Light snow fell, but stopped piling up for five or so more days before it stopped entirely, giving the rest on the ground a chance to settle and melt. Even afterwards, Ivan had left only once to retrieve some extra food from his house across the street via path broken off the firewood trail in your back yard. He had trudged up on top of the snow to his home and returned as soon as he could with more cans of soup and non-perishable food stuffs.
You two had grown close from your situation, creating a tight bond between you. A new feeling had begun to form between you and the tall Russian in the most recent few days, a feeling you had only seen described in romance novels. You smiled at the sight if his face, and laughed together. You were happy just to be near him.
Simply gazing into his gorgeous violet eyes while he stared back into yours was a feeling that couldn't be paralleled.
One morning, you found a moment bandaging Ivan's back interrupted by a startling noise. You peeked from over his shoulder away from the patchwork of gauze pads being placed on his back over the nearly healed wound towards the sound. A short silence was broken by the noise again.
"Is…is that door" Ivan's voice was full of disbelief.
"I…I think it is!" You taped down the final gauze pad and got up off the couch where you had been patching the Russian up. The front door gave an impatient triplet of knocks. As you approached, two familiar voices could be heard from outside, muffled but still audible.
"…you git! She might be busy!"
"Dude, don't tell me to calm down, bro! You see this crazy snow! It's so friggin' cold! What if she's like stuck in ice and is like…frozen alive or something! Like a caveman!"
"Alfred, you—None of that is even possible let alone likely. I'm sure she fine!"
The two voices argued only for a split second longer as you opened the door to reveal two familiar men standing in waist-high snow. Your old neighbors had come to visit.
Alfred's blue eyes lit up behind his glasses as he turned to ignore the other's last line. A big, silly grin bloomed across his face, his breath's fog surrounding him. In a split second he went from hugging himself for warmth to hugging you for affection and joy, his usual greeting. "Dude, _! You're totally alive!"
On the right, Arthur's emerald eyes were filling with hidden relief, and a sigh was the only audible note of disappearing concern before he immediately scolded Alfred for being too forward in a greeting as per usual in your meet-ups.
Both voices, Arthur's first and then Al's quieted down as Ivan opened the door wider to inspect the new visitors, still shirtless and his violet eyes filled with curiosity. You felt Al hug you tighter defensively; not a surprise from your closest friend.
"...Bro, who's this?"
Arthur was dumbstruck at the height and build of the Russian, silenced by intimidation.
"Oh! Hello! I am Ivan." Your temporary roommate introduced himself with a smile to your friends-slash-old-neighbors. "Are you wanting to come in? Open door is letting all warm air out into cold."
"U-uh, right!" You led them into your house.
Introductions were made, and, though Alfred was skeptical at first, he and Arthur warmed up to Ivan rather quickly. The two of you, more you than Ivan, recounted the entire story of the blizzard. Your being alone, Ivan visiting, the firewood, Ivan's injury…Your becoming friends. You may have added a few exaggerations too many, because Arthur chuckled as the tale came to a close, ending with his and Alfred's visit.
"Sounds like you two have had quite the time…and seem to have gotten rather close, hmm?"
You smiled and nodded, the blush on your cheeks not escaping his notice. Any sense of sentiment was immediately dashed as Alfred coveredhis story about the treacherous drive to your house.
Smiles and laughter filled the house, followed by electricity.
Al left to the car, then brought in some burgers he had made and kept warm on the heated seats, and you were glad to eat something that wasn't canned soup.
Between your friends, meeting Ivan, and the heating, you were simply overjoyed.
Not only that…but you knew you would never be alone again.