Archive of Our Own

The library smelled of paper, coffee and fresh ink, Ash liked it that way. The shelves were neatly organized, every section carefully labeled, every book spine aligned. He reached for a novel that someone had left sticking out by a few millimeters and pushed it back into place.

"You know nobody's going to notice."

Katie didn't even look up from the register.

"I will."

She snorted.

"Of course you will."

The little bell above the front door chimed. Ash glanced at the clock before looking toward the entrance. The door swung open and Ewroon walked in carrying a cardboard box almost as wide as his shoulders.

"Morning!"

"You're late."

Ewroon stopped walking, he slowly looked up at the clock, then down at his watch, then back at Ash.

"Thirty-eight seconds."

"Still late."

"I was unloading the boxes by myself."

"You should've started thirty-eight seconds earlier then."

A grin spread across Ewroon's face.

"Oh, we're counting seconds now?"

Ash held out the delivery form without answering.

"You forgot to sign."

Ewroon looked at the paper.

"No."

"...No?"

"I was waiting for you to complain first."

Ash stared at him for a moment.

"You are incredibly irritating."

"And yet you hired me."

"I question that decision daily."

Katie looked up from the register.

"Get a room!"

Both men answered at exactly the same time.

"Absolutely not."

Silence. Katie slowly looked from one to the other.

"That was cute."

"It wasn't."

"It really wasn't."

Don appeared from the stockroom carrying a stack of books.

"What was cute?"

Katie pointed at the two of them.

"They're doing the thing again."

When Ash had opened The Regime almost two years ago, he had never expected to end up managing three employees. Katie and Don had been there from the beginning. As siblings, they already knew how to work together, and before long they knew exactly how Ash liked things done as well. Katie somehow managed to keep the front of the shop alive no matter how slow business was, while Don managed the supply orders and the logistics with thoroughness and precision.

Then, a few months ago, Ewroon had shown up. Ash still wasn't entirely sure whether hiring him had been a good decision. He was arrogant, stubborn, sarcastic and far too confident for his own good. Every conversation somehow turned into a competition, every disagreement into a challenge. If Ash corrected him, Ewroon immediately corrected him back. If Ash claimed to know something, Ewroon somehow knew a useless fact that nobody had asked for. It was exhausting.

It was also surprisingly effective. Ash knew every shelf, every publisher, every edition and every author by heart. If someone asked where a book was, he could find it before they'd even finished describing the cover.

Ewroon, on the other hand, wasn’t as interested in the books themselves. He was interested in people. Customers would walk in asking for "something good," and somehow leave twenty minutes later with exactly the novel they'd been looking for without knowing it. He remembered names, favorite authors, birthdays, reading habits... Things Ash couldn't imagine wasting brain space on.

Together, they somehow made a very good team. But Ash would never admit that out loud, especially not to Ewroon.

The climbing gym was almost empty by the time Ash arrived. Fit was already halfway up one of the walls, hanging from what looked like an impossible grip with one hand while calmly planning his next move. Pac was standing below him.

"You know, one day you're going to fall."

Fit glanced down.

"Nope."

"No, of course you won’t, ‘cause you’re sooo strong and sexy!"

Pac laughed. Ash rolled his eyes as he gave the brazilian a fistbump.

“Quit rubbing your happiness all over me, it's nasty!”

Pac giggled and gave a light punch to Ash’s shoulder. Fit reached the top a few seconds later and clipped himself in before looking down at Ash.

"Took you long enough."

"I finished closing."

Ash started putting on his harness. Pac walked back to Fit, who had just climbed down. Without saying a word, Pac brushed a bit of chalk off Fit's shoulder, Fit absentmindedly kissed the top of his head before grabbing his water bottle. Neither of them seemed to think anything of it. Ash did.

"You two are unbelievable."

Pac looked over.

"What? No, we’re adorable!"

"You're unbearable,"

Ash corrected. Pac pointed at him.

"That's jealousy talking."

"It absolutely isn't."

Fit was already halfway up another route.

"So."

He reached for another hold.

"Pac said your employees invited you hiking."

Ash started climbing the route beside him.

"They did."

"Where?"

"Mount Peak."

For the first time since Ash had arrived, Fit stopped climbing.

"Mount Peak?"

"Yeah."

Pac looked up.

"The old volcano in the national park?"

"I assume so?"

Silence. Fit slowly climbed back down, Pac looked at him, then back at Ash.

"Do they know you've never done alpine climbing?"

Ash frowned.

"I've climbed plenty."

"In a gym."

"Yes..."

"That's not the same."

"It can't be that different."

Pac actually laughed.

"Oh, that's adorable."

Ash frowned a little harder.

"They told me it was a hike."

Fit rubbed a hand over his face.

"It is."

Pac nodded enthusiastically.

"So is Everest!"

Ash blinked.

"You're exaggerating."

"We're really not."

Fit replied.

"How many layers are you bringing?"

Ash thought for a second.

"...One?"

Silence. Pac slowly turned to look at Fit who closed his eyes for a second.

"What?"

"What kind of jacket?"

"My jacket?"

"Ash… What kind of jacket?"

"...Purple?"

Pac burst out laughing so hard he had to grab the wall beside him. Fit was already pulling out his phone.

"You're buying thermal layers."

"I'm what?"

"And you’re buying gloves."

"I own gloves."

"Winter gloves."

"Alright..."

"A hat."

"I don't wear hats."

"You do now."

Pac wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"Should we also get him a survival blanket?"

Fit didn't even look up from his phone.

"Already on the list."

Ash stared at both of them.

"You're overreacting."

Fit finally put his phone away.

"When are you leaving?"

"Saturday morning."

"You have tomorrow."

"To do what?"

"To buy everything on this list."

He handed Ash his phone. The list kept going, and going, and going… Ash looked back up.

"Is any of this actually necessary?"

Fit answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

Pac leaned over to read the list.

"Ooh, a headlamp!."

"I wasn't finished."

Fit added another item. Ash sighed.

"We're coming back before dark."

Fit looked him dead in the eyes.

"That's the plan."

Ash didn't arrive at The Regime until a little after one in the afternoon. The bell above the door rang as he walked in carrying two shopping bags and a backpack that looked significantly larger than the one he'd owned yesterday with a price tag still dangling from the strap.

The conversation stopped immediately. Katie looked at him, then at the bags, then back at him.

"Wow..."

Don slowly closed the book he had been shelving.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it."

Ash set everything down behind the counter with a dull thud.

"Fit insisted."

"Smart man."

Katie leaned over the counter and peeked inside one of the bags.

"So..."

She pulled out a thick jacket.

"You voluntarily bought pink? You know that’s my color right?"

"It's not pink, it’s purple!"

She looked at it, then at him.

"Ash."

"...It's lavender purple."

"It is absolutely pink."

Ash sighed. Don picked up another item.

"Thermal socks..."

"They're apparently important."

"They are."

Ash looked at him suspiciously.

"You're enjoying this."

"Of course I am!"

The back door opened. Ewroon walked in carrying a cup of coffee. He stopped when he saw the pile of brand-new equipment covering half the counter.

"What happened here?"

Katie pointed at Ash.

"Fit happened."

A smile immediately spread across Ewroon's face. He set his coffee down in front of Ash.

"So..."

He glanced over the equipment.

"You actually listened for once?"

"I don't enjoy hypothermia."

"I didn't think you enjoyed listening to people either."

"I made an exception, for basic survival."

Ewroon nodded thoughtfully.

“I’m a bit disappointed,I was kind of hoping you'd show up tomorrow wearing a hoodie."

"I considered it."

"I know."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Ash's mouth. Ewroon crossed his arms.

"So… You still think you're making it to the summit?"

Ash met his gaze.

"I wasn't aware that was ever in question."

"Oh, it absolutely is."

"I climb twice a week."

"In a climate-controlled building with colorful plastic holds."

"It's still climbing."

"It really isn't."

Ash folded his arms as well.

"I'll be fine."

Ewroon tilted his head ever so slightly.

"You're way too confident."

"I could say the same thing about you."

"Difference is..."

A grin slowly spread across Ewroon's face.

"I actually know what I'm doing."

Ash didn't even hesitate.

"We'll see."

For a second, neither of them moved, then Katie loudly cleared her throat.

"Seriously."

They both looked at her.

"If one of you says 'meet me outside’, I'm locking the door behind you."

Don nodded.

"We've got customers."

Ash looked away first.

"I have books to shelve."

Ewroon picked up his coffee again.

"And I have customers to charm."

Katie and Don looked at each other and just started giggling and whispering to themselves. Ash tried not to think about Katie’s remark but it still lingered in his mind…

On Saturday morning, Ash arrived in front of The Regime twenty minutes early. He hated being late. The street was completely empty. He leaned against the storefront, coffee in one hand, backpack at his feet, and enjoyed the silence, it lasted exactly four minutes.

"GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!"

Ash didn't even flinch.

"Do you realise that it’s 6am and also that I am alone?"

Katie appeared at the end of the street wearing an oversized hiking backpack that looked almost bigger than she was.

"Exactly!"

She threw both arms into the air.

"Good morning mister Supreme Leader!"

"Katie! I told you guys to stop calling me that! And how is it even physically possible for anyone to have this much energy this early in the morning."

"I had coffee."

"...How many?"

She thought about it.

"Yes..."

Ash sighed.

"That explains a lot."

A second figure rounded the corner, Don. His backpack looked twice the size of Ash's, with climbing gear strapped to the outside and an enormous stainless-steel bottle hanging from one side. Katie's eyes immediately locked onto it.

"Ooooh."

Before Don could react, she unhooked the bottle and started walking away with it.

"Katie."

"Nope!"

"Katie…"

"You can't prove anything!"

A familiar voice interrupted them.

"Morning!"

Ewroon walked toward them with his hands in his pockets and a backpack slung casually over one shoulder. He looked surprisingly awake. His eyes landed on Ash almost immediately, then drifted down to the brand-new coat.

"Did you steal this from Katie?"

Ash closed his eyes.

"It's not pink, it’s lavender purple."

Katie pointed dramatically.

"See? It's pink."

"It's lavender purple."

Katie stepped forward with the seriousness of someone conducting a scientific experiment.

"No, no, wait."

She circled Ash once, leaned in, tilted her head, stepped back again.

"Yep..."

She nodded gravely.

"Definitely pink."

Ash pinched the bridge of his nose. For a brief moment, nobody said anything, then Ewroon spoke. Very calmly.

"I think it suits you."

Silence, Ash looked up.

"...What?"

"I said it suits you."

Ash stared at him for a second, his brain seemed to stop working. Katie slowly turned toward Don.

"I think I just saw him blue-screen."

Don nodded once.

"Yeah."

"I've never seen him run out of things to say."

Ash finally recovered.

"You're all insufferable."

Katie grinned.

"And yet you chose to spend an entire day climbing a mountain with us."

"I don't remember making that decision."

"You did."

"I clearly wasn't in the right state of mind."

Ewroon adjusted his backpack with a faint smile.

"Too late now."

Ash sighed, picked up his own bag, and slung it over his shoulder. In the corner of his eye, he could see that Ewroon couldn't stop smiling.

Don drove exactly the way Ash had expected him to. One hand on the wheel, the other resting casually against the open window. His old sports coupe handled the winding mountain roads with surprising ease while he hummed absentmindedly along with the music.
Katie had claimed control of the playlist before anyone else had even reached the car, naturally. The first song had started before Don had even left the parking lot. By the second one, she and Ewroon were already singing at the top of their lungs.

Not well, not even remotely in tune, just... loudly. They somehow managed to forget half the lyrics, replaced them with complete nonsense, pointed dramatically at each other whenever one of them had a solo, and burst into laughter every time one of them failed spectacularly.
At some point, Katie had leaned between the front seats just to dramatically announce that their Supreme Leader looked deeply disappointed in their performance. Ash hadn't even looked up from the road, he simply replied that if they were going to assassinate music, they could at least stay on key. That had somehow made them laugh even harder.

After that, he stopped trying. He rested his elbow against the door and watched the scenery roll by. Every now and then, without really meaning to, his attention drifted toward the mirror, toward Ewroon. He sang with complete confidence despite missing half the notes, he laughed with his whole face, his eyes almost disappeared when he smiled too hard. Ash frowned slightly, he had never really looked at him before, not like this.

At work, Ewroon was usually hidden behind stacks of books, arguing with customers about fantasy novels or trying to convince someone to buy three extra books they clearly hadn't planned on purchasing. Here, he just looked… happy. It suited him. Ash looked back out the windshield before the thought could linger any longer. Outside, the mountains were slowly growing larger on the horizon. The real challenge hadn't even started yet.

The drive ended in a small gravel parking lot at the foot of the mountain. As soon as Ash stepped out of the car, he looked up, and kept looking. The summit disappeared somewhere behind layers of rock and snow, towering over the valley like it had no intention of ever ending. The morning sun painted the cliffs in pale gold, while patches of snow still clung stubbornly to the higher slopes. It was beautiful. It was also…

"That's bigger than I expected."

Ewroon followed his gaze.

"Naaah it’s not that big."

Ash looked at him.

"You said we were going on a hike."

"I didn't lie."

Ash looked back at the mountain, then back at Ewroon.

"You omitted several important details."

Katie happily tightened the straps of her backpack.

"Oh, don't worry, it's only a big rock!"

Ash looked at her.

"That’s not reassuring..."

The first hour was easy, the trail was wide, the incline gentle enough that they could still walk side by side. Ash felt good, better than good. He kept an even pace, his breathing steady, legs fresh. See? Nothing to worry about. Maybe everyone had exaggerated.

"FUCK."

A loud thud echoed a few meters ahead, Ash looked up. Don was lying face-first on the ground.

"I'm okay!"

Without waiting for help, he pushed himself back to his feet, brushed the dirt off his knees and kept walking as if nothing had happened. Nobody reacted, not even Ewroon. Ash blinked.

"Does that happen often?"

Katie shrugged.

"Pretty much every hike."

"I just lose fights against rocks."

"The rocks are always winning."

Ewroon added as he was taking out his phone to snap a picture of Don covered in dirt.

"Well they cheat!"

Katie, on the other hand… Ash was beginning to suspect she wasn't entirely human. She climbed over fallen trees instead of walking around them, she hopped effortlessly from one boulder to another. Occasionally she'd disappear into the trees entirely, only to reappear several minutes later somewhere impossibly higher up the trail. Ash looked around.

"Where did she…"

"I'm over here!"

He looked up. She was standing on a rock formation at least fifty meters above them, waving enthusiastically. Ash muttered under his breath.

“Is she a mountain goat or something?”

Ewroon was somehow even more confusing. He wasn't climbing, he was... existing, comfortably. He walked at an easy pace, hands occasionally stuffed in his pockets, carrying a full backpack as if it weighed absolutely nothing. He talked, he laughed, he somehow never sounded out of breath, not once. Ash watched him for several minutes before finally asking,

"Do you ever breathe?"

"Usually."

"I mean during the hike."

"I am."

"No, you're talking."

"Yes?"

"How are you talking?"

Ewroon looked genuinely puzzled.

"...With my mouth?"

Katie snorted and Don almost tripped again.

Another hour passed. The trail became steeper, Ash still wasn't struggling, not exactly. His breathing had simply become… noticeable. He drank more water, adjusted the straps of his backpack., and rolled his shoulders. Everything was fine. Meanwhile…

"...So then the customer told me that fantasy wasn't real literature…"

Ewroon was halfway through a story. Katie interrupted every thirty seconds and Don occasionally contributed a deeply insightful remark.

"What an idiot."

And somehow the conversation never stopped. Ash listened for another minute.

"...Could you..."

Three heads turned.

"...continue..."

He took another breath.

"...that story..."

Another one.

"...later?"

Silence, then Katie smiled.

"Aww, our Supreme Leader is getting tired."

"I'm not tired."

"You sounded tired."

"I sounded... efficient."

"Is that what we're calling it?"

Ash rolled his eyes and ignored her.

The first time Don offered him a hand, Ash didn't even hesitate.

"No."

"Suit yourself."

Two minutes later, the trail narrowed into a section of loose rocks, Ash's boot slipped, he caught himself immediately. Nobody said anything. Another few steps, another slip. Don quietly held out a hand again and Ash stared at it. His pride fought a brief but intense battle against gravity, but gravity won.

"Fine..."

Don pulled him over the ledge with embarrassing ease.

"...Thanks."

"No problem bro."

By early afternoon, the trail had stopped pretending to be a trail. It had become rocks, large rocks, then smaller rocks balanced on top of larger rocks, then loose gravel determined to slide away beneath every step. Ash was still climbing, he simply wasn't enjoying it nearly as much anymore.

"You all walk way too fast."

"We're walking normally."

"No you’re not."

Katie turned around while continuing to climb backwards with alarming confidence.

"You have very long legs."

"I do."

"So why are you slower than me?"

Ash looked at the terrain.

"Because my legs are attached to me."

She considered that.

"Fair point."

Ten minutes later…

"Fuck."

Ash's boot slipped sideways, he caught himself before falling. Ewroon looked over his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

Three steps later…

"Okay, maybe I'm not completely fine."

Ewroon grinned.

"Welcome to muddy gravel."

"I hate muddy gravel."

The trees had disappeared almost an hour ago. The air was colder now, sharper. Ash pulled his jacket a little tighter around himself without saying anything. He noticed the first patches of snow clinging to the shaded side of the mountain, then another, then another… Eventually, the entire path turned white. Don finally stopped walking.

"Time for crampons."

Everyone immediately dropped their backpacks. Katie sat on a rock and had hers attached in what couldn't have been more than fifteen seconds, Don and Ewroon were barely any slower. Ash stared down at the pair lying in his hands. Metal spikes, leather straps, buckles. Far more straps than seemed necessary. He turned one over, then the other. He frowned. Surely… No. He flipped them over again, still no. Ewroon noticed almost immediately.

"You've never used crampons before."

It wasn't even a question. Ash kept looking at them.

"No..."

"You know how?"

"Also no."

Ash sighed through his nose, this was humiliating.

"Can someone show me?"

Don started getting up.

"I can…"

"I'll do it."

Ewroon was already kneeling in front of Ash before anyone else could move. Ash hesitated for half a second before sitting down on a rock.

"Thanks."

"Don't worry."

He took one of the crampons from Ash's hands.

"Okay, this part goes under your boot."

He positioned it carefully.

"Then these straps cross here..."

Ash watched in silence. It looked ridiculously complicated.

"Who invented these?"

"Probably satan."

"That checks out."

Ewroon laughed softly.

"No, seriously, they're actually pretty simple once you've done it a few times."

His fingers moved quickly through the buckles, tightening each strap with practiced ease. Ash couldn't help noticing how confident every movement was. No hesitation, no second guessing, just muscle memory.

"You've done this a lot."

"Since I was a teenager."

"Of course you have..."

Ewroon looked up with a grin.

"Feeling inadequate, mister Supreme Leader?"

Ash snorted.

"I'm reconsidering every life choice that brought me here."

"I told you it was a hike."

"You lied."

"I omitted details."

"You omitted an entire mountain."

"I thought you'd enjoy the surprise."

"I didn't."

"You will."

"I sincerely doubt that."

Ewroon finished tightening the last strap before giving the crampon a firm tug.

"There."

He looked up.

"Stand."

Ash did. His first steps produced an unsettling metallic crunch.

"...I feel like a horse."

Ewroon couldn't stop smiling.

"You'll get used to it."

Ash looked at him.

"If I survive."

"You'll survive."

There wasn't even the slightest hesitation in his voice. Just quiet certainty. For some reason… Ash believed him.

The crampons helped. At least… they helped everyone except Ash. He could finally walk on the snow without slipping every other step, but the downside was that every movement now felt twice as heavy. The slope kept getting steeper, the air thinner, the wind stronger. Nobody talked quite as much anymore. Not because they couldn't, but because climbing had become the priority. Ash found himself watching where every single foot landed. One wrong step meant sliding several meters downhill.

A loud thud echoed somewhere ahead.

"Fuck!"

Ash looked up, Don was sitting in the snow, again. Katie barely glanced back.

"You alive?"

"I'm offended."

"So yes."

Don pushed himself upright, brushed the snow off his jacket and kept climbing without another complaint. Ash frowned.

"How many times have you fallen today?"

Don thought for a second.

"Lost count after eight."

"You stopped counting?"

"I stopped caring."

Five minutes later… Ash's own boot slipped. Not far, just enough. His knee hit the snow first before the rest of him followed. Nobody laughed, Ewroon immediately stopped.

"You okay?"

Ash nodded.

"Yeah..."

He planted both hands on the ground. Tried to push himself back up, nothing.
His backpack pulled him backward. He tried again, still nothing. Don noticed and immediately started walking back down.

"Need a hand?"

"Yes..."

Don grabbed his forearm and pulled him back onto his feet in one smooth motion. Ash stared at the ground for a second.

"...Thanks."

"No worries."

Katie smiled.

"See? Character development."

"I hate all of you."

"We know.”

Three voices responded in unisson.

The higher they climbed, the quieter the mountain became. The trees had disappeared entirely, there were no birds anymore, no streams, only snow, rocks and wind. Ash adjusted the collar of his jacket. It wasn't enough, the cold had started creeping through the fabric. He didn't say anything.

The first snowflakes were so light that nobody paid attention to them. Katie caught one on her glove.

"Ooooh. It's starting!"

Don looked toward the ridge above them.

"Earlier than expected."

Ash frowned.

"Is that bad?"

The three of them exchanged a quick glance. Ewroon answered first.

"It depends."

Ash hated that answer immediately.

"Depends on what?"

"How much."

At first, it was almost pleasant. A few flakes drifted lazily through the air, the landscape somehow became even prettier. Katie spun around once with both arms stretched out.

"I love snow!"

Don laughed.

"You love everything."

"I do!"

However, twenty minutes later… nobody was talking anymore. The wind had doubled in strength, snow no longer drifted, it flew sideways. Ash pulled his hood over his head, the cold was becoming difficult to ignore. He clenched his jaw. Just keep walking. Don slipped again, this time harder. He slid almost two meters before managing to stop himself.

"FUCK!"

"You okay?"

"I'm okay."

He stood up almost immediately, as if falling had become part of walking. Ash admired that.
Mostly because everytime he was falling, getting back up felt like lifting a building. His gloves sank into the snow, his legs shook with the effort. He managed it eventually, but much slower. He didn't like that, not one bit.

Visibility was shrinking, the mountain ahead slowly disappeared behind a curtain of white. Katie, who had always been somewhere in front of them, became little more than a colorful silhouette, then even that started fading.

"Ewroon?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you still see them?"

"Barely."

Don's voice reached them through the wind.

"MOVE LEFT!"

"WHAT?"

The wind swallowed the answer. Katie shouted something but neither of them understood a word. Ash squinted into the white.

"I can't see them anymore."

Ewroon stopped walking.

"DON?"

No answer.

"KATIE?"

Only the wind, the mountain had gone completely silent. Except for the blizzard. Ash took another careful step but the snow beneath his crampons suddenly gave way, his foot slid sideways. Before he could react, the rest of his body followed. He hit the slope hard, sliding several meters before the crampons finally caught on a patch of ice. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs.

"Fuck..."

For a second, he simply stayed there, staring up at the white sky. Then a gloved hand appeared in front of him.

"You okay?"

Ash looked up. Ewroon, snow clung to his curls and eyelashes, melting almost as quickly as it landed. His nose and cheeks were pink because of the cold. Ash grabbed his forearm.

"Yeah."

Ewroon pulled him upright with ease. Ash brushed the snow off his jacket, breathing a little harder than before. Neither of them moved, the wind howled around them, carrying snow so thick that the mountain had disappeared entirely. Ash turned slowly in a full circle. Nothing, no trail, no footprint, no Katie, no Don. Only white.

"I can't see them."

"I know."

"They were right there."

"I know."

Ash frowned, he felt something unpleasant settle in his stomach.

"This is bad."

Ewroon remained silent for a second.

"It's not ideal..."

Ash looked at him.

"You're worried."

"I'm thinking."

"They know this mountain, right?"

"They do."

"So they'll be okay?"

"I think so."

"You think?"

"I think."

The hesitation was almost imperceptible, almost, but Ash caught it anyway. He looked back into the storm. The snowfall had become so dense that even Ewroon looked slightly blurred standing barely two meters away.

"What do we do?"

Ewroon immediately answered.

"We stop looking for them."

Ash blinked.

"What?"

"We find shelter."

Ash frowned.

"What about the others?"

"They'll do the exact same thing as us."

He adjusted the straps of his backpack.

"The first rule when visibility gets this bad is to stop wandering around. If we keep moving without knowing where we're going, we'll only make it harder for them to find us later."

Ash hated how much sense that made.

"Fine..."

Ewroon nodded once.

"Stay close."

This time… Ash didn't argue. They walked slowly, every step had become deliberate. The wind pushed against them from the side, forcing them to lean into it just to stay upright. Ash could barely see beyond Ewroon's shoulders anymore, several times, he nearly lost sight of him entirely. Each time, his pulse jumped. He hadn't realized how comforting it had become just to see another person. Minutes passed, or maybe longer, time had become strangely difficult to measure. Then…

"There."

Ash followed the direction Ewroon was pointing. At first, he saw nothing. Then… A dark shape broke the endless white, and, half hidden behind a cluster of rocks, a narrow opening. Ewroon's shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Come on."

They climbed the last few meters together, the opening led into a tiny hole carved into the mountain. It wasn't much, just enough space for the two of them to sit shoulder to shoulder. But the moment they stepped inside, the wind disappeared. Not completely but it was enough. The silence felt almost unreal after the relentless roar outside. Ash let his backpack slide onto the ground. He leaned against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes for a second.

"I never want to hear the word 'hike' again."

Ewroon let out a quiet laugh. Neither of them spoke for a while. Outside, the blizzard kept raging. The wind roared outside the little cave, but in here it had become a distant, muffled sound. Ash sat with his knees drawn up slightly, watching the curtain of snow beyond the entrance.

He had no idea how long they had been waiting. Five minutes, twenty, an hour? Then, very quietly… Ewroon began humming. It took Ash a few seconds to recognize it. A melody, soft, slow. The words came a moment later. Not English, Polish. Ash didn't understand a single sentence, he never had. Ewroon sang in Polish surprisingly often while shelving books, usually when he thought nobody was listening. Ash had never admitted it… but he liked it. There was something strangely calming about it, the melody blended with the wind until the silence no longer felt quite so oppressive.

"How are you so calm?"

Ewroon stopped humming, he looked over and smiled faintly.

"I grew up like this."

"Like what?"

"In the mountains."

Ash blinked.

"I knew you were from Poland but I don’t think you told me the details."

"I don’t think so, yeah..."

He leaned back against the stone wall.

"My mother owned an animal sanctuary."

Ash turned toward him.

"Really?"

"Mhm, it was in the middle of nowhere."

He chuckled softly.

"I mean... really nowhere, surrounded by forest, no neighbors, no roads for the last couple of kilometers. So if I wanted to go anywhere..."

He shrugged.

"I walked."

Ash listened quietly.

"We'd rescue injured animals, foxes, owls, deers, sometimes wolves..."

Ewroon smiled to himself and Ash couldn't help watching his face while he talked about his childhood with this much passion.

"I always imagined you as..."

He hesitated.

"Someone who spent most of his life behind a computer."

Ewroon laughed.

"Seriously?"

"You quote video games almost every day."

"Fair, but no. I've always liked being outside."

Ash thought back. Every customer who walked into The Regime with a dog, every child carrying a cat or a rabbit. The old woman whose parrot occasionally perched on Ewroon's shoulder while she browsed the history section. He remembered Ewroon giggling every single time.

"That explains a lot."

"What does?"

"The animals."

"Oh."

A grin spread across Ewroon's face.

"I can't help it."

"I know."

Ash couldn’t stop the smile on his cheeks, Ewroon looked adorable like this. Silence settled between them again. This one felt different, comfortable. Outside, the storm continued to rage. Inside, it was almost peaceful. Ash shifted slightly, a shiver ran through him before he could stop it. Ewroon noticed immediately.

"Cold?"

Ash answered a little too quickly.

"No."

Another shiver betrayed him almost instantly. Ewroon raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"I'm fine."

"Mhm."

Ash lasted another five minutes, maybe. He kept telling himself he was fine, that the shivering would stop eventually, that if he ignored it long enough, it would somehow become less embarrassing. It didn't. Another gust of wind slammed against the entrance of the cave.

"Fuck."

He rubbed his hands together for what felt like the hundredth time.

"It's so cold."

Ewroon looked over.

"There it is."

Ash frowned.

"There is what?"

"I was wondering how long your pride would survive."

"It survived."

"No."

A grin spread across Ewroon's face.

"It froze to death about ten minutes ago."

Ash rolled his eyes and shifted slightly against the stone wall.

"Come here..."

Ash blinked.

"What?"

"You clearly need body heat."

"I'm fine."

"You literally just complained."

"I made an observation."

"You complained."

"I.."

Ewroon shifted his position so that he was now sitting on the side of the cave wall. He simply opened his arms.

"Come on."

Ash stared at him. Absolutely not. Then another freezing gust slipped into the cave. He hated everything. Without another word, he scooted closer and turned his back to Ewroon who opened his legs to let Ash sit in between them.

"Happy?"

"Very."

Ash muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like an insult before reluctantly leaning against him. Ewroon wrapped his arms around Ash’s shoulders and hugged him tightly. The warmth was almost immediate. Not just from the jacket, from him. His shoulders, his chest, his arms. He casually rested his chin on Ash’s shoulder.

"There."

Ash let out a slow breath before he even realized he was doing it.

"Thanks..."

It came out quieter than expected, Ewroon only smiled.

"No problem."

For a while, neither of them spoke. The wind continued screaming outside while the cave stayed surprisingly calm. Ash could feel slow circles being traced against his arms through the fabric of his jacket. It was... nice. Dangerously nice. After a moment, Ewroon tilted his head slightly.

"You grew up in India, right?"

Ash nodded.

"Yeah.. Why?"

"Well..."

A small laugh escaped him.

"That explains a lot."

Ash looked up.

"Excuse me?"

"You're completely unequipped for cold weather."

"I am equipped."

"You bought gloves yesterday and you still have the price tag on your backpack."

"That's unrelated."

"It really isn't."

Ash sighed.

"I didn't exactly grow up surrounded by snow."

"I noticed."

A comfortable silence settled again before Ewroon spoke once more.

"So...What was it like?"

Ash frowned slightly.

"My childhood?"

"Yeah."

He shrugged.

"Normal… I guess? I grew up in a city, my parents owned a small antique store. I've got two sisters and a brother. I pretty much spent my childhood hiding inside the store reading old dusty books…"

He smiled despite himself.

"We all moved here eventually, and that was that."

Ewroon hummed thoughtfully.

"Sounds nice."

"It was."

Silence settled between them once more. The conversation drifted after that, small things, stories from work. Don almost breaking a bookshelf, Katie convincing three customers that Heartstopper counted as "educational literature." Ash answered automatically, but his attention kept drifting elsewhere. To the warmth pressed against his back, to the steady rise and fall of Ewroon's breathing. To the hands still resting against his arms.

At some point, those slow circles disappeared. For a second, he almost missed them. Then he felt fingers brushing gently against the back of his neck. His breath caught, Ewroon was absentmindedly playing with one of his curls, running it between his fingers, then letting it go, only to reach for another.

Ash completely lost track of the conversation. He was still answering, probably. He had no idea what he was saying anymore. All he could think about was how warm Ewroon's hand felt against the back of his neck, even through the glove.

The conversation faded into comfortable silence once more. The wind outside seemed a bit calmer, but it also seemed farther away now. Ash barely noticed it anymore. He was too aware of the warmth behind him. After a while, Ewroon shifted slightly. Ash barely paid attention until he heard the faint sound of fabric. He turned his head, trying to see what he was doing.

"What are you doing?"

Without answering immediately, Ewroon pulled off one of his gloves. His fingers were slightly pink from the cold. Then he placed his bare hand against the back of Ash's neck. Warm, much warmer than Ash had expected. He couldn't help but flinch.

"Wow..."

A small smile tugged at Ewroon's lips.

"Better?"

Ash swallowed.

"Yeah..."

The warmth slowly spread through the muscles of his neck, fingers gently caressing his skin. A moment later, those same fingers slipped beneath the collar of his shirt, resting lightly against his collarbone. His breath caught.

"What are you doing...?"

He couldn't see Ewroon's face, but he could hear the smile in his voice.

"Just keeping you warm..."

His answer sounded almost innocent. Almost. Because at the same time, he could feel Ewroon's warm breath against his neck, his lips lightly brushing his skin. His heartbeat started climbing rapidly. ‘Just keeping you warm’, my ass. That was an excuse. A terrible one at best.

The realization landed so suddenly that Ash almost laughed. Things made more sense now. The teasing, the constant challenges, the impossible grin whenever Ash lost his patience. Every sarcastic remark, every smug smile after making him roll his eyes. Ash had spent months pretending it was annoying, but somewhere along the way... it had become the best part of his workday. He'd started looking for Ewroon the moment he walked into the bookstore each morning, listening for his laugh without realizing it, waiting for the next ridiculous argument, looking forward to getting under his skin... just so Ewroon would get under his.

He was completely, hopelessly drawn to him, to that annoying grin, to that stupid confidence, to that terrible attitude that somehow made him want to argue for hours. He heard another muffled sound behind him and saw another bare hand slowly reach the bottom of his jacket and lift the hem. But it stopped just before touching his skin.

"Is this okay?"

Ash froze for a second. He was amazed by his confidence. Never in a million years would he have had the guts to do something like that. He slowly nodded.

"Ash, I need you to say it out loud."

Ash clenched his jaw and gulped. Why was it so hard for him to talk right now? Why was there a knot forming in his throat? He gathered his courage and tried to speak without fumbling over his words.

"Yes, Ewroon, this is okay..."

He felt Ewroon smile against his neck, and then a warm hand settled on his stomach. He closed his eyes, focusing on the warmth. He tried to ignore the tingling sensation in his abdomen, but to no avail. His breath hitched again as he cleared his throat to hide a moan threatening to escape his lips.

"...More than okay."

Ewroon's hands roamed over his chest and stomach, and he started kissing his neck. Ash's breathing grew more and more shallow. He closed his eyes. His head started to spin slightly. He tried to blame it on the thin mountain air, but deep down he knew he was fooling himself. He was overwhelmed by the warmth of Ewroon's hands on his body, his breath on his neck, his kisses... but also by the fact that they were in the middle of a mountain, in the middle of a violent blizzard. It almost felt surreal.

Because now, despite the icy weather, his body was growing warmer by the second. His ragged breaths rose in small clouds of condensation, almost like smoke. One of Ewroon's hands softly caressed his hip while the other cupped Ash's neck just beneath his jaw, gently forcing him to tilt his head back. Then he bit the crook of his neck hard, and Ash couldn't stop the moan that escaped him this time.

He reached up to grab the back of Ewroon's neck, tangling his fingers in the short auburn curls. This was already so much for him. But Ewroon's hand didn't stop, and his fingers began teasing the waistband of his pants, slowly sliding underneath it. But they froze before going any farther.

"Is this okay?"

Something tightened in Ash's chest. Something was off. Something was missing. He reached up to gently tug Ewroon's head back and shifted slightly so he could look him in the eyes.

"Wait, I just..."

Ewroon's hand immediately jerked away, and a look of panic flashed across his face.

"No, that's not…"

Ash gently took his hand in his own.

"It's just..."

He frowned. Why was it so hard to form a sentence?

"It feels weird that we haven't... you know... kissed?"

Ewroon's laugh surprised him. For a moment, Ash thought he was about to make fun of him. But the thought vanished almost instantly because, before he could even process it, he felt two warm lips against his own. It took him a couple of seconds to understand what was happening, but he quickly kissed him back. Ewroon's lips were warm and soft and carried a faint taste of coffee. One hand slid into his long curls while the other still rested at the waistband of his pants.

Ash wanted more. So much more. He lifted the hem of Ewroon's jacket and grabbed his waist, holding him firmly while caressing his stomach with his thumb. His other hand remained tangled in the auburn hair. He gave it a tug, and Ewroon gasped into the kiss. Ash took the opportunity to slip his tongue into his mouth. He wanted to taste more.

They remained like that for what felt like hours and mere seconds at the same time. Tongues dancing together, both of them sharing the same breath. Ash was already feeling overwhelmed. His head was spinning, and he felt painfully constricted in his boxers. He needed more. So much more. He broke the kiss and grabbed Ewroon's wrist. They were both panting heavily.

"Ewroon... please..."

His smile was almost devilish. He lowered his head and slowly licked the length of Ash's neck while his hand slid beneath his pants and wrapped around his length through the fabric of his boxers. The contact alone was enough to make Ash moan. Ewroon began stroking him through the fabric, and Ash felt like he was in a dream. It almost felt too good to be true. He grabbed the back of Ewroon’s neck and lifted his head to kiss him again, to make sure this was all real.

He received a very firm confirmation that it was indeed reality when a loud scream rang out only a few meters away. They both jolted and broke apart to see Don standing a few meters away, eyes wide open. He looked completely horrified.

"OH MY GOD!"

They nearly jumped away from each other.

"OH MY FUCKING GOD!"

Ash blinked several times. He could feel his cheeks burning and a knot tightening in his stomach. Ewroon had buried his face in his hands.

"KATIE! I FOUND THEM!"

It was as if Ash's brain had short-circuited. He had been so focused on Ewroon that he hadn't even noticed the storm had almost completely died down. A few seconds later, Katie came running over.

"Sis’, you're never going to believe what I just witnessed."

She stopped a few meters away.

"Noooo, what did I miss?"

"I just saw Ash and Ewroon..."

"SHUT UP!"

Two voices interrupted him in unison.

"Awwww, they're doing the thing again! Wait... don't tell me... noooo..."

"Yep. Exactly!"

Don burst out laughing, and Katie immediately joined him.

"Nooooo, I'm so mad I missed it!"

"OH MY GOD, will the two of you PLEASE shut the fuck up?"

Ash felt so embarrassed. He knew he was never going to hear the end of it. They would tease them for the rest of their lives. Ewroon, who had stayed silent this whole time, suddenly burst out laughing as well. The three of them laughed uncontrollably. Katie was clutching her stomach, and Don was wiping tears from his eyes. Ash buried his face in his hands. He was mortified. How was this happening to him?

Then he felt two hands gently grab his wrists and lower them from his face.

"Come on, Ash, it's okay! Don't be embarrassed or I'll be offended!"

His smile was genuine, and his eyes were still watery from laughing so hard. Ash couldn't help but think he looked really cute like this. Then Ewroon did something he absolutely hadn't expected. He kissed him on the cheek, just at the corner of his lips.

Ash's brain completely froze. Did he really just kiss him in front of Katie and Don? Just like that? He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came.

"OH MY GOSH, THAT'S THE CUTEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!"

Katie practically yelled in their ears. She was clutching her cheeks and doing a little happy dance. Ash couldn't believe it. This girl was going to be the end of him. Ewroon stood up and offered him a hand. Ash took it, but Ewroon tugged a little too hard, making him stand up too quickly. He stumbled straight into Ewroon's chest and tripped over his own feet. Ewroon caught him around the waist before he could fall.

All three of them burst out laughing again, and Ash felt so ridiculous that he couldn't help but join in with their hilarity. It felt good to release all that tension. After a while, Don stopped to check his watch.

"Guys..."

Silence.

"We still have to go down."

Then they all turned their heads towards the bottom of the mountain, towards the parking lot that looked like a tiny dot down the valley. It seemed so far away…

"Oh...."

Ash’s brain took time to process the information.

"You're telling me..."

He closed his eyes.

"...we still have to hike six more hours?"

Ewroon gave him a small punch on the shoulder.

"Don't worry."

A Pause.

"I'll keep you warm."

Ash looks at him dead in the eyes.

"Don't."

But Katie and Don were already bursting out in laughter again.

Two days later, things were back to normal at the library. Well, almost… Because as Ash was organizing some books in the fantasy section, Ewroon walks behind him and quickly grabs his waist to plant a quick kiss on his cheek. Then starts to walk away acting completely innocent. Ash sighs.

“We’re at work…”

Ewroon turns around swiftly with a grin on his face.

“I know.”

Ash pinches his nose, hiding the smile that was growing on his face with his hand.

“Customers can see…”

Ewroon’s grin grows wider.

“I know.”

This time Ash has no idea what to answer. That idiot was so bold and self confident, it was truly fascinating.

“...You’re lucky I like you.”

He heard a loud squeak from behind the counter.

“I HEARD THAT!”

Katie was giggling again like a teen reading their first romance novel.

“HE ADMITTED IT!”

Don’s head poke through the office door with a wide grin on his face.

“Okay that’s it. I’m firing everyone.”

Katie approached with her arms crossed on her chest.

“You can’t.”

“And why is that?”

“Cause then who would organize your dates?”

Ash dramatically rolled his eyes and Katie’s smile was almost victorious. But the smile that Ewroon gave him was everything that he needed. He was already looking forward to seeing that smile everyday at The Regime from now on.