This is my first time writing here, so comments are greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Phantasia, the characters, and story in any way. They are property of Namco.

Snow Day

It was the most awkward moment of his life: standing there with his fists clinched, tug in his pockets. Beside him, snow fell gently, landing silently on his blue hair. Chester shivered, not from the cold, but from what he was about to say. He looked across at the pink girl in front of him.

Why am I feeling like this? He thought

He had called Arche outside for a "word." But no words seemed to come out of his mouth.

For a moment he battled with himself to say something. He felt confused and lost, not like his usual self: collected and withdrawn.

"Well…Arche, I know that…," Chester began, but faltered. He stared into the two eyes before him and immediately, his heart melt. Chester's mouth twitched, unable to form the words. He took a deep breath, determined to finish his sentence.

But this time, Arche beat him to it.

"What is it?" Arche spoke. She seemed annoyed and impatient, shivering as she hugged herself. It suddenly struck Chester that this might perhaps be a bad time given Arche's current state of temperament.

But no. thought Chester, I must say it tonight, or I might not have the chance to do so again. He shuffled his feet, partially out of the cold and partially out of anxiety.

"Arche…umm, as you know…we always had quite the discourse…," Chester eyed Arche tentatively. Discourse was hardly the word. Quarrel, discord, and dispute were more like it.

"Yeah, so?" Arche replied impatiently, shuffling her feet and staring eagerly into the nearby glowing window.

"Yeah…but I…" Chester stopped. Arche's head had suddenly spun towards his direction, irritation written on her face.

"Oh hurry up," she whined, "I'm freezing."

Chester snapped.

"You have no consideration for others what-so-ever," Chester suddenly lashed out, "I-I…" He stopped himself. This was not how he had wanted the conversation to turn out.

"Like you are the one to talk," snapped Arche, "making me stand out in the cold for so long just to listen to one of your endless garbles!"

"You-you," Chester fumed again, "you are so insensitive. You have no idea how I'm feeling right now. It's no wonder that you're unwelcome everywhere—." Chester stopped abruptly. He had said the wrong thing. Arche's eyes were wide and large, stunned.

"No! No! That's not what I meant…" Chester tried to make amend, "I didn't mean that, I-I wasn't thinking—."

"Fine! Then don't bother talking to me since I'm so hated anyways!" Arche shot indignantly, a look of betrayal in her eyes, "Its no my fault that half-elves are so discriminated."

"I-I…Arche, please! I didn't mean that, I'm sorry," Chester stammered.

"Just do me a favor and stay out of my sight! It's not the first time someone said that to me. I just thought that maybe you…" Arche trailed off, "Well never mind that because I was obviously wrong." Then she stalked off.

"Wait!" called Chester, "Wait Arche! WAIT!" Arche ignored him and continued walking away.

"I'M A JERK ALRIGHT! BUT I DON'T HATE YOU!" he cried.

"HOW SO!" Arche shout back. Tears were flowing down her face, and she didn't bother hiding them anymore. The two were shouting at the top of their voice despite their proximity.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU." Chester shouted at the top of his lungs, "ARCH, I LOVE YOU." His felt weak. His knees buckled and he slumped onto the snowy ground.

"I love you." Chester whimpered and closed his eyes, prepared for Arche's outright rejection of him, "Please…don't go…" He would have even welcomed one of Arche's fireballs, anything but the silent hatred.

But neither of what he expected came. Instead, he felt a pair of soft hand fell lightly on his cheeks. Chester looked up.

"Can-can you say that again?" Arche stammered, "I-I want to hear it again…" She was back before Chester now, on her knees as well, her hands on Chester's face, unable to let go.

"I love you," Chester whispered in her ears, "I love you…please believe me…"

"I believe you," Arch said softly, "I…love you, too."

For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes intently, both tear-strained. And gradually, their faces edged closer as their lips converged.

The snow seemed suddenly much less colder than before.