(Written as part of the honorarytitangiftexchange2018 hosted by teentitansseasonfive on tumblr.)

Roses and Snow

Jinx shoved the present right in front of Kid Flash's face. His eyes crossed as he examined the gift pressing against his nose, his sight twisting in two. Shaking his head to rid of himself of his double vision, Kid Flash clutched the crimson box and held it by his chest.

"There! We're even," Jinx announced, a hint of pride in her voice.

Kid Flash tilted his head, a lackadaisical smile playing on his lips. "Yeah? I didn't realize you were someone who liked giving back."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm only doing this because it's the holidays. It's not because I'm a goodie-goodie like you."

Kid Flash snickered and bit back his comment about how she was choosing to be one by returning the favor. He had only met Jinx a week ago, and she was already giving him a present. Compared to her previous villainy, it was rather sweet of her to give back. His roses were personal gifts, a sort of indication that he knew she could change for the better, and he was more than glad to see that she was leaving her life of crime for better opportunities, starting with kind gestures.

Regardless of his joy, he was a little surprised that she went through the effort of getting him a gift. Christmas was just around the corner but so was the Brotherhood of Evil and their reign of terror. December days rolled forward with budding anxiety pulsing in his heart about the Brotherhood's unknown plans until he met Jinx.

She had become a strong part of his world in such a short span of time. He gave her refuge in his private Jump City apartment, one paid for by none other than Robin, when she informally left the Hive Five. Jinx wasn't exactly a "goodie-goodie" like him, but she was working on herself, deciding which walk of life to take now that she was free from her self-imposed fate, and he was more than happy to help guide her away from villainy.

Kid Flash grinned down at the box as Jinx glanced away, pretending to be disinterested. He wiggled his fingers and plucked off the vermillion bow, commenting it would look nice on her. Her befuddled squeak brought another giggle rising from the back of his throat.

"You flirt. You can't even go five minutes without saying something stupid," Jinx sneered, but her hint of a smile betrayed her irritation.

Kid Flash dug through the box and hummed. He shifted through crumpled wrapping paper, clearly tossed in to make the gift appear more extravagant. When his fingers thumped against something hard and cylindrical, Kid Flash's eyes widened.

He removed a clear, glass vase. It shifted with fresh water jostling inside and running up against the curved sides. He was immediately hit with the scent of fresh roses, their intoxicating aroma wafting around his head, and he took a deep breath, his worries and confusion fading in their fragrance. No thorns stubbornly clung to deep green stems, and he stroked his thumb along the base of one of the many scarlet, velvet bulbs before tracing the smooth stem.

"I figured these would be a nice gift. It's not too often that the girl gets the guy some roses, right?" Jinx asked with a shrug, and he flicked his starry-eyed gaze to her.

"You're right. I've never been on the receiving end." He smiled, one that tugged at her heartstrings and colored her cheeks. "They're beautiful just like you."

Jinx' hand shot up instinctively as if to cast a jex, but she quickly placed it to her neck. "Sheesh. You really can't can't quit it with the compliments."

"That's just my Kid Flash way of communicating!"

He laughed, and she followed suit with a seemingly annoyed sigh and snicker. Returning his attention to the flowers, he stepped past her and approached his wooden table. Jinx had already begun using it to store some of her belongings, and he set the vase next to the smaller one he had gotten for her with the few roses proudly standing tall.

"They look good together," she said, gripping her hip.

He looked over his shoulder and winked. "Jjust like we do."

Jinx groaned. "Can you go one minute without saying something so flirty?"

"But Jinx! If I don't, then I'll die!" He dramatically set the back of his palm to his forehead, a look of aghast crossing his features.

Jinx narrowed her eyes and raised her nose. "Then perish."

Immediately, Kid Flash dropped his act and burst into laughter. He approached her and wrapped his arms around her in a swift hug, lifting the smirking girl off her feet. He swung her around once and set her down, knowing she was not a fan of embraces that went on for too long. Pecking her cheek, he thanked her.

Jinx itched the spot where his lips chastely touched and said, "Yeah, yeah. It's the holidays and-oh!"

Kid Flash followed her shocked gaze to the window. Snowflakes have begun to fall, their white and intricate patterns sliding down the window with whistling wind blowing outside. He watched her grin, and she opened the window up, peering out as Jump City begin to enjoy its first snowfall.

"It never snows this early, and it's so white, too. Usually, the snow here is kind of ashy." She snorted. "Pollution and stuff, you know, but you get used to it."

"Oh, yeah. Jump City does have that kind of 'really nice, but also kinda polluted' vibe. Least it's not Gotham," he said, waltzing next to her.

They watched the snowflakes dance their way down to the pavement and cars below. Shoppers naturally looked up at the graying clouds, smiles on their faces. Younger children stuck out their tongues trying to catch snowflakes while teenagers took pictures of themselves, hoping to capture the perfect shot for their social media. The first snowfall brought crisp air to Jump City, purifying the toxins of smog and fumes as the biting gust picked up and spread.

With the scent of roses and chilling air wrapped around them, Kid Flash and Jinx nestled closer. A sense of shyness draped around them as their shoulders pressed, but Jinx slipped her deft hand into his larger one. Kid Flash grinned, immersing himself in the moment of feeling her wiry fingers curl around his flatter palm.

"It's nice," she said, looking up at him, "just having some peace."

"It sure is, Jinx," he whispered, and even though he had only known Jinx for such a short while, he felt entirely at home with her.