This is something that came to me one time when suddenly the summer thrived in to a cold day. It got me thinking about Christmas for some reason... and suddenly I was in this whole Winter spirit and I just couldn't resist... Besides, even if Winter isn't until a few weeks, I think the theme I have chosen fits this season very well. :) Sorry if it's a bit random.

Oh, and for the moment, this is just going to be a One-Shot. It may well become a short story, but I'm not sure yet. Anyways, I hope you like it! Please do drop me a review and tell me what you think!

Winter Passion
(One-Shot)

Winter- the proposed time of joy. You might say this season is loved by all, cherished, able to tug the heartstrings of every person in the world. The reason may be, because of the great holiday known as 'Christmas'. A time to free all hope, replace with love, visit friends and relatives, celebrate the day for the one and only Christ, or perhaps even share gifts, the main prospect for the children. As if Santa was ever going to disappoint them.

However, not for Kai Hiwatari.

He travelled a lonely road, inheriting the crystals of milky flakes seek his icy-blue locks under the dark blue sky. It was indeed a lonely time for him. This period, to him, was just like any other normal day- though this day of any other in particular, wouldn't release from the love that fumed the air, though it didn't sleek through his skin. He made sure it stayed well away, in fact, he didn't even have to try.

With no family, friends who were already occupied, and nothing to care for, he walked on. With his usual clean-white scarf draped sluggishly around his thin neck, and his thick, dark blue jacket, his much-needed body heat burned close to his core on this chilly day. Not a thought passed him by, his head lay as empty as the sky as he trailed over the layers of snow, boots crunching against the icy surface while dry snow froze in small droplets over his pale face and blue triangles.

Brilliant, radiant strokes of cherry, lime, indigo, lilac, bronze and lemon sprawled across the town, dazzling the icy snow with a rainbow reflection in each and every sparkle that lit the sky. The huge town Christmas-tree stood looking-out over huddles of people, all gathering to pray for the tree as their eyes feast on the great lights from the baubles and decorations.

Everywhere he went, it seemed everyone had taken a note to this fashion. The same festival lights were cast from cosy house windows, spreading across the lawns and greeting every person who encountered their shine. Their light emitted through the falling snow and as they fell created a fire of blazing colours.

It seemed, as he walked endlessly further in to the town, there was the odd few people buying last-minute Christmas presents. Kai shook his head pityingly. Stupid. He wasn't one to give presents, and he wasn't really too keen when he received them. Having never Christmas-shopped in his life, to him, these people were wasting their time and money. Although, he knew it was different for them. They had loved ones. People they could share money and gifts with. If only he had, then he considered he'd be exactly like them. Not too spendy mind, but it's the thought that counts anyway.

Something lacked on their faces. A smile. Sure, they had the money. They had the family. But did they have the spirit? Down town on a Christmas eve, and showing nothing but complete disgust on their faces. It ruled a line over the once-happy atmosphere, but with seeing these people, they looked almost too stuck-up to even care. Why buy presents if you can't show that least little bit of affection? Was it because of the fact it was the eve and they would rather be spending time at home? Or was it because of the cold weather?

Kai's face blanked, within thinking this, yet let it drop almost immediately before the snow could even float to the ground. Having seen so many grumpy faces, there was one so bright and different that his crimson eyes melted over what his eyes had clasped in friction.

A slim, pretty face locked his gaze into a refreshing thought. Magnificent aqua eyes stole his concentration, dusty frost seen lingering over her face as their shine sent sparks to flourish the air. Fair, light purple hair hung down in layers over her delicate face, only strands away from blocking out her eyes completely. The most desirable smile formed on her frozen lips, the scabs and scratches of dry blood keeping amend on her unperfectly groomed face.

That smile. It washed an ocean of shock down in to his core. It brightened up his lonely word, though for once, he could not ask himself why. He knew why already. And that's because, she was pretty.

It baffled him how such a poor-off girl could keep a smile- not just any smile, but a smile of dignity- on a day such as itself. She had nothing- Messy clothes, ripped sleeves, bruised shoes, and even so; no scarf. Her frail body was curled up freely on the pavement, pleasantly allowing the rich to walk by and ignore her in her time of need. Something told him it didn't bother her. But it bothered him.

It moved him. Anyone must be down-right shallow to ignore her cry of a smile on one of the jolliest nights of the year, a time of peace as they call it. Peace? This is what they call peace? Ignoring this girl? Giving her nothing? Not even food? Clothing? Something they could afford rather than buying more and more gifts and over-doing it for the people they care about? Yet she never held a frown- it gave him the impression she was just grateful that she even existed on the planet.

Even so, Kai called her pretty in his mind. No objections, no decisive thoughts; just simply. She was pretty. In fact, she was the most charming girl he had ever seen. Her smile was... irresistible. A power that girls seemed to hold- the power to stun the opposite sex with something they couldn't say no to. His mind called out that she wasn't asking for anything. But he couldn't just walk by and let her get on with it. He couldn't leave her on a night like this.

Eyes widening, he caught her hands shiver and tremble through the flakes as they continuously fell on to her. She was a godsend. Just by looking at her, she portrayed an impression that she had been like this for countless days and nights; fascinatingly, she had lived through it. It was time for him to do his thing.

Kai brought his hands up, and wrapped them around his neck, beginning to fiddle with something that strung around him. After a second of untying, his neck flashed skin, as he hurled his scarf from his neck. It rippled through the air, his bare neck reaching the air's core unpleasantly, though he supposed this white scarf had been used for the very last time; to follow his own tradition, it was only fair to pass the scarf down to someone who really needed it.

Letting the ends of fair scarf fade in the wind, he walked towards the girl, stopping momentarily in front of her, before using the power in his upper legs to bend down across from her. He took a notice in her suddenly devoted face; an almost sacred, state of surprise wrapped her face in moulds of insecurity. To keep the peace, he carried out the simple task almost formerly, slowly raising the scarf and steadying it behind her head, keeping his watchful eye on her aghast face.

Finishing, he tied the scarf at the front, then flipped it over her shoulder. His head dropped back a little, giving her space to fully comprehend. A girl like her, was probably unaware to gifts. A little something to her, would be like a miracle. Anything at all. Even a silly scarf.

Her slightly paused lips wore away, and rose in to the most graceful smile that could ever be known. He felt his lips tug in to a returning smile, before standing up, and to his own bemusement, she joined him and slowly wobbled on to her own feet that didn't seem so much of a struggle. Touched, and truly honoured, a scarf may not be a lot to some people, but it meant the world to her. The experience was invisible in her eyes; something that told Kai she was almost oblivious to the whole season. Until she said:

"I am very grateful. Thank you, stranger. I don't expect much. Especially at this time of year, but I understand. May I know your name?"

Kai stared at the girl. He hadn't once doubted her intelligence, but she seemed high in politeness. A simple skill that was easy to possess; and it was only polite for the people of the town to show this gesture. It seemed, none of this had been given to the girl, though she acknowledged it well. "Kai."

The lilac-haired stray bowed and smiled vividly as the name of her respected new admirer came intact with her ears. "How..." She hesitated. "How... can I thank you?"

He frowned. He didn't want any thanks. It was meant to be for the good of her, not to exchange more and more pay-backs until it brought them to nowhere in an unending cycle. This was a one-side gift of the moment this time. Although, he supposed, there was one thing he wished, probably for the better of her. "You can thank me by... holding your strength. Don't lose your dignity. Do that for me"

The girl nodded, snuggling her neck in the scented scarf she had been given. "But dignity is already an important factor to me." Her face almost streamed in to a hurt expression; her eyes drooped a little, and her smile wobbled and struggled to stay in focus. At this sudden change, Kai leant his head backwards in surprise. He watched attentively, whilst she rose her arms forward in a calm, slow motion, and opened her cupped palms in to a flat pancake.

Her hands cupped the falling snow, catching each and every drop that landed softly in her reach. Kai watched in interest, taking a note to every move she made. Once the snow had began to pile up in her small hands, the girl rolled her fingers and snatched the snow tightly in her grasp. Feet shuffling forward, she moved towards Kai, just as his face dropped in surprise when she used her hand to gently thrush along his lips, sending a cold chill down his back from the snow that wept in her hand.

Another step forward, the lilac-haired girl positioned her face only inches away from his, the thick air of her visible breath bathing Kai in a stream of smoke. The sudden close-up exposure of her face earned Kai's heart a good old flip, her cold breath gently washing over the flakes on his face, until suddenly he felt something smack divinely on to his frosty lips.

At first it remained still, until the hugging of lips caused their throats to fill with a heavenly warm feeling, seeming to turn their heads in to a flash of memories that passed them by. When he had finally calmed down to the smooch, she pulled away before it could succeed in to a French kiss, leaving an awful chill to hit his face once more, though left him with a most glorious and fresh breath.

The girl stood back and smiled, watching Kai's rather still-stunned face replace back towards her. There was a quick silence, until the girl's now-warm lips opened to speak. "That's your thanks."

She turned away, Kai's eyes widening and drew his hand wide and stretched in complete differ. He protested of her to walk away, though before he could say anything, lowered his hand back down again. The snow fell around her, as she trailed off through the uncompleted darkness whilst humming a sweet Christmas carol. Smiling, he came to a fact that probably shouldn't be changed- she liked to be alone, so it seemed, otherwise she would have asked for more. She looked responsible enough to care for herself... but for how long?

A rare light of hope suddenly hit him mentally- a streak of remembrance assured him this moment would live long and drawn-out in his deepest of memories. Perhaps there was a reason for him to join in with the Christmas spirit now. It seemed now there was one-less homeless person who would no longer have to suffer from a cold neck this faithful cold night. He was forever devoted to continue his path in the snow, whilst having a new passion for Winter; his heart fixed deeply on the girl. He had found his passion alright.

Without another thought, he ran after her through the twilight of the snow.