The Most Wonderful Time of the Year? open

"Well, the one that stands out the most is you saving my hissy self from turning into a popsicle," I said, looking over at him, a playful glint in my eye but obvious gratefulness.

"Someone had to...." I said with a playful smirk on his face as he turned back to the cityscape again, growing silent

"I can't even recall how you found me, I think it was just luck. It wasn't like I called you saying come save me, past enemy of mine," I said, chuckling in spite of myself.

"I saw a dark patch in the field of white outside my apartment, figured it was someone who needed help." Came my simple reply, a calm mood settling over me now

"I could've been a log that had drifted there. Still lucky you figured it was a person," I took a deep breath. -it hasn't even been that long, has it?"

"Roughly 4 months since then i think...." I responded quietly, going and sitting against a wall, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath

"Four months...those have been pretty eventful. I mean, my life wasn't boring, I just had a routine I stuck to, people I dealt with in certain ways. It was pretty hard to convince me to willingly be around people with rather dynamic mindsets."

"Dynamic Mindsets? Besides you and your father, everyone i know that you've interacted with are like chimps." Came a small giggle from me, causing me to look over at her

"Unfortunately most people who don't outwardly display their actual emotions are the ones with more going on. That and drugs, though it's more that we detect something is off and it makes us uncomfortable," I sighed, though I smiled as well. "Perhaps that clears up what I meant."

"a bit.... what if you found someone who was incapable of feeling emotion?" I asked suddenly out of curiosity

"I asked my dad that, when I was younger. He said that no one is completely unable to feel- they're just different. He said there's an emptiness to it. Like, certain emotions cause warmth, or cold, or other sensations, while those of those kinds of people...don't. He also said that if nothing registers on the emotion scale, they're not human." I thought a bit before adding, "Logic is a little like that too. People do have emotional responses when thinking logically. It just feels different."

"Well.... How do i usually feel to you? can you describe it?"

"Well, you don't feel empty, if that's what wondering. You do lean towards having logic emotions, it's like... wariness. You're incredibly cautious, and under that, it's pretty much a little muddled due to your meds, but you have very active emotions, though that's also probably due to your anxiety. Anxiety actually makes emotions spike. At least that's how it feels. Most people ease into their emotions, it's like smooth and pretty even ripples in water, while anxiety mixed emotions feels like the readings on a Richter scale. And extreme unhealthy amounts of anxiety actually hurt- but don't worry, you're fine!" I immediately raised up my arms in a don't worry gesture. "Er...sorry, I kinda went on and on, didn't I?"

"We both know that i enjoy listening to you ramble and talk..." I said simply, waving a hand as if to shove her apology away.

"...You can be quite a pushover, huh? At least, when we talk. Or when you have to deal with the leech lady. You don't have to like everything I do that isn't negative you know." I hugged myself, my expression showing embarrassment.

"Depends on the day with her, but with you I am always an easy target..." I said with a small smile, a warm feeling settling in my stomach "That's the thing about feelings, that i'm learning at least, is that they are rarely rational, and you can't control how you feel about some things. You are one of those things for me, god knows why and it's probably bad for my health... But I dont really see anything you do as negative..."

I blinked, before a smile crawled into my face, and I said, "You're absolutely right about that, emotions just happen, even if we'd rather they didn't; but you know, I am a flawed person. Something will come up that bugs you. And I'll know. That's fine though, so don't over think it, 'kay?"

"That right there is something that bugs me. The fact that you are rather resistant to compliments..." Came my small sigh. With a smile, I geastured at her to come with me as i turned back to the door. "Would you like to go and see what the shops below have to offer?"

"...Heh, sorry about that. Yeah, I'd like to see the shops, it was getting a little chilly up here anyways. Can we stop by our rooms for a sweater?"

"Lead the way..." I said, opening the door with a bow. Standing up, I smiled at her with a patient look on my face.

I merely smiled from his small gesture, poking his cheek as I slid by. "Sure thing."

~

I tugged at the cardigan, having decided against the sweater, not really feeling like completely altering the outfit. "So, where to?"

"I rather envy you, you know?" I said after a few minutes of silent walking, a comfortable stance as i walked

I looked at him, not really able to pinpoint what he was feeling, exactly. "And by that you mean...?"

"I just wished i had the opportunity to grow up with normal parents, have some medium of friends, or at least the experience of them. Had a child hood, that sort of thing..." I said after a few minutes of silence.

"Well, to be perfectly honest with you, there's nothing wrong with 'experiencing a childhood' as an adult. Sure, the peeps in my family are nuts because of the whole transparency deal, but some still kinda goof around like they never became adults. They arent like that all the time, mind you, but they know how to let loose." I gently elbowed him. " You can't possibly think that you missed out a once in a lifetime opportunity. Just because we're practically adults doesn't mean we can't be kids every now and again. Better late than never~"