Winter stepped off the airship. She wasn't sure why she was here, but something had compelled her to come to this island.
Well that, and the fact that someone had prepared an entire trip for her without her knowledge, including packing her bags.
Not that Winter minded. After all, this town, Hestia, was Cassian's home. Normally, a Schnee entering the island where Hestia was located would be suicidal, but Cassian's sister had apparently pulled some strings to make sure that Winter would remain unmolested. It was a necessary step.
Winter was on Menagerie after all.
"Winter Schnee." Canna Gray, Cassian's elder sister, greeted the Schnee. She had dark brown hair with blonde streaks in it, hazel eyes and a figure that rivaled Winters. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
"The pleasure is mine." Winter mumbled, her eyes taking in her surroundings. It was Christmas Eve, and the small port town was coated in snow. The airship port was at the centre of the town, with rows of houses and villas circling around the town centre. To her right, Winter could see the beach, already covered in snow. This was where her lover had grown up. Canna, noticing Winter's eyes, patiently waited for Winter to finish. "It's...so peaceful here." Winter finally said.
"Yes. Hestia is famous for being a place of rest and relaxation." Canna motioned for Winter to follow her. Taking a deep breath, Winter followed after her. "The citizens of this town value peace above all. It's a very close-knit community, where everyone knows everyone."
"It sounds like a place that...Cassian loved." Winter had to force herself to say Cassian's name. It was hard, but she was capable of doing it now.
"It is." Canna said simply. "Cassian loved coming here in the winter for Ignis' Christmas Party. It's a tradition."
"That sounds wonderful."
"You're invited as well you know." Canna stopped at the car, before opening the shotgun seat and waiting for Winter to enter.
Winter stepped into the car, wondering if she should refuse the invitation. After a moment of deliberation however, she decided to go. If Cassian loved it, Winter wanted to see why. It would help her know more about her love. "That would be...nice."
"Perfect." Canna slid into the driver's seat, before starting the car up. "You'll be staying at my place, which is about ten minutes away from Ignis' by foot. I hope you don't mind the little ones. They tend to get a little crazy around new people."
Winter subconsciously moved her hand to her belly. She remembered Cassian saying how he'd love a child. The thought brought tears to her eyes.
Canna, noticing that, remained silent for the rest of the journey. Upon arrival to the house, Canna and Winter both exited the house.
"Cassian grew up here." Canna said. "Admittedly, we did have a few extensions and renovations since he left…"
Winter looked the house up and down.
The Gray house was big, perhaps three stories with an additional garage. Large windows dotted the building, exposing the inhabitants to large amounts of natural sunlight. A roof garden was visible from Winter's perspective, green leaves and feelers wrapping around the top part of the house.
"Luckily the kids are already at Ignis', so you don't have to worry about them just yet. Your bags are already in your room." Canna walked up to the door and unlocked it. "If you need anything, just tell me-"
"Can...I see Cassian's room?" Canna blinked, before giving Winter a warm smile.
"Of course you can." Canna motioned for Winter to follow her into the house and up two flights of stairs, before stopping at a single door. "Here it is. It's a bit dusty, since he hasn't been back in a while."
Winter traced her hand over the door, smiling slightly at the carved words in the wood. They were haphazardly done, no doubt carved when Cassian was a child.
Cassian's room. Do not enter without permission.
"I'll leave you alone then. We'll leave in about an hour alright?" With that, Canna disappeared down the hallway, leaving Winter alone.
Winter gripped the doorknob and twisted, before pushing the door open.
The door opened with a creak, revealing a small but cosy room. Stepping inside, Winter was immediately assaulted by the sheer Cassian-ness of the room.
Books of all genres and subjects were stacked all over the place, alongside toy and training weapons. Cassian's bed, designed for a single person, had two pillows and blankets. The walls were covered in maps and diagrams and drawings and newspaper clippings.
Winter walked over to one of the walls. With a start, she realised that the things tacked onto the wall were from Cassian's childhood, specifically before he became her bodyguard. Doodles of Grimm and potential weapons took over most of the wall, with some clippings dating back over a decade ago. Checking the newspapers, Winter noted that many of them related to heroic Hunters and Huntresses.
"He already knew what he wanted to do back then hmm?" Winter turned to the next wall, which was infinitely more neater than the previous one. It also contained less items, no doubt because Cassian no longer stayed in this room. The insight into Cassian's life however, was still immense.
"Oh?" Winter realised that many of the clippings related to her family, specifically her. "How cute."
Looking closer, Winter realised that Cassian had scribbled notes onto many of the clippings. While the ink had faded over time, some phrases were still decipherable.
I'm really nervous. Winter Schnee seems super-cool and I don't want to make a bad impression. Better ask Canna for help.
Wow, she's already participating in tournaments?! Why would she need me to be her bodyguard?! She seems really strong!
Man, these newspapers are so wrong. Winter is so much nicer than what these photos make her out to be.
"Cass…" Even back then, Cassian had seen right through her. "I miss you so much."
Winter sat down on Cassian's bed, noting how clean the sheets were. Apparently Canna, despite what she may say, made sure that Cassian's room remained clean even in his absence.
Lying on the bed, Winter realised with a start that Cassian's ceiling was also covered in stuff. Pieces of parchment, fragments of paper targets with bullet holes in them, banners with his previous school's name printed on it. Winter felt like she was absorbing everything and anything about Cassian simply by being in his room.
Before she knew it, there was a knock on the door.
"Ms. Schnee, are you ready to go?"
Glancing at her scroll, Winter realised that it had already been an hour. She wanted to keep lying in Cassian's bed, but some semblance of common courtesy made her stand up and walk to the door. Giving her clothes a quick brushing, Winter opened the door.
"I'm ready." Winter said, noting the strength in her voice. Even now, Cassian was making her strong. Canna was silent for a moment, her eyes looking Winter up and down.
"You look better." Canna commented, before twirling on her heels and walking towards the front door.
Winter had to admit, she was enjoying herself at the party. Ignis' house was the same size as the Gray's, but had fewer and larger rooms. Winter was currently seated in the sitting room, a mug of hot eggnog in her hand. Around her, small children, both human and Faunus, ran around playing. In the centre of the room was a massive Christmas tree with numerous presents of various sizes.
"It's nice isn't it?" Canna suddenly appeared next to Winter, holding a mug of hot cocoa. "Ignis cooks a massive feast each year and invites all the children to spend the night at her house."
"It...is." Winter thought back to her own christmas' in the Schnee household. They had been formal and impersonal, another facade to make them appear like a family. "Cassian really loved the holiday."
It had been her first Christmas with Cassian that had made her truly appreciate the day.
"It's nearly Christmas." Cassian said suddenly. The two of them were eating in one of Winter's many apartments. They had graduated from the Academy a few months previous, and were currently travelling as part of Winter's work.
"Oh, it is isn't it?" Winter said, not sounding very interested.
"Do you not like Christmas mistress?" Cassian popped a piece of grilled chicken into his mouth.
"I'm indifferent." Winter replied, sipping from her water glass.
"That's no good mistress!" Cassian's eyes seemed to sparkle, which was unnerving to say the least. "Christmas is a super important holiday!"
"For capitalism yes."
"Where's your Christmas spirit!?"
"Never had any." Winter placed her glass on the table. "Now then-"
"Alright I've decided." Cassian placed his hands on the table. "I will make this the best Christmas ever!"
"It really was the best Christmas ever." Winter fiddled with her mug. "We drank eggnog and sang carols and decorated the tree…" Winter trailed off upon hearing Canna's chuckling.
"That sounds very much like something my younger brother would do." Canna sipped her hot cocoa. "He was always rather bad with basic social conventions such as treating his superiors correctly."
"I didn't mind." Winter said quickly. Canna, noticing Winter's defensiveness, laughed.
"Of course you didn't. He's your lover after all."
"Was." Winter corrected, feeling a sharp pain her chest as she said those words.
"Mmmm…" Canna trailed off as one of her children ran up to the two of them. "Flan, are you having a good time?"
"Yes!" Flan Habringer, Canna's son, nodded his head and grinned. He had custard-colored hair with small gray streaks and a slightly chubby build. "Ms. Winter, uncle told me to give you this!"
"Uncle?" Winter took the envelope from Flan, who quickly disappeared back into the fray. Turning to Canna, Winter intended to ask her a question, only to find that the woman had disappeared.
Left alone, and with nothing better to do, Winter opened the envelope.
Come outside.
Winter blinked. Two words, perfectly hand-written. No name, nothing to indicate who the writer was. Yet Winter could feel something rising in her.
It should have been impossible, but Winter only knew one person who had this specific handwriting and used gray ink.
Plus, Flan had called the sender uncle.
Jumping to her feet, her energy fully restored, Winter rushed towards the door.
Winter stumbled onto the front porch, nearly breaking the door down in her rush to exit the house.
Upon reaching the exit of the house, Winter stopped to catch her breath. Looking up, she felt her heart freeze.
At some point during the party, it had begun to snow. Now, the ground of Hestia was covered in a beautiful layer of white, with more snow flakes falling down gently from the sky.
It was the solitary figure standing on the pavement outside Ignis' house however, the had caused Winter to freeze.
Gray hair.
Brown eyes.
A smile on his face.
"Hey Winter." Cassian Gray raised his hand in greeting. "I guess I kept my promise in the end, didn't I?"
Cassian stumbled backwards as Winter literally jumped onto him. The combined weight and momentum of the Schnee sent him falling back into the snow.
"Woah!" Cassian laughed, the back of his head getting covered in snow. "Careful there!"
"Y-you're alive!" Winter cried, mashing her face into his chest. "You're really alive!"
"Miraculously, yes." Cassian patted Winter on the head, smiling as he felt her sob against his torso. "A couple of things happened and-"
"Stop." Winter cut Cassian off. "I have a feeling you're about to tell me something bad."
"It's important-"
"Right now-" Winter interrupted Cassian once more, looking him in the eye. With a start, Cassian noticed the bags under her eyes and her bloodshot pupils. "-the only thing I care about is that you're alive."
"I-" Cassian looked at Winter, before sighing. "-I'm sorry."
"Mmmm." Winter placed her head back in his chest. "My Cassian, my Cassian."
"Yeah, I'm yours." Cassian whispered, rubbing Winter's head. "I'm all yours."
Winter suddenly grabbed the back of Cassian's head and mashed her lips against his.
The two lovers kissed on the snow-covered ground, as snowflakes fell around them. After what seemed like an age, the two finally separated.
There were many things Cassian wanted to say.
The fact her father was dead.
Who Schokolade really was.
How much he regretted that pain that he had put her through.
The fact that he would likely have a bounty put on his head.
But it was Christmas. So Cassian Gray said only three words, words which summed up the most important thing to him in that moment.
"I'm back, Winter."
Winter, upon hearing those words, gave Cassian a smile that transcended human limitations. It was the smile of pure, unadulterated joy. In those two months, it was those three words that Winter had longed to hear the most.
And now that she had heard them, she could say the three words that she had wanted to say in return. Placing her mouth next to Cassian's ear, Winter whispered those words while tears ran down her cheek.
"Welcome home, Cassian."
End
Thank you my readers for sticking with this very messy story until the end! I originally thought of many other potentially endings, but decided to stick with this. Simplicity at its best.
Yes, this ending is referencing something, so if you can guess it, comment or PM me!
Once again, thank you so much for reading this story, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Ferris