AN: This is a christmas oneshot that goes along with my fanfic A Lotus in the Mud...Now I don't think you absolutely need to read the fic to get this...just know that Evlin is my OC...Shepard rescued her from slavers. I have this included in Lotus...but I really liked this oneshot and wanted to share with everyone! :)

Real quick: Evlin is in first person perspective...every other scene is in third...hope thats not too confusing...

Anyway, Happy Holidays to everyone on fanfiction! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fic except my OC Evlin, everything else belongs to the pure genius that is Bioware...

Snow…it is cold. My fingers begin to stiffen and freeze as I examine the ice shavings in my hands. The tiny crystals change color as I shift them under the strange lights of the Citadel. I am not quite sure which park we are in amongst the wards…but it has snow.

"Gods above Evlin, haven't you seen snow before?" Kolyat is a master at shattering the peace and serenity of any moment…

"Not genuine white snow as beautiful as this…when I lived in New York the snow I saw was slushy and black from street sludge…this is my first experience with white snow…isn't it gorgeous?" I turn, with the snow in my hands, towards him.

He huffs and turns away from me. "It's cold…" I would have laughed at my bitter friend, if I knew it wouldn't frighten him off.

"Please be happy Kolyat…its Christmas…this is a happy time of year." I am trying not to beg…but I sense he wants to participate in the collective joy of the crew…but he feels he can't. If he shows his true feelings…he fears his father will think he's forgiven, which he most certainly is not…

"Why should I?" Kolyat hisses. I flinch and drop my handful of snow, feeling as if the ice has soaked through my skin and into my veins. Kolyat notices my reaction, and to my great surprise his face softens slightly, not a lot…but enough for me to notice.

"Sorry…" He mumbles as he picks up a clump of snow, "I'm okay Evlin…go have fun." He places the snow back into my hands, and unless what the batarians did to me has now made me completely mad, I think the corners of his mouth have turned upwards slightly…though I am probably just seeing things…Kolyat never smiles.

I feel warmth in my hands instead of the cold I was expecting. My fingers massage the snow into a small sphere and I watch it closely as it rolls around my joined palms. I look up at Kolyat…who is still watching me oddly enough…

Should I? I cannot believe the wicked ideas that have sprung into my mind…they slither about my brain, caressing it with temptations I really shouldn't be listening too… if this should fail…if what I have been sensing from him is wrong…this whole thing could turn out very badly…it is a heavy risk…

But the prize…

Quickly, almost too fast for him to see, I fling the ball of snow into Kolyat's face.

. . .

The Commander and the Turian's roars of laughter brought the Drell back to the present. "Spirits…I cannot believe she just did that!"

"Me either Vakarian…his face….look at his face…my Gods…" Shepard's shoulders were shaking as she bent over her knees, hugging her stomach. Garrus was almost in a similar position, both gesturing towards the sight they found so amusing.

Thane watched his son, noticing his face was covered in snow, his expression one of astonishment…mixed with some confusion, and little Evlin was smiling.

"Oh no…" Shepard's hand flowed around his, squeezing as they waited to see Kolyat's reaction. The trio tensed as it looked like Kolyat would react negatively…he felt Shepard's body loosen up, her knees bending slightly, ready to run to Evlin's aid should Kolyat's reaction throw her over the edge.

To everyone's shock the young drell moved to wipe the snow from his leathers, though Thane's trained eyes examined him collecting it in his hand. Evlin must have been expecting an outburst…but quickly got a face full of retaliation.

He basked in the warmth of Shepard's smile as Evlin's surprised shriek pierced the still air. Evlin turned and began a strange combination of running and hopping through the deep snow drifts. Kolyat, face stoic, bent to scoop up an armful of ice shavings and charged after her.

"You know Thane…" His Siha's dark brown eyes became mischievous and he felt a small sliver of fear pierce his core. "There's this human saying…" She said as she bent to fiddle with her boots. Standing, she clasped her hands behind her back…a bad sign.

"When in Rome…" In a spectacular show of cybernetic speed and strength she had him by the collar of his jacket, he didn't bother to struggle…it would be futile.

Thane normally had great control over his body…not today. As the ice slid down his back he actually convulsed…leaping out of Shepard's grasp, a highly embarrassing noise escaping his throat.

He turned back towards her in shock…only to find she was yards away, and running for her life…as she was justified in doing. Pretending like the Turian was not laughing at him he very smoothly shook the rest of the snow from his jacket and moved to exact his revenge.

. . .

"Ach!" Shepard screamed as she fell from the tree branch. She had thought she was being sneaky too…damn that over observant assassin… The snow ball had slammed into the back of her head and now her hair was soaked, sticking to the sides of her face.

She picked herself out of the snow drift to find the assassin hot on her heels. Shit, shit, shit! She slipped, but soon righted herself and made to run for more cover.

Wait…I'm a biotic…duh… feeling stupid she quickly threw up a barrier, giving Thane a shit eating grin. Hah, take that! Nah nah nah naah naaaaaaaaah!

"That's not fair Siha" Thane chided her. She stuck out her tongue,

"Deal with it." Her voice was warped and echoed through the barrier.

Her lover sighed heavily, before his hands glowed blue. It was then Shepard remembered that biotics were strong against almost everything…except other biotics. Oops…

Thane threw a warp at her shield, immediately shattering it. "You better run my Siha…" He called after her as she turned.

Thane stooped to pick up another snow ball, cupping it in his hands.

"Amonkira, Lord of Hunters, may my hands be steady, my aim be true, and my feet swift…and should the worst come to happen…" He drew his arm back, taking careful aim. He smiled darkly.

"Grant me forgiveness…" He flung the snowball towards the Commander… knowing it would hit right on target. Sure enough…he heard her shriek.

"Scoped and dropped!" Garrus cried.

. . .

I am weak…my bones feel like jelly…it is not an unpleasant sensation. Running through deep snow is exhausting…yet I have never felt so alive. Kolyat is shivering, his teeth clacking together. His leathers are soaked through… I would offer him my heavy coat, but it's in the same condition. We trudge towards Mr. Vakarian; Kolyat has stiffened and is trying to pretend he did not just engage in a snowball fight.

"You kids have fun?" Mr. Vakarian's eyes are especially bright, his mandibles flared widely. He has obviously been enjoying himself.

"Yes Mr. Vakarian!" I smile; I don't think I've ever smiled so much in one sitting, my cheeks actually hurt.

"I guess…" Kolyat shrugs apathetically and I resist the urge to groan.

"Where is Ma?" I ask; peering around the park we are in. Garrus shrugs, before gesturing towards a large snow drift a good distance away. Kolyat and I turn just in time to see Mr. Krios's leather jacket fly into the air, followed by one of Ma's gloves.

"Gods damn it!" Kolyat hisses as he turns towards the docking bay. "Don't they ever quit?"

"I'm afraid not kid…though I do admit it gets old after a while…bout had to puke for days after we returned from the Omega 4…if you can believe it they've actually toned it way down…"

Kolyat shakes his head, pain and anger crossing his features. Mr. Vakarian gestures me towards the docks to return to the Normandy. I rush to Kolyat's side, before moving my mitten into his gloved hand.

He looks down in surprise and I smile, swinging our hands the way I've seen others do. "Be happy…it's Christmas." There's that teeny tiny smile again.

When I burst into the airlock my face immediately flares up with heat and it is then I decide I love winter. I shake out of my coat, glad to be rid of its weight. I let it fall to the floor, where it splashes into a puddle of melted snow. Looking down at my feet in disgust I slip my feet from the bonds of snow boots and skip down the runway towards the elevator, grinning as Kolyat yells after me.

. . .

"I swear she's like a fucking ten year old…" Kolyat hissed as he picked up Evlin's coat and shoes. Garrus laughed, clapping the young drell on the shoulder, the force almost knocking him over.

"Well…at least she keeps you on your toes." It was then the air lock hissed open again, the sounds of Thane and Shepard's laughter filtering through the decontamination chamber.

"I'm leaving…" Kolyat hissed, heading to the elevator at a brisk pace.

Garrus shook his head after the drell before turning to greet his friends.

"Garrus!" Shepard's voice was cheery, her face flushed with color and her eyes shining. She had obviously received a very satisfying Christmas gift.

"Did you enjoy yourself Commander?" Garrus's tone told them he knew exactly what they had gotten up to in the snow.

"Well…see Thane was going to win the snowball fight…so I changed the game…" Shepard bit her lip as the assassin's arm slid around her waist.

"That doesn't sound fair Shepard…" Garrus was trying to keep his voice steady.

"But I wanted to win!" Shepard whined.

"To be perfectly honest I did not mind losing…" Thane smiled and Garrus finally let himself laugh.

Shepard leaned into the assassin's embrace, whispering "Sooooo..tie breaker in the Loft?" Thane grabbed her hand and proceeded to drag her towards the elevator.

"Merry Christmas Garrus!" Shepard cried before she was pulled into the lift.

"Right back at you Commander!" Garrus responded.