Chapter 1
It was winter.
A very typical one, but also nonetheless magical.
Snow falling down from the angels as white, pure dust. It was filling the grounds, piling up to large mountains and twirling with the power of the wind.
It was just that enchanted. This time of the year.
No burning from the everlasting ball of fire. No screaming parents at the beaches, trying to desperately make their children apply more sunscreen. No drunken humanity, screaming their way to the local bars with fake ID’s.
Only bliss. Calmness to chill out rage.
Almost demonic silence with a tinge of the half-empty buses running by, leaving a gentle snow cloud behind.
One snowflake found its way on his lips. Other rested on his eyelash making the person in front of him giggle.
It was winter. It was freezing outside but that didn’t cause the feelings to be frozen. In fact, it was time for love.
With nothing but a human beside another, to exchange warmth. With racing hearts, facing each other. Grins decorating the faces of the youth as they find the power from themselves.
It was the time for confessions in a form of pink letters dropping out from lockers. Secret admiration found between the pages of textbooks.
They laughed, closing the distance between each other like it was the only thing that would make the connection last.
And who knows, it even might…
“What the fuck is this crap, prost?”
The writer wailed, stepping up from the work desk, flipping the cheap Ikea chair upside down in the process. Their hands soon wrapped around their face with clear agitation, exhaling deeply.
“Okay.” Michael said simply, trying to keep his posture, “I mean, this is nice. Very, uh…unique. But my point is that this is completely on the other side of the spectrum! I–it’s–“ he sighs ever-not-so-ambiguously. “Look. I want you to develop in this field. You’re like a daughter I never–“
“Don’t call me a–”
“Yeah, just shut up. What you were supposed to come up with was an action story about a…maybe a robot army, not a…a magical princess falling for a ladies’ charmer, who possibly will return home with a white steed.”
“I never said it was a girl.”
“Whatever. I don’t give a shit, this wasn’t the story we need on the paper, get it?”
An eye roll, muttering under their breath, “Oh, and I wonder why is that…”
“You–“ he lowers his voice, “You know exactly why that is. I can’t even let you out of my sight these days because as soon as I do, you go ahead and write one of your fairytales.”
“They’re not fairytales!”
“I don’t care what they are, okay!?” Michael nearly shouts, “You make so much trouble to me. The head will never accept these stories! It’s too obscure. They’re not what they would call as…”
“Heterosexual cisgendered idea of a comedy?”
He faces their eyes with sudden cloudiness in them and Nic stares back while raising their eyebrows in question.
“Well?”
Michael sits down on an armchair that smells to this day, like cat pee, “You don’t want me to answer that, prick. It’s not as nice up there as it is in here.”
“Great, m’glad that I’m going to hell anyways,”
“You think this is a fucking joke?!”
Nic spreads their arms in agony, “What do you want me to say, uncle? That I’m not welcomed here? That this town is not and will never accept me? Let’s be real, everyone would fucking enjoy themselves way better if I wasn’t here.”
“…don’t say that,”
“But it’s true!” They kneel down, to be on the same level. The rage melts on Nic's face along with a sigh. “I should move out.”
“No. We’ll figure this out, we can–“
“…Do what? There’s absolutely nothing else left to do! I think…that I’m ready to do that now.”
“It’s gonna be even harder for you out there, asshat.”
“So?” Nic shakes their head, “It’s barely even affecting me. The only thing I’m worried is the way your face had more and more wrinkles every day.”
“Oh, cut it out with the sappiness, you fucktard.” The uncle says in a foreign, soft tone.
“Uncle, I’m ready. I want to move out. It’ll be a new start. It could even develop my writing.”
There’s a silence and an eye contact that seems to speak for itself.
“Y’sure?”
“More than anything.”
“Alright, let’s get you outta here.”
