Snow White's eyes scanned the pearly white snow. The thorns of a rose bush stood in her way as a single red rose bloomed from it. Her delicate hands traveled along its stem in a little dance as she leaned her body forward to sniff it.
"I can never catch you, can I?" A boy's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"William." She turned her emerald eyes to face him.
"No matter how hard I try, you're always one step ahead of me."
She simply stared at him. At the way the flecks of snow fell against his face and made his bronze eyes stand out. At the sincere yet concerned look that read against his face. This was the boy she grew up with, her childhood best friend.
"You know," He stepped forward, his face inching closer to hers, "That day that you…died…I dreamt of you. I dreamt I was with you in the forest and we kissed."
Her gaze flicked up to meet his.
"Then the strangest thing happened. I gave you an apple, as if we were younger, and you ate it. After that, you began to choke as if it were made of poison. The worst part of it was…I just stood there glowering and laughing at you, watching you suffer. It felt so, so real. And it was like…" His voice jerked to a halt as he looked away.
"William," She whispered as her fingers lingered on his shoulders, "I waited and waited for that promise of you saving me. I used to dream that one day you'd come and rescue me from her. And in the end of it all….you came. I think for that….for that I love you."
She leaned forward until her lips touched his. The kiss was warm and meaningful, like an eternal flame being lit against fields of freezing snow. Though small, it was so full of longing and depth. It burned with feelings of emotion, loss, tragedy, regret, and hope. Of the daydreams and thoughts that forever kept them together even in the moments when they were apart.
"I love you too," He replied back and swooped her into his arms. And for those few moments they were once more the two childhood best friends that tumbled in snow and watched hours aimlessly tick away together.