Let it Snow, Let it Reindeer.

[Little Lion]

Pale, gray light cast a porcelain highlight over Rio's cheek bones as she pressed her forehead to the window pane. The frozen glass cooled her skin until slow goosebumps rose on a trail down her neck, shoulders and wrapped around her ribcage until the clenching, shivering muscles forced a tiny exhale from her lips to the glass in a foggy, oval stain. She fixed her eyes on the wonderland on the other side of the glass, the silent, slow world just out of her reach. Her eyes, a holiday green accented with a vintage violet powder, followed the flurried dance of snow flakes through their weightless decent to the crisp, flesh blanket of crystals. Anticipation welled inside her at the beauty of the thing and the depth of the frozen blanket which had finally engulfed the last remnants of grass. She could imagine the pure crunch under her boots as she walked across it. Her fingers rattled across the pane in quick taps of her nails across the glass by her face. The rattling broke the the sleepy, warm silence of her family room. Behind her, the kindling crackled in protest to the growing warmth of flames. The heated wood filled the room with the smokey smell of pine, adding depth to the inviting smells of chocolate and spices wafting through the open rooms. The fire's young flames had yet to cast a glow strong enough to outshine the numerous twinkling lights of the woman's enormous, well decorated tree. For all her hostility, Rio adored Christmas. The holiday season had it's own special emotion that no other season, moment or holiday could replicate. It possessed an exhilarating anticipation drawn out over several weeks and finally arrived in a dizzying high point of merriment-- parties, drinks, people and presents. And finally, like an emotional dream remembered, became less and less vivid until it slipped to the back of the mind.

Dropping her hands from the cold pane, Rio rocked back on her heels and moved her shoulders in a slow shrug. On the corner of her lips a small smile started to form giving the fascination on her face a taint of childlike joy. The smile was smothered by the inward roll of her lips but the spirit instilled by Christmas was still bubbling. She turned with a skip and dashed towards her closet, whipping open the double doors to scour through the hangers and boxes. In moments she had produced a leather jacket, in-lined with a thick, furry gray hoodie, a steel blue scarf, thick gloves with a white diamond crossed pattern on the back of the hand and calf high black snow boots. She went through the tedious process of layering tucking skin tight grey jeans inside the boots, zippering the jacket, winding the scarf, pulling up the hood on the jacket and finally applying the more clumsy gloves. Checking herself in the reflection of a window, she found that the attire was constructed well enough, one could only look so appealing in fattening layers. With a smile of self-approval she walked to the back door and stepped outside.

The gentle snow had silenced everything but in itself possessed some kind of breathing life. Perhaps it was just the sound of her own life beating in her ears for once, her own breath. But even the queen of mean felt stifled in her own world by the smallest little ice crystals. She inhaled the cold air, letting the piercing taste slowly fill her and battle for her warmth. Adjusted, she stuffed her hands into her pockets and stepped from her back terrace into the growing depth of snow. Her eyes closed as her feet crunched along a familiar but invisible path with a sound so pure and crisp, simple, basic. Her mind slipped away but her subconscious played in the excited spirit of the first snow. "I don't want a lot for Christmas..." The song slipped of her lips in a whisper she was barely aware of. "There is just one thing I need..." After a moment, she opened her eyes and focused them on the ground, searching for the buried gazebo steps.

The little wooden structure was set away from her house, a miniature escape from the cage and core setting of her life. She sat down, cross legged, in the center of it where the wandering flakes had yet to cover. A miniature meadow stretched in front of her, broken down it's right and farthest end by the naked, grey and white trees. The snow filled the spaces, creating fluffy white sheets, rippling in random time to let glimpses of distant scenery slip in. The elegant weather stole her breath in a puff of white smoke. She watched it rise and vanish, fleeting, infinitesimal.

The glowing white was fading as the over cast sun slipped lower in the sky but the twinkling lights wrapped around the gazebo's skeleton filled in where the stars could not. Rio drew up her knees, wrapped her arms around them and stared fixated across the sprawling yard. "I just want you for my own, more then you could ever know..." She slid her right hand off her knee and into the small gap between her knee and her stomach as her thoughts had led her to a familiar place, Trent. Idly, she hummed the next lines of the song All I want for Christmas is you.

[Asphyxia]

It was finally here, the familiar chiller swirl of winter beauty blanketing across the backyard, rooftops and everywhere else this sparkling white anomaly of mother nature's wrath could cover. It was the kind of cheery seasonal weather of wintry wonder that had little kids scrambling in curiosity to touch the inviting fluff banked on the ground with dated back games like snowball fights or to build simple, traditional snowmen in the front lawn of their home to show their elated Christmas spirit often related with the weather happening.

Unfortunately, this kind of powdery white crustal build up that brought cheery heart's content wasn't the guardian angel's favorite. The cold didn't favor his skin in the human world and his usual careless choice of attire didn't protect the vulnerable dermis layer prone to mild frostbite and maybe eventually some form of hypothermia--angels weren't entirely protected from all the things human had to suffer through especially when on Earth but not necessarily useless. They were supposed to protect mortals from harm--it wouldn't make any sense if they were entirely mundane and unable to shield their guardee. Fortunately, his partner in crime so conveniently protecting the person sharing the same DNA structure as the person he was protecting had convinced him into going outside and had prepared him for the ice chill temperature.

Darien had also been a great big part as to why Trent, at the moment donning some attire similar to his uniform colors but more appropriate, casual and wearable to be kept in warmth, had gone outside at all. The blond, charming guardian had been reaching a goal post with magical words that knew would lure his friend in, but ultimately, there was one celestial word that brought all bets of playing hard-to-get off: Rio. And although the idea had seemed pretty horrible at first--snow and ice queen didn't just mix, all he'd get out of it was a face shove directly into a snow bank--he couldn't deny that Darien had snatched all his attention and had him voicing ideas about surprising her with an item of sorts. Halloween, he'd let himself be dressed and cleaned up nicely for formal party events, but this was different... the purple haired angel couldn't also put his finger on it but something lately was off about the woman--like it was on Halloween. She had dressed way too cover-up for his usual taste; he'd miss seeing those shapely legs well exposed and only covered under several inches of low riding shorts and beaters from her college girl looking days. Now, she seemed more appropriate, maintaining to her fashion but less unexposed. And not because it was winter was he worried--she'd been subconsciously (or consciously, who knows?) doing the same thing before the weather asked to be layered in ridiculous amounts of fabric to keep temperature sane in the body.

Of course, being too short-spanned and easily distracted, the angel never paid too much attention into the situation and usually dismissed it before becoming to a cohesive explanation--and probably would remain the same for now.

Finally back from his little adventure time, the violet bird had made it back in time to crunch fresh foot outlines across the backyard when he had noticed Rio, looming across the pathway like a child with too curious intent, watching the blanketed sparkling white wonder with childlike glint. The look suited her well--it was the softness of her defined features that caught Trent's breath and hitched it at the peak of his throat, catching the rising tension of his muscles in a shrug to his neck and closer shoulder position; much like a deer caught in headlights. He'd been holding a white plastic bag in his left hand but immediately shoved it behind his frame, holding the statue-like pose while the woman decided to sashay her way into the small gazebo's safety. Her unusual warm features and innocent gaze had him slightly wavering in place--was he really ready for the whirlwind of her spirited, high-strung emotions?

Her sing-song bird like voice was another experience he had never the pleasure of witnessing. Everything today seemed to be falling into an odd place and warmed something deep in his heart, stirring feelings, imagery and things he never thought he could feel for one person--yet he was still in an odd denial about it no matter how much he delivered horrible pick-up lines, hints and obnoxious flirtatious innuendos in her direction. Not much as he could be--he would probably cower and dodge the conversation if and when it came up as a popular topic and put him in the spotlight. But despite the oddity of it all, of the next step in the game that had finally happened, did it really mean they had silently agreed to be together? Or was this just another schoolgirl cry for attention?

"Heyyy..." his voice sounded odd in the chiller comfort of the shielding gazebo from the small crystal flakes that had begun to idly fall across, bringing more frosty blankets starlets. Perhaps it was the way his mind had been taking him lately, going off in tangents and self-questioning things he probably wouldn't give too much care to in the first place. It wasn't confusion anymore, that was certain.

"I brought you something." He said after a minute or two of awkward silence from gawking endlessly at nature's offering beauty splayed in a wonderful scenery of bright, wondrous tundra just at the accessibility of their backyard. The way snow covered in full mounds atop bushes and trees, rippled through the ground and in on itself brought an unusual sense of warmth stemmed from spending these types of holidays within the open comfort of family embraces, nurture and care.

His arm reached across to his front--he had snaked the contents from within the shiny plastic bag before magically appearing inside the gazebo just behind Rio's clad figure--exposing rectangular white velvet box with sculpted elegant silver letters on the top spelling the name of the brand store he'd venture to with Darien--who had also gotten something for his favorite girl. He opened pretty quickly to grab the silver rope from the inside silk cloth it lay and swerved his arms over the queen's neck to clip on the silvery jewelry. The rope, fine crafted and almost dangerously thin and delicate, held at the bottom a shining bright diamond right in the center piece which was a fainted jade color, almost a washed out mint. The oval was surrounded by fine legs that sprouted outwards unto themselves, crafted with more bejeweled bright glittery diamonds until it shaped into a crystal looking star--a snowflake. It was small enough to not be overbearing but wearable for any occasion, elegant in its shining fixtures and simple to the taste. Trent had outdone himself in order to please the woman courtesy of his friend and a few magical words that brought the idea right into his head. "All I want for Christmas is you."

[Little Lion]

Rio's head lifted towards Trent's voice. The intonation was sliding around an awkward scale through her ears thus breaking her blissful, snow hushed silence with wavering nervousness. Her typical features were softened and altered when she looked up at him, staring with tiny hints of short lived expectation- a raised brow, wider eyes, pressed lips. She left his greeting unanswered. Despite her joyous mood, irritating Trent was not out of the equation, especially after such a strange approach, and ignoring him until he said something more, something useful, remotely interesting even, was just on her mood level. She assumed her silence deepened his insecurities when he was disturbing her and a small part of her enjoyed the adorable way he squirmed.

His sudden appearances and disappearances through out her day were acts that she had adjusted too and expected . But, there were times when he would catch her off guard. In those moments, her shock was usually only expressed if she had been in a noisy mood before he showed up, and then, she would blow the ordeal out of proportion for no other reason then she could. This evening, he was encroaching on her serenity and she was too deeply immersed in holiday bliss to mind his sneaky behavior. Therefore, other then her initial staring, the interruption was disregarded. There would be better things to reprimand him for in the following time then this. Besides, he had something working his favor - a peace offering.
"I brought you something."

A little smile twitched to life on the corners of her lips and twinkling in her eyes. "Oh really?" The velveteen purr was gentle, influenced by the soothed whisper of snow. Her body, tightly wound around itself into a little warm ball, began to unwind in excited shivers. First was a tiny wiggle as she spoke to warm up the frozen limbs, then her arms came undone allowing her knees to slide away from her chest into neat folds in font of her. She rocked forward, her arms sliding into her crossed lap and then she rocked backwards till her hands clasped her knees. The rustles and creaks of the presents stirred her hidden sweetness, the youthful excitement that comes with the promise of presents. His swiftness saved him from ceaseless fidgeting as he had in moments swept around her and let the gift drop on her skin.

She held her breath as the chilled silver touched across her chest in little places left exposed by her quick winter wrapping. Certain thoughts flooded her mind to a point of overload, capped by the soft pressure of the snowflake on her skin. The most obvious thought was that she was given a necklace, a stunning, brilliant masterpiece then came the trouble - Trent was the presenter. Words would not come, the clouds in her mind were to thick - the angel had surprised her.. Slowly, her fingers plucked the glittering jewels from their rest and took them up in admiration as her head careened down that awkwardly close angle watching the gems catch the yellow streams of the Christmas Lights as she turned the piece left, then right.
"All I want for Christmas is you"

Rio's fingers slipped from the necklace, hovering in space just inches from her chest. She flashed a slackened stare into the open air in front of her, awestruck by the words she'd refused to speak - yet here he was breathing them, giving them to her. A small crease began to form between her eyes signaling the return of her thoughts, her mind was beginning to sort through the events and their possible outcomes. For an instant, she was glad he was still hovering behind her like a column radiating warmth, she wanted to embrace it. Something deep in her longed for it, longed for the warmth, longed for a moment - a moment with him. But he was something - something awful, if only she could still convince herself it was completely true now.

"So..." She hesitated, biting her bottom lip for a moment. "So that's it?" The words tumbled out of her mouth, a by product of verbal vomit reflexive defense - say anything but what you mean and what is on topic and maybe, love won't bite. She couldn't stop it, her mind was putting it in motion all to fast. "You're buying me with jewelry?" Her body twisted so that she could glance over her shoulder at the lavender angle behind her. She always noticed his wings and his hair in the same overwhelming instance. She hated his wings with the deepest of fiery passions - they were a ridiculously inviting masterpiece of the heavens and an unfair advantage to which she hurled her insults constantly. Simple beauty was too fascinating for her and his possession of it was atrocious or beautiful - she wanted them. "You give me this, I give you me?" She flashed a quirky scowl in his direction before grabbing his arms and hoisting herself up in a way that was far too entangled in what should have been his personal space. "What am I? Your whore now?!"