bakerstreet | let me dream

[ Guys or Celty for ships, OTA for gen. ]

[Wow, the snow's really falling down. Visibility's so poor that even if there was gas in the tank, Sam wouldn't be able to drive. Not in this snow, it's just too damn thick.]

[Which sucks really, in the most bluntest way possible. No gas in the car, they're seemingly in the middle of nowhere, there's a blizzard going on outside, and earlier Cas had seemed pretty damn out of juice. Not that Sam has any idea how that happens, he just knows that this is the worst time for this to be happening.]

You sure you don't have even a little left? Because now that the tank's empty it's going to start getting cold in here pretty fast.

[Which, he's not sure how that'd affect Cas, but poor Sam's only human and he can only handle so much cold.]

I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess, Cas.

[ If he had any juice, they'd be out of there by now. Sam has to know that, and Cas is very aware. ]

Yes. My tank... is empty. [ Under normal circumstances, he might be pleased with his use of metaphor. He's more frustrated than amused at these events, though, so it's hard to enjoy.

Getting out and walking would be a poor choice, but staying in the car doesn't seem too wise, either. It's a no-win situation, really, and Cas isn't particularly acquainted with survival skills. ]

I'm sorry. [ The last thing he wants is to share a car with a Samsicle, but when he's like this, he's pretty much useless. ] I would fix this if I could.

[Oh, he knows. That doesn't mean he can't hope that what he knows is wrong.]

Right, your tank. [The situation isn't pretty, but Sam still offers the angel a crooked smile anyway. It's important to keep morale up, especially in rough situations like this after all.] That's what I was afraid of.

[Geeze Cas, why couldn't he have actual wing wings and fly them out of here? Real angels stink.]

Getting out of the car's a no go, at least we have some shelter in here. [Sam pauses, running a hand through his hair as he tries to formulate some sort of plan. Sure would be nice to have Dean around right now.] There's some stuff in the trunk that might help. I'm going to go get it before the weather gets any worse. Stay here.

[He's already moving to climb out when Cas apologizes, for a moment there he can understand why Dean gets so annoyed when he apologizes all the time.]

Hey, it's not your fault. You didn't ask for this any more than I did. So let's leave it at that, alright?

Sam--

[ Cas thinks it might be wiser for him to be the one to go outside, but Sam's already moving to get out. Still, in a weak attempt to convince him, he says, ] I can get the 'stuff'.

[ While he's not exactly sure what the stuff actually is, he'll find it. Even keeping that in mind, he still feels that he's better equipped to handle the conditions than Sam. He might not want to hear it, but he's -- well, weak. It's not his fault (he's only human, after all), but there's no changing the facts. ]

You're more susceptible to extreme weather.

Cas--

[Sam wants to reject what the angel is saying, he really does, but deep down he knows that Castiel is probably right.]

Alright, fine. Just... grab anything that seems like it could be useful. Water, blankets, and stuff like that especially, okay?

[He's not happy, he doesn't really like the idea of sending Cas out to fetch stuff from the trunk. No offense, but he's a little common sense challenged about earth stuff sometimes.]

And hurry, if you take too long I'll come looking for you.

[Maybe Cas is an angel, but he's one that's currently without power. As far as Sam is concerned that means he's pretty much on level with a human when it comes to most things.]

Just...be careful, alright?

[No arguing, Cas. Take too long and he's going to come out and drag him back to the car. He's not convinced a gas-less angel is fully weather proofed.]

I will be, [ he says, not necessarily irked, but still rather displeased with the current situation. He may be essentially powerless at the moment, but he's not incapable. He does want to reassure Sam that everything will be fine, though, so he gives him a slight nod before stepping out of the car.

He's out there for awhile. At first, he's just standing in front of the trunk, staring down at its contents. He realizes quickly that he'll find things better if he starts digging through it, though, so he goes to work, picking up items and examining them, attempting to determine if they'll be useful in their predicament.

When he returns, Cas has the items Sam specifically named: water and blankets. However, 'and stuff like that' is vague, so there's an assortment of other basically useless items in his arms as well. He opens the passenger door and passes everything he's got over to Sam, snow falling from his clothes and hair onto the seat as he does so. ] Here.

[ He's done what he can, but he still feels a bit guilty that, if it weren't for his tank, they'd be warm by now. So he remains outside the car, peering in. ] Stay here. I'm going to remove the snow from the car. [ How, he's not quite sure. He didn't spot a shovel or anything else he could use in the trunk, but he'll figure something out. ]

Good. [Sam's not irked or even all that displeased. He's a Winchester, this is just how his life goes. Murphy loves screwing with them too much for him to take most mishaps personally anymore. He's still frowning when Cas leaves the car, either way, because he's worried about his common sense challenged friend.]

[So he sits and he stews and he fidgets, because from the moment Castiel shut the door he wants to be out there making sure that he's alright. Maybe it's not the most rational reaction, but he can't help worrying anyway.]

[When Cas opens the door, Sam's hand is on the door handle, because he'd finally talked himself into checking on Cas. So he jumps a little when the door opens, smacking his head slightly on the ceiling. Sometimes it sucks to be this tall, seriously.]

Hey. [He reaches out, taking everything as Cas passes it to him. His eyebrows slowly rising towards his hairline as some of the more ridiculous items get passed along. Apparently he should have made the angel a proper list.] Thanks.

[Castiel is only partway through his attention to remove the snow from the car when Sam starts shaking his head. Not a chance.]

Get in, sit for a minute first. Maybe you're tougher than me, but this weather can't be that easy on your body right now. So warm up for a bit and then maybe we'll see about clearing the car off, okay?

[ He's not a fan of sitting idly by while the snow builds up on top of the car. It's not a terribly thick layer yet, but he certainly doesn't want to watch it get worse.

Nevertheless, he doesn't want to anger Sam. He shakes off what snow he can and reluctantly steps inside the car, taking care to shut the door firmly behind him. If they have to sit in the car, he'd prefer not to let too much cold air in. He doesn't know what to do if Sam catches hypothermia, after all, so it's probably best that they do all they can to avoid that.

He laces his fingers together in his lap, glancing over at the items he'd passed over to Sam. He doesn't seem to have put any of them into use yet -- the ones that can logically be used, anyway. ]

You should use them, [ he suggests, motioning towards Sam's array of survival materials. The sooner he gets warm, the better. ]

[ do you mind a femdean? if not I can write something up! ]

[ i don't mind! ]

[ She's been planning this for ages. Well, for hours anyway, ever since the snow started to fall the day before. Everything's quiet for once, no end-of-the-world apocalypse BS, no monsters or demons or them working frantically to keep someone else from biting it.

It's just them in the bunker and the snow falling outside, and Deanna watches it fall, transfixed. She can't remember the time she saw a real Kansas snowstorm, and this one looks like a doozy.

The next morning, she's up early, preparing. She and Sam hadn't had a lot of toys as kids, so they'd always gotten as much fun out of snow as they could, and building a fort comes easy. By the time Cas wanders outside to look for her, she's prepared with plenty of ammo, grinning ferociously as she sends a snowball whizzing towards his head. ]

[ When Cas doesn't see or hear from her, it's... strange. Not at the level of worrying, not yet, but he finds it unusual. He checks all over the bunker first, like a kid searching for a lost cat. The results of that are dismal, obviously, so he sends his one man search party outside.

And before he can really register what's happening, there is something flying at his face.

The snowball makes impact, hitting him square in the face. He looks all kinds of pathetic, really, standing there as snow drips down his face, attempting to blink the snow out of his eye (with unsatisfactory results). He shifts his glance downwards as pieces of snow fall down to his shoulder, watching as they create a wet mark in his coat. He blinks once more, then wipes unsuccessfully at the snow that remains on his face before glancing up at her, bewildered. ]

...I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish.

[ Her first reaction is one of triumph when the snowball hits him square in the face. Deanna cackles, way too proud, not even trying to hide behind the wall of her fort. It's not as if Cas is fighting back. ]

Snowball fight, Cas!

[ She has another one ready to go, throwing it so that it splatters on his chest this time, soaking the front of his coat. He's still standing there, though, just taking it, and Deanna pauses, sighing. It would be just like him to stand there all day and let her wallop him. ]

C'mon. You're supposed to fight back.

Fight back.

[ It's not a question, it's more like he's parroting the words back at her. As if he's trying to work through the concept in his head.

Yes, he's seen snowball fights before - he's probably seen all of the best winning strategies that there are, actually - but from what he's seen, there's usually some sort of driving force behind it. And the participants are usually children. ]

I'm not angry with you. [ He can't see why they would decide to fight otherwise. He reaches down to brush what snow he can off of his coat, raising an eyebrow. ] But I am wet.

You don't have to be angry. It's a snowball fight, not a battle. It's - supposed to be fun.

[ Because explaining the concept of fun to Cas always works so well. She scoops up another snowball in one hand, tossing it up and down idly. ]

See? That's motive, right there. I got your coat all wet. Don't you want to get back at me for it?

[ Deanna raises her eyebrows at him and, without giving him a chance to answer, launches the snowball at him, hitting him in the shoulder. ]

[ Unfortunately, Cas is not very fun. Still, she seems to actually want this to happen, and although he can't really see how it could be fun, he's willing to give it a try.

It's not terribly bothersome that his coat is wet, so there's not much motive there. He doesn't want to disappoint, though, so he crouches down and gingerly gathers some snow in the palm of his hand. ]

You... want me to throw this in your direction.

I want you to throw it at me. I want you to try and hit me.

[ Pelting him with yet another snowball as an example seems excessive, so she just stands there, tossing the snowball up and down in one hand. If Cas doesn't start participating soon, this is gonna be the shortest-lived snowball fight in history. ]

C'mon. You won't hurt me.

Throw it at you, [ he corrects, not without a twinge of uncertainty. Despite his slight apprehension, he begins loosely packing the snow in his hands, taking care to smooth over its surface. Within several seconds, he's holding a small but meticulously crafted snowball, rolling it back and forth in his palm gently. ]

I know. [ It's only snow, after all, and snow that he's taken steps to assure doesn't contain twigs or rocks. If he knows anything about fun, it's that scratches and cuts aren't it.

He takes one last look at his snowball before he sends it soaring towards her shoulder, following up with an expectant look. He'd like to know he's doing this correctly before continuing. ]

[ It's the most picture-perfect snowball she's ever seen, and Deanna's lip twitches in amusement. Angels. ]

At me. Yeah.

[ The snowball hits her shoulder, and if she gasps in reaction it's mostly because it's honestly wet and cold, and only partly for Cas' benefit. Deanna grins at him, hefting her own snowball. ]

Yeah, see, you're getting it. Now do it again.

[ She throws her own snowball and bends to pick up another, aiming for his head. ]

[ At first, Cas doesn't make any attempts to dodge her attacks. The point has to be to hit your target -- that's where the enjoyability is, he suspects. When you're standing still as a projectile comes flying towards your face, though, you've got a little time to rethink your positions on some things.

It's then when he considers that she might find that too easy to really enjoy, and he starts to slip out of the snowball's path. He's just a second too late and the snowball splatters by his ear, leaving flakes in his hair.

He doesn't quite understand it, but her reaction to his previous snowball was favorable, so he kneels down again. ] All right. [ He gathers together more snow than before, but when he sends it off, he purposefully sends it about 3 inches to her left. It's an experiment, almost. He's curious to know if he should throw the game for her entertainment, since ultimately, all he's trying to do is indulge her. ]

[ Not quite. Deanna doesn't intentionally miss, but she gives him gentle throws to start, things he can duck easily or that at least won't hit him too hard if he doesn't move out of the way.

Which he doesn't. He stands there like a giant target and just takes it, enough that Deanna's just about ready to encourage him to start taking this seriously and move, when he does, kind of. Finally. Deanna doesn't try to avoid his own attacks - Cas could use the confidence boost, she thinks - but when he throws and misses by a large margin, she stops, just giving him a look. ]

Come on. I know you can do better than that.

I can. [ His aim is rather good, even though he has to account for the wind. Actually, it's probably the fact that he does account for the wind that makes his snowball talents so commendable -- most people would relax, throw lazily, but Cas is calculated and deliberate.

He eyes her expression thoughtfully as he brushes the remnants of snow off of his hands, returning her look with a slight quirk of his eyebrows. ]

Do you want me to? [ This, perhaps, is not specific enough. "Better" could encompass a range of difficulties from "mildly challenging" to "near impossible", but he trusts that she'll let him know if he's ruining her fun. ]

Do I want you to actually try, instead of missing on purpose like I'm a little kid?

[ The answer should be obvious, she hopes, even to Cas. Deanna crosses her arms over her chest, looking at him expectantly. ]

What do you think?

[ He shifts uncomfortably under her stare for the briefest of moments before answering, ] So you do.

[ He doesn't waste any time reaching for some snow and packing it into a tight ball. If she wants a challenge, that's what she'll get. He pauses for a few seconds, concentrating on the wind, the angle he should throw at -- and then sends a snowball directly towards the center of her face. ]

Better?

[ When Cas is good, he's good. The snowball hits her right on the nose, exploding into snowflakes and sending her staggering back a few steps before she catches her balance. Deanna's temporarily blinded, wiping snow out of her eyes and rubbing her suddenly freezing nose to warm it up.

But she's smiling, pleased and obviously proud. Maybe Cas isn't a hopeless case after all. ]

Much better.

[ It's all she says before she dives back into it, sending a snowball whizzing his way and immediately ducking behind the wall of her fort to cover herself and pick up another. ]

[ When she wobbles backwards, he falters, arms returning to his sides. He watches uncertainly as she wipes her eyes, waiting on some kind of sign that he hasn't just royally ruined the day for everyone.

She smiles, though, and this is enough to reassure him -- motivate him, even, because that's a reaction he doesn't mind getting. The corners of his mouth quirk up a little; it's enough to be perceptible, but it's faint. ] I'm glad you-- [ His eyes trail down to her makeshift fort, diverting his attention away from the snowball, and it strikes him easily, interrupting his train of thought.

At this point, his coat is already so soaked that he doesn't even attempt to shake the snow off. Instead, he drops down to the ground, defenses down, to build a fort much like hers. ] Are there guidelines for fort construction?

Guildelines?

[ She laughs, shaking her head, obviously terribly amused. ]

This is war, Cas. There are no rules.

[ She gives him a break anyway, though. Instead of pelting him mercilessly while he tries to build his fort, Deanna drops down out of sight behind her own, focusing on packing more snowballs and building up her own ammo pile. Occasionally, she pops her head up and sends a snowball whizzing his way, along with a few taunts for good measure. ]

C'mon, Sammy could build forts faster than that when he was five years old!

I don't think this constitutes war-- [ Cas looks up in her direction as he says this, hears her laughter, and it slowly but surely registers that she wasn't being literal. ] Oh.

[ Mostly, he just sits there and takes it, just lets himself become a target. He's certain that constructing a solid fort is more important than avoiding her attacks, confident that it's more important than sending any snowballs her way. Still, he takes care to dodge some as well as throw a couple back -- not because it's necessary from a logical standpoint, but because he wants to keep this interesting for her.

He's only halfway through the painstaking process of building the perfect snow fort when she complains. He looks away from his project, but continues smoothing down the edges almost methodically. ] Was Sam often the victor?

Hell no.

[ True, it had gotten harder and harder to beat Sam consistently as he'd grown up, and eventually it had gotten to a point where there wasn't a clear victor at all, just two very wet and cold kids, pink-cheeked and worn out and ready for hot chocolate. But there had been a few glorious years there when he was smaller and he hadn't stood a chance. Deanna doesn't choose to explain all this to Cas, naturally. She looks at his perfectly-constructed half a fort, smiling softly, and shakes her head decisively. ]

Sorry to have to tell you, Cas, but you're up against the best. Prepare to get your ass handed to you.

[ To punctuate her claim, she sends a quick volley of snowballs at him, stinging against his already sodden trenchcoat. ]

Then his fort was not properly constructed. [ Fast workmanship is sloppy workmanship.

Cas raises an arm to protect himself from the brunt of her pelting, letting some snow collide with his sleeve instead. His coat is taking a horrendous beating today, all soiled with snow and unkempt even more than is typical. He either hasn't noticed or can't bring himself to mind, though, as he's just letting the tips slowly become submerged in a puddle of snow while he shapes his fort.

It's still not completely done, but he thinks it might be beneficial to let it sit and melt a little bit -- if he recalls correctly, wetter snow packs better than dryer snow. So he abandons his post and begins advancing on hers, packing snow between his palms as he does so. He doesn't send it flying just yet; he takes his time, as angels can be wont to do. ] Show me your skills then.

So you're the expert now?

[ She's teasing, but it's goodnatured. Deanna smirks at him, looking over his fort appraisingly. It's only half-done, but she has to admit it's not bad, as far as snow forts go.

She's instantly on alert when he starts to walk over, her eyes drawn to the snowball he's in the process of constructing. He doesn't throw it yet, though, and Deanna grins at the challenge, sudden and fierce and bright. ]

Just remember, you asked for it.

[ She ducks down, shielding herself behind her own fort and grabbing her premade snowballs, sending them whizzing his way. There's only so much talent or strategy possible in something like a snowball fight, but Deanna's not all talk - she is good, for what it's worth. She pops her head up just long enough to throw one or two snowballs before ducking back out of sight again, taking the time to aim rather than throwing wildly. And, at this distance, they hit hard, the force behind them evident as they splatter on Castiel's chest and stomach and limbs. ]

[ Castiel is so very out of his element. Doing something for no other reason than fun is a rare occurrence for him; fun is something he still feels is difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, he's finding that creating fun for someone else gives him a sort of sense of accomplishment, like he's done a minor good deed. It's gratifying.

It's still gratifying even as snowballs come hurtling at him, somehow. They manage to send him stumbling back a few steps, his loafers leaving behind deep footprints in the snow. He'd been planning on using his own ammo sparingly, deliberately and only when necessary, but there he is, throwing his perfectly crafted snowball haphazardly. Thoughtlessly, even.

It had felt like the proper thing to do at the time, almost like a reflex, but now he's without ammunition and down for the count. He silently chastises himself and retreats back to his side, crouching down and gathering up more snow. Taunts aren't exactly his strong suit, but he still tries in an attempt to lure her out. ] Do you need to hide behind a barrier to win?

[ For a moment, she thinks that it's an honest question, that he's still trying to figure out the rules of the game, and she opens her mouth to explain.

But the snowballs have stopped, briefly, and she peers over the edge of her fort to see the curve of Cas' back as he crouches down behind his own. He must have run out of ammo - and that's when she realizes that Cas is trashtalking her. Deanna laughs, delighted, and tosses another snowball his way, trying to send it arcing over the wall and hit him. ]

I'm not the only one hiding, Cas. You wanna move this to open ground?

Not particularly. [ Honesty is the best policy, okay, and he honestly knows that if they take this to open ground, he will be the soggiest little angel there ever was.

Despite his reluctance, his head appears from behind the snow just in time for her snowball to go whizzing past his face (too close for comfort, really). He looks back to watch it land and has to admit to himself that her technique is impressive -- he also has to admit that it really doesn't matter where he is. No matter what, he will end up soaked. There's simply no fighting destiny. ]

But I will, [ he says as he stands, eying her warily. ]

[ So much for trash talking. Deanna stops throwing snowballs long enough to watch as Cas pokes his head up above the walls of his fort. She'd never admit it to him, but he's stupidly adorable like this, all disheveled and halfway soaked through with melted snow.

She raises an eyebrow at him, cocking her head to one side. He's not exactly jumping at the chance to take this up a notch, but then, he hasn't been especially enthusiastic about any aspect of this whole snowball fight. Well, it's Cas - enthusiasm isn't exactly his forte, after all, but it occurs to Deanna that she hadd kind of dragged him into this whole thing. ]

You sure? Y'know you don't have to do this if you don't want, Cas.

[ He's still on edge when she starts talking; he hadn't expected her to be hesitant in any way, but then again, he's always being surprised these days.

His guard goes down as he starts registering what she's saying, his entire body relaxing and slumping. He mirrors her, tilting his own head, raising his eyebrows. I don't want to do this hadn't been the message he'd meant to communicate -- he'd meant I want a fighting chance more than anything else.

To reassure her, he meets her gaze and speaks with confidence. ] I intend to finish this.

[ He looks so ridiculous right at that moment, standing there in his overlarge trenchcoat, tilting his head at her like a cat, and Deanna feels a sudden swell of affection for him that she quickly tamps down, smiling at him a little.

She's surprised at his determination, but oddly proud of him all the same, looking surprised and then pleased, grinning at him. ]

Then let's finish it, big guy.

[ And with that, she scoops up a few snowballs and clambers over the top of her fort, moving towards him. ]

[ Open to any option! Snowboarding at Icicle Inn could be fun because ~~stupidminigameshenanigans~~ I'm cheesy like that. ]

[ It's cold, incredibly so, but that isn't the kind of thing that would stop Aerith from trying to enjoy herself. She's far too used to trying to find the good and the magic in unfortunate situations to have a little snow dampen her day, even if she had been looking forward to a warmer walk than the one she was having right now.

But, if she was being honest? Snow was magical. Getting enough clean rain to make the snow look beautiful was rare, especially when you lived in the slums - she was used to the only beauty around being the rare flowers that grew in the church. In a way, she was almost thankful that it had been pure enough for the snow to form (though, maybe Cloud didn't agree). ]

C'mon, silly! It'll be fun!

...Fun?

[ Cloud snorted, his breath issuing up over the scarf he had draped about his chin and neck in a great white plume.

He was a country boy, accustomed to the snow and the cold, and this particular batch of powder was nothing special - if anything, it seemed unusual to him for winter to go by without at least a good dusting of snow. Nibelheim, tucked away at the foot of the mountains, would get snow not in the inches but in feet whenever a storm decided to blow down over those craggy peaks or come roaring in from across the plains to the south. So this? This was nothing. Nothing to get worked up over anyway.

Still, it was bitterly cold and the jacket he wore wasn't nearly enough to protect him from the wind's icy teeth that sent chills slithering down his spine; worse, he imagined Aerith to be just as cold as he, and with her slight figure she was bound to get sick. What kind of (pretend) bodyguard let his charge get sick? ...Even if she was the one that was determined to go off cavorting in the snow?

He didn't quite make a face in response to her cajoling (because, the truth was that he didn't actually mind it and rather enjoyed the weather in a nostalgic sort of way), and instead shrugged with a slight roll of his shoulders almost as if to say have it your way. By now he'd learned that once she set her mind to something there was no stopping her - and if that meant playing in the snow or tagging along through questionably seedy neighborhoods in the slums or whathaveyou that was what she was going to do (and likely with him in tow). Still, with the wonderment she expressed over the sight of it, Cloud couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever even seen snow, let alone the quantities of it that was still accumulating.

With that in mind, he bent at the waist and scooped up a handful of the stuff, working it into a loose ball. The snow was still too powdery to make a good snowball, much of the mass he'd picked up slipping between his gloved fingers, but he pressed it together enough that it hopefully wouldn't disintegrate midflight. ]

Better think fast.

[ He then lobbed the snowball towards the girl, aiming not at her body but at the ground just before her feet, a faint, playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. ]

[ Going from being scared of the sky and nervous around SOLDIERs to playing in the snow with an ex-fighter should probably make Aerith question things - but, as always, she knows that it's right, the soft words and whispers from the Planet she hears sometimes enough to soothe most of her worries. It's hard to hear anything most days, the sounds of Midgar loud even in the quiet of her house, but it's enough.

Turning back to beam at Cloud, she walked over with her hands behind her back, wrapped up a little warmer than he was. It didn't stop her from tugging on his scarf gently as she leaned in. Her attempts to make Cloud blush were often more for fun than anything else but she couldn't resist; sometimes it was as easy as a compliment, other times it meant shoving him into a pretty dress. ] You're all red from the cold! How cute.

[ Of course, she darts away from him before he can reply, lifting her head up to look at the sky and enjoy the still falling snowflakes, few fewer than there had been before. It was cold, she couldn't deny it, a chill running down her spine as her arms wrapped around herself, but she was enjoying herself too much to care. She had lived a life where she has, for all purposes, on the run, hiding and trying to keep herself and her mother safe. She had to take her time of freedom and play as often as she could - and she couldn't complain about getting more time to spend with Cloud.

So caught up in her marvel at the weather and her freedom, Aerith barely heard Cloud call for her until a snowball hit her arm - it wasn't hard, considering how thin the snow was, but it was still enough to make her turn to give him an obviously fake glare, shaking her head as she walked towards him. ] Cloud Strife! I thought you were supposed to be my bodyguard - what kind of bodyguard attacks when a lady's back is turned?

[ Still....

Bending down, she grabs a handful of snow and does her best to dump it all on Cloud's hair - and, hopefully, if she's lucky, angle it so that it'll fall down the back of his clothes and give him something chilly to deal with. ]

The snow's green in some places. Green or red or blue. Wreaths and candles adorn a few houses, even though it rained yesterday and Christmas is two months gone. Snow's enough to wish again...the light's late this year.

Whatever the weather, Draven's walking. Usually that's enough to draw attention, but he has a twisted, hairless, writhing tendril-nosed beast hopping at the end of a short barbed leash. A rough translation of the thing's movements and whimpers is oh no snow make it burn!

(OOC: An optional, example scenario. Really, do whatever the hell you want.)

[I've got Winter here from

savetheearth and vanilla Rikka,

diamondlight. Lemme know which you want!]

[Mana and Rikka were studying together at the latter's house when the snowfall started, and it ended up getting too heavy by the time they realized what was going on. Even though Mana's home was only a short distance away, Mana knew that it would be better for her to just wait it out at her friend's house.

While Rikka went off to find extra blankets and a heater, Mana got it in her head to do something Rikka would probably enjoy... she went down to the Hishikawas' kitchen and made some hot cocoa. Once that was done, she headed upstairs, carrying the mugs on a tray with the intent of surprising her friend...]

[Getting everything set up had taken longer than anticipated, so she was just settling in under a big, blue blanket (with a similar, pink blanket also near to hand - where had she gotten that, anyway?) in front of the heater when Mana reappeared, carrying... steaming mugs of something.]

What do you have there, Mana?

Hot cocoa! It's the perfect kind of thing for a night like this!

[she set the tray down in front of them, and then grabbed her blanket, quickly curling it around her and setting down next to Rikka. Without thinking or making much of a fuss over it, she snuggled up against Rikka's side]

Definitely... thanks, Mana. I'm glad you thought of it.

[She suspected it would be too hot to drink just yet, so she let it sit, continuing to warm up in her cocoon. The sudden pink-haired heat source coming close didn't hurt, either, and as she looked out the window at the thick blanket of snow coming down, she smiled.]

It's a beautiful night. I mean, I'm glad we're inside, but it's pretty to watch the snow.

Yeah, it really is... It's ruly beautiful!

[Mana said that, looking out the window, with a dreamy tone and expression on her face]

It reminds me of you, really!

[The smile turns into a lopsided grin, Rikka turning back to her friend.]

How does falling snow remind you of me?

[Mana smiles back at her]

Like you said... it's pretty... and you have power over ice as Cure Diamond!

Plus... it brings the two of us closer, just like right now!

[Okay, that gets a giggle out of her.] Okay, I'll give you those.

[She reaches out to take one of the mugs of cocoa, blowing on it for a moment before carefully taking a sip; the happy murmur she puts out a moment later suggests she's pleased with it.]

[Mana doesn't take her's quite yet... instead, she seems to be waiting for Rikka's reaction to her's. Once it's clear she's happy with it, Mana's face lights up]

You like it...?

Yes! I needed that right now... thanks, Mana.

You're welcome.

[Mana finally turned to her cup of cocoa, and took a sip. Once she did, she let out a happy sound much like the one Rikka made]

[Rikka giggles; this reaction is just so Mana that she can't help but be happy.]

This isn't how I was expecting to spend tonight... but I don't mind it at all. Maybe... things can just stay like this.

Edited 2013-09-08 22:28 (UTC)

[Winter was hardly Nagisa's favorite time of year, but it would be misleading to say he disliked it. Swimming was something he enjoyed, something he loved, but he could find something to be passionate about in any season.]

[And in winter, it was snowmen, snow angels, snow forts, snowball fights, snow, snow, snow. The fort he had constructed for the time being was meager compared to the complex snow palaces he could sometimes make, but it would do for the time being. He fluttered back and forth, piling the snow up hire and packing snowballs eagerly, but drew up short and skittered for cover at the sound of someone else approaching. He scooped up one of his pre-made snowballs and hunkered down to wait, though whether he would ambush or recruit his next victim remained to be seen.]

[ It felt as if he'd been asleep since the first night the snow had come and the ocean-shore'd sunk underneath the white, dark and untouchable.

White, white. His shoes crunched through the snowfall as if treading glass. The slog to school in winter took more out of him too, but he was fairly sure, at least, that his sense of direction lingered. There'd been a lump in the distance when he'd last checked in with the world five minutes ago; it was getting bigger now, and it was --

... a fort? A fort less than two meters away, and the shadow of something huddling behind it. ]

. . . It's too small.

[ As if in note to himself -- this is not a school, Haru -- but never mind that, Haru, today's Sunday. ]

Haru-chan, that's mean! [Nagisa popped up from behind his barricade with a pout on his face, his snowball forgotten on the ground. If it had been, say, Rei who'd walked by ambushing was inevitable. But since it was Haru, Nagisa had other plans in mind. He jumped over the outer wall of his fort and half ran, half staggered over to Haru. Ever mindful and respectful of others' personal space, he promptly throw both of his arms around one of Haru's and tugged at him plaintively.]

Since it's small, you should come help me build!

Nagisa?

[ Startlement equaled no resistance equaled hapless recruition into Nagisa's snowball building army, apparently. A blink, a step, a blink, a step, and only as they drew closer did he think to ask - ]

Shouldn't we. . . be at school?

School? [Nagisa gave Haru a wonderful impression of a confused dog, tilting his head and slowing to a stop before finally giving Haru a smile tinted with amusement and even a bit of exasperation.] But Haru-chan, it's Sunday...

But you're outside.

[ working through this logic very slowly. ]

Because there's snow! [Nagisa slows to a stop as they reach the wall of the fort, but he doesn't release Haru just yet.] I can't let it go to waste! [Sleeping in may have been more his style, but this opportunity was too good to pass up.]

[ He eyes the fort deeply and critically, obviously deep into considering every possible angle, its potential defenses and the amount of ammo they'll need to make this a proper snow war for all age- ]

It won't last.

[ . . . says Mer-Eeyore, hater of any fun that involves unswimmable water. ]

Right! [Nice try, Haru, but Nagisa is wise to your killjoy ways.] So we have to have fun with it now, before it all melts! [He tugs on Haru again. Now that he's found a potential partner in crime, he doesn't want to let him go.]

let me dream

Kaoru Hitachiin || OHSHC || OTA

Hermione Granger | Harry Potter | OPEN

Pepper Potts | MCU | OTA

Shizuo Heiwajima | Durarara!! (anime)

Tim | Marble Hornets

raleigh becket ( pacific rim | 63 )

marian hawke | dragon age ii | ota

Clary Fray | TMI | OTA

castiel ► supernatural

I have no season in mind and have no idea where this is going, but whatever. YOLO

ahh it's fine we'll wing it!

Hopefully we can wing it better than Cas can

lmao. i think we can!

I should hope so! XD

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yay! have some unrepentant fluff...

i never say no to that...

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WHOOPS i accidentally subscribed to you while trying to reply ignore that

no problem!

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natsuo sagan | loveless | ota

cissnei | ffvii: crisis core | ota

nathan young | misfits

Loki ♛ MCU and Comics

Cloud Strife | ota

④

I'm sorry, I thought I'd posted this yesterday.

No worries!

Faith Lehane ⚔ BtVS, AtS, and comics

Draven | Darksiders II

Joanna McCoy ∞ Star Trek

Rikka Hishikawa (AU) | Dokidoki Precure | OTA

(vanilla Rikka) - 6

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Hal Yorke | Being Human (UK)

Jack Benjamin → Kings

Bucky Barnes ✪ Marvel comics

Allison Cameron ❥ House M.D. ❥

vincent nightray ✁ pandora hearts

haruka nanase | free!

stage iii // 4

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