Disclaimers: Angelic Layer and all related characters belong to CLAMP. I claim no ownership of the series or its characters; I'm simply borrowing them. No copyright violations are intended. I do own this fan fiction and I ask that you please don't archive this fan fiction without my permission.
Author's Note: I do the best I can to spell check but English is my second language so please forgive any mistakes you might find that I missed. Enjoy!
The First Snowfall
By Chibinaoka
Shuuko stood near the window of her current hospital bed. Slowly, she let one of her hands press against the cold glass, fluffy snowflakes falling gracefully outside. It was the first snowfall of the season and everything seemed so fresh and so new at this time. The monotone outside world was slowly being covered in a soft white blanket. A little smile appeared on Shuuko's face as she remembered how she held her little Misaki in her arms as they watched the snow tumble outside during last year's first snowfall. Misaki's little blue eyes sparkled as she watched the snowflakes fall one by one and Shuuko remembered her daughter asking her if snowflakes where editable. Shuuko laughed softly, telling her sweetly that they could be eaten though they didn't taste very good and asked where did she get such an idea. Misaki had shrugged and said they simply looked like little marshmallows. Then her soft giggles filled the room and it seemed to warm up the house even more.
The smile that had appeared on Shuuko's face moments ago faded away as she was pulled from her cherished memory and back into reality. She stood, a sullen look on her face, watching the snowflakes fall. She breathed softly against the window, her breath creating a small mist. But the warmth from the room soon made it disappear. Slowly, Shuuko turned and absorbed in every little detail of her room. Nothing special, they where all starting to look the same. Everything so pure and white, it even smelled clean and pure. Yet it all seemed artificial to her somehow. Even if the room was nice and heated during this chilly winter season, it chilled her to look at the room. Another little sigh and Shuuko turned towards the window again.
Her mind drifted towards Misaki yet again as she lost herself in the snowflakes that started to come down harder. She was probably at home sipping a hot cup of tea with grandmother or outside building a snowman with her grandfather. Whatever she was doing, Shuuko knew that she would probably stop for a moment and watch the snowfall, maybe even wondering if her mother was watching the same snow as she was. Shuuko smiled softly, a few tears building in her eyes. Even if she couldn't be with her beloved daughter at the moment, Shuuko knew that they where both watching the gentle snow fall together, somehow.
That single thought warmed Shuuko's heart and made the chill from the empty and bleak hospital room fade away a little.
The End
Author's Notes: I wrote this in response to word #142 at the '15minuteficlets' community on LiveJournal.