Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans

A Winterwatcher One-Shot

"Where did you get those?"

Moon looked up in surprise. "These jelly beans?"

"Is that what they're called?" Winter snorted in disgust. "That is quite possibly the most ludicrous name I have ever heard."

Moon rolled her eyes, exasperated and amused. "Yes, I do think they could've come up with a better name, but jelly beans are really good, actually. They come in all different flavors. My favorite kind is mango."

Winter snorted again, "Of course it is."

She held out the box to him. "Try one?"

Winter did want to try one. He just didn't want to give in so easily.

"Where did you get them from?"

"Qibli and Kinkajou were eating them," Moon stated matter-of-factedly. "Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, they're called."

"That name is even more ridiculous than jelly bean," Winter said, and then as an afterthought asked, "When they say every flavor, do they really mean that?"

"I don't know. I've only had the mango one," Moon said simply. "I was waiting for you to come back before I ate anymore."

Winter allowed himself to be flattered for a moment perhaps this was Moon's subtle way of telling him that she liked him.

This idea was shattered as Moon continued, "I thought we could play a little game."

Winter proceeded with caution. "What kind of game?"

She explained, "We take turns choosing a bean from the box, and then we have to eat it and say what kind it is. And you have to swallow, no matter what flavor you get."

Winter barely hesitated to agree if Moon was so willing to play this activity, then there was no way he would back down like a coward. He'd show Moon that this wouldn't be hard. Besides, what flavor could be worse than mango?

"Let's," he said imperiously.

"Shall I go first?" asked Moon with mock formality.

"You already ate one," Winter argued. "I'll go first."

A mischievous sparkle twinkled in Moon's eyes, matching the silver teardrop scales at the corner of each of her eyes. Winter tried not to get distracted by how beautiful she looked at that moment, and instead focused on the light brown bean that Moon had just given him.

"I forgot to mention," she said, "that before we eat, we have to guess the flavor of the bean." She held up the blue colored bean in her talons. "I think I either got blueberry or cotton candy. Lucky me! Those aren't so bad, I think."

Winter held up his own bean. "I don't think I got so lucky."

Moon began laughing. "That's either butterscotch or vomit. Three moons, I hope its vomit. I want to see the look on your snout when you eat that."

Winter wrinkled his snout in disgust and tried not to show how much the idea of eating a vomit flavored jelly bean disturbed him. "Whatever. It's not as if I'm eating real vomit."

Moon continued to giggle. "Yeah, it'll just taste like it."

He scowled at her. "Let's just get this over with."

"On the count of three," she said. "One. Two...are you sure you want to eat it, Winter?"

His scowl deepened. "If you're trying to unnerve me, it's not working," he snapped defensively.

"THREE!" Moon shouted, and tossed the blue jelly bean into her mouth. She began chewing with a thoughtful expression on her snout. "Hmm," she mused at last. "I think I got blueberry. I don't know though. I've never had cotton candy."

She saw that he had not eaten his. "Come in, Winter! Eat your jelly bean! It's not that bad, I promise. Or are you scared?" she teased.

"What? Of course not!" Winter bluffed, while his brain asked, are you reading my mind?

He ate the jelly bean quickly, praying that he'd gotten butterscotch. He didn't know what butterscotch was, but it sounded infinitely better than vomit.

His prayers were unanswered. Within seconds it became clear that he had gotten the grosser flavor of the two.

"And?" Moon asked with an amused expression on her snout. Winter wondered if she really was reading his mind.

"What do you think?" he snapped at her, feeling angry. He was very embarrassed and self conscious. It seemed Moon always had that affect on him, but even though he despised those two feelings, he hung around her as often as he could.

Moon fell into peals of laughter. "Three moons!" Then she became sympathetic. "Oh, poor Winter. I know what you're going to say." She adopted a deep and snobby voice, "In the Ice Kingdom, we never play such foolish games. We don't have time for such nonsense! Dragons are taught battle moves while they are still in their eggs, and read informational scrolls during nap time in the nursery."

Winter attempted not to choke. Whether it was from the terrible taste in his mouth as he struggled to swallow the vile candy, or because he was highly amused (and would never admit it) at Moon and was trying not to laugh, he was unsure.

"First of all," he said, "I don't sound like that, and secondly, IceWings are too superior to have such juvenile things like nurseries or nap time."

Moon's laughter resumed. "See, you are funny!" she said, watching him as he continued to chew the jelly bean. The taste had lessened a bit, but it was no less horrible. A grin graced her about as she began to leave, jelly beans still in claw. "Just don't expect me to kiss you any time soon. Not until you get that taste out of your mouth, at least."

Winter was too busy choking down the nasty bean to register what she'd said immediately. And when he finally understood what she meant, he wasn't sure whether he should hate Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans or not.

They really were a problem.

-FIN-