IT'S AN UPDATE.

Yes, folks. As promised, I said in the last chapter that I was working on a special Christmas chapter for Fire & Thorns as my gift to you guys and my way of apologising for making you wait! GAH. I adore this little story I've written but before you read it, PLEASE NOTE:

This is set in the SAME UNIVERSE as Fire & Thorns. You'll see references to the original story, the characters and events etc. BUT BUT BUT it is in NO WAY RELATED TO THE ORIGINAL STORYLINE. Whatever happens in this piece is solely made up to satisfy those Rosewick fangirl needs. It also doesn't mean that Fire & Thorns will end the way that I have implied in this particular chapter. It's up to the reader on what they believe their theory is. But I am just throwing it out there that this is something completely different yet still linked to Fire & Thorns. SO PLEASE DON'T GET CONFUSED.

So without further ado, please enjoy this special Christmas chapter Rosewick fans and thanks so much for the support!

Christmas Special

Midnight

He's not going to come.

He will come.

Better to turn back now.

He has to come.

What were the chances?

I have to hang onto that tiny shred of hope.

Ruby exhaled, her head slack on her chest as she nuzzled deep into the warmth of her hooded cloak. Even in the chilliest temperatures of winter, she refused to part with her beloved red piece that she had grown up with. It had become a part of her.

The moon was full, at its highest peak and flaring brighter than the sun during the long summer days. Its sheer brilliance of white glow coated the city, wrapping it up in its glory. The city was already lit up with the dozens of festive lights and deco they had that symbolised the beginning of something special, and now with the blinding beauty of the moon's radiance upon them, it was even better. It stuck out like a flame in the darkness, pushing away the shadows of the night sky.

The winds teased the ends of her hair as it billowed across her face, sending her tinted hair into a disarray of tangles. She pushed them back from her face in frustration. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she licked them to free her skin from the building frost. It was undoubtedly cold, freezing even, as she clutched her cloak tighter against her body. She could see her breath in white puffs of cloud as she breathed.

What was the time now? Nearing midnight? Past midnight?

The lack of cheers and movement indicated she still had a little time. Yang had warned her that she would cover for her for as long as she was able but there were no promises, knowing her team mates – or to be precise, Weiss. The ice queen would fight wars just to know what her team leader had been getting up to late at night on Christmas Eve. Ruby would never hear the end of it if she ever discovered the truth.

It had taken almost an entire week to persuade Yang to help her and justify her reasons for her plan. But who knows? Perhaps this night would end in disaster. She had no idea what she had been thinking and even now, she began to doubt her sanity.

Ruby sighed again, feeling at a loss for words as she looked over the barriers to the city below. It was almost alien to her, foreign and strange. Vale seemed like a dream away. The city was almost a mirage – no one would ever to have thought it would exist. Not after the apocalypse when Cinder...

Ruby shook her head roughly, banishing away the thoughts and memories of what she had endured – what she was enduring. Remnant was only beginning to recover. Slowly, but surely. But it would never return to its former glory, to the world she once knew.

But this was her home now. The run down streets, the decaying bricks and old glass that seemed to surround her from all corners – the Glass City, they called it. A name was yet to be placed upon their new homeland. No one was more surprised than Ruby when she discovered the tall skyscrapers were still standing after the chaos that had consumed Remnant.

Consuming. She had to keep reminding herself that it wasn't over. Not yet. Peace was a long-term goal that had yet to be achieved. But they were getting there.

Beyond the half empty buildings and cracked homes, was the wall. The wall that separated them from the outer world – the danger. The Grimm infested plains and eroding land over yonder that she did well to stay away from. And just beyond the wall, she could spot the reflective outline of the protective barrier active and intact. It loomed over the city like a glass dome, keeping them all safely locked in, and the monsters locked out.

It was way past curfew but a part of her hoped he had made it into the city before the barriers shot up again. But the inner, more logical, voice in her head reminded her dutifully that he had no reason to come here. Why risk it? Deep down, she knew the old her would never have gone out of her way this far for a simple task.

She could just hear her sister's rebukes echo in the back of her mind.

"What?!"

Ruby glanced down at her feet, suddenly feeling nervous and wondering whether it was a mistake to ask Yang for help. She most definitely wasn't going to go to Weiss. There was the option to consider asking for Pyrrha's assistance but she had been so busy with Jaune with Ren about Nora's latest reckless escapade.

It was times like this she wished Blake was still here.

A sharp pang of hurt crossed her heart, dangerously pricking at the stitched wound she had worked hard to keep intact. All her old memories and dark glimpses of the past were stored inside the walls of her healing scar. That had included Blake.

"Are you crazy? You want me to help you sneak out to meet some stranger?"

Yang looked at her disapprovingly, yet there was still a glint of curiosity in her eyes at the mention of Ruby latest request.

"It's important, Yang. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

Yang raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Desperate? Just who exactly are you planning to meet in the middle of the night?"

Ruby felt her heart skip a beat as her throat clammed up with her ability to speak. She couldn't bring herself to look her sister in the eye to answer that particular question.

"Besides," Yang sighed. "It's Christmas Eve... You should be here with us."

Ruby nodded once, scuffing her toes across the ground. She stole a glance at her bed, noting the package that was safely concealed in the hidden space beneath.

"I won't be long. I don't even know if they'll-" Ruby stopped short. It was true, she had forgotten that there was no guarantee that he would be there. She shook her head and looked to her elder sister who watched her with worry laced in her eyes. "I have to do this."

Yang seemed to be at war with herself, deciding to either adhere to her risky request or to decline her completely.

The answer was a simple 'no' that day.

It wasn't until two days later when Ruby finally blurted out who she had been planning to meet that had Yang erupted like a volcano and called her mad. But it gave Ruby the opportunity to offer her explanations and whine endlessly until Yang finally gave in. But that didn't stop the hot head to warn her about facing disappointment.

"Be careful Ruby..." she had told her just before she left.

And here she was, atop an uneven rooftop of one of the standing glass skyscrapers that had been vacant on the far north end of the Glass City. Abandoned. Quiet. Discreet. On Christmas Eve.

Any other day, she would never have considered setting out to do what she was about to do today. Even Yang's voice inside her head that warned her that it may not go according to plan, to not hope, Ruby ignored it fully. If this were any other night, it wouldn't have mattered.

"But today..." she whispered to herself, looking up at the face of the moon through the domed barrier. The chilled breeze swept at her hair once more, causing the little bumps to rise from her skin as she shivered.

He's not coming.

She could feel the disappointment begin to seep into her heart, her stomach hollow and empty as it dropped like a worthless penny. Hours. Years. It felt like forever since she had been waiting and with each passing second of nothingness, her faith began to fade. Her hope diminished and her feelings shattered like the glass of building below her.

Ruby clutched her cloak tighter still, closing her eyes as she breathed shakily and heard a whimper leave her lips. The bulge of the package pressed against her hip, physically reminding her that she had failed in her task.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

It was enough.

The city hummed with the low thrums of movement, of idle chatter and excitement. It was cold enough to snow but there wasn't a cloud in the sky to indicate they would be rewarded with such a gift. Snow on Christmas was rare. Rarer still in this broken Remnant.

In defeat, Ruby heaved a deep sigh, glancing at the dull glow of the city beyond the barrier of the rooftop once more before pulling her hood over her head. The sharp feeling of hurt slowly growing in the pit of her stomach as she turned away from the view with a heavy heart.

As soon as she took the first step, she heard the distant sound of a bell being rung. Of half hearted cheers and joy being spread.

Midnight had arrived.

Ruby stopped and turned to glance up at the sky once again and was welcomed with the warm orange glow of lights from the city being reflected against the underside of the dome that protected them. A weak smile tugged at her lips as she shook her head slowly.

"Merry Christmas."

She pulled out the small wrapped parcel, the material being an old red cloth rather than pretty wrapping paper and she had used a shoelace instead of ribbon to tie it up. Not the most beautiful looking thing but what was stored inside, she hoped, would bring light into the heart of whoever owned it. It was a treasure she cherished, something that was the best kind of gift.

The rooftop was still empty, still and quiet with just the howling winds to occupy the space. Ruby knelt down, placing the parcel on the ground. She stroked it longingly for a moment, wondering if it was a good idea to leave it for anyone to stumble upon it. With great restraint, she pulled herself away and stood up.

And without another word, without another thought, she left.

"I'm pooped."

"I could do with sleeping for at least a year," Weiss yawned before collapsing on her own bed. She rested on her side and leaned on her arm as she looked over at Yang, who was staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. Then, with a shrug, she lay back down. "Ruby, blow out the lamps."

"Hey, I'm not your slave!"

"Clearly, I'd never employ such a useless servant."

Ruby sucked her lips in pout but ended up breaking into a smile. The Ice Queen hadn't changed and there was something oddly refreshing about it. Weiss sat up, face void of all humour and watched her carefully like she was a fragile object.

"Anyhow, are you sure you're feeling better now? The way Yang described it, sounded as if you had caught the plague or something."

Ruby laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. She had to award Yang points for the lack of originality. Seemingly, there hadn't been a better explanation that would excuse Ruby for being absent during their pre-Christmas celebration. Her dear sister had somehow convinced that she had taken ill and was in bed, and kept everyone away from her chambers until she returned.

Glad I came back in time, Ruby thought with relief.

"I'm good. I think it was just one of those 24 hour flu things... The worst is over."

Even Ruby didn't believe herself but thankfully Weiss seemed content with her answer or was just too exhausted to argue.

"You totally missed out. Neptune and Sun challenged each other to balance glass bottles on their noses!"

Yang snorted. "Neptune wasn't very smart to take him up on that particular challenge."

Weiss pouted. "At least he tried."

They bickered for a few minutes, mainly Weiss defending Neptune's shattered honour as Yang roared with laughter. It was a sight that warmed Ruby's heart and made her forget about her late night interaction that had failed so miserably. She never should have gone in the first place.

The ache in her chest pulsed but she chose to ignore it as she blew out the lamps and their room was engulfed in darkness, save the shining moonlight coming through the windows. The room resembled the feel of their former dorm room back at Beacon, what with the messy beds and belongings all over the place. It wasn't as nice but she was glad to be back to sharing a room with her team mates. But there would always be that hollow ghostly emptiness of Blake's presence that they all missed.

"Anyway, I've had enough excitement for one night. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day so I'm going to catch some shut-eye," said Yang, as she stretched and yawned to prove her fatigue. She curled up in her covers and went quiet. "Night all. And Merry Christmas guys!"

"Not the kind of Christmas I was expecting but what can you do?" Weiss rolled her eyes as she sighed. She glanced at Ruby, offering a small smile. "Merry Christmas team."

Ruby returned the smile, feeling her inside fill up with a degree of happiness. "Merry Christmas Weiss, Yang."

Weiss yawned once more before curling up and went silent. Before long, they could hear Yang's light snoring. Ruby could hear Weiss mumble something about stuffing a sock in her mouth, making Ruby chuckle quietly before she turned to head out of the room.

"Ruby?"

She stopped, turning to look over her shoulder to see Weiss watching her from her covers. Her pale eyes almost like mini moonstones in the darkness like her hair. She was watching her with an anxious look.

"Yes, Weiss?"

Weiss looked uncertain, hesitating on what to say as her eyes shifted from side to side before falling back on Ruby once more.

"Aren't you going to bed?"

"In a moment. I'm going to brush my teeth and get changed."

Weiss nodded, understanding before turning back. Ruby turned to leave once more but not before she heard the Ice Queen's voice once more.

"I'm glad you're back."

Ruby froze, hand frozen on the door handle of their room. She knew what Weiss had meant to say, what she was implying and it warmed her to the core. The tears spiked her eyes, the anguish sweeping through her body and veins as she was reminded of the moment she had returned to camp.

"I... missed you too, Weiss."

She turned the handle and left the room.

Ruby stretched, breaking out a yawn as she wandered through the halls of their new home. A remotely well structure that had previously been something like a town hall or of the sort. Whatever it had been, it was now their new headquarters. Mostly for the huntsmen and huntresses but a safe haven for a few worried citizens as well.

It was way past midnight, the skies still as black as ever with the harsh winds blowing and the moon still shining brightly.

A sudden bright ray of light and cool breeze stopped her in her path. Ruby raised her hand to her face, shielding her eyes from the blinding light as she looked to see where it had originated from. The door to her left was ajar, the view of the outdoors visible through the crack. Possibly hadn't been closed properly and the winds had pushed it open a crack.

As she reached for the handle, Ruby couldn't help but peer out to see what was on the other side – only to be welcomed by the bright moon and cold as she stepped out onto a small balcony that overlooked the yards of dry land and hills of their backyard. Mostly near the dead trees that were somehow still standing as it stretched over the corner of the building where the girls dorms were.

It's freezing! Her teeth chattered as she rubbed at her arms, wishing she had her cloak instead of the simple sweatshirt she used as her makeshift pyjamas. Her hair became a tumbled mess as the winds blew it out of place, making her curse.

"Just when I just brushed it too..." she mumbled, fussing over the messy locks that had grown past her shoulders.

"Next time you leave a calling card, can you specify which skyscraper you plan to meet me on?"

The abrupt sound of the familiar voice made Ruby yelp in surprise, making her turn to her right to catch the sight of his bright orange hair, the bowler hat resting on top of his head and the swinging of his cane. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest.

Roman Torchwick sat with one leg rested on the stonework of the barrier, the other hanging over the edge in a casual gesture. He flicked his bangs back for a moment so she could catch sight of his unyielding green eyes that shone brilliance in the moonlight.

Ruby gasped, feeling like all of her thoughts and feelings left her body leaving her a blank mindless puppet. She clutched her chest, wondering if she was dreaming.

"Hello Red."

Roman chuckled to himself, still swinging his cane around as he tilted his head to one side and gave her a knowing smile.

"It was quite the task, scouting each and every skyscraper in the city whilst trying to keep off the laws radar. I almost didn't come."

"But you did."

Ruby felt like someone had just pumped air back into her lungs, releasing the clasp it had over her heart. She felt as though she could breathe again. The ache dug deep, the pain evident and pulsing through her skin.

"And I still wonder why."

Ruby looked up, meeting his questioning gaze. His eyes on her felt like he was looking right into her soul, seeking the truths and secrets of her inner thoughts and feelings. She swallowed.

"Why what?" she asked, her voice shaking. She still couldn't quite believe that he was here.

He raised his head, eyes narrowing as a smirk appeased his lips. "Why you would want to see me."

Am I not allowed to want things? Can I not yearn to see you? Can you explain this longing feeling I have inside, the part of me that remembers our time in that dark cell, the part of me that wishes to have you by my side?

All these inner questions of hers had been tearing her apart for so long she thought she would explode. Roman Torchwick had done his job, his fair share of fighting but in the eyes of everyone else he was still classed as a wanted fugitive. He was still a criminal. And he accepted it, wholeheartedly. Refused to repent and went on his merry way without a trace or a word.

She thought she would never see him again but a part of her made her believe that she could find him again. Somehow, some way, she would.

Her heart pounded against her ribcage like a ferocious animal clawing to get out. She clutched her chest tighter and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.

"It's Christmas..." she whispered, forcing her teeth to stop chattering.

"Ah."

His aloof tone made her open her eyes and look up to see him looking into the distance, a sombre look on his face. He pressed a hand to his chin, rubbing at it slowly.

"That would explain it..."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "It?"

"The gift."

Ruby felt her eyes widen, a sharp gasp escaping her lips as he pulled out the rectangular red package and held it out with his gloved hand. She blushed, feeling stupid for using such odd materials as wrapping.

"I must commend you on your brilliant packaging skills – I mean, a shoelace? Good heavens, what an idea!"

Ruby's cheeks were on fire as she looked away in a huff. "Y-You're lucky I had taken the time to wrap the thing!" She kept her back to him, feeling her pulse racing at the thought of him holding it behind her. She didn't want to see him look at her when he opened it. A part of her felt relieved.

He found it.

He came.

She smiled warmly to herself, feeling her cheeks cool down.

"But one question is still outstanding, Red."

Ruby turned her head, looking over her shoulder to see the wanted thief jump off the ledge and stand on two feet before her, and watched as he stared boringly at the gift.

"Why have you really called me here?"

There was a long moment's silence before Ruby gathered to the courage to speak again. She clasped her hands together in nervousness.

"It can't be just for the gift – hell, if I just risked my neck for this thing, I'd have sent an owl."

A wash of hurt overcame her body until she felt the energy leave her legs. He came... but he didn't want to be here. What did she expect?

"Everybody should receive a gift on Christmas. Everybody should have somebody to celebrate with."

"Not my forte, kid. Sorry to disappoint but I'm not the festive type."

Ruby clenched her hands into fists, feeling the anger slowly seep out. It hurt. It hurt so much at the same time that she felt like she was dying. Someone was squeezing her lungs until the air had left them, leaving her breathless and struggling for breath,

She faced him with one turn, feeling her body shiver.

"Did you open it?"

"Do I have to?"

Unbelievable!

"Then I'll take it back."

He looked dumbfounded for a moment, if not a little taken off guard at her sudden bitter response. But he was twisting a dagger in her heart and she wished to be away from his presence. To say their goodbyes and leave.

He raised the gift to eye level, narrowing his eyes at it before sighing like he was tired of doing the same thing over and over. Ruby was about to snap at him to return it until he pulled the cloth open in one swift gesture, revealing the box inside. He eyed it with suspicion.

"A box. How... ostentatious."

Ruby gritted her teeth. "Look inside, idiot."

This was not how she pictured the moment to go. But she couldn't help but feel self conscious as she watched him pull open the cardboard and pull out the object that was inside.

His cane dropped to the floor as his hands held the shining object in his palms. The light from the moon reflected off the glass as it dazzled the area around them. Ruby could feel the unsteady beating of her heart take another turn, nervous of what he was thinking.

On the palms of Torchwick's hands, rested a small glass cylinder that had been glazed over with a layer of see through ice. Inside its shell, the interior held but one bright red rose, its petals still a vibrant red, completely frozen and encased within permafrost. Its beauty shone like nothing Ruby had ever seen, and she knew the moment she held it in her own hands that it would become her most prized possession.

Her eyes flew to Torchwick's face, on seeing the way his face became vacant, clear of all emotion except for the utter surprise and speechless wonder. His eyes wide and bright, laced with emotion and bewilderment.

Ruby fidgeted, eyes shifting from place to place to avoid looking at his face. She smiled to herself.

"It's the only living and breathing piece of Remnant I had. A reminder of our world when she was most beautiful. I had Weiss encase it in a type of ice that would never melt, a long time ago..."

"Why are you giving it to me?"

He had cut her off so suddenly she looked up, blinking in alarm.

His face had been shadowed by his hair, as he lowered his hands clutching the frozen rose. She was suddenly afraid, her mind racing with all sorts of thoughts that would break her if he spoke of them.

"I... I thought you should have it," she replied in a quiet voice, uncertainty laced in her words. "I thought you would-"

"What?" he snapped, suddenly looking up at her with anger emblazoned in his eyes. The very sight made Ruby gasp. "That I would love something that would be a constant reminder to me of the world I destroyed? That I am the cause behind its very suffering?"

Ruby raised her hands in horror. "No!"

"That's exactly what this is!" he shook the rose with such force she thought it would shatter in his clutches.

"Stop it! Why can't you understand?" Ruby cried out, her voice breaking like her feelings. She was losing her composure. The ache inside of her ceased to stop tugging at her most weakest areas, she could feel the tears well up on the brinks of her eyes.

Torchwick eyed her like a man eying her with loathing. With disgust and hurt like she was filth. And she didn't like it. She would rather never see him again than have him look at her in that way. It hurt to know the one precious thing she thought could bring any living person happiness, brought torment to the one person she wished who could smile upon seeing it.

"Understand what, Red? Enlighten me." He was grinning now, but in the way that told her that he was in no mood to joke around, he was ready to cut her into pieces. He looked... evil. Like Cinder.

"That rose became a part of me," she began, taking a deep breath as she wiped at her eyes harshly. "It gave me hope, to believe that one day our Remnant would return. You have no idea how important it is to me."

His sudden harsh laughter made her wince.

"Then take it. I have no need of it."

He held it out to her. She couldn't move her eyes away from it, feeling like she had just been slapped in the face.

Oh stars, Yang was right. I shouldn't have hoped... I should've... I should've...

That was when the first teardrop fell. It cascaded down her cheek leaving a silvery trail in its wake. The ache inside of her, slowly consuming her until it hurt to breathe. Her body was shaking, refusing to obey her commands to move forward, to take the rose back and leave him there. To walk away from a danger far greater than anything she had ever encountered.

"Red."

Ruby wiped her eyes, suddenly able to move. She stared at the thief, who was silently watching her with a mixed expression on his face that seemed torn between shock and disbelief. Like he wanted to step forwards and say the one thing she needed to hear but didn't.

"You left without saying goodbye," she said as she walked up to him, her heart on the brink of stopping altogether. "So here I am..." she stopped in front of his outstretched hands holding the rose as she looked up at him in the eye, "...saying goodbye."

Her words seemed to struck something inside because his eyes widened, losing the spark. His face paled, now a very ghostly white like she had just stripped him of his soul.

She ignored the voice in her head telling her to stop. She ignored the amplified rush of pain that was eating away at her insides, the way her stomach knotted up and her heart pounded painfully in her chest. Her ragged breathing and shaking hands as she reached to take the gift.

"You didn't ask."

Her hands stopped, mid air as her fingers brushed against the glass of the frozen cylinder. She raised her head with a questioning look on her face. The burning stare of his gaze made her catch her breath but he seemed determined to say what was on his mind. In the riddles he always spoke in.

She dared to accept the challenge.

"Ask what?"

"Why I came."

He spoke so softly she wondered if she heard right.

"But-"

"Do you think I would accept any invitation from someone asking me to meet them?" he asked, raising his voice slightly. "It's no hobby of mine to track down the messenger, but when they leave a note in a heap of rose petals in the one place no one would think to look – I assumed they would have some form of vital information that I could use."

Ruby jerked back, pulling her hands back. "I'm not your spy!"

"As usual, you miss the point." He rolled his eyes and placed the frozen rose on the flat pane of the balcony barrier, before turning back to face her with a look that burned holes inside of her. He sighed, running his fingers through his bangs. "Because it was you."

Ruby felt her heart stop. The growing light of hope inside her slowly building even though she knew it would be extinguished within a second. She blinked.

"I-I... don't... understand."

The hand that had just brushed through his bangs, dropped suddenly and reached forwards to lace his fingers through a lock of her hair. The very gesture made Ruby suck in a gasp sharply, sending her pulse flying until she could no longer feel the cold. The feelings he evoked into her with his sudden surprises always caught her off guard. A trait she could never forget.

"I came... because you asked me to."

She couldn't tear her gaze away from his eyes, the way they looked down at her like she was the very rose trapped inside the barrier of ice. He bit his bottom lip and she noticed, feeling like she was going to lose her mind as her breaths quickened with each passing moment. His eyes flickered down to her own lips with a longing that made her heart sing and her soul cry out.

His eyes softened, now a mellow and warm green that was radiating all of his feelings, his inner thoughts in one glance. She wanted to collapse, the urge to pull him against her and hold him until she could no longer feel the ground beneath her feet. She wanted such shocking things she never would have believed to have desired.

But here, right now, she could no longer remember the way he made her heart quiver, how he struck at it with bitter words, only how he made her feel by just being there.

"I wanted to see you," he breathed, his warm breath embracing her cold skin as she closed her eyes and felt herself whimper against his light touch. He was still fondling with her hair until she felt his fingers creep up towards her scalp. Each touch sending jolts of electricity into her bones until she could feel herself ignite like a bonfire. "A frozen rose would never be enough to fill the emptiness inside of me... that needed you. If that, it would only be a painful reminder of what I have lost."

"Roman," her voice cracked, as she felt his hand cup her cheek. His skin against her own brought a whole new feeling that broke apart the wall she had set up inside herself, making her feel more alive than ever. She instantly raised her frozen hands to close over his own, feeling the soft cotton of his gloves against her cheek and the light brushes of his fingers. She relished the touch, feeling her heart shatter over and over, her cluster of emotions erupting into an uncontrollable hurricane.

The sudden feel of his arm around her waist, startled her as she was suddenly pulled against him into a fierce and passionate embrace. His fingers dug into her skin through her thin layers of clothing, wrapping her into the safety of his arms and the warmth it brought. She gasped in relief, feeling the tears threatening to fall as her warm face nuzzled into his chest, her hands still holding his own that cupped her cheek.

"I know you said to meet at midnight..."

"No," she cut him off, smiling as she moved her arms so she could wrap them around him, fingers digging into his jacket and clung to him for dear life. His distinct scent of cinnamon overwhelmed her but she had slowly grown accustomed to the smell. "It's okay. This... This is fine."

She could feel him chuckling to himself as he held her tighter until she felt her heart would explode. Every bone and cell tingled, her skin on fire and burning, wanting and needing. The warnings rang inside her head, Yang's voice and the subconscious the told her how deep she was falling.

But she couldn't stop herself if she tried.

She could hear the beating of his heart as his chest rose and fell rapidly like he too, was nervous.

"Red..."

His voice sounded off, a little broken and she knew what was coming but she refused to acknowledge it so soon.

"I know," she mumbled into his chest, feeling his hold on her tighten as if to attach himself to her. "A moment longer."

"It's not that."

Surprised, she pulled herself back, only a little to crane her neck up to look at him. He seemed a little flushed and nervous, eyes continuing to shift to the area behind her instead of directly at her. This was one of the many sides to Roman Torchwick that she had rarely seen.

He cleared his throat, the red colour on his cheeks standing out brightly like a flame. "Any day now Neo!"

Neo?!

Suddenly alarmed, and perhaps a little embarrassed to think that one of his former companions was here, witnessing their moment of weakness, was a lot take in.

She opened her mouth to protest when something wet and cold touched her cheek. Then another. Another. Until dozens of droplets of something cold and wet began coating her skin. Ruby gasped, eyes wide and unbelieving as she looked straight up to see...

"Snow..." she whispered weakly against Torchwick.

Unmistakably, the white flakes of snow began to fall down in a slow, tormenting downpour around them. Melting as soon as they hit the ground, though it seemed like the little area surrounding them were the only places it was affecting. Ruby looked back to Torchwick's flushed face to see him smirking.

"I suppose... you can call this a gift."

"It's not real."

He looked offended then huffed, looking slightly shy and unsettled. "Hey, it's real enough!"

Ruby couldn't help but laugh, noting the annoyed look on his face. How was it that he was able to change the atmosphere so quickly? She embraced him once more, sighing contently.

"It's good enough for me. Thank you... Roman."

He seemed to ease up, the tense and stiff limbs loosening as he held her against him. Ruby really felt like she was floating, lost in a daze in a cloud of joy and happiness. Her was full and tingled with excitement. It was so much like him, but despite the twisted method of using illusions, somehow having fake snow on Christmas was even better than the real thing,

"Merry Christmas Roman."

"Really, is that any way to wish a man who brought you superficial snow on Christmas? How disappointing."

Ruby pulled back, his arms still around her as she did to glare at him only losing her confidence when she caught the mischievous glint in his eye. He was watching her with a burning desire in his eyes, his dark long lashes fanned out and casting a shadow over the green shade of his iris. She felt her heart stop.

A hand crept its way up to her face, cupping her chin as she tilted her head up. His eyes flickered back down to the lower area of her face. She licked her lips unknowingly, noting the way he followed her every movement and the way his eyes narrowed dangerously like he was eying his prey. Her insides froze, her lungs on the verge of failing completely and her heart raging like a wild fire as he slowly brought his head down.

This... This wasn't what she had expected!

Her eyes wide and astounded, her voice failing to make an appearance, she couldn't look away from his determined gaze as his face grew closer and closer, stripping away each and every breath she took as he did. She closed her eyes, her heart beating so fast as the anticipation built up.

She could feel his breath brush across her forehead, her cheek, her nose, warm and moist and it made her shiver in his arms.

This kind of torture... This kind of danger...

She felt the gentle warmth of a kiss being placed on her forehead, taking her by complete surprise. She opened her eyes, her breaths coming out ragged and uneven as her flushed cheeks burned. His eyes were still glued to her, but they held more feeling, a deeper message that spoke so much more and still laced with desire and yearning.

"This... is enough for me."

Ruby could feel her strength give out, her pulse raging and blood pumping furiously through her body. But the sweet and kind gesture was enough to make the tears well up inside and make her smile. She relaxed into his hand that cupped her face as she placed her hand over his own and held it.

He rested his forehead against her own, his bowler hat moving slightly off balance as he did as his bangs brushed against her cheek. Their noses touched and Ruby felt the same electrifying jolts and butterflies in her stomach whenever he came close to her.

"Merry Christmas, Red."

*dies*

Oh gosh, I hope you guys enjoyed that. I tried to keep the angst element but yeah...

I know this feels like a glimpse of the future of Fire & Thorns but at this point, I will just say that I made this up for fun. Whether the actual story will end as such is still a mystery but for reals, this originally isn't a part of the story. I thought it would be fun to create this because I've been DYING TO. And I hope you guys enjoyed!

Please let me know what you thought!

ALSO, HOLY CRAP RWBY IS BLOWING MY MIND WITH EVERY EPISODE. WHO SAW THAT COMING ABOUT MERCURY OMG NOT ME. BUT SHIT IS GOING DOWN AND AKDJSJDOJDOJFLSKA.

Okay. I'm done.

We shall continue with the original story next chapter! WHICH WILL BE SOON I SWEAR. DEFINITELY NOT 3 MONTHS.