Cold and distant

Chapter one: Christmas Cheer...not

Ah Winter, the time when families and friends gather together to make snowmen, food, throw snowballs- it's the magical season that everyone loves. When that October turns into November, stores put out Christmas trees and many other Winter-y things. The streets full of fairy lights that shine as bright as the stars at night, the chatter of the people as they walk home and the coldness that just feels right.
Everyone loved this season, right?
Wrong.

Streets were like a pack of bees trying to get to their queen, people walking, talking, running, just to get things from the shops- it was early October yet the mall near a college campus was already selling Christmas crackers and trees that were made for the December season. A young male, about 19, strolled down the streets of New York City , completely alone. He was wrapped up in a dark teal coat and a strawberry-red scarf covered his lips as well as his neck. His hands were warm courtesy the extra thicc pockets he had sewn onto the clothing, he also had knee-high boots that had a fluff on the inside, his dark eyes were narrowed and he had a gray beanie over tye top of his short curls. He glanced around his surroundings and very slightly rolled his eyes. 'The time to spread Christmas cheer', he thought, 'the time to spend Christmas cheer my ass'.
Hercules Mulligan was the man's name, he, out of nearly everyone in the city didn't like the Winter holiday, the way one seemed to be excited by snow falling or opening presents up was a joke to him. He hated it, mostly because of what happened those years ago, he had a fair reason not to like it, therefore it wasn't a surprise he was pissed off on a day like this. He hurried through the crowds as he spotted the store he'd needed to get to, pushing past people and murmuring apologise at times. When he entered, he immediately went to the materials section, see, Hercules worked part time as a tailor to keep up his dorm for college, he was majoring in textiles since it was his passion. After he had gotten the materials such as: needles, pins denim, leather. He was officially ready to go home...and that would happen right after he talked to the man behind the desk who was probably told by the manager to smile brightly and spread the 'Christmas Cheer'. The part-time tailor took a deep breath and prepared himself before walking over to the desk, letting the man who he didn't care the name of take his stuff and scan it. "That would be 50 dollars, sir" he announced with, as Herc suspected, a bright smile. Hercules tapped the numbers for his card and took the bag, waiting for the code to be accepted, when it did, the man waved slightly and said the words Mulligan loathed.
"Have a lovely evening sir, I wish you a merry winter holiday" he spoke, not noticing the customers eyebrows furrowing.
"Same to you" Hercules muttered, a sardonic smile plastered upon his lips as he exited the store, walking through the crowds again before he reached the campus. He was so ticked off, looking at the floor, that he didn't notice the tall male in front of him.