A fair request should be followed by the deed in silence.

Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

#2 Winter Gathering

Snow flakes fall across the city, blanketing the rooftops in a soft white rug.

The snow is carried on a chill wind, blowing through streets and allies, chilling the lonely wanders to the bones.

She shivers as that same wind seaps through her jacket, goosebumps rising along her arms.

She had always hated the cold, even as a child she'd despised it. It was no fun to go out and play with the other kids when her teeth were chattering.

In Ishbal it had always been hot, she supposed her body had grown used to constant heat.

She was to cold as Roy was to rain.

But she never asked him to come over to her apartment, in the rain. Yet there he'd done it, an hour ago over the phone, asking her to come out into the bitter cold.

He didn't even say why.

If this was another attempt to seduce her, she'd personally make sure he never had sex again.