Snowy Memories

By Shin Sankai

There were small flurries floating to the already white glistening ground as I walked my way back to the Aoi-ya. I'd set out early morning to do a couple things before this evening's snowstorm would set in. We ninja had a way about knowing when it would rain and when an early January storm was going to cover our city, Kyoto, in white powdery snow.

I was dressed in a thick winter kimono, white and pale yellow in colour as I made my way back through the snow. Lucky for me, my earlier footprints were still imprinted into the snow, as were many others.

With brown paper bag in hand, I opened the Aoi-ya front gate and closed it with my foot. Before I could even reach the porch my eyes shifted to the right and to a large bare maple tree.

"Aoshi…?" I muttered lightly as I saw his trench coat flap against the cold breeze as he moved quietly around the tree trunk. Who knows how long he'd been standing under that tree, since his shoulders and the top of his head were caked with snow.

Placing the bag on the first wooden step I made my way over to the quiet man to stand in front of him, a light smile on my face as I brushed the snow from his shoulders.

"How long have you been standing out here?" I quietly asked, the wetness of the snow chilling the ends of my fingers.

"How long have you been walking around without your haori?" Oops…

"Well, it wasn't snowing when I left and the breeze hadn't picked up either." I tried to reason with the stubborn man before me. His piercing green eyes narrowed when one of his fingerless gloved hands grabbed hold of my right one.

"Your hands are freezing." Damn and I couldn't use the excuse that I couldn't sense when the weather would change, as he'd know that wasn't true.

"Ah, well…" I began but whom was I kidding? This handsome man before me could see straight through me nowadays.

I felt my breath shudder, just like it always did when his bare skin touched mine. Aoshi had removed his gloves, stuffed them in his coat pocket and cupped his larger hands silently over my smaller ones. He was…so warm.

"I don't need my ninja's becoming careless and sick Misao." I pulled my hands away, as much as it pained me to do and folded them into the sleeves of my kimono. If he was going to act like this, after I just bought home a jar of his favourite green tea and some exciting news, then he didn't deserve to be told about either of them. Turning away with a very mature 'hmph' I was going to head back to the stairs when two strong hands gripped my shoulders.

"The Oniwabanshuu is growing Misao, we have members who are aged 15 to 18 and the older members need to set examples for them. This may come in the form of training sessions, but also through small things like remembering to take your coat in the winter season." His grip tightened lightly and I breathed in his musky and yet slightly spicy scent as my back was placed lightly against his clothed chest.

"I don't want my wife worrying me. You know how much I hate to worry." His breath was warm against my ear as I tilted my head to look up at his beautiful face. His lips were set in a thin line as I manoeuvred around to face him, his strong arms locked around my petite but still growing form.

"I do… Do you remember when you sat on that stone and watched me practice with Hannya-kun and the others Aoshi? I remember everything, from when I fell over, to Hannya-kun catching me, to loving how much a small little smirk would fall upon your lips as you gazed at the five of us playing together. I can even remember the first time I ever saw snow. You came to wake me up way too early on a bitterly cold day."

"You complained so much I had to carry you and your blanket downstairs and onto the front porch. As soon as you saw the snow, felt it for the first time, you couldn't stay away from it."

"That's because it reminded me of you."

"Aa…"

"It was beautiful, but cold, just like you. However, if I rugged up in warm clothing and touched it, it couldn't harm me in any way. I vowed I'd embrace the snow and you and love them just as much…if not love you a little more."

"Just a little more?" I laughed lightly when my head dropped onto his lower chest region. He could be so quiet, so mysterious, but I was getting better at reading him.

"A whole lot more."

"Aa… I remember you spending every waking moment outside making snowballs and climbing trees to drop them on Okina, Omasu and Okon's heads." I let off a light laugh knowing these memories very well too.

"It helped with getting my kunai skills up to a suitable level that I could begin to train properly with the others after you left." There was no reply and I looked up to see Aoshi's eyes closed, head bent slightly closer to mine and his bangs were spiky and wet from snow.

"Misao…" Those cloudy eyes of his had peeled open and I shook my head, my hand lifting to cup his cheek. It was nice that he now tilted his head towards my hand and not away from it like he did in the beginning.

"No apologises anata, you did what you felt was right. Of course there were consequences, but you couldn't foresee them. I know you will always feel guilt and pain over what happened, but know that I'm with you always as is the entire Oniwabanshuu."

"You really do have a way with words Misao."

"As do you Aoshi."

"Yours encourage me to look ahead, to never wander back into a dark past, while mine…" I watched those icy orbs darken once more as Aoshi trailed them over my clothed body. A shiver rushed throughout my body and settled in the pit of my stomach.

"I…cannot go on missions with you anymore." Every time he gave me that heated stare, I lost all nerve and blurted out something that was suppose to be spoken about at a more appropriate time.

The little crease in his eyebrows meant he was confused.

"Well, I probably could, but I would only hold you back from completing missions as you would worry about me too much. My energy won't be like it usually is as the months go by as I'll be growing and changing daily to accommodate for another." The surprised look on his face was so precious. His lips were parted, a sharp breath of hair rushing in, while his orbs had widened just that little more.

"And I know how much you hate to worry." His grip tightened and his chilled face was tucked against the side of my neck, the curve of his upturned lips could be felt against my neck as Aoshi muttered his thanks.

"Excuse me, Okashira…?" Aoshi had never really been one for public affection, however it felt that much more loving and dear when instead of pulling instantly away from me, he only lifted his head, whispered about talking about this news alone tonight and then pressed a light kiss to my reddened cheek. Before he walked off to listen to the current news of what was going on around Kyoto, Aoshi pulled out something from within the folds of his coat.

"If you are going to stay out here at least place this on." I smiled as I watched Aoshi walk over to his ninja as they headed around the back and glanced down at the perfectly folded white haori.

Gazing around at the Aoi-ya front yard as I placed on the coat I bent down into the snow and began making snowballs. Who knows, perhaps later I would be able to hit Jiya, Omasu or Okon like I used to.

And when the months moved on and our family grew, I would hope they too loved snow, just as much as I always will.

The End

Authors Notes: A little snowy story for all. I doubt it makes the January Challenge at SLML, but at least its mentions snow right? Hope you enjoy and one day I'll get to the story I'm writing for my Oneesan.