Hot chocolate

It was 8:26 AM, and the sun had just begun to rise: the first rays peeked over the horizon, and the sky transformed, filling with lighter and more vibrant colors. One could see the deep, almost black blue shift into a fiery red mixed with orange, and about thirty minutes later, the familiar blue sky would finally appear. Despite the twilight of the recent night, the town of Broomstown was already filled with residents hurrying somewhere. A winter morning always starts later, but not for the workers or children rushing to work and school. The same goes for the rescue team — they wake up even earlier, as the patrol still has to be done. Safety is what matters most.

***

Snowflakes, slowly spinning in a winter waltz, fell silently onto buildings, roads, cars, and people in a hurry. A light, cool, yet soft breeze blew, stripping the last leaves from the trees — leaves that, it seemed, had only recently been painted in various colors: yellow, orange shifting into red, gradients of red and yellow, and green with patterns of orange and yellow. Every tree had its own unique autumn hue; some were even yellow with a golden tint. Now the trees appeared bare without their lush canopies. But soon, their branches would be dusted with soft white fluff, scattered so carefully by winter, spreading it like a carpet to shield nature from the coming cold. Although the frosts hadn't arrived yet, the heating had already been turned on in many buildings.

***

Rescue headquarters. The two-story white building with a blue roof looked dull against the white backdrop of snow… Apparently, a boy of about 16 or 17 years old thought the same thing, and so he burst into the breakroom and joyfully shouted: — Guys, let's decorate the headquarters!!! Jin, Amber, and, surprisingly, Poli jumped from surprise. — Ugh, Helly, why scare us like that? — The nurse asked, clutching her chest. — You could give someone a heart attack… — Oops, sorry… — the younger one apologized. — Ahem… So, maybe we should decorate the headquarters? It blends in too well with the snow. — Great idea, Helly, — Jin said, as if waking up and supporting her friend’s idea with a smile on her face. — Well, if that's the case, then let's not waste time? — Amber asked, as if casually pushing everyone into action. Everyone nodded except for Poli. The policeman was lying on the couch, reading another detective story, seemingly oblivious to his friends. — Poli? — The dispatcher called out to the commander. — I think I'll stay here, it's cold outside… No one let him finish, or rather, only the green-eyed pilot — he snatched the book from the elder’s hands and jumped on him, shouting: — Come on, onii-chan, please! — Stop calling me that, — the policeman asked a little menacingly. — Onii-chan, huh? — Amber and Roy, who had been silent until then, said with a smile. It was more of a statement than a question. — Just don't… — Well, Poli!!! — Interrupting the older one again, Greenie said with an offended expression. Why "Greenie"? It's simple: Helly wears green lenses, though his eyes are actually a bright blue, like Paraiba tourmaline. Poli has the same eye color — "ocean eyes," as some would say. In fact, he and the older boy were quite similar: coal-black, or rather coal-colored hair, the same eye color, and overall appearance. Because of this, many strangers often mistook them for brothers. The pilot didn't mind; he considered the policeman his own big brother. Ahem… I got distracted. Anyway, "Greenie": green lenses, hair tips of the same shade, and a dark green hoodie with light lime stripes that "Sprout" almost always wore at home. — Helly, stop acting like a child, — the captain said, trying to get the boy off of him. — Oh, come on, Poli. It's not that cold outside, you won't freeze, — Jin remarked, carrying the plate of cookies and the empty teacup into the kitchen. "Yes… It's not cold, just 0 degrees," the blue-haired man thought, looking at the thermometer hanging on the window. — Okay, okay. I'm with you. Just get Helly off me! — Poli asked. Roy nodded, smiling discreetly, and taking the "blade of grass" from his friend, holding him by the arms. — Roy, let me go, — the green-haired man asked, offended and feigning anger. The fireman listened to the little one and let him go; the latter almost fell over in surprise, but, having managed to stay on his feet, he turned to his “brother” and, smiling from ear to ear, ran off to get ready to go outside. — Then I'll go get ready too, — Amber answered and left. Poli let out a quiet breath; he didn't really want to go outside in the cold. He didn't exactly like the cold; he hated it. Another exhale, and a cloud of unpleasant thoughts about the temperature outside. It was warm in the headquarters, though not in every room. The policeman didn’t want to leave such a cozy-warm spot, but if he didn’t agree, his friends would be upset.

***

While Poli was getting ready, Helly was already frolicking in the snow with all his might. "Just like a little kid," probably flashed through the mind of anyone who looked at the boy. The pilot was making snowballs — luckily, at zero degrees, it's still possible… Five minutes later, the whole team was outside. Snowballs were flying everywhere, mostly from the Greenie. — So, team, — the dispatcher began, — is everyone ready? Jin was holding a box filled with various string lights, tinsel, and festive ornaments in general: bright-colored baubles, mini Christmas trees, and all sorts of little animals. At this time, Roy was pulling out of the garage in his fire truck, so that it would be easier to decorate the part of the building that was otherwise inaccessible. — And I was just about to ask you to get the ladder ready, — Amber giggled as the brown-eyed man stepped out of the truck, not forgetting to turn off the engine. — I thought it would be easier this way, so I went straight to the garage. Jin nodded. — Then let's go! — She said with excitement. It was clear that, for the time being, there would be no room for boredom. Poli stood aside, shifting from foot to foot. It was cold… despite the warm clothes he had wrapped himself in like a blanket. The pilot ran up to the policeman and jumped on him, almost knocking him into a snowbank.

***

Time was drawing near sunset. The sky began to change its colors again — from the bright, familiar blue to crimson, red, and even yellow in some places, and later into darkness. Stars, located quite far away, were visible here and there across the firmament. The guys had already managed to decorate the building that had become like family to each of them — a home, one might say — but only on the outside. All this time, Helly was either helping with the decorations or constantly throwing snowballs at his friends, mostly hitting Jin, which made the girl angry as she chased after the younger one. The policeman looked tiredly out the window and retreated to the breakroom, which had something like a fireplace. Before that, he had stopped by his own room to change, and, grabbing the warmest blanket he had, left for the warmer place. — Are you really that frozen? — The fireman asked with a chuckle, entering the room with two steaming mugs in his hands. — What do you think? — The younger one asked, smiling. Roy stepped closer and handed the hot drink to his friend, then sat down beside him. — Here, drink this. It’ll help you warm up. — Thanks, — thanking his partner, Poli took a sip. — M-m… hot chocolate? — It’s just the thing for this kind of weather, — Amber replied, entering the room with a tray in her hands, carrying three more mugs. Each of the guys sat on a sofa or in an armchair, and some even on the floor, and, taking a warming drink, began to watch the movie that Greenie had so kindly suggested.

***

The quiet crackling of logs in the fireplace, the pleasant smell of hot chocolate, the hum of the TV, and a quiet snowy night… as well as the company of friends.