Quick note: I like the idea of Six struggling to show affection, but really wanting to. I know most people write Six as a very non-affectionate character, and while I do write her as a distant person myself, I do also believe Six would try to push herself to be kind and comforting when she could. I think she just would struggle with it, hence why she doesn't do it often.

This is a more relaxed chapter. I wanted to focus on their childhood and let them enjoy it for once. I hope you liked it, and don't worry- the action will be wild (and a bit gruesome) next chapter. :)

-Alex

The two young children pulled a dumpster way from the fence, allowing them to enter a hole that was hidden behind it to get in the school yard. Six could feel Mono's hand trembling and she began to wonder if her aggression is what caused it…

Six stopped and looked around for a moment, seeing the large playground. She felt a twist of guilt in her stomach and knew she needed to talk to Mono about this in a more level-headed manner. She tugged him towards the closest bench to them and he complied. They both sat down and there was a good minute of pure tense silence.

Six took a deep inhale, preparing herself to speak. She really hated talking…

"Mono…?"

"Y-yes?"

"…what were you doing back there...?"

"…I…I'm not really sure…"

"You're not sure…?"

"…I-I just…felt drawn to it…I-I think…"

"…Oh…"

"…I-I'm sorry-…" Mono sounded scared. He sounded like he was worried, insecure…like he expected her to drop him now and leave him. She wasn't sure why, but he seemed genuinely terrified at the idea of being alone.

"It's alright, Mono. I'm sorry too…you just…scared me." Six wasn't really sure how to go about this. It's not like she had ever had an emotional friend, let alone a friend at all, so this was all new territory. She was just trying her best to say what she imagined Raincoat Girl would have said…but even then, its not as if she got to spend much time hearing her talk either…

Six decided to try hugging Mono and patting his back. What happened back there upset them both, and they both had very bad vibes about it. Why, how, for what they didn't know yet, but Six could tell if they were going to find out, it would be something they'd do together.

"Do you want to look around, Mono?"

Mono quietly sniffled and nodded. She hadn't heard or seen him cry yet, so this was making her feel…something. She wasn't sure. She just knew she didn't like the feeling.

She stood up and offered her hand to her friend.

"It's alright, Mono…we can figure it out."

"…T-together?..."

"…Yes…"

Mono took her hand and she pulled him to his feet. She gave him another hug, just because she wasn't sure what else to do. She was awkward, of course, because affection was not a strong suit of hers, but she did care and did want him to feel comfortable.

'…He's been nothing but kind to me so far…'

Six hugged him until his trembling stopped- which was a few minutes straight. Mono then gently pulled back and looked around, as if he was finally noticing the playground around them. Six had never been to a playground, and she wasn't sure if Mono had either, but she could guess Mono had more experience with what kids would call 'fun activities' than she had.

He looked back to her and he didn't even have to speak to know what she was thinking. Mono seemed to cheer up a lot from that, as if the idea of being with a friend was just so nice to him. It almost made her want to smile. Sometimes she could forget that childhood used to be something to cherish- though she could hardly remember a moment of her childhood that was anything like that. What better time to start than now?

Mono first led her to the sea-saw…only to be disappointed when their weights couldn't lift each other up. She could see him giving up on the device, but she began walking across it like it was a balancing toy, and Mono's inspiration lit up once again. They spent the next thirty minutes just circling around, walking up onto the planks, quietly creaking and sliding when reaching the other side, and repeating the process.

Next, Six and Mono tried the swings. Six found that they made her feel lightheaded, so she didn't enjoy them as much, however pushing Mono on them was certainly fun as well. Seeing him enjoying himself so much, how the rush of air almost blew his paper bag off and she could occasionally see locks of brown hair poking out from under them, hearing his quiet giggles…she couldn't help the warmth that swelled in her chest.

When they were finished with that, they moved on to kick around the ball and kick it into the broken goals. Six was actually having fun. After all, a nine-year-old is bound to find something in a playground at least a little bit interesting. Six was beating Mono in this game of soccer, and Mono groaned and slumped every time she got a goal. It was honestly very adorable, and her fondness for him bloomed further.

'Is this what being a kid used to be like?' She couldn't help but wonder it. This was the most fun she had had in a long time, possibly in years.

The rest of their time there was spent sitting on benches together, watching the sky, balancing on the cracks of the ground, and looking through dumpsters. Mono found what seemed to be a ball-shaped hat in one of the dumpsters and put it on, only to be chased around jokingly by Six who behaved as if she would kick him in one of the goals.

They were being reckless, especially in such a large and dangerous world, but at the time all of their worries just faded out. Kids can't help but express who they are sometimes, and Six and Mono definitely needed to get their minds off of…whatever had happened with that TV.

It was almost two hours of this before thunder rumbled in the distance and the two knew it was best to go inside for now. They both held hands as they walked towards a window with a make-shift sheet-rope hanging from it. The way they were holding hands was a lot more intimate than the times before, their fingers curled more firmly around one another. It felt like Six and Mono could take on the world together.

Six didn't notice she was smiling, but she certainly was.