52 - Snowfall
"Mama look!"
Neptune's head perked up at the nickname. Saturn stood in the middle of the street, her scythe lowered absentmindedly and her head tilted up to the night sky. She watched as purple eyes flittered and flicked, tracking the first drifting white crystals through the air.
"It's snowing," the young woman breathed, her smile brilliant, her face softer than it had been in years. Softer for the first time sinceā¦
Neptune stepped softly to the girl's side, her own gaze skyward. The crisp air burned her lungs, filling her with the brisk coolness of winter as the snow fell in heavy flakes. Her nose wrinkled as one floated down to kiss the tip, feather light. Almost like lips against her skin.
"Beautiful," she murmured, her heart heavy in memory.
A hand reached out for her own, familiar yet so strange. Different from the one she used to hold.
Hotaru smiled down at her softly, giving her hand a squeeze. "Papa says she loves you."
Michiru nodded, letting her head tilt softly into the winter wind, feeling it play with the tips of her hair. Leaning into her daughter, she gave a gentle squeeze back, a far away smile on her face. "Come," she said, "let's go report back."
Saturn nodded, following in Neptune's footsteps a few paces behind, watching the hazy glow of Uranus' figure next to her lover fade into the snowfall.
