#littlestory

“Ah… no…” You answer, moving your hand further away from him. “It’s just… I knocked your food over earlier… right? So you’re still hungry?”

The little skeleton glares back. “I ain’t gonna be all warm n’ buddy buddy wit’cha! I told’ja I didn’t want’cher help, n’ then ya fucken’ manhandled me! If ya think I’m gonna suddenly n’ wanna come inside n’ be yer cute fuckin’ pet, then yer a bigger dumb ass than I thought.”

“No… um… I was thinking more like… What if I bring out some food for you instead. It was my fault it got knocked over, and I live in the apartments here, so I can bring it out pretty quickly.”

“I already told’ja I don’t need’jer help!” The little skeleton snarls back.

He no sooner states his refusal for your offer, than his stomach area gives a loud growl. Red blossoms across his face, and you have to hide your smirk as he tries to cover the sound with his own animistic growl.

“Are you sure…?” You ask. “It’ll be warm and fresh. Not some half frozen moldy leftovers.”

“I already said no!” He snarls.

“Do I hear someone refuse-ing free food?” Another low voice calls, and a moment later a pair of white pinpricks slide up in the darkness beside the red ones. “Cause that sounds like an offer we shouldn’t throw away lightly…”

The red skeleton’s eyelights dart toward the new voice. “I thought I told’ja ta stay back.” He attempts to whisper, moving to block him from your view.

“We need the food.” The other skeleton whispers back, before coughing heavily and shaking a little as he struggles to take in air. “This dumpster’s practically overflowin’ with shit! I’ll find more food once they leave!” The red eyed skeleton snaps.

You smirk, bending over as you prepare your offer. “It’s leftover pizza.” You say temptingly.

“Oh god…” The second skeleton murmurs.

“And I can microwave it for you so it’s hot.”

“OH GOD!” He says louder, and the red eyed skeleton looks away, struggling to make eye contact.

“It’s delicious, and extra greasy.”

“You’re meeting all my standards!” The white eyed skeleton moans, before going into a coughing fit once again.

“D-Don’t fall fer that, stupid!” The other skeleton growls back, but you can already tell you’ve won. His usual frown has morphed into a relaxed grin, and he stares off in a daze just thinking about your words.

“Wait right here and I’ll be right back with it.”

“I… wh-what!... I told’ja I ain’t-” He stutters.

“It’s pizza, Edgy!” The other skeleton cuts in, leaning against the other skeleton. “And we need a pizza it!”

You go back inside and find the leftover pizza sitting in a box in your fridge. You’re not sure how much those little skeletons eat, they’re pretty small, but they’re also starving. You decide to heat the entire leftover half pizza and let them have as much as they want. 

While you wait for the pizza to heat the microwave, you run your throbbing hand under warm water, inspecting the fresh circular mark of raised flesh. That little skeleton bit you pretty hard, and you’ve drawn blood on both your palm, and the top of your hand. You take a moment to grab a box of medical wraps from a first aid kit, and bandage yourself as best you can. As you’re walking back out to the kitchen, you get another idea, and dodge into a closet to grab a large fluffy blanket.

“I brought the pizza.” You say once you’ve made it back into the freezing air in front of the dumpster.

For a moment, there’s no response, and you become worried the bitties ran away during the short time you were gone. Then, from beneath the gap under the dumpster, two pinpricks of red surface once again and glare up at you.

“Tch… jus’ open the box’n leave it there.” He growls.

You hesitate. “I brought you a blanket as well.” You state. “It’s supposed to get really cold out tonight.”

“Heh… Don’t worry… The cold’l go right through us.” The other skeleton answers.

“Like we’re gonna stay under a filthy dumpster all night anyway!!!” The red eyed bitty growls.

“Oh…” You say, a little dejected. You’re worried about them walking around in the cold all night, and the coughing that keeps coming from the white eyed bitty doesn’t sound good at all. “Are you sure… we’re supposed to get over a foot of snow. It might get too deep for you to walk around in.”

The red eyed glares, before leaning out of the gap under the dumpster to watch the snow fall.

“How bout I just leave this here for you and you can decide...?” You say, finding a cardboard box, and pushing it against the other wall. You bunch the blanket into a nest like shape and push it into the box before setting the open pizza box on the ground next to everything.

The two pairs of eyelights watch you work, and once you’re finished, you stand for a moment looking at each other awkwardly. More coughing comes from under the dumpster.

“Goodnight, then…” You say, before walking off.

As you turn the corner to your apartment, you hear scuttles from the two bitties, and one long mouth filled moan as one of them takes their first bite of hot pizza.

--

The next day, you have class in the morning, and you come outside early, before the sun has yet to fully rise in the sky. It’s still snowing, and you squint your eyes looking for the box under the fresh blanket of snow.

You’re carrying a bowl of hot oatmeal you’d prepared this morning. If the bitties were still there, then they might appreciate another hot meal after a cold night outside.

You find the box still leaning against the wall covered with snow. The pizza box sits next to it, empty. Your somewhat surprised they ate all of it. that was a lot of pizza for someone so small. You brush the snow off the blanket, hoping they’re somewhere inside, when suddenly the blanket explodes sending snow flying everywhere.

“G-Get back asshole! R’ I’ll fuckin’ kill ya!” The red eyed bitty snarls, bearing his claws and teeth up at you. When he finally gets a good look at your face, recognition dawns on him, and he relaxes, settling into an icy cold glare. 

“Oh… s’jus’ you…” He says, sitting back in the blanket. He wraps it around himself, his breath dancing in the cold morning air. “The fuck’s yer problem? Don’t go wakin’ me up like that, idiot!” He growls, before looking at your hands and grinning. “Or are ya lookin’ ta get some fresh frost bite first thing inna mornin’...?”

“I’ll pass...” You answer, squatting down and holding the steaming bowl out. “Um… I thought you’d like something to eat in the morning...” 

The red eyed bitty looks at it bordly before ducking back under the blanket. “Hey… Get up lazybones, the idiot brought us more food.” You hear him say gruffly.

There’s a moment of silence as you wait, but nothing happens.

“Hey… I said there's more food.” He growls again.

Nothing moves from the blanket, and you hear him sigh.

“Why do peppers hate winter so much…?” He asks, waiting as though expecting an answer. More silence passes, before you hear his voice again. “H-Hey…” He says urgently, and this time he sounds worried. “Wake up!”

You place the bowl of oatmeal down in the snow, waiting as well. What’s going on under there?

“H-Hey…” The bitty says again, and this time his voice cracks.

You find your hand moving on it’s own, pushing the top of the blanket up and out of the way, before finding the red eyed bitty sitting distraught over his friend. For the first time, you get a good look at the other bitty’s face. His sockets are ringed with dark bags, and they’ve accumulated some kind of thick blue crust around the edges. Unlike the red eyed skeleton, his bones are grayed, and dull, like the life has been sucked out of him. He doesn’t wear any shoes, and his feet are marred with dark scratches, covered in more of that thick blue crust.

“S’ cause it makes them chilli…” The red eyed skeleton says, shaking the other bitty as he finishes the pun. “H-Hey… W-Wake up…?” He shakes the bitty harder. “Why are ya so cold? S’ supposed ta go through us… remember? Hey… Hey...”

“Um…” You say, watching as red tears form in the red eyed skeleton’s sockets.

“Go away!” He snarls, hugging the other bitty into himself. “Leave us alone... Jus’.... leave us alone...” He says quietly.

Leaving the bitties outside overnight may have been a bad idea. It must have been really cold last night. 

As you kneel in front of the box with the two bitties, you try and think about what to do next. You don’t have a lot of options, and the red eyed bitty is still being stubborn about letting you near them.

1 (Comfort the red eyed bitty first) The slowest option, but you need to get him on your side before you make another move.

2 (Try and persuade the red eyed bitty to come inside) Spend a little time convincing him to work with you. If he agrees, it’ll be easier for you to get things done.

3 (Pick up the entire blanket with them both in it, and carry them inside) This is an emergency. Even if he doesn’t want you to, you’re taking them inside, now!

You suck in air, biting your lip as you bring your other hand slowly down to the little skeleton still glaring up at you. His eyelights slide away from your face, watching your hand as it descends toward him.

He bites down harder. “I’ll fuckin’ kill ya!” He snarls through his teeth. “D-Didn’t’cha hear me! STOP!”

You keep moving, ignoring his threats. He tries to struggle away from your approaching hand, but he’s still tangled in a few last wires, and he refuses to let go of his hold on you.

“S-Stop!” He squeaks, mashing his sockets shut when you make it to his shoulder. His body stiffens as though he’s expecting something to happen, but when he only feels you digging at the wire around his shoulder he slowly reopens them again, watching you work.

Something warm and wet lands on his skull, and he flinches, before lifting his free arm up to wipe at it. His bite lessens, and his growls slow to a soft pitch as he looks at the wetness held between his small phalanges.

“T-The hell are ya doin’!” He says as he watches another tear fall. “I warned ya, didn’t I? Stop tryin’ ta help me ya fuckin’ wimp!” A second tear lands on his skull, and he flinches again before wiping it away. “I said ta stop, dumbass!” He snarls again.

“C-Can’t!” You respond through clenched teeth. You’re trying to hold back the tears, but the pain is making your eyes water out of your control. “I said I’d get you out, so I can’t stop yet.”

You finish loosening the wire and remove it from his shoulder, bringing your hand back to work at the last collection around his chest.

“I-If yer gonna cry about it then don’t mess with me inna first place!!” He growls, his teeth loosening again. “I already told’ja I don’t need’jer help!”

“I’m not crying, my eyes are just watering cause it hurts!”

“It’s supposed ta hurt!!!” He growls back. “I fuckin’ warned ya!”

The last of the wires loosen from around his stomach, and you pull them away, feeling the small spikes catch at his clothes before finally flicking free.

“There…” You say, moving your free hand away. “You’re free…”

The small skeleton scowls at you, before narrowing his sockets. Then he suddenly unlatches his jaw from your hand, and slaps it away. He coughs, spitting something on the trash bag beneath him, before wiping at his mouth, leaving a dark stain on his already dirty and ripped jacket.

“Fuckin’ gross…” You hear him mumble as he gets to his feet, still wiping at his face. “The hell do they always gotta bleed everywhere for…?”

His eyelights travel back up to yours and he glares when he sees you still standing in front of the dumpster, cradling your bleeding hand.

“Tch...” He growls lightly. “I ain’t gonna say thanks’r nothing. I already told’ja I didn’t need’jer help. Hurry up’n beat it...”

Then he disappears.

You stand in place holding your throbbing hand as you stare at the now, little skeleton-less dumpster. Then you realize something’s happening at your feet. Small scuttling sounds come from beneath the dumpster, followed by low quiet voices.

These are bitties right? They can teleport… or something like that…? He must have gone to the other voice at your feet.

You rock back and forth for a moment, staring at the dark gap under the dumpster, and suddenly two red eyelights are glaring back at you.

“I said beat it!” The small skeleton snarls, before the eyelights disappear.

You take in the cold weather around you. The snow is still falling heavily, and your hands are so numb and cold you almost can’t feel the pain from the bite you received earlier… almost...

You don’t want to leave the bitties out here, but you already know one of them is set on having nothing to do with you to the point of self destruction.

What do you do?

1 Attempt to capture the bitties and bring them inside (sometimes a little force is necessary when two parties don’t see things the same way)

2 Attempt to bribe the bitties to come with you (A warm bath and a hot meal go a long way)

3 Let them stay outside and bring something warm for them instead (Trust is a path forged slowly)

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