Written for the Winter 2008 round of Wishes for Kisses. The challenge was "snow." Audience by Eliza, who understands my mad love for Max/Original Cindy.

"Word is," her girl says, "it didn't used to snow like this in Seattle. Must have been a sweet deal."

"It's not so bad," Max says, and grins at the incredulous look Cindy gives her. Cindy's nose and cheeks are a little flushed with cold, snowflakes settling in her hair like tiny dots of lace. Pretty, but then Cindy is, and nobody engineered her that way.

"Boo, you better not be thinking so hard about snow down Original Cindy's collar, because she don't care how well-trained you are, she will kick your ass for that."

Max snorts, even as she leans closer. "Well-trained and smarter than that, Boo. I was just thinking about where I could get hot chocolate, if you want it."

"Depends on what you mean by getting," Cindy says, but she's smiling again, and she doesn't pull away when Max presses in to kiss her. Max is glad this didn't change when Cindy learned the truth about her, that Cindy's lips are still full and decisive against hers. Logan runs hot and cold on her, and she can't begrudge the times Cindy gets quiet and sad about Diamond, but even with all the weirdness in their lives, they've got each other's backs.

She lets Cindy pull away, breathes against her favorite mouth, "I was thinking Kendra could probably hook us up. Girl's got connections."

"Yeah," Cindy says, then Max feels her grin. "You're gonna want to change before you go see her, though."

And no, snow down the back of the collar isn't so great, but it gives her an excuse to tackle Cindy, who just laughs and leans into her. She takes both their weight while Cindy gives her another kiss, and later Cindy helps her out of her wet shirt.

She'll ask about marshmallows, too.

~END~