"I can't believe you." Meg couldn't help but grumble as she finally reached home, tired and rather out of breath. She still had one arm wrapped around Ulrich's waist, his arm around her shoulder as she gave him support. His legs, while not injured, were still numb and aching from the cold, making it difficult for him to walk.
"Stop grumbling," Ulrich replied with a snap. The silver blond wasn't enjoying this much either. He was already used to being called 'pretty' due to his rather flawless looks. He was quite sure his next nickname was going to be 'damsel in distress'. "I thought I could make it-"
"I told you it was a bloody stupid idea to walk across the ice! Gah. You can listen to me once in a while, you know!" Meg was fuming. She had always been the cautious one of the pair, and while she wished she could be flinging the words "I told you so" Ulrich's way, the fact was that she was more concerned than vindictive.
The two were orphans, as fate would have it. Ulrich was the younger of the two, even though he was bigger physically. They had been placed together in the same foster home since Meg was ten and he was nine, and the two had remained there well into their teens. In fact, Meg was now seventeen, just a few months away from turning eighteen.
"Just unlock the door already." Ulrich shuddered, his voice more pleading than his earlier grumble. "I'm freaking cold here."
"Already on it..." Meg removed her arm from around Ulrich and reached in her jacket's pocket, pulling out her house keys. "Go take a shower immediate and don't you dare sit at the computer. No games." The door unlocked with a click and Meg turned the knob. The heat from the house was welcoming.
"Yes Mom," Ulrich grunted as he stepped inside first, closely followed by Meg.
"The sofa by the tv is fine," she relented. "I'll get you some tea-"
"Cocoa," Ulrich interrupted as he pulled off his soaking wet jacket, letting it fall where he stood.
"Okay, fine, you just hurry up."
Once he had gone to shower, Meg did make a mug of cocoa for Ulrich, and then one for herself. That done, she grabbed his jacket and tossed it in the laundry room, from where she retrieved a mop to clean the entrance of the house.
By the time Ulrich finished his hot shower and changed into warmer clothes, Meg had cleaned up, changed her own clothes, and was waiting by the sofa, warm blanket ready.
"Huh, room service, eh?" The younger of the teens had a weak smirk on his face as he deposited himself between the sofa and the blanket, snuggling in deep.
"Don't get used to it, buster." Meg huffed a little as she returned to the lounge with two mugs of cocoa, setting them on the coffee table. She then grabbed the remote control and settle down at the end of the sofa, stealing a bit of blanket for herself.
"Yeah, yeah."
The television was turned on, Spongebob Squarepants on the screen. Meg left it there, and for half an hour, annoying chit chat of under the sea creatures could be heard in the house. She glanced Ulrich's way and saw that he had fallen asleep before he could even finish off the mug of cocoa.
Idiot, she thought as she shook her head, though the affection was clear on her face. Despite the bickering, there was pretty much nothing she wouldn't do for him.
