It was snowing now, and kids were outside, basking in the beautiful white powder. Even Near, the boy who hardly went outside, was putting on some bulkier clothes so he could he at least sit out in the white blanket.

Mello was scowling, kneeling on a window seat with his hands pressed to the glass. He hissed under his breath as a cold gust of air blew into the room from the front door. "Shut the door, asshole!" he barked at the boy who was coming back inside, red cheeked, rid nosed, and grinning.

"S-sorry, Mello!" he uickly slammed the door shut and briskly walked away from the irritated blonde. No one wanted to be around Mello when he wasn't happy. Even Matt, his best friend, was somewhere else entirelly. Near, cutely bundled in some of his warmest clothes, trundled into the front room. Mello still had the same scowl on his face.

"Not going outside, Mello?" Near's voice was quite and polite.

Mello hissed again as Near cracked the door open an inch. "Of bloody course not! Are you crazy? It's freezing out there!"

Near gained a hint of a smile. "Are you afraid of snow, Mello?"

...Oh he did not just...!

-----

"I cannot believe you forced me out here, Near." Mello hugged his arms around himself, shivering outside. He had his hood up over his hair, and a scowl permanently placed on his face.

"I didn't force you." Near stooped down and patted a ball of snow together."

"Don't even think about throwing that at me."

"I wasn't." Near said simply. He made another one, and stacked them together. He was making a small snowman.

Mello just watched at first, one brow raised. But then he grumbled something inaudible to himself, and stooped down as well. He made a small ball of snow and stacked that on the very top of Near's snowman.

Near turned to look at the blonde, who pouted, but then cracekd a cocky grin. "I bet I could kick your ass at a snowball fight."

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"I can't believe I lost!" Mello angrily threw his hood of his head, soaked to the bone and freezing. Near was basically in the same state, but was handling it alot...better.

"I'd say it was a draw." Near shrugged out of his jacket. "I'm going to go take a shower."

Mello once again grumbled to himself, paused a few seconds, but then trundled after the smaller boy.

Near smirked to himself. 'He always has to be difficult first...'