see him at school for a few days and he doesn’t stop by your work. He’s embarrassed, hiding from his shame of not being good enough to even get into Tech. He’s everything his father told him he’d be. A failure, an embarrassment to the Harrington name.

You give Steve a few days to himself, trusting that he’ll come back when he’s ready; you know how deeply he carries the weight of his father’s expectations. However, when almost a week goes by without any word from the teen, you decide to take matters into your own hands.

Which leads you to now: knocking on Steve’s door with platters of fresh baked goods, Mike and the others holding their own assortment of snacks and movies for tonight.

It took a lot of bargaining and multiple batches of brownies, but in the end you convinced Dustin and the others to surprise Steve with a movie night at his house. You knew his parents would be out of town this week, they’re hardly ever home anyways.

After a few swift knocks, you don’t have to wait long before Steve opens the door. He looks tired, his hair is a mess and he’s wearing the ratty sweatpants that you absolutely hate on him. It looks like he hasn’t slept in days, and when he sees who is behind his door, he frowns. “Why are you all holding snacks?”

“Well, hello to you too, buddy.” Dustin is the first to enter, shoving past Steve without a care in the world. He looks around and whistles, impressed with the house. “Y/N said you were rich, but damn.”

“Is that a pool?” Lucas makes his way in as well, Max loosely holding his hand as she follows.

El looks up at you. “What is a pool?”

“Mike,” you call for the boy to get his attention. When he turns to you, brownie shoved in his mouth, you point towards El. “Can you explain to her what a pool is while I talk to Steve?”

Mike salutes you and grabs El’s hand, yanking her inside so that you’re left alone with the teen. As soon as they’re gone, Steve lets out an exasperated sigh. “What is this, Y/N?”

“Mandatory movie night!” You exclaim, hoping that your fake enthusiasm will be enough to rub off on him as well. You really, really hope that this plan works.

Steve sighs again, his heart isn’t in it to play along. “Y/N…”

“You’ve missed an entire week of school and Bookstrordinary misses its most loyal customer.” You’re basically pleading now, scared that Steve will turn you and everyone else away. “I just… I miss you and I know you enjoy the kids, even if you try to deny it, and I want you to just spend this one night with us. No worrying about the future, no family drama, just me, you, and the kids as we watch horrible scary movies and eat an unhealthy amount of sugar, okay?”

“But–”

“No, you’re not allowed to argue with me.” Steve stares at you, baffled, but you simply barge past him and enter the home as well. “We’re going to have fun tonight, damn it.”

He watches as you walk inside and start ordering the kids around. Within no time, you’ve arranged a neat row of cookies and brownies and chips and dinosaur nuggets on his dining room table while the kids start making a fort in the living room.

Steve sighs, knowing he’s long lost this battle with you, and joins you to help with grabbing more blankets and pillows for the fort.

One part of the deal for a movie night at Steve’s was allowing all the kids to pick their own movie to watch. You’d been very hesitant to say yes to this, but ultimately Mike’s nagging won in the end. His movie choice goes first, and within the first fifteen minutes of it, a fort has been made and the kids quickly settle within it, a mess of sheets and pillows and blankets.

You’re on the couch, lazily stretched out, knowing that there’s no room for you in the fort with the others. You don’t mind, you honestly prefer having the couch to yourself, and you only further come to enjoy this when Steve makes his way into the living room and looks around.

“Where am I supposed to sit?” He asks, slightly offended that he doesn’t get to share the fort.

“Here,” you pat the couch, though you don’t bother to make any room for him. Your entire body rests on the couch, there isn’t enough space for him to sit comfortably on the edge.

Steve bites his lip. He wants, more than anything, to lay on top of you and melt into your body, but he just isn’t sure what boundaries have been placed between the two of you. When you notice his misplaced hesitation, you simply sigh and tug at his legs, causing him to fall on top of you. “Shit–”

He collapses onto you and your body braces for his impact, the weight of him foreign yet welcome. He’s wearing the cologne you love and you reach for his shirt to tug him closer so that he’s now properly laying on you. You sigh happily, wrapping your arms around Steve. “See, was that so hard?”

“If you wanted to cuddle, you could’ve just asked.” Steve grumbles, but he situates himself so that he’s laying more comfortably on you and scoops you into his own arms as well. He rests his head against your chest and your fingers find their way into his hair, as they always seem to do.

Steve closes his eyes and lets himself enjoy your touch, for once not caring that the kids are just below the two of you in their fort. Normally he’s more reserved around you when they’re near, especially Dustin.

That kid never lets Steve catch a break when it comes to you.

But he’s exhausted and has spent the last week either crying or pretending that he’s someone he isn’t, so Steve indulges in your warmth and relishes in the way your fingers seem to unconsciously draw small circles on his back; he’s so fucking grateful that you exist.

You’re always there to catch him, to remind him of who he can be despite his continuous flaws.

The surprise movie night ends up being everything Steve needs. He laughs at Mike’s horrible jokes, shows El how to use the VHR, he argues with Max about whether peanut butter belongs with chocolate, Dustin throws popcorn at you when you kiss Steve’s cheek, and Lucas even asks him about basketball and if he has any advice for him once he gets to high school.

It’s the most fun Steve has had in a while, and he realizes why you spend so much time with these kids. They’re everything, really. Smart and fucking hilarious and easy to be around. They’re honest with him, they tell him he’s an idiot for not getting into college while in the same breath debating with him about if college is even worth it.

Plus, you litter Steve’s face with more kisses than usual tonight, which only brightens his mood further. You’ve been more affectionate with him lately, holding his hand more often and pressing your lips wherever you can. It’s as if he’s found some key, unlocking all the love you’ve stored within you.

Steve isn’t an idiot, he knows there’s more to it, so do you. However, rather than acknowledge it, you both choose to simply bask in it. It’s not time yet, bringing this into the light. It’s delicate, still forming into something that Steve is sure will be incredible.

For now, he allows his lips to skim across your face while the kids aren’t looking. They’ve been dying to do this ever since he’s known you, and the giggle you let out is more than enough for him.

–

Spring turns to summer and before Steve knows it, he’s graduating.

He rolls over in bed and stares at the ceiling. The Harrington household is quiet. His parents have gone on yet another business trip, his father had scoffed when Steve had asked if they’d be back in time for his ceremony.

“Why should we attend if you’re not going to do anything with that diploma?”

“Right,” Steve had scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed that he had even thought to ask his father to come. “I’m sorry.”

His mother, who had been quiet as they spoke, only stepped forward once her husband had left the room. She brought a hand to his face and tentatively stroked his cheek with her finger. “I’m proud of you, my beautiful boy.”

Steve had smiled at her, knowing that she meant well and yet heartbroken that she couldn’t voice this in front of his father. She smiled sadly at him, as if she sensed what he had been thinking, before following after her husband. As she always does.

The doorbell rings, effectively breaking Steve out of his momentary self pity. He looks at his alarm clock and frowns. It’s early in the morning, he doesn’t know who could be at the door at such an hour.

Sighing, he gets out of bed and makes his way downstairs angry at the world. He’s tired of growing up, his parents suck, he’s almost definitely skipping his graduation ceremony, and now he has to get out of bed to go answer the door.

He opens the door and when he sees that it’s you, his mood drastically improves. You’re dressed in a pretty lavender sundress, a departure from your usual t-shirts and shorts that Steve has come to associate as your summer uniform. By the time he manages to take his eyes off of you, he realizes too late that you’re holding flowers and shoving your way into his home.

“Ready to graduate?” You ask, carefully setting the flowers down on his kitchen table. “You can’t skip it if I’m here, ya know.”

Steve groans. “How did you even know I was going to skip?”

“Because you’re predictable and I enjoy making you do what’s best for you.” You’ve grabbed his hand and are dragging him towards his room. “Now, go find something nice to wear while I put your flowers in a vase.”

“But–”

You don’t give Steve any time to argue as you’ve already left the room to go and take care of the flowers. He lets out another groan, he knows he can’t argue his way out of this one. You’ve dressed up for a graduation, bought Steve flowers, and now he has to put on some stupid outfit to make a smile cross your pretty little face.

He settles on a simple white button down shirt and a pair of nice dress pants, and you return to his room as he’s struggling with the buttons. When you see him, you laugh with affection and walk over to him. “Here, let me see.”

Steve lets you button his shirt, your breath is warm against his chest as your fingers quickly secure the buttons into the place. He admires the cute frown on your face as you concentrate, and he allows his hands to come up to yours and slots your fingers together. You’re taken aback by the sudden affection.

“What are you doing?” You ask, a familiar blush on your face from his touch. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to this.

“Nonthin’.” Steve says, though he lets go of one of your hands and places it on the small of your back as he always does. He uses the hand to push you closer and the other hand remains intertwined with yours. He stares down at you, he’s close enough to count every eyelash that dots along your pretty eyes. “Just admiring you.”

“Is this some ploy to distract me from your graduation?” Though you try to tease him, you’re weak and let out a soft sigh when Steve pulls you even closer, feeling his body against yours. He’s allowed himself to become bolder with you, and as if to prove this, he tucks your hair behind your ear and kisses your brow. You exhale with a shaky breath, your resolve dwindles. “Honey…”

Steve chuckles at your reaction, revels in it. He hopes to one day memorize all the ways he can make you sigh his name and shiver against him. For now, however, he pulls away and finishes getting dressed. “I know, I know. Graduation time.”

The perfectly aimed sandal that you throw at him is enough to solidify to Steve that he is, truly, happy.

–

Dustin is the first one Steve sees in the bleachers, then Mike, and then El, before he realizes that the entire party has managed to make it to his graduation ceremony.

“You invited them?” He turns to you, somehow surprised that you would do such a simple and lovely thing.

“Of course I did.” You kiss his cheek and quickly fix his hair as you adjust his graduation cap. You’ve been fretting over his appearance ever since you left his house, and he hates how giddy he feels whenever you dote on him. “Now, go find your seat and don’t trip on the stage!”

You’re gone in a flash, leaving Steve alone as you go and join the kids in the bleachers with all the other friends and family in attendance. The school’s gym is packed, everyone has someone there for them to see them walk across the stage, and though Steve’s actual family isn’t here, he has you and the kids in the stands cheering for him.

Steve decides, then, that you and the kids are his true family.

The ceremony is long and boring, and Steve spends the entire time sneaking glances at you.

You’re attentive, nodding along to all the boring speeches made by teachers and clapping for every student’s name that is called. He sees you breakup a fight between Mike and Max over something, he guesses it’s probably something dumb, and he laughs when you switch seats with Max in the end.

As he watches you, Steve feels what he felt the first day he ever spoke to you when you almost hit his car with your bike. When he’d gotten out of his car and found you laying in the ditch, he felt what he feels now: a slow, all encompassing wave of sunlight.

He felt it when he drove you home the following week and you’d told him he wasn’t a bad person, and he felt it again when you’d spared him kindness at Jonathan’s while fighting the Demogorgon. Then, in front of the hospital’s vending machine, the sunlight turned into a fireplace within his chest when you’d giggled and told him you were friends.

Since then, the fire has only burned deeper within Steve. It burned when he’d gifted you that poster, when he had spent every day at your job just to be near you. It had burned Steve when you’d left him that summer, the sting of it unbearable as it seared his skin. Then it had dimmed, abandoned, until you came back again and reignited it once more.

When you whispered confessions to Steve in the dark, he felt it then. When you sacrificed your life to save his, leaving a scar on your rib cage that Steve can feel whenever he hugs you, he felt it then as well. The fire was there when you leaned against him, accepted the help he has always tried to provide for you, when he gave you a piggyback ride back inside Jonathan’s and tucked you into bed.

It all comes back to Steve in flashes.

Your promise to him to wait, to stay even though he couldn’t give you what you deserved, what you needed. The gentleness of your promise and the framed photo of him and Dustin that now sits proudly on his bedside table. The surprise movie nights, how you call him “honey” and he calls you “angel”.

It’s always been there.

The warmth had started back before Steve even knew what warmth was, when he first saw you. He had been thirteen and you had been twelve.

Now, at almost seventeen and eighteen, you’re cheering for Steve’s name as it’s called upon the stage and he finally knows what this feeling is. Steve accepts his diploma and shakes hands with his principal and he swears he can hear your voice, screaming his name with pure joy, above everyone else’s; it’s as if his body is attuned to yours.

This, Steve knows, is love.

–

The school year ends and summer break begins.

There’s a new mall in Hawkins, one that’s big and flashy and opens just in time for summer vacation. Dustin spends entire days there with the party before he reluctantly leaves for Camp Know Where. You miss your brother dearly, but you know the camp is good for him.

When you find out that Jonathan and Nancy have become interns at the Hawkins Post, you scream and throw yourself into their arms, incredibly proud of them, yet you’re sad as well. You didn’t realize that you’d be spending your last summer before senior year apart from your best friend, though you know he’s always dreamed of showcasing his photography.

It’s bittersweet, but when Steve gets a job at the new mall, the free ice cream that you get makes up for it.

Plus, his uniform for Scoops Ahoy doesn’t hurt.

“You’re not allowed to laugh.” Steve threatens you, horribly self conscious with how short his shorts are. You made him promise to show you the uniform, but now he’s seriously regretting it as you bite your lip; he sees the laugh before it comes. “I mean it! No laughing, it’s already bad enough that I have to work–”

He’s cut off by your loud, smug laugh. It overtakes your entire body as you hunch over, gasping for breath as you wheeze out, “You look great!”

Steve hides behind the ice cream counter, absolutely mortified. Here he is, being laughed at by the girl he’s so fucking in love with, as he wears a stupid sailor hat and a god damn ascot.

In between your laughs, you see the despair on Steve’s face and you try to calm down. “Okay, I’m sorry,” you wipe tears from your eyes, still slightly giggling. “It’s just… You look so adorable in that uniform!”

Immediately Steve straightens his back and crosses his arms, trying to look more dignified. “One, never call a man adorable. That’s just offensive. Two, I will not get out from behind this counter until you stop giggling at me.”

“Who are we giggling at?” An unfamiliar girl now appears, wearing the exact same uniform that Steve is, and when she sees you standing in front of the teen, she raises her eyebrows in disbelief. “Henderson with Harrington?”

She knows your name, and you quickly wrack your head to try and figure out why she looks so familiar. At the very least, you know she has to be a grade below you, though you can’t quite place her, which you feel bad about. She looks kind.

“Yes, Henderson with Harrington.” You extend your hand out for the girl to shake. “I’m Y/N, though I guess you already knew that.”

“Robin Buckley,” she accepts your handshake, giving you an interested smile. She already seems to like you, which you’re relieved by.

Steve watches this interaction with pure dread. He had met Robin a few days ago during his interview for the job, and she’s made his life a living hell of torment and teasing ever since. Now, with you two meeting, he knows that you’ll only add onto Robin’s incredibly quick wit. “Oh, please don’t become friends.”

“Too late.” You wink at Robin. “Wanna check out this insanely large mall together?”

Robin gasps. “It’d be my pleasure.” She hops over the counter, completely bypassing the door that lets you out, and loops her arm through yours. “Later, dingus!”

“Bye, Steve!”

He stands there, defeated, as you and Robin giggle together while you leave. It only took thirty seconds before you abandoned him like some traitor. Sighing, he picks up a rag and starts wiping down the tables in the ice cream shop.

From the corner of his eye he can see you and Robin running around the mall. You’re giggling as you chase after the girl, your hair is tied in a loose ponytail and one of the straps on your overalls has slid down your arm. You look happy, bright and alive, far from the girl Steve remembers from last winter.

It takes Steve’s breath away.

Then, as if you can sense his eyes on you, you turn. Your eyes connect, your cheeks are flushed from running and you’re breathless as you smile at him. Steve returns your smile, winks, and he can almost hear your giggle.

You finally look away, going back to chasing after Robin as the two of you retreat further into the mall, and as your figure fades in the distance, there’s only one thing on Steve’s mind.

I can’t wait to make her mine.

-

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[super-marvel-dc]

Jason and Y/N have a total of 14 kids that Y/N adopted off the street (don't worry Y/N will probably find more to take in...). Jason and Y/N ended up having to buy a huge house with lots of bedrooms and a hundred acres of land in case someone *cough* Y/N *cough* decides to take in more kids, then they'll have to add on. At least there's plenty of room! There's plenty of trees and a big pond where the Todds spend their weekends together having a picnic as a big, dysfunctional, happy family. They also own three dogs, three cats, horses (again, thanks to Y/N because Jason is a sucker for them and them only. Whatever Y/N wants Y/N gets), chickens, cows, ducks, fish, koi fish in the pond, and two donkeys named Donkey and Dragon all thanks to one of their daughters who is obsessed with watching Shrek. Like so obsessed she dressed up as Fiona for five Halloweens straight and had multiple Shrek themed birthdays... Don't even think about washing her donkey plushie when she's awake of she will scream... It freaked out Jason for a while. Shopping? Oh, well, that's something itself. Thought it was hard shopping with Jason? Think again. It's much worse with Jason plus 14 kids and they all want McDonald's on the way home. Before you go asking how the Todds get to the store with 14 kids in a normal truck/car, they don't, they drive a school bus Y/N "found" one day while out and about. They still have their sports bikes and vehicles they love so much, but when it's family shopping day it's the bus. Dinner? Everyone is helping out one way or another. It's so chaotic, but Jason and Y/N wouldn't have it any other way. Everyone at their kids school knows not to mess with them because they have crazy—but awesome—parents. Alex is the only one that is deaf so he is homeschooled, and everyone learned sign language just for him. The first time everyone signed the whole happy birthday song he had tears in his eyes and the biggest smile on his face. Not picking favorites or anything but he's definitely a Y/N's little boy. Monday night is movie night and they have to keep track on who's turn it is to pick out a movie or world war III breaks out, and it ain't pretty. Jason stopped buying nice vases after those few times they didn't keep track... Sunday is date night for Jason and Y/N, and nothing will interfere with it because Jason will throw a fit (unless it was an emergency). No doubt you'll find Maggie cuddled between her parents when it's thundering outside, her little Robin teddy bear held tightly in her arms as she snores peacefully. Snow days are perfect, everyone outside playing in the snow (playing a game of snowball fights that tend to get out of hand) and drinking hot chocolate afterwards, wrapped up in blankets while sitting around the fireplace. Jason scolding his kids after they snuck a raccoon in the house without his permission all while Y/N grins sheepishly at Jason as they hold the hands of twins who both have matching smiles on their little faces, both missing a front tooth, and Jason sighing, shaking his head with a small smile on his lips thinking to himself how he got so lucky to have Y/N and his big family he wouldn't give up for the world.

Please, do not steal my work

[fuctacles]

in love and war

For Spicy Six Winter Challenge hosted by @thefreakandthehair

T | 2203 | inspired by that one episode of The Office | friends to enemies to lovers, idiot4idiot, questionable courting methods aka pulling pigtails, feelings realization | part 2 | part 3

“I fucking hate him,” Steve seethes into the phone, sniffling loudly right after.

Robin makes a disgusted noise.

“Not right in my ear! Use a tissue!”

“Don't have any,” he murmurs, using his sleeve instead.

“Need me to make a grocery run for you? Get some chicken soup while I’m at it?” She’s joking, but there’s a hint of “I'll do it if you need it” in her voice.

“I’m fine,” he insists. “Just a bit cold.”

“I think you should just tell him he’s going too far-”

“No,” he interrupts her. “I want my revenge. This is war now.”

Robin sighs into the receiver the last breath of hope that her best friend will act like an adult.

“Okay. What’s the plan, Captain?”

He winces.

“Scoops flashbacks, pick a different code name.”

She hums in thought but comes up with an alternative suspiciously fast. 

“What's the plan, Batman?”

“What?”

“Because of the bat?”

“That’s stupid.” He searches his brain for the matching nerd trivia. “And that of course, would make you Robin?”

“Precisely!”

He can imagine her grin and it’s hard to be annoyed at that. He scoffs nevertheless. On principle.

“We’re planning revenge on Joker or what?”

“Fine.”

It started like all wars do. With a lover's quarrel. At least that’s how Robin will tell the story at their wedding, but that's over a decade ahead. Now, here, it starts with a snowball. 

“Hey!”

Steve swerves around to look for the culprit but while there’s none in sight, he spots a familiar van, standing nearby. His eyes narrow and he reaches down to scoop some snow.

“I know it’s you, Eddie! Show yourself!”

Silence. He keeps his eyes peeled while slowly moving to the side. The snow crunches under his foot and something black shifts near the front of the van. He throws.

The black something yelps.

“Score!” Steve cheers. 

But just a second later he’s plowed with a flurry of snow. 

“Munson!” he growls, hiding his face and ducking as fast as he can behind his car. There’s no aim or finesse to Eddie’s throws, he’s going for the pure quantity of them, meaning must have been making snowballs since he left the store about an hour ago. Steve has no chance.

The balls are sturdy and precisely formed, he can feel their impact on his back. Can hear them thudding against his car.

“You’ll be paying for the lacquer job!” he yells and the shooting stops. Figuring it’ll give him a second to arm up he starts scooping snow and forming balls. He’s at a disadvantage again, his car is parked in a mostly shoveled parking lot. Unlike Eddie’s, standing on the curb where the snow has been piled up. 

Switching to the offensive would be his best move probably. 

Or he could get in his car and leave. But where’s the fun in that?

He holds a ball ready and peeks out. A snow projectile wheezes right above his head while he nearly takes Eddie’s hat off.

“Nice aim, Munson!”

“Fuck you, jock!”

Steve cackles in delight and for a moment they exchange more throws like that. 

“You chickening out?”

“Never!”

“Out of ammo, huh?”

“You fucking wish!”

He was, though, running out of snow. It was time to attack.

He throws a couple more balls by the front of the car while shuffling to the back.

“That's all you’ve got?!”

He doesn’t answer not to compromise his position. And then, he runs.

Eddie has a ball in hand when he spots him but is too stunned to aim properly. He screams and turns around to flee, but his long legs aren’t going to save him, because Steve isn’t here to chase him.

Instead, he jumps.

They both land in a pile of snow.

“Steve, no! No, no, no!”

“You started it!” he reminds him, shoveling snow down his jacket while he screams.

“Steeeeeeeeeve!”

He thought that was all, but it turned out it was just the beginning.

A furious Henderson walked into the store the next day.

“Eddie is sneezing,” he says like it was Steve’s fault somehow. He raises an eyebrow.

“Okay, and?”

“And, if he’s sick he won’t be able to DM and we’re this close to the big bad!”

“Okay, still-”

“And it’s your fault!”

“Yeah, no-”

“Steve.” Dustin pushes himself up on the counter, his feet dangling just to get right into Steve’s face. “You put a finger on my DM and you’ll perish.”

Steve bops him on the forehead. It makes him lose his balance and stumble back on his feet.

“Sure munchkin, I’m quaking in my boots.”

“I’ll make sure mom never makes a chocolate cake for you,” he threatens with a venom no high schooler should be capable of. 

“Is this really about yesterday?” Robin peeks out of the horror aisle. 

“Yes!”

“Apparently.”

“You guys are ridiculous,” she comments and goes back behind the shelves. Which reminds Steve he’s at work and this is, in fact, ridiculous.

“Listen, I’m not touching Eddie. He started it, first of all, and it got a bit out of hand. It��s not like we’re holding snow fights every day,” he waves his hand dismissively.

Dustin squints at him.

“You better not be.”

“No worries, I’m not a child. I have better stuff to do.”

“Uh-huh.”

Steve frowns at his tone.

“Hey, what is that supposed to-”

But Dustin already turned around, off towards the fantasy section.

“Dustin!”

“You’ve raised him well.”

“Shit!” Steve jumped up when Robin appeared next to him. “Warn a guy, jeez.”

“Yeah, no,” she smiles sweetly at him. “Get back to work, since you’re not a child.”

He huffs.

When they close the store a couple of hours later, he realizes he hadn’t taken the other variable into account. Eddie was a child and had nothing better to do.

Moreso, he found back up.

Turns out Max and Lucas were much better shots than him, moving the scales in their favor.

That is until a fire lit up in Robin's eyes and she started throwing snowballs with an alarming accuracy.

“Where did that come from?” he marvels at her with wide eyes. 

“You’re looking at a five-year family champion in snow fights. Twas the only way I could be violent against my gross cousins,” she explains, laser-focused on the ginger strands peeking from behind the van. 

He laughs, mostly providing her with ammo while she does the shooting.

“Why are you encouraging this?!”

Robin was the one on the receiving end of Dustin’s wrath this time. Steve watched it with amused anticipation, but all she did was shrug.

“I just got caught in the crossfire. Don’t involve me in this.”

And then she disappeared in the back.

“Steve!”

Steve sighs. 

“What did I say?!”

“Not to touch your DM? Which I didn’t. He’s the one who brought reinforcements!”

“You must have done something! Eddie doesn’t just start shit!”

Steve scoffs.

“Well, clearly you don’t know your friend so well, then. Because he sure fucking does and he sure fucking did.”

“He sure fucking didn’t!”

“Language!”

And so, Dustin storms out. A moody teenager shouldn’t be getting to him as much as he is, but he does and Steve’s in a foul mood now. 

Robin, bless her heart, stays an extra hour to close up with him again. They both steal glances through the shop’s windows, in search of any anomalies. The coast seems clear.

“Maybe he parked in the back?”

“That wouldn’t make sense.”

They were standing, eyes glued to the glass, keys ready. 

“Well, this whole thing doesn’t make sense.”

Robin nods to that and pushes the door.

There is no ambush. They walk briskly to Steve’s car, and no snowballs swish by. The doors close behind them, wrapping them in metallic safety.

“Steve.”

“Right.”

He shakes out of his stupor and starts the ignition. He drives Robin home and nobody follows. Slowly, he relaxes.

“Hope that’s the end of it.” Robin squeezes his shoulder before leaving. “Take a hot bath, call it an early night. You’re tense like it’s another apocalypse.”

He shoots her a glare.

“Don’t joke like that. Jesus Christ, Robin!”

She waves her hand.

“I’m just saying! You’re stressing over nothing!”

She was right, of course. He sighed.

“I guess. It’s all Dustin’s fault, it’s like he knows exactly how to piss me off.”

Robin rolls her eyes and he doesn’t need to hear how stupid it is to get involved in a high-schooler's drama. He knows.

He drives home with the radio turned down, already winding down from a long day at work. There’s some leftover soup in the fridge and he can whip himself a quick grilled cheese. Maybe he’ll open a beer and watch a sitcom before falling asleep.

Damn, he feels old.

Calmness settles over him with the sound of his tires switching from asphalt to the short driveway to his house. He steps out of the car, noticing the new layer of snow under his shoes. Makes a mental note to shovel it the next day. When he turns around he sees a snowman in his front yard and he frowns at it. When did that happen?

“Duck!”

He does so instinctively, monster-fighting reflexes kicking in. A snowball falls apart against his car’s window.

“It’s a trap!” 

Someone answers to that with a battle cry and all hell breaks loose.

Hands are pulling him behind the car as he watches the snowman fall apart, revealing a red-nosed Eddie. He’s too stunned to react and lets himself be moved around until he’s crouching next to rosy-cheeked Lucas. 

“Changing teams?” He raises eyebrows at him. 

“Well, last time I only joined for Max. Now I think Eddie’s going overboard.”

“No shit,” Steve scoffs. They form snowballs while talking.

“He’s got Mike and Will on his side.”

“Will?”

“He goes where Mike goes.” Lucas shrugs.

“Well, we can take them.” Between his and Lucas’ skills, the nerds stood no chance. He sighs. “I just wanted a nice night in. Maybe I could make a break for it…?” He can’t even see his front door from here.

“I could distract them when they run out of ammo,” Lucas offers.

“You’re a godsend.”

Eddie seems to be possessed. The snowman hid his stash of snowballs, which he now throws without thought. 

“Show yourself, jocks! There’s a traitor in your midst that I’d want a word with!”

Lucas rolls his eyes before jumping up and hitting Eddie square in the chest. 

“Where’s the other two?” he frowns, gathering snow again.

Steve takes a cautious look around just in time to see one of the snow-capped bushes move. He barely ducks from a projectile Mike throws. 

This feels like a proper ambush, the two of them hiding behind a car while the other three close in. Eddie has abandoned his snowman post, his probably-last snowballs carried in his arm while he swings with the other one. 

“I think we should make a run for it,” Steve whispers, trying to hit Eddie while he zig zags out of the way. Thankfully losing some ammunition in the process.

“We’re sticking to the plan. When I tell you, run to your door, I’ll run to my house. It’s not far from here anyway.”

Steve nods, somehow used to listening to plans made by his younger friends.

They keep throwing, looking for the right opportunity, when something happens on the other front.

“Will!”

Mike stands in shock, mouth gaping, as he turns to his best friend. Will giggles mischievously, taking a step back.

“Mutiny! Get him!”

“Now!”

They start running. Will from Mike, Mike after him. Steve to the door. Eddie drops his ammo to cut his way and Lucas scrambles to attack him but he’s unfazed. Before the boy realizes the snowballs don’t bother him because he’s solely focused on Steve, it’s too late.

Eddie grapples Steve, they flop over a bush and roll in the snow.

“Ha! How the turns have tabled!”

“I think it’s-” but he doesn’t get to finish before he’s hit with an avalanche of snow. “What the fuck, Eddie?!”

“You took one of mine and now you have to pay!” the man on top of him declares, holding him in the snow. His cheeks are red and his nose is running but he doesn’t seem to notice.

“If you get any snot on me I’ll fucking-!”

Lucas runs into them, trying to get Eddie off of him but it only makes him cling to Steve and roll them away in the snow.

“Eddie!!!”

They shovel snow at each other until Lucas manages to get a hold of Eddie and Steve scrambles to make a run to his house.

His shivering hands lock the door and he looks through the window. Eddie seems to have given up his pursuit and is giving Lucas a noogie. When he lets go he’s motioning to his van, probably offering him a ride home. He’s even weirder than Steve thought and he just can’t get a read on the guy.

As they are walking away, Eddie turns and spots Steve in the window. Covered in snow and red-faced, he grins brightly and waves at him. 

Steve shows him the finger. 

[audioaujom]

Demetrius v. Robin

Stardew Hub, < prev, next >

Proud member of the Demetrius hate club!! Lmao jk, he has just always kinda rubbed me the wrong way and I don't like the way he interacts with Sebastian in canon. Guess it just makes me wonder, and when I wonder bad things usually happen lmao

Word Count: 1464

Chapter TWs: Abusive language/behavior

--

“Hey Maru, what do you think of my snow goons?” Stepping back from the carefully shaped lumps of snow and jagged sticks, Sebastian grinned as he called out for his half-sister across the yard.

“Don't mean you snowmen—” Maru started to correct, cutting herself off as she turned and saw the monstrous creations in front of him. “Oh. No, yeah, those are snow goons.”

“Do you like them?” 

“No, they're ugly.” She laughed, rolling her eyes and going back to carefully arranging the stones to make a smile on her much more traditional-looking snowman.

“C’mon, they're not that bad!” Sebastian whined, approaching her to stand and watch over one of her shoulders. “It’s all a part of their charm.”

“I bet they have very nice personalities.” Maru commented carefully, watching as Sebastian’s jaw dropped in feigned angry shock from the insult.

“This is beginning to border on slander, which I did not ask for.” 

Maru turned around to look at him, head cocked to the side with a small smirk. “But you did ask for it.”

Sebastian frowned, brows furrowed. “That’s it.” 

Maru opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a face full of snow, looking to see Sebastian bent down and packing together another snowball to throw at her with a grin. She smiled as well, immediately reaching for the nearest patch of snow to return fire.

Robin was kneeling on the floor in the main room when Demetrius came in, holding a fire poker in one hand and a freshly cut log of firewood in the other. The fire in the fireplace was no more than a few flickering flames, her sighing in frustration as it didn't seem to be catching.

“Hey, I'm gonna head outside and check on the kids.” Demetrius informed with a smile, leaning down to give Robin a light peck on the cheek as she worked. “To see when they want dinner.”

“Thanks.” Robin smiled gratefully, stoking at the slowly dying fire. “You’re the best.”

Grabbing his puffy jacket from where it was hanging on the coat rack by the door, Demetrius stepped outside into the winter chill to see where his daughter and step-son had run off to since they ran outside to… play? He wasn't sure what they were doing, actually.

He never really knew what Sebastian was up to at any time, anyway.

The scene outside to a normal observer would have been rather domestic and cute, the half-siblings engaged in a wild snowball fight—snow sticking to their faces and hair as they laughed and ran around the yard like children.

But for Demetrius—

“What's going on out here?” His yell interrupted the two siblings, them both turning to look at him with matching startled expressions.

“Not much, I'm just absolutely owning Maru in this snowball fight.” Sebastian shrugged lightly, turning his attention back to the snowball in his hand that he then launched at Maru without any warning.

“No way! You're so cheating!” Maru complained, barely ducking out of the way before throwing her own held snowball back at him—which he dodged easily.

Demetrius sighed at their childish behavior, placing his hands on his hips as he tiredly asked, “Why are you two fighting, anyway?”

“She said my snow goons were ugly.” Sebastian crossed his arms, huffing as Maru puffed up in annoyance.

“Because they are ugly!” 

“I agree, and I think you should take those down before your mother sees.” Demetrius shook his head disapprovingly, gesturing at the set of snow goons as he said, “We wouldn't want anyone coming by the house and seeing… that.”

Maru’s expression dropped, the playful mood killed in an instant. “Wait, what?” 

“I'm not taking them down.” Sebastian frowned, levelly holding Demetrius’ gaze. “I made them for fun; what's the big deal?”

“The big deal is your attitude.” Demetrius’ gaze hardened into a glare, him stepping over to the nearest mound of snow with a confident, “If you won’t take them down, I’ll do it myself.”

“What— Hey!” Sebastian ran over as Demetrius kicked one of the creations over, his work boots splattering the carefully molded snow back into the yard.

“Don’t try and stop me, young man.” Demetrius warned as Sebastian got between him and the other snow goons, pissed.

“You’re being unreasonable!” 

“Who’s really the unreasonable one here?” Demetrius asked with a sigh, punching the bridge of his nose exasperatedly. “The one concerned about our family or the one mouthing off?”

“You’re such an asshole!” Any further complaint from Sebastian was cut off as Demetrius swung a backhanded slap at his face, sending him crashing to the ground of the front yard with a startled yelp.

“Dad!” Mary chastised, worry for her brother sending her running inside to find her mom. The other two didn't pay her any mind, too focused on each other to notice she left.

“You don’t get to talk to me that way!” Livid, Demetrius wound back for another hit only to be cut off by the front door opening and two figures running out to interrupt.

“Demetrius? What’s— Sebastian!” Robin immediately focused in on the fact her son was holding his face from where he was crumpled on the snow-covered lawn, running over and dropping to her knees to get a better look. “What happened, Sebby? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Sebastian answered sourly, letting go of his face so his mom could see the bright red impact on his cheek. “Your shithead husband hit me for making snowmen.”

“Excuse me?” Torn between her bubbling worry and wanting to scold him for his language, she finally turned to Demetrius to ask, “Demetrius, is that true?”

“It was his fault for talking back!” Demetrius defended hotly. “I was simply concerned about our family's image—”

“Bullshit.” Sebastian growled from the ground, carefully standing back up to his feet to accuse, “You've always had it out for me!”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have had to ‘have it out for you’ if you didn't deserve it!” Demetrius fired back, Sebastian ready to continue the argument until he saw his mom stand up beside him and dust the snow off her jeans.

“How dare you speak to my son like that!” She yelled, stepping between the two men without missing a beat. “This type of behavior is not welcome in my house!”

“Don't be unreasonable, honey.” Demetrius’ anger instantly disappeared from his face as he stared at Robin, hands out as he tried to placate, “If he apologizes and offers to change his attitude, I'll—”

“There will be no such thing!” Robin didn't even let him finish, the two half-siblings sharing a glance of surprise as they'd never heard their mom this angry before. “You can find somewhere else to stay until I'm willing to talk to you about this!” She glared, before whirling around and hugging Sebastian over the shoulders worriedly. “Let's get you inside, Sebby. You too, Maru.”

Reeling from the shock of being kicked out so easily, all Demetrius could do was dumbly stutter out, “Why wouldn't she come with me?” 

“Cause I don't want to.” Maru answered immediately, gluing herself to Sebastian's other side as Robin guided them back into the house. “You’re acting crazy, dad. I'd rather stay with mom and Sebastian.”

Demetrius reached for his retreating family with one hand, the back of it tingling as none of them turned to look and disappeared inside.

“Maru, can you go grab your brother some ice?” Robin asked as she helped Sebastian out of his wet jacket and set him by the fire she’d barely managed to get roaring.

“I'm fine, mom.” Sebastian tried to protest, but the tame glare she sent his way had him swallowing the words back. “Nevermind.”

“Sorry, I'm not mad.” She apologized, sitting down next to him to put her head into her hands. “Well, I'm not mad at you.”

Sebastian chewed awkwardly on his bottom lip for a moment. “I'm sorry. It's my fault all of this started, if I'd just—”

“Nope. I won't hear it.” Robin cut him off with a firm shake of the head, gently reaching out to cup his uninjured cheek with one hand and giving him a soft smile. “We’ll figure this out, okay? But he is not allowed to treat you like that.”

At that moment Maru popped her head into the main room, one hand holding an ice pack from the freezer as the other gestured back over her shoulder towards the kitchen. “I brought some ice. I also put a pot of coffee on, it should be done soon.”

“Thanks.” Sebastian smiled up at her, taking the ice pack as Maru took a seat on his other side and the three slowly let themselves be warmed up by the steadily growing fire—and each other’s company.

[bucky-of-the-opera]

Let’s Start the New Year Right

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

Summary: Robin drags Y/N to Steve’s New Year’s Eve party.

Warnings: language

Words: 1,087

A/N: Steve Week Day 5: Seasons

“Hey Robin,” you said over the phone. “I’m not feeling that great. You’ll have to go to the party without me.”

Robin sniffed her nose. “Do you smell that, Y/N?”

“Smell what?”

“Bullshit,” she stated. “You're not sick. You’re just anxious about seeing Steve.”

“That’s not true! I’m actually sick!” You faked a cough to try to be more convincing.

“Nice try. I’ll be over in twenty minutes,” Robin said as she hung up the phone.

You groaned into your pillow, hoping that Robin would never show up to drag you away from the comfort of your bed. But twenty minutes later, Robin burst into your room.

“Rise and shine! We got a New Year’s Eve party to go to!” She stomped towards your bed and ripped the blanket off of you.

“Please don’t make me go,” you whined.

Robin sat next to you and patted your head. “There, there. You really have nothing to worry about. Steve’s just as nervous around you as you are around him.”

You sat up. “Really?”

“Yup.”

You hesitated a moment longer before finally standing up. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Robin jumped up off the bed. “That’s more like it!”

The two of you threw on your winter coats and drove over to Steve’s house. You walked down the path to the front door, raised your fist to knock, and froze.

“This was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here.” You turned around to leave just as Robin pounded her fist against the door.

Seconds later, the door swung open to reveal Steve, who was wearing the ugliest knitted sweater you’d ever seen.

“Hello ladies,” he said, smirking at the both of you.

“Nice sweater, dingus,” Robin said as she made her way into the house.

“My grandma made it for me!” he shouted as Robin drew farther away. Steve stepped aside so you could walk past him. “How are you?” he asked.

“Nothin much.” Your cheeks reddened as you stammered, “I mean, good! I’m good! How are you?”

“I’m great,” he said, grinning at you. “Everyone else is already inside.” He closed the door before continuing. “There’s food and drinks in the kitchen. Bathroom’s down the hall. And my room is upstairs,” he winked at you.

Your eyes grew wide, and now it was Steve’s turn to blush.

“Th-that was a joke! A terrible joke. I’m so sorry. I’ll go now,” he turned to leave just as you started laughing. “I’m confused,” he admitted. “Why are you laughing now?”

“Because, Robin was right. We’re both nervous wrecks around each other.”

“I guess we are. So, what should we do about that?” He took a step closer to you.

You opened your mouth to speak when Dustin interrupted you. “It’s snowing!”

“No shit. It’s the end of December,” Lucas said.

“But it’s snowing on New Year’s Eve! We have to have a snowball fight!” Dustin responded.

“No way. It’s freezing, and we’ll miss the ball drop. I’m staying inside where it’s warm.” Lucas took a sip of his hot chocolate and sunk further into the couch.

“Afraid you’ll lose?” Dustin asked.

“No.”

“Oh, he’d definitely lose,” Max chimed in.

“Hey!” Lucas shouted at her. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“But you can’t throw. How could you beat him?” she asked.

Lucas slammed his mug on the table. “Fine! Outside. Let’s go. I’ll beat you all.”

“Shouldn’t we choose team captains?” Will suggested.

“Right.” Dustin scanned the room. “Steve will be captain for the first time. And the second team—”

“Y/N will be captain for the second team,” Robin said.

You and Steve looked at each other and shrugged. Everyone put their snow gear back on and scrambled outside.

Steve’s team consisted of Dustin, El, Lucas, Mike, and Jonathan. While you picked Robin, Max, Will, and Nancy.

After each team had a good stockpile of snowballs, the battle began. Dustin and Lucas targeted each other even though they were on the same team. Mike and El took on Max and Will. Nancy and Jonathan went after each other. And you and Robin were on the lookout for Steve.

“So,” Robin said as she made a few more snowballs. “Anything interesting happen with—”

“Shhh! Do you hear that?” The sound of boots crunching against the snow grew louder. You spun around right as Steve threw a giant snowball. Luckily, you ducked right in time; the snow narrowly missed you, and instead hit Robin.

She shook the snow off of her and glared at the two of you. “You’re both dead!”

Steve grabbed your hand and the two of you ran away from the madness. You had lost Robin when she got ambushed by Dustin and Lucas, who had finally decided to work together.

“So much for teams then.” Glancing over at Steve, you saw he was looking back at you. Your hands were still connected. You weren’t sure if your heart was beating faster from running or because Steve was so close to you.

“Still nervous?” he asked you.

“No.”

Steve pulled you in as close as your coats would allow. He craned his head down as you raised yours to meet him; his cold, yet soft lips connecting to yours.

But your moment ended just as quickly as it had begun when snowballs pelted you both.

“Deserters!” Dustin yelled.

Everyone had gathered around the two of you, and they were all armed with snowballs.

“Ready! Aim! Fire!”

Steve wrapped his arms around you and turned his back to the others to shield you.

You clutched the front of his coat and buried your face in his chest.

When the others finally relented, they went back inside to warm up before the ball drop at midnight.

As Steve was shaking the snow off of his coat, you reached up to brush the rest out of his hair. He crouched down a bit so you could reach his head better.

“Thank you for being my human shield,” you told him.

“I gotta protect my girl. Whether it’s against snowballs or monsters,” he said, making your heart fluttered. He was looking at you, waiting for you to respond, so you launched yourself at him. He caught you, spinning you around. When he placed you back down, he pressed his forehead against yours and went in for another kiss.

Meanwhile, back inside, everyone else had started the count down to the new year. You ended up missing the ball drop, but you had gotten a head start on your New Year’s Eve kiss.

[ladypyb]

Snowballing Into The Heart

Rating: T (for a little bit of cursing)

Relationship/s: USUK, Brotherly AmeCan

Tags: hetaliaxmasevent, Cardverse, Meet-Cute (First Meetings), and a lot of snow XDD

Day 4 of HetaliaXmasEvent: Snowball fight | Skiing | Christmas without snow

|ao3|

(Ooohh man, it’s past midnight in my place. XDD I hope you enjoy it!!!)

In hindsight, Matthew shouldn't have gone to fetch a towel and leave him, the Prince of Spades, bored and alone near the Mages' Tower. He should have just called a servant.

Time passed onwards, as usual, its pace made Alfred wonder if they have the capability to change it. How curious it made him. And how desperate he was to hurry for the warmer days.

The prince liked winter. He didn't hate it. He didn't like like it, either. This was when the power of their kingdom had significant growth, after all. But Alfred didn't love the long cold nights in the season. He didn't outright adore the fact that he had to wear multiple, thick woolen jackets and heat-producing amulets that hinder his movement and stealth. Not to mention the tales about the cold season his mother told him in his childhood. Bad things happen to everyone in winter. Terribly bad things. Brrr!

He liked the powdery snow, though. Its color and often ethereal shine made the scenery look so pure. The dusting they made on the landscapes made him grin and jump into the freezing powder.

It itched him to jump in right now. Anything to go distract himself while Matthew began narrating to him the activities he had for the day. Often, he found his brother's tone monotonous when in duty. No, definitely not 'often' but 'always'. Yes, that's the right word.

"Remember not to touch anything, you might get a curse for even holding a pen that isn't yours. Don't stray away from the floating white lamps and proceed to the violets, the Head Mage told me the young fae tend to use play-magic there. Mother would kill both of us if you tried to pick a fight with one of the mages-"

Bla Bla Bla. The prince slumped against the cold brick of the wall, crossing his arms. What was the point of visiting the Magicians' Wing if they weren't even allowed to enter their laboratories? What was the goal of even doing biannual safety procedures with Alfred, the future King of Spades, if he wasn't the one doing the procedures?

In his head, his mother would definitely reply to him in her babytalk: "Aw, sugarplum, you are only needed to show your face and let the mages do the rest of the checking. It's theirs, after all. You wouldn't want to ruin their threshold and be painted as the villain, would you?"

... Yeah... Listening to Matthew's nagging would be better than their mother's overly-sweet babytalk. Both were sadistic in their own way but his brother's words were blunt, unlike the queen's underlying threats.

"-To stop... Are you listening to me, Al?"

He groaned in his head. "Yeah, I was." No, he definitely wasn't. "How about this tower?" Alfred gestured to the one behind him but kept his eyes on the soft, beckoning snow at their feet. Hmm... He looked up to his brother so quickly he felt his neck crack a bit. "Can we at least have permission to rest in somewhere warm rather than in their freezing gardens?"  The garden wasn't biting in the least. He wore a heating amulet and multiple coats, Alfred was warm to the core and sweating inside his personal sauna.

Distract him, distract him, distract him. Alfred recited like a mantra in his head as he slowly crouched down to the soft ground, his eyes on his brother. As Matthew blinked at the tower's structure, the prince started to fist a ball of snow in his leather gloves.

Matthew studied the tower, contemplating. It was smaller than the other buildings on the property. The tower must be a storage room. The lights shining behind the elaborately framed windows stated otherwise, though.

"I don't know, Al. There might be someone important residing in the- Oomph!"

Something wooshed in the air! A cold and soft object hit the side of his jaw. Matthew paused and stared at the sitting and grinning person in front that was his brother. A snowball. Alfred hit him with a snowball. The prince guffawed heartily at his brother's expression of Thou-hast-betrayed-me-brother. Matthew's wide eyes turned into slits. This unbelievably childish tool-

Matthew bent low, scooped a handful of snow and-

"Hahahaha- Fwah!"

Bullseye into Alfred's mouth. Matthew smirked when the other began 'blech!'-ing and 'pswooh!'-ing out the melting snow out of his mouth. Heh, you aren't the only one who can throw snowballs, Alfred!

The blue-eyed prince stared at the violet-eyed ace with a sly look in his face. "You're on!"

Alfred scrambled onto the ground, embracing and creating a mound out of snow. He cupped a fistful and rotated it in his hands. He glanced back at his brother, crap, he's on his third ball! The prince started to quickly fist and cup the snow. The mound in front of him waned to his fear of losing.

No time! Alfred sprang to his feet and threw a snowball at his brother. On the face! Grunting, Matthew frowned and fired back at him. The prince dodged to the side as it almost hit his prized family jewels down below. Matthew cackled. Oh, man, this was war. A man doesn't aim for another guy's most sensitive area!

Then came the onslaught of the balls of snow. Missed and badly-aimed snowballs hit the walls, the hall near the entrance, and the plants carefully maintained in the garden. Bushes cracked and broke to the strength of their blows.

Passing servants and apprentices of mages paid them no mind as they passed by. It was no secret that both men in the royal family often behaved like children when they thought no one was looking. A few frowned at their display when they hit a third party, these occurrences were followed by a distracted 'Sorry!'.

Their roughhousing with the snow ended with a grand snowball from the prince to his brother on the stomach, sending poor Matthew falling on his back. Alfred fell to his knees, a goofy smile on his face in his triumph. He fell forward in exhaustion. Afterward, he moved to his side, panting.

Matthew managed to only hit him on his jaw and legs. Alfred hit him everywhere on his body with the help of his overzealous need to win every challenge and interest that crosses his path.

Matthew shuffled to stand, the other raised a brow at him, disbelieving. Alfred gave it all he had, ended up on the ground last and Matthew still stood up? What gives? He whined.

"Oh, don't be a baby. Stand up, you'll catch a cold." Matthew held his hand out to his brother which Alfred accepted. "Ugh," Matthew brushed off his clothes with his free hand, "I'm dripping. I'll never doubt these amulets, again."

Alfred flailed his arms like a dog, droplets flung everywhere. "Looks like it. Let's go ask for towels."

The older and logical of the two watched the other suspiciously. "No. You'll most likely slip away somewhere and get lost- "

"Impossible! I don't get lost."

"-Or cause some mischief on the way." Matthew crossed his arms, firm.

Alfred wiped his brow. "So are both just going to stand here? Baiting the cold and die of pneumonia?"

The ace pursed his lips. He clicked his tongue. "Fine," Alfred cheers at this, " But I'll fetch the towels. You," he gestured at Alfred, "Stay here."

The other pouted and kicked the accumulating snow below. Matthew enters into the open doors of the hallway. "Aww c'mon, Matt!"

"Don't. Go. Anywhere." The ace commanded as he eyed Alfred and continued down the hall.

Alfred clicked his tongue childishly. So what if he'd stray away from the directions sometimes, it wasn't like he'd easily die! The blessings from their clocks prevented that.

... He did oftentimes find himself suffering from a curse or two, managed to almost get assassinated, have been on the verge of death more than five times, and have been poisoned while eating street food. But Alfred survived!

He could almost hear Yao, the Jack, mumble beside his mother while tending his wounds or whatever harm he was inflicted, "With the amount of curiosity, and stubbornness you are born with, I could only pray to the Maker your rule would be as peaceful as it can be."

Alfred sighed, looking up he traced the flying bird overhead. The feathered animal circled the garden and perched atop a small roof of a window sill of the tower. He wished he was as free as the bird, free to go anywhere and able to do what he pleased.

He observed the little bird, bright orange stomach- A robin! How strange, robin birds weren't native to Spades, especially in one of Spades' northern areas. Alfred moved to spy under the windowsill, it was a few feet above his head but nothing could stop him.

When he craned his neck to observe the bird, he noticed a messy mop of golden hair near the windowpane. Someone was there- Oh Blessed Time!

Alfred ducked and made himself be one with the wall behind him. The windows opened with a clank! and the snow sprinkled on the prince's nose. His nostrils tickled. Ah- He wants to sneeze! Alfred pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

"-Damned pests. No wonder the potion did nothing! I should have known they'd place it in the wrong flask."

An accented voice of a man. It was so light and deep at the same time, it made Alfred wonder if the man swallowed a piccolo and a bass at the same time.

Light thumps and a resonating clink. "... What in the name of Time happened here?" The mystery man groaned. "Those freshmen! I can't believe- My roses!" The man stomped away from the window. The sound of heavy steps receded with a bang from a door.

The prince released a breath he was holding. That was so close. If the guy looked down, he'd see Alfred's nose and furred boots. He moved away from the wall. Finally able to ogle freely, he found two open flasks filled with mysterious liquids. One was changing colors rapidly while the other alternated between gold and silver.

The robin from before chirped and fluttered its wings. Oh no. Don't tell him the bird wants to- It glided down unto the windowsill with the two very open and unmistakably dangerous flasks.

"Oh, damn it!"

Alfred scrambled and raised his foot on the side of the brick wall. His gloved hands gripped the windowsill noisily, the robin squawked at him. The prince grunted as he set his elbows down near the flasks, he faced the bird's screeching. He shooed the orange robin with a dismissive hand.

It flapped its wings and nearly bit off his ears as it flew away from him and the flasks. He liked birds but he didn't like them mutated or dead.

Alfred banged his head and resisted to groan at the ridiculousness of his situation. His top half was rested atop a mage's windowsill in an effort to avoid an unwanted experiment. He didn't even know exactly why he ducked to be seen by one mage when didn't even bother to care for his image while playing in the snow with his brother.

He shifted an annoyed glance to the strange fluids. With their swirling and changing of colors, he thinks of them to be potions. They certainly resembled like potions. He sniffed at both of their opening; butter, lilies, and peach. Yep, definitely potions. There was no way liquids could change colors with just these ingredients.

"Hey! You there!" The same accented voice shouted below him. "What are you doing?"

There was disapproval in the voice. Alfred seemed reluctant to look at the man scolding him. He has had enough of it today! Alfred prevented a bird from destroying your potions. The prince turned his head to glare at the man, a scowl on his face.

Eh? His scorned expression dissipated into a daze.

Bright green eyes that were the shade of grass in summer framed by spun gold locks stood out from the man's white robe and soft snowy landscape. The guy had half of his face overrun with caterpillars- Wait, no. He just had large eyebrows. Surprisingly, it made the other look distinguished.

This guy must be the mage! The mage furrowed his brows and growled something Alfred couldn't hear. He raised his brow in confusion and held unto the sill with only an arm as the handsome man gestured his arm aimlessly... at Alfred?

What was he- Whack! Alfred's hold on the windowsill slipped.

"Aaaaaa- oof!" He crashed down on his back. Groaning, he placed his hand on his chest. Fragments of a snowball began melting to the power of the amulet under his coat. The dull pain that throbbed in his chest was nothing to the sharpness of blow to the side of his head. Did he hit his head when he fell...?

The mage's face swam into his blurry view. The expression of the mage full of concern was badly hidden through the annoyed curve of his lips. Alfred decided the guy was adorably handsome.

"... Are... kay... ?"

"Hn."

The green-eyed beauty touched his cheek. The prince moved into the chilled fingers. Aaah. He felt hot and cold at the same time.

"Hold... I... get...  elp."

The angel's face blurred. Huh, did... Did Alfred lose his glasses when he fell?

He tried to focus on the other's fretting on him. Alfred's eyes closed, losing its strength to even move an eyelid. Darkness swallowed him and his consciousness.

Hm. It seems the Cupid from Hearts shot him in the chest with a snowball, instead of an arrow.

//end

[specialmindz]

“YIP! YIP!”

A small annoying dog bounced around the two little skeletons, hoping for one of them to drop one of their tasty frozen treats.

“YIP, YIP YIP YIP!”

“i think he wants your ice cream bro...” said Sans slyly.

“ALL HE’S GONNA GET IS MAH FOOT UP HIS ASS! DIS MY ICE CWEAM! GO WAY DOODY-DOG!”

“YIP YIP!” The dog continued to run about, completely oblivious to the infant’s anger.

“pap, it’s melting.”

“*GASP!*” Frantically, Papyrus lapped at his cone, not wanting his hand and sleeve to get sticky and gross. He usually waited until his ice cream was gone before intentionally getting messy like a good baby, but this dog was proving to be quite a distraction.

“YOU WANNA DIE DOGGY? IS DAT WHAT YOU WANT? I USE YO’ FUR AS A BLANKY!”

“why don’t you just give him a little lick pap? just a little one.”

“Nyeh?” Pap looked at him quizzically. “You want me to lick da’ pup?”

“no-”

“I lick em’ on da’ snout?”

“no bro, you’re not listening to me.”

 And the baby continued not to listen, giving the dog a small lick on the nose. Maybe if the doggy thought Papyrus was a friend, he would stop trying to get at his ice cream.

Friends didn’t take friend’s ice cream.

“There you go doody-dog! We friends now, so you go home.”

The dog pawed at his nose and whimpered, not liking how the air was now suddenly too chilly in that particular area.

“you’re so gross pap, heh heh heh!”

“Nyeh? YOU GOSS! I gots to protect mah cweam cause’ SOMEBODY won’t look after me!”

“i have one hp bro! whaddya’ want me to do, kick em’? he’ll bite me and i’ll die papyrus.”

“Throw a snowball then lazybones! Im-po-vise!”

“now if i do that, i’ll have to hold my cone in one hand or it’ll get dirty, and eventually my arm will get tired and then i’ll have a problem.”

“YOU HAVE A PROBLEM NOW!”

“not with these i don’t,” said Sans pulling out an old CD player and ear buds. The batteries were long dead, but luckily for him, Papyrus didn’t know that. He could pretend not to hear him as long as the infant didn’t start wondering why he never heard anything despite his older brother turning the volume up whenever he yelled.

 “Why you gotta ignore the baby Snas? I gots a per-dicament over here and you’s not helping me...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...I hope you drop your stupid stink phallic ice cweam.”

“my ice creams not phallic!”

“Yes it is. Why you so cweepy Snas? Don’t you want friends?”

“I’M creepy?! my ice cream’s just like this, i didn’t make it! besides, who pretends his spaghetti noodles are snakes?”

 “I does! Da’ meatballs be eggies,” said the baby smiling. “The biggest noodle be the mama snake and I’s the bird that gobbles em’ all up! Nyeh heh heh!”

“...”

“Then I eats the eggs.”

Sans chuckled and slurped up some juice from his popsicle. “you eat the eggs huh? you know there are babies in those eggs...”

“...Nyeh?”

“yep. little baby snakes. 

“Nuh uh! The eggs be for the snake’s breakfast! People don’t eat babies!” 

“uh, yeah they do bro. where do you think baby snakes come from? you think the mom just poops them out?”

“Yes.”

“no. no pap, they come from eggs.”

 Papyrus’s eyes filled with tears. “I’s eating babies...?” 

“uh..”

Oh crap!

“Nyeh…nyeehhh…”

“no! no no no, don’t cry! you’re PRETENDING to eat babies! your meatballs are made of meat pappy.”

“Meat of baby?”

“no bro, they’re probably made of magic.”

“Magic babies?”

“NO.”

  Note to self, don’t feed Pappy eggs.

“Is dis ice cweam made of baby?” The baby bones held up his melting ice cream.

“*sigh* no bro, it’s not. just eggs.”

“But there be a talking snowman over in Snowdin. Maybe dis ice cweam be his baby!”

“nope.”

“But maybe it is! Maybe da’ ice cweam man be evil big Buther! Maybe he steals the snowman babies and sells em’ on da’ market!”

“…i highly doubt that.”

“I bet he do. I bet he evil as hell! You just like him cause’ he give you food.”

“hey screw you pal, I like him cause’ he’s cheap-”

“YOU CHEEP! YOU SELL YOUR MORALITY FOR SWEETS! You’s bad big Buther, you’s bad and I’m telling Daddy!”

“you do that.”

“I’m gonna! Imma tell upon you and destroy da’ ice cweam man too!”

“the hell you will! you leave that monster alone papyrus!”

“NYEH HEE HEE! IMMA SAVE DA’ BABIES!”

“GET BACK HERE!”

The infant took off like a bullet, the dog and Sans right on his heels.

“YIP YIP!”

“GET LOST DOODY-DOG! I’S RUNNING OVER HERE!”

“TRIP HIM! TRIP HIM DOG!”

“DON’T TRIP DA’ BABY!”

“YIP, YIP YIP!”

“Huh?” The ice cream man tilted his head from behind the umbrella of his cart to try and spot where the commotion was coming from. “Aw-hawww, are you three having fun?”

“RUN DUDE! FUCKING RUN!!”

“DIE BABY-KILLER!!”

BLOOSH!

BLOOSH!

Two Gaster Blasters fired in succession, one incinerating the ice cream man’s hat.

“AHHH! WHAT THE HELL KID?!”

“NYEHHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

BLOOSH!

BLOOSH!

“WHY IS HE ATTACKING ME? SANS YOU SWORE HE WOULDN’T ATTACK ME!”

“YOU’S SELLING BABIES ON DA’ MARKET!”

BLOOSH!

“SANS GET YOUR CRAZY BROTHER!!” Screamed the cart-owner ducking down. It was a miracle he hadn’t been killed yet, but if this kept up…

“I’M TRYING! BRO STOP!”

“I GOTS TO SAVE THE BABIES SNAS!”

“THE ICE CREAM’S NOT MADE OF BABIES, IT’S MADE OF MILK!”

“Nyeh?” Papyrus stopped. “But is all frozen and-“ looking down at his ice cream, he saw that it was no longer frozen; the heat wafting in from Hotland had melted it, leaving only bits of magic strawberries behind.

“*SLUUURP!* EWWWW! Dis NASTY! It taste like medi-sin! You trying to get baby high? You work wit Jerry?”

“yeah pap. he’s the high cream man, heh heh heh!”

“…Go home Snas.”

“YIP YIP YIP!” The little dog joyfully lapped up the drippings of the cone, seemingly oblivious to the whole situation. The monster behind the cart was sadly however, NOT so ADHD.

“Why don’t you BOTH go home? Just-just all of you GO HOME.”

“wh-why me? What’d I do?”

“What’d you do? You made a joke instead of I dunno, maybe TELLING YOUR BROTHER NOT TO MURDER PEOPLE?”

“…it was just a joke. I was just trying to lighten the mood a lil’ bit, chill out.”

“It’s not the joke Sans, it’s the fact that you ignored what just happened. I’ve seen you two playing alone for a long time now and it’s because of THIS that you ARE alone. You can’t just ignore your brother’s dangerous behavior or it’s going to get worse-”

“whatever!” exclaimed Sans, highly offended. “who are you to tell me how to raise MY family? you don’t know me OR my bro! pap’s just a baby, i’m sorry he can’t control his emotions ALL the time! i’m not his dad anyway, he’s not MY responsibility-”

“You’re not much of a brother either. Why don’t you try a bit more discipline or something? If that doesn’t work, maybe you should consider putting him somewhere he can’t hurt people.”

“Nyeh…?”

“i’ll keep that in mind. in the meantime, maaaybe you should consider minding your own business?”

“You sending me away…?”

“of course not baby bro,” said Sans, kneeling down and placing a hand on the infant’s shoulder. “you mean the world to me! who’d want to get rid of such a cute baby anyway?”

“Dat’s too…but is also too dat you don’t gots many friends. Is dat really cause’ of me?”

“Of course not,” said a voice from around the corner. “These people are just idiots. Idiot cowards.”

“flowey!”

“Yes yes, it’s Flowey the flower. Here to save the day once again. What seems to be the problem here?”

“This baby-”

“That question was rhetorical. We OBVIOUSLY have another case of a full grown adult picking on a child. Shocker.”

“HE ATTACKED ME!”

“The baby attacked you? With what?”

“With his magic cannon things!”

“He attacked you with his magic?”

“Yes!”

“That thing that EVERYBODY has? That thing YOU have?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“…”

“Look, I know what you’re getting at talking…flower…but I can’t just fight a baby-”

“Why not? If Papyrus is being a turd-sandwich then Beat. His. Ass. Simple.”

“Um, Dirtbutt, you’s not helping me very good…”

“Who says I’m here to help you? Hit the road thumb-sucker.”

“GRR! NYEH!” With all the strength a little baby bones could muster, Papyrus angrily threw his empty cone at the big-mouthed traitor in front of him, hoping to at LEAST cover him in yucky pink goo. Instead it hit the wall with a *CUSH!* and merely splattered on the ground; Waterfall’s runoff quickly washing it away.

“Nice shot, you’re a regular Robin Hood-”

“STUPID STINK FLOWER!”

“bro, no! we don’t throw things!”

“Sometimes I do…”

“no we don’t!”

“But sometimes I do…”

“He’s trying to tell you that you SHOULDN’T throw things,” said the ice cream man preparing another cone. No doubt the baby would want another one and anyone’s G was good G in his opinion, especially in these hard times. The ice cream man was one of the more profitable jobs in the Underground because of the importance people placed on their children, but his image needed to be maintained. Calm, patient, and kind; that was the ice cream man, and he was good at it. Sans had even once called him the Nice cream man as a joke and more and more people were beginning to catch on to the name. Hopefully one day his son would take over the family business, but until then…

“Would you like another cone? This time be sure to stay away from Waterfall’s exit, it tends to get a bit hot there.” He held the cone out to the infant with a smile, hoping the brothers both would forgive and forget their little argument.

WHAP!

“NOBODY WANTS YOUR STUPID MEDICATED ICE CREAM!” shouted Flowey, slapping the cone out of the monster’s hand. Papyrus quickly caught it using his Wingdings and looked at it curiously.

“Dis health cweam? Dis good for the baby?”

“Yes it is,” replied the ice cream man glaring at the plant. “It’s a special blend that’s easy to eat and heals children too young for adult medicine and foods. That’s why it’s so popular…speaking of medication,” his glare softened. “Are you in need of first aid? You’re a plant, but you look like you just came from Hotland…”

“I came from the Lab actually. And do you know WHY I came from the Lab?”

“Oooh ooh! Pick me! Baby knows!”

“Yeah? I bet Smiley knows too, don’tcha buddy?”

“…is it because I left you there-”

“IT’S BECAUSE YOU LEFT ME THERE!!”

The ice cream man slowly began to move his cart away towards Snowdin, hoping no one would notice him leaving. He didn’t know who this flower was, but he’d served customers like this before. The extra G was NOT worth the headache he was currently getting…nor was a cave-in.

“how’d you get past the lava entrance?”

“I FREAKING RAN SMILEY!”

The tiny plant dipped his burning roots in one of Waterfall’s shallow puddles. For a moment there, he didn’t think he would make it. It took a massive amount of courage and Determination to even attempt the journey, but with the help of his cabin fever, he found the strength to take a chance at freedom. Now though he had another problem.

Where am I gonna find a new place to photosynthesize?

I had Alphys’s sun lamps in the Lab, but here…

“I need to find a place with good sun…”

“Da’ Ruins gots good sun…”

“Huh?”

“bro, you’ve seen the sun?!”

“Where? Where is it?”

I’m NOT going back to that stupid lab.

“Is where dat big-ass door be…and da’ doggy door.”

“YIP YIP!”

“Big door…?”

Flowey thought back a long time ago to when he and Chara used to explore the Underground. He remembered a bright field of flowers, but that was in the opposite direction in the throne room near their home…and it didn’t have a door.

A big door…a big door…

“Ugh, I can’t remember what you’re talking about!”

“Nyeh?”

“Uh, I mean, I HEARD about the door, from one of your dad’s phone calls, but I don’t remember what he said.”

“…”

“YIP YIP YIP!”

“SHUT UP FUR BAG! YOU’RE NOT GETTING ANY ICE CREAM!”

Was there ever a door Chara couldn’t get through? One with a doggy door?

“i wanna see the sun…” said Sans quietly.

“You wanna see da’ sun? Why big Buther? It hurt your eyes and make you hot.”

“the sun is the biggest star in the world though pap…”

“THE SUN’S A SPARKLY?!”

“yep, and it’s bigger than ANYTHING.”

“Bigger than Fluffy Buns?!”

“yep!”

“Bigger than yo’ head?!”

“…yeah.”

“If you’ve seen the sun Trashbag, then WHY are you asking how big it is?”

“…I only see it a widdle bit from a hole in da’ ceiling…and only sometimes. Is when da’ doody dog go home. There be a hole behind his com-poo-ter dat leads to the Ruins and udder paces too.”

“the dog...has a computer. right.”

“Where is this door?”

“just ignore him flowey, he’s obviously lying,” said Sans extremely disappointed.

“No he’s not.”

“how do you know?”

“Just trust me he’s not!”

We’ve had problems with this dog since we moved into the Underground.

The Annoying Dog was one of the smaller complaints the kingdom’s people had, but he was long lasting and weird. The little creature reminded Flowey of Papyrus in a way, causing problems wherever he went and getting away with it because he ‘didn’t know any better.’ He’d often heard of seemingly random items going missing from various places never to be found again. Some monsters claimed in horror, that they’d seen the dog absorbing some of the items into his body before scampering away, sometimes through the walls as if he were a ghost. The king warned everyone not to pet the Annoying Dog and to keep their distance whenever they could, but it seemed impossible to keep the hound out of any building. Many would cry out in terror upon turning around and suddenly seeing the legendary monster wagging his tail in their kitchen or living room, although the doors and windows were locked and they had been alone only moments before.

Chara had a strange fascination with the furry menace that Flowey always had a hard time understanding. Whenever the dog was spotted, they’d drop whatever they were doing and run after him, only to lose him in a wall somewhere. They’d then pound on the stone and search it for some sort of crease while Flowey let out a breath of relief from behind. The dog reminded him of Papyrus, true, but the absorbtion ability also brought back memories of a monster from an old VHS tape they had found at the Dump simply called the Thing.

He wanted nothing to do with this creature, no matter HOW much loot he had stored away.

I don’t have a choice anymore though. I need to go through this mutt’s tunnel if I want to find a place to gather energy.

“YIP YIP!”

“Da’ doggy door be in Snowdin. It gots the kingdom shapes on it and is reeeal tall! As big as a tree!”

“…Are you talking about that door in that cave with all the glowing mushrooms?”

“Yeah.”

“You idiot! That’s not a doggy door!”

“Is too! Is the door the doody dog uses! I sees it!”

“Stupid baby.”

“hey, c’mon now. the longer we fight the more pap’s ice cream melts. we need the dog to open the door, right? I mean, no one else has said anything about finding his house so…”

“Yep! Da’ doody dog gots to go inside first or it don’t open.”

“alright then, let’s go.”

“Right!” Flowey jumped up and wrapped himself around Sans. “ONWARDS DUMBO! TO SNOWDIN TUT TUT!”

“GET OFF ME!”

“NYEH HEE HEE HEE HEE!”

Leading the dog with the ice cream, the three reached the cave and went inside.

“SEE? No doggy door.”

“Nyeh? You blind Dirt-Butt? Is right there!”

“That’s NOT a doggy door. Doggy doors have flaps!”

“bro, watch where you’re swinging that thi-aww! You got it all over my hoodie!”

“Nyeh heh heh, cweeeeen it up.”

“you clean it up!”

The Annoying Dog watched as a glob of strawberry ice cream slid down the side of Sans’ sleeve, almost hitting the ground.

“You want dis cweam doggy?”

He said nothing and continued to eye the glob expectantly.

“Open the door and I give you all da’ yumminess you can dweam of.”

Again, the baby was ignored as the dog licked it’s chops and shuffled his paws impatiently, waiting for the glob to fall.

“He’s not listening to you. Smear some ice cream on the door or something.”

“Kay’.”

Waddling over to the door Papyrus stopped and dropped down on all fours, holding his ice cream in the air with his Wingdings.

“What the hell are you do-”

“YIP YIP! I’s a baby doggy and I wish to pee on da’ carpet, but I can’t get inside. Oh woe is me! *WHINE*”

“Arf…?” The dog lifted an ear and tilted his head in confusion.

“Of all the stupid…”

“heh heh heh heh! go pappy! show em’ what you want!”

SCRITCH SCRITCH SCRITCH SCRITCH!

Using both hands, Papyrus scratched at the door as best he could, whining pitifully and using his font to communicate. This time, the dog DID listen, turning away from the glob on Sans’ hoodie and morphing through the wall in his patent disturbing way.

“Ugh, I hate seeing that.”

“did…that dog just go through the wall…?”

Weird…

“hm…well whatever, good job bro!”

Smiling, Papyrus rolled over onto his back and pushed at the door with both feet, opining it. Inside the dog stood on a patchwork blanket panting and grinning as always.

“That tunnel better be here you milk-puking-”

“Is under the com-poo-ter I said! Why you no listen Dirt-Butt? Dat’s how you learn things ya’ know?”

“*WHINE WHINE!*”

“Oh yeah! Here you go doody dog!” said Papyrus handing over his Ice cream. “Be sure to eat the cone too, cause’ littering is bad, right Snas?”

“right.”

The happy hound ate the entire thing almost immediately, licking his nose and sniffing around for any bits he may have missed.

“Nyeh heh heh! He eat like you big Buther!”

“Yeah he does, the PIG!”

“…”

“Speaking of pigs, you might not fit in here Smiley,” said Flowey inspecting the tunnel with a frown. “Maybe you should go home and eat some popato chisps, I don’t need an entourage anyway.”    

“whatever! both of you can get bent, I can fit in there no problem!” exclaimed Sans, though he did have his doubts.

We definitely need to widen this tunnel or something if we ever plan to come back here. Papyrus is good at digging and building stuff, maybe he can do something about it later.

“NO you can’t, you’ll get stuck you moron.”

“no i won’t...”

“Fine, learn the hard way. What do I care? Just let me go first.”

“No! BABY goes first. I knows da’ way, you’ll just get lost like the Ugly Duckling. Member’ dat book Snas?”

“Did you just call me ugly?”

“yeah I remember the book, but more importantly, you’re telling the truth right? If there’s a maze of tunnels in here and we get lost, we’ll die pap. no one knows we’re down here…”

“YOU’RE ugly.”

“I knows the way, but you gots to follow mah butt kay’? Follow the baby butt and don’t go nowhere else. Even if you see a Veggie monster, you gots to follow the butt Snas, or you get lost. Lossa tunnels down here.”

“You’re ugly and you’re stupid.”

“iiii won’t wander off baby bro.”

Why do you two think I’d risk my life for some food? Do I really eat that much?

…

Nah, it’s probably my hoodie. My hoodie’s padded and it’s making me look fat. I should probably take it off before I crawl through here…

“Also don’t touch da’ butt, or I calls the guard.”

“No one wants to touch your butt you pervert! Well…maybe Smiley does, his drawings are weird-”

“THEY’RE SPACESHIPS!”

“But I’M the one who’s going to be behind you, not him.”

“But then who gonna push Snas if he get stuck?”

“No one. If this fatass gets trapped it’s HIS problem not mine. I already told him he wouldn’t fit; now let’s go.”

Nodding, the baby bones crawled under the desk and into the tunnel, Flowey following close behind. There were a lot of things the plant hadn’t checked out in the dog’s room; things Chara would’ve KILLED to inspect and/or steal, but Flowey had little interest in anything but finding some sun.

He could always come back anyway.

SCRUFF SCRUFF!

SCRUFF SCRUFF!

“Would you hurry up? The wet dog and baby smell is making me want to throw up.”

“Slow your roll Dirt-Butt. I’s Papyrus the Baby, not Sonic the Hedgehog. You wait.”

SCRUFF SCRUFF!

The three took a left and continued on at an annoying slow pace, being careful not to scrape themselves on the hard rocky walls. Especially Sans, who had had seconds thoughts about all this half-way through the journey. Every so often Papyrus would stop and look over his little shoulder to see if his brother was still behind him; he would then be rewarded with a thumbs up, though the baby could see he was struggling with the encroaching claustrophobia that seemed to be threatening even Flowey’s sanity at this point.

“OH MY GOD, WOULD YOU JUST HURRY UP? HE’S FINE!!”

“Shut da’ fuk up Dirt-Butt, or I kicks you in da’ face.”

“YOU JUST TRY IT! I’LL BITE YOUR LITTLE TOES OFF!”

“play nice you two, heh heh.”

“Shut up Smiley, you’re not my mom.”

SCRUFF SCRUFF!

SCRUFF SCRUFF!

Finally, the tunnel started to become wider and then wider still, eventually opening up into what looked like a cliffside of sorts. The place was an empty dead end that overlooked the mining city people called “Home.”

“uhh…I don’t think we’re supposed to be here baby bro…”

“Dis be the Old City where we gets da’ crystals Snas-”

“Correction; this is where we USED to get the magic crystals,” said Flowey. “Then some idiot screwed everything up and released a bunch of poisonous gas in the city’s mine.”

“Lossa monsters used to live here, but then there were too many babies, so they moved, but there still be peoples...”

“Are…are you not listening to me? NO ONE’S WORKING THERE, THIS PLACE IS POISONOUS, WE NEED TO MOVE.”

Sans nodded. “he’s right pap. not all gases can be seen; this place could be toxic-”

“Nuh uh! I’s here yeserday!”

“Bullcrap.”

“I ate a worm and climbed a rock, and sniffed da’ flowers like dis *SNIIIIIIIFFF!*”

“UGH, DON’T DO THAT! I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO THAT!”

“*SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF!*

“SMILEY GET YOUR BROTHER!”

“who built these ruins? did someone live here before we came? i don’t see people building half a home, if you can even call this a home, and then quitting in the middle of it to build another one.”

“HELLO?!”

“the architecture is completely different from the rest of the kingdom too…”

“SMILEY!!”

“you swear you were here yesterday bro? the gases haven’t reached this far yet?”

“*SNIIIFFF!* Yep. The sun place be dis way, but you gots to watch out for the traps, so follow the baby kay’?”

“I hate you, I hate you BOTH and once I find a new place to get some sun, I’m gonna live there for-EVER! I’M NEVER COMING BACK TO THAT NURSERY, DO YOU HERE ME? NEVER!!”

Ignoring Flowey, the brothers began their trek further into the Ruins. There were a lot more traps than Sans was expecting, but it only served to increase his excitement. More traps meant a higher chance of his younger sibling telling the truth, and these WERE traps. There were pits that led to small empty rooms that had no ladders to speak of, switches designed to confuse them hidden behind pillars in the dark, and there was even a room that couldn’t be crossed from one side unless you had something of considerable weight on three buttons in the ground…unless of course you were tall. That was what disturbed Sans the most; the fact that the traps seemed to be for small creatures who couldn’t step over the barricades. The further the three went, the more his excitement turned to fear as he realized the traps were NOT built by the monsters currently living in the Underground and they were clearly meant to cause suffering and eventual starvation.

This couldn’t have been Asgore’s work. I know he said he would gather souls from anyone who fell into the mountain, but these look like they were meant SPECIFICALLY for children…and I know he’s a good person. Besides, so far I’ve only seen one door that leads to the Ruins and he can’t fit through that tunnel, no way.

Who would BUILD things like this?

“these are horrible…”

“Hm? What are you complaining about?”

“the traps…you’ve been looking at the traps right flowey? they’re different…”

“So? Who cares about these stupid traps, they’re ruined anyway. SHE messed everything up. You’re getting scared over nothing; whoever lived here before is long gone…probably.”

Sans took a deep breath. Flowey was right, the traps had obviously been altered a long time ago and no one had come to fix them. The prison pits had been stripped of their doors and their floors laced with heaps of fallen leaves to break the fall of anyone who fell into them, having obviously been put there by someone seeing as the area lacked any trees. The switches built to confuse had been painted bright colors that could easily be seen, and even the room with the floor switches had been filled with rocks, one of which claimed had been placed there by someone they couldn’t see due to their lack of eyes.

“UGH, are you KIDDING me? She put instructions on the freaking WALLS? That’s so lame!”

“who’s this ‘she’ you’re talking about?”

Before the plant could answer, Papyrus lifted them all up with his wingdings and glided everyone, including himself, over the giant pit trap before suddenly speeding off into a room.

“HEY BRO, WAIT!”

“DID HE FIND IT? IS THIS THE ROOM?”

“*CRUNCH CRUNCH!*”

“…”

“hey uh, pap? you probably shouldn’t eat that…”

“LOOK SNAS! Candy. *CRUNCH CRUNCH!*”

“…”

“…you okay flowey?”

“…Never coming back.”

“Want some of dis candy Dirt-Bu-”

“NO!!”    

They continued on, Papyrus’s onesie crinkling with the rest of the monster candy having been stuffed inside.

“FINALLY! DO YOU SEE IT SMILEY? DO YOU SEE THE PROMISE LAND?” The plant pointed excitedly towards a sunlit patch of flowers. “IT’S THERE! IT’S RIGHT THERE! WE’RE SO CLOSE!”

“yep, iii see it. don’t think we’ll be able to actually see the sun though from all the way down here…”

“*Yawn* I’s sweepy…I gets the shiny tomorrow, kay’ Snas? Is nap time for the baby…c’mon Dirt-Butt, we go home now.”

“NO! NO NO NO! DON’T TOUCH ME! DON’T FREAKING TOUCH ME! I SWEAR I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU, PUT THOSE AWAY! PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOOOOOWN!!”

“put him down bro, he can get back on his own, right flowey?”

“YES!!”

As soon as Papyrus desummoned his wingdings, Flowey took off with all the speed of a cheetah; racing for the sunlit patch that would be his new, and hopefully quiet, home, his leaves outstretched.

I’M GONNA MAKE IT!

I’M GONNA MAKE IT!

With one giant leap the tiny plant dived into the flower patch and dug his roots into the warm soil triumphantly. “LOOK SMILEY! I MADE IT!”

CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK!

“Don’t patronize me you fat piece of-”

Sans stopped clapping. “what do you want from me?”

Ignoring the child, Flowey turned around and basked in the sun’s warm glow, spreading his leaves wide in order to collect as much energy as possible. This place was perfect. Bright, quiet, and tidy; it had a great view of the opening to Mt. Ebott that only someone who could stretch out as long as Flowey could see. A wonderful little lookout where he could not only spy approaching humans, but maybe even lure them in…after all, it’s not like sound couldn’t pass through the barrier. All he had to do was find someone stupid.

Just one. Good. Idiot.

Heh heh heh heh…

“uhh…dude, are you alright?”

“Dirt-Butt got dat scary face big Buther…”

“HA HA HA HA HA HA ALL THE SOULS WILL BE MINE! I’LL LURE THEM ALL IN! HA HA HA HA HA!”

“o-kay…we’re going on ahead. you catch up later alright?”

“NEVER COMING BACK! HA HA HA HA HA! UNSTOPPABLE! UNTOUCHABLE! UNDEFEATABLE! HA HA HA HA HA!”

“Nyeh…?”

“I’LL BE ALL POWERFUL! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!”

“we’re going now-”

“I’LL BE THE ULTIMATE RULER!”

“Bye Dirt-Butt!”

I’ll be a GOD.

[enixamyram]

Alice and girls having snowball fight but they didn’t let Robin play along because of her perfect aiming!!

   “AH!” Alice shrieked, ducking and avoiding a pair of snowballs that instead hit the fence she was hiding behind of.

   She quickly scooped up a ball of snow before standing and throwing it over the fence without looking. She heard a pair of shrieks and grinned as she ducked down, shivering at the snow that had gotten under her brown leather gloves and that was soaking through her shoes until her toes felt numb. In fact her whole body was cold, and at one point she’d lost the hat that had been holding her hair back, letting her blonde strands wave wildly around her face whenever she moved quickly to avoid the snowballs thrown her way.

   Alice heard the girls before she saw them. Despite Desirae’s talent for staying quiet, she was paired with Blessing who was unable to keep from stomping on the thick crunching snow under her feet. Alice turned and grabbed two armfuls of snow against her chest, crouching on the spot and waiting. A second later the girls appeared, snowballs in hand, but before they could throw them, Alice had launched the bundles of snow into their faces. They turned away with twin cries and Blessing slipped, falling face first. It might have hurt a normal child, even with the thick snow between them and the floor, but Blessing had never been normal and she instantly scrambled onto her hands and knees, beaming as she looked around with snow clinging to her face and the strands of short blonde hair that were peeking out of her winter hat.

   Before the girls could do anything else, Alice jumped at them. Blessing was faster and ducked and slid out of the way but poor Rae couldn’t quite keep up and Alice wrapped her arms around her dragging them both to the ground and into the snow.

   Rae began shrieking, loud enough to split Alice’s eardrums but she refused to let go. “Blessing! Blessing! Help!”

   A second later Blessing was back, shoving a handful of snow into Alice’s face and causing her to let go.

   “Run! Run away!” Rae called as the two girls dived across the front garden and behind the makeshift fort they had created earlier on.

   “Alice? You okay?” Robin called.

   “Yeah.” Alice gasped, sitting up and brushing snow from her face, grinning as she crawled back behind the fence. “It’s not over yet!”

   Robin laughed. She was settled on the porch, holding Alice’s hat from where she had lost it almost at the very start of their game. When Rae had come up with the idea of having a snowball fight to celebrate the first heavy snowfall of the year, she hadn’t even let Robin stand before demanding that her mother stay out of it. At first Robin had been confused, until Blessing said that Robin cheated when they played because she used her archery skills to hit them at impossible angles.

   After that, Robin had been too amused to be hurt. She’d tried explaining her archery was no different to Blessing’s speed but neither girl would listen. Insisting that they play their game with Alice (with whom they had a much better chance at winning). From there Robin had simply sat on the side, cradling a cup of hot chocolate and watching the girls tag team against their mama in ways that was so ruthless, she was more than a little proud of them.

   “Come on, Alice,” Robin called, taking a sip of her drink with Alice’s hand dangling from her fingers. “You’re going to let your own daughters beat you?”

   Alice stuck her tongue out at her before she began setting up a series of snowballs, piling them at her side and ready for use. Across from her, Robin saw Blessing and Rae doing the same thing. They wore twin coats (brought orange with pink fur) and were bundled into their usual winter gear, including their matching bobbled hats, scarves and gloves (yellow for Rae and pink for Blessing). Rae’s hair was missing its hairband and unlike Alice’s hat, Robin doubt she would be able to find it amongst the snow that had been kicked and thrown in every direction.

   Robin began stomping her feet on the wooden floorboards like a drum roll and calling out. “It’s down to the wire! Who will make the final move! The finishing blow! Who will win this snow ball showdown! The crowd can hardly contain themselves!” She half cupped her mouth with her free hand, making sounds like a roaring crowd.

   Blessing looked up and giggled until Rae grabbed her arm and forced her to pay attention to their snowballs. Unfortunately for them, Alice was faster and now carried her many weapons in her arms and she began sneaking around the fence and towards their fort. The girls didn’t have any time to even notice she was there when she bombarded them from above.

   They let out screams and began blinding through their snowballs back at her and after Alice ran out of her own, she tried to turn and retreat. Tried, being the key word as Blessing darted out and grabbed her leg, knocking her to the ground. Robin laughed, wondering what Killian would say if he saw how much they rough housed. He was such a protective grandpa. He nearly had a heart attack when he saw Robin throwing the girls into the air and catching them outside, sure she was going to miss and drop them. (Robin would have been insulted if she hadn’t also been laughing at the jerks his face made like back when he was cursed and dying.)

   With Alice on the ground, the girls began throwing handfuls of snow on her, no longer bothering with balls and instead just slapping what they could like it was water from the ocean. Alice shrieked and tried to crawl away but she didn’t try too hard and the girls easily kept up with her, continuing to throw move snow on top of her.

   Okay. Robin decided. That was enough. She’d let them have their fun. She placed her empty cup down on the side of the bench and tucked Alice’s hair underneath so it wouldn’t get lost. Then, while the girls were all distracted, she began making snowballs just like they did, piling them on the side of the porch fence with slow care.

   She took her time and still finished before any of them had noticed. After that… She took aim… And fired.

   She hit Rae in the back, surprising the young girl who looked around, wide eyed and confused. Then she caught sight of Robin just before she threw the second ball to hit Blessing’s back shoulder.

   “No fair, mummy! You can’t play!” Rae snapped angrily.

   “Mummy’s true love is in danger.” Robin said, smirking at her daughter. “She’ll save her.”

   “That’s cheating!” Blessing cried, standing and pouting.

   “Yup!”

   Robin threw the next one and hit Blessing’s feet. Despite her upset, she instantly giggled and that broke whatever anger the girls had. Rae squealed and dived back for their hide out, calling her sister to follow so they could regroup.

   While the girls ran away, Robin jumped the porch and ran over to Alice. “You alright, love? Need a knight in shinning… well an archer in a green hood, to save you?”

   Alice sat up, spluttering snow from her lips. She was positively covered now, her hair sticking to her face as much as the snow, and one of her gloves was missing, lying half buried a few feet away from her. But despite the fact that she was frozen blue in some places and pink in the other, she was grinning, almost as excitedly as Blessing and Rae.

   “What took you?!” She demanded, grinning and accepting Robin’s hand back onto her feet.

   “Hey, I was told I wasn’t allowed to play.” Robin shrugged innocently.

   Alice brushed the snow and hair from her face. “So what changed your mind then?” She asked breathlessly.

   “Like I said, my true love was in danger.” Robin said, leaning over and kissing her. Her lips were ice cold from the snow and in turn her own must have felt like fire. Alice grabbed her arms and squeezed, clinging to her and holding the kiss.

   “EW!”

   They broke apart to see the girls frowning at them. “This is war!” Rae snapped angrily. “No kissing in war!”

   “Are you kidding?” Robin asked. “Kissing’s the best weapon, don’t you think, love?”

   “Oh I agree.” Alice said, grinning.

   Rae realised what was about to happen before Blessing, so despite Blessing’s natural speed, she was caught first by Robin who pulled her into the snow, wrapping her arms around her and layering her cold face with warm kisses. A second later Alice appeared with Rae, dragging her back and doing the same with the two girls shrieking with laughter and struggling against them. By the time they were done, they were all breathless and tired, staring up at the grey sky, side by side in the snow.

   “I h-h-hope it never st-stops snowing!” Blessing said.

   “Okay. When teeth start chattering it’s time to go inside.” Robin said strictly.

   “Awwww! Mummy!” The girls and Alice all said together.

   Robin raised an eyebrow at Alice who grinned and shrugged, finally standing and brushing some snow from her clothes. “Okay, mummy’s right. The snow’s not going anywhere.”

   “But we never finished our game.” Rae complained, shivering even as she had a line of sweat on her forehead.

   “We’ll finish it tomorrow. Come on. Or else mummy and I will drink all the hot chocolate ourselves.” Alice said, linking her arm with Robin’s.

   They’d barely taken a step when both girls shot passed them to the door. “Hurry up, mama, mummy! Hurry up!” They called as they ran inside, not even bothering to kick the snow off of their feet.

   “They definitely inherited your energy. I can’t keep up you three.” Robin sighed. She purposely began dragging her feet, taking this moment to have a romantic walk through the snow with her wife.

   “That’s why we’re a team. I wear them down and then you tuck them in later.” Alice grinned, leaning over and kissing her cheek. Then she pulled back and winked. “You just save the extra energy for warming me up later.”

   Now that was something to look forward to. Robin paused, turning to give Alice another kiss when the girls heads appeared in the window. They knocked hard on the glass with their balled up fists. “Come on!” They called impatiently, their voices only slightly muffled.

   “Hey!” Robin snapped, her and Alice rushing inside. “Don’t bang on the window like that!”

[laresearchette]

Sunday, November 21, 2021 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: THE MATING GAME (discovery +) 2021 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS (CTV) 8:00pm A KISS BEFORE CHRISTMAS (W Network) 8:00pm SISTER WIVES (TLC Canada) 10:00pm POWER BOOK II: GHOST (Starz Canada) 10:00pm WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT BAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT (TBD - Lifetime) CAESAR'S DOOMSDAY WAR (TBD - Science) KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP: LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS (TBD - Food Network Canada) FATAL FRONTIER: EVIL IN ALASKA (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME/CRAVE/NETFLIX CANADA/CBC GEM:

CRAVE POWER BOOK II: GHOST (Season 2, Episodes 1)

NETFLIX CANADA UNDERCOVER

MADAGASCAR: A LITTLE WILD (Family Jr.) 9:00am: When Lala turns into a frog and announces that she'll be moving to a bigger pond, Gloria is hurt and holds a contest to find a new tankmate.

TIM HORTONS CURLING TRIALS (TSN) 10:00am: Round Robin (TSN/TSN3) 3:00pm: Round Robin (TSN/TSN3) 8:00pm: Round Robin

YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS (E! Canada) 12:30pm: Emma is a talented designer who finds herself too busy to return home for the holidays, much to her father's chagrin. When her ex-boyfriend finds out, he tries to convince her to celebrate Christmas with her family.

NFL FOOTBALL (TSN4) 1:00pm: Ravens vs. Bears (TSN4) 4:00pm: Bengals vs. Raiders (TSN4/TSN5) 8:15pm: Steelers vs. Chargers

MLS SOCCER (TSN5) 3:00pm: NYCFC vs. Atlanta (TSN5) 5:30pm: Portland vs. Minnesota NBA BASKETBALL (SN) 3:30pm: Mavericks vs. Clippers (SN Now) 8:00pm: Knicks vs. Bulls (SN1) 8:30pm: Raptors vs. Warriors

THE FIRST SNOW OF WINTER (CBC) 5:30pm: A duck named Sean faces a winter alone after missing the annual migration south. Fortunately, Sean is befriended by Vole, who helps him prepare for the hazards that lie ahead.

NHL HOCKEY (SN360/SNEast/SNWest) 7:00pm: Flames vs. Bruins (SNOntario) 7:30pm: Leafs vs. Islanders (SNPacific) 8:00pm: Chicago vs. Canucks

SWEPT UP BY CHRISTMAS (W Network) 6:00pm:  An antique seller and a cleaner clash as they work on downsizing a magnificent estate. As the two uncover the house's treasures, they find a way to reconnect the reclusive owner with his Christmas past.

HEARTLAND (CBC) 7:00pm: Tim and Jessica's attempt to throw a "small party" snowballs out of control; Lou struggles to hide a revived past relationship from the family; Amy and Logan continue to work with the wild...HORSIES!

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE (CTV Drama) 8:00pm: Ethan, always the nice guy, wakes up to a new reality at Christmastime. He's initially enthralled with his new life but soon realizes it's not what he thought it would be.

THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (CBC) 8:00pm: It’s sticky, gooey Caramel Week.

BACHELOR IN PARADISE CANADA (City TV) 8:00pm: Paradise Bartender, Kevin Wendt, and his fiancé Astrid Loch host a special event that forces Campers to reveal their true colors.

LIFE BELOW ZERO CANADA (APTN) 8:00pm: Bentley goes hunting, determine to find meat for his family, Kim and Pierre set their sights on a beaver, an essential source of bait they need for the winter trapping season, and Mike comes up with a novel way to procure an ample stock of firewood.

THE GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE (Makeful) 8:00pm: The remaining sewers are given three challenges to test their fabric-handling skills for children's clothing.

THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND: DIGGING DEEPER (History Canada) 8:00pm: Dreams come true and hard work pays off when the team discovers gold in the Money Pit area.

DYING TO BELONG (Lifetime Canada) 8:00pm:  When journalism major Olivia meets Riley, a shy freshman who suffers from anxiety, they become fast friends. Both girls decide to join a sorority, following in Riley's mother's footsteps. They discover there are deadly secrets within the sisterhood.

A SUITABLE BOY (CBC) 9:00pm: Maan's disgrace has a disastrous effect on the Kapoor family and the bad press is used against his father in India's first general election campaign; Lata is hurt by Haresh's overreaction.

OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 9:00pm: Justin's excavator has an expensive oil leak; Col's crew is a man down; the Fire Crew is on a wild goose chase hunting a bounty of fabled fire opal.

ONE OF OURS (Documentary) 9:00pm:   Josiah Wilson is a Haitian, Heiltsuk French Canadian who just wants to play basketball but ends up at a human rights tribunal instead.

BACHELOR AFTER SHOW: AFTER PARADISE (City TV) 9:30pm

THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND (History Canada) 10:00pm: The team feels unstoppable once more evidence suggests the stone roadway is heading directly toward the Money Pit; when delicate discoveries are made in the swamp, the fellowship faces the possibility of a government shutdown.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES: ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP (Slice) 10:00pm/11:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE):  The highly anticipated trip to Turks and Caicos kicks off with shots fired on a private jet, a hunky blast from the past and one Housewife finding herself on an island -- literally. In Episode Two, day two starts with an afternoon on a luxury catamaran, but a fun day on the ocean quickly goes south when Ramona's selfish side comes out; during the infamous Bailey-Q, Cynthia is taken aback by the ladies' reactions to her shady game.

[chaospenelope]

Winter War

The Pack

Thank you JFlare for helping me choose.

The television never had everyone's attention this undivided any other time. Eyes were trained the scrawling text at the bottom, throwing out names of business and schools. They waited patiently in silence for their place on the alphabetical list. When it finally came followed with the word 'closed' the whole room lit up.

"Yyyessss!" Lavier pumped her fist in the air and ran to front door without skipping a beat she started putting on her shoes. "Hey! Wait for us!" Penelope shouted as she and a giggly Robin ran after her. Neda shook her head with an amused smirk. She moved her coffee to her other hand as she pulled a cover over her sleepy son. A strong, chilled breeze blew past them as they flung open the door. A handful of snow fakes fell through the doorway in the amount of time it took for them to leave. "Let's build a snowman!" Robin twirled around as tiny flakes feel around her. She let out a small gasp as she tripped. Luckily the bed of snow was so tall and soft it was like falling on a pile of leaves. She laid for a few moments in a startled stupor. Then suddenly started making a snow angel. "I think we should try making an igloo and camp out here." "I don't think this is the right kind of snow for that Lava." Penny started to clump bits of it together and patting it into a compact ball. She heard a tap on glass nearby. She looked around for a bit until her pale orange eyes rested on her neighbor's window. She waved cheerfully as SpringBear tried to catch her attention. The yellow bear dropped out of view and after a few minutes the door flew open. She ran over faster than her little puffs of breath can keep up. "Hey, ...Penny!" She huffed, catching her breath. Freddy followed in a much more calm pace. "Hey Goldie." She smiled. "Where's everyone else? I thought the storm made them stay the night?" "Yeah, they're still getting dressed since they have to borrow some of our clothes. Did you see how much was was coming down?" "It was insane! I can't believe we didn't lose power." "I can't believe the adults still have to go to work." Freddy walked over to Robin and offered him her paw after seeing her failed attempts to get up herself. "They had to wake up extra early to shovel out the snow." "Yeah, I wish they got off too." She paused to dust herself off. "Daddy loves the snow. He makes the best snowmen." "Mama likes to make snow angels." "We should make snow men of them so it'll be like they are here." Lavier suggested as she started pilling snow onto the ball her sister started. "Why didn't I think of that?" "That's not how you build a snowman." Philip came out of the house with his keys swinging in his hand. "You gotta roll it around until it gets big enough. Don't you guys know anything?" The children didn't have much time to glare at him before he was heading for the garage. He pulled up the door with ease. "Hey, you're not supposed to go anywhere unless it's an emergency. Mama and Papa said so!" "They were talking to you brats." He answered as he walked over to his truck. He slammed his hand on the hood. "This V8 was made to whip Winter into submission." He then climbed into the front seat and drove down the lonely road. "Your brother's weird." "Ahoy, maties!" The door swung open a second time. Foxy and Bonnie eagerly jumped outside with the young fox skipping over and climbing onto a bench. He used his hand to shade his eyes as he surveyed the area. "Be a fine day for an adventure!" "As long as you stay in the yard." William stated sternly. He and Robert were coming outside with Chica behind them. "Aye, aye captain!" He responded as he leapt down. "You're gonna brake your bloody neck if you keep that up." Chica huffed. She wasn't even sure why she bothered anymore. "Hey Chica, Catch!" Bonnie shouted as she let misshapen lump of cold fly through the air. It smacked the bird just above her beak. "You! You-!" She growled angrily as the bits melted and trickled down her face. "I'll get you!!!" She cried, taking a handful she started to chase her. Bonnie darted effectively around her friends. Icy projectiles flying past her head and shoulders, just barely missing her. "Ah!" Penelope felt a pat on the back of her head and a small blast of cold as the ammo melted on her thick fur. She quickly returned fire but it landed on an unsuspecting Freddy. He quickly turned around and instantly knew who had struck him as the black bear quickly tried for a second load. He smirked as tried to beat her to the punch. "Hold on Bonnie!" Foxy shouted to his best friend as he scooped up some snow. "I'm coming ta help ye!" Dashed as fast as his legs could carry him. He bounced over the growing mound of snow that Lavier was hastily putting together. With both hands full he wound up the first and chucked it. It barely hit her foot, the icy shrapnel splashed onto SpringBear. The second hit a tree at the edge of the yard. "You're gonna get it Kitty." She warned with a giggle. She grabbed a big mass but knew better than to throw it. She ran for cover as she patted it into a more compact ball. Her cover being the wall of snow Lavier was constructing. She smirked mischievously as she saw her brother Freddy had his back to her. She also noted Penelope a few feet from her. She was throwing a few snowy missiles at him and he at her. They were both holding their ground and both were covered with specs of melting snow. She looked for a new target and noticed Robin just collecting snow balls with seemingly no target in mind. SpringBear tried her best to hit her but smashed her mound of prepared balls instead. "Who did that?" The girl asked as she looked over. The little golden bear cub had successfully ducked before she saw but her giggling was a dead giveaway. Robin silently grabbed an armful of the balls that had survived and scurried over to the wall. She quickly threw them over the wall and ran for it. "Whoah!" Lavier cried as she shook the snow off her back. "I'm gonna get you for that." She looked over at Goldie who was laughing even harder now. "But first I'll get you!" She grinned deviously as her friend let out an excited scream. The blue eyed bear climbed over the wall and ran. Little clouds of white vapor puffed out like a tiny steam engine. She looked behind her and saw her pursuer jumping over her own wall with two pawfuls of snow. Goldie quickly scooped up some powder, losing just a little speed. Patting down it was far too small. She picked up a little more and stopped to make a stand. She turned to face Lavier only for the black and cub to accidentally run into her. They both collapsed in a fit of laughter. "You guys okay?" Robin asked as she ran up to them. She let out a surprised gasp as a snowball hit her chest. "Got ya." Goldie boasted as the two of them sat up. "Yeah, we're fine." Lavier smiled as she dropped a pawful of flakes on Goldie's head. Foxy had successfully landed a shot on the back of Chica's head and shoulder, earning her burning rage. Now he was running from her. It was incredible how fast she was throwing snow. Though, most of it flew right past him. Bonnie had collapse and was covered with a good deal of snow. She rose up after catching her breath. She looked around and saw the yard was full tracks and the air full of flinging lumps of frozen water. She grabbed some off the ground and ran in blindly. Freddy was about to throw another when he felt something hit his arm. Looking over he saw the rabbit from Lavier, Robin, and SpringBear. She was running toward him. He decided to get moving and Penelope did the same. They all leapt over the wall in a child stampede. Robin heard a pained cry as she landed on something soft. She looked down to see she had landed on Foxy. "Oh! I'm so sorry Kit! Are you alright!?" "Aye lass, I'm fine. Thank ye for the concern." She smiled as he sat up. "Truce?" Frederick offered Penelope his paw. "Truce." She nodded and shook paws. "We should unite and take out the real foe." SpringBear suggested. "Who's that, Chica?" "Watch it rabbit!" "Over there." Freddy whispered as he pointed at William and Robert. They hadn't really moved since they came outside. They were talking about a show of some sort at the moment. The FazGang remained quiet as they loaded up on winter ammo. Freddy continued to whisper the game plan. "Now when everyone is ready we have to run out and act like we're still chasing each other then when we all get close enough, then all strike!" "What's the code? We need a code word for us all to throw at the same time." "Got ya. They'll think we were talking to each other." "Got ya...Okay. I'm ready." "Me too." "Let's do this." "Sh!" They area exploded into screams and laughter as they carried out their plan. William seemed to glance. He was most likely wondering about the pause of sound, but he returned to his conversation. The FazGang ran in all sorts of directions. Some zigzagged others in looping circles. Then they darted over to the chaperones. "Got ya!" They roared, unleashing their rounds onto the unsuspecting teens. They both flinched as the wave of cold rained all over them. "Ya little sneaks!" William laughed as he saw them all flee. They took cover behind Lavier's wall. He and Robert gathered  mounds of snow. William started a rapid succession of balls. Robert ran up with his bundle. He tossed the blanket of flurries over the younger ones. Penelope hit his chest. The lump exploded and the large bunny pretended to clutch the spot in agony. He acted like he was screaming out for help, fell to his knees, and then face first into the ground. His body cutting the wall in two. Everyone laughed and cheered as they crowded around him. They all straightened up as they heard the door open. "You kids must be cold." Neda gave a cheering clap. "The Brunswick stew should be done by now. There's enough for everyone." "Can we have some with grilled cheese!?" "Is there any other way to eat it?" She asked. The children all had smiles as they ran inside and beat the melting ice off their boots. "Thanks for fixing us something to eat Misses N." "Don't mention it. I think you could all use some warming up after a heroic battle like that."