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.


Ryan stood outside in the snow with Silas bundled up, happily tucked into his carrier reaching out at the snow falling around them. He looked up at a squeal of delight from his daughter as his husband tossed her into the sky. He smiled, turning to watch his son trying to make a sandcastle with the snow. He patted the snow lightly and giggled to himself, before toddling over to him with a handful of snow, trying to show him.

“Do you like the snow Pooh bear? Want to show Emme bubba?”

He knelt down looking at the snow, his head tilting to the side when he got a good look at the snow. A single snowflake stood out and Ryan reached out and picked it up.”

“Oh Nikki, this is pretty pooh. Is this what you were trying to show daddy?”

“Pretty,” Nikki parroted with a smile clapping his hands and holding the snow up for his little brother to see. Silas immediately grab the snow and put it in his mouth, making Ryan very glad he already grabbed the little snowflake.

“No, no bubba, don’t eat the snow Silas,” he said trying to get the melting snow from the infant's grip.

Ryan gently gave the snowflake back to his little snow, “Be careful Nikki, go show Papa and Livvie what you found.”

He stood up realizing now that he had seen one that there were more. He held his hand out and watched as one slowly fluttered down into his hand. He showed it to Silas, keeping it out of the baby's reach.

“Look Emme bubba, it's snowing crystals. I've got no love lost for this city, but these are nice.” He chuckled at his son’s cooing, “that's right, it's pretty isn't bubba?”

He looked up hearing Nikki crying and his twinning glaring at him as best as a 14 month old can glare. He could hear Nikki crying smooshed as his husband picked him up and he knew Livvie likely broke the little crystal snowflake.

Making it over to his husband and his son, he presented the new snowflake he caught. “It's okay Nikki, we can find some more, see?”


Ryan couldn't help but to laugh when his son carefully took the snowflake from him and gave it a kiss before yawning in his Papa’s arms.

He picked up his daughter, “I think it's time for a N-A-P,” he said, giving the red haired little girl a quick raspberry on her cheek watching her dissolve into laughter, glare gone from her face. “You didn't mean it right Vanna Princess, we just got to be a little more gentle.”

He caught another snowflake in the air and presented it to his daughter, “Careful now Livvie, soft hands princess.” Ivanna took the snowflake carefully this time spouting no smoosh. He noticed even being held the snowflakes stayed solid and he wondered if they were truly crystal and really hoped they wouldn't melt, so he could avoid a double melt down.

“Come on, let go get warmed up.”

He headed in, with his husband, a snowflake in each twins hands, managing to survive the heat of the house and make it on their little dressers when they put them down for a nap. “Weird, but a fun little winter souvenir,” he mumbled, turning on the white noise machine and walking out of the room.