Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sanemi was returning from his second assignment as hashira. It was a frigid winter morning and snow was beginning to accumulate on the road. He was exhausted, because the demon he had faced had given him a lot of work, yet he didn't slow down, as he wanted to get home as quickly as he could.

"I can't wait to get out of these clothes and have a hot ohagi."

Suddenly, Sanemi felt something hit his back. Startled, he yanked the nichirin from its scabbard and turned at once.

"What was this?! Who's there?"

He looked in all directions, but found nothing, nor did he see what had hit him. Again, something hit him, this time in the head.

"What the hell is this?!" He brought his hands up to his hair. "Snow?!"

In the same sequence, something hit his face and he started to look around.

"Hey, show up, you bastard! Stop playing with me!"

No movement was noticed until a lot of snowballs began to fall from the sky.

"Ahh! Shit!"

Sanemi ran to hide behind a tree and continued to look in the direction the snowballs were coming from.

"When I find you, you little bastard..."

The wind hashira heard a chuckle right next to him. He decided to walk on tiptoe. It wasn't long before he spotted long dark hair, adorned with butterfly ornaments, behind a bush. He smirked, filled his hand with snow, and leaped to a branch above his head. He aimed at the person and hit the snowball right in her hair.

"Aaaaah!" the person yelled and started to run away.

Sanemi smiled, jumped off the branch, and ran, until he finally caught up with the person, grabbed her around the waist and they tumbled into the snow ahead.

"Aaaah! Sanemi!"

"I knew it could only be you, Kanae Kochou!"

 She giggled and said:

"You really got me, Sanemi!"

He brought his face close to the flower's hashira, which turned red in the cheeks.

"And what do you think you're doing in this cold? You can get sick!"

“I was bored and decided to take a walk. So I saw your approach and figured it would be fun to tease you.

"You really love teasing me, don't you?"

"It's always funny to see how angry you are!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and glared at him. "Did your mission go well?"

“That damn demon gave me a lot of trouble, but I managed to defeat him. What about you? How was your mission?" He brought his face closer to hers.

" It was easy! Just the same as always!" She smiled and stroked his cheek. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too." They stare at each other for a moment and kissed. Suddenly, Sanemi felt something cold on his back. "Aaah! Kanae!"

"Hihihihi! I had to seize the opportunity!" She threw Sanemi onto his back in the snow and got on top of him. Kanae filled both hands with snow. "What are your last words?"

"I love you!"

Kanae's face turned all red and she dropped the snowballs.

"Sa-Sanemi!!" The wind hashira smiled, caught some snow in both hands, and threw it into her hair. "Aaah! That's not fair!"

"Of course it is!" Sanemi sat up at once and stood up, with the hashira of the flower in his lap. He brought Kanae's back closer to a tree trunk and helped her to her feet. He gently cupped her chin between his thumbs and murmured "What about you? Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you, you fool! Even though you're not at all kind! How dare you? You threw snow in a lady's hair!"

"Well, you started it!"

"Oh, but…"

"Psst!"

"What's it?"

“I  want to enjoy every minute with you now, Kanae. Can I?"

"Of course! I really need you right now!"

"I really like to hear it!"

Sanemi smiled and joined his lips with Kanae's in an enthusiastic kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist. They exchanged a lingering kiss, which was interrupted by snowballs slamming into their faces.

"Ah! So cold!" Kanae complained.

“Hey, who did this?" complained Sanemi.

"Me, you shameless! How can you do something so inappropriate in front of innocent little girls!"

"Shinobu?!" They said at the same time.

"How naughty! What example are you giving to Kanao, sis?!" She pointed at the little girl, who was watching everything in silence, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Hahahaha. Sorry, but I didn't ask for anyone to spy on me," said Kanae.

"What-what?! I-I wasn't spying on you!"

"And do you know what happens to spies?!" Sanemi filled his hands with snow.

“Wa-wait!" Shinobu started to take steps back.

"Let's get her, Sanemi!"

"Here we go!"

"Oh, no! Run, Kanao, run!"

The two girls started to run, while several snowballs fell towards them. A snowball war started, as Shinobu and Kanao decided to fight back. After having a lot of fun, they built a snowman together.

"Look how cute!" said Kanae.

"I'm loving it!" Shinobu said. " Look, Shinazugawa-san, we're going to make soup tonight. Why don't you join us?"

“Oh! Can I?"

"Sure! You are at our home every day, anyway!" Shinobu said.

"I would love it, Sanemi!" said Kanae.

"Then I will go!"

As he watched the girls build the snowman, Sanemi smiled as he remembered his brothers for a moment. He remembered the rare happy moments he had spent with his family and the white color around him turned to nostalgia. Seeing him so thoughtful, Kanae squeezed his hand and stared at him, a gentle smile on her face. Sanemi took a deep breath and decided to let the memories just pass, as the past was hopeless, and all he could change was the present and the future that lay ahead. Nothing like a peaceful day to warm a cold winter morning.