Crunch.
Seven's blonde eyebrows shot up when her boot met with the frozen precipitation that had accumulated in large quantities on the ground.
She took another step, resulting in another crunch and she felt mildly amused at the sound, although she did not know why.
As Seven gazed upwards at the sky, numerous ice crystals seemed to kiss her face as they floated down from the clouds. She held out the palm of her hand and allowed the crystals to land on her skin, melting almost instantly upon contact. The corners of her mouth twitched, threatening to turn into a smile.
"Well? What do you think, Seven?" Kathryn asked eagerly, walking up behind her.
"It is...pleasant," Seven replied simply.
"That's it?" Kathryn said with a chuckle and shook her head.
The young blonde turned around to look at Kathryn and her heart nearly skipped a beat. There stood Kathryn Janeway, with her brilliantly red, long coat and black knitted scarf wrapped snugly around her neck, in stark contrast with the beautiful whiteness of the snow that surrounded them. But the thing that captured Seven's attention the most was the older woman's deep blue eyes that seemed to almost glow brightly through the falling snowflakes.
"Perhaps it is very pleasant," Seven relented in a soft voice. It was very cold, but Seven's cheeks were very hot.
"This is your first time seeing snow, isn't it?" Kathryn asked, sliding her hand into Seven's and squeezing gently.
"Yes," the younger woman responded, squeezing Kathryn's hand in return, "although it is aesthetically pleasing, I fail to see any further point to snow. It is only water vapor that has frozen into crystals in the clouds."
"Well when you put it that way, yes," the older woman admitted with a slight frown, "but there are lots of things one can do in the snow." Kathryn let go of Seven's hand and bent down to scoop up a handful of snow. "For instance, you could throw the fallen snow back up in the air, build a snowman, or maybe a snow fort!"
Seven scoffed aloud, a bewildered expression on her otherwise beautiful face.
"A snowman or a snow fort would be an inefficient use of my time," she stated matter-of-factly.
Kathryn continued to scoop up more snow, expertly packing it and hiding a mischievous smile behind a calm facade. "I suppose you're right, it would be inefficient." She casually turned her back on the blonde. "Perhaps there isn't much you could do in the snow after all," said Kathryn, feigning sadness.
Making note of the disappointment in the red-head's voice, Seven bent down as Kathryn had earlier and gingerly scooped up some snow, tilting her hand to let the flakes fall back down to rejoin the snow on the ground. There was no denying she felt some enjoyment out of this meager activity.
"As I had said earlier, it is pleas—"
WHAM.
A great big ball of snow suddenly struck Seven in the back, chunks of snow flying everywhere, clinging to her hair and the back of her coat. In one swift motion, she stood and spun around to face her attacker, ready to retaliate.
Standing only a few meters away, Kathryn was biting her lower lip and giggling merrily, her deep blue eyes absolutely twinkling. At the sight of the older woman's elegant features so full of mirth, Seven relaxed and arched an eyebrow, plotting her revenge against this divine woman.
"You will regret that," Seven said with a small but sly smile.
"Oh? And how are you going to make that happen?" Kathryn asked, her voice low and husky. She placed her hands on her hips, almost daring Seven to make a move.
Her icy blue eyes flashing with desire, Seven casually closed the gap between them, the snow crunching beneath her boots with each step. She stopped several centimeters away from where Kathryn stood, hands still on her hips. The older woman's eyes narrowed.
"What do you think you are d—"
In a blur of movement, Seven rushed forward, grabbing Kathryn's shoulders and sweeping her legs out from under her. A shocked Kathryn fell backwards into the snow and Seven landed on top of her, effectively pinning her body down. Relishing her victory, Seven leaned forward, her face hovering very closely over Kathryn's, the latter still wearing a shocked expression.
"I warned you," said a triumphant Seven, her breath hot on Kathryn's face.
"That you did," Kathryn laughed, "but I still don't regret it."
Kathryn reached up and ran her fingers through the soft blonde hair, stopping at the back of Seven's head. Eager to close the distance between them, she gently pulled Seven down and their lips met in a deep kiss, sending exquisite shivers down both their spines.
"I love you Seven," Kathryn murmured against her lips.
Seven pulled away slightly to admire the beautiful woman she had pinned down in the snow, bringing up her hand to caress Kathryn's warm cheek.
"I love you too Kathryn," Seven replied softly, leaning down and brushing her lips against Kathryn's, "thank you for showing me snow."
The snow continued to fall silently, beautifully all around the two women as they kissed, the warmth of their bodies an effective shield against the cold air.
The End.