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Prompt 1 (Diamond Dust): This time of year, snow is common. What’s uncommon is the single, strange snowfall where each snowflake that fell glistened like tiny diamonds. For the most part, the snow seems fairly normal—it’s cold, wet, and melts just like any other snow, it just also happens to look like tiny little gems are falling from the sky. Depending on who you’re with, it’s either incredibly strange, or incredibly romantic.

When the snow is coming down at its strongest, crystalized snowflakes trickle down with the rest of the snow. These are roughly the size of a quarter and are light and hollow. They are fragile, like glass, but glisten like a fine cut gem. No one can explain this anomaly, but these small snowflakes won't melt. And they are all over Destiny City. You can find them gently falling to the ground, or lying in the fresh fallen snow. There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly magical about them, but they are beautiful and make pretty keepsakes.

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They had come to an uneasy truce. He had arrived a few weeks ago much to her shock and things were rather strange to say the least. She had honestly thought that he hadn’t cared. That their college friendship was just that, friendship in college only. Though if Dessie was honest with herself that’s how it likely would have turned out if it hadn’t been for that last night. That last night that had resulted in her current predicament. The urge to go out but with snowy and slick streets going out so damn near her due date wasn’t a good idea. Well more like another month if her little girl didn’t decide to show up early. So that was how she ended up walking side by side with Nate. He was hovering a bit too much but the sidewalk was slick so she let it go, especially since he was being good about not just randomly touching her. She knew he wanted to at least hold her hand, or maybe tuck an arm behind her back for support, but he also knew that she despised being touched. He knew.

“How is your freelance work going?” Dessie asked him as they quietly made their way to the closest park, the cold making her breath cloud the air. Their plan was to walk, talk, and stop for something to eat before he escorted her back to her apartment. It was a standing ‘date’ honestly. One they have repeated a few times now. Mostly whenever she started to feel stir crazy or if he convinced her to go out and get some fresh air ‘for the baby’. It was sweet really. He was sweet. It also reminded her of the walks they would take back in school. A break from the computer, from class work, from the part time job, from life in general. Just walking. Sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about work, sometimes just joking around. Nothing serious, just relaxing. Calming.

Nate explained how he was working for this one project designing several sale posters for their business. He was making ends meet but it wasn’t easy for him, not that he shared any of that with Dessie. She knew though. She knew he had given up his dream job when he came to find her. She knew that he wasn’t talking to his mother because of her. She knew that his entire future was derailed because of her…. And his mother knew it. And yet here they were, taking a walk like a couple. He was just as sweet now as he was in college. He was as upbeat and as easy going as before. He hadn’t changed, not even with the impending arrival of the baby. Nate was still the sweet and kind guy that made him one of her closest friends in school. One of her only friends in school really.

He urged her to take care while holding out a steading arm as they cautiously made their way into the park. Dessie hesitated for only a moment before taking the offered arm and chose to ignore the stupid grin that formed on Nate’s face. His stupid, stupid face. His stupidly perfect face.

She was so focused on the ground and her feet that it wasn’t until he exclaimed in surprise that Dessie looked up. It was snowing. Small, sparkling flakes surrounded them, drifting on in the cold air. It was magical. It was unbelievable. As skeptical as she was about the snow, it was Destiny City afterall, even though she had to admit that it was very…

“Beautiful,” he murmured.

Dessie glanced at Nate to see that he wasn’t looking at the snow any more, he was looking at her. She could feel her face flush as she looked away. “Come on, I’m starting to get hungry,” she grumbled, unable to face the look in his eyes. The look that she knew he had had for a long time now, from way before their graduation.
Stupid man… stupid snow… stupid cold…

It was just the snow that had her keep her arm tucked into his, for her stability. It was just the cold that had her next to him, for body warmth. It didn’t have anything to do with him.

Or the blush.