Chapter Text
September 2009
“You look cold,” a voice says behind him.
Two things startle him- first off, the voice is correct: he forgot his coat, and his dad refused to let him go back for it. And second, when he turns around to greet the voice, he realises their face is inches from his.
“ Ah! ” Simon jumps. “You’re... very close to me.”
“Yeah, silly, we’re in register order,” the face says, like it’s obvious. “So you’re next to me, because my name starts with R, and yours starts with S.”
“And my name starts with T!” Another voice brags on the other side of him.
Simon flinches again. Now there are two people on either side of him, grinning eagerly. He decides that whoever invented the alphabet needs to be kicked in the shin.
“What are your names?” Simon asks. “I’ve never seen you two before.”
He takes in the sight of them: they both have short, scraggly, blonde hair. But the first person’s hair is wound into two stringy plaits, whereas the second’s is loose and messily chopped off, as if with garden shears. They somehow both have a missing front tooth in the same place, and - just like him - no coat.
“We’re new here. I’m Rafaela,” she says proudly, sticking out her hand. “But you can call me Raffy, everyone does.” Simon looks at the hole in her worn jumper, then at her other hand is stuffed into her joggers pocket.
Maybe she’s cold like him.
“I’m Tevan - Raffy’s my twin - but everyone calls me Tevie,” her twin says.
“I’m Simon Geōrgios. And you can’t put an ‘e’ sound on the end,” he says forlornly.
“Simie? Ooh- Slimie? ” Tevie suggests, but Simon shakes his head.
“Well we don’t mind if you’re a bit different,” Raffy says proudly, patting him on the head like a dog, and throws her arms around him. “Tevie, get in here.”
He does as Rafaela tells him, and hugs Simon on the other side. He grumbles, trying to wrestle out of their grip, but then decides against it. He already feels a bit warmer.
“You hug too rough. And you’re weird. My dad calls weird people nutjobs.”
Rafaela’s face lights up. “I like that. I’m rough, and a nut... call me Ruffnut.”
Ruffnut. It’s weird, but it suits her.
“And I’m a nutjob, and I’m tough. So I’m Tuffnut!” Tevan says proudly.
“So you and I’ve got names,” Ruffnut says, turning to her twin. “What about you, Simon?”
“I don’t know, ” he whines. “I’m too cold to think.”
“Yeah, clearly. ” Raffy pokes him in the cheek. “Your nose is running.”
“Shut UP!” He snaps.
“Geez. No need to be so loud about it, Simon Says.”
Simon Says. He scoffs. Like he hasn’t heard that one before.
There’s a pause; they’re still waiting in line to go inside from recess, and the twins’ arms are still wrapped around him like a very affectionate sandwich.
“Snotlout!” Tevie cries.
“Huh?”
“Because you’re snotty, and you’re loud,” he explains, delighted, like he just solved the meaning of life.
“I dunno, I liked Simon Says...” ponders Ruffnut.
“Well I hate them both,” Simon says crossly.
“Well that’s your problem, Snotlout.” Raffy grins, and ruffles his hair. “You’re stuck to us now.”
“You’re wrong, actually. You’re stuck to me. ”
“Whatever.” Raffy squeezes him tighter. “You’re a good friend, Snotlout.”
Friend. He doesn’t think he’s had one of those before, and he doesn’t really know what it means. But- but, he thinks he likes it.
Yeah. He could get used to this.