Rae: A one-shot whipped up innnn.... oh, about half an hour while listening to my jazz collection and watching it snow outside. This is actually what I was doing earlier today. Watching snow is just so peaceful, and it makes everything look so beautiful, don't you think?


Wally planted his feet firmly against the opposite wall of his window ledge seat, sliding his back down the one he was leaning against and curling into himself slightly. He smiled softly while gazing out of the window, watching large flakes of white powder fall gently from the gray-cream sky overhead. He pulled his turtleneck closer around his body, letting out a soft puff of air.

Actually, it wasn't really his turtleneck, it was Bruce's. He'd just kind of borrowed it since his t-shirt just wasn't cutting it right now, and it was big on the speedster. The sleeves covered his hands and drooped at the cuffs, it was nearly hanging off one shoulder and the hem reached his tucked knees. But that didn't matter; it was comfortable and warm. Wally wiggled his fingertips loose from one sleeve and gingerly touched the glass, gasping silently at how cold it was and withdrawing the limb back its warm covering. His green eyes swung back to the scene outside the window, the reason he was sat there in the first place.

The south wing of the house had a fantastic view over Gotham City, and normally Wally's thoughts towards it were how dark a place Gotham was, even in daytime. It just had this sense of abstruseness, this stifling feeling of dangerous excitement that, if not careful, was like a drug; inescapably addictive. People were scared of it, and yet inexorably pulled towards it without really realizing it. He certainly wouldn't want to live in the city, he was quite happy on the outskirts where its influence was minimal at best. It generally was just a dark place, there wasn't really another word for it.

But not right now. That wasn't the word. Falling from a sky that seemed too dark for the otherworldly light that didn't look to stem from any single source, was snow. Huge, pure white flakes of frozen water drifted slowly down and blanketed the city and Wayne Manor in a carpet of shimmering white. Coupled with the ethereal light, Gotham City looked nothing short of majestic. All the dim, dingy shadows and lurid crypticness normally surrounding her had vanished, as though they were never there, and sounds that would normally be the screech of cars, clanking of metal, shouts of men, and occassionally rounds of gunfire were replaced with laughter of children playing in the snow, making snowmen, throwing snowballs and trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues, shouts of parents for said children to be careful, and the jangle of horses attached to sleighs.

Wally always knew there was a reason Bruce loved this city so much and fought so hard to protect it, and now he could really see why. This purity, this peace was what he was aiming for, this is what he knew Gotham could truly become. The speedster felt a warmth blossom in his chest as he wrapped his arms around his knees and drew them up, smile widening and eyes softening.

How long he stayed like that, curled up contentedly watching the world outside and the snow falling - which he found mesmerising - he didn't know, but he jumped when something hot touched his cheek and a chuckle sounded from next to him. He turned to find Bruce holding out a mug of cocoa, complete with whipped cream and marshmallows, and a quirked smile on his lips. Wally took the mug gratefully from the billionaire, wrestling his fingers free to clutch it but keeping his palms covered by the turtleneck's cuffs.

"Thanks."

Bruce didn't say anything back for a few minutes, just sat down in the space his knees created on the window seat with his own cup and laid his free hand on Wally's thigh.

"That's my top," he said eventually, in amusement. Wally tore his gaze away from the window to lock with Bruce's blue-eyed one, and a laugh escaped him as he sipped his hot cocoa.

"I know. It's comfy and warm. And it feels a bit like you."

"Well, shift over and you can have the real thing," snickered the dark-haired man, and Wally obligingly moved himself over enough for Bruce to settle on the window seat and put his drink somewhere conveniant and safe before the speedster plonked himself back in his rightful place. Bruce's chin came to rest on top of Wally's unruly red hair, pressing a small kiss to it first. Wally relaxed as one of the billionaire's arms wound its way around his waist, and he closed his eyes.

Snow just made everything seem so magical. Wally didn't want this moment to ever end, but he knew somewhere in his mind it would. He also knew it was moments like these he would treasure the most when they did end.

But, he thought as he finally caught a marshmallow and munched it happily, that was later. Right now, he was the happiest he could remember being for a long, long time.


Rae: Whatcha think? :3