Prompt: 'Snow' & 'Ronald Knox'
That Girl from General Affairs
She was wearing white when he met her, that girl from General Affairs. It was precisely 7:39 in the morning, so his brand new wrist timepiece told him, when he spotted her as he headed back from a Retrieval. A halo of fluffy white fur framed her face, her nose a little too pink and her lips a little too violet and her cheeks just the right amount of rosy-red.
She was dressed in heavy velvet, the snow touching her hem and making her boots disappear as she stood in front of a shoe store. He paused by her side.
"Hi." He greeted, unable to think of something smooth and charming to say so early in the morning.
"Hello." She returned, offering a smile that made his face feel awfully warm. "Are they not the most outrageous things you've ever seen?" She gestured at the window display, tapping on the glass with her gloved finger. A pair of stark white Oxfords, with black soles and black lacing lay propped on display.
"They're pretty outrageous." He agreed. "Ronald Knox, by the way. New intern, in Spears' team. Are you with the Dispatch Division?"
"No, I'm in General Affairs." She gave him another smile and he was sure he was as red as Captain Sutcliff's brilliant hair.
"I never understood the reluctance of gentlemen to wear coloured shoes. Surely, wearing black means it is perfectly acceptable to wear its stark counterpart?" She pondered aloud, turning her attention back to the display.
"Food for thought." He shrugged, managing a grin to try and save his reputation as a suave young man.
"I happen to think white is very fetching on a gentleman." She sighed, admiring the shoes. "But I suppose it does look a little silly if a gentleman is to wear all black with white shoes."
"They'd have to be gutsy." Ronald whistled low, scratching the back of his head.
"Brave and admirable." She added, before turning to drop into a curtsy. "It was nice meeting you, Agent Knox, but I best head off to my appointment."
He never did catch her name.
Five month later, as Ronald Knox walked into the office on his first day as a full-fledged Reaper, he wore stark white Oxfords on his feet.
He didn't think he was a sentimental guy. That sounded too cheesy if he were to ever admit it and his Captain would probably use it to tease him. He didn't think he was, but he knew he was. Deep down. Years later, he still looked at his fanciful shoes and thought fondly of that lovely girl from General Affairs.