Hey, guys! :)
This will be the first story in The Snowflake Saga, and this one will circle around Marie Lu's Legend and her characters.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend trilogy, nor any of Marie Lu's characters, but I own all of the writing in this story.
June's POV:
I tugged on my sleek tail once more before admiring it in the mirror. Done. My hair had reached its climax of utter perfection, and I took a deep breath. My eyes fluttered closed as I heard the loud thump-thump of my own heartbeat in my ears. This was it. Today was the day.
It had been about a week since Day and I had decided to take this first step together. Yes, it was overwhelming, but more than worth it. Tess had slyly organized a date for us to all get together for a nice dinner at a wicked-expensive restaurant. But it would be good enough for a Christmas dinner. After all, I had nothing better to do. I had spent the last few Christmases alone in my apartment, pondering my future and the meaning of life. Now that Day had come back into my life, things have changed.
Day. My eyes opened and heat flushed to my cheeks as his name came to mind. There was a stupid, lovesick grin plastered all over my face in the reflection of the mirror. I composed myself, and walked swiftly out the bathroom door, shutting it firmly behind me. I pulled on a black leather jacket- light enough to be able to run in, but thick enough to keep me warm in this cold weather. I laced up my combat boots and pulled the apartment door open. I stuffed my hands into my pockets as I heard the soft click of the door behind me.
I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my black denim jeans and checked the time. 7:14 p.m. As long as I got to the restaurant by half past seven, I'd be alright. I had sixteen minutes to spare.
I walked on, occasionally breathing hot air into my palms and rubbing them together to keep them from freezing stiff. The familiar black and red building came to view, and I pushed the door open.
"Hey, June!" The restaurant proprietor gave me a warm smile as she greeted me.
"Hi," I smiled back in return, and nervously checked the time again. 7:26.
"Waiting for someone to arrive?" Her eyes twinkled as she teased me.
"Um, yes," I replied. "Tess, Eden, and Day?"
"Over here, Juney!" A voice not very different from tinkling bells approached me. I turned around, and saw Tess waving me over as Day grinned. Eden was busy folding a paper rose out of the napkin, which hit me with so many memories- not all of them good.
"June." Day's voice filled my stomach with butterflies as he smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back at him.
"Hey, Eden," I said as I sat down in the remaining seat- next to Eden and Day. At the sound of my voice, Eden looked up. "How are you?"
"Good," he countered. He then glanced at Day, and looked back down at his half-finished rose.
Eden's POV:
I don't know how Day can just sit there with June in front of him and pretend that everything's okay. Because it's not. It's far from okay. "Are you all ready to order?" A waitress with shoulder-length curly blonde hair approached the table.
"Absolutely," Tess chirped. "I'll have the walnut cranberry salad with iceberg lettuce please." She motioned towards June. "She'll have the same."
"Can I just get, like, a sandwich?" I asked, boredom spilling through my voice. Day gave me an exasperated look, and June hid a smirk by clearing her throat.
"We'll both have the mushroom chicken lasagna," Day said. I nodded in agreement. The waitress gave a terse nod and went to give our order to the kitchen.
"June, I heard you recently started training new recruits for the Republic," Day stuttered semi-nervously. He brushed wisps of blonde hair out of his eyes in one swift movement.
"Uh-huh. It's taking a lot more work than I thought it would," June admitted. She bit her lower lip as if considering whether this was a good idea or not.
Steaming plates and dishes finally arrived, creating a lull in the awkward conversation.
As we finished the meal, Tess broke the silence.
"So, Day," She glanced at Day and delicately raised a chocolate-brown eyebrow. "Don't you have something to tell June?" Tess sure had a lot of nerve, just saying that right out of the blue. Now Day would have to tell June something. But then again, maybe it was about time he told her what was in store.
Day's POV:
Why did Tess have to say that? She could've just waited until I'd told June myself, yeah? Not to mention the fact that it wasn't something I wanted everyone in the restaurant staring at me for.
"Yeah," June's eyebrows quirked up in surprise as I started to speak. I wish I could tell what she was thinking right now. "Do you mind stepping out for a second?"
"Sure, no problem." she said, stepping up from her seat. God, she was beautiful. Her dark, long hair swished whenever she made a sudden move, and her all-seeing eyes were a dark, chocolate-brown color. Specks of gold emerged courageously from the depth of them, and I just couldn't take my eyes of of her. Today she wore a black leather jacket that fit her perfectly and clung to her curves. Finally, I saw that she was staring at me, a smirk playing on her lips. My face flushed and I averted my gaze.
"You guys go on ahead. I'll bring Eden back to your apartment, okay, Day?" Tess inquired. "I'll keep him company. Maybe we'll watch one of those action films you both like." Eden nodded in agreement, and pushed his glasses farther back on the bridge of his nose.
Tess was getting a whole lot better with the Day-June thing. She's been really cool with all of this, and this small act of compassion hit me with gratitude.
"Thanks, cousin," I smiled, and she inclined her head mockingly. It was an inside joke we had, that I was the Elector and she was my ever-loyal servant. It went way back; when she was- what? Twelve? Thirteen? I honestly couldn't even remember. But I knew for a fact that she did. She always remembered.
June's POV:
Day and I complimented the restaurant's hostess and walked out. I wonder what he needed to tell me. Hopefully not something like he was sick and dying. Actually, that still hit a sore spot. It wasn't funny.
"Let's go to a coffee shop and talk, yeah?" He was still looking at the ground; ever since I'd caught him looking at me. Not that I minded, though.
"Yeah, okay," My head dropped as I stared at the plain, gray sidewalk. I matched my pace with Day's, which earned a small upward quirk of the outer corners of his lips.
We ended up going to a Starbucks around the corner. It was too cold to go anywhere else. We snagged a window seat and I plopped myself down one of the two wooden seats. I sat facing Day, curious to what he would say next.
"Okay, so I'll just get the first part over with," He shuddered and heaved a sigh. "June. Haven't you noticed yet? I think I'm in love with you." Memories rapidly flashed through my head, both amazing yet painful. I closed my eyes, cutting myself off from the present. A time of happiness played over my head, a place where everything was perfect; just Day and me. I opened them again. The depth of his beautiful blue eyes brought me back to reality. That tiny ripple of imperfection in his left eye was all I saw. All these years, waiting for an answer. All this time, searching for my Day. The Day who protected me. Helped me when no one did. Loved me. And I found myself blurting out the seven words I'd always fantasized in my dreams at night.
"I love you, too, Daniel Altan Wing," My voice was soft, but I was absolutely sure he could hear it. "I always have, and always will. Ever since you disappeared from my life, I just couldn't stand not seeing you. I missed you. All of me loves all of you." Right then, he let out the breath that he'd been holding in for quite some time. He smiled, a real Day smile, and rested his hand on top of mine.
"But here's the second thing. I'm leaving," I was soaring, flying through the air. At least, I was until my whole world came crashing down on top of me.
"What?" My voice trembled, and the cool, collected June that Day was used to seeing disappeared in front of his very eyes. There I was, exposing my broken heart to him. Weak. Vulnerable.
Day's POV:
"I'm flying abroad to San Francisco in two weeks," A voice that wasn't mine droned on. She'd just told me that she loved me. And here I was, ruining everything for her. And for me. Telling her this was like willfully shattering my heart into a million fragmented pieces. But she deserved to know. "Antarctica's intelligence agency promoted me to CEO." I didn't know what I was expecting, but I certainly didn't expect her to have such an enthusiastic reaction.
"That's wonderful!" June jumped up and ran around the side of the table. She tackled me in a fierce hug, and I pulled her onto my lap. I couldn't help myself from hugging her, even though I knew that she's misunderstood what I'd just said.
It felt good having her in my arms- so incredibly good. I'd been wanting to do this for such a long time, but never had the excuse to do so. But we still had some matters to discuss; things that couldn't be left alone without being talked about.
June's POV:
"You know I just told you I was leaving, yeah?" Day's blonde eyebrows drew together in bewilderment. I let out a cheery laugh, which resulted in Day having an adorably puzzled look on his face.
"I just don't know how we've managed to get so lucky," A huge grin spread across my face, but at this point, I didn't have a care in the world- especially not one about my looks.
"I'm sorry, what?" he asked.
"I'm living in San Fran. I've just rented an apartment for the year; I'm moving back out this spring. It was for a temporary contract with Anden. Once these soldiers are finally trained, I'm going back," Now that he got what I'd just said, he pulled me closer to him. We just sat there like that for a while; soaking each other in.
After all these years of waiting, my one real wish had finally come true. I'd spent years at a time wistfully staring at a screen; enveloped in only his appearance. No wonder Metias had always obsessed over taking care of me. He'd known the meaning of life at the time- love. And he'd taught me to live my life to the fullest.
As we walk out the door, I gaze up at the sky. A midnight-colored velvet covers the sky like a thick, warm blanket. Tiny stars scatter the sky like precious diamonds in a jewelry box. Day takes my hand and gently squeezes it.
"Hey, look, it's snowing," he says, marveling at the frost falling out of the sky. There's not a sound in range except for the crunch of the freshly-fallen snow beneath us. We walk to his apartment, hand in hand. And slowly but surely, we begin patching our relationship up together.
What tomorrow may bring, I don't know. But it will be a new twenty-four hours, and anything is possible then. Day and I will take things slowly. One day at a time. But this time, I know one thing for sure.
We'll walk in the light.