Fresh's soul gave another pang as he thought about his girlfriend Alaina back home; he missed her a lot and knows she misses him too based on her texts.
Floof Queen: You doing okay?
Neon Babe: Yea I guess
Floof Queen: You seem down?
Neon Babe: I miss you and my mom...n bros
Floof Queen: I miss you too.
Wednesday 10:48pm
Floof Queen: Hun why not come home for the holidays?
Neon Babe: It would be pointless...I wanna see you so much but…
Floof Queen: But what?
Neon Babe: Everytime I come home… Error and I fight and Geno gets stressed..his health is bad enough as it is…
Floof Queen: And? They're your family Fresh; besides all siblings fight.
Neon Babe: I don't want him getting worse…
Dear lovely, I know it's hard to be this strong
December 07, 2016
Floof Queen: Fresh? Are you there?
Neon Babe: Yea. sorry just got out of class.
Floof Queen: You coming home for the holidays this year?
Neon Babe: ….Alaina….I just can't put Geno through the stress…
Floof Queen: Geno misses you Fresh...we all miss you
Neon Babe: I miss you too my floof queen.
Floof Queen: I won't force you to come home but promise to at least think about it?
Neon Babe: I promise I will Alaina
Floof Queen: Love you my neon babe
Neon Babe: Love you too my floofy waifu.
Fresh smiled seeing her texts. He missed her and his family so much. He had thought about going home for Christmas but the same nagging thought returned; if he went home the fighting between he and Error would cause Geno's health to get worse.
Neon Babe: I dunno if I can make it this year…
Floof Queen: Is it Geno or?
Neon Babe: The weather actually. Storm is coming ya know?
Floof Queen: Stay warm okay?
Neon Babe: I will don't cha worry
Floof Queen: I miss you
Neon Babe: Miss ya too
I may be gone but not for long, I swear.
Fresh stared at the error symbol beside the message he had tried to send to Alaina
Neon Babe: I love you but I don't think I can make it this year. (Message not sent)
The wind howled outside making Fresh shiver. He looked out at the swirling snow turning his phone over in his hands. He missed everyone back home; he wanted to see them all again. He understood little to nothing of emotions but the few he did sorta understand are fear and sadness. He stared at the tattered rainbow scarf hanging on his dorm door rubbing his neck. It happened such a long time ago yet he still had the tattered scarf Ink gave him. "YOU DON'T DESERVE THAT SCARF!" "B-bro...c-can't...breathe…" "SHUT UP! Geno is finally home and you don't even want to spend time with him!" Fresh gagged as the scarf tightened around his neck. 'I'm gonna die…' He thought his soul pounding fearfully as Error pulled the knot tighter against his throat as he attempted to rip the scarf off his neck.
It's not like me to argue over nothing so I apologize in advance for what I'll put you through
Fresh sighed again and stared at the snow looking back at the unsent messages. His soul gave a hard pang and he clutched his shirt realizing that he was feeling...homesick. He felt the pang again and looked at his phone; his family reached out along with his girlfriend. He tossed his phone aside hiding under the blanket again closing his eyes trying to ignore the pangs. Going home would have the same result as it did last time he turned up for Christmas. Geno had a panic attack after Error pulled his scarf off when he said he was going for a walk. He closed his eyes the sad music continuing on muffled by the blanket.
But I'm afraid of losing the better part of home
Fresh slowly fell into a restless sleep spending most of the night tossing and turning; his brows furrowed as he began to dream.
Everyone stood around the tree drinking cocoa chatting quietly; Decans stared at the door. "He's not coming… is he?" Decans asked. "Big surprise…" Error mumbled his voice laced with sadness. Geno looked away tears in his socket; he missed his brother. Asy went to Geno wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Geno sniffled tears escaping down his cheek. "I m-miss him so much..." Asy gently rocked Geno trying to calm him down a little. "I'm sure he misses you too…" Asy said quietly. "I want to see him again…." Geno began to sob. Asy rubbed his back. CQ hugged her oldest son, "We miss him too sweetie." Geno sniffled more, "...my h-health is the r-reason he won't come h-home…" It's not your fault bro…. "I j-just want him to come home….." Iwish I could but…. "Me and my stupid illness…" Stop blaming yourself… "This is all m-my fault…" Geno… it really isn't.. "F-Fresh….please come back...my health shouldn't keep you at bay…" ... dang it Geno!
"S'not your fault!" Fresh woke up with a start the words still echoing in his head his soul giving a particularly hard pang. Fresh stared at the snow storm the pangs continuing to remind him of his dream. After about ten minutes of staring at the snow Fresh made up his mind. He swung his legs over the side of his bed and grabbed his bag packing up the gifts he'd planned on mailing once the storm settled. He got dressed grabbing his coat and keys along with the rainbow scarf heading out of the dorm locking his room. He pulled the scarf over his nose going to his car. Ten minutes later he was driving up the I-76 listening to Swan Song. Fresh looked at the picture on his keys of he and Alaina smiling at the camera. He turned his eyes back to the road glad he had a heated windshield on his car seeing as the storm is pretty bad. Fresh tapped his neon gloved fingers along to the beat of Just Gold as he drove. He can't wait to see the shocked look on Alaina's face when he gets home. She usually visits his family for Christmas; their families get together. It's like all of their friends and his girlfriend are extended family. The thought of seeing everyone again made his soul beat funny and feel warm. It filled him with determination to get there before Christmas ends.
So can we work it out? 'Cause it's not quite fair to throw it all away
He attends a university that is a few hours outside Columbus, which is about another hour and a half from the town he and his family live in. "I don't want a lot for Christmas…" One of his favorite Christmas songs began to play. "There is just one thing I need…" Fresh felt his lips turn up in a smile singing along, " I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree.." Fresh turned onto the I-54 continuing to sing along with Mariah Carey. "I just want you for my own more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true…. All I want for Christmas is you~"
We carry on
Fresh tapped his fingers to the beat of the bells continuing to sing, " I don't want a lot for Christmas there is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I don't need to hang my stocking upon the fireplace. Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas day." He hit another snow band and focused more on the road knowing that it is very icy despite the plows salting the roads and clearing the snow. He hummed quietly along with the song checking the clock on his car. It read 11:45pm. "Dang" Fresh sighed knowing he still had another almost four hours before he got home. "I'll be home soon mi familia." He said quietly his soul feeling warm again. "Is dis happiness?" He mused enjoying the fading warm feeling in his soul. "Cause if it is...it's totes rad." Fresh gripped the wheel and continued to drive Christmas music filling his car. He hummed along with some of the songs keeping his eyes ahead of him looking for rest stops and road signs. His gas light came on after another hour of driving. He stopped at a gas station and filled up noticing that the storm was getting worse. "No point in getting into an accident." Fresh said paying for his gas before seeking a hotel in the small town he drove into. He found an inn and booked a room for the night. "Heading home for the season?" The woman asked. "Yea...been a few years since I got home for xmas." Fresh admitted. "Well the weather is not forgiving the further north ya go." The woman said. "Yup the weather is totes unrad sometimes." Fresh agreed taking the key. He flopped onto the bed after checking for bedbugs. He used magic to fry any that may be hiding. He plugged in his phone and saw that the messages had gone through. He saw that Geno had texted him back about an hour ago.
Geno: Sorry for what? Fresh are you okay?
Fresh picked up his phone leaving the festive music on and texting Geno back
Fresh: Yea bro I'm fine. The storm kept that message from getting to ya is all.
He was startled when Geno replied seeing as it IS past midnight.
Geno: O-oh I see...hope to see you soon…
Fresh: You doin okay?
Geno: I'm f-fine...you know same as usual.
Fresh: Bro...dun go pulling my leg. It's not humorous.
Geno: Pfft Fresh...that was so bad.
Fresh: I know~
Geno: Snrk...I'm heading to bed Fresh.
Fresh: Night big bro, dream of sugarplums or somethin
Geno: pffft Maybe I will
Fresh: Love ya
Geno: Night Fresh.
We carry on
Fresh shut off his phone a smile on his face as he set an alarm for six am knowing he'd be home right as his brothers got up. He fell asleep snuggling into the comforter his soul giving a pleasantly warm pang. He decided that yes the warm pangs of happiness were nice. He preferred them to the harsh pangs of homesickness. Emotions are still weird to him but hey...learn as ya go right? No one learns emotions over night or over like 10 years...whatever he's learning regardless. Fresh sighed hugging the spare pillow. "Soon bro….soon…." He mumbled in his sleep. He had nice dreams for once. He was still hugging the pillow when his alarm went off. He shut it off and got up stretching seeing sunshine outside. "Sleep through the storm? Check." Fresh dug out his favorite sweater that reads CHILL with a snowman wearing sunglasses on it . He put on his coat, gloves and hat grabbing his stuff and the key before heading to the desk. He left her a tip and a note before jumping back into his car. He saw it's 6:15am and backed out of the lot getting back onto the I-54 heading for Columbus. He drove along the freshly cleared road slipping on his YOLO shades to shield his eyes from the weak sunlight that shone off the snow as light fluffy flakes fell outside his car. Fresh didn't dare do more than 60 mph on the highways due to icy patches. He hummed along to 'I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus' as he drove home snickering at the silliness of the song. "My ma would never kiss old swirly beard." Fresh hummed more as another song came on.
He entered Columbus at around 7:45am and drove onward through the city feeling another warm pang in his soul at the familiar surroundings. He saw the road that led to Dixon Amusement Park as he drove by the green and orange ugly shed. "Those were da good times." Fresh said as he neared the hospital where his bro and Sugar spent A LOT of time even now. Geno was better though just needed more check ups; Sugar needed IV treatments periodically. "Some things don't change with age." Fresh sighed. He drove out of the city his soul jumping a bit when he saw a sign for his hometown. "Home stretch yo." He focused on getting there before everyone was up. He checked the time and saw it was around 8:45am. He felt his soul jump again as he drove through the small town about an hour from his own. He began to get more warm pangs as he neared his girlfriend's house because yo dat means he's almost there. He arrived at his own house at 9:45 and jumped out after parking his car. He could see that no one was awake yet and grinned. He was never in his life able to understand what Ink meant by excitement until right now. He was so eager to surprise his family. He walked to the back door grabbing his key and unlocking it quietly; he slipped upstairs after hanging his coat and other wet accessories up to dry. He saw the amazing blue spruce his family found. "Biggest ever." He mused.; Fresh got the presents set under the tree before starting on the coffee and tea. "This will wake em up." he mused getting the table ready for xmas breakfast.
Fresh hummed turning on the Christmas radio station making the whole house ring with soft xmas music. Upstairs he heard Geno shuffling around along with Asy. They always got up first along with his mom. He heard footsteps and felt more warmth in his soul. Boy did ne miss his mom's hugs and his brother's. He poured the coffee for his mom and Asy and tea for Geno adding milk and sugar. They came into the kitchen and found the cups, "Who made the coffee and tea?" Geno yawned. Fresh slipped up behind his brother covering his eye. "Guess who" he teased. "S-Sugar…?" Geno said. "Not quite." He uncovered Geno's eye letting him turn around; he caught the mug before it fell. Geno teared up. "Fresh...oh my god!" Geno hugged him tight tears running down his cheek. "Missed ya too bro." he returned the hug feeling Geno crying into his shoulder. "It's at times like dis I wish i could cry…" Geno just hugged him tighter trembling a bit. "Geno…" CQ stopped talking when she saw him her own eyes wide. She walked over hugging them both, "My neon child has returned." CQ said tears rolling down her cheeks. "Missed ya too mom...so much…" Fresh replied relishing in his mother's hug. They felt weight and saw Asy was hugging them too. "F-Fresh kiddo...good to have you back…" Fresh just smiled enjoying it all. The coffee has by this point roused everyone else and they began to come into the living room. "Who set the table?" Sugar yawned. "Heck if I know…" Sour replied rubbing his eyes. They got their coffee/tea and walked into the living room. "Yo" Fresh said before Sugar basically tackled him with a hug. "Heh good ta see ya" he patted Sugar's back waving to Sour who yawned waving back. Much like Error Sour was not a touchy-feely guy. Sugar was smiling ear to ear when he let go of Fresh. The next to tackle hug him was Ink, "You came back! I missed you so much! Is that the scarf I gave you?" Ink asked. "Yup" Ink just hugged him more his eye changing shapes rapidly. Dec was the next one in the room. He saw Fresh and started crying with joy. Fresh hugged him having really missed the smaller skeleton. "Freshy Fresh is back Deccy Dec." Dec smiled wiping his eyes weakly punching his arm, "I missed you." he said. Com was happy to see him along with Lana. Error was the last skeleton down and when he saw Fresh he socked his arm before hugging Fresh tight, "I missed you you idiot!" he huffed smiling. "Missed you too glitchy bro." Fresh patted his back. "And I totes deserved that." Error grinned, "Yes you did." Fresh greeted his future in-laws giving them hugs. He found Alaina in the kitchen stirring her coffee. He slipped his arms around her waist. "Hello floofy." Alaina turned around and jumped on him hugging him tight. "Fresh but you said…" Alaina was tearing up with joy, "I lied" She just burried her face in his chest smiling ear to ear. They sat down and ate breakfast before tearing into the presents. Everyone was laughing and smiling; Fresh felt something warm on his cheek. He was crying; crying from what he had no clue but it didn't matter. All that mattered was right in front of him. He pulled Alaina close and felt Geno leaning on his other shoulder. They all got together and took a picture. Of course Alaina and Fresh were put under the mistletoe and boy did she give him one hell of a kiss. "Best Christmas EVER!" Ink cheered. Surrounded by his friends and family Fresh agreed that this was the Best Christmas EVER.
We carry on with every day
The End.