Chapter Text
The plane ride across the North Channel had been shity, the grey Irish Sea seeming extra depressing as Mia stared out the window, her reflection ghost-like against the glass. Her parents were busy discussing the plan for their Scotland Christmas trip, but Mias' mind was chained to a set of coordinates on Google Maps. Somewhere in Scotland, there was a park, and in that park was Whisper, waiting to meet her.
They had met on a Discord server for people who liked demon slayer. Whisper was funny, mature, and lived in a house 20 minutes from the hotel Mia’s dad had booked. To the rest of the world, they were just two fourteen-year-olds playing roblox, but to Mia, Whisper was the only person who truly understood the raw parts of her soul.
When the car finally pulled up to the grand, sandstone hotel, the December air hit Mia like a physical wall. The wind was sharp, but not as sharp as back home in Northern Ireland. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she helped her dad haul suitcases from the boot.
Inside the hotel, the lobby was a forest of tinsel and baubles, 'they really went all out for Christmas...' Mia thought, her thoughts consuming her. "Right, room 412," her mum said, clutching the key card and snapping Mia out of her endless thought. They rode the elevator in silence, the numbers glowing red as they ascended. Mia felt like a undercover agent, her phone burning a hole in her pocket with a vibration after vibration. It was a shit ton of texts from Whisper, but the last one caught her eye: 'I’m wearing my jjk hoodie so you can’t miss me.'
The hotel room was plush. Mia went through the motions of unpacking her sweaters and her period products, all while keeping a hawk-like watch on her parents. They were exhausted from the drive and the plane, already yawning as they flicked through the Scottish news on the wall-mounted TV that they didnt understand wih the thick accents of the people on the screen.
"Early start tomorrow for the Christmas markets," her dad murmured, pulling back the heavy duvet. Mia nodded dutifully, sliding into her own bed fully dressed beneath her oversized pajamas. She listened to the buzz of the radiator and the distant muffled siren of reckless teens shouting in the distance. She had to wait.
An hour passed. Then two. The rhythmic, heavy breathing of her parents filled the room, a sign that this was her chance, that the coast was clear. Mia moved with carefully. She sat up, her heart loud in her ears, and shed her pajama top to reveal her thin winter coat underneath. She stepped into her boots, holding her breath as the floor boards creaked.
Mia didn't dare get the key from the side desk that her mum soundly slept beside. Instead, she picked the lock with a Bobby pin she had brought. She remembered the floor plan she’d memorized, the end of the hallway had a service stairwell that led to the side exit. She crept out, her shoes silent on the floral carpet, and didn't breathe until the heavy fire door closed behind her.
The night air was a shock of ice. Scotland at midnight was a sea of orange streetlights and shimmering frost. Mia pulled her headphones over her ears and started the 20 minute walk toward the park. Every shadow looked like a person, every rustle of the wind against the leaves made her jump, but the thought of Whisper kept her feet moving.
The park was a dark expanse of skeletal trees and frost-dusted grass. Mia reached the iron gates, her breath coming in white puffs. She scanned the benches near the frozen-over playground, her eyes searching for a anime hoodie. For a terrifying second, she thought she was alone in the cold.
"Mia?" A rough but soft male voice drifted from behind a large oak tree. Mia spun around, her eyes widening. Standing there, wrapped in a scarf three sizes too big and wearing a jjk hoodie, was a girl with shimmering eyes and a nervous but joyful smile. It was Whisper.
She looked more beautiful than Mia could ever imagine she would. She looked real. Her skin was pale from the cold, and her hair was tucked neatly under her hood. "Whisper," Mia breathed, the name feeling sacred in the open air. Without thinking, she ran forward, and they collided in a clumsy, bundled-up hug.
Whisper smelled like peppermint and cold air. She was shivering, but she gripped Mia’s coat with surprising strength. "You actually came," Whisper whispered into Mia’s shoulder. "I thought maybe you’d get caught, or change your mind." Mia pulled back, her hands holding Whispers upper arms. "I wouldn't miss this for anything."
They found a bench that was relatively dry and sat close together, their shoulders touching. The silence of the park was heavy and peaceful. Mia reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, wrapped box—a set of matching necklesses she’d bought back in Ireland. "I wanted to give you this," she said.
Whisper opened it, her fingers trembling slightly. When she saw the designs, one that contained pink, white, and light blue with Mia's name carved in, and another that had pink, purple, and blue with Whispers name, they both pined the badges on. "They're beautiful, Mia. Thank you." She looked down at her lap. "I know I'm just a girl you met online, but being seen by you... it changed everything for me this year."
Mia felt a lump in her throat. She took Whispers hand, the wool of their gloves rubbing together. "You're not just a girl online. You're my girlfriend. And you're the best person I know." They sat there for a long time, talking in hushed tones about the things they couldn't say over text...
Whisper told her about the school she went to nearby and how she practiced her "girl voice" by cussing out her teacher in her bedroom while talking to no one in particular. Mia told her about the green hills of Northern Ireland and how bitchy and basic most of the girls are(with the sole exception of Riri). The cold seemed to fade away, replaced by a warmth that started in their joined hands.
A light dusting of snow began to fall, the flakes caught in the glow of the distant streetlamps like tiny stars. Whisper looked up, a flake landing on her nose. She laughed, a bright, clear sound that made Mias' heart soar. In that moment, the world felt perfectl, the distance between Ireland and Scotland went smaller than ever.
"I have to get back before they check on me," Mia said reluctantly, checking her phone. The time was 1:30 AM. Whisper nodded, her expression softening into a bittersweet smile. "I know. But tonight was... it was the best, Mia." They stood up, the frost cracking under their boots.
They shared one last hug by the park gates, a lingering promise of more meetings to come. Mia watched Whisper walk toward the high-rise flats until she was just a small speck in the dark. Then, Mia turned and ran back to the hotel, the cold air piercing her lungs. The sprint back finished quickly as she crept back into the hotel room, sliding her shoes and jacket off before retreating into her bed. Her thoughts lingered on Whisper until she finally drifted off.