#cold is kicking my ass

[bloodyhandwhump]

coughing whumpees

coughing up blood

coughing after throwing up

coughing until tears roll down your cheeks

coughing after a deep breath

whumpee who can’t stop coughing, long after their chest burns and their ribs ache

[citrenecult]

Yes, this is a reflection of myself.

[spencestiel-michelle]

*Spencer Reid lingers in the doorway*

Y/n: what’s the matter? you look like you’re struggling there, sailor. 

Reid, conflicted: i really want to kiss you goodbye but the cold you have is highly contagious and i would only be increasing my chances of contracting it and spreading it by initiating skin to skin contact. 

Y/n: you would also be kissing me goodbye- but you’re right, i get it, i’m too germ-ridden for my boyfriend to give me a quick forehead kiss goodbye, i’ll just have to wave from over he- 

*Spencer quickly kisses Y/n on the forehead and rapidly backs up and out of the door* 

*Spencer blushes and and terribly fights back a smile as he blatantly gushes over Y/n*

Y/n: was that so hard? 

Reid, bashfully: i will see you tomorrow. 

*Reid leaves*

Y/n, dreamily: i’m so gonna marry that man. 

[maplemaplemaplemaplemaple]

they're always talking !!

[tamagoneko]

they make me SICK

[crybaby-bkg]

just saw a video of this girl saying she had her first make out session with this guy and he came so hard that it soaked through not only his jeans, but hers too and may I just say. choso. may I say it.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

you cannot tease wei wuxian and hua cheng hunting for funsies and not show that to us??? it has to go one of two ways right? either an absolute visious blood bath where everyone cowers in fear or the equivalent of a teenage girl's slumber party. both??? both.

Hunting each other for sport is the keystone to a fun slumber party

[shirozora-draws]

Y'all are getting a twofer this weekend. I'm supposed to be writing the next Gravity Well chapter but when have I ever been able to wrangle my impulses?

Not that this is in any way related to the 3quelfic, but I wanted to brainstorm sleeping quarters on a heavily modified Auzituck gunship and then got lost in the sauce in my newer CSP brushes. This is all in service of future fic illustrations, don't judge me.

May or may not work on a third sketch based on a pre-ANH meet-cute before the weekend is over. I hope not. I really need to write.

[autumnblooms]

I’ve got you 🖤

[fisheito]

Crimson Phantom: the one that gfkion got me

Flashback to my old yakutier list: in the top tier, you'll notice that one of these is not like the others:

SO WHAT IS IT DOING THERE????????

Perhaps the reason Crimson Phantom R5 ranks so high is cuz of the PERSONAL HISTORY i got with it. The straw that broke the fish's back? the last drop of water that makes the cup run over and spill onto my socks MOST iRRITATINGLY?Hm. Maybe. Prepare yourself for the longest post yet:

Let me give you a timeline...

May 2022: start playing nuca during Mystical Banquet. First SSR is Endless Banquet Garu. I am intrigued by his musculature and adorable puppy eyes. July 2022: Idol Fest. I only care about Olivine. Captain Oli is the one SSR i get, and i am exceedingly happy. October 2022: Eerie Escapade. I pull for Garu, but get 3 Yakumos. I am bitter and ignore him entirely. November 2022: I don't have many SSRs, so I consider building my 2-star vampire yaku. This would involve unlocking his rooms for the stat boost. I ask Friend A, who also plays nuca, what his rooms are like. Friend A says "it was roleplay cringe but free' I respond, "i expected as much" and do not build up vampire yaku. December 2022: I get Friend B to start playing nuca. Since we live together, it is very easy to spark impromptu , impassioned nuca discussions in the middle of the kitchen. February 2023: Friend B discovers the main menu- Past Events and Galleria, most notably. Their eyes sparkle as they look thru the events they missed. "When did you start playing?" they ask. "Since THIS event." i say, pointing to the Mystical Banquet banner. "Can I see who you have?" I give them my phone. They express mild awe as they scroll. We continue life as usual. March 2023: Friend B gets Spring Chaos Edmond and i am JEALOUS. I say so- regularly and loudly. During one such griping session, this occurs:

Me: you JUST started playing . you cannoT be destroying me in the rolls like this!!! i'm getting NOTHING!! Friend: but you have so many units that I don't! That I didn't even have a chance to get!!! Me: none of them are Beautiful Bride Edmond??!!! Friend: BUT YOU HAVE VAMPIRE YAKUMO Me: ?????????? so??? Friend: GOD HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND I'M SO SAD I MISSED HIM Me: you can have him. he's not doing anything over here. i wanted garu!! Friend: YOU HAVEN'T EVEN UNLOCKED HIS ROOMS? THAT'S NOT FAIR. GIVE HIM TO ME. I'LL TREAT HIM RIGHT Me: i wish i could dude i wish i could

Please imagine the utmost confusion on my face the moment my friend equated Bride Edmond's beauty to Vampire Yakumo's.

Because,, from the moment I started nuca, I had zero interest in yakumo's general aesthetic. I was long soured off the vibes due to an extensive history of dating sims shoving a Certain Guy into my face:

"Certain Guy AKA 1st potential love interest is imperious red/black guy who's also kinda the True Ending so we're only giving you the illusion of free will and you will be disappointed by the lack of care we give to other routes compared to this guy. You wanted a character that wasn't him? HAHAHA nah that nobody dies in a ditch offscreen. You were SUPPOSED to fall in love with the 1st guy we showed you and find his attitude problems attractive for the rest of your blissfully coupled life." (The freshest wound at the time was Nobunaga from that Specific branch of the ike series)

Butbutbut!! Yakumo is not imperious??? He's nothing like what you're describing??

Yes, dear reader, your assessment is fair. UNfORtUNATeLY, I'm a shallow ho and just the LOOK of his redblack skeleton embroidery was enough to repel me. The only thing that kept Yakumo in the Neutral zone was that his story self was Wibbly.

Looking at VAMPIRE yakumo, however... This was not wibbly. Here, with his hair slicked back and his torso seemingly widened and his generic bishonen-vampire-halloween-cosplay ...... it irked me. I did not like it. This look was everything I hated about those redblack domineering types haunting my past. The one interesting thing about yakumo (his wibble. his personality subversion of the aggro trope) and they GOT RID OF IT? Nah. I'm not into it. I refuse it out of principle.

I was steadfast in my dismissal of vampyaku for months.. But that was because I played alone- without outside influence.

Then that March conversation with Friend B happened.

SUDDENLY, SOMEONE introduces the POSSIBILITY that YAKUMO in THIS form can be attractive? Huh? Seriously? People think that?Legitimately never occurred to me. Unfortunately, my friend's words are in my head now.

During that convo (a convo which, unbeknownst to me, caused the first cracks in the healthy moderation i held for this game), i jokingly offered to unlock vampire yaku's rooms so my friend could watch them. A peace offering. "PLEASE!!!!!", they yelled,, with effusive sincerity.

Ah... well now I had to commit...

Determined to give my friend a Nice Thing, I threw excess knives at yakumo in my spare time. "I might as well unlock these rooms, and see how bland they are, and maybe sorta achieve vindication when I show them to my friend and they find out how Not Worth It vampire yakumo is compared to bride edmond" (I am fueled by spite and pettiness.)

thus, with time... ROOM 1 UNLOCKED!

Yakumo is wallowing again. Nothing new. He's handling the new cooking duties well, though. Good for him! Eiden is perceptive and wonderful, as usual... ah, eiden, beloved eiden.....i adore him and all the Sense he brings to these traumatised clan members ☺ Oop, there they go! initiating the cliche roleplay! Biting. Blood. Yep. Guess we're doing this.

AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ROOM 2

I was so self-satisfied when i unlocked R2. I mean, i wasn't going to show my friend until i unlocked EVERYTHING, but so far? From what I saw? this ain't it. this is SAD. this is... so very unsexy.

the only thing anchoring me to the present while watching this room was eiden's cheeky self. As Friend A remarked long ago, this was indeed cringe roleplay (but eiden is free).

I'm not very adept at voice reading/recognition, but i still felt something was up with yaku's voice. Meaning, it was different. he was REALLY laying it on heavy... It being the Role? Where was his tremulous soft voice? Naaaaaah, here in R2 we got yaku DROPPING octaves like they're on fire and affecting a drawl that...i think... is supposed to add to the seductive dangerous mood? i think? i'm really not good at parsing the horny from the Not fjkdrhgdu

with every extended vowel leaking thru yaku's fangs MY ANTI-NOBUNGA DEFENSES ARE BRISTLING yaku is REALLY playing it [Count Drakumo] up and he is NOT himself and, wait, he's spiralling? ooohhhhhh ok this is not good this is not fun he is not having fun

yes ok we've been over this my boner is dead killed by sadness that's just me not everybody is like me and i should let ppl like what they like MOVING ON

ROOM 3: OOOh Girl How they gonna react after THAT disastrous scene Woah!

Yakumo, angry???? Standoffish???? REfusing to be near Eiden? Interesting.... I mean. No! Not interesting! There's nothing interesting about vampire yakumo! Cliche as hell!!! Conventionally decent-lookin whatever-man is growling and hiding his face in a shadowy corner while saying things like "oh i'm a horrible monster .who could truly love me?!" and "stay away!! i'll only hurt you!!!"

Eiden: starts spouting truths about how the perception of "bad" and "undesirable" traits don't negate an entire person's positive traits and that someone's value can't be determined by such rigid thinking

Me: dammit eiden. stop making sense. i'm trying to hold a grudge here .............i'm starting to get hungry...

ROOM 4: OOPS I LOVE EIDEN AGAIN

I LOVE YOU EIDEN AND READING THIS ROOM MADE ME LOVE YOU EVEN MORE yakumo is, once again, spiralling in his self-hatred. i, on the other side of the screen, am getting weary. tbh, if you asked me to react to yakumo in real time, i would not know how to behave appropriately. i probably would have dismissed his concerns in some way (empty reassurances or bored ignoring).

but eiden??? ebeatutiiful emotionally UNconstipated FULL OF EMPATHY FIBRE eiden? candid... communicative... accepting yet not encouraging the dark thought patterns. . a self-aware king...

so when eiden gets in front of that mirror to demonstrate the self-talk "training":

I AM SO ENDEARED AND IM LO IBVE UHJIJM....

When Eiden gives yaku a chance to try, poor snakey doesn't know what to say. So Eiden whispers all these nice words and affirmations while standing behind yaku, expecting him to repeat them outloud THEN OF COURSE THE SILLY GUY ESCALATES TO HORNY AND I HAVE TO 🤣🤣🤣

ok, i'll begrudgingly admit... pretty cute interaction... and funny... if there's one way to win me over it's The Funny... how dare. how dare this room make me smile. I'm having a little giggle. Over a Yakumo room. THANKS eiden. For injecting humour into anything and making everything seem more tolerable...

After the practice run, Yaku ends up spilling his actual fears about his dual natures... but eiden insists that he can handle both.

yaku: if i think these dark thoughts does that make me a bad person eiden: well we all have layers n stuff so go wild yaku: if. if i. wanna lock u away all for myself and gnaw on your bones forever and keep u attached to my skin like an anglerfish absorbs mates into their flesh. will u hate me??? eiden: girl let your freak flag fly. i can take u ;););)

OKAY. SO MAYBE I CAN SORT OF SEE THE POTENTIAL FOR *NOT-AS-SAD* HORNY. THIS IS QUITE NICE (i comment mildly, gesturing to the emotional catharsis and deepening your understanding of another person). Now that yaku is emboldened in uh, being himself? all versions of himself? let's see how boinking is gonna go. hopefully it will be quite the departure from R2's struggle hours...

FUFIOKIN. ROOM 5: BANE OF MY EXISTENCE

The FIRST thing that strikes me when the room starts is

EIDEN YOU ARE SO HOT WHAT TH BRWOIJAOIEWFSKAESFKJLFEA?

INIPPL?

EIDEN'S HANDS? I'M BITING THEM? LET ME BITE THEM??? Yeah so i'm just staring at eiden displayed proudly in the mirror and a bird could probably land in my mouth with how it was hanging open, thinking, "yall know how to lewd your protagonist, nuca.... respect....." i'm distracted, but i need to move the room along so

.? ⚠! (ALERT NOISE) (ping!) the only yakumo room i've unlocked at this point is the OG SSR/Story H. i may have seen idol r2, too. so my current image of yakumo at this point is: -wet -crying -subby little baby

therefore, him saying he's GOING TO TEASE EIDEN causes my brow to upturn. 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨 really? really, yakumo? YOU? are you even capable of doing that? can you do more than one thing [be wet baby]? i doubt it. these games always choose one niche for a character and stick to it... you caNNOT drift into switchery. try it i dare u (<- famously lesser-known last words)

eiden, in line with "i can take all of you", responds that he likes both. and btw, this ain't one-sided. he warns that he's about to weaponise bottoming again. if yakumo thinks he can just lead eiden around, lolollololo l good luck. my boy's gonna squeeze him dry (seriously. i have zero faith in yakumo's ability to stay in control of any situation)

OK! so! they're fukin *mundane hand gesture. rollin it along*

yakumo slows his roll and is all, actually, part of the fun is looking at you confused and needy :3 so he's going at a super lax pace and adjusting his dick angle and some other tactical penis feint that's edging eiden into horny frustration

as if i'm cheering on my fave racehorse, i start YELLING when eiden ~~snatches back the reins~~~~

WEAPONISE! 👏THAT!! 👏BOTTOM!!!!!!!👏🏭🎬ATTABOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!📣📣📣🔊📢🔊🎖🥳📣🔊📢

wait what ........HOW HAS HE NOT LOST IT? if eiden went off on me like that, uhhhhhhhhhhh hahahaha rest in pesis i'm losing immediately but... crybaby.... is holding it together? in fact, he somehow TAKES CONTROL AGAIN??????? THET F ????

idk guess i'm shocked with processing another side of yakumo that i didn't expect,, i avoided yakumo because his look served potential for "2000s toxic seme" energy. but i tolerated him because his ACTUAL personality was NOT That. yet... now he's showing that exact domineery junk and i'm ..ok with it? Is it specifically because i've only seen him be pathetic in every other room?!

i'm just gonna...a. take a moment here to... maybe sort of understand the predicament i'm in along with my growing . something. admiration? for yakumo. uhhh.... hmmmm..........

yeah ok whatever people can be freaks about nipples i guess

SHIT I FORGOT HE HAS COLD HANDS . SHIT. I FORGOT I LIKE COLD HANDS SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M INTO THAT?

NOT THE NECK BITING AGAIN AHAHAHAHAAHHAHHA FOR REAL?????? VAMPIRE COSPLAY SERIOUS????? (<- my voice has gone an octave higher as i start panic laughing)

i don't know why i didn't expect that here. do i just not think ahead? it's stupid count drakumo. of course he's gonna suck blood. at least twice. maybe the rest of you saw it coming, and rolle dyour eyes. ahahaha, how very trite. how very standard.

did the active shattering of my preconceived yakumo.png weaken me THAT much? was i sudddenly swept up into the revelation thata game was Finally going beyond the yaoi dichotomy? to make someone subby AND dommy? Was i SO swept up that the "cringe vampire roleplay" bypassed my eyerolling sensor?!?!?!

i've got a single nervous bead of sweat making its way down my back and it's cuz of the very simple combo of hole/temperature/neck

so while i'm taking another impromptu wary pause , stewing at how DEVASTATED i may or may not be idk whatever it's not a big deal that the neck bite isn't shown on screen

LOGIC: that makes sense. animating and drawing that separate pose in this setup would be way too much work for 2 sentences. HORNY: TEAR INTO HIM. SUCK HIM DRY. LET ME

SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

yeah for real. I'M feeling attacked right now. eiden trying his best not to splort from the three-pronged feel-up (struggling like an amorous salmon up a waterfall) when suDNDEnly

......?

*RECORD SCRATCH* ?!?!?!?!?!??!?????!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!???!!!!!??????????????????????? ?????!?!?!?!?????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????E?!?FKFOO>>>>?VFF??A""????":??"??????!?!!??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

👆

WHAT WAS THAT?

*runs into the adjacent room like it's a reality tv privacy booth* *slams the door and stares incredulously at the camcorder* *points toward the room i just left*

IS THAT ALLOWED?

Is Yakumo legally allowed to say "fuck"?????

*falls into a hushed and baffled whisper* i don't have enough Japanese comprehension to parse exactly what yakumo said oh god i wish i had the comprehension is this a translator liberty? is it real? because if the original speech was actually more reserved but the translators were like "bro that ain't sexy. just write FUCK"?? i guess that wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility? but if yakumo legitimately said "fuck" ...... AND dropped the honorific from eiden's name?! .......... huh! ohhhhhhhh *ruffles my hair out of confusion* did he really say that? i mean ok he's a grown ass snan i shouldnt ' be scandalised like i hear d an infant say FUCK as its first word , 11 months out of the womb ....... *deep breath* ok. don't dwell on it. gotta return to the task at hand. *steadfastly turns the doorknob and returns to my previous location*

so eiden looks like what i feel right now (in the key of: !?!?!?) thankfully the surprise doesn't last long in the face of his shamelessness (blessed be eito), so he tries to repeat after yakumo but yakumo's drilling him so hard that brain mysgh muysh can't really... speak..prororperly

SUHUT THE FUCCK UP YAKUMO I'VE NEVER BEEN SO OFFENDED BY SUCH A SHORT SENTENCE GO AWAY WITH YOUR THIRTY SHADES OF COUNT DOMKUMO PARADING IN HERE THINKIN YOU CAN DISH OUT ORDERS LIKE THSI WHEN YOU'R E NORMALLY A SOBBING MESS BY NOW=====----

*pinches in between my brows* uueugh...... eiden doesn't get to finish his task but they go at it until the screen goes white with that powerful SPLOOSH we all know and love

and yakumo FINALLY breaks character getting juiced released a bit of his control i guess we hear an "uhu" at last. he uses his pathetic wibble to ask eiden for more because he's still hard. of course he is...... mans is never done.......dick ouroboros with the way he never ends.......

BUT THEN EIDEN PULLS A FACE THAT GRABS MY ENTIRE BRAIN AND FLOODS ME WITH SO MUCH AFFECTION

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY JUST LOOK AT HIM SLUTTY BLEP i was having an out-of-body experience i was suddenly going over every BL i've ever played and how none of the protags were ever this unabashedly INTO IT (of course we are only here because we build upon the foundations of our gay ancestors THANK YOU GAYASS SPIRITS OF YORE , ) BUT! i'm experiencing a grand realisation of how far we've come and how eiden being a slutty versatile dweeb enriches my life to untold measures and his stupid cute little ;P thirsty look is going to sustain me for years and also i love it so much i'm going to screenshot it and keep it in my gallery just so i can look at it whenever i think about homophobia existing ever . i love u eiden get that dick and hole forever💖

now that yakumo is all vulnerable and Himself and freed from his edgy persona , he's just pounding into eiden liek 🥺 i'm just a normal snokai right? 🥺😥 so it's ok to act the way i truly want to❓ you'll accept all of me? 😖 i'm not a horrible irredeemable monster ?? 😧💦 you still want me? here?? with you???🥺🥺🥺 i'm allowed to make you feel good??😢?😭?😥 of course eiden affirms all this with a big moany yes (in surprisingly eloquent words despite the state of his anus)

and to top it all off, the room provides a full circle of plot by letting eiden complete his failed "repeat after me" task from before..- with a horny addendum about how he can't get enough of yakumo's dirty expressions, because of course our boy has to get the last word.

ahhh,,, like an epic movie,, it all comes together. loose ends tied and fucklines affirmed. tasks fulfilled; pervert's journey complete;; we, the audience, can go home with satisfied closure.

after-credits sceNe: when the post-nut clarity hits yakuei, i am brick'd with overwhelming concern about eiden's leg. how has it NOT cramped this entire time, being held up like that.? what was that? at least 15 minutes?! of lifting up one leg and spreading it so wide? damn, boy, is ya potassium that powerful? no calf cramps? nothing? eiden your sexual athleticism is unrivalled. i am in awe.

Note!

When i first watched these rooms, I didn't have headphones. Months later, i finally got to watch the scenes WITH SOUND. and i was so very pleased to hear that yakumo's voice in R5 was a nice middle ground between his suuuuper drawly heavy cosplay mode R2 angstvoice,, and his regular uhuu soft voice. it's definitely more himself, but with the added confidence of roleplaying ehuehue so it's just nice!! to hear him being more secure in himself!! and enjoying the situation!! but also teasing eiden and enjoying the power plays?? yay! near the end he returns almost fully to his regular voice due to , you know, whiny pleady 🥺 feels-too-good things afoot and that just .... upped the affection for me.... ugh... so he CAN do both......

in future watches, i eventually take the time to look at yakumo's face instead of eiden's. . .

and i do NOT like where my subsequent thoughts go

oh no he's hot.......................

WE RETURN TO REALITY. IT IS SOME TIME BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY (2023). I HAVE AT LAST UNLOCKED ALL OF CP YAKUMO'S ROOMS. I AM IN MY ROOM AND I AM SHOOKETHED. Shortly, I seek out Friend B, the catalyst for this train of horror and realisation. I tell them the task is done. Eventually, i give them my phone so they can watch their beloved vampire yakumo rooms. I couldn't even hand it over with the derisive scoff I THOUGHT I would show. the look of absolute dismissal that used to appear whenever someone mentioned crimson phantom yakumo. No, i handed it over with thinly concealed amusement . perhaps even excitement, that someone would soon share in something that so pleasantly surprised me. A part of me wished for them to return my phone with a disappointed "tch". to tell me that, oh, that wasn't very good after all. you were right. i could have missed out on vampire yakumo and lost nothing. Unfortunately, they returned my phone later that evening . their eyes glittered with the glee of someone whose hopes were beautifully fulfilled. "OH MY FUCKING GOD I KNEW it was gonna be amazing!", they bubbled. "Yeah." is all i could say... . I spend the following weeks slowly falling victim to yakumo's charms. By June, I am putting up posters of him all over my room while talking about how much i hate him.

SUMMARY: like nuca itself, it started as a joke and now the quences have conned. i'm suffering the cussions, reperfully. eiden did NOT help. he was beautiful and amazing from every angle and that added to the positive associations with these rooms,, and by extension, yakumo. and now? now i hate this snakeboy for what's he's done to me. i'm p sure he's actively moving the goalposts on my preferences as i type. i'm scared. he has too much power . that this mushy noodle would subvert tropes by following the old kabedon-seme script then DO IT AGAIN by hitting me with the SUBVERT REVERSE BEAM #2 and now i dream about railing him under the moonlight.

it was all downhill from that accursed roleplay. eiden's a gayteway drug. he fkoin got me. and now yakumo's got me too

[dhmis-blog-poncho]

finished

[ping-ski]

happy (late) halloween!! im sure he'll be fine..? enjoy the chocolate! :))

[asukamood]

In the Snow (Cold Front)

***

This fandom does not have enough fanfiction for what the game is worth so have this to try and make up for it.

This game was developed by @racheldrawsthis and it’s completely free, I highly recommend you try it out!

Link to the game

***

Warnings: Bullying??, minor violence

Ships: Romantic or Platonic Winnie x Augustine (Though considering they are still children; it would probably be better to see it as platonic.)

Synopsis: “Come on Winnie!” A young Augustine exclaimed as he tugged Winnie out of his front door by the sleeve. “It has not snowed in ages here; we have to enjoy it as much as we can!”

“I don’t want to!” The poor boy whined, resisting him as much as he could and holding onto the doorway like his life depended on it. “The others would not want to play with me!”

***

“Come on Winnie!” A young Augustine exclaimed as he tugged Winnie out of his front door by the sleeve. “It has not snowed in ages here; we have to enjoy it as much as we can!”

“I don’t want to!” The poor boy whined, resisting him as much as he could and holding onto the doorway like his life depended on it. “The others would not want to play with me!”

Augustine pouted at that, his eyes narrowing in a cute frown as he suddenly let the other boy go who, not expecting that, yelped as he ended up falling backwards. Thankfully though, any major incident was prevented as the culprit caught Winnie into a hug.

“How can you be so sure when you didn’t even try?” Augustine questioned, turning the other around before grabbing his cheeks and squishing them. “We talked about that yesterday you know!”

Winnie looked down, one of his hands on Augustine’s wrists. If he had any plan to push the other child away, it was soon abandoned as he stared at the ground, eyes filled with potential tears.

“I know...” He sniffled. “But I can’t help it, I don’t want to be alone, but I don’t want to impose either--”

“You won’t be, I’m telling you!” Augustine sighed as he let the other’s face alone. “But if you’re that scared, I guess we can try it another time. We can just spend some time together.”

Winnie looked up, bighting up. “Really? That doesn’t bother you? I mean, I wouldn’t want to prevent you from playing with your friends--”

Before he could go on any further, he jolted as he felt the other flick his forehead.

“I told you, if you want me to be your friend, you’re going to have to make me want to be your friend and so far, you haven’t had the opportunity to do that so today is the day!” He then pointed his finger toward Winnie. “You better put in your best effort because I only make friends with cool people!”

Winnie blinked his tears away, smiling as his traits adjusted to the determination burning in his soul. “I will do my best!” He exclaimed, earning a nod of approval from the other boy.

“Good good, that’s the spirit!” He grabbed one of Winnie’s gloved hands before pointing to the horizon. “Let’s go on an adventure then! We’re going to save and give the snowmen the land they rightfully deserve!”

Winnie titled his head to the side. “What does that mean though?”

“I have no clue!” Augustine proudly said, his free hand on his hip. “It sounded cool though, so I said it!”

“It did.” Winnie enthusiastically agreed, letting himself be dragged by the other to the nearest park.

As they walked, a few of Augustine’s friends waved at them to which he responded by waving back and having Winnie do so as well. A sigh of relief left the other boy as the other children did not seem to react badly to it, simply going back to their own activities with a smile.

The two of them arrived near a frozen lake, a giant tree hiding them from sight. Once they reached that spot, Augustine let go of Winnie’s hand and face planted into the snow, waving his arms and legs around to make a snow angel.

Winnie blinked, chuckling before joining him, the silhouettes of the angel seeming to merge with one another near their arm.

Winnie was the first to stand up again to admire their work, smiling brightly. “I’ve never done a snow angel before.” He admitted, the other boy, who was still on the ground, gasping from shock.

“You haven’t? You missed half of what is good in life then!” Augustine stood up as well, watching Winnie curiously.

“Well, where I’m from it never really snowed so...” He pat him on the back, before running off to another spot.

Winnie followed him, albeit a bit slower than him. “Does that mean you’ve never done a snowman as well?” Augustine asked, already gathering snow chunks for the construction of a new being.

Winnie shook his head, crouching next to him and watching what he was doing. “I’ve never made one.”

Augustine thought hard for a bit before speaking up again. “In that case, I’ll teach you! Better follow what I do well!”

Winnie saluted. “Sir, yes sir!”

The other boy tilted his head to the side, his confusion so clear it would be easy to imagine a question mark drawn next to his head.

“The people in the TV always do that.” Winnie explained sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “Was that weird?”

The two stared into each other’s eyes in silence for a solid three seconds before bursting out laughing together.

“Alright, no more joking around!” Augustine stated, still laughing in between his words. “We still have many people to make with the snow!”

“Sorry!” Winnie apologized, quickly getting into position.

***

“Augustine?” His mother’s voice suddenly reached his ears, interrupting the two children in their endeavour. “Where are you?”

“Oh no!” Said child whispered, face palming. “I totally forgot to tell Mom we were going to the park!” He turned to look at his companion. “Winnie, can you keep guard for me? I won’t take long, I promise!”

Said boy nodded, his hands still in the snow trying to make a good base. “You can count on me!”

“Thank you, I’ll be right back!” With that, Augustine ran off toward his mother to explain their disappearance, leaving Winnie with their snowman friends, not suspecting that anything would happen.

***

‘Wow, it took more time than I thought to calm Mom down!’ The boy thought to himself as he walked back behind the tree. Just as he was about to step in though, he suddenly stopped in his tracks as he heard a sob.

He ran there, worried in his tone as he passed the tree. “Winnie? Are you o--”

His eyebrows furrowed at the sight in front of him. Their snowmen were gone, most of their parts lying miserably on the ground and even their snow angels disappeared, their forms having been deformed because of being trampled. Footsteps covered them and were oriented toward the weeping Winnie in the middle of the snowmen graveyard, missing his winter outfit and left in his indoor clothes.

Having heard him, the other child turned in his direction and just cried harder upon seeing him.

“I’m sorry!” He cried out, burying his face in his hands. “I really tried to protect the snowmen; I really did! But--”

“Hey hey, calm down!” He crouched to his level, his hands in front of him to show he was not angry. “What happened? And where is your coat?”

Winnie sniffled, shaking. “These tall people came in and destroyed everything!” He made big gestures with his hands as if to show the other the difference in height between him and them. “And when I tried to stop them, they slapped me and took my clothes!” He wept as indignation passed through the other boy’s face.

He was about to insult them, most probably, but then he took notice of how red Winnie’s face looked and realized that he must have been freezing there. Just to make sure, he grabbed one of Winnie’s hands in his own and even through the fabric, he could feel how cold the limb was.

“You’re so cold!” He remarked, standing up and pulling the other on his two legs as well. “We have to go back inside before you get a cold!”

“But--” Winnie looked back at the snowmen carcass.

“No but, come on!” He took off one of his gloves and handed it to the other boy. “Here take this one!”

Winnie frowned. “But what about your other hand?”

“It’s fine,” he reassured, taking one of Winnie's freezing hands in his warm ones. “See?”

The boy finally nodded, slipping the glove on. They began walking toward the entrance of the park before they were stopped by the other children who noticed the unusual state of the newcomer.

“Augustine!” One of them called out, his eyes darting back and forth between said child and Winnie. “Why is your friend crying?”

With encouragement from him, Winnie started explaining what happened during Augustine’s absence, a small group of children forming around them.

“That’s horrible!” A girl exclaimed before unwrapping her scarf and handing it to him. “Here, you can have that for now! I have a hood anyway, I’ll be fine!”

“O-oh-” Winnie stuttered, taking it, and thanking her quietly. He looked surprised at how kind the other children were being to him right now. Turning to Augustine, he noticed the way the other looked at him as if saying ‘I told you they would like you.’

“Do you remember what the bad guys looked like?” One of the boys suddenly asked, gaining everyone’s attention.

“They were two.” He began, looking up at the sky. “One of them was really tall with orange hair and freckles on his face and the other had dark hair and brown glasses--”

“With a line across his cheek, right?” Said boy finished, Winnie looking up at him in surprise.

“Yes... how did you know?”

“My father told me about them.” He responded. “Apparently, they are in middle school and are well-known for causing trouble.”

“We can’t let them get away with this!” Augustine suddenly exclaimed, making Winnie jump in surprise. “Do you know where they could have gone?”

As the group all thought deeply, one girl suddenly pointed toward the entrance. “Look, they’re the bad guys, right?”

“Wow, it’s really them!” Another guy said. “We should get the adul--”

But he did not have the time to finish his sentence, Augustine already running toward them. Since they were holding hands, Winnie was brought along as well, their two silhouettes leaving the area as the other children sighed and ran in the opposite direction to get their parents.

***

“Hey you!” Augustine called out, pointing at the ginger person, who was holding Winnie’s bright blue coat in his hands. “Give Winnie his coat back!”

His friend scoffed at him. “You should go home kid; your parents must be so worried about you.” The other snickered, not paying any attention to the two children.

“Not until you give it back and apologize!” He stood firmly in place as Winnie’s face paled seeing the reaction of the two others at the last word. He attempted to drag him to safety but the other would not budge.

“Apologize?” The taller one repeated before laughing as he gripped the child by the collar. “Now listen here--”

“Put him down!” Winnie shouted, grabbing the attention of the other guy.

“Ah for fuck’s sake, do they not know how to shut up?” He groaned, walking menacingly toward Winnie.

The boy froze, looking around in panic. His eyes landed on Augustine who still looked as brave as ever despite being in a very disadvantageous position. He wanted to run away but that expression stopped him.

He was there because of him; it was not right for him to just run now!

He noticed a little rock by his feet and without thinking grabbed it, along with a ball of snow before chucking one at the middle schooler walking toward him and the other at the one holding Augustine captive.

The rock landed on the guy’s cheek, making him take a step back and reached the other in the eye, making him yelp in pain as he released both Augustine and Winnie’s coat.

“You’re gonna pay for that!” The one with the glasses yelled as he sprinted toward Winnie, fist raised. The child braced himself for the impact, raising his arms to protect himself but it was in vain as an adult voice came from behind.

“Stephen!” The teenager froze in shock. “How many times have I told you to stop bothering the other children?!” The woman yelled, freezing the two.

“But Mom-”

“No but!” She replied, grabbing both teenagers by the ear, and dragging them somewhere else to scold them. Their father stayed behind, reaching for Winnie’s coat, and handing it back to him.

“I’m sorry for my sons’ behavior.” He sighed, helping Augustine. “Were you two hurt?” They both shook their heads, making the man heave in a sigh of relief.

“Thank the stars, I’ll make sure this never happens again, you can count on me for that.” The two children nodded as the adult walked away toward his wife.

Winnie played with his fingers, feeling too guilty about putting Augustine in danger to look him in the eyes. “I...”

“That was so cool!” The other exclaimed, snapping the other into focus. Augustine had stars in his eyes as he shook the other child. “The way you just went peeew with the rock and snow was awesome!” He praised, rendering the other speechless.

He was finally released, the other grinning from ear to ear as he extended his fist toward him. “I’ve made my decision; I want to be your friend!”

Winnie’s eyes sparkled at that as he fist bumped him. “Thank you, Auggie!”

The other tilted his head. “Auggie?”

“Ah-” Winnie’s cheecks flushed in embarrassment. “I’m sorry I uh... that came out of nowhere!”

“It’s fine, it sounds cool! You can keep calling me that.” He shook his hand. “Happy to be your friend, Winnie.”

***

“Well, someone seems to be in a good mood!” Winnie’s mother remarked as she put the plate on the table. “What happened?”

“I made a friend.” The boy with a wide grin replied.

[skuaclan]

[rainofthetwilight]

I'm. Alifve .

[cherryapparition]

Bedtober Day 14: Ramen

Prompt List by OceanInSpace