Avery Delvin was briskly walking down the sidewalk of a sleeping city. It was early, the day not even being five hours old. It was also quite cold, the cobblestones decorated with a white flurry, not unlike how sugar falls on a funnel cake. In most other circumstances, Delvin would have found this image amusing. He had a prominent weakness to the dessert, one his wife was very fond of exploiting to help smooth over conflicts that grew between them. That, and the unhealthiness of the dish, had recently tempted Delvin to go on a diet.  

Yet today, the thought of his peculiar relationship with funnel cake only lasted in his head for a moment. Instead, a recent and urgent phone call from Sunshine Heights’ nurses preoccupied his mind. The call had awoken him at four in the morning, causing a weary Delvin to stumble out of bed, and huff and puff his way down the hilly city streets. While not unfit, the chief detective wasn’t exactly the image of physically he was back in his twenties. A comfortable desk job and domestic life had slightly inflated his stomach, softened the definitions of his arms, and enfeebled his lungs. 

Delvin arrived at Sunshine Heights within a quarter of an hour. The building was inserted between two apartment complexes, a short little dwarf nuzzled between two giants. It was an old relic, its body made of aged and chipped wooden boards rather than the brick physiques of its neighbors. A female mascot of a sun with a nurse’s hat waved at the pedestrians, smiling widely. Despite the mascot’s clear attempt to be cheerful and cute, Avery found the creature quite distasteful. 

Still, Delvin didn’t have much time to dwell on his distaste for the character, and instead abruptly marched up a small set of stairs and opened the door. The waiting room was much more modern looking than the building’s shell, with newly laid carpets, a water jug that could spit out hot or cold, and colorful rainbows and characters dancing along the walls. The waiting room was also nearly empty, with only the security guard, a short and portly woman, sitting at the desk. She looked up boredly to Delvin as he lumbered in, nearly hitting his head on a low-hanging beam. 

“Welcome to the Sunrise Heights Veterans Home and Hospital,” she said in a bored voice, “How may I-”

Delvin cut her off. “I received an urgent call this morning. Is everyone okay?”

Security guards’ eyes widened, and she sighed, “Oh… you are Detective Delvin? I’ll call Ella.”

Not even a minute later, a young nurse practically burst through the waiting room door. She wore a blue scrub with a little sunshine logo embroidered into it, and a stethoscope bobbled from her neck as he walked. Her eyes had large black bags hanging from them, and her blond hair could have nested birds in the state it was in. Stress lines from long hours were etched into her face, but when Ella saw Delvin her shoulders visibly relaxed and the lines faded slightly.

“Thank god you are here Mr. Delvin,” sighed Ella, exhaustion heavy in her voice “We have been trying to reason with him all morning but he just won’t listen! Even Tim can’t get through to him.”

Delvin sighed and rubbed his eyes, “Well then, take me to the old fool. I’ll knock some sense into him.” The detective didn’t need to ask who Ella was referring to. There was only one friend Delvin had in the home who Tim couldn’t order around.

Ella led the detective through the hall of closed doors. They were lined with poorly drawn images of characters in a bleak attempt to add color to the residents’ lives. Muffled cries and the occasional start of screaming rang intermittently through the hall. These sounds were suddenly followed by a flurry of movement, as a blue-clad nurse ran to quiet the suffering resident. The voices and screams were all too familiar to Avery, and his hand moved down to a chain in his right pocket. No matter what day, to what event, or what time, the chain always rested in his right pocket.

As they passed one of the rooms with an open door, a quiet voice called out “Avery?”

Delvin paused and turned back to look into the room to see a dark-skinned man sitting upright on an elevated cot.

“Kole,” said Avery with a large smile as he turned back and peeked his head into the room. “How have you been?

Kole’s face broke into a smile to match Avery’s “Good good! How’s Millie? Is she still as pretty as the last time I saw her?”

Delvin’s smile grew wider “More beautiful than that,”

Kole shook his head mockingly, “Still have no idea how a sorry bum like you could hitch an angel like that.” 

“I ask myself that question everyday.”

Kole grinned, “And the little one?”

Delvin clasped his hands together and dawned an expression of gratitude, “She has started talking a little, so we no longer need to guess what she wants as she bawling her eyes out..”

Kole gave a rich and hearty laugh, “HA, don’t be too excited. One moment they are speaking properly and then you blink and they are off to college.”

“And you? How’s your little girl?”

Kole’s face morphed into that of pride. “Delma just got into that grad school she wanted. Tim was able to get her a scholarship from the feds, so we can now more than afford it.”

“Fantastic!” said Delvin, “How’s Tim doing?”

“Oh, you know the captain. He is still a control freak and he has a mouth that would make a fisherman jealous.” Kole grinned once more, “Though the nurses have been trying to get him to tone the language down recently. I wouldn’t have it any other way of course.”

Delvin was about to say more when Ella tugged on his sleeve with an apologetic expression. 

“Right, sorry Kole, I’m going to see Belard.” said Delvin, “Heard he had been having some trouble.”

Kole’s face melted into a frown, “Ah yeah, he had been getting worse. Even Tim can’t get him out of that courtyard without calling security.”

“That bad huh?”

“Yeah,” Kole looked down at his legs, which were just little stumps. “If I could go knock some sense into him I would, but I’m still stuck here, unfortunately.”

“I’ll hit him for you,” said Delvin with a somber smile. 

“I’d like that,” Kole gave a sad smile, “Once you are done with him, come back round here and we can catch up properly.

Delvin gave an informal salute and followed Ella down the hall. They came upon a small courtyard, exiting the warmth of the building. Sunlight bounced off a blanket of snow and shot into the detective’s eyes, causing him to blink rapidly. The courtyard was an open area that sloped up to a tall hill. Atop the hill stood a large naked oak tree, its branches colored with white powder. Large black walls surrounded the courtyard, shielding the enclave from the sounds and sights of the city. 

“Up there,” Ella pointed towards the top of the hill, where two silhouettes, one standing, and one sitting, conversed under the oak tree. Well, they weren’t exactly conversing as much as one was lecturing the other. After several exaggerated hand motions and a few intelligible shouts of command, the standing figure slumped his shoulders and retreated down the hill.

Tim’s figure became more clear as he came down the hill. He was a tall man, who despite having several years over Delvin, never lost his powerful physique. The only way his age showed was the fact his short cut hairline and beard were the color of snow. Like Ella, he wore a blue scrub with a sunshine logo. Unlike Ella, he had a metal pin over this logo, with the word Director etched into it. 

“No dice Captain?” asked Devlin. 

“No, that stupid son of a-” There was a warning look from Ella that made Tim halt before finishing the curse. “FINE Fine. Belard just won’t listen to reason, orders, or threats” 

“So you called me in,” mused Devlin

Tim nodded.“He won’t talk to anyone but me. He’s ignored Janet, Hulio, and Jeb already. You are the best bet to bring some sense into his empty head.”

Delvin put a hand to his chin for a moment. “Don’t suppose you guys have hot chocolate? It’ll soften his exterior for me.”

“Tried that,” said Ella glumly, “He’s stopped drinking it all together over the past year.”

Delvin raised an eyebrow, truly surprised for the first time that day. “What have you been giving him?” 

“Chocos,” said Ella, pulling out a premium-looking packet from her pocket. “We swapped them last December.”

Delvin gagged, “Chocos? That stuff is far too good for him.” The detective turned to Tim, “Don’t suppose you have any of those instant packets we used to ration back in the day?”

Tim raised an eyebrow, “Might have a few left in the back… but those things are disgusting.”

“That’s the point.”

…

A few minutes later, armed with two cups of instantly made hot chocolate, Delvin walked up the hill to meet his friend. The cold had gotten sharper, forcing Delvin to scrunch his face against the downward wind. His hands clutched the cups, attempting to steal as much heat they could out of them. 

Belard looked out into a clear blue sky. He was only a year or two older than Delvin, but they looked decades apart. Where Delvin was slightly overweight, Belard was scarily skinny. He sat like a thin white skeleton in the snow, with nothing more than a dressing gown protecting him from the wind. His head was frayed and balding, the result of poor genetics, and even poorer upkeep. A black bandage was wrapped around the side of his head covering his right eye, or at least the wreck that was left of it.

As soon as Delvin saw his friend, his shoulders slackened and a deep sadness filled his face. An echo of a fit, laughing young man clad head to toe in white winter camouflage fluted across Avery’s mind.

“Belard?” asked Avery, forcing a smile, “You alive buddy?”

Belard looked at Avery out of the side of his left eye and then turned away. When he spoke, his voice sounded raspy and shaky. “Go away, Avery.”

“That’s rude.” Avery raised an eyebrow, “Is this really how you talk to your best man?”

Belard sighed, “I’m still definitely not married. And like hell I’d ever let you by the microphone anyway”

Avery grinned, “Oh I’m giving a speech at that wedding whether you like it or not. The question is how bloodied you want to end up in front of the bride-to-be.”

Belard gave an involuntary chuckle before his face darkened once more. “I’m not in the mood for a lecture, Avery. You aren’t going to make me go back inside.”

“I’m not here to give you one,” Avery sat down next to Belard and pushed over one of the hot chocolates. 

The old soldier growled. “I told Ella, I don’t want that cra-” He paused as the smell of the chocolate reached his nose. “Is that…?”

“Yes it is,” said Avery, “Same as the ones they used to give us on Fridays.”

Belard looked down at the chocolate, up at Avery, and then begrudgingly took the cup. As he took a sip a glow of bliss flickered across the soldier’s face for just a moment. Belard looked at Avery with a stink in his eye. “Just because I’m drinking this does not mean I’m talking to you.”

Avery grinned as his friend took more greedy sips. “Whatever you say lieutenant.”

They sat in silence for a moment, letting the cold air cut through their clothes, struggling to hold on to as much of the heat from the cups as possible. 

“How long have you been out here?” asked Avery

“Since twenty-one hundred,”

“And you aren’t cold?”

“We’ve been in worse.”

“I suppose we have,” Avery looked down at his cup with a sad smile. “Remember Serrian?”

Belard’s mouth cut into a thin smile. “Under the mountain?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t remember what warmth felt like for a week after that.”

Belard took a sip of his drink, the warm chocolate dribbling down his chin. “I remember passing out after an hour, and you digging us out.”

Avery chuckled, but it was an icy laugh. “Some nights I can still feel the cold. Even under all the blankets in the world…”

 “I can’t feel it anymore,” said Belard with his eye a million miles away. “The cold I mean. Falling asleep in that hellhole was the last time I felt the wind’s kiss.”

They trailed off into silence, sipping their cups and looking out at the courtyard. 

Avery rubbed the back of his head as he took a sip. “Sorry I haven’t been here for a while. Amy has been quite the handful.”

Belard’s face softened, and for a moment, the image of a laughing young man superseded in the injured soldier’s face. “How is my goddaughter?”

Avery smiled from his eyes as he took another sip. “Healthy, adorable, and very loud. Millie says she’s got my lungs.”

“Ha, I hope not. The world can’t handle two people having your singing voice.”

“I wasn’t that bad,” Avery protested through chuckles

Belard laughed “That girl in Scaldia didn’t think so. Vanished quicker than a rabbit in snow after your turn at the karaoke bar.”

“Heh, well it’s all for the best I suppose. Now I’ve got someone who appreciates my talents.”

“Oh, Millie hates it when you sing as well. For some unfathomable reason, she just loves you through it.”

Delvin gave another sad smile. “She has always been far too accommodating to me. Has the patience of an Angel.”

Belard tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“Well… I still wake her up sometimes in the middle of the night. With my nightmares I mean.” Devlin was rubbing his neck once more. “Never once has she lost her head at me for it, just holds me till I calm down. I don’t know how I ended up so lucky to deserve her.”

Belard shrugged. “Angels deserve Angels,” said the old soldier simply.

Avery’s face tinged red, and he instinctively looked back down at his cup. 

Belard smiled, “I remember how bad those dreams were. You used to holler at 3 am when we moved back into that moldy flat. 

“And you used to make chocolate and talk to me till I calmed down,” 

“We had some good conversations back then.”

“The best. Those saved me,” Avery cast a meaningful look at his friend. 

Belard frowned, “It was nothing, I was up anyway. Never felt comfortable in our beds.”

“They were very expensive beds.Felt like clouds.”

“That was the problem.”

Silence again.

Belard took a long sip of his drink, tipping it up to get the droplets at the bottom. “You know why I’m out here.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I do.”

Belard gave a weak laugh. “I knew you would understand. Tim and the others sorta get it, but it’s become more manageable for them over the years. I don’t think it’ll ever get better for me.”

Avery took a long sip. “When we went over the pond they taught us how to march. But when we came back, you never learned how to stop.”

Belard didn’t answer, nor did he have to. 

Avery put a hand on Belard’s shoulder. “We are going get you out of this buddy. It’s high time I helped you get on your feet again.”

“And how do you plan to do that?”

“No idea,” said Avery cheerfully, “I’ll just have to keep visiting until we figure something out.”

Belard smiled, “It would be nice to have some of those 3 am conversations again.”

“Of course,” Avery leaned in and lowered his voice, “And I’m thinking one of these days I’ll sneak you out and we can go to the range. No one in the department can keep up with me. I’ve been itching for some real challenge.”

Belard’s smile grew wider. “Whatever did I do to deserve a friend like you?”

Avery thought for a moment. “Angels deserve Angels.”