The story of Steven and Brendan's meeting, while they were attending college. For my beautiful Ruthy.
Prologue
It was the time of the year when the trees were already covered with the frost, slightly, and, rarely, a pallid ray of winter sun greeted the colourless and barren earth. The air was cool, for the early clouds of snow were carried along by the northern winds; moreoften it could be seen that the light mist fell out of them, - such a great opportunity for a midday or morning scrotch on a dry, chilly morning.
So it was not an unusual thing to notice, on the one of such mornings, when two figures were walking in the almost empty park, inhaling a scent of an early winter and enjoying the company of each other.
"Do you remember how we met for the first time?" asked the dark-haired man in the long coat, observing the landscape around him. A little smile lingering upon his lips.
"This memory is vivid, still."
An immediate response came out from his companion, and then he heard the small light chuckle.
It's started snowing, few moments later as the pair approached one of the park's benches.
"Your gloves?" asked, worriedly the man with bluish grey eyes, seeing as the other fellow rubbed his hands.
"I forgot them."
In the next minute, the pair of warm hands covered the cold ones.
What could this sentiment mean to an occasional witness? Rather he'd admit that nothing happened in particular and peer at them one more time before dissappear than give them the most disapproval look and contemplate the meddling.
Only them, perhaps few more people from their round, would know of what was kept, behind those careful glances and almost unseen touches.
"How beautiful the icy cover of the trees in accompany to the pond's mere water, isn't it so?"
"Always been."
