Page 104 of A Soul to Touch

While his back was facing her, she scrunched up a ball of snow in her hand and pegged it at his arse. She pretended to look busy by shovelling when he looked over his shoulder at her. She made sure her back was to him so he wouldn’t see that she was stifling a laugh.

The second time she did it, she had two balls. One to peg him in the back with, the other to hit him in the chest when he turned around.

She expected him to collect his own snowball.

Instead, his orbs turned blue as he asked, “Why are you throwing things at me? Have I upset you?”

He turned his face this way and that, most likely examining all the hard work he’d done so far – which was far more than her. Bending over, she collected more snow and formed a ball.

“It’s called a snowball fight,” she said while taking a fighting stance.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Mayumi.”

She couldn’t help rolling her eyes.

“It’s a game where people throw snow at each other while dodging. The person who hits the other the most wins!” She threw it at him, and he watched it fly across the clearing and explode against his dense chest. “Are you competitive, Faunus? Because I am, and I believe I’m four hits ahead of you.”

“You... wish to play a game with me?” His orbs flashed a bright colour of yellow.

They’d played many games over the course of the last week. They’d been limited to board games, but she thought this might be more energising.

However, she’d made a mistake. Averybig mistake. Faunus collected snow to make a ball... and it was the size of her fucking head. It was a snow-boulder.

Oh shit!She ducked when he threw it, practically diving to the side and falling flat on her face.

“You’ve gotta make them smaller, Faunus!” she squealed when he collected another ball and started chasing her with it.

She hid behind a tree just before he launched it, hearing her far too late. The tree shook, and white power fell from the branches above to land over her shoulders and head.

Mayumi didn’t mind if she got a little hurt in the process. Not when Faunus let out a deep chuckle when she emerged covered in snow while irately wiping it off.

“That counts as a hit,” he stated while laughing and pointing a claw in her direction. “I still made snow fall on you.”

Puffing her cheeks, Mayumi quickly reached down and made the biggest snowball she’d ever made. It was still one quarter the size of his. Then she swiftly parted her legs with a stomp and raised her arm.

He did the same, preparing himself. The moment she stepped forward to throw it, Faunus bolted to escape. It missed him.

As he was running, he easily swiped up snow and made a ball.

At least it was smaller because she wasn’t prepared for it when he suddenly turned and threw it at her. It was a gentle toss, and for that she was thankful as it immediately put her on her arse.

“That’s two,” he pointed out.

Her eyes bowed as she winced and sat up, digging her hands into the snow. “Ah. Ow! I think I broke something.”

His orbs immediately turned white. He bolted for her.

“Did I hurt you? I should have been more careful.” He slowly started to crouch around her and gingerly reached his hands out. “I’m sor-”

Before he could finish, Mayumi tossed a small ball of snow she’d formed in her hand while it was hidden. Her laughter echoed in the clearing as she got to her feet and ran.

“You little liar!”

Mayumi was only chased a few steps before she was tackled. Faunus twisted them as they fell, and they both landed on their sides, so she wasn’t crushed beneath his gigantic, heavy frame.

The giggle that came from Mayumi was so light and carefree that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d released something like it.

“That was cheating, Mayumi,” Faunus lightly growled, which only made her giggles worsen.

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