Title: Snowflakes

Author: DnKS-giRLs

Rating: PG

Pairing: Kanda-Allen

Disclaimers: add the word 'no' to every possible word that says something about possessing the story this fan fiction is based on and you'll get the disclaimer…

Warning: Is OOCness even something to be warned about? And sap? And cliché?

No one was watching the boy who sat silently on one of many seats in the deserted train station that night. Many people passed him without giving much thought about him. He was seen, that was quite unavoidable, for he was such a fine looking young man, but that was all it was. A lady in white muslin walked in front of him. She regarded him with a smile but he knew that she would soon forget about ever seeing him after merely some seconds. A moment later, a boy strolled passed him, stared at him and shrugged, as if indicating that he held no care for what he was doing.

It was all acceptable, though. It was Christmas day… or maybe he should say it was Christmas night for the moon was high in the sky. Everyone was busy over his or her own business. There were parties and banquets everywhere. People rushed as if they were afraid of being late for their date.

He sighed.

He had come out from London, that smoke-filled city, since morning and had travelled for a good deal of time. Mud was staining the rim of his coat; he should wash it clean later. Nevertheless, the thing that he needed the most was a comfortable bed and a few hours of sleep. He was tired beyond reason.

"They said there will not be any train before tomorrow morning."

He heard those words spoken to him. Casually he raised his face and met the face of the one who said those words. He snorted.

"It's not my fault that we can't have a train!" the object of his awareness said.

"So whose fault is it, stupid bean sprout? If you did not take so long as three hours to pursue that cat we would have come here sooner and had the train available to board," he said, irritation was clear in his voice.

"That cat tried to eat Tim!" the other said, vehemently trying to defend himself.

"You dare blaming the cat for all this?" he said.

"Well… no…" the other said softly before slumping down beside him, his face nodded. "What should we do now?"

He sighed again. His breath misted strongly in the cold air. The street was now completely empty, maybe the whole people had gone off somewhere to enjoy their Christmas parties, and they were stuck there, in the empty train station with nothing but their depression.

"Oh God, I'm dead tired…" he said without realizing what had he said. He placed his palm over his eyes and wished for his aching limbs to stop complaining.

"I'm sorry…" his companion said softly but something in his voice made him stilled. Was there a tear he saw?

"If you haven't yet noticed it, bean sprout, sorry won't resolve our problem so stop it. It's not that I'm that mad at you anyway…" he said. He saw how the other bit his lips and how he was willing to scream at him for making such a sight before him. It was unbearable, to see him agonizing over a matter like that. It made him feel like he had done something evil to cause him displaying such a face. Worse, those eyes were driving him insane.

"Will you at least once call me Allen, please," his opponent said. "And I… I really am sorry, honestly, Kanda…"

"Allen!" he shouts, satisfied in seeing Allen's eyes go wide whether because of his shouting or his calling him by his first name. "Stop saying sorry or I'll really make you feel sorry!"

"Sorry…" Allen said but quickly he realized his fault and shut is mouth. He watched it with boredom. Really, his friend was hopeless.

They sat there in silence. The break of day was still long to come. Blessed for them it was not snowing, though he did admit that the air somehow had gotten colder as time passed by. They could hear the singing sound of song faintly in the distance. There was some music played, probably for dancing. However, those were far away from them. There, the only things surrounding them were darkness and silence.

"It's Christmas…"

He heard the words spoken and he let it linger in his mind for some seconds. Yes, it was Christmas, a season of fun and love, but they had none that time in possession.

"Yeah…" he said. "Should I say Merry Christmas to you?"

He heard Allen laugh. Heard, not saw, not even felt for his laugh was so dry and so full of sadness instead of happiness.

"You can say happy birthday," Allen said.

That gave him a start but he could quickly cover that. "I have never known," he said.

"It's not my true birthday, though," Allen says. "But my father said I was adopted on this exact date so today is sort of my birthday…"

He noticed how Allen fell silent for a while before finally he resumed his saying with a bitter laugh.

"He's not even my real father to begin with…"

He did not know why Allen told him all those things. It was painful for him to remember, his voice showed it clearly, so why did he have to say those things to him? It did not do him any good either. Really, sometimes he just could not understand that boy.

But he could not afford to see that pained face of his. He felt something rose within him, what was it? Sympathy? Maybe he could call it that way. Though he would rather die than admit it, he felt his heart clench by looking at Allen's face that time.

"Happy birthday," he says shortly.

"Huh?" Allen confused face was turned to meet his own.

"Let's just pretend that this is indeed your birthday, so… happy birthday," he repeated. "And I mean it."

A smile flashed on those lips, it was brighter than every one of Allen's smile he had ever seen before. And to say such thing meant a lot for Allen was someone who always smiled as far as he could remember, but his smiles irritated him to no end. He used to hate Allen's smiling face. He hated him for smiling even in the worst situation. He hated how naïve he was. He hated him because he was so pure, so innocent. It was unfair for someone like him to get involved in that dirty and corrupted world. He hated him, because he had once been just like him, yet he was not.

However, he could not bring himself to hate that smile that he had just seen. That smile was nothing but beautiful. That smile held nothing but happiness. That smile was nothing for him simply because it was everything.

And that was when, with an amazement, he realised that he cared so deeply for the boy even though he would deny it with all his might.

"That means a lot, coming from your lips," he heard Allen said. "Anyway… I have something for you… Merry Christmas."

He watched in amusement as Allen pushed a clumsily wrapped box to his hands. The brown paper that was used to wrap it was crinkling on the sides. He frowned at the sight, thinking if Allen might have been carrying the thing ever since the beginning of their journey. Curiously, he stared at the now flushing boy who had just given him the item in his hands.

"It's a Christmas gift," Allen explained about the box but he was more interested in hearing the other's explanation about the redness on his cheeks. "I just thought… that we would be spending Christmas together this year because I was sent off in a mission with you and it would be improper not to give you a gift, so I... I cannot wrap it as it should be, I am terribly sorry; it's hard to find a present suitable for you so…"

"Thank you," he said, cutting off the other's explanation. "I really appreciate it."

"You're… welcome," his blushing friend said. He looked at him for some more seconds before turning his attention to the so-called gift that Allen had just given him. Carefully he unwrap the paper and pulled out the thing inside. He lift up his hand and in the pale moonlight, he observed his gift, a skilfully made silver pocket watch. Seeing that, his furrows deepened. He knew by just looking at it that the watch was very expensive.

"You don't like it?" Allen's anxious voice startled him.

"No, I mean… I love it. It's just… it looks so luxurious," he said. The watch gave a pale shimmer as he fastened it on his belt. Even in the dim light, the fine carvings on its surface still stood out magnificently. It did look so luxurious.

"Yeah… I need to save nearly three-month's worth of my money to buy that. But I think it suits you so much so… anyway, I'm glad you like it,"

He listened to Allen's explanation and had his confusions grow. He could not understand why Allen was willing to give him such a precious gift. It was just a waste of money. But he could not entirely blame the boy, nor was he able to fully say that it was wrong for he too had done the same thing.

"Give me my suitcase, please," he then said after some thoughts. Having the said thing in his possession again, he afterwards rummaged through it. He came up with a beautiful little music box with gold carvings on its lines. Carefully he placed the box on Allen's hands and the look that Allen gave him was more than any appreciation he could imagine.

"This is… for me?" Allen said in disbelief.

"If someone place something on your hand, do you have to ask whether the thing is for you or not, idiot?" he said. "It's your Christmas gift, or maybe you can take it as your birthday gift… anyway, it's yours. Sorry it's unwrapped; I could not find any paper to wrap it."

"It's beautiful," Allen said, "Thank you."

"The pleasure is all mine," he courteously said. They looked at each other even though he did not know why he stared at the boy in front of him so intensely. He had never had a thought before about Allen's appearance, but as he let his gaze fall on the other's face that night, he was fully aware of how beautiful he looked in his eyes.

"I…" he heard Allen speak, those lips parted ever so slowly and he waited for the rest of his words to come but he could hear none.

"What?" he asked. Careful not to break their current closeness, he traced the face in front of him with his eyes.

"Dance with me," Allen said to him.

He scowled.

"I don't like dancing," he said with all his honesty.

"Don't like dancing doesn't mean that you can't dance, right?" Allen said, smiling. Slowly he stood up after placed the gift he had just received on the empty space beside him and held out his hands in front of his face. "Dance with me, please… just once…"

"Why do you want it so much?" he asked.

Allen smiled sweetly, "It's Christmas."

"So?" he snorted.

"Well, I believe that Christmas should be spent with someone you cherished the most," Allen said. "That's why I want to dance with you…"

He found himself thinking about the meaning of what Allen had said. He had never before imagined that Allen would regard him as his 'cherished person'. It was strange, though, concerning that they almost had none in common, considering the fact that they seemed to be forever in disagreement.

But, he thought in amusement, he too thought of Allen to be his most cherished person, no matter what disagreement that ever happened between them.

"I think you should reconsider your perception of whom you should call your cherished person," he said. Standing up, he took both of Allen's hands and held them in his. "Come."

"Huh? What do you…" Allen tried to speak but he had no intention on hearing it. Swiftly, and expertly, he swayed their body. His right hand found its way and rested on Allen's hip. Pulling Allen's lithe body closer to him, he could feel the other's warm body leaning against his chest.

"I will lead," he said.

Allen chuckled a little, "We need some music."

"I have given you that already," he said.

"Yes…" Allen said. "You have."

He felt Allen releasing himself from his hold. His eyes followed the boy as he took his gift, that innocent music box. Moments after, he could hear a music rising in the air, a deep reverberating melody, echoing through the silent night.

"It's really such a beautiful song," he heard Allen speak; he was smiling. "Thank you for giving me this."

He answered that not, just spread his arms wide. Soon he was rewarded with the pleasant warmth that came from Allen's body as the boy buried his face on his shoulder. Their hands entwined by themselves and their body moved into a dance.

It could not be described as a dance, though. They were just holding each other close and swaying as the music played on the background. Nevertheless, he enjoyed it. Allen felt so warm in his arms and so fragile until he was even afraid that his hands might break him. He knew that it would not likely to happen. After all, he had already seen how tough the boy was in those numerous battles they had had together. Allen was strong, yet he was also pleasant. His hands were rough, but they also felt so delicate in his grasp.

"You're not that bad in dancing," suddenly he heard Allen say in the middle of their dance.

"I have never said I'm bad at it," he protested.

"So why did you say that you disliked dancing?" Allen asked.

"I have never found anyone I think worthy enough to be my dance partner," he answered. The music had ended and they stood still without any intention to remove their hands from each other's.

"You found me," Allen whispered. In that silent night, his whisper could easily be heard so he was sure that he did not mishear it.

"Yes, I found you," he whispered back. He was not sure of what was his true reason of saying that. It just felt so right. He had found him; or rather, they had found each other.

Christmas day was really a strange day. That day, people sang about peace and happiness. That day, everyone cared and everyone loved. There was neither grudge nor anger. It was strange, but acceptable. Just like when he saw Allen draw his face near to his own until their lips met in a kiss, he found it strange, but it was acceptable.

He knew not why Allen kissed him. He knew not why he enjoyed it so. He knew not why he did he accept it. He knew not, he cared not.

When Allen finally ended his kiss and looked up to his face, he could feel his breath stopped at the sight of the timid boy in front of him. Those lips that had so boldly claimed his were still rosy and moist. They were trembling when Allen spoke softly.

"Mistletoe."

"I don't see any…" he began but he felt Allen's palm over his mouth, stopping him from whatever things he wanted to say. The look Allen had on his face told as if he was pleading him not to say anything.

He obeyed it. He spoke none as he removed that palm from his mouth. He spoke none as he lowered his face and gave the startled boy a deep kiss. He could see Allen's eyes widened in surprise before finally he melted into the kiss.

Christmas was really a strange day, but stranger was its night.

He released Allen's lips some moment later and said shortly to him, "Mistletoe."

A chuckle escaped those lips and he could not help himself from smiling a little. He still held Allen's body in his hands and their faces were still facing each other. He could see comprehension in the other's eyes. They had finally come into a conclusion of their feelings. He knew it, and though he fully understood how stupid Allen was, he knew that he had also known the little yet crucial fact.

"Does this mean the feeling is reciprocated then?" Allen asked.

"I think so…" he answered while his hand absent-mindedly stroke Allen's hair. The boy had once again dropped his head to rest peacefully on his shoulder.

"And to reflect how much time I have spent thinking of how I should say my feelings to you," Allen laughed.

"I should have just kissed you since long ago," he said. "It would end all these confusions between us, though I admit I was still confused about my own feelings until some moment ago."

"Well…" Allen said in his embrace. "It's all over now."

"It's over, yet it's just the beginning of a new start."

"Our new start…" he saw Allen smile. His face rose up and a soft laugh came into his hearing. "Look, Kanda, it's snowing."

He averted his gaze and fixed his eyes on the dark midnight sky outside the station where they were standing. He could see thousands of silver snowflakes falling slowly to the cold earth. They swam leisurely through the deep blue sky, reflecting each light they received, before finally touched the awaiting land.

They kept staring at the falling snowflakes, enchanted, mesmerized. Both were too unwilling to change their position. The sight was far too beautiful to be described by words and the feeling they had surpassed any other. Christmas was a season of love and peace, and finally, amidst their incessant battles, they could have both in possession.

"The snowflakes," Allen broke the silence, causing him to turn his gaze back to the said person in his arms. "They are just like me."

"Meaning?" he asked.

"They just keep on falling, and falling, and falling until they reached their final destination, the mother earth," he heard Allen sighed and felt him burry his face deeper in his embrace. "I too… am keeping on falling… and falling… and falling…"

He tightened his embrace and said, "I'll catch you."

He felt Allen smiled, "You already have."

The snowflakes continued to fall. The night deepened, and the break of dawn was still far away to come. He blinked, thinking how strange the night had become, but he could say no complaint. If God really did exist, he believed that night, He finally gave mercy to him.

"Dance with me again," he whispered in Allen's ear.

"The music has stopped," Allen whispered back to him.

"Can't you hear it?" he said, swaying their body into a dance once again. "The snowflakes, they are singing for us."

He could hear it. The snowflakes were singing a deep melody in that deep night. They were singing for the two of them. They were singing even when they danced once again. They were singing when he smiled, when Allen laughed, when they kissed and parted to be united again.

The snowflakes were still continuously falling, but they had already caught each other in that cold snowy Christmas night.

- the end -

(A/N: yups… finished a Christmas fic for you guys. Review? Straightforward aren't we? Cannot help that, we're craving for some bloody hell of great reviews. Meh… there we go rambling again, but since we know that you love us so much, you won't mind with our rambling, right? And, if you read this fic till this point, we conclude that you love this fic too, right? And if you love this fic, it's only rational to give some reviews, right? RIGHT?!! So… please be our guest…)