Disclaimer: I do not own Person of Interest

Author's Notes: Shoot Holiday Exchange gift for the one and only Sapphicteaparty/Maarika

Prompt: Shoot making out in the snow, idk - cute fluffy fic if that's possible?

I wasn't sure how specific my prompt should be but basically I'm happy with anything you wanna make! I don't have any other ideas. Gen can be included too. And Bear. I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU MAKE!

All the Ways I Got to Know Your Pretty Face and Electric Soul

A snowball fight between Root and Shaw is both a rare and marvelous event and hardly ever sticks to simple snowball throwing. They almost always end up wrestling in the snow, getting the cold slush on warm skin where their clothes don't quite meet fully after being pushed up or down in their bout. However, it's even more rare that they have Bear and even Gen tagging along, though to be fair, it was the kid's idea to play in the snow after the massive storm the previous day. It had been pure luck they were housing Gen this week before Christmas.

The first day she had shown up at their door unexpectedly, Gen questioned why Shaw was eating melon, to which she got a gruff 'hey' and a disappearing idol. Root has explained it was part of the Yalda Festival and though Shaw wasn't a devote believer and hated melons, she would make the exception each December to honor her mother. A fact she only mentioned when she and Root were alone in the middle of the night unable to sleep because of their shared nightmares waking them. Root didn't mention the latter, but fondly remembered those moments of sharing.

And soon it would be the Festival of Fire, two days after the Christians' Christmas. Root was trying to figure out the best way to celebrate with Sameen (again, in honor and respect of her mother), but where would the best place for a bonfire be...?

Today, the three found New York City covered in nearly a foot of snow, the streets and sidewalks already clear by the time Gen woke and hobbled sleepily into the open kitchen and living room. Excited about the view over Central Park, she begged the couple to bundle up with her and all take Bear for a walk. What her deviousness had in mind, however, was some fun in the snow and soon as she got the opportunity, she let rip with a well packed snowball heading toward Shaw's back.

~Smack!~

Giggling madly, Gen immediately sought protection behind Root, claiming, "Snowball fight!" and hoping Root would be on her side.

"You asked for it, kid," Shaw warned, crouching down to pack a snowball together. Circling Root, who felt oddly unsure if she should protect Gen or let Shaw take the shot, kept her body between the pair for the moment, arms spread. Seemingly finding a flaw in the plan or simply not caring, Shaw threw her snowball and it hit Root straight in the face.

Root heard Gen gasp behind her, imagining mittened hands over her mouth as she wiped the snow from her face to avoid too much moisture down under her collar to her clothes. "Them's fightin' words, sweetie," she threatened, glaring at Shaw before grabbing Gen's shoulder to find better cover.

"No cheating, you hear?!" Shaw called out after them. Root wasn't sure if She was listening today, but would honor Shaw's wishes even if The Machine chimed in.

As the battle raged on, their outerwear sufficiently spotted darker thanks to their successful hits with snow, Root eventually made a daring move. Spotting Shaw closing in on their location, she inadvertently used Gen as both distraction and bait, while she moved to one of Shaw's blindspots. Confident that Shaw hadn't detected her, Root leapt at the smaller woman, and they both collapsed to the ground and began battling for dominance in order to pin the other.

Gen stepped out from her hiding place, trying to aim her snowball, but decided either way she wouldn't be able to gauge who would get hit, and threw it softly toward Bear nearby. "Grown ups," she grumbled with a secret grin toward the dog. Bear's head tilted and he huffed lightly. "Don't worry," Gen said, petting his head affectionately. She took a seat on a bench after wiping it down of snow.

Huffing, Shaw managed to pin Root to the ground, an arm around her shoulders, the other holding a wrist firmly. "Gotcha," she grinned.

"So you do..." Root smiled adoringly up at Shaw, head tilted slightly. Shaw visibly gulped, blinking once before she took a breath and sat back on her knees. "What's the matter?" Root asked, sitting up as well.

Shaw shook her head.

"Sameen..."

"It's stupid..."

"I don't care."

"Just...the way you look at me. It...it's like I'm suffocating," Shaw explained through her grit teeth, unable to look at Root.

"I'm sorry," Root tried to say what Shaw wanted to hear, but Shaw shook her head.

"Don't be. It's something I'm not...equipped for."

"That you're uncomfortable with?"

"I can deal with it," Shaw spoke curtly.

Root smiled. "Good. Because I'm pretty sure the way I look at you is indicative of my feelings for you, of my looooove for you," she leaned further forward and nipped at Shaw's jawline, hoping to relieve some tension with a joke.

Shaw's eyes rolled. "Nerd," she grumbled before turning her head and capturing Root's lips with her own. Root hummed in agreement, a giggle escaping due to the vibration of their lips. "Come back here," Shaw murmured, resting a mittened hand on the back of Root's head to kiss her again.

"Are we getting hot chocolate soon?" Gen asked as she finally approached the pair, Bear running circles around them in excitement.

Sighing, the pair broke apart and Root winked at Gen. "Sure. Maybe get some food too. I imagine this one's tummy is grumbling," Root suggested.

"I am no Pooh Bear," Shaw argued as she stood up, making a point by not offering to help Root up. Root managed to get her feet beneath her on the second try, a patch of ice below her feet the first time. Shaw scoffed in amusement. "You okay there, Eeyore?"

Root glared at Shaw with pursed lips. "Okay, fine, I'll accept Eeyore, but whom else would you be if not my cheer up pal, as Pooh so often is for Eeyore?" she asked defiantly looping her arm with Shaw's.

"That's Bear. Bear is everyone's Pooh. Finch is Piglet. Gen can be...Tigger. Reese is...Rabbit-"

"Wait, no. I think you're Rabbit with everyone not touching your stuff," Gen piped up from Root's other side.

"Yeah...you have to have a place in this too, sweetie," Root agreed. "Plus you and Rabbit share grouchiness in personality."

Shaw huffed. "Fine. Then Reese can be...Owl and Fusco is Gopher. He's the weird one, right?"

"Gopher? Yeah," Root confirmed.

"This is a strange analogy," Gen commented.

"You're a strange analogy," Shaw directed her comment to Root.

"Well..."Root began, grinning down at Gen. "Shaw calling me 'Eeyore' all started one day in the court houses..."