When We Were Young Chapter 9: Slowly Growing Up

P.O.V. - Vlad Masters (*Vlad is 13, Danny is 11)

It hurts to think about how much more mature you get every year, especially when you're watching someone else you'd thought to be young forever.

"Happy Birthday, my Angel," His face turns a beautiful shade of pink as I kiss his forehead. He's growing up slowly, but I can see it happening. We still haven't done anything to physical; we still have our original color ears. But I can see him grow up every day. I always thought he'd be my little angel forever. I always thought he'd stay the same shy girlish boy I knew a long time ago when we first met. Yet, on this celebration of his 11th year, I can see him become more outgoing, searching for his talents and dreams. He hasn't gotten much taller, but he sure is searching for what he's good at, his aspirations and what goals he should make for himself.

Daniel is growing up slowly. He's becoming something I've never seen in him before. I'm missing allot of it because we don't go to the same school anymore, and it's been a giant struggle for the both of us in this cold December. I'm so alone in the middle school I attend, seventh grade makes you work harder than you'd ever thought you could work. The cold days in school without Danny are awful and lonely. I can't stand it when I get made fun of for always having my hood up and my white hair, my bad reputation and the way I dress in black. It makes me wonder: Is this what Danny is going through without me? Is this what's happening to him as well? It's horrible not to know how the little angel in your life is doing without you.

As I hold him, he snuggles into me softly, our body temperatures colliding and mixing. I feel his warm soft breathing against my chest through my shirt. My arms wrap around him protectively, as if demons are reaching out to steal him from my arms. I will never let this moment go, I will always remember this. Usually on his birthdays, he wants to go do something date related with me like shopping, ice cream, walks, anything that we could do in public. But this year in this cold December, he just wants me to hold him.

"I love you, Vlad," He whispered softly into my shirt. I reached a hand up to his shaggy black hair and pet it softly. He sighed and leaned into me more.

"I love you too, Little Badger," He looked up at me funny, cocking his head to one side as he looked at the smirk on my face.

"Little Badger?" He asked, touching his hair.

"Yes, Little Badger. Your hair is soft and black but shaggy and thick like a badger," I explained with a slight chuckle.

"Vlad, you're so crazy. Like a Seriously Crazed up Froot Loop," He laughed after leaning back into my chest softly. I found the comment hilarious, but I tried to contain my laughter at the poor attempt of a mean nickname. "I like 'Little Angel' allot better," He whispered. I once more brought my hand up to pet his head, noting its extreme softness even though it was black. Usually black hair wasn't soft. I guess my Little Badger is just special. A badger with soft fur.

"Don't ever leave me Vlad," That night we fell asleep in each otherâ–“s arms, snuggled deep under a quarter dozen thick feather blankets. Snow fell around the house, blanketing the city with freezing white. It brought down the temperature dramatically, and the blankets weren't doing there job. No matter how close I was to Danny, no matter how tightly I held him, we were still cold. We survived the night in extreme discomfort and got little sleep.

"Vlad! Danny! Come down here!" I drowsily opened my eyes, shivering at the cold that bit at my skin. The loss of contact between Danny and me was unsuspected, and we both let out a yelp from the shivers trailing down our spines.

"Come on, your mom is calling us," I begged Danny to get out of bed, but the sheets were pulled tightly around his body. I stood there, shivering and freezing cold in my black t-shirt and boxers, arms crossed and legs shaking. "Please? It's probably warm down there... Danny, you're honestly killing me," I watched as the arrogant 11 year old shook his head furiously and cuddled up closer to the blankets. I guessed I would have to use force.

"AAAHHG!" Danny screamed after i jumped on the giant pile of blankets he had cocooned himself inside of. Instantly afraid for his safety, I jumped off as quickly as I had got on.

"Ha-ha, are you okay?" I tried to fight back laughter as he stumbled up miserable, tired and cold.

"Let's just go downstairs," He answered groggily and pulled himself to drag his feet across the floor, still wrapped in blankets. His mother was still calling for us as wee forced ourselves down the stairs.

"We're coming, Mommy!" Danny called with a tired voice. I giggled softly, noting that he still called Aunt Maddie "Mommy". He was still so young.

"Good. Now wash your hands, I've made a hot breakfast!" She said cheerfully as Danny and I dragged our feet to the sink in the kitchen to wash our hands. I squeezed out lavender scented dish soap onto Danny's soft pale hands and massaged his palms, fingers and knuckles, cleaning the delicate hands for him. He blushed and looked around; making sure his mother was still setting the table for breakfast in the other room and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. The plates in front of us consisted of eggs, bacon and small pancakes, all steaming hot. My proper etiquette teacher would be ashamed of me as Danny and I stuffed our faces, taking in all of Aunt Maddie's delicious cooking.

"So do you want to go play out in the snow later?" I asked Danny, who shook his head "yes" and continued feeding himself with pancakes.

The whole day was amazing. Danny and I were out all day in the quiet white world. Snow fell all around us as we stopped and kissed, held hands, walked through a neighborhood filled to the brim with a wonderful Christmas Decoration display and threw snowballs at each other. Of course, I let my Little Badger win. After all, he is my Little Badger. His nose was pink with the cold and I bet he couldn't feel his own ears, but he urged we stay out all day; and we did. I bought him Star Bucks hot cocoa took him around the most beautiful places and showed him the best spots to see the snow-blanketed city, where we stopped and kissed for the longest times.

This was all I needed, my Little Badger and absolute happiness.

"Hey Vlad, want to know why I love it so much when it snows, school days or not?" Danny asked as we watched the sunset, huddled close together on a fallen tree covered in snow.

"Okay," I perked up my ears, ready to listen to what he had to say.

"The white of the snow covers up all the ugliness of the world," He said quietly, leaning on my shoulder. I looked down at him, shocked. He barley ever said things like this.

"Why do you think the world is ugly?" I asked, putting an arm around him, staring at the sunset.

"Look at what people have done to it. Litter, fake trees, and disgusting colors everywhere you turn. And when you see a beautiful color, most likely it's fake and painted on a billboard or building," he was right. I didn't respond, I was too busy noticing for the first time how right he was about the world being ugly. True beauty in the world was hard to find, and the only time when you saw fake beauty was colorful propaganda on signs or buildings. I nodded into Danny's head in agreement. The world was allot more beautiful when it snowed.

In a short time the sky was consumed by darkness, and we had to head back to the house.

"WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?" Aunt Maddie and Father yelled in unison, Uncle Jack behind them looking furious.

"Out in the snow," I replied bluntly, gaining a glare from father.

"Doing WHAT? You were out practically all day!" He yelled and I caught sight of Danny wincing.

"Having fun," I retorted and gestured towards the stairs.

"Oh no, you're going home with me!" Father bellowed and horror struck Danny's face. "Well you shouldn't have gone out all day now should've you?" Father taunted Danny and my eyes flashed a deep red.

"Can I please stay another night here with Danny?" I asked stubbornly.

"No. You are coming home with me tonight Vladimir Christian Masters!" I winced at hearing my father call me by my full name. My eyes flashed red, this time staying red for a longer time than the last. Good thing I was looking at the ground or Father would've gotten pissed.

"You can't go running off for an entire day without coming home to check in with us every so often, you two! You're both still so young!" Uncle Jack told us. We both just nodded our heads. I let myself be dragged out of the house by my Father, who was still fuming with anger. I didn't even to kiss Danny goodbye.