My first Kingdom Hearts fanfic. I wrote this during writing club in, like, 20 minutes - but I hope you like it!
Flakes of crystal fall from the heavens. He raises his chin, shivering slightly as some flakes settle in his hair like fleas in a dog's fur, pricking his scalps with their icy touch. His scarf flaps against his back as a blast of wind propels itself from over the mountains, making the soaring flakes dance in the sky before they resume their steady fall. Crystals showed up white against the black of his jacket, stinging his rosy-red cheeks like a constant flurry of thorns.
All so beautiful, all so light - but it was hurting him too.
"Ven!"
He's the only spot of colour on the horizon - a black and yellow splodge upon the vast wasteland of white. Everything that was so green and beautiful is lost beneath the blankness. Even the endless blue sky is hidden behind the storm-grey clouds.
"Ventus!"
Everything's so light and gentle, but yet his cheeks sting and his fingers ache and it feels like two bullets have pierced his ears. A lump of snow falls from a tree onto his head and he doesn't know whether to laugh or scream at the feeling. Freezing water manages to slip past his collar and crawl down his back, making him shiver the way rain when it gets into his wellies does.
"Ven!"
But, he reminds himself, rain is so very different to snow fall. Rain that falls from dark clouds is an irritant - you try and and protect yourself from it and get away whilst only the most innocent of souls put on their coats and boots and go outside to splash in the puddles it leaves behind.
Snow though, people welcome. They rush out to join it, jump in it and enjoy it while it lasts - bearing the pain it brings. Because it is a good pain - a pain worth suffering.
"Ven!"
He feels something warm land on his shoulder, making a shiver run through his body. The gloved hand moves from his shoulder to his head, warmed springy fabric burning his scalp again as fingers run through his hair. He tilts his head upwards and to the side, flakes catching on his eyelashes and making him blink.
Aqua is dressed for the weather, as usual; she never leaves aching to chance. If there's even a chance of any of them catching a cold or sunburn, she's handing out suncream or coats and gloves before they can blink. Whilst Terra usually requires a compromise or an 'or else!' to be added on the end of Aqua's orders, Ven always just does as she asks. Aqua's the big sister he can't remember and he's immensely grateful for it.
"Ven, come on, let's go inside."
But he doesn't want to go yet. He likes it here, amongst the biting flakes and nipping cold - where everything is quiet and still.
"Aren't you cold?"
Yes he's cold, as it stings like a thousand needles - but the pain comes with the dancing snow so he doesn't really care.
"Let's go inside. I made you hot chocolate."
He reluctantly moves his feet across the gardens. Aqua's only looking out for his - she is yet to appreciate the wonders of the snow fall - and he respects her wishes.
Besides, the promise of hot chocolate is too much for his child-like joy to resist.
So he leave the snow behind, arming his presence there with his footsteps - marks that will soon be swept away so the landscape will forget he was ever there - and enters the warm comfort of home.
Snow is like light, he think. Wonderful at first, but starts to hurt if you hold on to it too tightly for too long.
But it's always beautiful.
