First Snowfall

So, I considered putting this short story into the back of Project Hellion (and maybe I still will) but for now I wanted to share it on here with you guys. It's also on Wattpad if you want to read it on there. I was feeling the Christmas spirit and I thought this would be a fun little story to write. It's more like flash fiction or I guess could be considered "deleted scenes" from Project Hellion. Anyways, here it is:

Delphi grinned as she peered out the window, her breath frosting the glass in front of her. The first snowfall of the season on Christmas Eve which was sort of perfect. It made her second Christmas without her parents or brother bearable and a little more magical. Amparo City got cold during the winter, but it rarely snowed, so to get to wake up to the snowflakes blanketing everything in sight felt like a good omen.

She got ready, pulling on a pair of jeans and a festive turtleneck with little snowflakes and Christmas trees on it. Christmas was her favorite time of year and nothing was going to ruin that for her. Not the fact that she wouldn’t get to see her parents or brother. Not the Shadows. Not the Protectors or her former friends. Nothing. Delphi was determined to make this the best Christmas ever. She practically skipped down the stairs of the team’s safehouse and into the kitchen but stopped short when she surveyed the miserableness in front of her. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and there was no tree up, no stockings, no decorations of any kind. Just Blizzard hunched over his mug of coffee like any other morning and Riley yawning and flipping through the newspaper, his black hair uncombed and messy.

Delphi could feel her smile begin to fall, but she refused to let this sorry scene in front of her ruin her Christmas cheer. Sure, they’d been really busy the past few weeks and Delphi still wanted to take down the Shadows more than ever. But she was willing to take a break for Christmas.

Riley lazily glanced up from his paper and flashed her a grin that normally would have made her heart flutter and her heart melt. Today though except seeing this place decorated properly for Christmas day would make her heart melt or flutter or anything. She gave him her biggest smile back though and walked around the counter to kiss his cheek.

“Did you see it’s snowing outside?” she asked, leaving Riley to make herself some cereal.

He nodded not even bothering to look out the window. “Yep.”

“Isn’t that fun?” she pressed. “A white Christmas! The last time I had a wait Christmas was when I was like twelve.”

He shrugged. “Sure, it’s… cool.”

Delphi’s smile began to slip and this time, her Christmas cheer could do nothing to save it. She frowned, setting her bowl of cereal down hard enough on the counter to make the milk slosh over the sides. Blizzard and Riley both looked up in surprise. “Do you not like Christmas or something? Don’t tell me you’re a Grinch.”

Riley scratched his temple, a grin kicking up his lips. Delphi didn’t return it. She glanced between him and Blizzard waiting for one of them to reply. Blizzard’s icy blue eyes widened after a minute of silence. “Oh, you wanted us to answer that?”

“Yes!”

“I thought it was a rhetorical question,” Riley said, shrugging.

“Well it’s not,” Delphi shouted, hands on hips. Her cereal bowl sat forgotten in front of her. “So, do you?”

“Do we what?” Riley asked, going back to staring at his paper.

Delphi blew out a breath of impatience. “Do you not like Christmas?”

“It’s Okay.”

Delphi’s jaw dropped, and she turned to Blizzard, hoping for him to redeem Riley’s nonchalant answer with an enthusiastic reply. But then he just gave her an indulgent smile, lacing his fingers around his coffee cup. “I enjoy Christmas.”

“That’s… that’s it… That’s all you two are going to say? Does no one here have the Christmas cheer?”

Just then a gust of snowy wind blew in with Kitty, who slammed the door shut behind her and pulled her coat off. Her green cat eyes scanned the scene in front of them and she grinned, probably noticing the scowl on Delphi’s face.

“What did they do?”

“They’re ruining my Christmas cheer,” Delphi pouted. “Do you like Christmas?”

Kitty snorted as she threw her coat onto the back of the couch and loped past Riley into the kitchen. “Now I understand why you look like someone ran over your puppy. We don’t celebrate Christmas in this house.”

Delphi had never felt so horror-struck in her life. She felt like someone had punched her in the gut. “What?”

“You heard me. It’s not that we hate the holiday or whatever. We just… never do anything for it. We don’t even exchange gifts.”

“Well… well…” Delphi was at a loss for words. She pinned all three of them with a disgusted look. That was… unacceptable. Delphi refused to live in a house that had no Christmas cheer and if none of them were going to lift a finger to make this holiday special, then she would have to do it herself. An idea formed in her mind and her frown turned up into a grin. “Well,” she repeated, “that isn’t going to happen this year. This year we’re celebrating Christmas. All of us.”

Blizzard raised his eyebrows at her. “Are we now?”

“Yes,” Delphi said, suddenly swiping the newspaper from under Riley’s nose. Riley’s head snapped up. “Hey.”

“Don’t hey me. You don’t have time to read the paper today.”

“Why not?” He seemed genuinely dismayed and any other time Delphi would have thought it was cute, but with everything she now had planned she didn’t have time to fawn over Riley’s cuteness.

“Because you and Blizzard and Kitty are going out shopping today.”

Kitty clapped her hands behind her and when Delphi turned to glance at her, she found Kitty beaming at her. “Yay! I love shopping,” she squealed.

“Good. You three are going shopping for gifts.”

Blizzard and Riley shared a look and Blizzard opened his mouth, looking like he was going to disagree, but Delphi held up a finger, shushing him. “You are going shopping today whether you like it or not. And while you all are looking for presents, which I’ve already done, I’m going to be decorating!”

“We don’t have any decorations in the house,” Kitty cut in.

“Not even in the garage?”

“Nope.”

Delphi shrugged. “That’s Okay. I can buy some.”

“So we’re all going shopping today?” Kitty asked.

Delphi nodded, sharing her smile. “Yep! So go get ready you two. We leave in ten minutes.”

For a second neither Riley or Blizzard moved and then they seemed to realize she wasn’t messing around because they quickly jumped up and went upstairs to get ready. Delphi grinned. She was going to make this the best Christmas they’d ever had.

***

By the time Delphi finished shopping for decorations she was about ready to collapse on the couch. But Kitty had texted and said they would be home within the hour, so she had to hurry up with the decorating. She hung garland on the stair’s banister, hung mistletoe in thresholds and put up snowflakes and little Christmas-y figures on flat surfaces. Delphi stuck a bunch of candy canes in a glass bowl on the coffee table and then put up the small Christmas tree she’d gotten. It wasn’t the most amazing Christmas tree Delphi had ever had but it would do. She hung ornaments and lights and then stepped back to admire her work. It felt so much more cozy and warm in there now. So much more Christmas-y. 

And right on time too. 

Just then the front door flew open and Riley, Blizzard and Kitty rushed in. Kitty laughed as they all entered and set down their bags of stuff on the couches. All three of them stopped though when they got a good look at the house. Delphi beamed with pride, hands on hips. “What do you think?”

“It looks... amazing,” Riley said, flashing her a small smile. 

Delphi grinned back as he came over and pecked her on the forehead. “You did great.” 

“It’s definitely decorated for Christmas...” Blizzard trailed off, rubbing his neck. 

Kitty grinned, flopping down onto the couch and grabbing a candy cane. “Well I love it. Nice going Delph.” 

“Thanks! Who wants hot coco?” 

Everyone raised their hands and Delphi headed into the kitchen with Riley whole Blizzard and Kitty went to put the wrapped presents under the tree. 

“Honestly Delph, you did a great job. I haven’t celebrated Christmas in... years,” Riley said, a sad smile on his lips as he got the milk out. “Not since I left my family.” 

Delphi stopped from getting the mugs and faced him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She couldn’t imagine what that must have been like. His father had hated Supers and hated him for his wings. One day he threatened to rip Riley’s wings off and Riley ran away to protect himself. Tremble found him and took him in. Delphi just couldn’t imagine not having any Christmas traditions or memories for so long. 

She touched his arm. “Well I’m honored that your spending your first Christmas in years with me.” 

He grinned and leaned forward kissing her. Effectively stealing her breath away. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” 

Delphi kissed him back and then grabbed the rest of the mugs while he heated up the milk on the stove. Once the hot chocolate was made they all sat in the living room - even Blizzard - and Delphi turned on all her favorite Christmas movies. Half way through Elf, Techno showed up claiming they had forgotten about him and said Spy and Tremble were too busy for festivities. No one minded though. 

Riley and her snuggled on the couch, eating popcorn and drinking hot coco. It was the best Christmas Eve she’d had since her parents and brother were sent to prison. 

They must have fallen asleep because when they woke up next, it was morning. Christmas morning was even better. Kitty made breakfast - Delphi had no idea she knew how to cook - and once they all ate together they exchanged gifts. Delphi was surprised when Tremble came in... wearing the same clothes and mask he always wore, and though he didn’t have presents he did sit on the couch and watch everyone exchange gifts. Only Riley and Blizzard had thought to get the clad in all black villain something. Blizzard jokingly got him a black sweater and Riley had gotten him new gloves. 

An hour later, with wrapping paper strewn on the floor Delphi sat with Riley on the couch admiring the charm bracelet he’d gotten her. Kitty and Tech were laughing in the kitchen and Blizzard and Tremble had stepped outside to talk. 

“Thank you, Delphi,” Riley murmured, his arm around her shoulders. 

Delphi craned her neck up from where her head rested on his shoulder. “For what?” 

He grinned down at her. “For giving me a perfect Christmas.” 

Delphi smiled back and kissed him. “I hope we have many more Christmas’s together.” 

“We will, I promise. We’ll beat the Shadows, and everything will settle down and we’ll have many more Christmas’s to come,” Riley assured her. 

“I hope so...” she trailed off. But she decided not to dwell on what could be. She wanted to be here right now in the present. With Riley, her boyfriend and her friends having a nice quiet Christmas Day. They would have today to celebrate and be together and then tomorrow they would go back to their fight against the Shadows and Delphi would make sure the Shadows Lost. She would do anything to make sure she had more days like today. 

You can find Weapon Icean and Project Hellion here: Author Central