Prompt: SNOW

Characters: Genesis and Tifa

Title: Season of Snow

Summary: Genesis hates winter, but somehow his 'kind' neighbour talks him into going out and having a bit of fun.

A/N: OKAY! So this is going to be the first installment of my drabble series 'The Tales of Genesis Rhapsodos' and it's gonna be a series of both AU stuff and not AU stuff, centered around Genesis and thing's he's done with multiple characters! The prompt actually came from tumblr (directed to me by herpremiumheart), where I was/am RPing as Genesis (teehee). I hope you all enjoy! Its not my best work, but eh, I plan to rewrite a lot of things so this'll just be added to my list XDD

I don't own FFVII!

It was one of those days again. The ones were you're stuck inside due to bad weather and the horrible, horrible cold.

These days were typical in the winter, and sadly, it was nearing the middle of said season, leaving Genesis, and everyone else on the street, snowed it. Of course, not everyone was so… restricted. He could see from his window that across the street, Zackary Fair and his little blond friend were having a snowball fight; he could almost hear their childish laughter.

If Genesis didn't detest the cold and wet so much, he would have probably been inclined to join them. As it were, he was stuck inside… and if someone wanted his attentions, they would have to personally knock on his door. Most were afraid to do so, however, as Genesis tended to have… violent responses for those who came to his door in the winter. In that way, he was like a hibernating bear.

The only person he hadn't turned off his door step thus far was his kind neighbour from the left, Tifa Lockhart, a sweet young woman who tended to bring him cookies and provide good conversation about the surrounding gossip. Now, people often assumed they were together, but the truth was that they were far from that; they were just neighbours, friends, and perhaps…

No, they were nothing more than neighbours.

That was why, when a knock came to his door that more than slightly desolate day, he got up to answer it with every intention of turning the person away. What he wasn't prepared for, however, was the person being the kind hearted neighbour previously mentioned. She was appropriately bundled up for the season, and it made him want to grimace. She just looked so pleased and happy.

The first thing Genesis noticed was that she wasn't carrying any sweets with her, which made him made a noise of disappointment. "Miss Lockhart. What is it you need of me on this…atrocious day?" peering around outside, he curled his toes away from the cold and the tiny bit of snow that had gotten in. He certainly wasn't letting her in, not with that much snow on her boots.

"Aw, c'mon Genesis, how many times have a told you to call me Tifa?" She was smiling, why was she smiling like that? Genesis frowned.

"Too many times. Now what do you want?" he was getting cold, standing there at the door, wearing only a cheesy Christmas sweater Sephiroth had gotten him as a joke the previous year and some rather comfortable flannel pajama pants; they had little dots and Christmas trees on them.

Genesis wore these things to make himself miserable.

Tifa, as if sensing that the redhead was getting fed up with the fact that it was cold outside, rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "I want you to come outside an-"

"No." Genesis made to close the door on her, finding her request too large for him to fill. What he got instead, was her heavy boot in the way and her pushing the door open, much to his distaste and lack of proper foot coverage.

"Come outside, Genesis! We've all seen you sitting at your window, it's time to come out and make a snowman for your yard!"

"It's cold!" Goddess, it sounded like he was whining. Why couldn't he have been sick that day? He knew he should have accepted his parents' invitation to go over for the holidays.

"That's why you put on a coat and snow pants! I'm perfectly toasty." Tche, of course she would make that point; it was the point he couldn't argue, because he knew he had those articles of clothing hanging in his closet, just waiting to be used and worn. He could only argue that it was cold… and that was just pathetic.

So, with a heavy sigh, he opened his door for his friend (it was grudgingly admitted; only a friend would put up with his seasonal shit). With a disturbingly heavy heart, he dressed in his snow pants and coat, setting his red hat over his red hair and slipping on his red boots that looked strangely like they'd been dipped in blood. He liked that colour against the snow—not that he was a creepy axe murderer or anything.

"I'm only doing this so you'll stop bugging me." Genesis grumbled, following after the female who'd left his door wide open in her excitement to tell the others that he was 'surfacing'. Tche. "At least next time bring me sweets…"

Tifa, obviously oblivious to his little mumbles, proceeded to wave at Cloud and Zack across the street, and then she pushed him into the snow.

Genesis was surprised and angry as he toppled over; he'd conveniently forgotten that she was a practiced martial artist, which meant he'd forgotten how strong she was. It was brutal, and he's just landed in the freezing, untouched snow in front of his house, face first at that! Sputtering angrily, he ignored the laughter coming from across the street as he decided to lay still. Maybe if he didn't move they would think he was dead.

Unfortunately for him, Tifa thought no such thing as she nudged him with her boot and told him to get up and help her make a ridiculously large snowman (there was certainly enough snow for that). He did, get up that is, before narrowing his eyes at her.

Tifa, of course, was taking none of his shit that day and patiently rolled the already half-made globe of snow at him, demanding he make it big enough that they couldn't lift it. He didn't enjoy the activity, but he complied, noting wanting to disappoint her or get on her bad side; the brunette had a nasty hit.

The day continued to go this way, with Tifa encouraging him to put more effort into his snowman making, and occasionally threatening him with bodily harm when he got too dramatic (in other words, when he flopped on the ground and refused to move another inch). It didn't take long—of course, there was also the fact that half way through Zack had come over with Cloud trailing after him, and had engaged Genesis and Tifa in snowball fight. It was taxing, but Genesis more or less was enjoying himself by that point (finally)

After the other two left to go warm up in their houses, much to Genesis jealousy, he and Tifa finished their snowman. It was roughly the same height as Genesis (six feet), and probably weighed more than him. All in all, it was a lovely snowman, and even more so when it had a pleasant carrot nose, sticks for arms, a scarf, and little beady eyes made from some kind of junk Genesis had collected in his garage.

When it came time for their day together it end, it was about mid-afternoon. Genesis took that time to follow Tifa home and demand hot chocolate and sweets for his troubles. She humoured him by allowing him access to her house, though she shooed him away from sneaking any extra snacks. She shared the house with Cloud and an orphan, Denzel, who most likely would have arrived home from school shortly after Genesis left Tifa's house and went back to his own, having eaten his share of gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate. He didn't know what it was, but she always had the best treats.

So once he was back at home and snuggled up in his favourite blanket, reading a book he'd read a thousand times before, he realized that perhaps the snow wasn't so bad when enjoying it with those you were close to, and that perhaps, perhaps he would try to get out more often when the frigid white fluff was covering the ground. He would have to invite Sephiroth and Angeal next time too, for it would have probably been a lot more interesting to say the least if they'd been present.

Of course, his thoughts were forgotten the very next day, when he came down with a disgusting cold that made him sneeze and cough and have a headache. He cursed the cold weather and his poor immune system before holing himself up again, planning to stay inside until he could see the ground.