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I can't honestly say I ever look forward to winter.
It's already cold all around me all the time, pretty much no matter what - with exception to people who can disable powers or people who have fire powers to counteract mine, that is. In summer, at least, even if I'm kind of miserable, people look forward to having me in places that get hot, like public transportation. At times like this, though, I'm definitely a liability… Even if I do generally feel better in the cooler months.
Still, though, there are some people who want me around whenever. Kokichi, for one, who I'll always be a bit indebted to for that… Even though he would tell me that's ridiculous. And probably for good reason, since we're dating and all.
Heh. In fact, Kokichi wants me around so much, we're out taking a hike into the forest nearby the school for powers we attend. He's riding piggyback on my back while I walk us out there. I don't mind it at all, really, as long as he's bundled up extra warm so I don't freeze him out. Kokichi assures me he's used to the cold now from cuddling me so much, but I'm not completely sure whether or not I can take him at his word with that.
…Still, though, I have to admit that there's something nice about the forest out here in winter. It snowed recently, and the whole forest is blanketed in thin white powder. The only place it's not is where I'm stepping on the path, since I'm moving snow out of the way there. Don't want it to get frozen and crunchy and trip people up.
"You know, if I could make snow leap like a trained dog, I wouldn't want it to get out of my way," Kokichi comments, watching me work as I keep moving.
I laugh. "We should really find someone who can switch powers one day, so I can see just how you would do it."
"Nuh uh." Kokichi sticks his tongue out at me. "My power is special. Taro-chan can't get his icy little paws on it!" He huffs. "Besides, I like yours better on you."
I know Kokichi well enough by now to know that he means it when he says that. The second part, anyway. As for the first, well, he probably wants to save me the trouble of adjusting to his power. Overusing his ability to manipulate wind and overstimulating himself has caused him a lot of troubles in the past.
…That, or he's just messing around. Who really knows?
"Why, thanks," I say, dryly. "I'll try and move the snow more entertainingly." After a moment, some of the piled up snow forms little snowy men. They have tiny, icy arms, and faux-carved smiles in their snowy faces.
Kokichi lets out a cry of delight. "Rantaro, Rantaro, I love them! Make me seventy more snow minions! Immediately!"
I laugh. Maybe not seventy, but I can definitely manage more than two or three.
As I pull snow off the path and make more little snow minions, I occasionally pause to let Kokichi gape at them, and spend my own time appreciating nature. The leaves have long fallen off most of the trees, and there's not much greenery around anymore, but there's a kind of beauty in that. It feels like all of nature is holding its breath… resting quietly… waiting for the right time to move again.
"Are we there yet?" Kokichi asks, serving, presumably, as my cue to move. I accept it.
"Well, I wouldn't know, boss," I return, with a chuckle. "As it happens, someone hasn't told me where we're going."
Kokichi kicks his legs in my grasp. It's a bit of a pain, truth be told, but you tolerate a lot for the ones you love. "Hmm… nope! We haven't taken the left turn at Albuquerque yet!"
What? You know what, I'm just not gonna ask.
"Got it," I say. "Next stop, Albuquerque."
It's not terribly much longer until my intrepid leader turns the both of us off-road. I don't actually bother moving the snow for my steps now, and Kokichi immediately giggles in what must be sheer glee as he hears the crunch.
"Would you just pile snow under your shoes?" I ask. "Would you want to make the crunchiest snow course possible, fraught with danger for passersby?"
Kokichi laughs, but he shakes his head. "Nope! I would just make a snow slide."
"On the trail?" I ask.
"Yep," Kokichi says, popping the P. "I think more trails should have fun obstacles in the middle. It's enrichment. Like throwing a meat pumpkin in a hiker's enclosure, minus the bear risk."
"Delighted to say the bear risk is lower than ever today," I comment, as we keep moving.
I don't actually know when I'm supposed to stop, beyond the comment Kokichi made before we left that our destination was 'impossible to miss.' It's not that I don't believe Kokichi, but sometimes his faith in me is slightly misplaced.
…Ah, not this time, though. The trees part eventually, showing a nice, quiet lake out in the middle of the forest, just large enough to be kind of an inconvenience to walk around. Kokichi wiggles his legs, and I let them go.
Predictably, Kokichi uses a gust of air to hop over my shoulders before dropping to the ground near the lake, grinning like he owns the place as he gestures towards it. I can't tell if he's happier about the lake or about his maneuver. He's such a showoff. It's kind of endearing.
"Here we are!" Kokichi announces. "One lake, ready up for ice skating! All Rantaro-chan has got to do is work his little magic on our shoes, and then we can get going."
I hum thoughtfully for a second, hearing that, before shaking my head. I walk out towards the ice, taking a glove off and touching it with two fingers. It's not very sturdy. The weather here has been cold, but not cold enough to make ice for skating.
"Let me do something to it first," I say.
I put my hand out and touch the ice, concentrating for a moment. There's a bit of a sound from the water underneath as it shifts, on account of the fact that I'm freezing the top more thoroughly.
Once I've finished, I sigh and put a glove back on. "Hope the fish were all ready to stay down for winter," I comment.
"Fish, shmish," Kokichi insists, walking over and wrapping my arm in his. "If you're worried about it, just unfreeze the lake later. Duh."
I guess he has a point. I pick Kokichi up, placing skates of ice on his shoes before setting him down gently on the ice. He giggles, absolutely beaming from ear to ear. I'm always glad to see him looking like that.
Kokichi holds a hand out for me. "Might I ask my princess for a dance?"
…I can feel my face heating up at the address. I'm not really a girl or anything, I'm pretty sure - princess, though, I'll do happily.
"Anything for my prince," I decide, adorning my own shoes with ice skates as I step out and take his hand. "Let me lead, though."
Kokichi laughs. "I'll settle for that."
Good, because I'll let him lead any other time, but on the ice like this, a good ten, fifteen minute walk from civilization, I refuse to take any chances. …Which isn't to say I'll shy away from a performance, mind you. Kokichi came out here to skate with me, and I'm happy to oblige him. I carry both of us out onto the ice, skating with typical grace. Not to brag too much, but when you end up walking over as much ice as I do, you just sort of start to get good at it.
Heh. Kokichi seems absolutely delighted. We've done this before, of course, but it's been a while - the circumstances haven't been good for it in a while, and it hasn't been the right season to do this safely outside. Stil, though, as I take him into a twirl, I can't help but remember…
Other times. Way further away than this, back before I even knew I had ice powers. Back then, my sister Kikuko was the one freezing the lakes, and we had our own skates for the occasion. We'd all pile onto the ice, and we'd have fun flopping around. We weren't too good at it, but that was half of the fun, getting good. And I got there eventually, as you can see. If anything, all that time prepared me nicely for the life I was going to live.
…I don't like thinking about it like that, though. Like I was destined to fail them all, and this was always going to be the way my life turned out. This is the kind of thing I wish was destined to happen in my life, you know? Having a good time out here with the people I cherish, somewhere that my powers make things more fun - they're not a hindrance, or a necessary asset, they just… are.
I love being able to just be, and here with Kokichi, leading him into a dip, that's what I feel like. Like I'm done resting… Like I'm ready to move again.
Kokichi takes the opportunity while our faces are close to bring them fully together, kissing me. It's sweet, and cute, and unfortunately just the thing to make me get distracted and send the both of us tumbling onto the ice.
I angle myself so I drop onto the ice and Kokichi drops onto me, but thankfully I don't break anything. I would definitely know if I did. This is why I secured the ice before I started skating. Man.
"Did you really make me fall on top of you?" Kokichi asks, grumbling at me as he peers over.
I smile bashfully. "Well… I maybe didn't not do that."
Kokichi takes two seconds to process that arrangement of words before he's glaring at me. He reaches out to flick me on the forehead. "You're just the worst, " he insists. "I don't know why I put up with you."
"You love me," I insist, sitting myself up. "And I'm okay, by the way. Just wanted to put that out there."
After a moment, a couple of handholds of my own design spring up from the ice, and I use them to start to pull myself up to a standing position. It's actually a bit hard with the ice skates, so I tap my shoes against the ice and drop them off onto the lake before standing. Once I am, I cast off Kokichi's skates - thankfully, I don't need to be touching ice to control it - before holding a hand out for him to take. He puts more weight on me than I think he's expecting as he stands - that ice sure is slippery - but I can handle it, no problem.
Eventually, Kokichi ends up with his head against my chest, and he sighs. "Sorry I made us fall by kissing you, can we still go out to Burger King?"
I laugh. I think he's just saying words, because we didn't make arrangements to do that, but I pull his head up and lean down to kiss him anyway.
"Any time," I say, pulling away after a moment. His lips are a little colder than I was expecting - which probably means he's been out here too long.
Kokichi, though, just smiles at me. "You're warm," he says, taking a glove off to feel my head. Sure enough, his hand feels cold to the touch. "Could it be that my beloved is having a good time?"
…Maybe. How warm I am usually isn't affected by the local temperature, it's a power thing. But…
"That, or you're in danger of hypothermia," I chide, picking Kokichi up and cradling him against me. He wraps his arms around me in no time flat and settles in. "Just in case, I'm taking us back."
Kokichi giggles. " And you're letting me cuddle against you to preserve my fleeting, fragile warmth? I don't see a downside."
…Alright, yeah. I can admit, rationally, he's probably fine, and it's probably just me being at ease making me warmer than usual. Still, though. To be safe. And because there's really no reason not to carry him around places.
"Let's go with that," I say, carefully starting to step off the ice. Even if I can control it, that doesn't make it easier to walk on. The only thing I have going for me is an absolutely staggering amount of practice.
"You want to save my life?" Kokichi picks up his head to beam at me. "Oh, Taro-chan, I knew you were in love with me!"
I roll my eyes, but kiss him on the forehead anyway. This is, without a doubt, the man I fell in love with, isn't it.
…But he's a joy, really. No matter how cold the day might end up being, he's always there to bring a little bit of warmth into it. And if I'm feeling warmer than usual right now, that doesn't really have anything to do with what I did. It's all him. Only him.
"Thank you for this," I murmur, more seriously than before, as we make it back onto the trail, the snow fellows showing the way on our hike back to campus.
Kokichi doesn't seem to know what to make of what I say for a second, looking at me curiously. Then, though, his expression softens, and he leans his head against me, letting out a sigh.
"Thank you, Taro," Kokichi responds in kind. "My days are always better with you in it."
If those words leave my face feeling warmer even than it usually does, and if they make me stay that way on the whole hike back, well… That's nobody's business except mine.
…And Kokichi's, too, of course.