It was almost Christmas and the town of Handerson was bustling with good will, excitement and last minute shopping. It was a small provincial town, humble, sensible and welcoming. Based within a small valley surrounded by mountains, it was relatively forgotten and very safe, which was important for the Kingdom they lived in was rife with wicked magic, monsters and trouble.

On this particular day, the sky was full of clouds, pregnant with slowly falling snow, which was slowly blanketing the land in a great, shining white.

Fai Flourite, a pretty fifteen year old boy, watched the tumbling flakes from his bedroom window.

"I shall see Kuro-cutie tomorrow," he was thinking, a lazy smile on his face, "then we will go skating on the lake together, get some warm drinks and then finish back at his house and have a sleep over. I can't wait!"

He looked to his bedside table, where a black and white photograph showed him and Kurogane, when they were much younger; Fai looked around five years old and was sitting on a swing, Kurogane, also five but looking much older, was behind Fai and tightly holding the swing still. Neither of the boys were focusing on properly posing for the picture, which was why it was so perfect and why Fai loved it, the picture truly captured the boy's feelings for one another. In the photograph, Fai was looking up a smile brightening his face and puffing out his cheeks, his head looking slightly awkward at the angle but he was undoubtedly very happy, Kurogane was looking down at Fai and though he was not smiling Fai could always see that shinning emotion in his eyes. Kurogane was just as happy looking down at his friends face as Fai was looking up at him.

The picture had been taken in the summer, both boys were wearing t-shirts and shorts, and flowers, specifically thick blooming Star-gazers, all purple and white and pink- could be seen in the background and some were in Fai's hair. The picture was the summation of Fai's childhood; one of sun, warmth, happiness, friendship, loyalty and mutual love.

The photograph had been taken many years ago, but nothing had changed between them. Well not quite 'nothing'.

Fai frowned slightly, the action making his nose wrinkle slightly (it was as if his face couldn't be ugly even if it tried.) He set the photograph down and loped over to his bed, falling heavily and snuggling into his warmth blankets.

"Things are a bit different," his thoughts continued, "I'm a little different. It's not that I don't like Kuro-cutie as much as I used to...it's more like I like him...a little too much."

Maybe it wasn't so weird. After all, everyone fancied their best friend a little bit didn't they? Didn't they? Fai wasn't sure. Since the beginning he and Kurogane had been unusually close. They were both fiercely loyal people and so even though they were vastly different in temperament and behaviour, they had always battled through their differences and learned to not only appreciate the differences between them, but love them.

"Maybe that's it," Fai sat up in his bed, clutching a pillow close over his chest and mouth, "maybe I don't like Kuro-puppy anymore. Maybe I love him now."

He felt a deep heat spread across his face. A sort of fear and excitement bubbled up inside him and he couldn't help but both smile crazily and have his eyes fill with frightened tears.

What would this...feeling...do to their relationship?

Should he say anything?

What if Kuro didn't like him as much as he liked Kuro?

Suddenly he heard his mother calling him for dinner. Bounding down the stairs he smiled at her and sat down obediently ready to start the meal.

She sat opposite him. It was just them two. His father had died when he was ten; it had been a dark time he hardly remembered, and he had only gotten through it thanks to the support of Kurogane for even his mother hadn't been able to help him then, as when he was dealing with the loss of a father, she was dealing with the loss of a husband.

"You are quiet tonight," she commented, popping a meatball into her mouth.

"I was thinking...I was thinking about when dad passed away, and how Kuro-helper was so awesome in helping me deal," he smiled, a little anxious about the dark subject matter.

But his mother only smiled, "Kurogane has always been a great friend and protector of you. There's nothing he wouldn't do to keep you safe and happy."

Fai nodded and went back to staring into his plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

"Is there something more?" His mother pressed after a moment's silence.

Fai blushed and squirmed in his chair. He didn't like 'difficult' situations which required absolute honesty, in the same manner he hated lying to his mother.

"N-no..." he began awkwardly, "I just...I like Kurogane a lot...I mean...by quite a lot... and sometimes it makes me anxious. I worry that he won't like me in the same way I like him." His face burning heavily he began shovelling food in his mouth. He was surprised to hear his mother chuckle. He felt her hand gently cupping his own. He looked up to see her leaning over and looking straight at him with a smile so warm and accepting that it almost brought tears to his eyes. "I'm sure Kurogane loves you very much," she said, the word love making Fai feel very warm and a little light headed, "and I'm sure he has for a long time. Just wait until you are ready and when you are, tell him how you feel. Kurogane will never stop being your friend, never forget that."

Fai nodded and smiled. Taking in a deep breath he began to change the subject to more mundane things. Though neither bought up Kurogane again, Fai felt the situation pressing on the back of his mind. His mother was correct; even if Kurogane did not love him he would never stop being his friend. But, considering how Kurogane behaved, Fai had a pretty big chance that the tall dark one felt for Fai exactly the same that Fai felt for him.

The next morning, before Fai was even up, Kurogane was down at the lake, sorting out their skates and then buying two steaming hot drinks ready for when Fai arrived. He got for himself a dark black coffee, no sugar, where for Fai he ordered a hot chocolate with marshmallows on top which, by the time Fai arrived, would have melted into a sugary goo which Fai adored. Kurogane thought the concoction looked disgusting and like it would rot anyone's teeth out minutes after consuming, but it's what Fai liked so it's what Fai was getting.

The snow was still gently falling. He smiled. Fai would be gadding about, kicking the snow and giggling like a girl right about now.

At that instance, Fai's laugh rang out. Kurogane opened his blood-red eyes to see the blond haired fool running over to where he was, a bunch of excitable children from his street running and screeching beside him.

Kurogane stood up and handed Fai his drink without saying a word.

"Wow!" Cried Fai after taking one sip, he smiled up at Kurogane, an impressive chocolate moustache already present on his upper lip, "thank you so much! This is yummy. Have you had the same?"

"Coffee," Kurogane replied making Fai splutter in horror.

They spent the better half of an hour ice skating. Fai was amazing at it, a natural, as the saying went. He moved like a fairy, lightly and quickly, spinning and gliding, his every movement like part of an intricate dance.

Kurogane kept falling over. He was heavy and actually very agile due to years of martial arts training, but for some reason Kurogane had never been very good on ice.

He got painfully to his feet, after falling over for the sixth time, and Fai slid over to him.

"Are you ok Kuro-clumsy?" He wrapped an arm around the taller youth, "do you want to hold my hand as we go around?"

"Don't be stupid!" yelled Kurogane, brushing off Fai's arm. Fai lit up in a fake smile. "I'm fine, just grumpy from falling over," Kurogane continued at a normal pitch, watching as Fai's fake smile melted into a natural one. Kurogane sighed. The 'fake smiles' had begun after Fai's father died. The boy had kept pretending that he was fine, but Kurogane had always known better. Eventually he had gotten the truth out of Fai and in doing so helped him get over his father's death. But still, every now and then the fake smile would return and it would make Kurogane nervous that Fai was returning to his shell.

"I only go skating because you love it," he said with mock self righteousness, he let Fai see one of his rare smiles, "you should buy me a drink to make up for it."

"Sure," Fai clapped his hands and bounded away, kicking up snow and bits of ice behind him.

Kurogane sighed and pulled off his skates, revelling in feeling his feet going back into his warm and comfortable boots. He walked over to one of the benches and watched the various squalling children and teenagers skating and falling into one another on the frozen lake.

"HERE YOU GO!" cheered a voice moments later.

A tall glass of hot chocolate, complete with a tower of whipped cream, with chocolate sprinkles and an iced cherry on top pushed itself into his face.

He fell back and Fai laughed.

"What are you doing getting me this crap?" Kurogane complained loudly.

Fai sat next to him on the bench and gave him a look that was almost coy. "I thought we could share."

Kurogane ignored how warm he was suddenly feeling, or how his skin felt like it was tingling with a light electricity, and instead sat next to his best friend with a look that said, 'fine, but I am not happy with this."

Fai scooped out a piece of cream with a ridiculously long spoon and held it to Kurogane's mouth. Reluctantly the boy opened it and in went the cream. Then, using the same spoon, Fai gave himself a scoop of fluffy white stuff.

"This is nice," sighed Fai, "I love all the time we spend together."

"We're always together," Kurogane couldn't help but reply brusquely, even though he was secretly very flattered by Fai's declaration.

"I know we are," Fai grinned harder, closing his blue eyes temporarily, "I guess that means I love my life in general. Here, as thank you, you can have the bit of cream with the cherry on top."

"I don't want it."

"It's a gift."

"But you love it more, so I want you to have it," there was a brief pause, "please."

Fai blushed and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed slowly he said, "I kind of lied..."

"What about?"

"Well...I have a drink for you." Fai handed Kurogane a tall cup of coffee and laughed outright at Kurogane's furious face.

"Why didn't you just give me this straight away?"

"I wanted to share something with you, other than the memory of skating."

"You're ridiculous," muttered Kurogane, sipping his coffee, "great now it's lukewarm..."

"I'll go get you a new one," answered Fai in a dreamy, strange manner that made Kurogane look at him in confusion.

Fai was looking off into the distance, his eye trained on to something that Kurogane could not see. The warm, intimate moment they had been sharing seemed to have suddenly disappeared. Fai got up to leave so Kurogane simply responded, "oh, ok, thanks..."

Kurogane sat alone for a little while. It was cold without Fai's body heat next to him. A few of the children began to go home. His coffee was cold and forming ice beside him when he finally stood up.

Fai was taking too long.

Trying to ignore the panic in his gut, he walked over to the Hot Drinks stand.

"Have you seen Fai?" He asked the burly man behind the counter.

"The skinny blond kid? Chi's boy?" The man confirmed, making Kurogane nod. "No, haven't seen him since he bought that hot chocolate and coffee. That was about forty-five minutes ago."

Kurogane began to run, asking everyone who he bumped into if they had seen Fai.

No one had.

Kurogane ran to the area he had seen Fai staring at.

There was nothing there but snow.

"Fai!" He screamed out, hearing his baritone reverberating up to the mountains, "FAI!"

But no one answered.

Fai was gone.