Winter Wonderland

Plop. A moment of silence was then interrupted by the forceful muttering of curses piercing through the stillness of the utterly white void surrounding.

How had he managed to get here?

A certain dark figure wondered with a slightly aspirated sigh that drew itself into a thick cloud of smoke. An unpleasant tingle pinched the edge of the male's ears a reddish hue as he reluctantly took a step forward.

Crunch.

Ryoma recoiled into a wince that broke his balance causing his left foot to give in. With arms flailing, a loud thud was followed by a string of even darker curses that became increasingly loud in volume.

Oh, a certain woman's idea of fun was frolicking through a snow covered mountain in the middle of nowhere, and it was beginning to chip away at the disheveled man's tolerance. A nice beach with its rippling waves and inhabitable warmth would have worked just as well.

The sound of skates slicing through a crisp sheet of ice interrupted Ryoma's internal complaint as he looked up, catching a glimpse of brunette locks bobbing in and out of the white blanketed landscape.

It was ironic to note that the Prince of Tennis could not maintain his athletic prowess in this winter filled terrain, while Sakuno who was known for her awkward sense of balance seemed perfectly at ease with the slippery texture of the frozen precipitation.

By all means Ryoma couldn't even walk without tripping one way or the other! Refusing to acknowledge this embarrassing monologue any further, the resigned figure made his way towards the wooden structure seeking shelter from the penetrating coldness of the mountain.

As he gradually regained function of his limbs, Ryoma sat in numbing silence listening to the faint sloshing of boots echoing down the corridor. Yet another reason why he was not particularly fond of his current situation, the dampness that clung stubbornly to all the articles of clothing currently draped around the male's huddled frame only fed into his steady irritation.

The rustling of fabric mixed with the soft intake of breath slightly lightened Ryoma's mood as he saw Sakuno standing before him. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink and slightly tussled locks radiated softness in the dimly lit corridor of the reception.

Ryoma couldn't help the flush of heat coursing internally as it left a slightly light headed figure in it's wake. Amber eyes sparkled with traces of adrenaline as the male finally spoke.

"Hn. About time let's check in"

With a slight shake of the head the figure pulled down his cap to cover his features.

Stubbornly, the young prince trudged forward, attempting to ignore the tingling sensation emanating from his left side, in particular, from the side where the cheery young female was currently carrying a delicate tune.

One could say that if the sullen young man had a weakness, or as close to one as the man could manage, the pretty woman beside him would be it. A quick peek to his left confirmed it, the unspoiled image of a rubescent blush scattering softly across the young woman's face made the man momentarily catch his breath. Yes, the man had better resign himself to the fact that he was utterly entranced.

Dimly a corner of his mind registered the effect with silent alarm, where was his old arrogance and conceit hiding? At this moment, another blast of icy current chose to cut across the barren landscape.

Ryoma flinched as he felt a tender warmth touch his arm, and all other thoughts fled from his mind. Ryoma wryly noted that this had an effect not unlike one of a tranquilizer, and he didn't even stop to wonder if this might be his undoing.

With his guard suspended, all other noises vanished, and a genuinely unaffected smile slowly stretched across the young prince's face. Frozen in this moment, Ryoma discovered that he couldn't even feel the vile bite of the chilled air, only the slow sting of the all too consuming warmth. It was better than piping hot cider peppered in the luscious scent of roasted cinnamon.

That is, until Ryoma tripped on the fourteenth patch of invisible ice that threatened to overtake him.

A string of muttered curses echoed in the valley as the man corrected himself.

This was almost better than having his butt handed to him by a slimy patch of ice. Yes, Ryoma swore it winked at him in the full glare of the glistening sunlight.

Author's note: Yep, another oneshot. I started this like a year ago and just managed to finish it now...hence some abrupt shifts. But hopefully you enjoyed this, I guess this would be a preview for the winter filled days coming (seeing as I live in Switzerland now). Reviews are much loved!