Merry Christmas ADashOfInsanity and all! Enjoy :)

Everything was planned but he still didn't know if he could go through with it yet. How sure was he? And how sure was sure enough? Marth turned and paced back to the other end of his bedroom, biting his lip. And what about Ike? Did he really know Ike as well as he thought he did? How would Ike receive him? Oh, but going on like this was impossible. If he didn't tell Ike at the Christmas party, calmly as he had planned, it might eventually spill over in a way that could ruin their relationship forever. He turned and paced back the other way. 3 days until Christmas. He had time to sleep on it and think about it. Which was in a way reassuring, but another part of him wished that it was tomorrow just so that he could have it over and done with, and rid himself of this sick, nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. With a sudden move he crossed to the window, flinging it open to watch the snow fall and let the cold distract him from his thoughts. Why should this be so hard? Being gay wasn't a crime.

His bedroom clock ticked loudly behind him. The house was empty aside from him; everyone else had gone out for last minute Christmas shopping. But he wouldn't have to be alone for long – Roy would be over soon to pick him up for a snowball fight he'd been recruited into. Sure enough, a few minutes later the doorbell rang. Marth ran down to answer it.

"Hey Marth!"

"Hi Roy."

"Let me in then."

Marth stepped back and Roy moved into the hallway, closing the front door behind him.

"Your parents were agreed, then?"

"Yeah."

"Great. You need to get out more." Roy adjusted his coat as Marth put on his boots.

"Where are we going?"

"Chaser's Way, down by the field," Roy informed him. "Snow's easily over your ankles down there, so plenty of ammo. Bit of hedge around the edges too to dodge behind and make a proper fight of it."

"Who else is coming?"

"Mario, Luigi, Zelda, Peach, Link and Ike."

Marth felt his stomach lurch at the last name. He should have expected it – they were all in the same group of friends after all. Mentally he slapped himself. It was only going to be a massive snowball fight. He would hardly have to talk to the guy. Oh but he wanted to talk to him, Ike was his best friend…Argh! See, he told himself, This is why you have to tell him, get this stupid thing out the way so you can have a normal friendship without feeling nervous or self-conscious around him.

"Come on, hurry up."

"Ok ok, just let me get my gloves."

Roy sighed. But a few seconds later Marth was ready and bracing himself he joined Roy as the front door opened and they stepped out into the cold.

The snow crunched satisfyingly beneath his feet as they headed towards Chaser's Way. It was still falling as they progressed, collecting on windowsills and insulating flowerpots. Roy walked in zigzags, making as many footprints as possible, and Marth laughed as he almost fell off the curb during a sort of improvised dance.

The field appeared almost out of nowhere. A footpath turned away from the main road, passing round the backs of terraced houses before suddenly emerging there, leaving Marth suddenly dwarfed by acres of pure snow. There were many groups of different ages there, but an errant snowball soon let them know which group was theirs.

"Roy! Quick!" Link ran up to them both, seizing Roy by the arm and tugging him away urgently.

"We need your help – I got lugged with the girls and we're being slaughtered by Mario's lot."

Roy was dragged away leaving Marth standing confused as he got caught in the crossfire of yet more snowballs. He put his arms over his head protectively and closed his eyes, trying to distinguish from the different shouts who was firing from where, but after a few moments he felt no further impacts and opened his eyes to see what had happened.

"Marth, you're standing right in the middle of it. Move!"

Ike. Marth smiled at him, briefly forgetting everything. Ike was holding his coat open and had his back to the worst of the attack, shielding them both. Ike gestured to the right with an inclination of his head.

"Our side's over there. Move!"

Marth yelped as a snowball finally hit him and he quickly did as Ike had instructed.

"Who's winning?" he asked as they dived for cover behind a low wall of snow Luigi and Mario had built up earlier.

"We are," Ike replied with a grin. "Mario's speed is ridiculous, he's just throwing them constantly. We'd better watch out though, Roy's on their side now."

They began to make snowballs in earnest, throwing them as hard as they could at any of the opposing team they could see. Ike's throws had more impact but Marth was generally more accurate. However, despite their efforts, soon it was felt that the odds between the two teams were evening. The girls had hit their stride. Hair ruined, make-up smudged, they no longer cared to save the rest of their appearance from further snow damage and began to fight in earnest. Marth quickly tired from running in the thick snow and stopped for a brief rest, sitting down behind what remained of the since-sabotaged snow wall to catch his breath. Ike slid down beside him.

"Come on, you have to keep going."

Marth took a deep breath, trying to get some oxygen back to his muscles.

"Oi! You two, stop lazing!" Mario bellowed. On the other team, a war cry went up.

"CHARGE!" Roy led the opposition as they advanced, turning the snowball fight into a snow wrestle as the two sides collided.

"Marth, I think you sh–" Ike began.

"Got you!" Zelda made a flying leap at Ike and tried to push him down into the snow. Marth was moving to assist him when he found himself suddenly being tackled by a laughing Peach. The snow quickly found any gaps in his clothing as he fell to the ground, and the sudden shocks of cold made him squeal girlishly.

"Stop!" Marth protested as some snow crept down his neck. He shuddered.

"Marth, you wuss. It's only snow."

The others had almost finished tussling and after a while they broke apart.

"Who screamed?" Link asked.

"Marth," Peach told him. "Got some snow on him."

Link laughed. "Was that it? Really?" He grabbed a handful of snow and walked towards Marth slowly until he was about a metre away, and then with a sudden lunge he pulled out Marth's collar and pushed the snow down his top. Marth shrieked. Link laughed.

"Oh my god, did your voice never break or something?"

"Gotcha!" Zelda pounced at Marth from behind, pushing even more snow down his top. Marth yelped again, flinging his arms out randomly in self-defence, and everyone burst into even louder giggles.

"Everyone get Marth!" Roy called, and to Marth's dismay they moved in unison towards him, grabbing some snow as they advanced.

"AND DIVE!"

Marth suddenly found himself swamped by flailing arms and splatters of snow. He gave a loud screech and held the note to an increasingly higher pitch as more and more snowballs assaulted him – down his top, trousers, and even up his sleeves. Still the snow kept coming. He felt some being rubbed into his hair and the build up of cold made him shiver uncontrollably.

"Stop…"

The snow kept coming.

"Stop, please…"

A handful of snow found its way into his mouth and he gagged and choked as the snow crept down his throat.

"Leave him guys," he heard Ike say over the racket. But still more snow found its way into his clothes. The cold seemed to hurt in the dull way of prodding bruises. His shivers became more violent and he struggled where he was pinned on the ground, trying to break free.

"Guys, he's had enough."

Their collective weight on top of him was making it hard to breathe. He struggled for the last time, his energy giving out. To his relief some of the pressure on his chest was relieved – but it was through no efforts of his own. Ike was tackling them one by one, pushing them aside to grant Marth more freedom.

"Leave him alone!"

"Ike, what the hell?"

"You're suffocating him."

"Don't be so serious – Oi!"

Link was the last one left, still trying to pack more snow against Marth's neck and stomach.

"Stop, please stop," Marth pleaded.

"Oh chill, give him a break," Roy added.

"Marth, you're pathetic," Link teased, throwing more snow over his face relentlessly.

"Leave him!" Ike grabbed Link and began to wrestle him away, half playfully, half more seriously. After several blows Link pushed him away harshly and he lost his balance, falling on top of Marth.

"Spoilsport."

"I'm sorry." Ike tried to stand but his foot slipped in the snow and he only succeeded in falling on Marth more fully. It seemed to Marth that Ike hesitated slightly longer than was necessary before moving for the second time, and he felt a hot flush flow over his kin, melting the snow beneath his clothes. Then Ike stood and suddenly the contact was gone, leaving him feeling embarrassed and exposed. He stood quickly, brushing the worst of the snow from his coat.

"You alright?" Ike asked.

"Yes, fine. Thank you." His teeth chattered as he spoke.

"Who says we go get something to eat?" Roy suggested. A small cheer went up around him.

"There's a pizza place not far from here. I can go with Marth and get a couple of large ones and bring them back here. You guys can find somewhere to sit…or something," Ike proposed.

"Alright. Go and get a couple of Supremes and then we can just pick off whatever bits we don't like."

Ike nodded, then with a short wave walked away, Marth following shortly behind him.

"Thanks," he repeated after a while.

"It's okay. I just didn't want you to get hypothermia or anything." Ike nudged him with an elbow. "Are you sure you're alright? You're shivering a bit."

Marth could feel his muscles trembling with the cold even as he walked, but he didn't want to complain. They reached the shop and went inside. Marth waited whilst Ike ordered, and found for some inexplicable reason that he shivered more violently indoors than out in the snow. When Ike turned away from the counter and saw him his expression became one of concern.

"Marth, you're shaking so much you look like you're about to fall over."

Marth's teeth were chattering too much for him to reply.

"You should take that coat off, it's soaked."

Marth did as Ike suggested and a small shower of snow fell down around him as what remained from his snow-ambush dropped away. Yet more snow had soaked into his jumper and he peeled that off as well so that he was down to his t-shirt. That was wet in places too, but he left it on.

"I think Link got a bit carried away," Ike commented.

"Y-y-yeah."

"Here." Ike took off his gloves and drew closer to Marth, reaching out and rubbing his hands briskly over Marth's upper arms to warm them. The gentle friction was like electricity running over Marth's skin, each movement searing itself into his sensory memory. Fearful of blushing he pulled away but Ike's touch left a trail of sensation on his arms, slowly fading like footprints being covered by falling snow.

"Two large Supremes for Ike?"

"Yes." Ike, having feigned nonchalance at Marth's withdrawal, collected the pizzas from the counter and headed back out into the snow. Marth, after a moment's reluctance, followed him.

"I think everyone will be glad to see these," Ike remarked, passing one of the pizzas over to Marth.

"Yes," Marth agreed, feeling foolish. He could say it now, he thought to himself. They were both alone – he could have it done in three words. Ike, I'm gay. It would take a few seconds to say at most. He could speak now before they reached the others and he lost the opportunity. His lips parted.

"Do you have a favourite topping?" Ike asked.

Marth's heart thudded in his chest. It wasn't as simple as saying the words, that was the problem. He was such close friends with Ike that Ike might easily think that Marth's more friendly gestures in the past had been designed to capture his interest, done out of a crush. But it wasn't like that. Although he did fancy Ike their intimacy had developed from a deep friendship about all, something he didn't want to spoil. Another thing to consider was that his feelings for Ike were becoming increasingly impossible to hide. What if someone else suspected and started rumours and it got round to Ike that way? Marth didn't want that sort of awkwardness, he needed this to be on his own terms. But to tell him now…

"Marth?"

"Um…" Marth did a quick mental backtrack. "Pepperoni, I think."

Oh, damn it all. He would tell him at the Christmas party, like he had originally planned.

The field came back into sight; the moment was gone. Marth took a deep breath in, the smell of pizza making his stomach rumble.

"Pizza everyone!" Ike called.

They all flocked together at the edge of the field by a fallen tree, grabbing their slice of pizza contentedly. A mixture of unwanted topping dropped into the snow at irregular intervals. Marth ate quickly, watching as some younger children made a snowman. He smiled, mentally making a note to try that later. It had been ages since he'd made a snowman.

When he finally got home it was nearly evening. His parents and sister had already come back with the Christmas shopping and his mother and sister were especially eager to present their findings to him, seeking his approval. He gave them as many compliments and reassurances as he could manage, then retreated to his bedroom for some peace and quiet. He had already exchanged presents with all his friends. But as he lay there, the occasional exclamation drifting up from downstairs, it suddenly occurred to him that he'd forgotten to get presents for his family.

"Damn!"

He grabbed a pen and quickly wrote a reminder in the notebook he kept on his bedside table. Oh dear. He'd probably have to sneak out and get around to that first thing tomorrow – he'd been too preoccupied with Ike, that was the problem. Oh, Ike. He wanted Ike to be the first one to know he was gay because Ike deserved that, as his dearest and closest friend. Unfortunately, that was half the problem.