I Hate the Cold

Blistering cold, the days drew on. School stopped. Friends went on vacation. And all I was left with were the sharp winds and presence of the white, dead world. The red and orange pave stones were overtaken by the purity color that piled high against the shop doors and lanterns. My breath puffed out of my mouth like smoke as I walked down the street. Late Christmas shoppers zipped by me and children gathered around the 75ft tall tree in the center of the outdoor mall. I cupped my hands over my mouth and blew out some warm air as a trudged on.

In front of the Christmas tree, a few kids circled around it, chugging snow balls at each other and slipping around in the snow. Their parents sat on the brick ledge that surrounded the mandala-like plaza. As I drew closer to the tree, its lights glared in the moonlight and the shops were no longer tight, but they dispersed into a large square, seeming to make room for the plaza.

I hated everything about the holidays. My family calls me the grinch, but I don't see why. I don't like Christmas or the season in which it's celebrated. In fact, 95% of Japan's population was either Buddhist or Shinto; so I didn't understand why we even celebrated Christmas.

Non-the-less, to the westerners, today was the "eve" of Christmas. On this day, everyone in my town still celebrated Christmas, so they were all warm in their houses now. Everyone but me; I was still not very big on all that emotional crap. And ever since Rukia and Ichigo became engaged, every Christmas is the same. Somehow they can't keep away from each other. It was always me that caught them in the act. This year, I wasn't going to make time for their gross moments. So I snuck out while my sister was cooking and my father was obsessing over the couple in the house.

I brushed off the snow on the ledge and sat before the dancing children. I didn't know what I was doing. But, then again, I typically wasn't the one knowing. At any rate, I'd rather deal with the cold, than with my holiday-loving family. Ichigo would sympathize with me if he didn't turn into a love bird every year.

I sighed in the frost-bitten temperatures, "I'm still thinking about that stuff.."

"Hikari!" I heard a woman cry.

I looked up suddenly to see a small boy holding a snow ball between his hands. He looked up at the calling of his name, but he wouldn't notice what dangers were headed from him. Above his head, a round globe was falling straight down from the tree.

"This is why I hate holidays..." I mumbled to myself, shooting up from where I was and rushing for the little boy. The globe fell slowly as it came from far up on the tree. I rushed over to the boy and came over just in time to catch the snowy white globe in my hand. The boy staggered backward and fell in the snow. I huffed one big sigh to see that the globe was a fallen ornament from the tree. Thanks Santa, you almost made this kid retarded.

I gazed over the clear, tiny ornament that was far smaller than what I imagined. It had nothing on its surface but a single blue-white snowflake. I wondered how I'd even seen this falling. And when I looked toward the woman who cried out, I wondered how she happened to see the ornament as well. But then, I saw the lady staring wide-eyed at me and I new she hadn't said anything.

I looked at the ornament and started at my reflection on its transparent surface, how in the hell did I see this thing?

My feet began to crunch in the new snow. Now, a light flurry cascaded over the little shopping mall, and people were hurrying to distance themselves from the upcoming storm. Now, however, only slight snowflakes fluttered slowly and the thin sheets of ice pecked at my cheek annoyingly. I suppose I was walking because I didn't want people to keep getting hit by ornaments. I'd have to save them again. But, in this lack of wind, I suppose that not too many things would fall from the tree; but what the hell, there was no point in staying near that oversized evergreen anyway.

I hated the holidays. I mean, who in the right mind would let their children peg each other with ice for the sake of being in "happy spirits?" Not to mention, they let their kids stand under a dangerously large tree. I stopped and took my new prize out of my pocket. I stared at my reflection in the translucent facade of the ornament. Why didn't I just drop this thing after I caught it? I suppose I thought it was some sort of lucky charm; because it was a miracle that I could see it in the first place. That I could catch it before it came crashing down on that little boy's head. It was one miracle that baby Jesus couldn't take credit for. Something that, for once in this season, did not have to do with Christmas.

I could see my reflection strongly on its glazed surface. My coal black hair and rosy cheeks took away from my pale skin and actually horrid looks. Though I wasn't very pretty, I looked far more girly than normal. That's because I had to take my hair down in the winter. I looked too feminine with it's shiny, sleek blackness swaying in the wind. My button nose was red, my cheeks flush, and my lips pink with chap stick. Without even trying, I hated winter. Because I looked effortlessly prissy and weak. My eyes glinted with dissatisfaction as I looked at my reflection. Dark blue eyes, mature looking, rarity in my area. Everyone always said they were my best feature. But they were blown out of the water when winter came. I looked effortlessly festive. Why in the world did I look so weird?

I hated the holidays, I hated the winter. The ground was too frozen to play soccer. I had to actually make time for my hair during the winter. I always loathed long hair, but at shoulder length, I never did decided if it was worth my time to cut it. But, in the end, it just grows longer with each year. Now I have to keep it in a ponytail during practice.

I shivered as a gust of wind blew chillingly through me. Dropping the ornament, I cringed and brrred, waiting for the gale to pass. When I looked up, the ornament must have been buried in the snowflakes because I couldn't see it anymore. I was sure I heard it thud to the ground before I closed my eyes to brace for the wind.

Carefully, I stepped forward and prepared to get down on my knees in order to search for the ornament. But, to my horror, I heard a crunch underneath my feet. A snap and the crushing of glass; I lifted my foot... And there it was, the little clear globe, shattered by my black boots.

There was just on split second where I paused and thought to myself, whoops...

"Though I'm glad I've been released, could you have possible broken me more discreetly?" I heard behind me. A strong voice, deep and cold.

I turned around slowly, at the sound of the voice. No one responded to the foreign voice, so I looked back to see if it was addressing me.

Turning around, I stared in astonishment. There in front of a shop decorated with Christmas gear, was a boy about my age. His eyes were cold and mature and glistened a radiant teal. His tan skin stood out against the white snow and contrasted brilliantly with his silver, white hair that spiked up like the sharp angles of a snowflake. He was as built as any boy on my soccer team, but he was taller than most. Did I know him? No. I would've remembered. Because someone like this was even more holiday-fitting than I was. His expression was cold as the winter's wind. He looked like the glistening Ice, fascinatingly sparkling.

But as my eyes slide down his bare chest and even further, I froze and my breath stopped as my eyes widened. I blinked several times and stared down at what I discovered, my eyes wide. His feet were bare on the cold snow, and his chest was also clean of clothes. But those two body parts were not the only think uncovered. No, my eyes could not avert from what was also unclothed, between his legs.

"So I have a female master this time," the boy began, "this'll be a first for me. I suppose my youth shines through in that aspect." He said.

As he continued to rant, I could not help but stare at that something..Hanging. I was still petrified by the sight of it. "I wonder how you will fair on the battle field," he continued, walking toward me.

My eyes snapped open as my trance was broken out of, I turned scarlet red by the vision of what I was seeing. When his foot hit the ground for his first step, I reared back and took two steps away from him to regained my composure. I shut my eyes tight and swung my leg in a round house. I felt it plant in the hard bones of the boy.

"What the hell are you doing?" I exclaimed.

Then, when I had finally stopped, steaming with rage, I opened my eyes and found the boy buried in a pile of snow.

I pulled my scarf up high over my mouth and nose and dug into its warmth, flush with embarrassment. What I had just seen, something that really should not have been seen by a 14 year old. A naked boy. I was still a girl. And what I saw was possibly worse than what I could have seen back at home. I was beginning to want to run back to Ichigo and Rukia, despite possibly catching them in the "act" again.

His head poked out of the top of the pile of snow as I began, "A-are you crazy or something? Running out naked in the cold?"

I glanced away and grew even more red, my mind could not keep darting back to the sight of what I had learned of in science. What I had never truly seen in real life until now. What all boys had. I shivered in remembrance of his naked body and wanted to scream. Was this boy retarded or just plain insane?

His teal eyes blinked in surprise before he attempted to wiggle out of the snow.

"Don't you move an inch!" I warned, knowing what would await me if he stepped out of the snow.

He was still, immediately. I didn't expect him to actually pause. In snow, nonetheless.

Then suddenly, I considered how cold it was outside, even when I was wearing as much as I was. And I didn't know why I didn't just run away right then. Why I felt so "holiday spirited." I didn't know why I took my dark brown coat off. But I did. It's valuer fabric weighed down on my hands as I unbuckled the sash and held the coat in one hand. The coat stretched bellow my knees so I thought that it should cover most of the boy. At least enough to cover his "parts" despite his tallness.

I threw the coat his way and shivered in my sweater. My coat was now gone. And I could now feel even more chilled.

He grabbed the fluttering jacket as I held myself in the cold wind. I blushed again and turned around as he began to dig himself out of the snow.

"Where's your mom?" I asked him, as I heard him snap the belt on clumsily.

"I don't have one," he responded.

I glanced back briefly, in surprise. We had something in common. But then I looked back when I saw he was still slipping his hands through the sleeves of his coat. I managed to avert my eyes to what was perhaps uncovered. Something I didn't want to see again.

When I thought he was done changing, I glanced back and then turned around.

He grabbed the collar of the coat and rubbed his fingers on the fabric, "It's warm," he observed.

I kicked at the snow, annoyed by how he had to point out the indirect heat I had given him.

I hated the holidays. But somehow, I was going out of my way for no reason. Was that Christmas spirit wearing off on me?

"Did your friends ditch you?" I asked, assuming that he had been asked to do this as some sort of prank. His hair color and eyes suggested he was a delinquent. That seemed the best course for explanation as well.

He put his hands in the pockets of the coat, obviously familiar with articles of clothing. So then why didn't he wear them! Retard! Not even underwear...

"You, of all people, should know why I'm here." he informed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Command me and you'll see," he explained.

"Huh?" I asked. Now was he just playing with me? Well whatever. "If you don't wanna tell me, fine." I said, as I turned to walk away, "Keep the coat."

I probably should've asked for the coat back. Because I was freezing in this snow. Nonetheless, I let out one pant of warm breath as I continued for my home. Which was so obscured by this boy's presence.

As my feet crunched in the snow, I heard a familiar sound trailing behind me. Please don't tell me...

I stopped and the sound behind me stopped. I ran forward and the pace of the beat also quickened. When I stopped, the sound slowed and then stopped again.

Look, if this was a dare, he was going way overboard. "Why are you following me?" I asked.

Then suddenly, another gale of wind blasted through me. I leaned over and crossed my arms, shivering through the paralyzing ordeal.

"Are you cold?" he asked, and somehow I could hear him over the deafening winds. He didn't seem to be phased by the cold. My coat wasn't that warm.

"Oh course I am," I tried to yell, but it just came out as some sort of irritated whisper.

Then, all of a sudden, all the wind seized. And any frost that fell was gone. Petrified, I was still wide eyed, by this weird phenomenon. He stopped the snow...What was going on!

"I can make it warmer if you'd like," the boy said, walking forward until he was within a step's distance from me.

"Who are you?" I asked in amazement.

The wind blew suddenly, just a light gust, that made my hair and the bottom of his jacket, flow to the east. I turned back toward him and looked him in the eye. This was way too weird. The snow stuff just had to be a prank. But still, a fear that it was something else, crept up inside me. A fantastical feeling, but scary nonetheless.

""I am anything you want me to be," he began, "When you broke that ornament,you released me." And it seemed that the world tipped and the ground below me was lifting; I felt as if I were in a dream.

"I am a Reflecting God. And until I serve my purpose to you, I will remain as your servant." he said. "You are my master."

I stared at him for awhile and then finally coughed up an unsure smile.

"Yeah right." I said.

I turned around to leave but the winds blew fiercely and kept me from moving.

"I am not happy about this either. But it is not an option to deny my services. And it is nothing but an insult to dismiss my words so easily," he voiced sternly.

"You're serious?" I asked; he was totally crazy if this wasn't a prank.

"If you don't believe me, go ahead and give me an order," he said.

I sighed, what in the world did they pay him to do this? What did they compensate him to randomly come upon a girl, naked, and proclaim he is her pet. Ridiculous. So I asked an impossible request in order to seize the nonsense, "Sprout wings," I commanded.

But the sky darkened to the same overcast as before. A glaring light shined and something like the jingling of a shaking chandelier was heard. Before me, they glittered a brilliant blue and spout an obscenely gorgeous light. The feathers that rubbed together rang like bells. There before me, were ice wings fit for the likes of a god.

That's when my knees buckled and I stared wide eyed at the boy. It was then that I had to defy every logic and adapt to change. Here before me was a boy who was not lying. It was a god that was not lying.

"They always told me that women were the hardest to convince," he said.

Then suddenly, his eyes drooped and his wings faded like an illusion. Slowly, his body stumbled to the left, to the right, and then he fell forward. I got up off my knees and caught him clumsily. Good god he was heavy! I fell down on my knees and attempted to hold him up. The chilling cold resumed and I saw the boy was unconscious and sleeping.

Ok, so he was a god. But why would he serve me? He told me it was because I broke the ornament. Was that some sort of sacred Kami ornament? And I didn't even break it! It was the wind that...Made me step on it. Ok, never mind, I broke it. But what type of god has to serve a human? There had to be a catch...Or maybe St. Nick was generous. I didn't ask for this type of gift though.

Now how was I supposed to move him?

I set him on the cold snow and stood up, pointing my index finger at him, "Wake up," I commanded.

Nothing happened...

"Like hell you're supposed to answer my every command!" I yelled at his sleeping self. He looked unbelievably blissful, and it made me feel awkward yelling in such a serene atmosphere. It was as if everything this guy did touched the world. In turn, the world would respond by adapting to what he wanted. With that sort of power...I don't know what I'd do.

I balled my fists and continued to pout, "And where in the world am I supposed to put you anyway?" I shivered in the cold wind and mumbled, "Why didn't I just order you to stay away?" I sighed. I couldn't possibly bring him to my house. But planning ahead wasn't my style, so at the moment, I had to get out of the cold.

Weirdly, I grabbed his arm and tried to lift him up over my shoulder. As I got up on one knee, I noticed two clean slits in my coat, where the boy's wings had sprouted. At least I wasn't hallucinating.

I tried to lift up on two feet, and drag him forward, but I ended up dropping his arm like a rag doll, and hearing him plop to the ground like a corpse. It was a good that no one was around. I turned around as the snowflakes fluttered lightly. I panted a huffed up warm smoke, "You sure are heavy." I said, gazing over him, his feet pointed toward me as if he were to have fallen backwards while standing before me.

I dropped down on my butt. The cold, wet snow shocked me for a second, but I ignored it, crying, "Should I just wait until you get up? I really can't move you..."

He didn't respond.

Frustrated, I gazed at his peaceful expression and became so pissed off with him that I banged my hands on the snow, "Hey, wake up already!" I exclaimed.

Then suddenly, the wind blew intensely and sent my hair flying. But when I look down at the boy, it was his coat that had flown open.

For a few moments, I stared wide eyed at that thing I did not want to see twice. Naked as a newborn babe he was. But nothing about him was as little as baby Jesus. I'd say he was pretty large for his age. My eyes shot open as I screamed at the top of my lungs. All men had this; and I doubted Jesus was an exception. Once more, my eyes had been defiled with the sight of this boy's "parts."

This is why I hated the cold.

Author's Notes:

Happy Birthday Shiro-chan! This is my special fan shout out to Toshiro, and my Christmas present to Karin. XD This book will be a series of short chapters that are generally humorous, fluffy, or romantic. ^^ This series will mirror the mood of Hello Professor(one of my older stories), only with more plot structure and better grammar. Probably more Romance too. But anyways, I hope you guys liked this cute little chapter. It made me think of cookies because friends who read it have called it, "short and sweet..". Makes me think of sugar cookies...Mmmm! :)

Everyone, go out and buy something for yourself! It's the birthday of the Ice Prince! Hehe :P

You'll learn in time that I really like reviews. So please, review review review!

~*RukiaRocks*~

P.S. And if the story doesn't seem interesting, please wait for the next chappy! I'm not done setting up the story yet! Mwahaha! XD