I wrote this for the 30 romances community on livejournal. I hope you enjoy this, and the next twenty-nine chapters!

Prompt #1 – Cold Hands, Cold Feet

The raven-haired woman shivered slightly as she entered Meltokio. It was getting near winter now, and she’d traveled all the way from Mizuho. Even with her snug, winter cloak on, her fingers and toes felt like they were going to freeze off. That idiot ex-Chosen had better have a good fire going at his mansion and some hot chocolate or she’d… she’d do something bad to him.

Even her creativity for violence was being numbed by the cold.

Rubbing her hands together vigorously in a desperate, last ditch attempt to keep them from frostbite, Sheena slowly walked up the giant staircase that lead up to the noble level. Why? Why was it so big? It had never seemed this large and tall before.

“Damn you, stairs,” Sheena grumbled, dragging herself up another step. She let out a miserable moan when she felt a raindrop plop onto her forehead. Then she turned the full force of her glare into the stormy sky. “Damn you, sky. Damn you to Niflheim. Damn you to Derris-Kharlan. Damn you to… to anywhere but here!”

Letting out a sharp ‘hmph!’, Sheena pulled up her hood to cover up her head before continuing (slowly) on her way to Zelos Wilder’s home. The home that was probably… very… very… warm an- Sheena let out a yelp when her foot slipped in a small puddle that she hadn’t been noticed because of her fireplace fantasies. She threw out her hands to support herself but found no need as a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist.

She immediately identified the culprit when a lock of bright red hair fell into view. Then she noticed exactly where his hands were.

“Zelos…” the kunoichi half-growled, half-laughed. She wasn’t sure whether she was glad that he had caught her, or furious that he was taking this chance to grope her. Some Prince Charming. “Get your hands off my breasts. Now.”

“Ahaha, Sheena!” he jumped away after steadying her, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he grinned shamelessly at her. The woman in question threw him an annoyed glance before giving up on fixing her hood. She could just take a shower at the pervert’s house anyways. ‘Sides, a little rain never hurt anybody! “You’re here early!”

“Am I?” Sheena looked at him in surprise. He nodded.

“You told me you weren’t going to get here until tonight,” he casually flicked his head, causing a lock of hair to fly out of his eyes. It seemed like he wasn’t even bothering to cover his hair; which was strange since Zelos was always so proud of his luscious, red hair. Note the sarcasm. “And I had such a romantic night planned for us too! ”

It took Sheena a second to realize the sexual innuendo in his seemingly innocent statement. She reached out with one arm and smacked him on the side of the head, causing his head to tilt to one side. “Pervert Chosen!”

“’Ex-Chosen’.” Zelos corrected.

“That’s too long, and it doesn’t go as nicely as ‘pervert Chosen’,” Sheena scoffed, starting up the stairs again. No rain was going to get the best of Sheena Fujibayashi, Chief of Mizuho! “Orochi told me he could cover for me and insisted that I get a head start on my way here. They all said I needed to get out more… even if it was with that lowly cur, the ex-Chosen of Tethe’alla.”

“That hurts, my voluptuous hunny!” his mouth fell open at her words. He was completely prepared for the hand that lashed out at his head, an inviting target for her anger what with it being bright red and all. Something about not angering the bull? “Hey, don’t pretend you haven’t noticed that you’re the only one I call ‘hunny’ anymore! I sacrificed so much for you!”

“Right,” Sheena snorted. “And Lloyd will actually say something smart.”

“It could happen,” Zelos defended himself.

They entered the noble’s area and reached Zelos’ mansion in a couple meters. The Mizuhoan wasn’t ignorant of the death glares some- okay, all of the noble women were shooting at her but she purposely turned her back to them, watching in amusement as Zelos fumbled around in his pockets for the key to his house.

“Aha!” the redhead cried in triumph as he held up one small, gold key. He glanced over his shoulder at Sheena hopefully but she only looked pointedly at him and the door. Sighing in defeat, Zelos inserted the key into the lock and immediately jumped to the side when Sheena nearly bowled him over in her hurry to get inside.

“So warm!” she kicked off her boots and rushed over to sit down in front of the fireplace. She held her fingers over the roaring fire for extra warmth. It was surprising to discover that she hadn’t developed frostbite, like she’d thought. “Mm…”

“Cold hands?” the redhead laughed, plopping himself down beside her. Extremely closely beside her.

“And cold feet,” Sheena sighed, wriggling her wet, wrinkled toes slightly. It felt like they were finally defrosting. She let out a small squeak when Zelos reached over and grabbed her hands, rubbing them gently between his. His hands were so warm! Sheena felt a slight flush come over her face. “W-what’re you doing?”

“I’m warming you up!” he grinned cheerfully, not at all noticing the freezing chill of her hands. Sheena smiled indulgently and closed her eyes before leaning against his taller frame. The crackling of the fire was the only sound in the room.