Snow on the Roses

By Starling

 

 

                Quatre stood at the window of the Austrian chalet he had reserved for a week of vacation for he and Nari.  They were high in the mountains and it had been snowing for the past hour and a half.  He knew the cold would not bother Nari in the least.  She loved snow even though they both rarely ever saw it.  They had been planning this getaway for quite a few months and finally, they had found a time when Heero and Arys were available to take Meghan off their hands and the company had a lull in business that allowed Quatre to leave.   His gaze out the window refocused on the reflection of his wife standing in the sitting room doorway behind him.  She was wearing a dark green gown that brushed the floor when she walked.  Her hair fell over her shoulders in red-gold waves that tempted Quatre to run his fingers through it.  He loved it when she wore her hair down. 

                Nari came up beside him, putting hand on his arm.  "Do you think this dress is too fancy for a night out in a quaint town?"

                Quatre placed his hand over hers and gave her a gentle smile.  "You look beautiful."  He kissed her on the cheek and slipped an arm around her waist.

                Nari looked her husband up and down.  He looked dashing in a black suit that made his blond hair look even blonder.  She reached up to brush part of his bangs away from his face.   He offered her his arm and they walked to the front door.  Quatre picked up his wife's coat and placed it around her shoulders and then put on his own coat.  The couple walked out into the snowy night together.

 

                A few minutes later, they sat in a romantic restaurant.  It was a tiny building, but the atmosphere was perfect for couples.  The waiter apparently thought that Quatre and Nari were newlyweds since he had placed them in a back corner away from all the other guests. 

                "We're pretty secluded back here,"  Quatre observed, his blue eyes lighting up.

                Nari scanned her menu and grinned.  "I don't mind if you don't."

                Quatre gave his wife a tender look.  "Not at all.  I'm glad that the waiter thinks that we still act like newlyweds."

                Nari put down her menu and reached for Quatre's hand.  He willingly let her take it. 

                "What is it?" 

                Nari's green eyes studied her husband's face seriously.  "I love you."

                Quatre turned her hand over in his and brought it to his lips.  "And I you."  He kissed her fingers before letting go. 

                The waiter came by to take their order.  He obviously enjoyed his job, judging from the happy light in his eyes as he took out a notepad and a pen. 

                "May I take your order?"

                Quatre noticed Nari hide a laugh as Quatre told the waiter his order.  He often said that to her when they were at dinner at home.  He would tell Nari to sit down and surprise her by serving her dinner himself.   She would always tell him that it embarrassed her when he surprised her like that, but he would always brush off her excuses and continue bringing her dinner.

                The waiter turned to Nari with a wide grin.  "And you, ma'am?"

                "The same."

                "Wonderful!"  The waiter slipped his notepad and pen back into an unseen pocket and bowed slightly.  "Your order will be ready in a few minutes."  He walked away to another couple sitting nearby.

                Nari looked around the room, sighing as she took in the candlelight, the other couples staring at each other in adoration.  She turned to see Quatre smiling at her.  Then, she saw the adoration in his eyes. 

                "Quatre," Nari whispered, flushing a bit in embarrassment

                Quatre tried to look innocent.  "What's wrong?"

                "Stop looking at me like that!" 

                "Why?  Everyone else is staring at his wife adoringly.  Why can't I?"

                Nari chuckled. 

                "Did I tell you that you're beautiful?"

                Nari nodded.  "Yes."

                "I'll say it again.  You look beautiful, Nari."

                Nari grinned at him.  "Thank you, my lord."

               

 

                An hour later, Quatre and Nari walked about the town, snowflakes dancing through the air around them.  Nari tried catching snowflakes on her tongue but for some reason, they insisted on catching on her nose instead.  Quatre laughed as he brushed the bright flakes off her face.  

                Soon, they were once again in front of the restaurant where they had eaten dinner.  Quatre stopped Nari by a huge planter filled with obviously false greenery and turned her to face him.  She smiled at him, wondering at the look in his eyes.  He had a surprise for her; she could tell.  Quatre reached into the planter and pulled out a bouquet of roses.  Roses the color of a crimson tide. 

                "Roses!  This time of the year?"  Nari gently took the bouquet from Quatre's hands and cradled them in the crook of her arm.  "How...?"

                Quatre reached up to stroke her cheek.  "I asked the waiter to find me a bouquet of roses and hide them in the planter by the door.  They must have a greenhouse somewhere nearby.  He went above and beyond my expectations."

                Nari touched the petal of one fully opened rose.  "They're beautiful.  And look at the snow on them!"  She held the bouquet out in front of her and let the snow settle onto the deep red petals. 

                While Nari admired the roses, Quatre admired his wife.  She was unconscious of how much like a rose she looked herself.  The snow sparkled on her bright red-gold hair, and Quatre could no longer resist the urge to run his fingers through it.  He touched a hand to her hair and Nari turned to smile at him. 

                "Yes, the snow is beautiful on the roses, but..." Quatre drew her close,  "to me, the snow shimmers beautifully on the most wonderful rose of all.  You." 

                With that, Quatre kissed his wife on the lips.  She set the bouquet of roses on the edge of the planter and circled her arms around Quatre's neck, kissing him back.  Around them, the snow continued to fall. 

 

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