This time of year is the busiest for me, so I apologize for the lateness and rushing of this chapter. Lets' see… This chapter takes place about 10 years after the last chapter; putting Holly at around age 47 and Genki around age 43. We're getting down to the end now! 3 more official chapters left (and a couple of bonus ones, too!). ^_^ I know it's not winter, but it got really cold today (I had to scrape frost off my car XP) so that inspired me to write this one.

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

Moments We Share

W: Warm

"Brr… This cold weather is brutal this year! Its times like this I wish this world had heaters!"

"Oh… um… what are heaters again?"

Genki smiled softly as he looked down at his wife, who was currently trudging through the knee-high wet snow while trying to keep up with her husband. Winter days in Toriyama were always peaceful and calm, but they were also cold and damp. Snow littered the quiet streets while small white flakes fell gently from the sky; each flake landing soundlessly on the ground below. It was also Yosho's birthday, so Holly had insisted going to visit his grave despite the cold weather and Genki wasn't about to let his wife go alone. Genki watched Holly's warm breath mixing with the cool air and he subconsciously began to walk a little closer to his wife in hopes of maybe dispelling a bit of the cold.

"Heaters are these things from my world that warm up buildings without needing a fire. It's all electric or gas powered," Genki spoke while doing his best to come up with a decent description, but knowing full well he could never really get his wife to understand. As usual, though, she nodded her head and pretended to fully comprehend her husband's words.

"Ah, I see. That sounds quite handy," Holly replied with a smile, but she let out a small yelp as she lost her balance before stumbling forward and landing on her knees; her gloved hands outstretched to help break her fall. Within a millisecond, Genki was already at her side while helping her up to her feet, his face etched with worry.

"Holly, are you alright?" Genki asked in concern while keeping a firm grip on his wife's arm.

"Oh, I'm fine, Genki. Really, the snow broke my fall," Holly spoke while brushing snow off the front of her pants while a shiver went down her spine from the cool air.

"Now your pants are soaked and so are your gloves! You're gonna get sick!" Genki scolded just like Holly always did in these kinds of situations.

"I'll be fine, really! My pants aren't that wet and I'll just take my gloves off," Holly spoke while taking off her wet gloves and stuffing them into her purse.

"You don't have any pockets you can put your hands into, so now they'll freeze."

"Then I'll just tuck my hands under my arms for warmth."

"And how will you keep your balance like that?"

"If you have a better idea, I'd like to hear it!"

Genki grinned at his wife's words before he took one of his gloves off and handed it to Holly. The brunette glanced at the man with a questioning look, but after seeing him flash her another smile, she slowly put the oversized glove on her hand. Before Holly could question her husband considering they both had an exposed hand now, Genki grabbed his wife's bare hand with his own ungloved hand before shoving both their hands into his warm pants pocket.

"See? Now we're both warm!" Genki grinned while continuing to walk in the dense snow and almost dragging Holly along.

"W-wait! This won't work! My hand in your pocket like this looks really perverted! See the glances we're getting?" Holly whispered hoarsely while blushing madly as she noted several people giving the married couple questioning glances.

"Oh, now your face is red! Are you too warm now?" Genki asked his wife with a raised eyebrow.

"Um, yes! I'm way over heated now, so you can take my hand out of your pocket," Holly lied with a hesitant laugh in hopes of ending her husband's warming up plan.

"Oooh, wrong answer! I know you're freezing and that you're just saying that because you're embarrassed," the young man grinned mischievously. "You need to relax a little and enjoy the walk."

"Of course I'm embarrassed! It looks like I'm giving you a hand job!" Holly exclaimed; her entire face flushing an even darker shade of red while she tried to pull her hand out of her husband's pocket, but to no avail. "We can't be walking around in public like this! It's not decent!"

"I would rather be publically humiliated than to let you get frostbite, so no matter how much you struggle, you won't get your hand out of my pocket," Genki smiled softly while continuing to march across town.

"I appreciate you trying to help keep me warm, but I'm fine! Really!"

"That's great to hear, but I'm still not letting your hand go."

"Grrr… You're so frustrating sometimes!"

"Sometimes? I thought I was always frustrating, so I guess I'm improving!"

"Oooh, now you're just trying to annoy me!"

"Well, maybe a little…"

"Ugg, Genki! Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Holly whined softly, but her eyes widened in horror as she realized they were about to walk by the town's elementary school. "Dear Phoenix, Genki! We absolutely cannot walk by the school like this! This was kind of funny before, but now it's serious! Do you know the uproar we'd create? The example we would set? People will think we're dirty!"

"Ah, so the kids will learn about relationships at a younger age. What's the big deal?" Genki replied while still trudging through the snow with a reluctant Holly in tow. "In my world people learn about relationships at a young age anyways. Plus when it all comes down to it, we're not even doing anything. We're just walking with your hand in my pocket. It'll be fine!"

"No, it won't be fine! Isamu just got a job there as a teacher! She'll never forgive us if we walk by the school looking like we're doing something sexual! She'll be so angry!"

"But we're not doing anything bad at all!"

"That's not the point! She won't know what and neither will anyone else! She'll hate us!"

"Well… I suppose you have a point," Genki spoke softly, and Holly felt relief sweep through her entire body and for a smile to play upon her lips. Finally, it was all ending!

"Oh, Genki, I knew you wouldn't do-"

"-but I'd never forgive myself if you got frostbite, Holly, so on we march!"

"GENKI!"

"…Genki?"

"Yeah, Holly?"

"I don't think Isamu will be coming over for dinner tonight or for a while, for that matter."

Genki sighed softly as he looked down at his wife's sour mood. After the uproar the married couple had caused at the school and the fury unleashed by their daughter, Genki and Holly continued to trudge to Yosho's grave even though their spirits weren't high. The graveyard was covered in snow, just like the rest of Toriyama, and Genki was quick to drag Holly along to Yosho's resting place before dusting the snow off the cold slab of stone. After a moment of silence, Genki slowly cleared his throat before giving his wife's hand, which was still trapped in his pants pocket, a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry about today. I just didn't want you to get sick again," Genki spoke while flashing Holly an apologetic glance. "Really, if I knew the school would freak out that much and that Isamu would almost be foaming at the mouth from anger, I wouldn't have done that."

"…it's alright. Sure, we look like the worse role models in town and our daughter is furious with us, but I guess it was kind of funny," the woman chuckled softly. "And besides, I should be thanking you. I didn't get frostbite and I've been warm all day, so thank you."

"Hey, anytime," Genki grinned while squeezing her hand gently. "You know, I bet your father has been having a blast watching us today. He's probably the one you made you trip so all this would happen. You know how much he loved a good show on his birthdays."

"True! He probably set this all up! I just hope he can find a way to make it up to his granddaughter for being dragged into it!" Holly giggled. "I'm just glad Hare or Suezo didn't see us. We would never hear the end of it from them," the woman smiled softly, but confusion washed over her as she felt Genki finally release her hand.

"I'm not gonna force you to keep your hand in my pocket anymore since the sun is coming out, so it shouldn't be too cold on our walk back," Genki spoke with a smile, but he was more surprised when Holly grabbed his hand again and smiled playfully.

"Actually, my hand is still cold. Is it okay if I keep it in your pocket a little while longer?" Holly spoke with a wryly smile on her face while her cheeks were tinted pink, though Genki couldn't tell if it was from the cold air or from her being bashful.

"I don't see why not, but on one condition," Genki spoke in a serious tone while his wife gave him a puzzled look.

"And what would that be?"

"Next time, I get to put my hand in your pocket."

Sorry this one was so short. And random. I really have no idea what caused this plot to form in my mind, but it was a fun one to write. I love adult Holly and Genki. They're bantering is just a lot of fun to play with and I'm gonna miss it when this story is over. Thank you for reading this! ^_^

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3