11th Day of Christmas
Theme: Anywhere but here
Snow reminded him of Celes. Snow would always remind him of Celes, no matter how far or how long he ran. Fai tilted his head back, fat flakes landing on his cheekbones and melting almost instantly on contact. The sight should have been beautiful, what with the snow, the lights, and the bustling people all practically exuding cheer, but he couldn't see it.
In his eyes, the lights were blades of magic, and the red coats and ribbons and skirts that filled the street were... He shook his head, trying to clear the images of Ashura-ou's castle in Celes. Why did everyone insist on decorating with red for Christmas? Red on snow dredged up too many painful memories.
A heavy hand landed on the back of his head and shoved his hood forward until it blocked almost his entire view, leaving only a small strip of snow-covered sidewalk and passing feet.
"If it bothers you that much, don't look." Kurogane said gruffly from behind his shoulder. "It's Christmas. It's time to be happy for what we have."
Fai bit his lip, only seconds away from blurting out that he didn't have anything left.
Even without his retort, Kurogane's hand lingered on his head for a few moments longer than was absolutely necessary.
