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Winter was the worst time of the year.
Shirou hated every aspect of winter, how it froze everything and coated the landscape in white that was blinding whenever it was hit by sunshine.
He despised the way grass turned a drab brown and the way his breath seemed to stop short. The way everything was locked away until spring, how people hid away, how the snow snuck down his back and boots and melted, inevitably chilling his back with cold, watery tendrils or getting his socks wet.
He loathes wet socks almost as much as beastman traitors and despicable humans.
The only good thing about winter was Christmas. And that was built up so much by commercialism and overdone lights (for God's sake, some people put up lights before Halloween) that it almost ruined the holiday for him.
Americans were worse, he was told, but the amount of overindulgence when it came to winter was nauseating.
The cold air chilled his teeth when he sucked in a breath.
I can't wait until this godforsaken season ends, he thought, grimacing as his teeth ached.
Michiru did not share his hatred.
"I can't wait for it to snow!" she exclaimed, wrapped up in layers of coats. She had enough common sense to switch her sneakers for light, flexible hiking boots, her shorts for well-worn jeans, and her trademark red jacket for a more subdued maroon coat that reached her midthigh. A black beanie was perched on her head, and it had cutouts for her ears, while her matching black scarf was wound around her neck, barely touching her face.
Shirou realized he was staring and looked away.
The tall building they were on was fortunately free from wind, and Shirou was pleased, because the wind was usually able to slice through his coat with ease.
It was cold enough that he actually had to button his coat.
"Ooh, I could find a hill for sledding!" Michiru chattered. She was obviously daydreaming about the potential snow. Her partner checked the weather report. Sure enough, 50% chance of precipitation. The 0 degrees were enough to annoy him.
"Shirou, you looking forward to the snow?" Her voice cut through his thoughts.
"No," he replied. She looked disappointed.
"Why?"
Because I hate this season, he wanted to say, but instead he replied with "Because I don't like this time of year."
"Aww," she said, pouting.
Then she brightened.
Shirou knew that look. It was the absolute worst look of them all. She was planning something, he knew it. She would drag him out, into the cold, and try and convert him into the cult winter had somehow cultivated.
"I bet I could change your mind," she goaded, grinning.
"I've experienced a thousand winters. They're all horrible."
"We'll see," she said, and Shirou dreaded the next day.
-.-.-
Just as he feared and she hoped, a thick blanket of snow coated Anima City. The streets were shrouded in a shawl of shining white.
If Shirou didn't hate the way snow behaved, he'd almost call it beautiful. Almost.
He was sipping his coffee by the window when Michiru appeared, dressed in her winter clothes.
"We gotta go," she said.
"Did Mayor Rose call?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he sipped his coffee. It was reportedly the strongest coffee in the world, with enough caffeine to kickstart a dead elephant's heart. The powerful effect of the brew was unfortunately downplayed by the hot pink Sailor Moon cup he was drinking from.
"Nope. I have a surprise for you!" she chirped, smiling brightly.
"Is it a new coat? You still haven't replaced the one that you spilled hot cocoa on."
Shirou had really liked that coat.
"Nope!" she repeated. "It's outside, in the park."
"Do I have to?" On anyone else's tongue, it would sound whiny, but he managed to make it sound dry.
"Yep. Or I'm hiding that coffee you like so much."
"Really?" he sighed. She grinned at him. "Yep!"
"Fine." He chugged the last of his coffee and set the mug down. He grabbed his coat from the door and shrugged it on, waiting to go.
"Is that really all you're going to wear?" Michiru asked skeptically.
"What's wrong with it?" he asked, trying to keep his defensiveness down. She was the one who liked to look like a traffic cone when she went out. He kept a muted palette.
"Hold on," she said, walking over to a chest. She opened and dig through it, emerging victorious a moment later with a black lump in her hand.
"What is that--" was all he managed to get out before she shoved it on his head.
He spluttered and pulled yarn out of his eyes. Michiru adjusted the hat and pulled it over his ears.
"There," she said in satisfaction. "At least you won't have cold ears."
Shirou glared.
-.-.-
They trudged through a foot of snow, and Shirou was thankful for the hat, as the air was crisp and cold. (Not that he'd say anything.)
"Ta-da!" She made jazz hands, showing off the sizeable igloo she'd made. Reaching inside, she produced a thermos. "I also made hot chocolate."
Shirou raised an eyebrow and looked around. "Is that all?"
"Rude!" She put her hands on her hips and glared, affronted. "I worked for three hours on this!"
Making a dismissive sound in the back of his throat, he looked around, wondering if he could go back to the apartment and be in the warmth.
A snowball hit him square in the face, sending him reeling. He wiped it off and stared murderously at Michiru, who was cackling. She fell over onto the snow, giggling. "You should have seen your face, oh my God!"
His response was to gather a ball the size of his head, loosely packed, and send it towards her. It hit her in the chest, exploding on impact.
A blizzard surrounded her for a moment, and then she was there, coated in glittering white. Smiling like the cat that got the canary, she advanced, leaning to the side to gather a snowball.
Patting it together, she smirked. "It's on."
And thus Shirou found himself in the midst of an extremely challenging snowball fight.
It was an excellent way to challenge each other's tactical skill, speed, and strength, he rationalized.
In reality, he was having fun.
Eventually, they created barriers, stacking up snow into formidable walls and building up stores of ammunition.
Shirou leaned over his wall and dodged a fastball, which skidded through the snow and made a track like a meteor. He glanced over again in time to see Michiru's arm morph as she gathered up every last snowball she'd made.
He stared, wide-eyed, for a moment, as the hailstorm began. Snowballs began falling, and he rolled and dodged them, gathering up snow as he moved.
When the last one fell, he carefully hid.
Just as he suspected, Michiru popped up and pumped her fist in the air. "Take that sucker!" she crowed.
Shirou leapt up and quickly threw his snowball. It landed straight on her chest, and her victory dance was cut off as she looked down in dismay.
He laughed then, an actual laugh that startled her. He walked up and smirked down at her.
"I win," he said, and she just stared up at him, disbelieving.
Then she reacted.
"You cheated!" she screeched. "I want a rematch."
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I won. And I did it without morphing."
"Liar."
He yawned mockingly. A fistful of snow was wiped on his face.
"Hey!"
She smiled innocently.
He made a mental note to get her back, grabbing the thermos of hot chocolate and opening it up.
"You better not drink that all!" Michiru cried as he took a swig.
-.-.-
Later, Michiru awakened with a startled shriek, frantically flinging snow everywhere in an attempt to remove the powder from her bed.
The next morning, it's revealed that her window had been opened and a fan placed there, blowing snow on her unsuspecting self.
Shirou grinned secretly into his coffee cup when Michiru stumbled in the kitchen and growls.
He still hated winter, but it certainly had its perks.