TWW FIC: A Rare Kind of Beauty
Title: A Rare Kind of Beauty
Author: shutterbug_12
Characters: Sam/Ainsley
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Only borrowing. Make love, not lawsuits.
Summary: In North Carolina, snow is more than just snow.
Author's Note: Written for magisterequitum at ww_secretsanta. Feedback and concrit is love.
“Sam!”
Ainsley’s voice burst in his ear. Far too high a pitch for so early in the morning. At least, he thought it was still morning. They arrived late at the cabin, a cozy get-away tucked in the mountains of North Carolina. His internal clock could be off, he supposed. From under the covers, he mumbled a sleepy, wordless response.
“Sam, wake up!”
He tried to turn over, nuzzling his face into his pillow, but jolted awake when the covers flew off him, a rush of cold air breezing over his bare back.
“Hey!” He twisted around and sat up. “Ainsley, what are you--” The soft thud of a sweatshirt--right in the face--cut him off.
“Look outside! Look!”
He followed her voice and found her at the dresser, already dressed and pulling on a pair of thick socks. Squinting blearily, he peered out the window.
“It’s cloudy,” he said, pulling on the sweatshirt as he fought away a shiver.
“No--well, yes, it’s cloudy,” she said, reaching for a pair of boots. “But it’s also snowing.”
“It’s snowing?” He blinked, craning his neck as he looked again. Sure enough, tiny white flakes drifted through the air, so small they were barely noticeable at a quick glance.
“When I heard the weather report yesterday morning, I was a little disappointed,” she said, tying her laces. Her words came faster and her tone turned giddier the longer she continued. “I’d been hoping for snow. Just a little snow. Not a lot of snow. Maybe enough to cover the grass, and that wouldn’t be more than an inch, I would think. Maybe--”
“Wait a minute,” he said, finally sliding out of bed. “I’m sorry, but didn’t you go to school in Massachusetts?”
“So?”
“So I know that you’ve seen snow before. What difference does it make if it’s in Massachusetts or North Carolina?”
“Of course I’ve seen snow, Sam.” She paused to put on a knitted hat. “But it makes a big difference. It’s a rarity here, and it’s not like other snow.”
“I think it’s exactly like other snow.”
“It’s not, in fact. Here.” She tossed his jeans at him, then a pair of socks. “It’s special here.”
“It’s special?”
“It’s--it’s hard to explain,” she said, waiting until he’d pulled on his pants and socks before pulling him by the hand through the house and to the front door.
On the porch, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched as she darted into the small clearing in front of the house. Her face glowed, adorned with a wide, girlish smile. He felt his own smile stretch across his face as she looked toward the clouds, opened her mouth, and caught tiny snowflakes on her tongue.
She was right, he thought. There was something special about it. But he wasn't about to admit it out loud.
Author: shutterbug_12
Characters: Sam/Ainsley
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Only borrowing. Make love, not lawsuits.
Summary: In North Carolina, snow is more than just snow.
Author's Note: Written for magisterequitum at ww_secretsanta. Feedback and concrit is love.
“Sam!”
Ainsley’s voice burst in his ear. Far too high a pitch for so early in the morning. At least, he thought it was still morning. They arrived late at the cabin, a cozy get-away tucked in the mountains of North Carolina. His internal clock could be off, he supposed. From under the covers, he mumbled a sleepy, wordless response.
“Sam, wake up!”
He tried to turn over, nuzzling his face into his pillow, but jolted awake when the covers flew off him, a rush of cold air breezing over his bare back.
“Hey!” He twisted around and sat up. “Ainsley, what are you--” The soft thud of a sweatshirt--right in the face--cut him off.
“Look outside! Look!”
He followed her voice and found her at the dresser, already dressed and pulling on a pair of thick socks. Squinting blearily, he peered out the window.
“It’s cloudy,” he said, pulling on the sweatshirt as he fought away a shiver.
“No--well, yes, it’s cloudy,” she said, reaching for a pair of boots. “But it’s also snowing.”
“It’s snowing?” He blinked, craning his neck as he looked again. Sure enough, tiny white flakes drifted through the air, so small they were barely noticeable at a quick glance.
“When I heard the weather report yesterday morning, I was a little disappointed,” she said, tying her laces. Her words came faster and her tone turned giddier the longer she continued. “I’d been hoping for snow. Just a little snow. Not a lot of snow. Maybe enough to cover the grass, and that wouldn’t be more than an inch, I would think. Maybe--”
“Wait a minute,” he said, finally sliding out of bed. “I’m sorry, but didn’t you go to school in Massachusetts?”
“So?”
“So I know that you’ve seen snow before. What difference does it make if it’s in Massachusetts or North Carolina?”
“Of course I’ve seen snow, Sam.” She paused to put on a knitted hat. “But it makes a big difference. It’s a rarity here, and it’s not like other snow.”
“I think it’s exactly like other snow.”
“It’s not, in fact. Here.” She tossed his jeans at him, then a pair of socks. “It’s special here.”
“It’s special?”
“It’s--it’s hard to explain,” she said, waiting until he’d pulled on his pants and socks before pulling him by the hand through the house and to the front door.
On the porch, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched as she darted into the small clearing in front of the house. Her face glowed, adorned with a wide, girlish smile. He felt his own smile stretch across his face as she looked toward the clouds, opened her mouth, and caught tiny snowflakes on her tongue.
She was right, he thought. There was something special about it. But he wasn't about to admit it out loud.