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**Snow Glow (15) :** *On especially cold nights, strange puffs of light rise from the snow like warm steam--only this 'steam' glows in soft, sparkling colors and moves in slow, liquid shapes, like wax escaped a lava lamp and is rising towards the sky. Scientists insist it’s an unusual, but natural, phenomenon caused by pressure and temperature changes, but that doesn’t explain how the lights react when you reach for them--swirling around your fingers like playful, weightless ribbons. Sometimes, around these strange pockets, the snow beneath your feet glimmers when you step near the lights, and coming into contact with the glow results in it clinging to your skin or clothes in faint, shimmering patches. The luminescent residue fades after a few hours and has no lasting effects.*
Lena Roze
It was only the third time she had brought someone out to the farm, but this one made Halia more anxious than the others. This was Mason, after all. And this was her home, where she grew up, and where she found sanctuary and refuge. It was…. Something more than she wanted to really tell him just yet.
Shoving the anxieties down, she slid behind the wheel of her car and shoved the canisters of hot cocoa into the cup holders. Once Mason was in and buckled, she started the drive towards the outskirts of Destiny City. Every so often, she would glance over at Mason and give him a small smile, praying he didn't notice how anxious she actually felt.
After a while, she pulled down a driveway and turned the car off. The house was decent in size, painted a light grey with a blue trim. Beyond a blue metal gate stood a sizeable barn where a few animals could be seen roaming around in the snow. As she got out of the car, she laughed and crouched down as Bailey, the brown and white Australian Shepherd, bounded over to her excitedly. ”Hello beautiful! Yes, yes, hello! Oh, yes, such a good girl!” She laughed as she happily gave the dog affection, hooking her fingers through the dog's collar as she motioned with her free hand for Mason to come over. ”This is Bailey, the sweetest baby ever. She's full of energy and might jump, but she won't hurt you.”
Shoving the anxieties down, she slid behind the wheel of her car and shoved the canisters of hot cocoa into the cup holders. Once Mason was in and buckled, she started the drive towards the outskirts of Destiny City. Every so often, she would glance over at Mason and give him a small smile, praying he didn't notice how anxious she actually felt.
After a while, she pulled down a driveway and turned the car off. The house was decent in size, painted a light grey with a blue trim. Beyond a blue metal gate stood a sizeable barn where a few animals could be seen roaming around in the snow. As she got out of the car, she laughed and crouched down as Bailey, the brown and white Australian Shepherd, bounded over to her excitedly. ”Hello beautiful! Yes, yes, hello! Oh, yes, such a good girl!” She laughed as she happily gave the dog affection, hooking her fingers through the dog's collar as she motioned with her free hand for Mason to come over. ”This is Bailey, the sweetest baby ever. She's full of energy and might jump, but she won't hurt you.”
Mason had in fact noticed that Halia was - something. She’d been so insistent and excited in the park, but in the car, she was all tense and weird. He’d almost suggested they turn around, since she clearly didn’t want to do what they were doing, but it wasn’t like he had forced her by any means, and she would say so if she didn’t want to bring him after all. So he said nothing, just sipped the very hot hot chocolate, and waited.
It was - remarkable, actually, watching how quickly Halia’s mood shifted. She was out of the car and greeting a dog and Mason couldn’t help but smile. The way the snowflakes caught in Hali’s hair (and the dog’s fur) looked like a postcard, or something out of a Hallmark movie.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Bailey,” Mason said, letting the dog sniff his hand before he knelt down to give her the appropriate pets as she licked at his face. “Yes! You’re a good girl! You’re a very good girl. Did you know that? You did? Oh that’s good. That’s good. Good girl, yes, you are,”
So far, going to the farm? Already worth it.
Lena Roze
Halia grinned as Bailey quickly took to Mason, scratching her behind the ears before standing up. ”She's an Australian Shepherd. Grandpa uses her for herding, but she's also the sweetest baby ever and a great little cutie pie to cry on.” She had spent more times than she cared to think of cuddled up to Bailey, crying into her fur, though those times had been significantly fewer lately.
Standing up after giving Bailey another pat, Halia motioned to a blue metal gate just off the driveway. ”Cmon, it's this way.” She smiled as Bailey happily trotted after her as she led the way down to the barn.
Standing up after giving Bailey another pat, Halia motioned to a blue metal gate just off the driveway. ”Cmon, it's this way.” She smiled as Bailey happily trotted after her as she led the way down to the barn.
“To…cry on?” Mason echoed, smile fading slightly as he followed after Bailey and Halia. He wanted to ask more questions - namely, what did that mean??, but he wasn’t sure he actually wanted to know.
“Does your grandpa raise rabbits?” Mason asked. “Or is it like, the rabbits are just there and your grandpa doesn’t chase them away or whatever? Are they in hutches, or does Bailey keep ‘em in line?”
Lena Roze
There was a hint of sadness in her eyes as she looked back at Mason. ”Yeah….this is where I've always come when I needed somewhere safe or comforting. When things got really bad. If I wasn't hugging Bailey, I would be up in the hay loft most likely.” It didn't quite answer the question, but she didn't want to bother him with her depressing past.
”Yeah, grandpa raises a bit of everything. It's considered a ‘hobby farm’ rather than like, a dairy farm or anything, since it's smaller and there's a wide variety of animals.” Smaller being a relative term, considering the sheer amount of acreage to the property. ”We’ve got cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits, all sorts of livestock really. There's turkeys out here somewhere, but they don't really like to come out in the cold. They're fussy creatures.” She shuddered as she mentioned the large birds, clearly not their biggest fan.
Heading into the barn, she brought Mason into a warm room filled with hutches. ”Here we are. The bunny room.” Most of the rabbits within seemed ambivalent at best about her arrival, though one small lop eared one at the end perked up immediately and stood on its hind legs as if eager to see her. Smiling warmly, Halia headed over and opened the cage before gently scooping the soft brown creature up. ”This is Caramel. He's the only one we don't sell, since he really attached himself to me.” The rabbit happily burrowed against Halia's chest and she laughed softly as she pet it.
”Yeah, grandpa raises a bit of everything. It's considered a ‘hobby farm’ rather than like, a dairy farm or anything, since it's smaller and there's a wide variety of animals.” Smaller being a relative term, considering the sheer amount of acreage to the property. ”We’ve got cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits, all sorts of livestock really. There's turkeys out here somewhere, but they don't really like to come out in the cold. They're fussy creatures.” She shuddered as she mentioned the large birds, clearly not their biggest fan.
Heading into the barn, she brought Mason into a warm room filled with hutches. ”Here we are. The bunny room.” Most of the rabbits within seemed ambivalent at best about her arrival, though one small lop eared one at the end perked up immediately and stood on its hind legs as if eager to see her. Smiling warmly, Halia headed over and opened the cage before gently scooping the soft brown creature up. ”This is Caramel. He's the only one we don't sell, since he really attached himself to me.” The rabbit happily burrowed against Halia's chest and she laughed softly as she pet it.
Mason smiled in spite of himself as the bunny snuggled against Halia. “What a good baby,” Mason cooed. “Do the other ones have names, or is it like, a you-don’t-want-to-get-too-attached sort of thing?” Mason winced lightly, the bunnies’ end purpose going unspoken but not misunderstood.
Mason moved over and let Caramel sniff at his hand, then gently scritched between her ears. “She is awful cute…is it too cold to take them outside? Or would they run away?”
Lena Roze
Halia nodded and gently held the bunny out to Mason for him to hold. ”Yeah, it's better to not name them so you don't get attached when it's time for them to go. Caramel is a sweetheart though and he's not going anywhere.”
The idea of bringing Caramel outside was interesting, and she thought on it for a moment. ”Caramel might do okay. Buuuuuut there's something even cuter if you wanna bring something out in the snow.” Her eyes sparkled excitedly at the idea of Mason meeting the kittens. The ones Madeline had met back in summer were much larger now, though one of the cats had a late litter so there were still tiny ones hanging around too.
The idea of bringing Caramel outside was interesting, and she thought on it for a moment. ”Caramel might do okay. Buuuuuut there's something even cuter if you wanna bring something out in the snow.” Her eyes sparkled excitedly at the idea of Mason meeting the kittens. The ones Madeline had met back in summer were much larger now, though one of the cats had a late litter so there were still tiny ones hanging around too.
“Don’t want his lil pawbs getting cold, I guess,” Mason cooed to the bunny, smiling broadly as the rabbit wiggled its nose at him. He wiggled his nose in return and kissed the lil thing between its ears. It smelled - well, it smelled like the inside of a barn, Mason didn’t know why he’d inhaled right at that moment, but - it was nice all the same. Caramel was nothing if not toasty warm and very snuggly.
“I’ll never say no to cute,” Mason said after a few minutes of snuggling and babytalking with Caramel. Carefully, he handed the rabbit back to Halia, letting her handle putting him back in his hutch. “So bring it on.”
Lena Roze
Once the bunny was safely tucked away, Halia grinned and led him further into the barn. Walking through the hay loft, she grinned as she saw the end of a tail vanishing out the other door. ”Ahh there you are.” She motioned for Mason to follow her and headed outside, eyes widening in surprise.
She hadn't realized it had started to get dark, but that somehow made the scene before her even more magical. Snow had piled here and there, and it seemed to give off steam that would shimmer and move in a way that was indescribable. The kittens jumped and swatted at the glowing mist, getting covered in it and causing them to also shimmer and seemingly glow.
Halia looked back over her shoulder at Mason to see if he was seeing the same thing. ”Guess we have another Destiny City magic moment.” Because what else could it be other than genuine magic?
Walking forward to scoop one of the kittens up, Halia herself got covered with the shimmering glow that hung in the air without realizing it. As she turned back to Mason, cradling the kitten, the most clung to her hair and cheeks, glowing softly. ”Look at this adorable little thing. It's covered in…. whatever that is.” She laughed softly and walked over to him to bring the kitten to him, unaware of her own glowing shimmer.
She hadn't realized it had started to get dark, but that somehow made the scene before her even more magical. Snow had piled here and there, and it seemed to give off steam that would shimmer and move in a way that was indescribable. The kittens jumped and swatted at the glowing mist, getting covered in it and causing them to also shimmer and seemingly glow.
Halia looked back over her shoulder at Mason to see if he was seeing the same thing. ”Guess we have another Destiny City magic moment.” Because what else could it be other than genuine magic?
Walking forward to scoop one of the kittens up, Halia herself got covered with the shimmering glow that hung in the air without realizing it. As she turned back to Mason, cradling the kitten, the most clung to her hair and cheeks, glowing softly. ”Look at this adorable little thing. It's covered in…. whatever that is.” She laughed softly and walked over to him to bring the kitten to him, unaware of her own glowing shimmer.
Mason blinked, tensing up for just a moment - magic was magic, and sometimes that was amazing, and other times it was a demon chicken trying to peck your freaking face off. But this appeared to be just - just the regular old wonderful inexplicably beautiful magic that didn’t hurt anyone. Not the kitten, batting its big paws at the glowy vapors, or Halia, who was becoming more and more of a lighthouse by the minute.
“You gonna get the glowies for us, little dude?” Mason asked, gently scooping the kitten out of Halia’s arms. The kitten extended his paws, claws razor sharp and grasping, reaching for the snowflakes and the…glowflakes? What did you even call this? Mason had no idea. He’d never seen anything like it. But he looked around and saw other kittens, pouncing on each other, on piles of snow, and–
“Hey!” Mason laughed, shaking his leg to unsuccessfully rid himself of the kitten that clearly saw his shoe as An Enemy To Be Destroyed. As he did, he realized the glow was sticking to him, too; he looked like he’d dipped from his ankle down in the nearest vat of radioactive goop. Just, you know, the nice kind of radioactive goop. The kind that didn’t hurt anyone, hopefully.
Mason laughed again as the kitten wriggled free of his grasp, but only to climb him like a tree, back claws digging into Mason’s shoulder as he extended himself to bat at the offending snowflakes.
“I think he likes me,” Mason said, through a good-natured wince; those claws were sharp. “But could you–help–cause if he falls he’s gonna slice me like a papershredder–”
Lena Roze
Halia laughed softly as Mason very quickly became the best thing the kittens had ever seen to climb. ”Oh they really like you. Then again, you're the tallest thing to climb so of course they're gonna crawl all over you.” She stood on her toes and carefully detached the kitten from his shoulder, taking care to unhook it's claws from his shirt. ”There we go, little guy. No falling for you.” She crouched down to set the kitten with the others, laughing as they immediately began playful roughhousing.
Turning back to Mason, she smiled brightly. ”I've never seen snow like this before. It's beautiful.” Even more so that she got to see it with Mason, but she kept that comment to herself for now.
Turning back to Mason, she smiled brightly. ”I've never seen snow like this before. It's beautiful.” Even more so that she got to see it with Mason, but she kept that comment to herself for now.
“I know, right?” Mason turned his attention from the kittens to the snow, holding up a hand to catch it, letting it melt - and glow - over his fingers and palm. “This is - so weird. It’s like - being in the world’s goopiest snow-globe,” he said with a chuckle. He shook his head and looked back to Halia, hesitating for just a moment before he reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, gently taking some of the glow with him when he retracted his hand.
“This stuff’s gonna be a pain to wash out, I bet,” he said, a little smile still on his face as he spoke softly. “Or maybe it’ll all just - melt away. What do you think will happen?”
Lena Roze
Her heart stopped for just a second as he tucked her hair behind her ear. Did he have any idea at all how little things like that made her feel? No, probably not. The blush on her cheeks would likely be misinterpreted or missed all together, knowing Mason.
”N-not sure…..I've never encountered this before.” It was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment though. ”Mason, I….” She swallowed her words and shook her head, plastering a smile on her face. This wasn't the time, nor the place for it. ”Come on, I know where more cats are.” Because that was the smoothest deflection ever to exist, clearly.
”N-not sure…..I've never encountered this before.” It was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment though. ”Mason, I….” She swallowed her words and shook her head, plastering a smile on her face. This wasn't the time, nor the place for it. ”Come on, I know where more cats are.” Because that was the smoothest deflection ever to exist, clearly.
Mason let her lead the way, an inscrutable look on his face as she turned away from him - a look that he would’ve hidden with a smile or a joke or a playful nudge if she had been looking at him. Somewhere, deep in the very back of his most secret mind, a gear began to turn.
Then he blinked, shook his head at himself, and caught up with her.
“Mads is always going on about feral cats and how dangerous they are to the, like, local environment. Do you get them fixed and stuff when you can?” Mason asked, because it was definitely his business. “Not that they’re–you know, they are clearly living their best life out here, and I guess they are good for catching mousies and stuff, keep the barn clean, right?”
Lena Roze
She ignored the way her heart was hammering and headed back inside with him into the hay loft. His question made her laugh, however. ”Your sister asked the same question. Yeah, we get them trapped and fixed when we can, but there's a lot of stray cats and not all of them are able to be approached. Especially if they see us come in with a cat carrier. That never goes well.” At least one of the scars on her arm was from a cat that did not want to be handled, that she tried to get into a carrier.
Heading over to the hay bales, Halia turned back to smile at him. ”Up for a little climb?” Being in a cute outfit with a skirt didn't seem to deter her in the least as she began to head up the bales.
Heading over to the hay bales, Halia turned back to smile at him. ”Up for a little climb?” Being in a cute outfit with a skirt didn't seem to deter her in the least as she began to head up the bales.
“Sure, but–oh, you’re climbing, you are climbing,” Mason said, abruptly averting his gaze to look Anywhere but at Halia as she scaled the huge stacks of hay, because she was wearing a skirt and he was respectful, gosh darn it, and he waited until she was well established and firmly settled above him before he even dared to glance in her general direction.
When it was safe to do so, he climbed up after her, glancing around the hay loft after he finished ascending.
“You said there were more kittens?”
Lena Roze
Once she reached the top, Halia turned and held her hand out to Mason with a grin. Something about climbing around in the hay always made her feel like an excited child. ”You're doing better than your sister with climbing that. I'm impressed.”
Nodding at his question, she helped him up and made her way over to a corner where some loose hay seemed to be piled up. ”Yup. These ones got born really late, so I've been checking on them a lot. I'm honestly tempted to bring them home with me so I can make sure they'll make it through the winter.”
Carefully moving the hay, Halia revealed five tiny kittens. They were old enough that their eyes were open, and their tails stuck straight up like triangles. Gently picking one up, she motioned with her other hand for Mason to come closer before handing the tiny ball of fuzz to him.
Nodding at his question, she helped him up and made her way over to a corner where some loose hay seemed to be piled up. ”Yup. These ones got born really late, so I've been checking on them a lot. I'm honestly tempted to bring them home with me so I can make sure they'll make it through the winter.”
Carefully moving the hay, Halia revealed five tiny kittens. They were old enough that their eyes were open, and their tails stuck straight up like triangles. Gently picking one up, she motioned with her other hand for Mason to come closer before handing the tiny ball of fuzz to him.
Mason grinned in spite of himself - for how collaborative he and his sister were, they were both incredibly competitive with each other, and he was pleased to have done something better than her, for a change. “It’s the legs. Gives me an unfair advantage, she’d say,” he said with a chuckle as he joined her over in the corner. It was kind of weird - the glowy stuff didn’t melt away like snow was supposed to, so they were functionally creating their own light there in the hay loft. It made for some bizarre shadows across the barn wall.
He never would have noticed, in a million years, the tiny cats that rested there, if she hadn’t shown him. They were so little, it panged at Mason’s heart.
“Oh, wow,” Mason breathed, reaching out to touch but stopping himself at the last minute. “I don’t want–what if this stuff hurts them?” he asked, meaning the glowing bits of whatever stuck to his fingers. “Or what if their mama doesn’t recognize them? Or tries to lick it off?” Mason turned wide, worried eyes to Halia. “Their mom didn’t–like–abandon them, did she?”
Lena Roze
She shook her head and smiled, scritching the kitten on top of its tiny head. ”It should be fine. The others outside were alright.” She gently shifted the kitten over into Mason's hands with a warm smile. ”No, the mama cat is just likely out hunting for mice or something. Or maybe just taking time for herself.”
Scooping up another kitten, she leaned against the wall behind her and settled with it cuddled against her chest. ”This is actually my favorite place in the entire world. I spent a lot of time here growing up, actually. It's sort of….sort of like my refuge against the entire world. When everything feels wrong and screwed up, this is where I come to feel safe again. It's where I came after fighting against the Herald, actually. It's…..the one place I know I'll always be okay.” She didn't look at him as she spoke, telling him something she hadn't told another soul. Sure her grandpa knew, but not because she told him. More because he had helped raise her and he knew where he could always find her if something went sideways.
Scooping up another kitten, she leaned against the wall behind her and settled with it cuddled against her chest. ”This is actually my favorite place in the entire world. I spent a lot of time here growing up, actually. It's sort of….sort of like my refuge against the entire world. When everything feels wrong and screwed up, this is where I come to feel safe again. It's where I came after fighting against the Herald, actually. It's…..the one place I know I'll always be okay.” She didn't look at him as she spoke, telling him something she hadn't told another soul. Sure her grandpa knew, but not because she told him. More because he had helped raise her and he knew where he could always find her if something went sideways.
Mason cooed over the kitten, gently scritching between its ears as it let out a big yawn. Oh, his heart. Mason looked up to tell Halia about it - had she ever seen a kitten yawn before?? - but the words died in his throat as Halia spoke. He got very still, which was unusual for him: some part of him (usually his mouth) was almost always moving, whether it be his fingers running through his hair or his leg bouncing its way through a boring class.
But now, he was perfectly still as Halia spoke, almost to herself, almost to the kitten cradled in her arms, but definitely, absolutely, to him.
Something like gravity opened up in Mason’s chest; a strange wooshing feeling that made him feel a little dizzy. He gave the kitten a tiny smooch and murmured to it that he would be right back, then set it back down with its siblings and made his way over to Halia.
He tugged her forward gently and wrapped his arms around her, careful of the kitten lightly squished between the two of them, and gave her a firm, solid hug, holding her close and tight. Words hardly seemed like enough, but he said them anyway, murmured so softly against her temple:
“Thanks for taking me to your favorite place.”
Lena Roze
Halia hadn't expected it as she felt herself pulled into Mason's arms, and she reflexively stiffened before allowing herself to relax. Gently setting the kitten aside, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly in return.
She knew anything she said right then would likely be stupid, so instead, she just sat there and hugged him, taking comfort in his presence. When she no longer felt at risk of crying (or saying anything incredibly stupid), she sat back a little and smiled up at him softly.
”Thank you for letting me share it with you.” She paused, picking her words carefully before continuing. ”Thank you for being someone I trust enough to bring here……for being my favorite person.” There was no mistaking the color on her cheeks as she spoke quietly. She hoped her words wouldn't be a mistake.
She knew anything she said right then would likely be stupid, so instead, she just sat there and hugged him, taking comfort in his presence. When she no longer felt at risk of crying (or saying anything incredibly stupid), she sat back a little and smiled up at him softly.
”Thank you for letting me share it with you.” She paused, picking her words carefully before continuing. ”Thank you for being someone I trust enough to bring here……for being my favorite person.” There was no mistaking the color on her cheeks as she spoke quietly. She hoped her words wouldn't be a mistake.
Mason smiled against her and gave her one final squeeze before stepping back. “Well, your favorite person is kind of freezing, if he’s being honest,” Mason said with a little smile. “I vote we head home and warm up. And if one hundred tiny kittens happen to find their way into my pockets on our way out…”
