A/N

Last update for today!

We're not naked —not yet. Our limbs tangled, our faces close, our smiles wide.

We've been this way for a long time.

"Does this make you my … girlfriend?" he asks, wide eyes filled with mirth.

I can't help but chuckle. "Have you had a girlfriend before?"

He nods. "In second grade. Her name was Claire. It was hot. We even held hands." He looks sad for a second, pouty. "But then she shared her Pringles with Kevin at lunch and that was it. It was too much for me to bear."

I laugh, shoving his shoulder lightly. "I'd share my Pringles with you."

His answering laugh widens my own smile. "Please tell me that was a euphemism."

"Why?" I ask, raising an eyebrow, smirking. "Because once you pop, you can't stop?"

He groans in second-hand embarrassment and rolls so he's facing the ceiling, his shoulder shaking. "That's the corniest shit I've ever heard!"

A thud outside catches our attention, a large pile of snow sliding from the roof, settling outside his window.

"Shit, that snow is something else." Sitting, I look towards the window and the steady fall of large, fluffy snowflakes. "I love the snow," I whisper wistfully.

"Me too." Shifting to sit behind me on the bed, he pulls me back, against his chest. I settle comfortably, both of us facing the window. "Emma and I used to lie in bed and make bets on who'd be able to make the biggest snowman in the morning …"

I shift to look at him over my shoulder, smiling softly, urging him to keep talking about his sister, to tell me more.

He swallows hard, not meeting my gaze and chuckles softly, lost in his memories. "It used to get so cold in our house. We'd sneak out of our room and steal our parents' coats from the hallway. We'd shove our legs in the sleeves, struggling to keep warm, but …" clearing his throat, his expression flitters between soft and pained. "It never really mattered that the house was freezing, we'd keep our minds off it by talking about the fun we'd have in the morning, when we could play in it —if we were allowed. We were dreaming I guess. Escaping reality for a moment … Emma was always so optimistic. I think I was too … back then."

I can't take my eyes off him. Moments like this, when he's so open, giving me flashes of who he truly is; they're so few and far between that although his memories are painful, they're beautiful too.

Reaching up, I cup his face gently, pulling it towards me. Our kiss is tender, soft.

"We should definitely build snowmen tomorrow," I tell him, pulling away slightly, barely.

He smiles gently in reply.

"You still haven't told me much about the dance," he deflects. I decide no to call him out, grateful for the moment he just shared with me; taking what he gives, no longer pushing for more.

I shrug. "Kinda' boring. I couldn't think of anything else but you."

His arms tighten around my torso, his head dipping to kiss my shoulder. "I wish I could feel bad about that."

"No you don't," I chuckle.

"No … you're right. I don't."

—-

A/N

Thanks for reading!