Archive of Our Own

Izuku Midoriya tugged on the straps of his bag for probably the hundredth time. He's now long gone from his village, far away from anywhere that could provide him with extra supplies. Not that there's a real concern for that. He made sure to pack everything he could have needed and more before going on this mountain trek. Perhaps a little too much if the ache in his back had anything to say about it. He shook off the pain, not giving it any thought. Out of sight, out of mind, after all. Plus, he trained for this. He spent a whole year training with a former mountain explorer for this adventure. He knew what to do. Those sleepless planning nights weren't for nothing, after all.

As he pushed up the uncharted path, Izuku couldn't help but feel excited. He hadn’t even reached his destination, and yet had gone further up this mountain than anyone ever had before. He reminded himself that he’d need to stop later to record some notes to bring back home with him. The mountain was beautiful, with flourishing flora lightly decorated with frost and fantastical fauna wearing wonderful white coats of fur. Everything here seemed to come right from the pages of a winter wonderland.

Just the location a queen of ice would live.

He looked up at the sky, trying to judge what time of day it was. Well past noon, the sun no longer at its peak. A quick look at his pocket watch confirmed that it was indeed late afternoon. He judged that he could probably make it further along the mountain before he would need to stop for the night.

Eventually he came across a huge cluster of rocks and ice that acted as a gate of sorts. But what could it be guarding? Whatever the reason might be, Izuku inspected the wall for notable cracks before pulling out a chisel. There was one, a crack between two boulders just large enough for a fox to get through. He started tapping one of the boulders with the chisel, wearing it down enough so that its surface was littered with cracks. It doesn't take much effort for him to slam into the rock a few times and shake the fragments free.

With the hole large enough to enter, he dipped in and emerged out on the other side. If he thought the mountain was elegant before, then he must have stepped into Heaven. It seemed like everything the snow touched was sparkling and shimmering like a bag of diamonds. The white blanket was so pristine, appearing so soft that Izuku was tempted to jump into it, but he restrained himself. He didn't come here to play in the snow; he came to see if the legends were true.

Most people at the village called him a madman for searching for the truth behind the tale. A woman up in the heart of the mountains that ruled over winter? Simply the stuff of fairytales, something to tell kids before they go to sleep. But Izuku couldn't let the story go. Something in him kept calling him back to that story, kept pushing him towards finding out more about it. That's how he learned of a tradition from another village to send a chosen girl up into the mountains to become the new Guardian of Winter. There had to be a connection, right? The story he grew up with had to relate to this tradition, didn't it?

So he started training, preparing. He studied up on map reading and wilderness survival, and began training his body to endure the cold. He even sought the help of a legendary mountain climber. Eventually, he was ready to climb the mountain of legend. There wasn't much fanfare when he left, just whispers of how he was delusional and dooming his parents. Not that it bothered him. He would have given up long ago if he let other people get to him.

He ascended into a natural paradise, careful to leave it as pristine and untouched as he could. The whole time he was in awe, feeling like a kid again as he marvelled at the scenery. He lost track of how much time he spent just standing still and taking notes, only stopping when he noticed how dark it was getting. The sunset was fighting to present itself as dark clouds began eating up the sky. A brisk wind blew, and Izuku shivered. Was it going to snow tonight? And if so, just how much?

He started looking around for somewhere to call it a night and keep himself safe from a possible storm. But the clouds were quick, filling up the sky as if they were following someone’s command. The wind became faster and harsher, nipping at Izuku's face. He began running to try to find somewhere safe to weather the storm. Unfortunately, he lost his footing and slipped, falling down into a cavern hidden in the flurry.

Izuku slowly sat up from his position, head spinning. Certainly not an ideal turn of events, but one he could easily recover from. All he had to do was pull out some rope and climb back up. Simple. He started to stand back up but as soon as he put pressure onto his foot, his leg started screaming with pain. He fell back down, yet the pain would not stop. Quickly taking off his bag, he started sorting through its contents to try to find something to treat his leg with. He pulled out a first aid kit and hastily grabbed a cluster of bandage wrapping. He slid off his shoe and wrapped the rapidly swelling ankle as tight as he could. There. That ought to help.

As he put back his medical supplies, it hit him just how helpless he was right now. There was nothing around him that he could start a fire with, and he was grounded until his ankle was well enough to walk on again. No one was around to rescue him. He was all alone at the bottom of a cavern in the middle of a blizzard.

Maybe he was a madman after all.

Ochako pulled the hood on her cloak closer to her face. The winds were howling as the snow ripped through the air. The sky was barely visible through the millions of snowflakes, but Ochako knew the sky was filled to the brim with dark storm clouds. The current storm kept pushing at her as she walked through the snow. It was annoying to travel through, and the wind made everything so much more complicated. But she didn’t mind that much. She had long become accustomed to the cold. She barely even registered it anymore.

After all, she was the one who summoned the blizzard.

The first day of winter always ended with a wild blizzard that eclipsed any other storm of the season. There was no law that said she had to start the season off like this. The day could have ended with a gentle snowfall for people to enjoy. Yet every year she let the storm rage on, running as wild as her heart demanded. It showed no mercy, and probably claimed the lives of one or two unfortunate souls every year. Not that she could help them anyways. No one ever came up to the heart of the mountain. The only company around her were the animals that made their home up here. Some of them joined her back at the palace, but most of them chose to live in the wild.

Not that she could blame them. It got quite lonely up there, all alone.

As she made her way through the storm, her grip on the lantern tightened. Her other hand had gathered the skirt of her dress to help her move through the snow. Lucky for her, she never had to worry about the snow soaking her clothes. Perhaps it was a perk of controlling the element. She held the lantern out to better see the path in front of her when something caught her eye.

She knelt down to the ground to see the faintest trace of footprints in the snow. Human footprints. Looking up the path, she could see more footprints wandering through the valley. But who could have left them? She hadn't gone up towards the caverns yet, and no one lived with her.

Unless someone had found a way in.

That shouldn't be possible. There wasn't a way in or out. If there was, she would have found it when she first arrived here! But the prints in front of her told a different story.

Someone had found a way in on the worst night of the year.

Ochako quickly stood back up and bolted. She kept looking back down at the fleeting path, even though she knew the way to the caverns by heart. There were quite a few of them, and it wouldn't hurt to know which one the traveler fell into. They wouldn't last the night, especially in the heart of the storm. If she was lucky, she could find them before it was too late.

As soon as she reached the beginning of the caverns, she came to a halt, covering a few footprints in snow. She carefully followed the remaining ones until coming across an opening. She crouched down, lowering her lantern into the hole. The light showed that there was in fact someone right down below her.

She stood back up and moved around the hole for a bit, looking for a good angle. She knew how to get in, she just needed more room. After finding the right spot, she stopped and gently tapped her foot on the ground. A large ice staircase burst forward, only expanding the closer it got to the ground. Ochako couldn't help but be slightly proud of how her creation turned out. Years of practice paid off in times like these.

Ochako descended down the staircase and placed the lantern by the traveler. They appeared to be asleep, or possibly even unconscious. Fluffy green hair poked out from a thick hood. They were rather well dressed for normal weather, but not well enough for the current climate. One of their ankles was extremely swollen, if not broken. They must have not seen the cavern through the storm and twisted it upon falling in, sealing their fate. She couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about their current condition.

She eyed the bag they were leaning on. Carefully, Ochako propped up the traveler before picking up the bag and putting it on. Ignoring the extra weight now quite present on her back, she grabbed the lantern before scooping up the traveler. They weighed more than the bag, which was expected. She turned back towards the stairs and ascended them, the wind once again whipping at her. Upon reaching the surface, she tapped her foot again and a large crate formed in front of her. She placed the traveler and her lantern down before forming a simple sled out of ice. After placing the crate on the sled, she picked the traveler back up and gently placed him in the crate. She started feeling the bag for the rope she knew she saw. After finally grabbing it, she yanked it off the bag and tied it to the rope. Ochako picked her lantern back up and with the rope in her other hand, she began pulling the sled back towards the palace she lived in.

The first thing Izuku saw was light.

Did he die? Was this the afterlife?

He slowly sat up, looking around him for any clues on his current status. He could feel what had to be the world's softest furs, and looked down to see that he was in a large, four-poster bed that could probably hold three people in it comfortably. Curtains were hung on each side of the bed, adding to the feeling of luxury.

Awestruck, he looked at the rest of his surroundings. The walls around him were an icy blue, sparkling in the sunlight that trickled in through the window. Gorgeous pillars held the walls up, and a lone arch created an entrance to the rest of the mysterious place. There were various ice crystals attached to the walls, as though they were lamps. An icy fireplace was on the opposite wall, hosting a small fire that somehow didn't start melting everything around it. And there was a bear skin rug in front of it, along with a few chairs made of ice. To his left, a grand desk leaned against the wall, right next to a fairly large bookshelf. Not too far away from that, a divider screen hid what he guessed was a large dresser. He looked towards the windows and saw another arch, this one leading to a wide balcony with beautiful railing.

Well, at least if he was dead, he ended up somewhere nice.

Izuku pulled the covers off and stepped onto the ground before quickly jumping back onto the bed. It wasn't that the ice floor was unbearable; it was cold, but not cold enough to prevent him from walking on it. Rather, his ankle had flared up again. He bit down on his lip to keep from cursing up a storm as he pleaded for the pain to quickly go away.

"Did you sleep alright?”

Izuku looked up and saw that someone was now standing in the doorway. He gasped at the sight of her. She wore a stunning white dress with icy blue frost detailing running down the center. A choker appeared to be attached to the dress at the neck, with delicate lacework spreading out from the center band. Not that he could see the details from so far away. A dark blue cloth belt wrapped around her waist before a large stretch of fabric fell down the front, depicting a dark blue frost pattern with silver and white decorations woven into the bottom of the sash. The bottom of her skirt pictured the same icy blue frost pattern as the center, and silver decorations could be seen on her sheer skirt as they painted a beautiful picture of winter winds carrying snowflakes through the air. Small, blue, puffy sleeves sat on her arms,seemingly not connected to the dress at all, and long, flowing fabric fell from the sleeves behind her.

Her eyes were brown, and they looked as kind as Izuku had ever seen. Freckles graced her cheeks and shoulders. Her snow white hair barely fell to her shoulders, with two prominent strands framing her face. Her ears ended in little points, and her hands were covered in frost, as if she had been outside for far too long.

Izuku attempted to say something, anything to answer her, but his words turned to mush the moment they fell on his tongue.

"Dammit, did I not find you in time?" She picked up her skirt in one hand and ran over to him. Gently, she placed the back of her free hand on his forehead. He expected her hand to be freezing cold, and it was chilly, but not as bitter as he expected. "When I saw you last night, I didn't know how long you had been out there, and I brought you back here to get warm as quickly as I could. I'm sorry if I couldn't get you here quick enough."

"No, no!" Izuku spat out. "You're fine! I mean, I'm assuming I'm alive, so obviously you found me in time! Unless I'm just imagining all this and I'm actually dead!”

"Dead?!" She jumped back. "I can promise you, you aren't dead! You're very much alive, because otherwise I'd be dead, and last I checked I wasn't dead!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at the breathtaking girl acting all flustered and worried.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Everything's fine!" He quickly said. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings if I did! I was just thinking of how stunning and regal you looked when I first saw you, and you don't seem to act like that at all! Not in a bad way, but in a very good way! It's all very good! And I just said 'good' twice in a row."

"You did," she chuckled, a huge smile on her face. She had brought one of her hands up to her face to conceal her laugh, yet stopped laughing once she had noticed what she did. Without any hesitation, she pulled her hand down and hid both of them behind her back.

"Your hands..." Izuku asked, wondering if she got that saving him. "Did you get frostbite trying to help me?"

"No, I didn't," Her shoulders slumped and she looked away from him. "They're always like that."

"Glad to know you didn't hurt yourself while trying to save me," he sighed. "In that case, I think they look very pretty!"

She froze, eyes wide, and locked eyes with him again. "You think so?"

"I do," he nodded. "If I may, I'd like to get a closer look at them."

She bit down on her lip and buried her eyebrows. "I suppose so..."

"If you don't feel like showing them off, that's totally fine!" Izuku blurted out. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable!" He shot up off the bed. "I was just– son of a gun!" He quickly sat back down as the pain flared back up.

"Are you alright?!" She gasped. She ran back over and placed her hands on top of the swollen ankle. A heavy layer of frost began spreading from her fingertips, covering the swelling and acting just like an ice pack.

"There," she said, removing her hands. "That should help with the pain."

He couldn't move as he stared wide eyed at his ankle. She had just produced ice out of nowhere, and so precisely as well! It was like magic.

"Did," he said, his hand slowly gripping the bed's covering. "Did you just create ice?"

She quickly backed away from him. "No, I didn't! You're just seeing things!"

"But you did!" He stated. "You... it was like magic what you just did! It's incredible! Can you do more? Did you make this building?!"

She raised her eyebrows as she stared at him as if he suddenly grew a second head. "You... you like what I did?"

"Why wouldn't I? I've never seen anything like it! I want to know everything about it!"

The two stood in silence for a while. Had there been a clock in the room, you could have heard it ticking.

"I suppose I could teach you about my magic while helping you recover..." she rubbed the back of her neck.

"That would be wonderful!" Izuku gleefully exclaimed. "Thank you so much, uh...." He suddenly paused. "I just realized I don't know your name."

"Ochako," she smiled.

"Izuku Midoriya," he answered. He did find it a little odd Ochako didn't state her surname, but there was probably some reason behind it.

"Now let me get you some breakfast," she made her way out of the room. "After all, hard to recover or learn while on an empty stomach, right?"

On cue, his stomach made its presence known. "I suppose you're right.”

It felt odd to be taking care of someone. Ochako had become so accustomed to living alone that the idea of another person living with her was actually kinda scary. She had genuinely forgotten what it was like to have a meal with someone else, for food to be accompanied by conversation rather than by silence. There was something so special about it, even though it seemed so simple and ordinary.

After the meal, Ochako helped Izuku to clean up. She had no idea how long he had climbed up the mountain, but the wear and tear on him was clearer than crystal. As he washed up, she tucked away his old clothes and took out the spares he had packed in his bag. It was quite fortunate that he packed extras with him. Ochako knew the mystical forces of the mountain would always make sure she had something fresh to wear, but she wasn't sure it would do the same for her guest. She also laid out his medical kit next to the collection of herbs stored. She had used them a couple of times before, back when she was still getting used to her surroundings and stumbled in a few places. Together with Izuku's medicine, she should have enough to help treat his wounds.

She gave him some privacy as he changed into the fresh clothes. After that, she helped to move him over to the medicine as she did her best to form some kind of cast, or at the very least a splint. There was no doctor close by, and it would take too long to send a message out to one, if one could get out at all. All she could do was do her best and pray everything worked out in the end.

"You'll need some kind of pole to help align everything up," he said.

"Hm?" She stopped unraveling the remaining bandages from his roll.

"You're making a splint, right?"

"That's the plan," she nervously chuckled, fiddling with the bandage.

"Then you want to use something to help keep my leg straight," he carefully ran his finger down it. "That way it heals properly and doesn't come out crooked."

"I hadn't thought about that..."

"I probably wouldn't have either last year," Izuku scratched the back of his neck. "I studied a lot to prepare for this trek. Though, not even studying enough could save me from getting hurt."

"At least you know what to do now," Ochako placed the bandages down and started shifting through Izuku's bag. Mochi made herself known for the first time that morning, scampering up and shoving her head right into Ochako's palm.

"Hey there, girl" she said, gently stroking the weasel. "Could you go outside and get me a long stick? And make sure it's nice and straight too. No twists or turns."

Mochi blinked before she scampered away and towards the front entrance. Ochako watched her until she left her sight before turning back to Izuku. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

Izuku regained his composure as he tried and failed to hide his surprise. "I didn't know you could do that. Can you talk to all animals?"

"I'm not sure if 'talk' would be the right word..." Ochako tucked a strand of hair back. "The animals up here understand commands and such just fine, but trying to hold a conversation with them isn't exactly a breeze. Not to mention the fact that I can't understand what they say in return. It's a lot of guesswork."

"I guess you can say you had to learn a whole other language?" Izuku chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess you could."

"Do all the animals have names, or just a few?"

"Really, it's just Mochi. I found her a lot like I found you."

"How come?"

"I found her injured in the snow," Ochako confessed. "I took her in to nurse and she's pretty much stuck around me ever since. Well, at least indoors. She spent one night in here and then practically declared she was never going to go back out. I think she likes how I spoil her.

“Is Mochi the only named animal?”

“Actually, no. The only other animal with a name is Fuyuhito.”

"Is Fuyuhito hiding somewhere?" Izuku began looking over his shoulders.

"No, he isn't," Ochako shook her head. "He's a deer, so he lives out in the woods around here. Honestly, he acts a bit like a horse. Whenever I see him, he tries to get me to ride him."

Izuku looked down at his leg. "Say, you don't think he could carry me, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Izuku began, "if he constantly offers for you to ride him, then he must be strong enough to carry a human. Considering my current condition," he nodded down to his ill leg, "perhaps he could help me get around outside? You know, if you ever wanted to show me anything out there."

He did make a good point. Even if she made him some crutches, those would only be good inside the palace. She could carry him around in a sleigh like how she brought him in, but eventually she would likely get tired of pulling him around. Fuyuhito was probably her best bet.

"Perhaps," she tapped her chin. "But under one condition."

"What?"

"You have to show me the skills you learned last year," she said. "I wanna know everything you can show me. After all, you must know a ton if you were able to reach me."

"You got yourself a deal," Izuku said. "Though, I'm pretty sure you probably know everything I'd show you just from the fact you seem to have been living here for quite a while."

"The forces of the mountain mostly provide me with what I need," Ochako admitted. "So I can focus on..." she paused. He was so warm and inviting that it had completely slipped her mind that they were total strangers. Strangers would eventually have to part, at that. He didn't need to know about the mountain and her responsibilities. He already knew about her magic, and that was more than good enough. "... on other things.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. Hopefully her pause wasn't too suspicious.

"What kinds of things do you do?" He asked.

"That's a complicated answer," she said.

"Those are my favorite kind."

She bit down on her lip as her mind scrambled for a way out. "I'm really not supposed to talk about it. It's pretty private."

"Could you tell me before I go?"

"...Maybe."

At that moment, Mochi, bless her heart, came running back in. As she ran, she kept hitting something long with her head. Eventually the object slid right in front of Ochako and she carefully picked it up. Mochi had found a large spruce branch, one that was straight enough for the job.

"Well, look at my little helper," she held out her hand and the weasel ran right towards it. Ochako graced her fingers through Mochi's fur. "Quite the resourceful girl you are, aren't you?" She propped the branch up against Izuku's leg before grabbing the bandages to secure it in place. She worked in silence as she placed the medicine on and wrapped Izuku's leg up.

"There we go," she brushed her hands together. "Hopefully good as new!"

"I can't thank you enough," he said, blushing slightly.

"Well," Ochako stood up, "You can start by showing me your skills.”

It took a little while for Izuku to get out the front door. Ochako had to help him walk so as to not ruin all her hard work. When they got to the front door, he was greeted with a strong burst of cold wind. Sure, the sun might have been out, but that didn't take away from the fact that he was way up in the mountains where the cold would nip at him.

"Um, Ochako?" He asked. "Do you know where my coat is?"

Ochako buried her face in her free hand as she let out a long, frustrated sigh. "Dammit! I can't believe I forgot about that!"

"I'm guessing you don't wear coats that often, do you?" He chuckled.

"Something like that..." she sighed. She took her head out of her hand before grabbing her cloak. "Don't really need them. This right here is more for wind protection than anything else."

"Can I wear it then?" He blurted out.

"Hm?"

"Well, I mean," Izuku stuttered, doing his best to ignore how his cheeks were warming up as he was probably becoming a blushing nervous mess. "You did just say that you don't use your cloak to keep you warm. And there really isn't any wind out today, so it's not like you would be using it for that. Plus, it looks really cozy with all the fur. It seems like something I would have stolen from my mom's closet to wear around the house for fun. Was that a weird thing to point out? Probably. I don't even know why I'm still talking. I'm gonna shut my mouth now before I say something else stupid."

She burst out into a chuckling fit, covering up her mouth as she laughed. Did he make a fool of himself? He probably did. A lot of people had told him that he talked too much, and he did the same thing again and made his caretaker think he was an idiot.

"I'm sorry it's just," A huge smile covered her face. She wiped away a tear. "I forgot how much I missed company.”

He flashed his own smile back at her, yet questions couldn't help but blossom in the back of his mind. Just how long has she been living up here? When did she last see somebody? Was there something deeper to her story?

"Of course you can borrow it. Just let me take care of a couple things," she slipped her hand inside the cloak and fiddled around. She removed her hand, which now held a silver whistle on a string.

"What's that for?"

"It's supposed to call Fuyuhito whenever I use it," she explained. "Though, I'm not really sure if it does that."

"Why?"

"This may or may not be my first time using it."

"Seriously?" Now it was Izuku's turn to laugh. "If I could summon a loyal deer just by blowing on a whistle, I'd use it so much!"

"It's not like I would be alone even if I didn't blow on it. Mochi follows my trail like I'm her mother duck! Besides, how would you feel if a wild deer kept nudging you to get on his back when you just wanna walk?!"

"Fair point, fair point. But still, your first time? You haven't even used it once?"

"If I have, I've completely forgotten." She slipped the string over her neck. "Think you can stand on your own for a moment?"

"Sure."

"Thanks," she removed her arm. Izuku watched as she unclasped her cloak. She then took it off and placed it over him. She quickly wrapped her arm around him again. "How does it feel?"

Izuku kept rubbing his hand against the fur lining. He had never felt anything like it before. What kind of animal was it? It couldn't be a bear; this fur felt nothing like the few bear skins he felt. It might have been crying rabbit fur. They did live in the area. The coat was so big that it probably would have taken hundreds of rabbits to make.

"Izuku?"

"I love it," he said. "I– what animal did this come from? Whatever made this has to be the softest creature alive!"

"I... don't know what animal it is. Sorry.”

"It doesn't matter. I was just more curious than anything else. But I’m more curious about this mysterious deer of yours.”

"Right," she lifted the whistle towards her mouth and blew on it. A mystical noise echoed from it, almost sounding like snow sparkling in the wind. For a moment he wondered if it could even be heard.

It wasn't long before something bolted out of the woods before stopping at the bottom of the stairs. Izuku felt the wind get knocked out of him as he gazed upon the largest yezo sika deer he had ever seen. He might have seen a few while hunting, but this one took the cake. Its horns alone would sell for crazy at any market due to how tall and regal they looked. That wasn't even mentioning its stunning white coat. He never knew this species came in white. Perhaps it has something special to do with the mountain. After all, every other animal here was white, even if they weren't documented to have white fur.

"Izuku?" Ochako asked. "Is something wrong? You've been staring at him with your mouth hanging open."

"I..." his mouth felt as limp as wet paper. "It's just– I've never seen anything..." he gestured over at the deer. "You know..."

"Never seen a yezo sika deer like him before?"

"Yeah, that."

"I'm positive Fuyuhito here is a one of a kind. Even the other deer here aren't as big as he is."

"And you can call him whenever?"

"That's what I was told."

"Ochako, you might be one of the luckiest people I've met."

"I'm not sure if 'lucky' is the word I'd use... come on. Let's get you on."

"On it!"

Getting down the stairs was easier said than done. They were forced to go one step at a time, slowing their pace immensely. At one point Izuku almost slipped on one of the steps, sending both of them into a panic and Ochako almost created something new out of ice to keep him standing. To both their relief, he was able to regain his footing without any icy assistance. By the time they reached the snow, Izuku had never been so glad to have made it down stairs.

The deer trotted up to Ochako and began nuzzling his head against hers, and she stroked his face right back.

"Hey there, big guy," she whispered. "Yes, yes. I actually called you this time. You didn't have to wander through the woods to see me. Listen, I have someone here who needs a ride to get around. You see, he hurt his leg and can't walk on his own. I know it isn't quite the same as carrying me on your back, but could you help me out here?"

It backed up a little and stared directly at Izuku. Its gaze felt so intense that Izuku wouldn't be surprised if it was judging his soul to see if he was worthy of riding it. What would happen if the deer didn't like him? Would it kick him in the gut? The last thing he needed was another injury to deal with.

The deer gave a firm nod before kneeling down.

"Looks like he'll carry you!" Ochako cheered.

"Thank goodness."

She walked him over to its back and helped to boost him onto the deer. As soon as he felt comfy, the deer stood back up and Izuku grasped at its fur, trying to get a grip. At least horses had a mane to grab onto.

"Here!" Ochako put her hands together, and a long chain of ice fell out of them. She wrapped the chain around the deer's neck before handing the ends to Izuku. "Looked like you needed a little help there."

"Thanks for the extra hand."

"No problem. Now, I'm assuming the woods the best place for you to demonstrate your skills?"

"Yeah, you'd be right."

"Off we go then!" She leaned in to whisper something into the deer's ear, and it happily began trotting right next to her. Izuku clutched onto the reins and squeezed his legs as much as possible, trying to emulate what he remembered of horseback riders. They descended into the woods, and Izuku couldn't help but stare in awe around him. He only got basic glimpses of the beauty around him before the blizzard hit. Now he could fully enjoy the majesty of the mountain around him, all while riding a deer to boot!

"The Ezo trees look incredible with the frost all over them..." he said. "Even the pinecones are covered, making the whole thing look like a colored glass sculpture! What's even more incredible is how the frost isn't cracking under the weight of the snow!"

"Ezo?" Ochako asked. "I thought they were spruce."

"That's exactly what they are."

"Wait, are they Ezo or spruce? I'm so confused."

"I should have clarified better." He scratched the back of his neck. "These trees are Ezo spruce, or Picea jezoensis if you want to use the scientific name. The Ezo part comes from how the island of Hokkaido used to be called 'Ezo' way back when. They're a very common tree in this region. There also seems to be an abundance of the Sakhalin Fir, which is quite amazing. It was only found a few months ago closer to mainland Japan, so I'm astonished at how abundant they are here!"

"It's honestly surprising that you describe the firs as 'new,’'' she chuckled. "They've been here as long as I can remember!"

"I guess it just goes to show how tucked away this area is.”

"Guess you're right," she flashed a warm smile. "You seem to know a lot about plants. Tell me, what flowers are growing right over..." She glanced over the land, slightly sticking her tongue out as she focused. "...there!" She pointed to a small cluster of flowers.

"Get me in closer so I can get a better look."

"On it," she led the deer closer to the flowers, and Izuku could make out vivid dark purple buds underneath the frost.

"From the looks of the stem and leaves, in addition to the color of the petals, I'd say Arctic Iris," he answered. "Blooms mainly in June and July, which makes sense why they're tucked away. Though, I've never seen them curl into buds during the winter."

"I've always seen them do that," Ochako noted. "Whenever they stop blooming, they release their seeds before they tuck themselves away like that until they open up again. Are they... are they not supposed to do that?"

"Normally their petals fall off once the weather gets cooler. Then their seed pods fall off and the wind carries them away."

"Oh," she looked down at the ground, her expression out of sight. There has been a hit of a somber tone in her voice, though Izuku couldn't figure out why.

"Look over there!" He pointed out towards some bushes by rocks, hoping to get Ochako's mind off of whatever was getting her down. "It looks like Lady's Slippers over there!"

Ochako looked up and over where Izuku pointed. "You mean those strange flowers that look kinda like crooked cups?"

"Yeah, those ones. It looks like both the Rebun and Hotei species are blossoming over there. The Hotei are a plum-pink color while the Rebun are pure white."

"How can you tell that without looking at a guidebook? I'm learning more about my surroundings just listening to you!”

"I've been told I have a good memory, not to mention I didn't really spend a lot of time playing with other kids growing up," Izuku admitted. "I honestly preferred reading books and exploring nature rather than dealing with other people."

"Didn't you ever get lonely?" Ochako asked. "You know, spending so much time alone."

"I guess every now and then," Izuku shrugged. "It really didn't bother me that much. I didn't get along that well with the people around me, so the silence became comforting in a weird sort of way. So I spent a lot of time reading up on the flora and fauna of the region. I studied so much I could name things just by looking at them. I know you have a lizuma weasel, and that the birds flying around us are shima enaga and the squirrels jumping around are ezo momonga. I can't look at another person and know what they're feeling or thinking," he paused for a moment, looking down at his hands. "It's honestly kind of scary not knowing what other people are thinking. I don't know if they really mean well or are just playing with my emotions. I don't find out until after they hurt me and leave me behind."

Izuku stared at Ochako, who said nothing in return. The air around them came to a halt, as if the tension was so thick it was slowing it down. The animals seemed to watch them intensely, waiting for either of them to make the next move. It was if all of nature had stopped just to see what would happen.

"...did I do something wrong?" He wondered. "I didn't mean to ruin the moment, I just started talking and then the words got away from me."

"It's all fine," Ochako flashed another smile, but this one didn't seem as warm or as bright as the last one. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"It's nothing, really. Didn't I promise to show you some of my abilities?”

"You did..." There was something nagging at Izuku, a little voice in the back of his brain that told him there was a very good chance there was something more to her story than she was telling, something dealing with loneliness. But she seemed so on edge right then and there, as if she was the most fragile thing in the world. He wanted to know more, wanted to know if she feared rejection like he did, but he knew it was wiser to wait until they knew each other better.

So he would wait.

She knelt onto the ground. "There's no need to do anything super fancy right now. Besides, the last thing either of us need is to face another blizzard."

"Absolutely," Izuku pulled a bit on the cloak, the bitter memory of the storm looping in the back of his mind.

"Hmm," she closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. They started glowing a soft, icy blue and small snowflakes flew into the wind. Carefully, she started pulling her hands apart, revealing the ice she had created. The glow faded away, and the small sculpture flew into the snow on the ground.

"There we go." She brushed her hands together before gently grabbing her creation. "Something small, but detailed. Here, take a look." She stood back up and approached Izuku, who grasped the ice as if it was a new born child. He gazed upon it, admiring all the intricate curves and carving that were shining in the sunlight. Honestly, the sculpture looked practically identical to the luxurious mebina dolls he'd see displayed in the windows during Hinamatsuri, the kind he knew his family would never get because of how expensive they were. Ochako's creation looked like it should be sitting right next to an obina doll, an Emperor and Empress governing over the land of the rising sun.

"You celebrate Hinamatsuri too?" He asked.

"Don't think I recognize that name," she smiled, a bit too tight-lipped to appear casual. "I've just been making that doll for a long time. I've scattered a few on shelves back home. They help to make the place seem less empty. Does it look like something used to celebrate Hinamatsuri?"

"Yeah, it looks exactly like the mebina doll put on top of display cases," he explained. "Well, at least the fancy ones. My family made ours out of paper since the really nice ones were more than we could afford to spend.”

"And the mebina dolls, what do they represent?"

"The mebina is supposed to represent the Empress governing over Japan. She's placed alongside an obina, who represents her husband, the Emperor. They watch over Japan together, and are placed at the top of the hinadan tier stand. You place other dolls like court ladies and musicians on the lower tiers."

"Beautiful..." her eyes were sparkling with wonder. "Do you think you can show me how to make the others?"

"If you don't mind a court of paper, I'll show you."

"Thank you.”

"Though, if you really want me to show you something, help me down from here."

"How come?"

"I make something of my own, but I can't really do it from up here."

"Oh! Of course," She turned toward the deer. "Fuyuhito, could you kneel down for me?"

The deer seemed to nod its head before kneeling down. Ochako reached out her hand, and he grabbed it before swinging his good leg over. He reached out for her shoulder when he saw her eyes sparkle with something.

"Do you trust me?" She asked. "I have an idea."

"What kind of idea?"

"A great idea."

"Then I trust you."

Ochako tucked her free arm underneath his legs, and the next thing Izuku knew she was sweeping him up as if he was her bride. He could feel his cheeks flare up even as he tried his best not to look like a tomato.

"Is something wrong?" She bit on her lip. "You look hot right now."

"You think I look hot?!"

"Well, yeah, after all your face is bright red. Was this too much?"

"No, no, it's a great idea!" Izuku protested. "It's just that no one has ever carried me like this before and I've only seen it in pictures and such! Honestly, it's actually pretty nice."

"I'm glad you think so," she chuckled, her own cheeks turning slightly pink. "The idea just kinda popped out of nowhere and I thought it was worth doing again out since you can't really walk right now. It’s actually how I brought you back home when I found you.”

“Really?."

“At least until I made a simple sled to better carry you and your stuff. Now, is there somewhere specific you want me to put you down?"

"There is, actually. Do you mind placing me right over there?" He pointed towards one of the spruce trees, this one in particular having a multitude of spare branches scattered around it.

"No problem," Ochako squeezed onto him a little bit tighter and with a little skip to her step, made her way over to the specific tree. Upon arriving, she knelt back down to the ground and gently placed him onto the snow.

"What is it about this tree that's so special?" She innocently asked as she stood up.

"It has the tools I need." He reached towards his belt, pulling the spare knife out of his sheath.

"Wait, are you killing something?" She gasped, stepping back a little.

"What? No, that's the last thing I'm doing!" He held his hands up, palms facing forward, the knife accidentally falling into the snow. "I just need it to do a little carving, that's all! I mean, I know how to kill, even was taught how to use a gun, but I don't really enjoy doing that at all. I only really hunt to eat.”

"Thank goodness." Her shoulders slouched a little as she let out a sigh of relief. "Though, go back a few sentences. You know how to wood carve?"

"Actually, yeah! I know how to do some professional carving and make some sculptures, much like your ice, and that's on top of knowing the carving skills for survival."

"Are you gonna carve something?" Her eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Sadly I'm not as fast as you are," he picked the knife up from the snow. "It takes me at least an hour to carve something out. What I'm about to show you takes much less time."

"Well don't let my questions keep you waiting! Come on, I wanna see this mystery creation!”

"Right! Just gotta carve now..." He picked up a dry stick and started cutting off the bark, flattening it out until it was about a centimeter thick. Then he added a small, circular notch before placing the stick down and grabbing a long stick sharpening the end to a point. Placing the knife down, he reached into the small pouch kept on his belt and pulled out some basic kindling. Izuku tucked it under the first stick before placing the point into the notch, leaned in and started pressing down with the pointed stick while rubbing it back and forth. Getting a fire started was always a bit time consuming, but he had practiced enough to have it down an art. Eventually there was smoke and a small flame flickered to life.

"I'm pretty good at getting a fire started. What do you think?" He looked up towards Ochako, who looked... hollow? Her mouth was slightly hung open, but she wasn't moving at all. There was something in her eyes that he hadn't noticed before, something that looked a lot like longing. It was as if the fire brought up some hidden desires inside of her.

And it looked like she just might break.

"Ochako?" He questioned. "Is everything alright?"

She blinked a few times before slowly moving again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ochako clench her fists together with a soft glow.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she stated, flashing a smile too big to be natural. "Though, I think we should head in now. I can feel a storm coming in. Don't wanna get caught in another one now."

"Right..." Izuku said, trying to put together the pieces in front of him. He opened his mouth to ask another question but he was swept off his feet before he could get a single word in. Silently, he got back onto the deer and grabbed the reins as Ochako led the way back, fresh snow starting to fall.

Summoning a storm in front of him had been a risky move, but she didn't know what else to do. Ochako could feel her homesickness swell up as soon as the fire was lit, and she couldn't afford to break down in front of him. The storm was the only thing she could think of to force them out of the situation.

Once they were both back at the palace, Izuku was tucked away in the library she had shown him upon returning. Mochi kept trying to hop onto her as she couldn't help but think over every mistake she made out there.

"'Should have known he would recognize a mebina!" She cursed herself. "Sure, I did make a lot of those upon arriving, but I should have lied and chosen something else! Not something tied to a cultural holiday!"

Ochako had to keep the truth a secret, she couldn't afford to let him know she wasn't born in these mountains. She couldn't afford to let him know that once upon a time, she too looked up at the display windows at shops come Hinamatsuri. Letting him know that would reveal too much about her past, would allow a deeper connection to form between the two of them. He was just a temporary guest. As soon as he healed up he'd be on his way, leaving her all alone, just like before.

Ochako collapsed at that thought.

"I just have to keep my guard up," she instructed. "If I don't get attached to him, then it won't hurt when he leaves. I can go back to not having anyone else. Besides, it would be selfish to try to keep him here with me and away from his family. All I have to do is just bottle up any feelings that might arise the next few weeks."

Hopefully this plan would work out.

She didn't know what to do if it didn’t.

If Izuku had been keeping track of time correctly, it had been two months since Ochako took him in and offered to help him recover. By now he was starting to walk again, though his left foot stuck out at an angle rather than pointing straight. Perhaps that was just a result of not having a trained medical professional to help with healing. They both had done their best to improvise, but there was only so much that they could do on their own.

He was walking around the palace, taking in the view and tracing his hand over the walls. He could only describe his time here as mystical. From the beauty of the wilderness to real magic working in front of him, he was positive that the past two months here were firmly engraved in his brain. Especially his memories with Ochako.

She seemed a bit more closed after that incident with the fire, but he still managed to get her to spend time with her and grow closer to her. Sometimes they'd go back outside to explore, other times they stayed inside and shared stories with each other while crafting. Just three weeks ago he had finally managed to teach her how to carve wood; the pure excitement and joy on her face made Izuku's heart skip several beats. God, the happiness he felt around her was nothing like he had ever experienced before. He wanted to learn all about Ochako, memorize every detail and hold onto her forever.

He was in love.

Badly.

He couldn't leave without putting his heart out on the table. He had to share what he was feeling before he possibly lost the chance forever.

"Ochako?" He called out. "Are you around?"

He kept walking until he felt something small climb up onto his legs and up his body. Izuku held out his arm and watched as Mochi climbed onto it.

"Hey there, girl." He gently stroked its chin. "Have you seen Ochako?"

Mochi tilted her head to the side before jumping off his arm. It slid a little bit on the ice floors like a baby deer standing up for the first time. After gaining its composure, Mochi darted off down the halls and Izuku followed it. About a minute later, Mochi stopped right in front of the entrance to Ochako's room.

"Right, her room," he lightly bonked his hand with his wrist. "Should have thought of that."

Mochi nodded as if the weasel was agreeing with him.

He raised his fist and knocked on the wall. "Ochako? You in there?"

"...yeah?"

That didn't sound like a good answer. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's just fine," she replied, sounding too forced for Izuku's liking.

"You don't sound fine at all," he crossed his arms. "I'm coming in."

He marched in before he could talk himself out of doing this and found Ochako standing on her balcony, staring off into the distance. When he approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of her eyes.

Her red, puffy eyes.

"Ochako?" He took his hand off of her and took a step back. "Did I do something wrong? Tell me what's bothering you. Please."

"It's nothing."

"It's something. Something big to you. So please, help me help you."

Her lip was trembling and her hands were shaking. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted by a stream of tears falling down her face. Her knees gave out as she fell onto the floor.

"Ochako!" He fell onto his knees and grasped her hands.

"Izuku, I–" She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with a thousand tears

"Don't say anything right now," he instructed. "Just let it all out first."

Her whole body was trembling now. She managed to give a tiny nod before letting an ocean of tears out. It was almost like she had been keeping a jar of them and it finally overflowed.

Izuku rubbed her hands in small circular motions as he listened to her cry her heart out. He didn't dare say a word. It seemed like she needed to let all her tears out, let the raw emotions free before she could finally speak. He knew the feeling well.

As they sat in silence, he felt some kind of energy flow through her hands, accompanied by a small glow. The light from the sun faded away as it was swallowed up by dark storm clouds that seemed to form from thin air. Fresh snow fell down from the sky.

"Where did this storm come from?" He wondered out loud.

"Sorry 'bout that," she shook her hands free and wiped away some tears. "Forgot sometimes that happens when I get emotional."

"When you get emotional?” He cocked an eyebrow at her. "But I've never seen you create a storm before! Just ice!"

"I..." she looked down at the ground and away from him. "Haven't really shown you the storm abilities before."

A small yet painful arrow shot through his heart. Had he done something that deemed him untrustworthy? He knew she was keeping some kind of wall up, but he didn't know just how tall it was.

"Ochako," he grasped her hands again and gave them a tight squeeze. "Please, no more secrets. I want to know what's causing you such pain and why you've been so secretive.

He heard her gulp as she tried to look him in the eye; However, her gaze was so shaky that she just shut her eyes as she slumped her shoulders.

"After I found you and brought you back, I went through your stuff," she confessed. "I wanted to know what you were doing here and how you managed to get in. While digging around, I found a few different records about a woman who could control winter, including the one from my old home."

"Old home?" He gasped. He bit down on his lip as he cursed himself for interrupting. "Sorry, that was stupid for me to do.”

"It's not stupid," she countered. "But yes, you had a legend from my old home, the one about how a village girl was chosen to become the guardian of the season. The one where she would be trained in magic before moving to the heart of the mountain that's rich in magic. The stupid one that never mentioned being forced to abandon everyone you love and never being able to see them again. The stupid, stupid one that never mentioned how the mountain would physically change you, never letting you forget about all that you had to give up." She was crying again, and she ripped her hands out of his hold to wipe away the new tears.

"That legend..." Izuku said. "That legend was describing..."

She simply nodded.

Izuku felt all the air knocked out of his lungs. Suddenly so many things made sense to him. How the wildlife around her seemed to bend to her will. How she knew so much about how to use magic. How she knew about celebrating Hinamatsuri.

How she tried so hard to push him away.

The silence in the air was as heavy as an avalanche, but Izuku managed to summon enough courage to break through. "How long have you been alone?"

"I stopped counting after I reached the third year. It just became too painful to keep up."

"I'm sorry..." he said, failing to say anything else.

"You know what I hate most about this?" She asked. "I never asked for this. I never wanted to be chosen. I knew a lot of girls back home that would have killed for my position, yet for some reason the village elders chose me."

"Couldn't you turn them down?”

"I could, but that would doom my family. We'd be outcasts because I turned down something so important to our culture. I knew accepting this position would guarantee they would always be respected and taken care of, so I swallowed my discomfort and took on this duty." She let out a weak chuckle. "Ironically, the sole reason I took on this job was the thing I was ripped away from."

"That's bullshit," he spat. "Why can't anyone come with you, or at the very least visit you?"

"Some old idea about how relationships would keep me from giving my all," she made a sour face. "Besides. it's freezing up here. I don't notice it thanks to those damned changes, but I've been having to make fires just to make sure you don't freeze to death or worse, make the mountain think you need to be claimed so that you don't get cold anymore."

"Claiming... that's why your hair is white. I bet that’s why all the animals up here are white! Even the ones that aren’t supposed to be!"

"Exactly."

"If all of this is true, then why did you rescue me?"

"It's hard to explain, but I couldn't just leave someone behind when I knew they were in trouble. I knew I had to reach out and help them. I knew I would eventually have to let you go and that it would hurt, but I couldn't stand by and do nothing, I figured I could keep my guard up while helping you." she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Besides, I missed having human company."

Izuku tapped his finger with his chin. "What if I stayed?"

Ochako jolted up. "No! I can't! I can't keep you from everyone who cares about you! It doesn't matter if I love you, I can't do that!" Shock washed across her face and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

"Ochako," Izuku began. "I–"

"Forget I said that last part!"

He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm not going to, because I love you as well. The whole reason I was trying to find you was so that I could tell you that.”

"You really do?"

He gave her a firm nod.

"That just makes letting you go even worse," she groaned.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm pretty sure everyone back home thinks I'm dead. I have been gone for over two months."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Because it means I have no real ties back home any more."

She stared at him before breaking down into a fit of laughter. She wiped away new tears as she laughed.

"You're such an idiot," she said. "First you slip into a cavern, then you think people assuming you're dead is a good thing."

"I take that as a compliment," he shrugged. "And even if people didn't think I was dead, I still would stay here with you. I don't think I could spend the rest of my life without you."

"You really think that?"

"I know that."

"There's no going back, Izuku. The longer you stay, the greater the chance for the mountain to claim you."

"If that means I get to spend the rest of my life with you, I gladly accept that fate.”

A genuine smile graced her face. "I don't know how to thank you enough."

"You don't have to," he pulled her in for a hug. "Having you is the greatest thing you could do for me.”

She returned his hug and squeezed him tight. "You have no idea how scared I was of losing you after getting to know you."

"Now you never have to let me go again."

She tightened her hug before suddenly letting go. "I had actually made something to remember you by, but I guess it isn't needed now."

"It's funny you say that because I made something too."

"Can you show me?" Her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Only if I get to see what you made."

"Deal. Now go get your thing then meet me back here!"

"Got it!" He bolted up before rushing out of her room and back to the room he was staying in. He carefully scooped up the small carvings he had wrapped up in cloth and sprinted back to Ochako's room. He still knocked before coming in.

"I'm back with my–" He stopped as soon as he noticed the ice sculptures in her hands.

"Those are mebina and obina dolls, but they look like us!"

"I've made so many of these dolls before that I got them memorized. They would remind me of looking in the window with my parents right next to me," She looked down fondly at her creation. "But these right here now represent us, now living together."

"They're perfect," he said. He then proceeded to untie the cloth, revealing the mebina and obina dolls that he had modeled after them. "Though, now I feel a little bit like a copycat."

"Shut up, they're perfect," She insisted. "We can display both of them together."

"Where should we put them then?"

"In here, right on top of the fireplace. That way when we wake up every morning, we'll see them first thing."

"You want me to sleep with you?"

"Yes, I do, but you don't have to start right away if you don't think you're ready."

"Actually, I'd really like that."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Of course. I'm never going to let you be lonely again."

The sun descended behind the mountains, as if it was going to sleep. Ochako didn’t quite understand why it always went away so quickly. She had always assumed the sun was avoiding the cold winter nights, yet Izuku claimed it had something to do with how the planet tilted and rotated depending on the time of year. To be honest, she didn’t quite believe him. Wouldn’t she feel the planet tilting if it did so? Though, it was quite possible this information was found out long after she had been brought into the mountain, something Izuku would have studied while researching everything he could in a quest for knowledge.

“Evening, ‘Chako.” He walked onto the balcony where she was standing. He wrapped an arm around her. “Something on your mind?”

“Actually, yes,” she answered. “It’s the first day of winter.”

“Really? I mean, I’m not surprised, with the days getting shorter and shorter. Still, it’s hard to believe it’s been an entire year since you rescued me.”

“Mhm.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight. Rubbing her own hand, she could feel the frost covering his hand. The frost… it still felt like only yesterday it had appeared, even though it had been a few months since it spread across his hands. Oh, he was so excited waking up that morning to see the first traces of it on him. Ochako couldn’t help but cry with joy. Sure, the now white hair and pointy ears were signs the mountain had accepted him, but the frost hit harder and the others. It truly did feel like he was always to stay with her, that she could have someone she adored by her side, keeping her company and bringing her joy.

The two watched as the bold oranges faded away from the sky, leaving behind only the night and the stars.

“If you don’t mind me asking, are you going to create a blizzard tonight?”

“Am I?” She bit down on her lip. It was the first day of winter, after all. It was hard to ignore the painful memories of holding onto her parents for the last time, hearing them tell her how proud they were and how they would never forget her. It was hard to ignore the painful memories of being dragged away by the village elders down a long and twisted path. It was especially hard to forget the painful memories of being all alone at night in a scary new place with no one familiar to turn to.

She looked up at Izuku, who was smiling at her, as if to tell her he supported whatever decision she made. Looking up at that smile, she couldn’t help but remember all the memories of their first meeting, how scared she was to find him, how excited she was to see him awake, how thrilling it was to fall in love as she got to know him more, how joyous it was to hear him declare that he wasn’t leaving her. That all started exactly one year ago.

Why celebrate something like that with something so dangerous?

“No, I don’t think I will.”

“You’re not making one?” The shock was quite present in his voice.

“I’m not.”

“Why?!”

“This day isn’t completely miserable anymore.” She squeezed his hand tighter.

“Weren’t you forced out of your old village today?”

“Didn’t I also find you on this day?”

There was a beat of silence.

“I… can’t believe I hadn’t considered that.”

“For someone so smart, you can be quite dumb at times,” she chuckled.

“Fair enough, I guess,” he sighed. “Still, even if it isn’t a blizzard, are you going to do something to celebrate this day?”

“I think I might have an idea.” She let go of his hand and cupped her own together. She could feel the magic buzzing through her hands. Finally, she opened them up, and a burst of magic shot straight into the sky before exploding into thousands of sparkles. The clouds then gathered up before a fresh wave of snow began to descend.

“It's beautiful, ‘Chako,” Izuku said.

“Agreed. I think this should be a new tradition.”

“The snow?”

“With you,” she added on. “Making snow with you right by my side.”

“It’s perfect.”

She turned toward him before standing on her toes and giving him a kiss. “Just like we are.”

He returned the kiss, and the two proceeded to watch the snow fall down together. She grabbed onto his hand again, relishing in the fact she had someone absolutely wonderful to stand by her side.

Perhaps this magic was a good thing after all.