Title: 49. Solipsism in winter
Pairing/Character/s: Yuki/Machi
Word Count: 308 words
Summary: He promises to walk with her in the snow.
A/N: Yeah, I cracked and wrote one about walking in the snow. You got a problem? :)
Like bright red sludge, the clock inches forward along with the car. Yuki slumps against the wheel, just missing the horn. He uncurls his fingers, tilting his attention to his phone.
"Give me another hour?" His tone in apologetic, but it's not needed. She knows how long she's been waiting and she knows it's not his fault.
"Where are you right now?" Machi shivers in her party dress, standing on the balcony. Inside, it is their daughter's birthday party. She hears shrieks as the adults get beat at Pin the Tail on the Donkey. The cold night air makes her feel closer to him.
"I don't know," Yuki admits, trying to squint past the howling blizzard. "It's just a lot of white."
Machi huffs, "I told you not to go!"
Yuki rubs his frozen hands together, trying to warm them. "You try saying no when our daughter begs for a vanilla birthday cake."
"I did say no," she points out smugly.
"Machi, it's her birthday."
"You're spoiling her! And what do you want me to do when she asks for her daddy?"
"Warm he up," he teases.
She senses the seriousness in his voice and plays along. "Yes, it's cold outside, baby," she laughs, staring at the clean white snow.
"Are you standing on the balcony?" he demands when he hears her shiver.
"...No," she lies. At that moment, a police car came wailing down the street.
"Machi," Yuki scolds dryly over Machi's curse. "Get back inside before you catch a cold."
"I'm fine. This is nothing-" She gets cut off by a howling wind.
He smiles, lowering his voice. "Mrs. Sohma, would you like to take a walk in the snow tomorrow?"
There isn't an answer at first. He doesn't hear anything, except for a few splutters and the sound of a balcony door sliding open and shut.