caughtinanetwork

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Everyone, we're coming up on a very important day, the last of its kind before we turn over to a new year.

As with all such momentous occasions, I think we at the Villa should host a holiday party. On that date, precisely.

[This is actually a message intended for other Villa residents, but whatever, the rest of the bubble will get to enjoy the rare sight of the young reaper looking, dare we say, a little jolly? A little affected by holiday spirit?

Actually, more like he's being a fanboy.]

Of course, I'm speaking of December twenty-first, being the last day of the year that is a perfect palindrome, the numbers of the month being a mirror-image of the date.

[Good old 12/21.

Death the Kid's fingers, gloved and interlaced, tuck up under his chin as he exhales with contentment (and a little longing, that total weirdo), letting out a plume of steam. The moment is abruptly shattered by a snowball planting itself against the side of his head, startling him out of his reverie.

It's a good thing the SFC cuts out when it does. No one should witness the Snowball Retribution Apocalypse (Shinigami Version).]

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[Kid's somber expression breaks.

The corner of his mouth twitches up, and as he widens his stance, lifting both arms forward to aim his palms at Rin, there it is, a subtle smile playing at the otherwise deadpan line of his mouth.

A barrage of snowballs are launched from numerous black portals ejecting them from points behind Kid, but when there are a few crackles around the end, this much is obvious:

He's run out of ammunition.

Realizing this, he darts backwards, with a sound that might be a gasp -- or a stifled chortle.]

[Inside, Rin actually feels a tiny little victory at getting that smirk.

It doesn't change his own taunting, dangerous grin though, and as soon as the barrage starts he's gone, jumping from branch to branch like a damn animal, zigzagging and only getting a few good hits from the launched snowballs. There's going to be some bruising later from the sheer force of it, but that doesn't slow Rin down at all.

And all at once the barrage is over.

... and Rin is no where to be seen.]

'smatter, all out?

[The voice seems to come from behind Kid. There's no room for an answer or a retort, though, as the half demon launches himself through the air and effectively tackles the miester right off his skateboard and down to the snowy ground.

They crash down, rolling several feet until they stop, Rin more or less sitting on top of Kid, hair and clothes soaking wet but the biggest toothy grin on his damp face.

Above Kid's head, Rin is holding a very large pile of snow.]

Give up?

Edited 2012-12-12 04:50 (UTC)

Uwa--

[And right off his skateboard he goes; Beelzebub plops into the snow, one end sticking ridiculously out of a snowbank, and both death god and half-demon go tumbling end over end until Kid ends up sprawled out on his back, eyes wide and mouth slack with surprise.

There's snow in his hair, in the sliver of skin exposed between his sleeve cuffs and his gloves. Some melting down the back of his collar, and there's Rin, looming over him with the largest snowball (no, more like a mere clump of snow) he's ever seen.

Oh god, he's wet and cold and--

And the laughter that threatens to bubble out of somewhere at his very core feels indescribably wonderful.

Give up? Him?]

Come back in a hundred years!

[Oh Kid. You really should know better than to taunt some one like Rin Okumura. He may have started this nonsense but you catered right in to his competitive, egotistical hands.

The grin only widens, tail swaying about like a damn cat who caught the canary.]

I could probably do that! But it's your funeral, Death the Kid.

[Yes, even Rin is aware of the irony of what he just said. That's why he said it.

The hands slip a little bit apart, bits of snow dribbling down on Kid's forehead.]

Last chaaance~ Say Uncle and I won't bury you in snow!

[It would be an easy matter to incapacitate Rin by simply reaching around him and giving that fitful tail a yank, but a.) that's unsporting and b.) that's his friend.

Hooking legs around the front of his throat and flipping him end over end is also out of the question.

He isn't Black☆Star.

Cold powder crumbles over his forehead, and he's quick to swipe it off, just as he's quick to make a lunge, hoping to take control of the heap of snow poised to descend on him before Rin can make good on his threat.

Of course, gravity being what it is, he is probably going to end up wearing a lot of it anyway.]

Didn't I tell you--?

Guh--!

[The lunge wasn't terribly unexpected, but the force at which it comes is slightly startling. Rin keeps forgetting there are people in Vatheon that have the same level of strength that he does (and aren't other demons).

The snow effectively winds up on both of them, and some of it even winds up going down under Rin's jacket and shirt, causing him to shiver. Damn that's cold.

But even the surprise doesn't completely cause the grin to wane. His attempt to pin Kid has left them in a rather awkward position now that he's been grabbed in that lunge, but Rin isn't relenting yet.]

Tell me what?

[Who cares if it's an awkward tangle of limbs? Not Kid, who has taken it upon himself to see to it Rin thoroughly understands that Death's own son can turn the tables on him anytime, and the fact that this punches holes in the concept of personal space being a mutual concept is just an added bonus.

Kid's slipperiness proves itself in the way he slides out from under him, hooking first one leg over Rin's shoulder and then the other, ankles locking behind his head.

He deserves the courtesy of the shinigami's brief flash of teeth in a smile as he pushes forward with his arms, twists the lean trunk of his body sideways, and throws Rin onto his left side in an acrobatic tackle.]

You can only outrun Death so long!

[It's an unnatural flexibility that has Kid turning the tables more literally, ending up above Rin in triumph, only to start eagerly scooping snow off the ground and piling it onto the half-demon's head.]

No one will fault you for admitting defeat!

[Rin lets out a rather comical sound at being grabbed and flipped so suddenly, and there's a distinct noise of incoherent and octave-pitched sputtering when he realizes the predicament he's in all too late.

But even as the snow starts coming down on top of the pinned half-demon, the sputtering turns in to laughter, arms flailing about as he only half-tries to get out from under Kid.

Well, he went down, but he really did give it a damn good try.]

Okay okay! I give! You got me!

[Kid, with one hand full of a small heap of snow crumbling through his sallow fingers, takes one look at Rin's expression.

That one.

Where it's nothing of gods or demons, just competitiveness and the boyish hilarity of youth.]

[And so a young god laughed.

He pushed the snow off with of Rin with gloved hands, and pulled him up from the ground.

Later, when they've dusted off and headed back down through the elevator into the deep, sodden and shaking with cold, Kid approached the Villa with--well, not really Rin in tow so much as with him in close proximity.

Maka had her work cut out for her; her boyfriend and then a friend (of the masculine persuasion) were coming home.]

[Like she doesn't usually have her hands full with the villa residents popping in and out.

Gosh.

At least the scene inside is something out of a postcard; fire going ~~where does the smoke go is it polluting the bubble~~, a neatly folded pile of towels on the table and a folded pile of blankets ready to be used on the couch.

Maka herself is out of sight, still fussing over the cocoa.]

[There's still some snickering and snorting as the boys enter, soaked to the bone as to be expected, but the grins have hardly diminished in the wake of the cold.

That doesn't make the warmth of the Villa, the towels and the fire any less welcome, though. Rin gets to them first and tosses one to Kid, using his on his thick hair first.]

Need any help, Maka?

[Never mind that the rest of him is still sopping wet.]

[Kid then breaks off, peeling off his sodden parka and mumbling about getting a change of clothing.

He isn't gone long, scrubbing at his damp hair with the towel Rin had thrown his way, and returns not even ten minutes later, not only dressed in a fresh pair of dark slacks and a pink crew shirt and black knit sweater, but with a bundle of clothing he tosses at the half-demon as he arrives.

What do you mean, it's a little weird to go picking out clothing for a friend from their own wardrobe?]

Sorry to take so long, I just can't abide the damp.

Nope, I've got it!

[Huh, he and Rin were together, in that case--]

Did you want some hot cocoa too, Rin?

[Because she's going to start fixing up Kid's mug posthaste.]

Huh? Oh! Yeah, sure! That sounds great!

[Mmm hot cocoa.

Rin blinks at the clothes being handed to him, but oddly his first thought isn't "why did Kid go through my things" and actually "wow I must be more soaked than I thought. Oops."

He's just as weird as you are, Kid. In his own ways.

He ducks out to the bathroom for a minute and comes back out, properly changed in to his blue long sleeve and baggy black sweats. He passes by Kid, giving his arm a tap with his fist as well as a grin.]

I'm gonna have to get a rematch one of these days.

[Not that he expects to win, but he can damn sure try.]

[Then again, wasn't Rin raised with others in a church? Privacy was probably a luxury not always afforded anyway; as he departs to change, Kid joins Maka over by her work with the cocoa. Hot chocolate has a rich, sweetly pungent smell that's warming even all by itself, after the crisp cold above the water's surface.]

Manage to make friends with any new books while we were gone? [might just be small talk, but there's recent amusement still spilling over the brim of a rarely filled cup, and Kid can't exactly stuff it down for the sake of a refined appearance.

The tap of Rin's fist at his shoulder makes him turn his head.

What was that about restraining himself? He hears his own laughter even before he can think to stop it.]

You're a glutton for punishment, I'll take you on anytime!

Ha ha.

[She has to raise an eyebrow at their jubilant behavior as she passes Kid his mug and starts to work on Rin's. It would almost be infectious if Kid didn't feel the need to take a crack at her about reading.]

Sounds like you two had fun.

Hey if you can dish it out, I can take it! Ain't gonna find anyone else in this damn bubble willin' to deal with your cheap shots!

[The grin on Rin's face has a hint of pride to it - not because of any victory (there were a few in there) but because he feels he accomplished something. Sure they were probably far more serious than any two teens needed to be during a snowball fight, but Kid obviously had fun.

That's a win in Rin's book.

He looks to Maka, that grin still there as if to say "look, look what I did! This is good, right?"

Even his tail was going.]

It was fun. Even if he did bruise the shit outta me.

[Accepting the mug of steaming hot cocoa, Kid is deterred only momentarily to say:] Thank you. But I am curious about what you've been reading lately.

[He's been trying to track down that 'Demon Kings of Gehenna' book, which has proven a little elusive. If he continues to have no luck locating the book, he might bother Maka about whether she's seen anything like that in the bubble.

Rin looks like he might burst with pride or amusement, perhaps both at once. Made suddenly and acutely aware of his own enthusiasm, he presses a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat.

Right. Yes. Dignity.]

Is this your way of requesting that I start holding back?

[Dignity can be maintained even while joshing a friend.]

Are you kidding? I think this is the first time I've seen you laughing or smiling for an extended amount of time since you got here.

[Or in general if we're being nitpicky.]

[Also it's on a shelf above her bed, Kid, just ask.]

Anyway, what were you guys doing out there? Rolling around in the snow? [Here, Rin, she's passing you your mug.]

[Rin takes the mug, just holding it for a moment to let the heat warm his cold fingers. The grin remains, even if Kid is attempting to regain composure.]

Hell no.

[Seriously, Kid. Give it all you've got, Rin will just keep coming back for more.]

Snowball fight!

[Embarrassed, the young grim reaper attempts to conceal the telling flush behind the mug, tipping it to sip its hot contents.

Not that he particularly blames her for her observation; if there's anyone who has ever seen him that delighted about anything, it was likely only the Thompson sisters--and only while he was busy gushing over something especially and unexpectedly symmetrical.]

Rin proved a capable opponent, but truth be told he started it.

[Putting down his mug, he brings up his empty hands.]

Since you weren't able to join us...

[The usual black crackle--and all at once, a sphere of packed snow drops into his palm.]

You can throw this at Rin.

[He kept one, that bastard.]

...Eh?

[Throw it at Rin?

She just stares at it as though it's a hefty dog turd Kid's holding and not a snowball.]

I can?

[Her throwing arm probably isn't as good as it used to be (and it wasn't anything to write home about in the first place).]

W-what?! Hey not fair, I don't have any fancy hammer space to hide snowballs in!

[Turning the puppy eyes on Maka now.]

C-come on, he won! You wouldn't kick a guy when he's already down would ya?!

Of course you can. I don't want you to miss out.

[This is delivered with the usual deadpan expression, which begins to crack the moment he spies Rin attempting to fire Puppy Eye Lasers in Maka's direction.]

Quickly, the snow is beginning to melt.

[Also, it's cold.]

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1/2

2/2; HEY MAKA GET IN HERE

don't you tell me what to do

but we wuv you

ACCEPT OUR LOVE

WOW NO, WAY TOO SOON

oh come on we just want cuddles

how can you say no to these faces

very easily

sob she doesn't love us kid

my heart, it is broken 5ever

oh you big babies here <3

eeee <33

<33333333

weirdos, the lot of you

best weirdo boyfriends

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