Day Twenty – Games (In the Snow)

Both Freed and Gajeel were competitive men, when the mood struck them. Games played together would often get heated as they tried to better the other, and it had become an established rule between their friends not to interrupt them when they were in the middle of playing something. The two men would focus only on winning, and it was best to leave them to their own devices when that was happening.

Anything could bring out their competitive side. Video games and board games were the worst, expect for the one time when they went mini golfing together. They still weren't allowed back.

They made sure never to let their competitive natures interfere with their relationship, though. If things started to get actually heated and arguments seemed as though they would form – rather than the playful teasing that was shared between them both – then they both knew that it was time to either take a break from the game, or end it all together. They both kept true to that rule, and their competitions had never gotten hurtful because of it. which was almost miraculous, given how often they found themselves competing.

Case in point, a competition had formed when they were walking home from work.

It had been snowing throughout the day, heavily so, and there was about three inches of it resting on the ground. The two men made their usual cut through the park to get to their shared apartment. Gajeel had been forced to stop to retie his shoelace, and saw an opportunity. When on his knee, he had packed a handful of snow into a ball and prepared himself.

The second he was standing, he threw the snowball directly at his boyfriend. It hit his face, spreading across his cheeks and nose and clinging to his skin. Freed seemed dumbstruck for a moment, and Gajeel grinned watching him trying to process what had just happened to him.

"You little bastard," Freed eventually said, and Gajeel grinned.

And thus, a new game had begun.

Freed had formed a snowball of his own within a moment, and threw it back at Gajeel's retreating figure, hitting the back of his head. Gajeel simply laughed, got to his knees to make another snowball, and threw it towards his boyfriend.

Neither man could be sure of how long the snowball fight had lasted. It had been intense, with the previously untouched snow being lifted, pressed into a ball and thrown at each other with vicious accuracy and strength. Both men were laughing throughout the entire situation though, quipping at each other and taunting the other to admit defeat at even the slightest sign of them faltering. After their respective long days at work, it had been exactly what they both needed.

When the fight ended, they were both covered in the snow, their clothes dripping wet from the melting water. They were both starting to get tired, but neither wanted to give up. That was when Gajeel had an idea.

He picked up a large clump of snow, larger than any snowball should be, and grinned. There was a large amount of distance between Gajeel and Freed, and Gajeel needed to be right next to his boyfriend to make his plan work. He ran towards him, using trees as cover when possible, and sometimes taking an oncoming snowball head on. He was grinning, knowing that he would soon have his revenge if this worked.

Freed didn't know what Gajeel was planning until it was too late. He had been pushed back against the wall of a building, and now Gajeel had essentially trapped him. With one arm blocking Freed's escape, Gajeel pushed their bodies together with a grin. Now that Freed was fully trapped, he could have a little fun.

"Now, what can I do with this?" He mused cockily, hefting the mass of snow in his hand.

"I could easily get out of this, you know," Freed rebutted, ignoring the vague threat.

"Nah, you couldn't," Gajeel dismissed. Freed probably could, but wouldn't. "See, there's a lot of choices, right? I mean, think of all the things I could do," He looked at the clump of snow. "I could shove it in your face. Down the back of your shirt. In yer boxers if I wanted to be mean."

"And you call me a sadist," Freed muttered. Gajeel was enjoying this too much.

"I might do all three," Gajeel continued, revelling in his victory. "Unless of course you wanna give up, and throw yourself on my mercy. Then I'd have ta be kind and let you go, right?"

Freed grunted, and looked around. Neither option was appealing, and he knew there was a way out of the situation somehow. But Gajeel had backed him into a corner, was pushing him against the wall, and had seemingly thought this through. Freed was proud of his strength, but in the awkward position he couldn't use it at all. He really was trapped, with Gajeel's options seemingly the only ones available for him.

One the one hand, the idea of giving up contrasted with his very soul. On the other, the cold numbness was already taking an effect, and Gajeel's threats would make it so much worse. With a bitter sigh, he spoke.

"You win."

"What was that?" Gajeel grinned. "Didn't quite hear ya. Maybe you should say it louder."

"I said you win," Freed snapped, louder this time.

"Maybe drop the attitude," Gajeel cackled at the glare he received. "Why don't you show me some respect. Say: I, Freed Justine, give up and admit my boyfriend Gajeel is the better man by far. And I'm sorry that I even thought about challenging him. Once you do that, I know yer serious."

If it weren't for the cold water dripping down his back, he wouldn't have done anything.

"I, Freed Justine," Freed spoke through gritted teeth. "Give up and admit my boyfriend Gajeel is the better man by far," He was glaring into his boyfriend's gaze poisonously, who just grinned. "And I'm sorry that I even thought about challenging him."

"That weren't so hard, was it?" Gajeel grinned.

Before Freed could say anything, Gajeel dropped the snow to the ground and lifted Freed up over his shoulder. He cackled as he heard Freed splutter, looking towards his boyfriend with an aghast expression on his face. Gajeel grinned wider as he started to walk towards their apartment, as if he wasn't holding his boyfriend as he did so.

"What?" Gajeel grinned at Freed. "I need a prize, right?"