Chapter Text
"Hurry up!!!"
The voice of the young girl that wasted no time running ahead called out to you as you trailed a few feet behind her. But as brisk as your pace was, you couldn't quite keep up, even after she rushed back down to your side, ran a circle around you, then took the lead again to make her point. "We've got to be the first ones down!"
"I don't think that's gonna be an issue, Putunia." You smiled, continuing upward at your own speed and glancing around at the snowy hillside you were climbing. The only footprints to be seen were the ones that trailed behind you, accompanied by the tracks of the sled you'd been pulling along. Without coming to a stop you turned your head back towards the passenger that rode inside it. "How're you two holding up?"
Millie had been leaning over the back, fixated on the bottom of the hill as you scaled farther away from it but she turned around quickly at your question, sitting back down with a plop and crossing her arms. "Fine, let's just get this over with, it's freezing out here!" Sitting directly in front of her was Tim Tam, they seemed to be preoccupied staring mindlessly into the white that coated the ground, and after a second they reached their mittened hand out into it, leaving a small trail along the side of the sled as it passed through the snow. Putunia had been a part of your little chauffeuring originally as well, but it didn't take long for her to get restless and jump out into the snow herself when she found your pace far too slow.
"We're almost there." You assured. Turning back towards the hill's summit, you added a little more pep to your step and broke into a small jog to catch up with Putunia since she'd gone on quite far ahead without you. "Hey, wait up!" You called out as you sped ahead, chuckling quietly at the startled sound Millie made behind you when your sudden speed took her by surprise.
Surprising even yourself, you eventually caught up to Putunia, but that was probably because she came to a stop herself to let you catch up, which you were thankful for, cold air always made it harder to catch your breath. "Come one, you've almost made it!" She cheered as you started moving again and she circled you once more. This time coming up behind the sled you pulled to begin pushing it. She kicked up the snow a little as she struggled to build momentum but as soon as she got it moving you released the reigns and stepped aside as she began pushing it upwards all on her own, receiving more than one complaint from Millie at her much more careless ascension. "We gotta go go go!"
"N-not so fast!"
Putunia's energy was contagious, and now that you didn't have your passengers to worry about, you ran after the three of them at full speed, finally reaching the top in just a few seconds. "Phew...", you left out a sigh, pulling the collar of your jacket over your mouth to breathe in the warmer air and catch your breath again.
When Millie and Tim Tam finally stepped out of the sled Putunia was quick to pick it up, lifting it over her head as she ran along the hilltop looking for the best place to sled down. Tim Tam followed after her and Millie shuffled over to stand beside you. They insisted, well, perhaps it would be better to say that Putunia insisted on sledding down the biggest hill in town and this was it. The only one not covered in trees at least and it offered a nice view of the suburbs below. You had to admit, looking down from the top had you wonder if this was a good idea.
Millie must have had the same idea because you noticed her uncomfortably shuffling beside you as she stared down the almost 400ft drop. Squatting down to her level, you absent-mindedly adjusted her beenie, pulling it down over her ears. "You ready? It's pretty cold out here, I'm still surprised it snowed this much this early." You asked and she quickly swatted at your hands, pulling it down rather harshly herself.
"Maybe you're surprised, but it always snows early around here." She scoffed, but it wasn't nearly as hostile as it usually was.
"Really? I'll have to remember that."
"Yeah." She sighed, and perhaps she wasn't as worried as you'd thought as her expression turned almost friendly when she turned to watch her friends. Putunia placed the sled down and stuck her tongue out as she examined its trajectory, even picking Tim Tam up and setting them inside as she adjusted its position.
There was one moment in which your heart skipped a beat when the sled began moving downhill on its own with Tim Tam inside but Putunia was quick to catch it, pulling it back up before the back end made it over the side.
Startling both of you, Putunia jumped upwards and yelled in your direction. "WE'RE READY!"
"Took you long enough!" Millie was quick to run over to join them, but before anyone had a chance to climb inside you cut in.
"Alright, Tim Tam in the front, then Putunia, then Millie, and I'll ride in the back."
Putunia slouched over, her former enthusiasm falling somewhat. "Aww, come on! You were supposed to ride in the front cause you're the biggest, that way we'll go faster!"
"Normally, yeah, that's how it works, but not when we're going down the biggest hill in town. I told you'd I go down with you but I want to be able to stop us easy if we start going too fast."
"Too fast?!" Putunia questioned, her jaw dropping. "There no such thing as too fast!"
"Maybe in your book, but I promised your parents I wouldn't land you in a snowy grave if I let you do this."
"Awww..."
"Ah, let her sit in the back, Tuny. This way you get to steer anyways." Millie rolled her eyes.
"Really!?" Her former excitement returned fully as she bounced on her heels.
"Yep, just think of me as the breaks." You joke as the four of you began piling into the sled. Putunia was the first in, bouncing in her seat as Tim Tam sat down in front of her. Being the smallest, Putunia was able to easily grip the reigns of the sled from around them and was tugging them eagerly, probably already playing out your decent in her head as she jumped back to her feet in the sled and pretend to move as though she was surfing.
Millie sat down next, much more cautiously as to not move the sled and once she was down she placed a hand on Putunia's shoulder, yanking the much more excited girl down with her. "We can't go if you're standing up, you know, dummy."
Before you joined them you pulled the sled back a few inches just to be safe and took a look down the hill. All things considered, Putunia did choose a pretty good spot, it looked like you'd just breeze between the houses at the bottom of the hill from here if she was able to keep it straight. The only problem it could present would be accidentally sledding into the street but you'd just have to make sure to stop before then.
"Okay..." you began, stepping over the end of the sled, you lowered yourself, and with a huff, let yourself fall into a sitting position. The four of you all just barely fit and your legs straddled the three of them, stopping only an inch or two from the front of the sled. If you had been any taller this might have been quite uncomfortable. You did a quick test to see if you could throw your leg over the side quickly and did so with no problem, knocking the snow off against the side before putting it back in. "Everyone ready?" You asked, leaning your arms out the back to get a hold on the ground.
Millie scooted back closer to you and gripped the sides of the sled, Putunia cheered loudly and Tim Tam rested both of their hands on the tops of your boots. "I'll take that as a yes!"
In a few quick motions, you lurched the sled forward with your collective weight, inching it towards the edge and planting your hands in the snow once you'd gotten close enough. "Here we go!" You warned, gripping the ground, and with a pull, teetered the front half of the sled over the edge of the incline, letting go and letting gravity do the rest as you began to slide.
It started slowly as expected but as soon as the sled sunk itself into the snow it glided down through the thick white with no problem. You had to admit you felt something that could only be described as giddiness when you began to pick up speed, even if you were originally here just to watch the kids you couldn't help but get lost in the thrill yourself.
"WOO HOO!" Putunia cheered and you joined her, even raising your arms for effect.
"Woo hoo!"
Even Millie was smiling silently, a wide, excited grin spread across her face and she even released the sides of the sled to place her hands on Putunia's shoulder and lean over her to look forward. "Way to go, red." She praised and Putunia laughed proudly, whipping the reins of the sled as if it was what was making you go faster.
Tim Tam you didn't have to worry much about, they still held onto your boots that they sat between and you wondered briefly if they were doing so for security or because they had plans to steal your socks later. Either way, they hadn't jumped out so they were probably having just as much fun as the other two.
Halfway down the slope you began rapidly picking up speed, and you scooted back as much as you could, gripping the sides of the sled yourself in preparation to begin slowing down. Then in a slow movement that went unnoticed by other passengers, you hung your leg out over the side a few inches from the ground and carefully lowered it. But a startled sound left your mouth when you found it harder than you'd originally thought, your boot easily dug through the snow but you lifted your leg up again when it uncomfortably crashed into the ground that sped by underneath you. You were going way too fast and there was way too much weight in the sled, at least, a lot more than you were used to when you sledded by yourself as a kid. You were sure you could stop it if you stuck both of your legs out, but at the speed you were going you'd probably flip the sled so you didn't really want to have to do that with the kids inside if you didn't have to.
Millie was the only one to pay your little moment any mind, glancing back at you with a questioning look on her face; she then looked forward once more and then back to you with a lot more worry. It was then that noticed you were nearly at the bottom, heading straight for the street below and still at full speed.
"Alright, everybody, hold on, we're coming to a stop!" You announced loudly and threw your leg over the side again.
"Aww, man..." Putunia groaned. "We can go again though, right?" She turned to look at you pleadingly but her eyes widened when she noticed you struggling to stop. "Oh! Let me help!". She smiled and turned back to the front of the sled but by the time you noticed what she was doing it was already too late.
"Putunia, wait we're still going too-" With a hard tug she pulled on the reigns of the sled and forced all of her weight to the side; she was trying to break into a drift. Instead, however, because you were still trying awkwardly to slow down, the sled turned quite wildly, snow flying into the side until you spun a full 180. "-too fast!" You finished frantically, now watching the hill's incline get farther and farther away.
"Hey, look! Now you are riding in the front!" Putunia, gasped, obviously missing the urgency of the situation. Millie seemed to be the only one besides you that was concerned with your collective position and she quickly spun around on her knees to face you and watch where you were headed.
"D-do something!"
"I-" You turned your head around just in time to see the way you finally descended the rest of the hill, passing between houses that sat at the bottom and going right out into the street. You reached forward and pulled Millie into you, clamping your eyes shut tightly and bracing yourself for impact as you felt pavement scrape the bottom of the sled.
When you finally opened them a few seconds later all you could see was white. Like, literally, you were surrounded by white, your entire body encased by a soft pressure. Attempting to shake it off you immediately recognized it as snow as it fell onto your face and you actually had to struggle to get up, finally managing to pop your head out into the light. You laid back half-buried in a fleshly plowed snowbank on the opposite side of the street, your head and left arm being the only things now not hidden by the snow as you tried to collect your thoughts.
Snapping you out of your shock, something touched your cheeks from above and you leaned your head back, coming into direct eye contact with Tim Tam. They stood right above your head, light enough to not sink into the snow themselves as they leaned over your face, resting their hands against your cheeks and staring into your eyes. Their hat was nowhere to be seen and their cheeks and nose were tinged a little darker than usual thanks to the cold no doubt.
For a moment you were so startled you couldn't respond and only stared back. "Tim Tam!" You yelled in relief and they took a step back when you shuffled to stand up, making the mistake of trying to prop yourself up against the snow only for it to give out under your weight and make fall back into it. "Where- where are the others?!" You asked, finally making it to your feet as you tried to kick away the waist-high snow surrounding you. Tim Tam didn't respond but looked to the left of the snowbank and you quickly followed their gaze.
"Uuuuuh..." A silent groan sounded from that direction and you rushed over, nearly falling again as you waded through the snow.
"Millie?"
Her head popped up on cue and she began shaking the snow out of her hair as she looked around. "Ugh, what happened?"
"We crashed." You replied flatly, helping her up as your worried expression returned. "Are you okay?"
"Huh?" She raised an eyebrow then took off her hat, shaking the snow from it as well. "Oh- oh yeah, I'm okay." She didn't seem quite sure at first, but her confidence returned once she'd stepped out of the snowbank and brushed herself off. "Looks like we stuck the landing." She joked and you smiled.
"Good, then we just need to find.."
"THAT. WAS. AWESOME!" You and Millie both jumped in surprise as Putunia burst up from the snow, sled held high above her head and you let out a sigh of relief.
"Putunia, I'm glad you're okay..."
"That was amazing, I've never gone down backwards before! Let's do it again!" Before you could stop her the young girl was already on her way back across the street and up the hill. Millie began to run after her but stopped when she noticed you still standing in shock.
"Well? What are you waiting for, we can't let her have all the fun, can we?" She questioned with a snarky smile and Tim Tam strode up to your side, placing a hand on your pant leg and giving it a small tug. Taking a deep breath your smile had returned and you picked them up, placing them on your shoulders and running after Putunia and Millie with a yell.
"I'm riding in the front this time!"