"Raine come here." He commanded, his expression completely stern as he stared at me but I shook my head clutching onto the bag tightly peering up at him from beneath my lashes. I took a small step back, the late autumn leaves crunching beneath my feet, the sweet crinkling resounding in the tense frigid air that we stood in.

"You can't do this to me Raine." He said biting into his lower lip in frustration, but he was wrong this had to be done. He was wrong, truly it wasn't his fault, but he would ruin it.

"We bought that cotton candy together Raine and I swear to god if you take another step I will jump on you. I will get the bag, and I will eat all of it myself." Jay yells, taking a threatening step towards me.

"But you always slobber all over it, it's not fun or hygienic to share cotton candy with you. You're incapable of keeping it dry and away from your saliva." I said but Jay lurched forward grabbing the container from me. He smiled at me in victory as he stuck his face in the container making me groan as he tore a large chunk off of the pretty pink cotton candy. The soft blue underneath turning a darker shade from the direct contact with the liquids in his pie whole.

"It's all yours." I say sadly turning away from him but he wraps an arm around me pulling me into him smiling at me hugely. Soggy cotton candy remains showing from between his white teeth making me cringe.

"Roller coaster?" He asks as we walk and I loom at the rickety wooden figure that a small cart ran over carrying screaming children. Every year just before the harshest winter started there was a carnival, with great cotton candy but very unsafe rides. Although the fact that they wouldn't pass any safety check at all didn't seem to bother anyone in town besides Sophie who refused to join us. The rest seemed more then happy to wait in long lines to risk their lives and limbs for a few moments of adrenalin, including me.

In a small town like this a carnival meant most establishments were closed, and yet Xavier had told me he had business to attend to this morning. But even then he had made me waffles before leaving his home pressing a quick kiss to my forehead as he left. The crowd parted as the back of the same well tailored grey suit passed from between them that had pressed against my chair this morning as Xavier set hot Belgian waffles on my plate. People pressed their children behind them, looking at each other with wide eyes as hushed whispers rang through the crisp cold air. What work could a feared business man have at a carnival, I made to go after him, when a smooth male voice stopped me.

"Raine do you think my hips are too wide?" Jay asked and I frowned looking over at him,l. He stared down at his hips his two hands resting on them testing out their expanse before looking up at me with panic filled eyes.
"No of course not Jay." I said straining to look through the once again widely dispersed crowds, cursing my short stature and Jay's odd mind. It seemed he had already disappeared perhaps I was imagining things, but there really was no one else in this town that the crowd parted for, or who was intimidatingly tall and broad and wore well tailored suits.

"I really think they are, maybe that's why I'm single." Jay mumbled, pursing his lips looking disgruntled before looking up at me through those big childish candy apple eyes that made me want to wrap him up into a little box and store him away from the cruel world.
"I think you look great Jay, you're just too much for most to handle, but there's somebody out there for you." I say softly and his eyes brighten as he grins at me stuffing more cotton candy into his mouth chattering happily again, attracting the attention from the people around us.

"Don't these people have lives why are all these imbeciles packed into here." Jay groaned loudly getting impatient after only a few minutes. I tried to slap my hand over his mouth but it was too late. Groups of grumpy impatient people turned towards us, and I gulped as a little old lady let out a loud snarl. Jay was definitely going to get beaten, but they probably weren't gonna let me go unscathed either, after all I was the accomplice.

"Shut up Jay." I hissed trying to give the people a smile but they weren't buying it. Some of them turned around only to turn right back around as Jay opened his big mouth again.
"I mean most of these people have been coming for years, crowding this carnival unnecessarily with their grump sweaty selves. God it smells like somebody died in here, how are they sweating so much when its so cold." Jay said and I covered my face with my hands, nobody had died in here yet but two people were about to. A few people let out hisses, Jay only now realizing the predicament we were in as he turned around his green eyes going wide as he stared at the angry crowd. Letting out a small oh shit he turned towards me, panicked.

"Raine handle this." He squeaked and my eyes widened, the dreadful coward, he was the one who cursed at the impatient cold people in line and now he wanted me to calm them down or suffer their wrath.
"You dooshmcninnygog how dare you, you are going to clean up the mess you made yourself." I hissed at him.

"But you're the cute one with the big brown eyes and the petite fragile looking body, and the great coffee making skills, most of these barbarians probably know you from the cafe." He said making my eyes widen at his poor choice of words, realization dawning in his eyes as the hazardous old lady grips the back of his coat harshly. Her middle aged children flanked behind her like peacock feathers in their brightly coloured coats.

"Who you calling barbarians pretty boy?" Grandma growled turning him around to face her and Jay chuckles nervously attempting to pull out of her tight grip but failing to do so. I cleared my throat softly as I choked on air making her menace filled glare turn on me making my eyes widen as I broke out into a fit of coughs.

"You're the girl who works at the cafe aren't you?" She asked suddenly her eyes turning soft as she let Jay loose pushing him forward purposely, making him stumble into her children.
"You make great tea and scones dear." She said softly and I smiled at her in gratitude mumbling out a small thank you leaving out the the fact that Cyrus made the scones.

"But it's best not to keep friends as sour as that lemon we put in our tea." She said her lip pulling back slightly over her teeth as she stares at Jay. She smiled at me softly bidding me a goodnight as she went to stand in front of us again making sure to bump into Jay on her way making him let out a oomph.

"Granny's crazy." Jay said rubbing his shoulder but I yank him away before the nice family could turn around to show us just how much endurance and strength they had built up over the years clinging on for dear life to these rickety roller coasters.

"You're an idiot." I told him whacking him on the back of his head and he rubbed his head and shoulder glaring at me.
"This whole town is crazy, grannies are hulk in disguise, doe eyed baristas are violent and they both team up to injure innocent civilians." Jay said trying to look innocent but failing miserably. His candy apple green eyes always seemed to glint with childish mischief as adorable as it was, it most definitely was not innocent, Jay was anything but innocent.

"You need to learn to keep your opinions to yourself." I told him sternly glaring at him and his head flew up to rebuttal my apparently offensive statement.
"It's not my fault granny was crazy, I was just stating facts." Jay said and I let out a huff turning away from him. He was hopeless.

We headed over to the few remaining rides, Jay squealing shrilly as we pass a carousel, pleading with me furiously until I agree to go on it. We lined up amongst the many young children waiting in line, their parents looking at us weird from the sidelines, until we finally get on. Jay let out loud hoots and shrill happy screams as I attempted to console the scared children near him to keep them from crying as the weirded out parents now glared at us in anger.

I dragged Jay away from the rides with the promise of arcade games and candy if he behaves. Still scolding him I come to a complete standstill as I feel a tap on my shoulder and hear snickers in the distance. A young teenage boy stood behind me, his lanky thin arms pressed deeply into the pockets of low hanging jeans as he smirks at me, although his light blue eyes look panicked and nervous.

I tilted my head curiously wondering what this boy could possibly want from me? He opened his mouth and me and Jay wait patiently, my eyes widening as a small squeak comes out before the boy cleared his throat trying again.
"Hey shawty can you buy me and my friends a couple of beers, the dude over at the chicken stand refuses to give us some." He says and my mouth hangs open as I stare at the boy, his blue eyes now expectant as if I was supposed to just bound over and happily buy them beers.
"Y-you what?" I asked completely appalled this boy couldn't be over 14.
"We will pay you." He clarified as if that's what the obstacle was standing between me and buying children alcohol.
Jay looked at me trying to hold in his laugh. He called me shawty I mouthed to him absolutely appalled by the kids choice of words, I was much older then him, what happened to having some manners.

I had read a misbehaving puppy training book once, misbehaved human children couldn't be that far off, I needed to assert my dominance, keep an intimidation factor. I was many things but unfortunately intimidating just wasn't one of those despite how much I tried, but Xavier was.

I furrowed my brows, closing my mouth sealing it into a line before biting the inside of my cheek to attain that displeased purse, accidentally crossing my eyes as I tried to perfect the purse of my lips, but slip ups were allowed weren't they. I furrowed my brows squaring my shoulders, readying myself to better this child's life.
"You are much too young to be drinking, alcohol has taken its toll on many lives, you don't want to be one of those at such a young age, so don't do it, it's bad, no drinking." I finished off feeling quite proud. The boy stared at me blankly.
"So you're not gonna buy us the beers?" He asked slowly and I frowned, had I not made that clear?
"No, no I will not." I snapped and he shrugged walking back to his friends.

"Are you trying to look like Xavier Night?" Jay asked suddenly and I turned towards him before realizing I hadn't dropped the terrifying Xavier glare yet.
"No." I said shaking my head.
"Yes you are." Jay persisted.
"I'm just a scary person." I say trying to look convincing, standing so that I'd look larger.
"You're about as scary as a declawed kitten and that's a horridly adorable version of Xavier Nights infamous glare."
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said inwardly frowning, I thought I did pretty good what did he mean horrid, and I wasn't a cat or a young cat for that matter, I was a very intimidating human.
"Yes you do." Jay said a wicked smirk on his face, he was enjoying this.
"Just admit it." He pressed and I cracked mumbling a small fine, Jay wouldn't let this go until I admit it.
"Why?" Jay asked attempting to sound serious.
"To look scary." I mumbled under my breath.
"I didn't hear you." He teased leaning closer cupping his ear, and I frowned but repeated it louder appeasing the candy apple eyed monster.

"Hey is that Mr.Night?" Jay asked suddenly pointing behind me as we walked and I whirled around disappointed to see only a family playing a game the mother looking completely confused as to why I stared at them. I waved at her awkwardly turning back to Jay huffing at him in anger stomping away.
"I knew it." Jay said.
"Knew what?" I grumbled.
"You think he's pretty." Jay said and I turn to him scrunching up my nose, who called a 6'4 man with a menacing glare but enthralling silver eyes pretty. But that was what we called a crush ever since Sophie had accidentally called her boyfriend pretty in consolation when he confessed to loving her, to tease her we called liking somebody, thinking somebody was pretty, and eventually it had just stuck.

"I do not." I said knowing well what Jay meant, the ninny thought I had a crush on him.
"You're blind." Jay said.
"You're a ninny." I argued back, turning away from him, stomping angrily towards the sweets stand, purchasing a chocolate bar and biting angrily into it.
"Raine." A deep husky voice called, and I let out an irritated chuckle.
"Really, Jay now you're impersonating him, I told you I do not think he is pretty, he is not pretty, not at all." I said turning back towards Jay struggling with the horribly designed packaging of the chocolate. I looked up from the chocolate letting out a satisfied ha in victory as I managed to lower the wrapped further, only for it to drop as my eyes meet the horribly familiar melted silver pair encased in thick black lashes.

"Who's not pretty?" Xavier asked stepping closer to me grabbing my now cold empty hands in his larger ones warming them up.
"Jay's big toe, it's not pretty in this cold weather it gets very dry and flaky." I blurted out quickly, not knowing what else to say, Jay's mouth hung open in shock, his hand resting on his chest as he looked at me appalled. He readies himself to defend his pretty big toe but I glared at him shaking my head, as Xavier looks down at me his head tilted to the right in confusion, looking like an overgrown wolf pup.

"W-when'd you get here?" I asked shakily trying to distract him so that he wouldn't figure out that we were talking about him.
"Just now, I thought I'd come see you." Xavier said softly a large hand coming up to cup my cold flushed cheek softly, his rough large thumb rubbing gently over the thin skin of my cheekbone.
"Is that alright?" He asked softly his eyes looking at me for reassurance, the soft silver hopeful that I wouldn't reject him and I shook my head softly biting into my lip.
"I-it's fine." I said only now looking back over to Jay who watched us with his mouth hung open slightly that turns to a soft smirk as he sees me staring he waggled his brows suggestively, and I glared at him.

"Ice cream?" I asked Xavier suddenly to keep him from looking at my imbecile of a friend and he nods hesitantly. I kept my hand in his dragging him towards Jay nodding my head towards the ice cream stand.

We stood in line trying to peek over the heads of people to see flavours while Xavier looks completely at ease, I really do wished I was a giant too right now.

"What would you like?" Xavier asks as we near the front.
"I'm gonna get the macha chocolate swirl with chocolate sprinkles." I told him quietly.
"Is that your favourite?" He whispered, and I leant in to whisper back.
"I really like chocolate chip mint ice cream but I've been craving this." I said softly and he nodded.
"What would you like Jay?" Xavier asked and Jay looked at him wide eyed,like a deer caught in headlights.
"Strawberry cheesecake." He spit out suddenly and I frowned at him, he hated strawberry cheesecake ice cream.
"I panicked." Jay whispered leaning over to me, and I shook my head at him.

"The fireworks are about to start why don't you guys get a spot I'll get the ice cream." Xavier said but I shook my head.
"You always pay this time I'm paying." I said stubbornly tilting my chin upwards so that I was looking straight ahead but his fingers came under my chin turning my head towards him softly.
"I want to pay Raine." He said softly but I shook my head again.

"As do I." I told him and he leant down, the colour of his so very soft, the silver absolutely hypnotizing, the constant storm in his eyes seeming to pull me in. It seemed that I had suddenly forget how to breathe as he leans even closer, his warm breath fanning over my parted lips.
"Please." He said quietly and I nodded my head mumbling an okay without even thinking about it my mind too clouded to truly think it over. He smiles down at me softly.
"Thank you love." He said gently pressing a warm kiss to my cold cheek as I mumbled something back incoherently stumbling towards Jay still dazed.

Jay snapped his fingers at me as I reached him, effectively snapping me out of my trance.
"Snapadoodles." I cursed, as Jay looked at me weird. Xavier had hypnotized me with his eyes to get me to comply, and I had fallen right into his silver orbed trap. I had been right he was a conniving overgrown house cat.

Xavier handed us our ice creams and I took a giant spoonful of the delicious macha green tea and chocolate swirl nearly bouncing in delight at the taste.
"Thank you." I said grinning up at Xavier as he gazed down at me softly the melting silver of his eyes filled with adoration.
"You're welcome my love." He said gently. I craned my neck to see what Xavier is eating, and a small smile comes in his lips and he casually lowers his cup so that I can see. I nod in approval as I see the chocolate truffle ice cream with hot fudge he'd gotten, it was important for a man to be able to hold his chocolate.

"Thank you Mr.Night." Jay said sounding like a child unlike the professionally working individual he was, the fact that he was only a few years younger than Xavier not seeming to help his case.

I stared at the bright fiery colours in the dark night sky, the astonished murmurs of the families around us being drowned out as I looked at the sky being drenched in the many bright colours. I wished with all my heart that time would come to a complete standstill now as I stare at the spurts of colour in contrast to the night sky. I put another spoon of ice cream into my mouth shivering slightly in delight as the night lit up in gold. Something warm and large was draped across my shoulders, Xavier's coat, I looked up at Xavier offering him a happy smile in gratitude, too lost in the fireworks to care about how inconsiderate I was being taking his jacket in the cold. His breath hitched, maybe he was cold now. I offered it back to him but he shook his head simply wrapping a large arm tightly around my waist pulling me into his firm warm side, tucking me safely into himself. I was wrong, that wasn't the moment that I wished for time to standstill at, this was.