It was that time of year; the time when the temperature dipped below zero, where your breath fogged up around you. It was the time of year where many people prefered to stay inside with their loved ones, warm and comfortable. For many, the coming of winter meant bundling up in warm clothes and heading to work, or praying fervently for a snow day if you were a child.
For Mutsuki, it was just another season coming and going in his life. With no real purpose in mind the Dark Stalker walked along the street, ignoring the people around him. It was nice, he noted, to be able to just walk peacefully and think to himself. The wind picked up around him, and people hurried by, anxious to get home. Shadows became longer, and the sky changed from a deep blue to a mix of gold and pink.
'Have I been walking for that long?' Mutsuki thought, feeling a bit surprised. He had skipped school that day; not like it mattered. He had memorized the material at once, and compared to his upbringing it was laughably easy.
Truth be told, he didn't know why he decided to skip that day, or why he decided to walk around town. There was something in the air that put him on edge, that-
"Look mama, it's snowing!" A childs voice cried out. Indeed, the tell tale white flakes descended from the sky, melting when they touched the ground. Mutsuki frowned; he had always hated snow, although he could never figure out why. Deciding he had spent enough time in the city, the raven haired male disappeared into the shadows and took off, deciding to explore.
X X X
The sky was completely black by the time he reached his destination; a small grassy hill surrounded by trees. It was quieter here, and the air smelled much more cleaner than it did in the city. Mutsuki stood still, simply taking in the silence. A new smell came to him, sharp, clean and cold and he grimaced. The glade he was in was far from the city and he had hoped that the snow wouldn't reach here, but it did. He glared irately at the offending frozen water droplets; no matter what mood he was in snow always made it worse.
"I wonder why that is?" He mused aloud, cupping a hand to catch the white flakes. They stood there for a moment, letting him see their unique beauty before they disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Something shifted inside him, and he felt uneasy. Sadly he had no time to dwell on that thought as a familiar tugging sensation coursed through him. Closing his eyes to keep from being nauseous he prepared to face the one person who could read him better than anyone else.
X X X
"Where were you today Mutsuki? I've been worried sick about you!" Slowly,he opened his eyes and stared down at the angry young woman. Soft pink hair that never quite stayed in place, delicate facial features and red eyes like his own, though a much lighter colour. It was a face that he knew like the back of his hand; a face that caused him to stay awake at night in constant worry.
Seeing the concern in her eyes Mutsuki's expression softened and he said, "I felt uneasy so I decided to take a walk."
"You're telling me that you went on a walk for over 5 hours?" Anise said skeptically. The raven haired male said nothing, refusing to meet her gaze. All of Anises ire left and she instantly filled with concern.
"Mutsuki, is there anything you want to talk about?" She said softly, reaching up to cup his face. "You know you can talk to me about anything, okay?"
Something clicked inside him, and at last he knew the answer to the question that had been on his mind all day.
Not trusting his voice Mutsuki nodded. The pinkette withdrew her hand, and and looked up at him, scrutinizing his expression.
Reigning in his emotions he said calmly, "thank you Anise, I'll remember that. May I be excused? It looks like it's going to snow soon, and I hate to be caught up in that."
"You don't like snow?" The pinkette asked, leading her guest to the door.
"No, not really," he said, hoping she wouldn't ask why.
But as Anise was Anise she did ask why.
Giving her a small smile, he replied. "It's because it makes a mess."
'It's also because you, your other Rose Knights and everyone else is like snowflakes to me.' Mutsuki thought, gazing at the fresh, young, mortal face of the woman he loved.
'No matter how beautiful, no matter how unique or one of a kind they are, they all end up the same, melted and forgotten in an instant.'
Looking away he began to walk home, ignoring the soft white snow that gently floated from the sky.