A Cold Dread || Robert & Tennessee
batmans1x1:
    Robert shivered as he hopped off the bus, the cold winter winds nipping at his cheeks. He suddenly regretted not taking his nanâs advice; an extra sweater or two was certainly in need in this weather. There were hardly any vehicles on the roads, and the snow caked sidewalks remained empty save for him. Everyone was undoubtedly in their homes, safe and warm, shielded from bitter grips of winter. And here he was, facing winter head on, at Tennesseeâs address (if his phone was at all right), against the better judgement of his nan and their school (something about a storm, and snow days for the next 48 hours), all to share the wonder that is science.Â
   The teen tucked his phone into the pocket of his pea coat and trudged through the snow, towards the old colonial townhouse marked with the building numbers Tennessee had provided him. He knocked on the door, before noticing a doorbell just a foot away. Doing his best not to let his teeth chatter, Robert pulled his hands from his coat pockets, and pressed the little white button. Repeatedly, maybe even excessively. Okay, the door pressing was definitely excessively.Â
   âFuck, itâs cold.â He muttered to himself, tucking his hand back into his coat to keep himself from pressing the tempting button again. âCold cold cold cold coooold.âÂ
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     The boy sprung up from his bed, carefully setting his camera aside as soon as he heard a knock, then a chipper ring of the doorbell. It rang again, and again, and againâdespite the exasperated frown marring his forehead, Tennessee did speed up his footsteps as he climbed down the stairs. Honestly, he hadnât expected Robert to actually make it in this godforsaken weather.
     He wasnât entirely sure why Robert was so invested in this. To his knowledge, the older boy didnât get paid or anything. He was doing this per Mrs. Evergreenâs request and her request only. Rob could have easily sent him a text that todayâs tutoring session would have to be canceled because of unholy weather conditions, and Tenny wouldâve said okay without resistance. However, Robert was here, at hisâno, his grandparentsââhouse, and Tenn had to make sure it looked somewhat decent. On his way to the front door, he picked up a couple of itemsâmagazines, empty coffee mugs, and a penâand stacked them on the kitchen table in a poor attempt to clean up.
     Opening the door, he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, a freezing gust of wind wildly assaulting his face. Fuck. He wasnât used to this. They didnât get snow back in Galveston, the winter temperature rarely dropping below fifty degrees. The idea of having a snow day, therefore, was more or less alien to him. Hell, he had never even seen actual snow until moving to his grandparentsâ place.
     âHey,â he greeted, cautious per usual. He took in the older boyâs shaking frame as he slid out of Robertâs way, a clear invitation to come inside, then wondered in disbelief: âWait, did you walk?â














