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"Snow! It's everywhere!" gasped Kalim.
Over the course of the morning classes, a thick blanket of snow had covered the campus. Similar exclamations of awe rang from other students but few dared to venture into the cold—not Kalim though, who ran into the courtyard.
Silver followed at a more sedate pace. "Kalim, be careful. It's slippery."
Kalim slowed down and waited until Silver caught up to him. "It's cold," he laughed.
"Should we head back inside?"
Kalim seemed not to hear him, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he looked over the white fields.
NRC might have a reputation for its misbehaved and foolhardy students, but even they hesitated to come out. More than a few faces peered out the windows, comfortable in the warmth. For a moment, Silver thought he spotted Jamil.
As for Kalim, he seemed to have no fear. Did he not care that snow was slipping into his sock-less shoes?
"Do you like snow, Kalim?"
"It's pretty rare back home! Except in the snow stadium I got for my fifth birthday."
A snow stadium…? Was that like a snow globe?
"What about you? You look like you've seen a lot of snow before!"
Was there a look to 'has seen a lot of snow'? Silver touched his face, a little self-conscious. "Every winter, yes."
"You must be used to it then."
"Used to it? Yes, my father trained me. When I was little, he would organize treasure hunts in the snowy forest. I would always get lost… Luckily, my friends from the forest helped me find the way every time. If it wasn't for them, I…" He shuddered.
"That sounds like fun!" exclaimed Kalim.
"Fun? I'm not sure if it was… But I learned a lot."
"Have you won any snowball fight?"
Silver lowered his head shamefully. "No. I'm still not strong enough."
Kalim laughed. "Really? I always win against my siblings, haha! Unless they're all in a team against me."
Silver sighed in understanding. "My father wins even when Lord Malleus joins my side." Not to mention the times when Malleus and Lilia were on the same side…
"What about snowmen?"
"Snowmen?"
"Have you ever made one?"
"I can't say I have."
Kalim looked shocked. "Really? You haven't? But your father sounds like such a fun guy!"
Lilia and Kalim did seem to get along well during club activities. Silver nodded. "Creating humanoids in Briar Valley is dangerous," he said. "They risk gaining sentience due to the ambient magic."
"Oh! Yeah, that's no good then…"
Silver bowed his head in agreement. "Yes, a creature made of snow would melt quickly…"
"Yeah…"
Thankfully, Kalim's mood wasn't dragged down for long. A snowflake fell on the tip of his nose, making him squint, and he brightened with a smile. "Can't we make a snowman here?"
Off to the side, a group of first year students had started a snowman-building competition.
"It seems to be fine," said Silver.
"Great!" exclaimed Kalim. He grabbed his arm. "C'mon! I'll show you!"
He dragged Silver over to a thick bank of snow and knelt down to gather snow in a little lump.
"Snowmen are just big piles of snow that become men once you give them a face," he said wisely as he slowly built up a small pile of snow. "Oh! Brr, this is cold…" he lifted his hands out of the snow, already covered in melting snow.
Silver gasped and knelt down next to him, quickly removing his uniform gloves. "Here, wear these."
"But—"
"Frostbite is very painful."
Kalim let Silver brush off as much snow as possible and then slip on the gloves for him. He wiggled his fingers. The gloves were a little big on him.
"I'm sorry they're not very warm," said Silver, contrite.
Kalim nodded quietly, staring at his hands.
"What's wrong? Is it too cold?"
"Huh?" said Kalim, startled. "Oh, uh, haha, it's nothing… I was just thinking, your gloves still have your warmth… It's like I'm holding Silver's hands!"
Silver startled, stuttering, "O-oh…" then nodded solemnly. "I see, that makes sense." He grabbed Kalim's hands, holding them tightly in between his own.
"What are you doing?" asked Kalim, wide-eyed.
"Didn't you just say it'll warm up quicker if we hold hands?"
For once, Kalim was struck speechless by someone more oblivious than him. But just as soon as he'd thought, 'There's something wrong with this,' his brain disconnected once more.
"That's smart!" he exclaimed. "Thank you, Silver."
"Hm? It was your idea."
Kalim didn't react, staring at their hands, flushed and smiling dumbly.
"Is it still too cold?" asked Silver.
"No…" said Kalim, slowly, "It's… really warm."
Silver tilted his head in confusion.
The 'snowman' before them silently crumbled a little. The miserable little pile of snow became a miserable little plateau of snow.
Silver glanced over. "I don't think this is how snowmen are built."
"Um, I'm not sure. Jamil usually helps me…"
By unanimous vote, they decided to move on from snowmen.
"Should we do a snowball fight then?" asked Kalim, standing up.
Their linked hands dangled in between them. "You wish to fight me?" asked Silver, surprised.
Kalim was oblivious, but not that oblivious. He quickly said, "Let's do something else! Um… We can't ski either… Is there anything else you do during snow days, Silver?"
Silver thought hard to past winters. "I mostly explored the forest or stayed inside…" Did snow bats count? He considered it for a moment, but then looked at Kalim's exposed ankles and calves. He couldn't let Kalim catch a cold.
"We don't have much time before classes start again…" said Kalim mulishly. "Do you think the snow will still be here after classes? We should celebrate with a party!" He latched onto Silver's shoulder, shaking him. "Let's do something fun!"
He wanted to celebrate with Silver too!
Especially while it was still just the two of them.
Silver let himself be shaken, blinking slowly. "But we'll catch a cold if we get too cold and wet."
"Does the Diasomnia uniform not have a warming effect?" said Kalim, still excited.
"It does, but it's best not to risk it."
"But…" Kalim made pleading eyes at him.
Silver hesitated. Should he capitulate? He had some experience with warming spells, and they weren't far from the warmth of inside either…
He opened his mouth.
"KALIM!"
"Ah, Jamil!"
Carrying a thick woolen jacket, Jamil rushed over. "What are you doing out in the snow? At least change your shoes!"
"But I didn't have any with me."
"Use your magic!"
"Ooohh! Right!" Kalim laughed.
Jamil stepped back with a sigh, leaving Kalim bundled up in his thick jacket. "And you," he said, turning to Silver, "why did you let him come out like this… No, why are you also only in your uniform!?"
"It's not very cold yet," said Silver.
"Not cold?" said Jamil, shivering.
Silver showed him his hand. "My fingers haven't turned blue."
Kalim laughed. "Silver's right! I feel super warm right now!" He placed a hand over his heart.
Jamil was flabbergasted. "What?"
Even Silver was surprised. "You are? But I thought your hands…" He looked down and startled as he realized they were still holding hands.
Eyes shining and smiling brightly, Kalim nodded. "When I'm with Silver, I never get cold. My heart speeds up and my face feels so warm! It's like you've been enchanted to be a warmth charm!"
"A warmth… charm?" repeated Jamil, incredulous. "Kalim—"
But he didn't have time to finish speaking.
"I understand," said Silver solemnly.
Jamil held his head. 'Understand,' my ass.
And indeed, Silver continued, "I thought it was only me who felt this way… but it seems you do too, Kalim. I wonder why this happens?"
"I dunno," said Kalim. "I thought it was heartburn at first!"
"I believed I was feeling the warmth of your positivity… But if you feel it too, it must be something else."
"Hmm…" Kalim thought deeply, but only for a headache. "Jamil, do you know? …Jamil?"
He should have just pretended not to see them fooling around in the courtyard. Looking into each other's eyes, holding hands, celebrating the first snow together… all the while completely oblivious to their flustered audience!
Jamil, nursing a headache, muttered woodenly, "This idiot couple…"