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I'd heard of the “First snowfall is the most magical” saying before, but I didn't think I was prepared for this. Thank Merlin Oliver's not the most rambunctious toddler.
He definitely let me know, though. He tugged on my leg as I was making lunch and pointed out the glass doors towards the deck.
At first, I didn't think much to look outside in assumption that he'd just seen our cat, Sekhmet (or as Oliver calls her, Se) take down a robin or something. What I wasn't expecting, though, was the rapid pickup of sudden snow.
I know the forecast's been calling for it, but it's much heavier than anticipated and there's ridiculous amounts of it.
He's tugging my leg as I gawk, trying to go through my mental checklist of house supplies (in case we're completely snowed in) before it hits me. Baz planned to stay in his office after hours tonight for student help. Shit.
With one arm I'm picking up Oliver and dialing Baz with the other. As I stand near the window, Ollie's hand outstretched and pressed to the fogging window curiously, the phone rings robotically in my ear. Eventually, he picks up.
“What is it, love?”
“Have you looked outside?”
There's a smile in Baz's voice. “It's snow, Snow . I quite know what it looks like.’
Well, it mustn't have picked up there, then. “It’s getting heavy at home, love. I don't know how long until it's a whiteout.”
“Shit-I'll cancel my afternoon class and head home. Should I pick up anything on my way?”
“If the stores aren't packed, some rock salt would be fantastic. If not, just get home.”
As he and I exchange our quick “I love you"s, Oliver's patting against the window and grabbing towards the snow in excitement. His hand rests against the glass, fog clouding rapidly around it as he tries to wiggle forward. “Cold,” he whispers surely, glancing back to me for some kind of reassurance. I chuckle.
“Very cold, darling. Good job.”
He beams with pride, patting the window a couple more times before he tugs on my hand and urging me to touch the window. I do so, feeling the chilled glass under my palm as his hand wraps around my index finger.
“Cold.”
My face quickly presses to his hair, kissing his head as I nod. “Do you want to go out and see it?” He nods quickly, eyes wide and grin pushing across his cheeks.
The door cracks open slowly, a rushing blast of cold wind hitting us. With a squeak, Oliver turns his head into my chest and clings to me. I press onwards.
Half-shutting the door behind us, I slowly step further onto the deck, finally hitting the stairs and the edge of the overhang. Oliver shivers in my arms, peering out to take a peek. It’s funny to watch him freeze as a snowflake slowly floats down and tickles his arm, melting on the spot. He seems unsure. He seems scared.
It throws me back to my first snowfall after I'd got out of the homes. I usually wasn't allowed out, for one reason or another. So, when the a big storm hit Watford in our first year, Penny and I snuck out into the Courtyard and sat in the center. Snow fell into our hair and melted onto our faces. She got tired of it quickly, but I never wanted to leave.
I'd never breathed as easily as I did that night.
No weight of hot magick, no restrictions of the daytime's rules. The moon shimmering off the white blanket and the chill of the ice made me wish that I could live like that forever.
When I look at Oliver now, he just seems somewhat transfixed on it. Perhaps he's a twinge scared of it, cuddling closer for warm and shielding from the wind. Without a second thought, I close my wings around us both and step out into the snowfall.
Flakes slowly start to gather on Oliver and I’s heads as the frozen ground crunches beneath my socked feet. Oliver’s eyes close at first before opening and peering up into the sky, face breaking into a smile at it. Hands outstretched, he tries to grab at the falling snow unsuccessfully. I shift him, propping him with one arm to my side and brushing his hair back with my other hand as I grin.
“We have to wait for it to collect, sweet pea,” I say softly, scrunching my nose at him as he pouts a bit. “Don’t worry, there should be enough to hold soon.”
He scrunches his nose back and tries to look around before reaching to the top of my wing and trying to tug them down to see. I drag one wing down, letting him peer over top at our backyard. There’s just a dusting covering the trees and grass, but it's growing to the picturesque scenery I could've only dreamt up years ago.
After a few minutes, Oliver tugs at my sleeve. “Cold.”
I nod my head before carrying him back inside, followed by Sekhmet, who'd obviously had enough cold as well.
I set up the fireplace, closing and latching the glass doors to it before going off to make hot chocolate. By the time I'm finishing up, the storm's fully picking in and Baz pulls up. A bit of snow kicks up into the house as he steps inside and takes off his coat, making a first stop to check on Oliver. I listen to him speaking to Oliver for a few minutes, asking about the book he's reading and his day before making it to the kitchen.
When he comes to kiss me, he smells like the wind.
“Home in one piece then,” I whisper against his lips, hands pressed to his chest and starting to peel away his blazer. He slides it off, folding it over his arm before leaning down to kiss my neck.
He lifts off me after a second, pecking my cheek before standing upright. “Hot cocoa?”
My hand rests on his arm, rubbing up and down slowly as I nod. “Ollie and I went out to check out the storm at the beginning, so this is to warm us up. Your’s is in your usual mug.” That deserves me a proper kiss.
“Thank you, my love.”
I smile, leaning into it for a moment. “Did you cancel tomorrow's classes?”
He nods, arm circling my waist. “Emails sent out.” Kiss. “Who knows?” Kiss. “Might cancel the next day's.” Kiss kiss. “Stay snowed in for the rest of the week.”
“I'd like that.”
“Mm, bet you would.”