A Battle in the Snow} Todd

((Never gonna tan, those two. Vanilla their whole lives.)

Todd nodded grimly. "Frosty Jr comes from a troubled home, it seems," he conceded, looking down at the headless thing and shaking his head 'sadly'. "Pretty sure he's gonna need therapy."

Todd laughed and bent to start on Frosty's head. "Cube head would be a disaster," he chirped. "Trianlge head would be even worse - his brain would get all squished, you know? Octagon head wouldn't keel it's shape. No, at the very least our snowchild is going to have an oval head. And even then the others frozen kids could tease him and call him egghead. How, as parents, could we doom him to that?"

"Oh, but therapy costs lots of money... can't we just make up and provide a better enviroment for him?" Penny questioned, pouting slightly. "Plus, I'd rather not be known as a bad mother." She gave a sharp nod on that note, patting poor unfinished Frosty Jr.

Penelope chuckled slightly. "Yes, I suppose that would be very cruel of us," Penny examined the snowman in the making before clapping her gloved hands together. "Okay! A spherical head it is." She bent down and started to make his head.

[sorry it took so long. Was working on homework since I got home from work. Didn't give me much inspiration. xD]

"Penelope, my dear!" he exclaimed in a faux scolding tone. "No expenses will be spared when it comes to our little Frosty's happiness!" He sighed, shaking his head piteously. "There you go again, concerned with your reputation when our child is in need of psychological help. How very stubborn of you."

"And I will go about looking for miscellaneous objects to be his features," Todd declared, searching along the snow-covered ground and managing to collect some pebbles and a couple of sticks that could act as eyebrows. "We have to make him unique somehow...he has to be the coolest of the snowchildren, so he doesn't need to blend in with everyone else."

((No problem! I'm probably gonna be really slow replying anyway because of art and projects and ashdlfdshf.))

"Ah, I didn't mean it like that!" Penelope blushed madly. "I-I just meant... that... we should avoid causing our child problems before he is even born... therefore... he can lead a happy life. Yes, that's what I meant." Penny nodded, trying to get her thoughts together. She pursed her lips slightly. "I-it's not my reputation I'm concerned about, really... in my heart I would like to be a good mother." She smiled slightly. She wanted to be like her own mother... kind and loving and strict if need be. Yes, she wanted to be very much like her mother.

Penelope chuckled slightly. "Okay," she watched for a moment as he searched along the snow covered ground, finding miscellaneous items. Something low and quiet seemed to stir in her, but she merely shook it away. It seemed silly really. She turned back to the sculpting of Frosty Jr's head. "Unique?" She questioned, staying focused on the snowball that was slowly becoming bigger. "We could give him red hair... that would be a bit unique... or... oh, I wish I had a red mitten. We could give him a heart, like in the one book I used to read as a child." She couldn't quite remember the title, but a child had lost her red mitten and they later found it inside the snowman, lighting up as if it were the snowman's heart. It was really quite a cute tale.

Todd smiled to himself as he continued sweeping his hands along the ground in search of anything else useful, amused with her answer. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," he conceded, standing with the sticks and pebbles in his grasp and turning towards her with a wide grin. "You're bound to be a wonderful mother to our chilly child. Concerned about his well-being and happiness before he's even got a head on - you'll be flawless, no doubt about it."

He let out a groan suddenly at her mention of a mitten. "Damn!" he exclaimed. "A mitten heart would be friggin' adorable!" He stomped about in the snow for a bit before tugging off his beanie again. "He could wear his good ol' dad's cap, I guess, but it's not as cool or creative as a mitten heart." Because, really, he did actually think that it would have been great. Now that he had it on his mind, the idea would be needling at him for the rest of the evening - though it was certainly something to remember for next time it snowed this much.

Penelope blushed, smiling down at Frosty Jr's head in the making. She glanced up at him just as he turned around, grin wide across his face. She couldn't help but let out a laugh. "D-did you find everything?" She questioned, noting the sticks and pebbles in his grasp. Oh yes, their snowy child would definitely be lovely. She glanced back down, making sure that the head was good enough before picking it up and placing it gently atop of Frosty Jr's middle. She shaped it a little more so that it was as circular as she could possibly make it.

"Perhaps next time?" Penelope questioned, smiling as she looked back at Todd. First, though, she'd have to find a pair of red mittens first. Actually, she wondered if she knew where the book was... The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten, that was what it had been called! She was glad she had remembered the book title, otherwise it probably would have bugged her for the rest of the night.

"Oh, I think it's adorable. I'm sure he wants to grow up to be just like you," she blushed slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. She knew all this talk was just play, but still, she couldn't help but blush at the thought of it all. She took in a deep breath, glancing up at Todd and pursing her lips. Now he was without a coat and a hat... she really hoped he wouldn't get too cold. She bit the edge of her mouth before taking off her scarf and handing it to him. "So you don't get cold," she said softly

"U-uhm, so, l-let's see... do we have arms and eyes and... a nose and stuff?" Penelope asked, glancing back at the blank snowman. Poor Frosty Jr needed to have some features on him.

Todd nodded brightly when she asked if he had everything. "Great work on the head there - spectacularly circular, he conceded, grinning. He nodded once more when she said that they'd use the red mitten heart next time. "Next time, for sure. Maybe I can borrow some mittens from Eva or Brie?" Though talking to Brie for the first time since she'd been back probably shouldn't be solely about a pair of mittens.

Though, after a moment of surveying Frosty Jr., he realized that their snowchild would be armless if he didn't act fast. He pressed two of the pebbles to Frosty's face, creating two shiny black eyes for him to look through. He dragged a branch toward the snowman and snapped it in half, creating two arms that he attached to Frosty's side.

His smile returned when she offered him her scarf. He consulted it for a moment before winding it around his neck; he doubted she'd take no for an answer. "Thank you, dear Penny," he mused, carefully fitting his beanie over their snowchild's head. He handed the rest of the pebbles to her and pressed the two small sticks to the space above Frosty Jr's eyes so that he now had brown eyebrows. "Do with those what you will," he said, nodding toward the rocks.

Penelope blushed slightly, but smile all the same as she looked down at the head, admiring her own work. "Thank you," She giggled lightly. She turned back to look at him and nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes, you should definitely ask!" She gave him a wide grin. Perhaps they would even want to join them in making snowmen. She thought it would be quite fun, actually.

Penelope watched as Todd placed two pebbles onto Frosty Jr.'s head for two eyes and then breaking a branch in half, he created two arms now attached to the side of the snowman. Penny continued to smile; he was coming along quite splendidly really. He just needed a nose and a mouth and he'd be finished.

Penny blushed once more, glancing down and smiling softly to herself. "You're welcome," she murmured before taking the pebbles that he handed to her. She bit her lip, thinking for a moment, before placing one in a spot for his nose and then made a small path down his torso, making buttons. Now Frosty just needed a mouth. Very carefully, Penny indented a curve to indicate a smile onto Frosty's head. There, that would have to do. "How's that?" She asked, look up at Todd with her smile back on her face once more.

Todd's enthusiasm at the idea returned in the glow of hers. "Then I certainly will!" he declared firmly, wide grin in place as he lightly patted the top of Frosty Jr's head. He managed to look horrified as a few flakes of snow freed themselves from the snowman under the pressure of his hand, but it at least wasn't enough to be noticeable. "Sensitive kid," he muttered under his breath at their chilly child.

He watched her assemble the rest of the snowchild's features and clapped heartily when she was done. "Splendid! Couldn't have done it better myself! Bravo!" he exclaimed, eyes bright. "The buttons are classic, of course. Reminiscent of of Frosty The First - the resemblance is striking. I'd go right up and hug the guy if I didn't think he'd crumble. Definitely has your eyes." He realized after a moment of slight lightheadedness that he was rambling a bit, but he couldn't help himself. He just felt so...happy right now. The feeling of it swelled in his chest and he struggled to contain it. Wouldn't want to explode in a cloud of happy confetti all over dear Penelope, would he? After weeks of stress, this was a welcome relief.

Penelope grinned, a small amount of laughter playing across her lips. Good. It would be great fun. The next time they make a snowman, if there were to be a next time, she would definitely invite Jim, Evaine, and Brie. They all seemed very nice and wonderful people. She would love to hang out with them more often.

Penny bit her lip, trying to hold back her laughter at Todd. She bowed her head slightly, scratching at her nose in attempts to hide it as he muttered under his breath that Frosty was a "sensitive kid."

Penelope blushed, but smiled all the same. She was glad that he liked it. She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Yes, that was what I was hoping for," she chuckled. It was the closest way to make him much like Frosty and it definitely felt right when she had put the buttons there. She then giggled lightly. "Yes, we wouldn't want him to crumble. Then you'd be the bad parent instead of me."

Penelope blinked for a moment, her cheeks turning slightly pink. Her eyes? She then raised one of her eyebrows and looked at him. "I have eyes as black as a pebbles? I'm not quite sure how to take this Todd... then again, I don't know, it could be worse... he could have grass green eyes like your own." She teased lightly, knowing all too well that Todd's eyes were a deep brown. She pulled the jacket closer around her, his scent making her heart skip a beat momentarily, but she tried not to think of that.

"Pah!" Todd exclaimed, waving a dismissive hand at the notion. "I'm expected to be a rubbish parent anyway. One of the prejudices that come with the title of evil emperor." He shrugged, lower lip briefly jutting out as his pout made a reappearance. "Rearing children is hard for us poor old evil-doers. Always expected to be training 'em as henchmen."

He pursed his lips and sighed exasperatedly. "Come now! Can't you at least pretend I'm charming? Everyone knows you've got bluer eyes than a summer day sky, but it's the thought that counts." He shook his head, lips fighting a losing battle against the urge to grin.

A faux gasp came from him and he pressed a hand to his own chest in 'shock'. "Penelope!" he exclaimed, attempting once again to make his voice shrill. "I fail to believe that you have not committed all of my features to memory by now. You of all people should know that my eyes are pink, like that of a blooming rose."

He did take a moment, though, to appreciate how very nice she looked in his oversized coat and was instantly glad that she'd agreed to wear it.

Penelope giggled once more before shaking her head. "Oh no, our child will not be a henchman! Not that he'll be a sidekick either. When he's old enough, he can choose a side," Penny told him with a sharp nod, trying desperately to hide her grin. Then she gave a small shrug, trying for the umpteenth time not to blush. "Plus, I don't think you're doing a horrible job. You gave him your hat, so that has to count for something, right?" She tilted her head to the side just a tad.

Penelope bit her lip, moving slightly behind Frosty in attempts to hide the beet red color of her face. Bluer eyes than a summer day sky? She had never heard them referred to like that before... and she smile slightly at the thought. "O-oh, y-yes, I suppose it is... t-the thought... that counts," she nodded slightly, still hiding behind Frosty. She rounded out his torso so that it was more spherical and it kept her busy.

Penelope glanced up, peeking around Frosty Jr. to look at him, unable to contain her laughter. "H-how stupid of me, please forgive me... I forgot about y-your beautiful pink eyes. Like beautiful... t-tulips sprouting up for the first time in spring." She smiled, biting her lip. They almost had every season incorporated into their conversation. Their love for winter, summer day sky blue eyes, and spring tulip pink ones.

Todd let out a long sigh, bobbing his head in agreement. "Okay," he relented. "He can have his own stance in things - I refuse to think that he'll be neither, though. I mean, what kind of parents would we be if we just sat back and let him be a normal citizen? I'll love him either way, but still. I want him to be super-something." His smile widened fractionally and he chuckled. "Well, I'm so glad. He wears it better anyway."

He watched her scoot behind Frosty and fought back a laugh that was bubbling up in his chest. It was incredibly amusing - not to mention adorable - when she got so flustered. He had to admit that it usually took a lot of working up his nerve before he could dole out compliments like this, but it was easy with Penelope - only pointing out the facts, really.

"Yes, yes, I suppose I can forgive you," he said, leaning to the side a bit to see her better around their snowchild. "A lot going on up in your brain, I'd expect - there are an excess of similes today, hm? - so I'll let it slide just this once. As long as you agree to buy some ribbons for my long, flowing blond hair. Capische? "

"Try not to put too much pressure on the poor boy. He'll be so disappointed if he ends up not being super. What if he finds he has no powers or anything? He'd probably hate to disappoint his parents," Penelope pouted slightly, trying not to smile and keep the seriousness. However, at his next comment, she couldn't hold it back. "Yes, I think he might." She teased lightly.

Penelope glanced upward at him as he leaned a bit to the side around and blushed a little more, but smiled once more nonetheless. "Good," she mumbled. Yes, she supposed she had a lot going on up in her brain. A lot of blurry nonesense that didn't make sense to her, but she had hardly thought about that in the last couple of minutes. It was as if she had completely forgotten about it for the time being. "Yes, there seems to be so," she then let out a small giggle. "Sure thing; pink to meet your eyes?"

"Aughhh. Won't he have inherited our superness? I mean of course I'll love him either way...I just don't want him to feel left out of the loop if he has no powers," he whined, stomping a foot on the snow-laden ground. "But...fine. I'll love and accept the guy but I expect him to keeps his grades up, or steal some candy from a baby from time to time like his old man."

He grinned, studying her slightly flushed face. It was a striking contrast to the snow all around them."Pink to match my eyes," he echoed firmly with a nod. "A violet one would do, too. Maybe turquoise. Goes with my skin tone, y'know?" He simply couldn't resist reaching over to lightly brush a bit of snow from her hair.

"It's a possibility, but nothing is for certain," she told him with a small shrug. Who was to say Frosty Jr. would inherit their superness... nothing seemed for sure. Then again, he was a snowman... and would never truly be alive. "You better love and accept him anyway; he's our son after all." She gave a sharp nod before shaking her head slightly. "I can only condone one of those. Stealing candy from babies, tsk."

Penny giggled lightly and gave him a nod. "Okay, turquoise it is then," she smiled before biting her lip. Her blue eyes widened as he reached out and lightly brushed a bit of snow from her hair. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him for a moment. She smiled, looking away and down at Frosty Jr., reaching out and fixing this or that in a bit of nervousness. "S-so... F-Frosty Jr. is all finished?" She attempted to divert attention. It had grown a bit dark, but the lights from the castle illuminated the area they were at quite nicely.

"Okay. He is our child after all, and that alone is enough to love him with my whole heart," Todd conceded, letting out one final sigh of defeat. "But hear you me when I say he'll follow my evil customs if he wishes, just as he'll be a goody two shoes after you if he prefers." A smug look crossed his face for a moment. The seriousness of the conversation was lessened by his urge to laugh that he frequently had to suppress.

Todd held her gaze until she looked away. He managed a smile to himself and exhaled soflty through his nose. Friendly advances only, Mr. Cross. He stood back a bit and bit his lip thoughtfully as he looked at their work. "Frosty Jr. is absolutely perfect. A bundle of joy. Also snow. It's a boy, by the way." He opened his palms in a 'jazz hands' motion. "Congratulations!"

Penelope laughed. "Our poor child, having to choose someday between good and evil, but I will honor whatever choice he makes... even if I may potentially disapprove," she smiled. She couldn't help but think for the umpteenth time how she loved all these playful story weavings that the two created. Their superhero and villain selves as well as their snowchild. It was something she would always cherish and she refused to ever forget this... anymore.

Penny giggled. "Yes, he is very perfect. I... I think we did good," she tried not to blush at the thought. She couldn't contain her laughter once more as Todd did jazz hands. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to hold it back. "Well thank you, I always wanted a son... thought a daughter next would be divine." She said, her tone still laughing. She tried not to blush at the underlying seriousness of it. She would love to have a son... though not now... in a couple years, though.

"How very kind of you," Todd grinned. He glanced around at the darkening space around them, surprised to see that they'd really been out here so long. It felt like they'd only just arrived on the grounds moments ago, though time could often pass like that when he was with Book Girl. "That indeed is the motherly thing to do."

He nodded enthusiastically, leaning toward Frosty to straighten one of his twig eyebrows. "A little girl would be a divine addition to our winterland family," he agreed, eyes flicking back to hers as a smirk came across his lips. "One girl and one boy. Absolutely splendid." Perhaps he should be at least a little bit embarrassed at the conversation, and how it held a kind of seriousness beneath the humor, but he was honestly having too much fun to care.

Penelope shrugged a bit, smiling. "I try," she giggled. She took in a deep, rather satisfying breath. Today had definitely turned out to be a very good day. All she had planned to do was buy some sugar quills... and now she's spent the whole day with Todd. She really hoped there were more days like this to come. Penny blushed. "Oh, well, thank you," she smiled, looking down a bit.

"W-well, maybe next time?" She questioned, looking back up at him. A little snowgirl would be very cute. "We can give her the mitten heart. It would be very cute." She looked back at Frosty Jr., making sure everything was perfect. She looked at their masterpiece quite fondly. Oh, she really did love winter so very much.

[sorry I disappeared, was taking the week to study ^^]

((No problem, school is somewhat more important than RPing to some people.))

"It will be adorable," he agreed with a wide grin, already looking forward to the next time they might get to do this. Today had been a blissful relief from everything else that was always going on; his troubles seemed to exist in a different world from Penelope altogether.

He rubbed his hands together, more for warmth than anything, but they seemed to be the only remotely cold part of him right now. "I'm proud of the work we've done today. Brought a snowperson into the world, gave him a name, a smile...we didn't give him a heart, but his sister can get one instead - not that we're playing favorites or anything. Merlin knows we're better than that." He squinted at her through the gathering darkness. "It is getting pretty dim out here, though."

[haha, yes, I’m counting down the days to winter break. xD]

Penelope matched his grin. She was excited and could hardly wait for the next time. A little snow girl with a red heart mitten? Oh yes, it would be very adorable. Penelope watched as Todd rubbed his hands together and she had to refrain herself from reaching out and grabbing them to keep them warm.

Penny let out a small laugh. “Yes, I think we did very well. Little Frosty Jr. shall have a wonderful life.” She patted the snowman gently on the head. “Oh no, we can’t play favorites. That would be just horrible. I believe, though, that Frosty Jr. will love his sister very dearly... probably be very protective of her.” She gave a small nod. Yes, that’s how it would be. It would be adorable - if it was real, which it wasn’t. It was very easy to lose herself to the fantasy of it.

Pen looked up at the sky. Yes, it was getting darker. The snow had since stopped falling and it looked rather serene all around. She glanced back at him and nodded once more. “Yes, I guess it is.” She supposed it was about time to go inside, though she wished it hadn’t gotten so dark so fast.

"Yeah, Frosty does seem to be the protective brother type," he nodded with a smile. His eyes flicked toward the sky and then back to her. He reached over to straighten the collar of the jacket she currently wore - couldn't help himself when it was sticking up like that - and let out a sigh. "I suppose it's time to get a move on before the night swallows us whole, Book Girl," he said, though he certainly would have liked a bit more of the daylight.

"Are you ready to bid our snowchild adieu?" he asked. Todd's eyes caught the path of a squirrel darting up a tree until it disappeared into the foliage above. Everything seemed to be starting to calm and quiet down.

Penelope grinned, glad that he agreed. She blushed once more as Todd reached out and straightened the collar on his jacket. She supposed she'd have to give it back to him soon, perhaps once they were inside. She had actually grown quite fond of it, to be perfectly honest. She bit the side of her lip before nodding slightly. "Yes, I suppose we probably should, Sir Schmucksalot," she offered another small smile at him.

Penny reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting out a small sigh. "Oh, I suppose so. I do hope he'll be here tomorrow. It would be a shame if someone were to knock him down." She looked at Frosty Jr for a moment before tapping his hat. "Don't forget your hat, though, or someone might steal it. Plus, I don't think that Frosty will freeze or anything." She let out a small giggle. A snowman freezing.

Todd blinked. "Oh!" He reached for his beanie and carefully lifted it from Frosty's head so as not to make anything any more misshapen. "I had almost forgotten about my hat - thank you, dear Penelope." He tugged it over his ears and instantly winced at the residual snow that was still inside.
He chuckled and gave their creation a final pat. "Oh, I think our boy is likely to be immune to any cold-driven sicknesses. Must be in his genes." He turned himself toward the castle and raised his eyebrows at her. "Ready, Miss Baudelaire?" Oh, how he loved to say that name. It just felt right on his lips.