With frozen fingertips, their hands were laced together. Though chilly, the contact alone sent warmth racing up their arms, to their spines, eliciting a pleasurable shiver from both.
They didn't care that the temperature was nearly below freezing. That's just what happens when winter comes around in the United Kingdom. What they did care about, what made it all worth the while to be outside in the frosty air, was each other. They could be in arctic weather and that still wouldn't make a difference.
They could have happily been frozen in this spot for the rest of his years, encased in a glacier of heat and love, yet so cold to the touch.
Both trudged through the foot of snow where their favourite path was sheltered underneath the layer. Beauty is the only word that could describe the competent work that was displayed before them. The snow clung to the evergreens as if dropping would secure their death. White specks flurried past them with every breath, dancing to the sound of their hearts beating as one, the wind being the nervous puff that send them spiraling through the crescendo of their eyes meeting.
They smiled at each other. The taller one, Baz, placed one of his hands upon the other's waist Simon, the other staying encircled. They began to dance gleefully, vast smiles spread across their faces.
One two three four, one two three four. Neither had to count these numbers aloud. It was as though they both could hear the same symphony of instruments playing it's melodious tone in the middle of the secluded woods.
And like magic, the wind grew slower and the snow began falling more orderly, plunging unhurriedly to the soft pillows, greeted and taken in kindly to their new families. The music has stopped, and so have the couple.
Everything was silent. The only aura that could be felt was the intensity of the gaze between Simon and Baz.
Making the first move, Simon languidly wrapped his arms around his significant other's neck, smiling as he lazily caught Baz's lips in his.
They stayed like this for what could have been hours, though neither of them had a good sense of time. It could have been only a mere minute or two before Baz tugged on Simon's collar and they collided with the snow upon the ground.
Giggling like children, they were. They were acting how they should, like lovers who were so crazily in love that their head spun. Like going up a to the top of a building; it felt like the pressure was going to make their head explode, but they knew it wasn't, because they were safely enclosed in an elevator. In this case, each others arms.
Everything came to a standstill for them as they stared up at the alabaster sky. They were told that they weren't going to see a good ending through together. They were told that they were going to split after the first date. Well look at us now, bastards, Baz would have said if it wouldn't have ruined the moment.
Soon, the clear sky began to darken. Oranges, purples and reds overthrew the blues and whites, creating a powerful sunset, though it looked like it could simply be swept away as a delicate leaf could have been.
Though they could have simply stayed there forever, it was getting too late to stay out much longer. The snow along their bodies was electrifyingly numbing. If they stayed, they wouldn't last until morning, surely.
Reluctantly, they heaved themselves up to their feet, using each other as balancing poles. They always depended on each other for little tasks like this, it was just natural.
They would have liked to take their time getting to their flat (And by their, I mean Penelope-and-Simon's-that-Baz-always-stays-at), but alas, the cold was too overpowering.
They all but sprinted back, holding each other's hand the whole way. It was a real sight to see as they jaywalked across the busy streets of Great Britain, barely even being able to stop and apologize for darting across without waiting for the stoplight to indicate it was okay to cross.
They could have been arrested. They could have been hit.
But they didn't care; they were young and free.
As they approached the building their flat took residence in, they slowed. They never wanted this moment to end. So they waited in front of the door. They didn't have to look at each other to know the disappointment clutching itself onto their faces. They could feel it in the air as if it was thick as smoke.
One of them tightened the grip on the other's hand. It was impossible to tell who did; they couldn't even tell themselves. With that small gesture, they built up the courage to scuttle in, thankful for the air conditioner that was on to the maximum.
Instinctively, they began moving the parts on their body -opening and closing their mouths, stretching their fingers, flexing their legs- to scare away the numbness that had resided inside of them from the frigid air from outside, all the while not having let go of each other's grasp.
As they proceeded upstairs, the feeling of warmth began washing over them; the fact that heat rose wasn't factual for no reason. The feeling of sorrow hit them like one of the crashing waves, splashing all over them and leaving their clothes damp.
One could practically choke on the somber attitude clinging to the air. It was depressing to anyone watching the show.
They reached the door. Despite the sadness, Baz smiled. This made Simon smile, too. The mood immediately lightened. Simon couldn't understand it, no one could, but every time Baz smiled his toothy grin, it made Simon all giddy and soft on the inside. It could only be described as love.
The inadequacy of the situation was quickly swept away, nowhere to be found even by a person with an eagle's eye.
Though it was a Friday night, they wouldn't be able to stay together overnight. Work was an issue in this relationship, and Baz had to do a lot of it to keep the walls of his flat.
The moment they were sharing at the moment was something that should be crystallized to last forever, placed in a high-security museum where it would be safe for the rest of eternity, to be viewed by people from every place in the world.
Their foreheads were rested upon each other's, their smiles genuine and vibrant and perfect. Both of their hands were clasped together, white as the snow from how strongly they were clutching each other.
They wanted that moment to last forever.