She didn't look well. In fact, I thought she was dead. Asmoday looked absolutely heartbroken. "That's the same look you had on your face when I first met you." she said. "Don't get all upset. This is something that has to happen. Have you met any of my children?" "N-no..." "They're around here...you can't miss them. They look just like me...just like your son looks just like you." Asmoday looked over at me and I did my best to look supportive. "I'll be outside." I said, stepping into the bitter cold. Two weeks? She barely had two days. I was glad Asmoday dropped everything and came out here...and, surprisingly I was glad I was with him. If I had a friend die in front of me, I'd want someone there for me, too. I entertained myself by watching the ever changing auroras. Blue, pink, orange, purple...every color under the sun. I could get used to skies like those...but earth doesn't offer them all over...and the auroras there aren't nearly as beautiful. I felt a cool breeze on my side. I looked up at Asmoday, who didn't return my gaze. "Is...?" "Yeah." he replied. I looked away. "I'm sorry." I said softly. "It's alright...that's the circle of life. Not all are exempt from it." True. The wind picked up, bringing a large amount of snow with it. My joints felt like they were frozen together, and standing up was a problem. "Are you okay?" I nodded, lying for sure. I was anything but. "We can stay here for the night." "I'm fine, I'm fine." I said, stumbling. "Alright...not really." I hated admitting that I wasn't as strong as Asmoday. I'm used to being top dog. "You look like I could snap your limbs off. You are freezing..." I shivered in quasi resentful silence. "Don't give me that look." he said. "You're acting as if I think you're weak or something. I'm used to things out here. I looked just like you my first few weeks out here." I hadn't considered that. I tried taking a step and wound up face down in the snow. "Alright, looks like I'm carrying you again." He picked me up and carried me back into the cave. "I really don't wanna sleep next to your friend's corpse." I said. "There isn't one." he replied. "When they die, they leave behind gold...and gems." I looked at the nest...it was filled with a variety of gemstones and little pieces of gold. Odd. Valuable in life and death I suppose. "You seem to be holding up well." I commented. "I've dealt with death a time or ten." I cocked my head. "You have?" I asked. "That's a dark place we don't need to visit now." I was intrigued. "Taunting me? Really? After all that's gone on, that's where your mind is?" "What kind of father would I be if I didn't taunt you?" "A good one." I said without thinking. He was taken aback, but relaxed. "Alright, I had that coming." he said. "No, you didn't. I wasn't thinking...that was...there's nothing wrong with you." He laughed. "There is plenty wrong with me. I am an avid maker of mistakes...just like everyone else." We sat in silence. "So are you...are you good now?" I looked over at him. "What?" "You...were mad at me." "I still am. I don't get over that type of thing overnight, but for what it's worth, I'm glad we talked some. It helped. I'm not really sure where we go from here. I am a bit worried about taking 2nd place again before I even get to know you." "Don't. That was a huge mistake I made, and I am so sorry. Your friend served as...a distraction. It's not all her fault...takes two to tango." "No more tangoing." "Deal." I watched the snow fall and shivered hard. "Fuck I hate this place." I said. "You're telling me. Imagine living out here all by yourself...for thousands of years." I shuddered at the thought. Even someone as detached as me couldn't do it." "I take it the bird was off and on again?" I asked. "Definitely...but when she was on...she kept me sane. I needed that. The solitude of this place kinda makes the mind go blank..." I could see it. "So, after I warm up, do you wanna just head back?" "You sure you can handle it? You were looking like a statue a minute ago." "I think I can handle it." He gave me a look. "I'm stepping in as your dad and telling you to rest...warm up for tonight. We can leave early tomorrow." I rolled my eyes. "I'm an adult." I protested. "I can make my own choices." He sighed. "Fine then, but if you start freezing up and sinking, I'm not saving you." I scoffed. "Thanks, what a guy." I said, standing up, feeling my joints pop and click. I made my way to the water and jumped in, feeling the ice water eat at my bones. I dove under, smoothly transitioning into a dolphin and working my way through the icy depths. I felt my muscles seizing, but I'm over Asmoday being right. Try as I might, I had to admit in my mind that he was right and I should've let my icy body warm up. Even as a dolphin I struggled to keep momentum and propel myself in the right direction. I fought just hard enough to make landfall...then I passed out.
"Your mom is gonna kill me, Ari..." I grunted. "Come on, wake up...I know you're not dead." I opened one eye at a time. "There you are." I opened my mouth to say something but he told me not to bother. "You're fucked up right now." he said, trying not to laugh. "You just passed out...you overdid it just a bit." I still felt awfully cold, but at least I wasn't shaking anymore. "You do know we're not having a contest, right?" "Contest?" I managed to stammer out. "Yeah...you seem to think my suggestions are challenges. I just don't want you to get hurt...you should've waited." Speaking of hurt, my body felt like it'd been chopped to bits. I groaned a bit. "You gonna be okay?" Asmoday asked. "I think so." "Good, I can't take you back to your mom in shambles." He picked me up and I felt like jell-o. "You're gonna have to walk once we get home...or she'll know something is up." "Might not wanna go back then because I don't think I'm gonna be in working order that soon." he stopped. "Oh fuck." he said. "Let's just go back to my place for awhile. Tell her we're hanging out, I'm sure she'll understand." "If you say so." he replied. Truthfully, I just wanted my own bed and a beer. I hoped Mark hadn't left a mess or let (y/n) in while I was away.
He let her in. She's made herself comfy. Turns out I have an awesome case of Arctic Paralysis...some kind of shitty demon illness that basically has frozen parts of me that shouldn't be frozen. Fun. Thaw time? 2 days. I sat in my bed underneath a handful of blankets staring (y/n) in the face. "You've got some nerve coming here. That's precisely why I want your explanation." I said, stirring my drink with my finger. "What's the matter with you, old friend? All laid up but not getting laid...have you lost your touch?" "You're in need of a couple bad touches. Maybe a few orgasms will bring you back to your senses. Don't look at me though, you kinda give me the opposite of a boner now."
