I didn't intend to post this on Valentine's day, it just kind of happened.

Also may God forgive me for doing the opposite of a beach episode.


Chapter 7: Warmth Under Snow


I exhale, my pale white breath visible in front of me despite the darkness of the cabin. My gloved fingers, growing ever colder with every passing moment, claw their way through the insides of the cabinets, searching for anything to help us get through these dire straits.

A blanket, some matches, a lighter… well, any of it would help.

Not that I'm in exact danger for now, but… if it gets any worse, it might get kind of brutal. At least this new coat is helping me keep warm.

"Find anything, Elliot?"

"No, nothing yet." I call back to Lady Noire, er, Noire, as I hear her voice from the other room.

Yep, it's just us in this frozen cabin. It's as every bit as nervewracking as I thought it might be.

…thinking back on it, though, just how did we end up here?


"Doh!"

"Hahahahaha! That's a good look on you!"

"Oh, it is on now!"

I wipe the snow from my face as IF cheerfully laughs, throwing another snowball that pelts me right in the stomach.

"Take me seriously from the sta—gah! Geez, how fast was that one?!"

"Batter up!"

"Whoa, hey!"

IF dodges a pitched snowball by diving, with the snowball flying by and hitting a tree.

"Hey, hey, you can't bully my Iffy like that!"

"Wait, wh—"

I yelp as something leaps onto my back from behind, some small, slender arms embracing me like I was giving someone a piggyback ride, followed by a pair of legs wrapping themselves around my stomach. The sudden weight catches me off guard and sets me off-balance, struggling to stay up.

"He's vulnerable, get him, Iffy!"

"Oi, oi, two on one isn't fai—geez, that's cold!"

There's only giggling from Lady Neptune, currently attached to my back, as some of the snow from IF's snowball finds its way down my coat, sending chills through my whole body. As I shiver, my balance is blown away again, sending both Lady Neptune and I into the snow of the ski resort. I at least manage to fall where she won't be crushed under me, though I get a faceful of snow.

I feel Lady Neptune release me as she pulls her arms out from under me, and I roll onto my back to find her already standing up, dressed in a light purple coat with some actual visible pants for once, as befitting of the weather.

"Good morning, Neptune." I say, getting a fit of snickers from her as she extends a hand. I take it, with Lady Neptune pulling me up.

"Hey, hey~ You guys didn't tell me you'd be here!"

I glance at IF, who only laughs, as if to say "I told you so", before shrugging. "Well, it's been a while since IF and I were able to just hang out, so, you know how it is."

"I told him that somehow, you guys would find me. It always happens."

"Maybe it's fate telling you that you should sign those adoption papers already~"

This time, it's Lady Vert's voice that comes up, with the owner of that voice dressed in a stylish, sleek dark green coat that somehow manages to emphasize her figure despite its puffiness.

Of course, IF's response is to lightly throw a snowball at Lady Vert, the latter of which easily dodges it.

"So, are you two just going to be playing in the snow at the ski resort? I mean, you do know what they specialize in here, right?" Lady Vert asks, looking at IF and I.

"The lifts are kind of crowded at the moment, so we were going to just wait around until it cleared up a bit. Besides, it lets IF work off her cups of hot cocoa."

I can't help but laugh as this time a snowball hits me from the side, IF grumbling. "Shut up, they're really good."

Though, if there's two of them…

"Blanny's helping the twins into their coats."

"Huh?"

Lady Neptune snickers as she looks at me, amusement in her eyes. "You were definitely wondering where Noire was, weren't you?"

"N, no, I was more wondering where Blanc and Noire were. It's odd to see two of you without the other half."

I feel a sense of danger as Lady Neptune, Lady Vert, and IF all exchange a glance, give a single nod, and smile.

Oh.

IF… kind of figured me out already, and with their conversation at the Basilicom the other day…

"I'm sure our little fair lady is checking herself in the mirror again to make sure she looks her best." Lady Vert says, breaking the silence. "Make sure you tell her she's cute, Elliot~"

"Um…"

"We're all over in Tenpen Lodge, so maybe you should go and wait!"

"Wh, er, no, it's fine, Nep—"

I'm given a push from behind, and when I see who it is, it's IF, giving me a smile and a wink. "Go on, Elliot. Besides, we've hung out for a few hours already, right? It's more than enough to satisfy me."

"Oi, at this rate, I'm willing to bet you set me up."

"Hahaha, well, I mean I told you, right? Trouble always finds me. I already made my peace with it. Besides, you must be cold from getting hit with snow all the time. You'll warm right up in her arms, won't youwhoawhoawhoooa!"

IF, unfortunately, manages to recover her balance as I give her a hard shove before breaking into laughter.

"You really do show your embarrassment, huh? Go and get her, tiger."

I only mumble a weak "Shut up", pulling on my red scarf to retighten it and tuck the loose parts under my black coat again as I start the walk back to the cabins.

As I walk there, I pass by Lady Blanc and the twins. It seems Lady Blanc keyed in on what was happening, as she smiled gently at me and wished me good luck, much to the twin's confusion as she hurried them along. Ha…

…I mean, it's not a bad place to pull something like that off, isn't it? In the middle of a winter wonderland, with the shimmering snow and beautiful mountains, it definitely has a good mood to it already.

But… I don't know what I want to do about the shop just yet. I've settled on what my feelings are, but the shop is still a different story. It's horribly complex, but… maybe it's fine to take it one thing at a time.

Trapped in my own thoughts, I don't take long to reach the cabins, and I'm pulled back into reality by the sight of one Lady Noire exiting the log cabin.

Her hair is styled as it always is, but she has on some light grey earmuffs and a matching scarf underneath her shiny black coat. It's not puffy like the coats the other goddesses were wearing, so it matches her figure much more, though she doesn't seem cold in it. To round it off, she has on dark brown pants which the ends are tucked underneath some slim navy blue snow boots.

"Good morning, Noire."

"Oh, good morni—E, Elliot?!"

I move quickly, managing to reach the bottom of the stairs to catch Lady Noire in my arms as she slips, probably not having expected me to be there.

"G… good morning once again, Noire." I manage to breathe out, heart pounding. She smells sweet, like peaches. I guess it's perfume. And I don't think she's wearing makeup, but she already looks quite beautiful.

"G, good morning to you too…"

"O, oh, um… here, I'll help you up."

After helping Lady Noire to her feet, the two of us start walking down the path back towards where the others were.

"I… I didn't expect you to be here."

"Neither did I." I say back with a small smile. "Truthfully, IF and I came here just to hang out, as it had been a while."

"Oh…"

"Er, well, we had made plans about this well before we did that whole news segment, so… it's um, it's been in the works for some time." I say, quickly explaining myself. "But, she went off with the others, so um, hey, I'm… if you wouldn't mind my company, then…"

"Right! I don't mind at all!"

The two of us glance away from each other as we continue walking, trying to figure out what to say next.

"The… the ski lifts are still crowded for now."

"Oh."

"So, erm, there's some walking trails, I think." I say, scratching my chin. "Should we maybe take a walk?"

"That sounds great! Are you ready to go?"

"Of course. Shall we be off?"

"Mhm!"

Lady Noire flashes me a smile, and I feel a little more relaxed. The two of us walk along, mostly staying quiet and just enjoying each other's company. The sky is a little bit darker as we walk along, but I think it's because the snow is coming down a little more.

The trail isn't too complicated, and there's plenty of signposts that should indicate where to go. While it's a full two hours to take the full lap, there's plenty of pathways that let you take a shortcut and cut the lap off early in case something goes wrong. Plus, it's paved, so we shouldn't get lost.

"Um… I'm just glad we got to see each other again. It's been a long time." Lady Noire says, breaking the silence.

"Yeah… I… it was kind of nice to get away from everything, but… I did miss talking with you. I'm pretty behind with Four Goddesses Online, huh?"

"It's okay, I didn't do any runs without you."

"Oh, you didn't have to."

"But I wanted to. It's… it's our thing, right? So, going at it alone wouldn't be right."

"I see… thank you."

Unlike with IF, there's not as much back and forth between us. I think it might be due to how the other goddesses have said Lady Noire isn't as good with expressing her true thoughts, but I'm happy just to be next to her, even without saying anything. When I catch her stealing a glance in my direction, I smile, and she quickly turns her head away.

…is it alright?

I mean…

…there's no one listening out here. The mood is nice, on this beautiful paved stone path, with a light sheen to it with the half-melted snow, and flakes coming down at a good pace. Surrounded by evergreen trees and the chirping of birds, this environment, it's… I could ask, couldn't I? Even if I haven't quite decided how I want to move forward with the shop, this could help, maybe.

My thoughts are interrupted by a rather hard breeze, which shakes a lot of snow off of the trees.

"Blegh…"

I wipe my face as some of the snow got on me, and find Lady Noire doing the same, though it seems like not as much got on her. When she looks over at me, she giggles.

"What's so funny?"

"The snow that fell on you makes you look like you have a funny hat on." She says between snickers, and I immediately start pushing it off of my head. "Oh, hold on, you missed a bit."

The sweet peachy scent of her perfume suddenly invades my senses as Lady Noire steps close, reaching up to the top of my head and brushing the snow off. I think I can feel the snow rapidly melting from how hot my entire body became as I am all too aware of how close she is to me.

"There, I go… got it…"

Lady Noire seems to have become aware of how we're almost pressing on each other as she quickly takes a step back, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Let's keep walking!"

And keep walking, we do, letting the time pass by in the winter wonderland. Though, it doesn't quite last for long, as the clouds start to darken more, and the snow seems to be coming down a little harder.

"Hey, Noire."

"Mhm. You were about to suggest we head back, right?"

"Yeah. I know they called for snow, but this seems like it's starting to pick up. I hope it doesn't become a blizzard."

"Same here. Should we keep going to the next shortcut point, or should we turn back from here?"

"Hmmm… I don't remember the map too well. It's been a while since we've seen one. And we've been walking for about an hour, right? I think if we keep going, we'll be okay. Let's just hurry our pace up."

"That sounds fine."

"Oh, but you can fly, too, right?"

"Mhm," Lady Noire says as we pick up our walking speed. "Though carrying you might be a little dangerous. The extra snow coming down might make it harder to keep a grip on you, and the last thing I want is to drop you in here. Plus, flying with low visibility in the snow is dangerous, too."

"I suppose you're right."

I nearly seize up as I feel something lightly wrap around my arm.

"But… in case we can't see, we… should stick close."

"...yeah. I'll try to keep pace."

It feels like way longer than an hour, and the snow even picked up as we trudged along. The wind also picked up, the once small gusts now being biting howls of wind that make you feel as if you're being pushed back. The worst part was when the wind would blow right in your face, turning every snowflake from a gentle falling wonder into a sharp, cutting blade across your skin.

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard, Elliot?"

"I'm… I'm fine. Just a bit chilly." I say, though with how hard the snow is coming down, it's a little difficult to see Lady Noire's facial expression.

"Don't lie about it. If you feel like you're going to collapse, I'll try to fly us out. It's risky, but it's safer than you freezing out here."

"Mhm… thank you. But it's fine. I think I can still keep going. If we followed the path, then we should be close."

"I hope so… oh!"

"Do you see the lodges?"

"Mmm, no, but it looks like a cottage."

I squint, following Lady Noire's extended arm, and see what looks to be a small house. Following her lead, we walk up to it, and knock on the door.

"Excuse me, is anyone inside?!" I call out, noting how the windows are boarded up from the outside. However, after several seconds, there's no answer.

Though, there's an audible click and creaking, as Lady Noire tried the door.

"It's unlocked."

"Well, no sense looking a gift horse in the mouth." I say, with Lady Noire nodding before stepping inside.

After closing the door behind us, I take a look around. It seems to be some kind of storage or survival cabin, with several red plastic gasoline tanks stored on the shelves as well as boxes. I see some groundskeeping equipment, too, and as we step further into the dark rooms, find something more akin to a living quarters and a small kitchenette with a small stove and microwave.

"We got pretty lucky, didn't we?" I ask, hearing a giggle from Lady Noire.

"If we had been out there for any longer, you would've been in serious danger."

"Only me?"

"I'm a goddess, remember? That kind of cold wouldn't do me in." Lady Noire's look turns a little more serious. "But, for you, it…"

"Thank you for finding this place." I say, cutting her and the oncoming darker mood off. "Should we look around and see if we can't find anything useful? It's still pretty cold in here."

"Yeah, let's do that. Don't push yourself too hard, though. That cold would've sapped a lot of your energy, so take it easy and rest if you have to."

"Alright. Oh, I should check if we can contact anyone…"

I check my phone, but as expected, it looks like the signal's out. At least it'll be good for a flashlight.

With that, the two of us split up, looking around the cabin. It doesn't look like people come here too often, and the sheets are fixed on the beds, with a decent coating of dust on every surface. It seems this place is made for two or so people, as in that bedroom, there are two beds lined up parallel up against the walls, with matching tables.

At least my scarf helps in not sneezing constantly as I poke around, phone in one hand to light the way. I do find a light switch in the bedroom as well, but the lights don't come on. Might as well keep looking…


…I guess that is how we ended up in this situation.

"I found something!"

"What is it?" I ask, heading over to where Lady Noire is. She turns around from the closet she was looking into with a small metallic box that I recognize as a portable heater. "Oh, that's great. I think I saw a plug in the bedroom. The lights don't seem to be working, but maybe there's still electricity."

"I'll look for it. Can you check the kitchen? If there's still electricity, then that microwave in there should work."

"Yeah, I'll go ahead. Let me know if you need help."

"Mhm."

I poke around in the kitchen again, pressing the buttons on the microwave. It beeps, so it's working. That's good. I guess the lights are just broken.

Hmm…

I notice a small pantry and rummage through it, finding some water bottles and a few cans of coffee in a cooler, insulating them from the cold. It's better than nothing.

I take a few of them and walk back to the bedroom, where Lady Noire has already gotten the heater plugged in and set it on a table in the corner, the light red light from the heater providing some light. Additionally, it seems she's fluffed the blankets, or at least shook the dust off of them.

"Thirsty?" I ask, putting the drinks I nabbed on another table. "I have water and coffee."

"Some water would be good." Lady Noire says, sitting on the bed, leaning against the wall, and pulling the blanket over her. "Sit down. You should rest your legs."

"Oh, right." I say, handing her a water bottle.

"...h, here."

"Hm?" I ask, turning around after having moved to plop down on the other bed.

I see Lady Noire curled up, her face buried in her knees as she uses her right hand to pat the space next to her.

As I cautiously move, Lady Noire pulls up the blanket, allowing me to slide underneath as I sidle up next to her, both of us looking towards the red light of the heater.

"...sorry."

"Huh?" I ask, feeling Lady Noire suddenly lean her head into me.

"It's just… you were here with IF to hang out, right? And because I was here, you ended up stranded out here."

"...it's fine." I mumble, seeing my own breath forming in front of me. "...I don't mind being here with you."

"You're not just saying that?"

"I'm not. I… also really missed time with you, N, Noire. Even if it was… kind of unorthodox, I'm glad we can spend some time together. And even more so that we don't have to worry about the press seeing it or theorizing about it."

I hear Lady Noire giggle, or maybe laugh as she shakes next to me. "That's true. We might not be able to do much, but… we are out of sight of everyone for a while."

"Yeah…"

"...they're still probably worried about us, though."

"Mmm. I just wish there was a way to tell them that we're fine."

"IF is going to give us a long lecture, isn't she?"

I can't help but laugh at that. "It's okay, I'll make sure it's not too long. Besides, she'll probably just be happy that you found this place for us. And if not, then… I can at least stall her long enough for you to get away."

I get a light nudge to the ribs, but hear a snort of amusement from Lady Noire to that.

"I wouldn't leave you behind, Elliot. I, um… want to be there. With you."

"Oh… th, thanks…"

A strange sort of silence then falls over us, and it seems the realization of the situation really starts to set in. No one… is going to be here for quite some time, huh.

"...hey."

"Yeah?" I ask, hearing Lady Noire suddenly break the silence.

"What… do you think of me?"

That's… a landmine of a question if I ever heard one. This could… this could be it.

Even if I'm not ready to make a move with my shop, or if I've yet to decide what to do about it, I don't… think I have the heart to cut her off now. It might be a mistake, but… I don't have the strength to stop it.

Lady Noire quickly tucks her head into her knees, hiding her face after about two seconds. "I-it, it's fine if you don't answer, it was a weird question, so don't—"

"No, sorry, I just… I want to make sure I word this right."

I take a few breaths, trying to figure out the words I want to say. But, after a few seconds, realize that it's probably better just to ramble, because… I don't want to feel like I'm picking the words that she wants to hear.

"...Noire, if I say anything strange, it's because I'm just saying whatever comes to mind, okay? I… want to be honest, and not make it look like I'm telling you what you want to hear or something like that."

"Mhm. I get it."

I inhale, then exhale, and begin just… talking.

"...to be honest, right now… I, I think of you sometimes as Lady Noire, still, even though you've asked me to call you just Noire. But one day, I'd like to think of you as just Noire. It's a long road, but sometimes I think of you that way, and I hope the day comes when it's no longer a struggle to do so."

"I see…"

I can't tell for certain if that was a good "I see" or a bad "I see". But, it becomes irrelevant, as Lady Noire…no, Noire, leans further into me.

"...and… what do you think about me?" I ask back, feeling my voice trembling.

"...is it okay if I say something weird, too?"

"Sure."

"...I… I think of you as someone I'm so happy to have met. So much so that I… want to drink the first pot of coffee you make, every day."

It's a weird thing to think of me, isn—

Wait, wasn't that…?

As I turn to face Noire, I see her try to bury her head even further in her knees, but it's futile as there's only so far she can bend.

"...hey, was that…"

There's only the sound of Noire mumbling something, her words muffled by the blanket.

After a few moments, I can clearly hear her.

"...I can't do it."

I want to say something, but choose not to, as she continues.

"...it's just impossible, after all. Even if I want to say it, it's just… if I came right out and said it, everything that could happen right afterwards… is too frightening. Even fighting things that could end the world and everyone I care for in it wasn't as scary."

I push down every urge to comfort her, remembering IF's words all the way back then.

"It's more that… Noire has a hard time being honest with herself? Yeah, that's a better way."

If she's going to let this all out, then there's no better time for me to shut up.

"...but just saying that one little phrase to you is just… too much."

Noire falls silent after that.

…in cases like these, isn't it when the guy should take the lead?

Even if I'm not sure what I want to do with the shop. Even if I'm not sure if I'll be able to carry it out. Even if… this ends up being a mistake… I will never know unless I try.

"...Noire. I… also have a phrase I'd like to say to you."

I see her turn her head, and I give a small, comforting smile.

"...I think I'm just as scared. Because if I say it, everything will change. There won't be a way for us to pretend that I never said it. And if… the future that comes after I say it isn't the one I was looking for, then… the fear of that is really powerful." I pause, then take a breath. "But… one day, I want to be able to say those words to you without fear."

Underneath the blanket, my left hand finds her right, gently lying on top of it as if to pin her down.

"...and I think, Noire, that… the words we want to say match each others'."

With her head in her knees, facing towards me, her eyes suddenly widen.

"So, um… I'd like to hear them. To make sure they really match."

La… no, Noire, sits up, looking at me with surprise in her eyes.

"You weren't even there that long with Vert, but this is completely her fault, isn't it?"

I tilt my head and smile just a little bit, remembering that night in the park. "Not completely."

"Then… I…"

Lady Noire pauses, glancing away towards the heater before shaking her head and looking into my eyes. Her normal fierceness has returned, determination aflame in them. I slowly nod, letting her know I'm ready to listen.

"...I like you, Elliot. Please go out with me."

"I feel the same way, Noire, so please treat me well."

I hear an audible exhale from Noire as she collapses into me, embracing me at the same time. I cautiously move my hands up and hug her back, pulling her closer into me. It feels like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. Knowing that your feelings are returned… haaa…

"I don't know who I should thank," I hear Noire half-choke out. "Everyone I meet would always thank us, the goddesses, for when their confessions would turn out well, but… for me, a goddess, who should I thank?"

"It's fine to thank yourself, isn't it? It was due to your own effort that things could happen."

I get another nudge to the ribs for that. I suppose that hanging around Lady Vert for too long has changed a few of my habits. Or perhaps, meeting Melanie reawakened the kind of foolishness I would get up to in high school.

After a few minutes, we settle into a more comfortable position, with Noire's head tucked between my shoulder and head, and my head resting on her own.

"...you have no idea how happy I am." I hear her say.

"I think I do." I say back, smiling as we stare into the heater. "...after all, there's no way you're happier than me."

I nearly flinch as underneath the blankets, I can feel Noire's hand reach my own. Then, our fingers interlock, with Noire giving my fingers a light squeeze.

"...I wish I could give you a dance, but it's too cold."

I hear Noire giggle at that before she speaks, amusement in her voice. "Then, when we get back to the lodge… give me a dance, okay?"

"If you'd be willing to dance with me, then very well."

There's nothing but silence, after that, as the two of us simply wait. The steady glow of the heater, the howling of the wind, and the sensation of intertwined fingers keep me awake, even if I'd like to just close my eyes for a bit and rest.

That, and with how hard my heart is pumping, there's no way I could just drift off.

I'm not quite sure how much time passed, but it was long enough that we both noticed the wind no longer being as loud.

"...should we check it out?" I ask, feeling Noire press into me.

"...five more minutes."

I can't help but laugh. "I think… the lodge has a bit of a more comfortable bed for this."

"But the others are there."

"True enough." I pause. "Are we going to tell them?"

"Well, you are pretty bad with lying… but, I think they'll find out."

"I think everyone's going to find out in a week, tops."

"I won't have any issues, but I know it might be kind of stressful on you. After all, you'll have to deal with the brunt of it…"

"I'll survive. Besides, I don't… want to keep hiding and running anymore."

I feel my hand get squeezed under the blankets. I turn my head down and see Noire looking up at me, a small smile on her face.

"Don't hesitate to rely on me. I know you really dislike having to ask for help."

"I'll try my best."

"—ot! —re!"

Both of us take a second glance at each other as we hear some familiar voices calling out our names, just faintly in the distance.

"...well, let's not give them any teasing material." Noire mumbles, slowly peeling off the blanket.

"Let's make sure to clean up as well. It might turn out that this place was being used by someone else."

"Oh, right."

After setting everything back where we found it, I open the front door, where the snow is no longer falling. I gesture with my head for Noire to take the lead, waiting for her to exit before I do so. As soon as I close the door, though, something wraps around my left hand.

When I look at Noire, I find her head turned away, the red very, very visible on her cheeks as she uses her left hand to scratch her cheek.

"...they were going to find out, right?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

The two of us walk, side by side, utterly self-conscious about our held hands. I try to focus on the sunlight starting to peek through the clouds, causing the snow to almost sparkle as we press on. It's only a few more seconds before some familiar silhouettes come into view.

"There you two are!" IF yells, getting the attention of Lady Vert, Lady Neptune, Lady Blanc, and the twins. "Where were you two!? We were worried sick!"

"We got caught in the blizzard, but found what looked to be a storage shed." I explain, with IF sighing. "How far are we from the lodges?"

"It's only like, five more minutes. I don't blame you, though. That blizzard was crazy. I'm just glad you're saf—"

IF doesn't finish as Lady Ram shrieks, causing everyone to flinch and turn to her. She hops up and down, unable to voice something, but clearly is pointing at us.

I put on a smile as the others put the pieces together, the concern fading away, and realize that Noire and I are holding hands.

"So, who popped the question first~?" Lady Vert asks, and with how the grip of Noire's hand changes, I think she's already regretting this. Maybe them discovering one at a time is fine, but… all of them together is… different.

"Oh, lay off of them, Vert. At least, until we're inside. They'll melt the mountain at this rate." IF says, with Noire and I remaining silent, unless we want to dig ourselves deeper into a hole.

"...shall we go?" I mumble, with Noire nodding.

Under watchful eyes, the two of us walk, hand in hand, back towards the ski lodges. Though, it does look like the tabloid press has caught wind of the fact the goddesses are here. I can already spot a few cameras.

"Hey, we can—"

"No." I mutter, interrupting IF, before shaking my head. "I… Noire, if you're fine with it, then, I won't be afraid."

She turns her head up at me and smiles. "I'm fine with it. It'll be just like the gala, right?"

I ignore a wolf whistle from Lady Ram and Lady Neptune, the two of us striding across the snow, towards the entrance of the ski lodge areas.

It all erupts into noise as soon as it becomes visibly apparent that we're holding hands. Even some everyday folks turn their heads, as if checking that it's real. IF does her best to clear us a path forward, waving people off as we make our way to the lodge I originally picked Noire up from.

She acts as a bodyguard, temporarily stopping people from entering, allowing us to get inside the lodge, and more importantly, to the suite that Lady Neptune and Noire are staying in, which thankfully has a common area where I can warm up. Plus, it's connected to Lady Vert and Lady Blanc's suite, allowing all four of them to connect.

As soon as the door is closed up, IF slips out, saying she'll go grab me some spare clothes from my suitcase while I warm up. There's no open fire in the suites, but the heat is nice, plus there's several packets of instant hot chocolate which will help warm us up. I quickly get around to preparing those, making several cups for everyone who's here. Once I'm done, I load them all up onto a tray.

"Noire~"

Noire yelps as Lady Vert wraps her arms around her, with the latter using her height to slowly drag Lastation's goddess over to their side.

"W-what is it?! And stop pulling me!"

"Girls' talk~"

"N, wait, Elliot, help!"

"Um…" I hold up a mug. "Lady Vert, hot chocolate?"

"I'll come get it from you later. And there's no escape, you know, Noire. We can do this now, or we can come to your Basilicom later~"

"Mghghgmghm…!"

Wordlessly complaining, Lady Noire stops her struggle and then holds out a hand.

"Hot chocolate."

I move over and hold the tray out, letting Noire take her mug before she's carted off by Lady Vert.

"And Elliot? No eavesdropping~"

I reply immediately. "Understood."

Lady Vert giggles as the door to the adjacent suite closes behind them. With a sigh, I put the tray down on a table as I hear the door to ours open. From the hallway, IF enters before closing the door, carrying a backpack.

"Not sure if you were going to stay the night in here, with how much noise is out there." IF says, putting the backpack on one of the seats.

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"You set us up, didn't you?"

"Ehh…"

"Neptune might not have known, but the way Vert and Blanc were reacting… just be honest with me, okay? I won't get angry."

IF scratches her cheek with her right hand, turning away. "Okay, I may have dropped a few hints."

I sigh. "You know, this was supposed to be our thing, right?"

IF moves her hand to start rubbing the back of her head. "I know, I know! But it's just, I mean, look, I've known Noire's wanted to pop the question for a while. And um, I thought it would be best to do it away from prying eyes, you know? So I let Vert and Blanc know, and the rest kind of just cascaded. I didn't mean to ruin our hangout, but… I mean, it's good practice, right?"

"Huh?"

"You're moving the shop, right? I mean, it seems a little silly to be dating Noire and then… not move the shop. You gotta spread your wings." IF pauses, looking at me. "Oh, come on, Elliot. Don't give me that look. We're still going to be friends, you know. I just won't be able to drop by the shop every day. A little bit of distance won't stop our friendship."

"Yeah, but my old friends…"

"There was that whole business with Melanie, right? That you two used to date, and then split up. So, of course that's going to introduce some rifts that take a while to heal. But it's not like it for us. We're totally in sync, aren't we?"

I sigh, with IF laughing in response.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself here. I'm really rooting for the two of you and couldn't let this go."

"I get it, it's just… if you knew that we're going to not be able to hang out as much anymore, we could've cherished it a bit more."

IF sadly smiles at that, sitting against the back of a couch. "True enough. I can't really argue against that. I'm sorry. I really did mean the best."

"I know, it's why I can't be angry. But… thanks. It feels good to know you've got my back."

IF's smile turns happier, and she flashes a thumbs up at me. "Don't worry, I always will. Just one request, though."

"What is it?"

"Let me be the best man at the wedding."

I snort in amusement, finding the idea so hilarious I can't really be embarrassed.

"What? I mean, who else are you going to pick? Well, maybe Gregory."

"Haaaa… I guess you're right. Gregory would probably yell at me to pick someone closer to my age, though. But I have one condition."

"What's that?"

"I'm your best man for when you get hitched with Compa."

"Oh, come on, ugh, like I haven't heard that one a hundred times!" IF grumbles, scowling at the ceiling. Though, she suddenly smiles, instantly putting me on the defensive. "Though, it means oooone thing."

"Huh?"

IF saunters up to me, still smiling as she puts a finger on my chest, and I instinctively lean back.

"It means you're planning to get married to her, right? If you're going to ask that you be my best man so that I'll be yours, it means that marriage is in the future. I won't let you take that back, now, so take responsibility for your words."

"...I can see now, that you and Vert really were good friends."

IF laughs stepping back and laughing. "Well, I guess that means Nep's sleeping with me tonight."

"Huh?"

"I mean, Nep and Noire usually room together. It'd be a shame to split the couple up." She pauses, snickering. "Unless, you know, you want to share a bed with her, like how she invited you to during the gala."

"T-there was a spare couch in her room!"

"Did you check if that was the case?"

"N, no…"

"Hmhmm, I wonder~"

"You are having too much fun with this." I grumble as IF lets out another hearty laugh.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just, I'm usually on the receiving end of this, you know? People bugging me at work about, 'Oh, you get along so well with Jason from that team', and all of that. It's fun to be on the other side. That, and we all kind of figured out a long time ago, you know?"

"I certainly didn't."

"The signs were kind of there, though."

"It's… well, it's… when you like someone, you don't know if what they show back to you is just their way of expressing friendship, if they were just being kind to you and you're misinterpreting it, or if they really like you."

"Oh…" IF puts a hand on her chin and another on her hip, adopting a thinking position. "I didn't think of it that way. I've never really liked someone romantically, so I wouldn't know that kind of fear. It does sound kind of scary, since I've seen it happen a lot where people can't really be the same after someone admits they like them."

"Yeah… so when you risk the friendship and comfortable distance you have, it's very frightening."

"I see… well, you've always been a brave guy when it mattered, so I'm glad you didn't back away this time." IF says, an encouraging grin on her face. "But, congrats. It's going to be a rough road from here on out, but I'm sure you'll see it through. You always do."

"Thanks. If you've got my back, then I think I'll be able to really push through for her."

"Heh, 'for her'. It's a nice thing to hear, and it also means I totally won several bets at work."

"It's always a bet with you, isn't it…"

But, it's nice to know that everyone's been supportive of this. I'd feel like this was a lot more of a struggle than it already was, if the other goddesses had been opposed.

Though, I really do wonder what they're talking about…


It takes so long for them to finish "girl's talk" that IF ends up having to go down and get dinner for everyone and then have it be brought up. IF also goes into the bedrooms and grabs some clothes for Lady Neptune, winking at me as she leaves for the other suite.

After IF enters the other suite, Noire awkwardly shuffles forward, with Lady Vert escorting her with her hands on Noire's shoulders. She lets out a cute yelp as she's pushed forward by Lady Vert, where I catch her.

"She's all yours, Elliot~ And remember, use pro—"

"NYAGHA!"

Noire lets out a strangled, indescribable scream as she shoves Lady Vert back through the door and shuts the door, panting.

"Um, good evening, Noire."

"H, hi…!"

"I'll… get you some more hot chocolate."

"Mhm… I'm going to go take a shower."

"Right."

It's about ten more minutes before Noire comes back out in her pajamas, and I put the tray with hot chocolate on the table, along with a cup of marshmallows next to it.

"Thanks, Elliot."

"No problem." I say, sitting on the couch next to the table, facing the TV. "Want to watch something?"

"Mhm. Though, I think I already know what's going to be on." Noire says with a bit of a smile as she plops down next to me.

…she smells nice. Really, really nice. I mean, I know I had Melanie in high school, but it's been years, so… did all women smell this nice? I mean, I had hung out with IF for a while, but I don't think IF ever smelled this swe—

Steady, Elliot. Control yourself.

"The speculation might be good for a laugh. Want me to grab a blanket first, then?"

"Mhm. I'll find a good channel in the meantime."

I nod, getting up from the couch and venturing off into the bedrooms. I quickly deduce which one is Lady Neptune's based on the color of the suitcases, and take the blanket from that bed, not bothering to fold it as I drag it back to the living room. Noire sees me and takes it, spreading out the blanket and patting the excess area next to her.

After sliding underneath the blanket, Noire tucks her head against my shoulder as we look at the TV, where the evening talk shows are still talking about the bombshell we dropped today.

"It's going to be a very rough Monday, isn't it?" I ask, Noire giggling.

"Do your best."

"Haaaa…"

"Don't worry. I'm sure Neptune will do something to help out."

"Is that what you guys were talking about?"

"Part of it."

"Oh, I see."

"...though, hey."

"Yeah?"

"This isn't a dream, right?"

"If it is, then I hope I don't wake up, either."

"—pair were spotted at the ski lodge, returning after the sudden blizzard—here, yes, here, you can spot them holding hands right here—"

"—did anyone really doubt, though? During Elliot's interview, they already seemed like they were a thing…"

"Maybe they just weren't ready to come out about it?"

Noire and I share a small chuckle before we sip on our hot chocolate. While my phone is on mute, now, I'm sure I will come back to a flurry of messages that I will certainly not be in any rush to reply to.

The time ticks on after that, and soon enough, the sun finally fully goes down. Though, neither of us feel like getting up from the couch to turn the lights on, leaving only the TV as a source of light. To compensate, we turn down the brightness of the TV.

Though, my shoulder is getting kind of numb, but… it's fine.

"...we're going to have to go back on Serena's show, aren't we?" I ask, with Noire giggling in response.

"It's going to be a mess, that's for sure. It was only a few weeks ago."

"Haha, yeah. Everyone already thought we were an item, so the teasing is going to be even worse. They'll probably ask us to dance again."

"Just dance? I wouldn't be surprised if they want us to hug each other or k… k, ki…"

Noire stops, turning her head so her face is buried in my shoulder. It's rather warm, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why she's blushing.

"It's fine, we just have to be firm and say we're taking it easy."

"...you got pressured into dancing last time."

"Okay, well, I wasn't as firm as I should've been."

"You're going to cave, I know it."

"...then should we be ready?"

I don't need the blanket anymore, as Noire's temperature shoots up, and the warmth on my shoulder floods the rest of my body.

"...sorry." I mumble.

"N, no, it's… that's what couples do, right?"

"W-well, it was too forward of me. We only just started going out today."

"...maybe another day."

"...maybe."

We continue to watch the television, continuing to be amused by all of the speculation, but eventually change off to some late-night reruns of old sitcoms. I get up to make hot chocolate a few times, with the mugs taking up more and more space on the table in front of us, though after a while we get a little sick of hot chocolate and just opt for cups of milk to balance it out.

"Hey, Noire, I still owe you a dance, but should we go to bed soon?" I ask, tilting my head to look over at Noire as the time hits one in the morning. But, there's no response. Ah, she's fallen asleep.

"Well, I guess you've made your choice already."

I can barely feel my shoulder now, but it's fine. I lean my head on top of Noire's, gently, as not to wake her. I guess I'll go to bed as well.

It might be chilly outside, but right now in my heart, there's a warmth that can't be beaten.


Took me a few tries to get this chapter feeling right, but ultimately I think I was happy with how it went. I wanted to go for something completely the opposite of the beach episode that is the parallel of this chapter in the original, and well, here we are, at a ski resort. Definitely not stolen from Persona 4 Golden.

Anyways, I wanted to go for a few things in this chapter. I wanted not to go for something mega-dramatic like the confession with IF, so instead I shot for a more quiet, down to earth confession where it was just Noire and Elliot playing that game of trying to shuffle around the question. Sort of to have Noire be in a weak moment, where she's really close to having what she wants, but her inability to voice it properly comes back to bite her, with Elliot taking the lead.

Everything after that was really easy to write, with just some fun moments between everyone. IF constantly hinting to Elliot moving the shop was also another thing I wanted to emphasize, as it's very different to the original where Elliot is constantly conflicted, with IF's hidden desire for Elliot keeping her from fully committing. Here, on the other hand, I had her keep pushing for Elliot's happiness and to do what she thinks he needs to do.

Honestly part of me was like "We could shoot for something with the same low-tone drama the original had", but after I put the Noire fans through the wringer, I think I've thoroughly decided to keep this story much more upbeat and with a lot less of the drama. I think it's fine just to have an easy-going romcom for once, and I have adjusted my plans accordingly. Obviously there's still a plotline to follow, but I don't think it'll get quite as dramatic compared to the aftermath of the chapter "Midnight Swan".

But, as always, thanks for reading. See you all next time!