Favourite Season

He watched the snow fall from the dull, grey, ugly sky. Such beauty from such an ugly mass was almost unfathomable to him, and yet, there it was. From the shelter of his bedroom, he sat and sipped his tea while the white fluffy flakes continued to decend.

There were many things beautiful in the world, he couldn't deny that fact. The tree leaves when autumn was just beginning, turning the vibrant green to red and gold... the brown wasn't so beautiful. It's why he'd chosen red and yellow for his feathers. The colours in the sky at sun break or sunset, to him it didn't matter, he enjoyed watching both. He loved spring and summer too. He loved spring because of the tiny flowers budding, waiting to bloom, and summer because of the flowers in full bloom, and sunny clear skies.

He loved the sight of the wild animals, particularly the birds, going about their day today lives continuing on with their new generation and the newer circle.

There were many things about each season that Yumichika Ayasegawa found beautiful, though he only openly expressed his appreciation for his own beauty. Winter, was a different story. The sky was usually dull, the trees bare of leaves, and looking like giant dead twigs. No winter was not his favourite season, he'd find the season completely revolting! It would even be enough to request Unohana place him into a coma for three months, if it weren't for the sight every year of freshly fallen snow.

Yumichika cracked a small smile of amusement. Peafowls weren't supposed to like snow at all. They are very brightly coloured and beautiful birds to be sure, no one could deny it. However they were native to India, a very warm climent where snow was as rare as eagle's teeth.

No, peacocks were not supposed to like snow. Yet he couldn't help but feel warm when he stared at it. He found that the light, fluffy, pure white beautiful snow made winter worth enduring, the type of snow that seemingly caused sunlight to dance upon the soft white blanketing whenever the light bounced off of it.

'Dance! Sode no Shirayuki!'

Dance... the sunlight dancing on freshly fallen snow. That's why Rukia's Zanpakuto's release command was 'dance'.

Although the girl herself was not normally much to look at, her Zanpakuto was one of true beauty. Sode no Shirayuki was testimony to winter's one true beauty and saving grace. Yes indeed! Snow, was the one reason the flamboyant man of the 11th squad would savour winter each year. To wield such a beautiful Zanpakuto, one must have a beautiful heart and soul to go with it, he knew it to be true. Her soul and heart was so pure she risked criminal punishment to ensure that she could protect a family of humans... or a family she thought was full of humans. She hadn't known that the father was a former Shinigami Captain.

There was an issue with that infatuation however, Rukia Kuchiki was only 150. He, though still devilishly attractive, was over 200. He sighed forlornly as he realised the hoplelessness. For even if she was older he doubted she'd take interest in him. A scrawny, flamboyant, flashy guy who cared so much about what others thought, he hid the true nature of his Zanpakuto. That act in and of its self was an ugly but necessary thing. He did find it an ugly thing to lie to everyone in the guard squads, but Ikkaku is his best friend – and his other secret crush. He didn't wish to be away from him when he joined the guard squads, knowing it takes at least a day to gather all of the Lieutenants and Captains from their squads to have a meeting.

He sighed in slight dismay, for those he desired he could never truly have. A lie was such a disgusting thing to place upon one as pure as snow, though Ikkaku was very close to him, it was true that the beauty of the 11th could never fully open up to his dearest friend.

'It's so lonely to be me,' He thought to himself. 'And Loneliness is so ugly.'

As he looked out of his bedroom window at the winter wonderland outside, a small smile crept over him. Even as he thought of the snow and ice princess he would never have. Perhaps in a secret sort of way, winter was his favourite season. The snow had ceased falling, and now laid out on the ground as a pure white, beautiful scenery. It was beautiful as a painting.