AN: Merry Christmas! I saw Frozen yesterday. I honestly don't think there's a need for further explanation for this one. ^^
"I've never seen you so sad at the sight of snow before."
Kira turned from the snow falling outside of the window to face her father, shrugging half-heartedly.
"I wanted to go outside and play," the eleven-year-old told him.
"Well, you can. Just make sure you're wearing your coat and hat and stuff."
"But it won't be the same!" she yelled before dropping down on the sofa, folding her arms.
Her father sighed a little as he sat down next to her. "This is about Tom, isn't it?"
"I haven't seen him since we left the hospital… He hasn't left his room all month and Mama's the only one he lets in there. I miss him..."
"I know you do, Filia. But you have to understand that he's scared and your mom's the only one he definitely can't hurt. After what he did-"
"I'm fine," she said sharply, cutting him off, though she pulled her jacket sleeve down over her arm as she said so, hiding the scars that her brother's biotics had given her.
Her father took a moment to regard the determined set of her jaw before replying. "Then why don't you go and ask him to play with you?"
"I thought you and Mama were worried about me getting hurt again."
"Kira, your brother's never going to learn how to control his biotics if he's scared of them and I think most of the fear comes from having hurt you."
"So I have to help him to not be afraid?" she asked, seemingly unsure, though that uncertainty quickly turned to a grin before she turned to hug her father. "I think I can do that," she told him before hurrying off, bounding up the stairs.
Of course, her enthusiasm faded as she reached the shut door of her brother's room. She even hesitated before knocking, but she still did, determined to see him again.
"Tom?"
"Yeah?" she heard back through the door.
"Can I come in?"
"No, Kira! Go away!"
That would usually be the point at which she would have left, but not this time, she decided.
"No. Tom, come on. You need to leave your room sometime."
"No, I don't."
"Not even just for a little while? Come on, it's snowing."
"Kira, please… Just go…"
Even through the door, she could hear the pain in his subharmonics but… if he wouldn't let her in, she wasn't sure what she could do. She opted for sitting against the door.
"I'm not leaving until I at least see you," she told him, knowing that it was childish, but having no other ideas.
"Then you'll be waiting for a really long time…"
"Maybe. But I no longer care."
"Fine, have it your way."
Kira sighed at that. She had really thought that her threat would work… But she was still determined to stay planted there. He'd have to go to the bathroom sometime, she figured.
Of course, 'sometime' ended up taking longer than half an hour and Kira's patience really wasn't that great.
So, she went to Plan B - or was it Plan C by this point?
"Tom?"
"Yeah?" he replied reluctantly after a few moments.
"Do you want to build a snowman?" she began to sing.
"Kira, I swear to God, if you start singing Disney songs…"
"Come on let's go and play,
I never see you anymore,
Come out the door,
It's like you've gone away…"
"Kira, seriously, that is really annoying!"
She continued on, ignoring him.
"We used to be best buddies
And now we're not
I wish you would tell me why…"
"Kira! What is wrong with you?"
"Do you want to build a snowman?
It doesn't have to be a Snowma-"
She found herself falling backwards as her brother opened the door between them, finally facing her, his subharmonics growling with annoyance.
"Kira, se-"
He was cut off as she scrambled up before launching herself at him, hugging him tightly.
"Kira, please… I'm not sure that I can control it…"
"I don't care," she told him, refusing to let go. "I'd rather you burn my whole arm off than lose you forever."
"You don't mean that…"
"Yes, I do. You're not getting rid of me so easily."
Tom just remained silent for several moments before finally replying, his voice a little small. "Kira?"
"Yeah?"
"Are we going to build that snowman or not?"
"Garrus," Shepard said in a warning tone as her bondmate approached with a cup of hot chocolate.
"Soph?"
"While I may be happy with the outcome… I have to question your methods just a little. Kira could have gotten hurt."
"No, she wouldn't."
"Garrus, while I agree that we should have total faith in Tom, it shouldn't be at the risk of Kira's life."
Her bondmate sighed at that, shaking his head. "As I seem to remember, there was once a time when you lost control your biotics. Hell, you were so distressed that you couldn't even speak, but still… you didn't hurt me when I tried to make my way over to you. If you can manage that while you're that upset, I think Tom can manage it while he's happy."
Sophia took a moment to return her gaze to the sight of the twins playing through the window, just as Kira lobbed a snowball at her brother. And there it was. The blue spark of biotics. But… instead of retaliating with his power, Tom redirected it, causing a singularity that ended up covering the two of them in snow, resulting in them both laughing as if nothing had happened.
"Huh… I guess you're right…"
