by H G Lynch
“What’s got you so excited?” he asked, absently flicking a lock of hair out of his eyes.
Her only response was to point to the window, bouncing on the balls of her feet; she didn’t trust herself to speak without squealing.
Reid glanced at the window. The curtains were still closed, so she supposed the raised-eyebrow look he shot her was warranted. His lips twitched into a smirk. “What, we’re playing charades now? Okay, I know this one. It’s a window. Do I win?” he grinned at her.
She stifled giggles, shaking her head, and skipped out of the room, across the hall into the back room where the luggage was.
It was even colder in here, but through the glass doors, she could see the bare branches of the trees dripping over the fence, iced in fine snow. With a grin on her face, Ember grabbed her suitcase and rummaged in it, tossing out random clothes to scramble into. She continued to search for the camera while she stripped off her pyjamas and slipped on clean underwear hastily. She was struggling to button her jeans with one hand, a pair of socks held between her teeth, when her fingers brushed hard plastic deep in the belly of the suitcase. With a muffled squeak, she pulled out the camera by the attached cord, scattering more clothes to the floor. She switched out the socks in her teeth for the camera’s wrist cord, and pulled on the socks. It was tricky, yanking two t-shirts over her head with the camera dangling from her mouth. Her fingers kept slipping on the buttons of the chequered shirt she pulled on, on top of the t-shirts.
“You know, you’d get on better with that if the shirt wasn’t inside-out,” Reid appeared in the doorway and strode over to her, chuckling. Ember looked down at herself and saw he was right; the shirt was inside-out. No wonder she couldn’t do the buttons properly. Reid took the shirt by the shoulders and whipped it off her, the sleeves sliding so the shirt was the right way. He handed it to her with a smirk. “I hadn’t realised snow was so thrilling for you.” Then he backed to the sofa and sprawled out on it, watching her with amusement.
Once she was properly dressed, she ran a brush through hair and bundled it into a ponytail, went to brush her teeth, and yanked on her Vans. She stepped into the back room again and a flash blinded her. Blinking away stars, she scowled at Reid, who was lounging on the sofa still, now holding her camera. He admired the photo on the little digital screen and smiled approvingly. “Perfect.”
With a sigh that was half-growl, she lunged at him and grabbed for the camera…Only, she landed in the spot where’d he’d been a second ago, and thumped a cushion, while he laughed at her from the other side of the room. Did he always have to be such a pain in the ass? Ember made an exasperated noise and focused on the camera, glowering at it. She tried not to give away what she was doing by smirking. Abruptly, Reid yelped and let go of the camera, shaking his burned fingers. Luckily, Ember was ready with her invisible safety net, and the camera paused half-way to the floor. She reeled it in and released the mind-limb, the camera dropped safely in to her waiting hands.
Reid glared at her. “Cheater,” he accused.
She shrugged, hopping to her feet, already going for the door.
“I’ve got lots of photos to take,” she said. Then she was struck with an urge for revenge, spun on her heel, and snapped a photo of Reid leaning against the bookshelf, bare-chested and still tousled from sleep. She’d caught him off-guard, and instead of the irritated expression she’d expected, he was looking right at her, a faint smile curling his lips. It was an amazing picture. The way the pale light caught in the tumbles of his gold hair and shone on his bare skin, made him look like he was glowing. Even the adoring look in his blue eyes was angelic. Ember smiled at the photo on the digital screen, then turned off the camera. “Go get dressed. It’s time to play in the snow.”
Reid suddenly grasped her wrist, and she turned. He brought her hand to his lips, kissed the inside of her wrist —making her skin tingle — and smiled at her, blue eyes warm. “Merry Christmas, Ember,” he said softly. She’d forgotten it was Christmas day in her excitement over the snow.
She smiled back and lifted herself onto her tiptoes to place a light kiss on his lips, and whispered, “Merry Christmas, Reid.” This was going to be the best Christmas ever. She already had exactly what she wanted.
***
"IT'S SNOWING!" Ember shrieked, excitement and euphoria swelling behind her ribs like a fluttering bird. Her camera swung on its strap from her wrist, and she whipped it up to snap photo after photo. She giggled and yelped and bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, clapping like a small child on Christmas morning. Reid arched a brow, flinching back in obvious surprise. He wasn't used to seeing Ember so uncontrollably excited. But he'd never seen her when there was snow before.
"Yes, I think we can all see that, Emz. What of it?” he drawled dryly, brushing white snowflakes from his golden hair. Ember spun on him, grinning so much it hurt her face, but she couldn't stop.
"So it's SNOW!” she squeaked, as if it ought to be an explanation, “It's brilliant! Oh my God, look at how heavy it's coming down!” she yipped and whirled as the flakes came down in sheets, so blinding yet so beautiful. The flakes were the size of two-pound coins, and felt light but chilly against her skin.
Meanwhile, Sherry laughed, watching Ember dance around in the blizzard of flakes. Reid muttered something to her, but his voice was muted by the whistling wind and feathery snow. Sherry heard and replied though.
"Snow is the one thing in the world that makes Ember more hyper than a new book and a bottle of coke. I don't get it either, I don't like snow much. It's cold and wet and makes my hair like spaghetti. But give her the chance and Ember will change into six layers of clothes and come out rolling in this mess.” Sherry waved a hand at the pure, milk-white blanket of untouched snow settled around them.
Ember scoffed and, tilting her head back to look at the floating sparkles of snow crystals pouring from the thick grey clouds, said in an indignant tone, "Nuh-uh! I wouldn't ruin it like that!”
She whirled, walking backwards as she faced her friends and opened her mouth to make another remark, but her foot suddenly slid from beneath her on some hidden ice, and she clattered to the ground with a whoomph, sending up a poof of light flakes around her. She was surprised for a split second, and then bit down on her lower lip. Her ass was wet now and already going numb, and Reid was laughing hysterically, doubled over with his damp hair hanging over his down-tilted face so she couldn't see his eyes.
Sherry was repressing laughter too, but she managed to choke an "Are you okay?" between gasps.
Ricky, behind her, was turned away, but his shoulders were shaking, so it was clear he was having silent fits of laughter as well. Sherry stretched out a hand to help her up, as Reid straightened up enough to look at Ember. She was still viciously biting her lower lip, and her fingers had gone painfully chilled from being buried in the snow. She curled her hand into a fist and blinked rapidly at the tears pooling in her eyes. Reid noticed and abruptly stopped chuckling.
"Hey, are you okay? That must've kind of hurt." His voice was filled with concern, still laced with irrepressible amusement. He leant toward her, holding out a hand like Sherry was. Once he was close enough, Ember lifted her fist and threw a chunk of half-compacted snow in his face, bursting out with the tear-jerking laughter she'd been repressing. She was in stitches, flopping back in the snow and clutching her aching ribs. Sherry and Ricky were futilely trying to swallow their own laughter, but failing miserably. Reid blinked in shock, and hurriedly wiped the snow off his face, a dangerous smirk curling his mouth.
"I-I can't believe-you actually fell for it!" Ember gasped between spasms of rib-shaking laughter. "You-should've seen that one com-coming!" The cold flakes continued to fall around them, and Ember ignored the icy sharp pain shooting up her legs and through her frozen hands. The snow was burying her where she sat, coming down at an incredible rate. Reid dove toward her and grabbed her round the waist. He tried to lift her out of the snow, growling playfully, but she woul
dn't have it. Instead, she punched him in the ribs to distract him and then rolled quickly out from under him, flipping to rest on his stomach so that he was pressed into the snow. Ember shook her head so fast her hair flew out like ribbons around her head.
"No! I want to stay in the snow! And you're staying here with me!” She folded her arms across her chest and grinned victoriously.
Reid laughed, and Ember admired the way the cold made splotches of pink dust his cheekbones and nose. He looked so much younger with his wet hair in his eyes and snow clinging to his rumpled clothes.
"I don't think so! Are you mad? You'll catch pneumonia! I'm taking you inside if I have to carry you, kicking and thrashing the whole way,” he grinned and, before Ember could argue, he clutched her waist again and lifted her off him. She shrieked indignantly as he bundled her in his arms like a baby and sprang to his feet. Ember giggled as she peeked over his shoulder at the mass of feathery white flakes that clung to his back. She brushed at it lightly, and was about to demand he put her down, when she felt something splatter on her chest. She yelped and looked down to find a lump of snow crumbling into her jumper. She heard Sherry's happy little giggle and saw the green-eyed girl whirl behind Ricky, who held up his hands defensively. Ember wriggled and thumped Reid's chest to make him put her down.
He laughed as she immediately scooped fresh snow into her hands and packed it into a less-than-perfect ball. She jogged as quietly as she could round Ricky to see Sherry burying her face in his thick hoodie. She took aim and threw, whacking Sherry in the spine and making the girl yip in surprise.
After that, a full on, four person snowball fight ensued, with them taking cover behind trees and hurling chunks of damp, dripping white mush at each other. It ended up as a war, girls versus boys, with the girls winning. Ember had found a use for her fire-twisting ability, and figured out how to melt the boys’ snowballs while they were still in the air. Of course, the boys claimed she was cheating, but they were the ones who ended up blanketed in whiteness and soaking wet, so the girls didn't think it mattered.
"Come on, we'd better get inside before one of the girls catches pneumonia.” Reid chuckled, after the war had ended, and both sides were thoroughly frozen.
Okay, so the boys were less so due to the vampires not-feeling-the-cold-much thing, but still they were cold enough. Ember even was probably less cold than Sherry, who had to be utterly hypothermic by now. But she looked fine enough snuggled into Ricky's side as they made their way through the six-inch thick snow back to the house.
***
Ricky was towelling off his dripping hair, dressed in warm, dry clothes, when an irritating noise started coming from the front door. He frowned, and listened to it. It sounded like a dog scratching to be let in. Curiously, he stuck his head out the bedroom door, but it seemed nobody else had heard it. Sherry was still in the bath, warming up, and Reid and Ember were snuggled in the next room with mugs of hot chocolate last time he checked. With a shrug, he padded in to the hallway, slinging the towel over one shoulder.
He hesitated at the front door, but the scratching noise continued. A shiver of uncertainty ran down his spine, which was usually a bad sign. But, really, what kind of monster could be out here, pawing at the door? A demented, mutant squirrel? He chuckled inwardly at the thought, and twisted the handle. Almost instantly, a bolt of orange streaked in the front door, and Ricky yelped in surprise, slamming the door closed.
Reid peered around the end of the hallway. “Ricky, what’re you— Whoa!”
The orange thing shot straight past Reid and skidded into the back room. Heart thumping, Ricky ran down the hall as Reid disappeared into the back room after the unknown creature.
By the time he reached the doorway of the back room, Ember was there, and Reid had cornered the orange…fox. It was a fox. Cowering in the corner of the room by the glass doors, its bright fur speckled with snowflakes. Ricky blinked, sure he was seeing things. But no, it was definitely a fox.
“Well now, it seems we have a visitor.” Reid dropped into a crouch to get closer to the furry creature, and reached out a hand. The fox made a sound awfully close to a whimper, and curled itself further into the corner. Much to his — And Reid’s — surprise, Ember stepped in and knocked Reid’s hand aside.
“Don’t. Back up a bit, let me see it,” she commanded in a low voice.
Reid shook his head. “I’m not going to hurt it, I just—” he protested, but Ember was already edging toward the little ball of orange fur.
“Hello there, Hiro. What are you doing in here?” she cooed to the fox, holding out a hand, palm up, just inches from the fox.
Hiro? Baffled, Ricky looked to Reid, but he looked just as confused as Ricky was. The fox nudged its head up against Ember’s hand, and then inched out of the corner to let her stroke it.
“Hiro? You already named it?” Reid snorted.
Ember pursed her lips and shook her head, still looking at the little fox. “No. He named himself, actually,” she answered.
There was a moment of silence, and Reid shot his friend a look that clearly said, Has she gone nuts? Ricky just shrugged, holding his hands up as if to say, How should I know? When he looked back to Ember, Ricky saw the fox was curled in her arms like an oversized kitten, rather than like a wild animal. He was faintly amazed by Ember’s ease with animals, when she clearly had little patience with people. She was petting the fox, and it snuggled against her chest, apparently perfectly happy where it was.
“Little cutie foxie, were you cold outside? I bet you were, poor thing,” Ember crooned to the animal, and Reid watched her with raised brows. Ricky felt a grin tug his lips helplessly, wanting to laugh, but he bit his lip. He was sure Ember would turn on him in an instant if she thought he was laughing at her. The fox made a quiet noise like a yelp, and Ember smiled, turning so the fox could see Reid and Ricky better. “Look, this is Ricky. And this asshole is Reid. Don’t worry. They won’t hurt you,” Ember reassured the creature, and Ricky felt his face twitch, desperate to laugh now. Ember took a step toward him cautiously. “Come on Ricky, say hello to Hiro.”
Ricky did as he was told, and slowly reached out to stroke the fox’s head lightly. The fox quivered by otherwise didn’t show any sign of disliking him.
Ember turned the fox to Reid and shot the blond boy a glower. “Don’t you laugh at me, idiot,” she hissed.
Ricky looked over and saw Reid was indeed grinning madly, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. When Ember glared at him, the laughter stopped being silent and Reid bent double, gasping through his chuckles.
“You-you realise it-can’t understand you-right? It’s a fox-not a baby.” Of course, Reid’s laughter made it impossible for Ricky to hold in his own, and he was soon chortling too.
Ember sighed sharply, made a haughty noise, and spun on her heel, storming out of the room with the fox in her arms.
Down the hall, he heard her say to the fox, “Come on, we’ll take you to meet Sherry. I’m sure she won’t laugh.” It only made him and Reid laugh harder.
***
Sherry’s reaction was much as Ember had expected when she walked into the living room with the bundle of orange fluff in her arms. Sherry’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but her mouth formed a cooing, “Awww.” Her green eyes twinkled as she stood slowly. “It’s so cute. Poor thing must’ve been freezing in the snow out there,” she said.
Ha! Sherry gets it, Ember thought gleefully. But then again, Sherry had long ago gotten used to Ember’s love for all things furry…or really, for all animals in general. Even snakes and lizards.
“Hiro, this is my best friend, Sherry. It’s okay, Sherz, he won’t bite.” Ember held the fox as Sherry approached cautiously and petted the little fox.
“You named it Hiro?” she asked, with no amount of scepticism or amusement.
“Actually, I found him in the park the other day and he brought me a stick with ‘Hiro’ carved into it — Don’t ask me how he carved letters into a stick, c
ause I don’t know — and I assumed it’s his name,” Ember explained.
Sherry looked at the fox with narrowed eyes for a moment, shrugged and grinned. “Smart animal,” she praised.
Hiro tilted his head up to rub Sherry’s wrist appreciatively.
Reid and Ricky tracked into the room, still chuckling quietly.
Ember announced to them, “He’s staying with us. I’m not letting him live out in that snow. He’ll freeze to death.”
Ricky opened his mouth to say something and —wisely — shut it again.
Reid wasn’t so wise. “Are you nuts? We can’t keep a fox. It’s a wild animal. It’s probably got all sorts of parasites and things, and in case you hadn’t noticed, it has fur! It’s not going to freeze. It’s made to live outdoors,” he argued.
Ember looked at Sherry with an expression of exasperation, which Sherry mirrored with a roll of her eyes. She cuddled the little fox close, tickling it behind the ears.
The animal stretched its neck appreciatively and swished its fluffy tail. Mm, right there, yes.
Ember jumped, almost dropping the fox, which growled in protest. She held it out from her body, staring at the creature in shock. It stared back with beady black eyes, seemingly blank as any animal. But she could have sworn…it had spoken to her…telepathically.
“Emz? What’s wrong? Did the beast bite you?” Reid asked, moving forward. He snapped his teeth at the fox, curling his lip. “Come on, you little monster. I dare you to bite me. I bite back.”
But Ember shook her head. “No, it didn’t bite me…it…” It spoke. It sounded insane even in her own head, and though she had seen plenty of insane things in the last few months, a talking fox was just…too much.
Suddenly, a sharp prickle ran up Ember’s fingers, and she cursed as she dropped the fox, which bolted into the cupboard under the sink. Startled, Ember held up her fingers, wondering if the animal really had bitten her. But no, her fingers were unharmed. That prickle, though…it couldn’t be. It was just a fox…wasn’t it?
