A/N: My dividers didn't work for when I changed scenes in the stories. I've fixed that issue now.
There will be dialogue that is in Rolf's language. Just a quick reminder: Any dialogue spoken in Rolf's language I'll use parenthesis like this (("This means it is not being said in English."))

Our Greatest Hits

/While it's on my mind, there's a girl who fits the crime
For a future love dream that I'm still to find/

(In the Meantime
-Spacehog)

The Candy Shop

Winter break came and went and with it so did Nazz.

On a cloudy midafternoon Rolf sat out on a stool in his front yard. In a bucket before him there were plenty of long ribbons of potato skins and by his side was a large sack of potatoes. Wearing a warm jacket Rolf peeled the brown spud in his hand. This mundane task served two purposes.

The first was to help prepare a vegetable stew for tonight's dinner. The chimney already billowed with smoke from the log burning stove that Nana insisted would never completely replace gas stoves.

The second reason to help him think about something, anything, else besides the Christmas party.

To the day Rolf was still completely devastated by his actions. He knew better. He knew how to handle himself around Nazz.

But that night.

She'd pressed up against him. Her lips brushed his own. Her fingers had weaved in his hair.

"Show me how much you missed me."

Rolf paused in his peeling. He hunched over in his seated position.

He closed his eyes tight and took a deep breath.

He needed to stop this. It had been an accident. In her mind she hadn't really been kissing him. She'd been kissing-

"Hey, Rolf! Over here man!"

Speak of the devil.

Rolf straightened up in his seated position and looked across his property to see Kevin standing just outside the fence.

He waived for Rolf to come over.

With a sigh Rolf stood and dropped the half-peeled potato in the bucket.

He still wore that same hat over his head of messy red hair. He stood wearing black jeans with a heavy jacket of his own.

"Why does Kevin persist on never stepping foot within these gates?"

"Because last time I was over I meet your Nana. And that woman scares me dude."

Rolf grinned at this, "Ahh yes. Nana scares us all."

They bumped fists in greeting and Kevin said,

"You wanna hear something crazy?"

"Rolf listens."

"That old candy shop outside the neighborhood: It's finally closing down."

Rolf blinked, "Rolf is shocked buuuut not that shocked."

"Seriously? Where's the outrage man? That place is legend to us!"

"What did Kevin think was to happen? What, with all the children in Peach Creek lining up for the candy shop these days."

The cul-de-sac hadn't had the whole gang in years. Now a days it felt especially empty.

Kevin leaned on the fence. "I guess you just never think about things like that. But you're right. This place is a ghost town. Nothing but empty nesters mostly. Or people on their way to becoming empty nesters."

"What is this 'empty nester' you speak of? Like a chicken of some sort?"

"You know it's when a family has kids and those kids grow up and move out of the house. The parents are left to themselves and the house becomes known as," He used air quotes, "an empty nest."

Rolf nodded slowly. The term stayed with him as he mulled it over in his head.

"Rolf understands."

"Anyway, let's get going."

"And where would we be going in this fine cold weather?"

"To the candy shop. Duh. Don't you want to get your last round of gummies dude?"

Rolf chuckled at this. "No more of that for Rolf. But…" He supposed he had peeled enough for one stew, "Let me just let my absence known. One moment."

"Alright but you only get one." Kevin called after him.

Rolf gave only a dismissive wave in response.

…

If you timed it out right the walk from the cul-de-sac took approximately seventeen minutes.

Both Rolf and Kevin agreed that it had felt significantly longer when they were younger.

The bell to the door rang as both young men stepped inside. The first thing Rolf noticed was the banner that hung from the ceiling.

'50% off all items. Closing sale.'

"The end of an era dude." Kevin muttered whilst Rolf scanned the mostly empty shelves.

"Indeed. Rolf does not think he has ever seen the shelves so bare."

Another sign caught Kevin's eye.

"Hey it says here that the last day for this place is next Friday."

Rolf smirked, "Rolf supposes we should stock up then, yes?"

"Definitely dude. It sucks though. Nazz won't even be here to pay her respects."

Rolf inspected a jar of jelly beans and asked, "When did she return back to University?"

He already knew the answer was last week Sunday morning.

"Last Sunday." Kevin answered nonchalantly, already holding a bag of Carmel corn, "Hey you wanna know something wild? I think she's trying to get back with me."

"Oh?"

"That Christmas party that her family throws. She was all over me the entire night. I didn't hate it though. Not for one second."

Sounding as disinterested as humanly possible Rolf asked, "So Kevin and Nazz-girl are back together again?"

"No." It was said so firmly that Rolf looked to the red head a little surprised, "Nazz gets like that sometimes. Particularly when she's dating someone. Even more particularly when It's not going so hot."

Rolf thought about that, "How are you so sure that she is seeing someone?"

Kevin looked to Rolf with a scoff, "Since high school have you ever known Nazz to be single? I've told her before that sometimes it's good just to be single for a moment and figure things out first. But I don't know. She's just the type you know, she always has to…be with someone."

Kevin wasn't wrong. Nazz hadn't been single since junior high.

Rolf paused in front of a cart of chocolate turtles. He eyed them thoughtfully.

"Still though," Rolf pressed carefully, "Kevin has never thought about getting back together with Nazz? Everyone always thought…" he trailed off here unsure what he wanted to say next.

"Hey man, you know I'm always gonna love Nazz. But I can't keep doing this…trial and error thing. We're gonna figure it out one day. And it doesn't have to be with each other you know."

Rolf picked up a both of chocolate turtles still thinking it over, "Those are wise words indeed."

"I try." Kevin responded dryly, "But you know one thing that grates on my nerves…so I've told you that me and Nazz have never you know…done it."

"We can end this conversation here, yes?"

Kevin continued as though Rolf hadn't spoken, "But I'm pretty sure she wanted to. Had I had played my cards right I could have had myself a very white Christmas."

He scowled, "Why must Rolf's ears be held hostage to such vulgarity?"

"I don't know what college has done to her but she was in rare form man. The things she was saying…you wouldn't even imagine!"

Rolf kept his gaze lowered to the chocolate confections in his hand.

Oh, he could imagine.

Her voice had been warm and low.

Parted lips had brushed his with just a thinly soft touch.

"Show me how much you missed me."

She had kissed him…and she'd completely blown him away.

"Take it off."

"Dude, are you okay?" Kevin said now by the taller man's side.

"R-rolf is fine!" But his face was so red and he had been staring at that box of chocolate with such an intensity Kevin thought Rolf would pass out.

It happened to be at this moment Kevin realized the kind of chocolate Rolf held in his hands.

"Oh, hey Nazz loves those! They're her favorite."

Obviously, Rolf knew this.

"Really, Rolf didn't know." He tossed the box uncaringly back in the cart.

Kevin shrugged, "Hm. You ready to go then? What are you getting?"

The red head smirked when Rolf grudgingly showed him the box of gummies.

And neither one forgot to get a large bag of Jaw-breakers.

Old habits die hard.

…

They trudged back through the cul-de-sac on snow covered grounds. The cloudy sky had darkened considerably and both were sure it'd snow again tonight.

"Let's go again dude. Before it closes for good."

Rolf nodded, "When do you go back to school?"

"Already started. But I only have classes Monday and Wednesday so any other time is fine."

"Very well. So, when shall you leave the cul-de-sac and have your parents to do the empty nesting?"

Kevin grinned with a shrug, "Whenever I find out what I want to do in life, I guess. What about you?"

Rolf turned to Kevin a smile but gave him a strange look. He reached into his bag from their candy shop visit and pulled out the box of chocolate turtles. He had decided to get it after all.

"Kevin knows Rolf will never leave this place. Here."

Rolf handed Kevin the box.

Dumbfounded Kevin took it, "What are-?"

"Kevin should give these to Nazz-girl when she returns."

He blinked stupidly, "Why don't you give them to her?"

"Because it will mean more coming from Kevin. Are you a simpleton?" He spoke matter-of-factly, "Good day to you Kevin."

He turned and quickly walked off leaving Kevin holding onto a box of chocolates and feeling slightly confused.

What did he mean when he said 'he'd never leave'?

…

Rolf walked inside his home to find it semi light. His dad sat at the table reading the paper from yesterday. He would never in any life time go digital. But that could probably be said of all of them. His mother was in the living room on the couch knitting what looked to be a new quilt.

(("Welcome home Rolf.")) She spoke without looking up, (("Soup is on the stove if you are hungry."))

He looked to the stove to find a large pot on simmer. Then he looked to the table again.

There was an old woman who sat opposite from his father. Old was an understatement. The woman was ancient. She had frayed grey hair, was covered in shawls and looked to Rolf with a beady stare.

It was rare to see her outside her room.

(("Thank you, mother.")) Then to the old woman, (("Are you feeling well today, Nana?"))

(("Yes, boy. Where did you go?")) Her voice was rough and heavy. She sounded as though she breathed dirt.

(("To the old candy shop. Just a short walk away."))

She didn't seem interested as she moved a gnarled hand over a letter that had been sitting on the table and slide it to Rolf. On it was a familiar handwriting written in their language.

(("You have a letter from Katnia. Write her back immediately.")) She released a sigh that bordered exasperation, (("The sooner you two are married perhaps the sooner you can put such childish past times behind you."))

Rolf took the letter.

Obediently he answered,

(("Yes, Nana."))

Tbc.