((OOC: this thread takes place after Bells will be ringing and before Surprise Friend!, Talk about a bad day, and Showdown.

This thread is also open, once Tarin and Lee get to Central Park. I'd say open from the start, but it'd be kind of weird for anyone other than a certain zealot to just wander into their apartment. Love you, Rupert!))


Eight o'clock in the morning. Normally, that would mean that Lee was still sleeping, or at the very worst that she and Tarin would just be starting to get up for the day. Owning their own business had its perks, after all, such as being able to sleep in pretty much as late as they wanted.

This day was different. This day, Lee was wide awake at 8 in the morning, and she hadn't slept at all that night. Not that she was complaining about that at all, the reason for all her energy had been more than worth the long night she had then had to sit through.

Having their own business had other perks, such as the fact that they had decided not to open the shop yet after returning to New York as newlyweds, and they'd been back for almost a week already.

But as had become her custom on nights that she hadn't been able to sleep, Lee had gone out between 7:30 and 8 in the morning to grab doughnuts and coffee while she waited for it to be late enough in the morning that she could wake Tarin up.

That morning, however, Lee was literally bouncing when she returned to the apartment. And, for once, it was not because of all the energy she had. It had been snowing during the night, and that morning when she was out, and with the way the snow crunched under her shoes, the way it stuck in her hair, Lee knew, she just knew.

Hurrying back into the apartment, not even bothering to take off her snow covered running shoes, Lee dumped the coffee, doughnuts, and her keys on the coffee table (it wasn't as if she actually needed the coffee that morning anyway), Lee ran into Tarin's bedroom and bounced on the bed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Tarin!" She exclaimed, still bouncing slightly, shaking his shoulders slightly before leaning over and kissing him. "Come on, wake up! It's snowing!"

Dreams about Lee were almost as good as the real thing. Not as good as the real thing because the real thing could touch and hug and kiss and be touched, hugged, and kissed. Having Lee in his dreams meant that Tarin wasn't having nightmares though, wasn't fighting with spirits in his sleep. It was the best thing about Lee's powers, he was usually too tired for them to take over after he had been close to Lee for long enough.

Tarin wasn't really thinking about those things at the moment though, he was sleeping. Sleeping more soundly and better than he had for years before finding Lee. Spread out on the bed on his stomach, one arm cuddling a pillow in Lee's absence and one leg dangling off the bed, Tarin snored softly into the pillow. He wasn't drooling though, he was way too cute when he slept to do that.

He didn't jump when he heard Lee's voice or felt her hands shaking his shoulder. He was too used to waking up with her hands on him. Her voice was usual too, but usually it wasn't quite that loud...or quite that full of childish glee...usually it was another type of glee all together.

Either way, Lee wanted him awake, so Tarin grinned when Lee kissed him and slowly opened his eyes just in time to hear her excaim about snow and feel the bouncing of the bed.

"Snow?!" he said, startled, "You woke me up and want to pull me out of this nice warm bed when you just got back here to go out in the snow?" Tarin's arms snaked out and wrapped around Lee and pulled her down, kissing her soundly.

"However..." he said, a grin widening on his own face. "I do owe you a snowball whipping!" he exclaimed, roughing up Lee's hair and rolling away from her only to whack her with a pillow before leaping from the bed in his boxer clad glory to look for some snow clothes.

Lee nodded excitedly when she heard Tarin question her remark about snow. Yes, it was a nice warm bed, but it would still be there when they got back. The snow, at least in this great packing snow shape, might not be there for long.

"Not just any snow, though!" Lee continued, even as Tarin was wrapping his arms around her and pulling her down onto the bed with him. This was normal, Lee was used to this now. Any time that could consist of her, and him, and nice warm blankets in bed, he never did really want to get up. "It's packing snow! Like, perfect packing snow!"

But Lee was far too full of excited energy - not just normal energy, this was excitement, and was all her own! - to stay in bed much longer, and Tarin must have picked up on that since after ruffling her hair, he rolled away from her saying something about whipping her with a snowball. Only to turn around and whack her with a pillow.

Glaring at him for a moment, Lee bounced off the bed and made her way to the door, much, much faster than Tarin would have been able to. She was excited, and had the energy, and there really was no reason for her to hold back her speed right then.

"You are so going to pay for that," Lee said, pausing only momentarily in the doorway to stare at Tarin's boxer clad form before moving back to her own bedroom. She may have been dressed warm enough for a quick trip to the coffee shop, but it was no where near enough to go out and actually play in the snow. This was going to be one of the very few times so far in their relationship that Tarin would see her not caring what she looked like when she went out.

Kicking her still wet shoes beside her closet, Lee started digging through her clothing. As a kid, Lee had long johns for days like this. Now she was going to have to settle for a pair of flannelette pyjama pants under a pair of sweatpants, and hooded sweatshirt since she didn't have any decent winter sweaters any more. At least not decent in terms of warmth.

It really didn't take long before Lee was finished in her bedroom, already out and searching for both hers and Tarin's boots in the closet. "Come on!" Lee called back to Tarin as she pulled her one pair of warm (and flat soled) boots onto her feet. "Before it starts to melt!"

Now that he was out of bed, he was cold, and if Lee's excitement was any indication of things to come, he was going to get colder. She'd sprinted past him at her super speed and Tarin nearly rolled his eyes as he yawned and stumbled around, still shaking off the sound sleep he'd been so warmly enjoying. Lee was ready almost as fast as she'd ran to the doorway and Tarin did roll his eyes when she called that the snow was going to be melted by the time he was ready. He only had one leg in his pants.

It was frigid outside, and Tarin had never bought much snow gear. On went two pairs of socks, sweat pants, on went jeans, on went another pair of sweat pants. They'd soak up water like crazy, but at least he'd be warm for a while. Up top, Tarin pulled on clothes similar to those on bottom, a t-shirt, another larger t-shirt, and a hoodie. Then, over the top of it all he pulled his huge winter coat. Gloves would follow when they were ready to walk out the door.

Feeling slightly like the stay puff marshmallow man, Tarin made his way to the front of the apartment and looked for the ear warmers he'd picked up over the last winter in New York. They were a must, plus they made his hair stand up in the most awesome way possible. Pulling it on and working on his gloves as he stood by the door, Tarin realized he was sweating. Lee was still digging in the closet, having pulled on her boots and as she tossed his out, Tarin grabbed them and, struggling with his layers, bent and pulled them on over his two pairs of socks.

Realizing that he'd only been out of bed for 10 minutes, Tarin cast a look around the apartment, finding the doughnuts and coffee Lee had brought and made his way to them, grabbing two doughnuts in one hand, and his coffee in the other. "Now I'm ready..." he said, stifling a yawn. "The question is, are you ready for the whoopin' you're about to get."

Tarin was taking forever to get ready. She had already gotten changed, found and put on her boots, and had found one of his before Lee heard Tarin coming out of his bedroom.

And no, Lee was not going overboard with all of this. She had promised Tarin a snowball fight the previous winter, but because of her whole broken collar bone, it hadn't exactly been possible.

But this was not the time to be thinking about broken bones, or the reason why they had been broken. This was time to go whip snow at each other. And Tarin was still taking his sweet time. Or maybe it was just that Lee felt he was because he wasn't moving as fast as she was. He had his boots now, at least, and while Tarin was putting them on, Lee was digging in the closet again. She knew that she had a toque in there somewhere, with how she had once walked around outside almost all day, every day, she had needed to have one. Not that she wore it very often, but there were days when it was an absolute necessity.

Ah, there it was! Pulling out the black hat, Lee straightened up. Giving her hair a quick twist, she then put the hat on, her hair tucked up inside and out of her way.

Turning back to Tarin, Lee saw him grabbing his coffee and a couple doughnuts in his gloved hands, and she shook her head with a smile. That had been part of why she'd gone to buy them, but there were so much more important things to do at the moment than eat. Like snow!

"Oh, you think you're going to whoop me?" Lee asked, leaning over to grab her keys off the table once more. "I'd like to see you try!" So Lee grabbed Tarin's wrist, since both of his hands were currently full, and pulled him from the apartment. Locking the door behind them, Lee pulled her gloves out and tucked her keys away, putting them on as she practically bounced down the stairs ahead of Tarin.

It couldn't have been fifteen minutes, but Lee was still bustling with so much excited energy that she could hardly contain herself. Did she really think that with as frigid as it was outside the snow would actually melt? Tarin didn't have a clue, but Lee's energy was infectious and he found himself almost as giddy as she was as he grabbed his coffee and his doughnuts.

Food and drink well in hand, Tarin wasn't ready for Lee to grab him an was eternally grateful for the lid on his coffee for without it he'd have spilled it all down his front.

She was taunting him still and Tarin beamed, he couldn't remember a time he'd ever seen Lee this happy and bouncy. If all it took was snow, Tarin decided he'd have to figure out a way to make this happen more often. Then they walked outside into the frigid New York winter and Tarin changed his mind. He'd have to find another way to make Lee this bouncy.

There were people bustling everywhere, it was a work day after all, and the newlyweds were among the few who were actually out and about for something other than work. Their plush appearance gave them away as snow goers and they got more than their fair share of strange looks, to all of which Tarin grinned.

The park wasn't close, and the snow was pretty deep and really squishy. The truth of the matter was that Tarin was probably going to lose. He could count the number of snowballs he'd thrown on a single hand, not even using all the fingers. He also hadn't played baseball in more years than it had been since he'd left Texas.

They'd reached the park, and Tarin finshed his coffee, milking the doughnut for all it was worth as if somehow the time would make his skill at snowball throwing better.

They apparently weren't the only ones with the idea of a snowball fight either. Everywhere he looked, Tarin saw couples and small groups of all ages pelting each other with the packed crystals. This was going to be rough, he thought as he took another tiny bite.

Tarin didn't seem nearly as eager as her, Lee noticed as they made their way down the stairs and onto the street out front. But he didn't seem overly hesitant or resistant, either. He was simply following along at a much slower pace, taking his sweet time drinking his coffee and eating his doughnuts on the way.

Or maybe he was just still tired, the rational part of Lee's mind tried to point out. She had just woken him up and practically dragged him out of bed not even 20 minutes earlier.

Then again, she'd been up all night and needed to work off some remaining energy...

Tarin really was milking eating the doughnuts, though. He was still munching on them, though he appeared to have finished his coffee, after they had walked into Central Park.

"Come on, Tarin..." Lee sighed in exacerbation, turning around and walking backwards through the snow yet still moving a bit faster than Tarin. "This is going to be fun!

"Tell you what," Lee continued, her mood still extremely cheerful, looking forward to the impending snowball fight. "I'll even cook breakfast when we get home. And by cook, I'll go buy something after I burn the eggs." Laughing slightly, because Lee knew she didn't cook very well, she bent over and grabbed a handful of snow. Straightening back up, Lee gave Tarin a look as she started to pack the snow into a ball. "Now hurry up and finish that, or I won't play fair."

Lee had figured out his game, Tarin winced slightly as he swallowed a chunk of doughnut. But it was a slightly larger chunk of doughnut than the bites he'd been taking. It was a surrender in a way and Tarin couldn't help but laugh when Lee offered breakfast in exchange for the snowball fight. The laugh changed though and Tarin gave Lee a meaningful look, "I don't think I'm going to be hungry for eggs Lee. You know, you look incredibly charming like that."

Tarin downed the last of the doughnut and grinned at Lee, then fast as lightning, (or a 2 legged dog), Tarin charged at Lee and bent, scooping a huge handful of snow and chucking it in Lee's direction.

"You're going to look even better with your face smeared in snow though!"

Packing the snow in her hands, balling it tighter and tighter. Tarin was still taking his time eating, though Lee saw that he did take a slightly larger bite of doughnut, so she had the time to make this a really good snowball.

Even after Tarin started laughing at her offer to make breakfast, Lee continued packing the snow. The laughter wasn't something offencive in this case; they both knew by now how bad she was at cooking, thanks to the couple times that Tarin had asked her to help him rather than allow her to stay safely out of the way.

But then Tarin spoke, and a blush completely separate from what the cold was producing appeared on her cheeks. "Like what?" Lee asked, slightly embarrassed by what Tarin was hinting at.

Finally, Tarin finished his doughnut. Only to start running at her, bending over on the way to grab some snow. Giggling slightly, Lee jumped to the side as the poorly packed snowball - Tarin had done little more than grab the snow and throw after all - flew off beside her. "You'll have to actually hit me first, hon!" Lee laughed at him as she took aim and threw her own snowball, and then immediately bending down to grab another handful to start packing.

"Like what." It was almost enough to make Tarin lose his footing as he sprinted towards Lee. He would have liked nothing more than to tell her and show her exactly what he meant, but she'd drug him out in the snow. A snowball fight she wanted, a snowball fight she was going to get.

The problem was, Lee had a distinct advantage. She'd spent the whole time he was delaying the inevitable packing a snowball. Lithely dodging the snowball he'd tossed in her general direction, Lee took aim and nailed Tarin, a firm blow to the shoulder and a glancing blow to the face. Tarin tried to stop too fast and skidded to a halt on his rear end in the snow. Laughing at spluttering snow out of his mouth.

As he spluttered, Tarin gathered snow in one hand, forming a snowball that wasn't quite as large as Lee's had been, but just as well formed.

A wicked grin spread across Tarin's features and he beckoned Lee towards him with his empty hand, "Come over here and help me up, then I'll tell you exactly what I have in mind." he said, snowball at the ready for when she got close enough. They were going to see just how charming she looked with snow in her hair. Heh Heh Heh.

Where Tarin's snowball had flown wide of his mark, Lee's had been true. Well, mostly true. She hadn't exactly meant to have it hit his face, even if it was just a bit of snow as it broke apart against his shoulder. But she had hit him, so her taunt about him missing when he'd thrown was still valid.

Then Lee saw Tarin skidding to a halt, only to end up on his butt on the ground. She had already been laughing slightly, but seeing the expression on his face, Lee burst out fully. Maybe it wasn't exactly fair to be subjecting Tarin to this so early in the morning, but he had appeared ready; he'd been the one who charged at her and threw the first snowball.

"Come over here and help me up, then I'll tell you exactly what I have in mind."

"Come help you up?" Lee asked, trying to hold in her laughter now. "What? Is it too hard to walk in the snow on your own?" Shaking her head and starting to laugh again, Lee walked toward Tarin, her snow ball still in her right hand, at the ready. She then extended her empty left hand toward Tarin.

OOC: Hopping in, now.

IC:
The breathe was visible in front of his face as Shin walked the frosty sidewalks of Central park, treading lightly for fear of incoming snowballs from behind. The children were out in full force, dressed up as warm as they could get and hurling blobs of snow (and hopefully not) slush at each other from behind snow barricades and snow men.

He sidestepped a slush ball, never breaking his whistling stride, thrusting his hands smugly into his pockets as he went. The child waved his gloved hands apologetically at Shin before taking a stealthy snowball assault from behind. He spun to glare at the girl, ducking to scoop up a ‘return fire’.

Shin turned to beam at the girl walking at his side. “Would you imagine? I caught some adults playing around here like kids earlier today too. It takes all sorts to make a snow war~” He turned his attention back to where he was walking and nearly stumbled through Tarin and Lee’s snowball battlefield. “Whoops. I guess history likes to hit ‘repeat’.”

Lee was teasing him. Tarin didn't mind though, she was laughing and smiling and generally carefree in a way that was so rare for Lee. He nodded his head sagely to her question about walking. "Us Texas cowboys don't know how to get around in all this fluff." he said, grin widening as Lee approached him despite her seeming chagrin at the idea of helping him up.

She had a snowball, Tarin noted, this was not going to be a free hit, he was going to have to get to give. That was okay though, the hat on Lee's head was far too perfect at the moment. As she approached, Tarin grinned, waiting until her outstretched hand was within reach.

Grabbing that hand, Tarin pulled himself up and chose that moment to make his move. Pulling Lee forward, hard and hoping to catch her off balance, he leapt forward and did everything he could to smoosh the snow into her hat, trying to remove the thing all together even.

All this just in time to hear a comment from a passerby, a very close passerby that had nearly gotten himself caught in the line of fire. "Don't mind us..." Tarin said to the man, his grin spreading even wider. "Apparently 'newlywed' and 'toddler' should be synonyms in the dictionary. I hope we didn't hit you with any of our silliness."

Lee's hand was extended, and Tarin put his gloved hand into hers. But she saw that gleam in Tarin's eye, that little sparkle, barely there, that said he was planning something. She was expecting Tarin to pull her down into the snow with him, though, so Lee was nice and braced as she helped pull Tarin to his feet.

Pulled him back to his feet without an attempt to pull her to the ground. Lee was just relaxing, then, when Tarin did pull on her hand. Before she had a chance to react, Lee felt her body crash into Tarin's. That, in and of itself, wasn't something she would normally have objected to. What Lee was objecting to was what he decided to throw in along side it.

Feeling her hat being pulled off, her hair falling free once more, Lee then felt the cold hit her head, not just from the air itself, but also from the snow Tarin had rubbed there.

"Oh, you do not want to start playing dirty," Lee said slowly, now raising her right hand with the snowball in it and thoroughly mushing it into Tarin's hair. "You're not the only one with brothers, and I grew up with snow."

It was only then that Lee heard a voice, one that most certainly did not belong to the man standing right in front of her. And Tarin was replying, an even larger grin on his face.

"There is nothing infantile about a snowball fight," Lee retorted, pulling away from Tarin. "It's a perfectly acceptable way to spend the day when there's snow like this on the ground." As if to illustrate her point to both men, Lee bent over again and grabbed another handful of snow. Closing both hands around it, the snow practically packed itself, it was that good of packing snow.

A quick glance and a small smile, and then Lee's arm shot out, throwing the new snowball at Tarin. "See?" Lee asked the newcomer, her smile growing. "Absolutely nothing wrong with a little snowball fight."

((OOC: Oh Shin's request))

A light smile lit Arielle's face watching the, Newly weds apparently from what the guy had said. Two grown adults playing in the snow and they looked to be having so much fun.

"I think it's adorable," Arielle said turning to Shin next to her. "I don't see anything wrong with playing in the snow. It's good to let your inner child out sometimes. Being a lame and stiff adult isn't fun at all."

She looked quizzically at the couple in action. Being from a place with such tropical weather, she had never seen a real snow ball fight in action before. It looked amusing from the way they were carrying on.

"You ever do this?" Arielle asked Shin.