Everything is snowball fights and bonding, I apologize for nothing. I'll start using the other members of STARISH next chapter.
Laughter rang through the crystal clear air made sharp by the cold.
"Wow, it's colder than I thought!" Haruka twirled around to face them, smile bright and eyes seeming to sparkle in the early afternoon light.
"I can always warm you up, Little Lamb." Ren started, raising one eyebrow suggestively. "In fac—"
He was cut off as a soft-packed snowball caught him fully in the face. Haruka giggled, covering her mouth with a now damply-gloved hand.
"Now, My Lady, that wasn't very sportsmanlike," Ren smirked devilishly and crouched down to the snow, letting his bag slip off his shoulder as he reached to form a snowball of his own. His eye tracked Haruka carefully to avoid receiving a second face full of snow. So he was caught completely off guard by the snowball that pelted him in the back of the head followed by a triumphant laugh from Syo.
Ren turned swiftly, packing a snowball as his own momentum forced him to fall on his side in the snow and launched a return shot at the short blonde, "You'll regret that, midget!"
Syo danced out of the way easily, abandoning his own bag to the snow. "You'll have to learn to aim first!"
Otoya laughed and dropped his bag, immediately making a beeline for Haruka's side, lobbing a snowball at Syo as he went. The snowball veered far from its intended target, but it did force Syo to take cover behind a tree. Otoya used the opportunity to duck behind a nearby bench with Haruka for cover, as they both fell to giggles and started forming more snowballs for ammunition.
Ren got up, a handful of unpacked snow in the palm of each gloved hand and jogged to Syo's tree, grinning widely. Syo glanced up from his own attempts to make an ammunition store just in time to meet Ren's eyes as he clapped the handfuls of snow to either side of Syo's face. Syo yowled in surprise and discomfort, stumbling out of his crouch to slam his back against the tree.
"Team up?" Ren's laugh changed his entire face, the joy reaching his eyes in a way that didn't always happen.
Syo's wolfish smile echoed Ren's and he found himself deeply relieved to see the elder boy so relaxed and genuinely happy, "You bet!"
A snowball hit the side of the tree and sent a spray of flakes over them. Syo poked his head out far enough to take aim and launched a snowball in return. Haruka's laugh was cut off abruptly by a yelp in response to the cold then more giggles and the sound of shuffling as she and Otoya maneuvered behind the bench.
"Hah!" Syo ducked back as Ren took his turn lobbing a snowball and he heard the wet smack and a grunt of surprise as the snow hit Otoya's jacket. Syo exchanged a high five with Ren as they both crouched down to gather more snowballs.
Syo was the first to make an attempt again, but just as he stuck his nose out, cold-gloved fingers snuck past the lip of his jacket-collar, yanking him backwards until he bumped against Ren's chest. A snowball zipped through the space he'd been in a moment before and he stared at the empty air for a long second before looking up to meet Ren's face.
The start of a frown tugged at the edge of Ren's smile, "You're welcome, squirt."
"Good call," Syo beamed up at him with a genuine smile. "Thanks for the save."
Ren's smile returned full force and he leaned around the tree to throw his snowball to no apparent effect. Both boys knelt down again, making more snowballs. Their heads bumped together to small bursts of laughter and their mingled breath made small clouds in the crisp air. There wasn't much point to talk, there was no strategy to be found here. They were just playing.
When they came up again, each popping out from either side of the trees and bushes they had been using for cover they were met with a barrage of snowballs from Haruka and Otoya who had stockpiled ammo on the bench seat and now stood next to it throwing projectiles in quick succession. After dropping a couple from their armloads out of surprise, Ren and Syo shrugged at each other then started running across the small clearing, returning the volley and trying to dodge the worst of the assault from their red-headed accomplices.
STARISH was playing like children, like siblings, and for the first time in months, there was no public image to consider.
Prompt: #014, Crystal Clear