The question hit Nile like a bolt of lightning, striking directly at the thoughts he’d tried so hard to bury. Of course he’d thought about them - more times than he cared to admit. But those thoughts always came wrapped in doubts. What if she didn’t feel the same? What if bringing it up ruined everything? Dom was his constant, his anchor in a chaotic world. Losing her would be like cutting away the only safety line he had.

And yet… here she was, asking the question he’d never dared to voice aloud. His heart raced, a chaotic rhythm pounding in his ears as he searched her face. Her posture - tense and uncertain - hinted at her own vulnerability. The realization cut through his fear, sparking a flicker of courage. Maybe, just maybe, they weren’t so far apart after all.

He let out a small breath, his lips curving into a faint, almost incredulous smile. Slowly, he raised his arm and draped it around her shoulders, pulling her closer. The movement was instinctive, protective. If Dom was putting herself out there, then he would, too.

“Of course I’ve thought about us,” he admitted, his voice low but steady. “I think about us all the time.”

Dom froze, the weight of his confession sinking into her chest like a stone dropped into still water. She dared to glance up at him, her opal-green eyes wide with a mix of hope and disbelief. The faint lines of tension in her shoulders softened, though her grip on the blanket remained tight.

Nile’s heart thudded against his ribs as he continued, the words tumbling out before he could overthink them. “I just never thought, well - that you, you know…” He trailed off, his gaze dropping to the blanket where their hands were close but not quite touching. His cheeks flushed despite the chill in the air.

Words had never been his strong suit, not for things like this. He could disassemble and rewire complex systems or outmaneuver the most sophisticated firewalls, but this? This was a puzzle far more daunting. What if I’m wrong? What if I’m misreading this?

He pushed the doubts aside, focusing instead on the moment - the way her shoulder felt warm against his side, the faint scent of her rain-dampened hair, the way her breath hitched at his words. The chair swayed again, its soft creaks a quiet counterpoint to the storm inside him.

“I mean, we’ve been friends for so long,” Nile went on, his voice softer now. “And I know you’ve only ever thought of me as, I don’t know, a bigger brother or something. I didn’t want to ruin anything between us, you know? Like make it weird.”

Dom let out a soft, almost bitter laugh, shaking her head slightly. “I never thought of you as a brother, Nile. Not ever.”

Her words were a lifeline, cutting through the tangled web of Nile’s fears. He froze for a moment, the weight of her statement settling over him. Slowly, his arm tightened around her, pulling her even closer. Dom’s head rested against his chest, and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat filled the silence between them. It was maddening and comforting all at once - a reminder of how close they were and how easily they could have missed this moment.

“I wish I’d known that sooner,” Nile murmured, his breath warm against her temple. He hesitated, his gaze dropping to hers, searching for reassurance. “But I guess… better late than never?”

Dom smiled faintly, her lips curving despite the chaos of emotions swirling inside her. She let herself lean into the warmth of his embrace, her hand lifting to rest lightly against his. The stormy thoughts that had plagued her earlier seemed to fade, replaced by a fragile sense of clarity. Whatever came next, she knew they were finally on the same page.

Below, Peanut had paused in his enthusiastic scrambling to gaze up at the chairlift. The hound cocked his head, his ears twitching as if sensing the shift in atmosphere. His tail wagged slowly, a steady rhythm of approval. Peanut let out a soft, contented whuff, his gaze darting between Dom and Nile before settling on the path ahead.

Charlie, ever the silent observer, watched from her perch beneath the lift. Her golden eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she studied the pair. She flicked her tail once, her feline expression inscrutable, before turning her gaze back to the distant lights below.

The chair swayed again, the quiet creak of the machinery punctuating the silence. For the first time in what felt like forever, the stillness wasn’t heavy. It wasn’t weighed down by missed opportunities or unspoken fears. It was just them - together.

System Notification: Emotional Connection Achieved! Effect: +15 Comfort, +10 Warmth Sub-Effect: Romantic Tension (Ongoing).

Dom leaned away and turned to look directly into Nile’s eyes.

The world around them seemed to fade into a soft, indistinct blur. The distant party noises were muffled by the rain, and even Peanut’s rustling movements beneath the lift seemed to vanish into the background. The only thing that existed in that moment was the look they shared.

While they stared into each other’s eyes, Nile could almost see a slight luminescence hidden in the depths of her unusual irises - the warm purple-red glow of an uncut amethyst catching the flicker of firelight. It was captivating, almost hypnotic, and it pulled him in with a gravity he couldn’t resist. His gaze wandered lower, catching on her lips. Soft and slightly parted, she was chewing on her bottom lip in that familiar way she always did when she was either nervous or excited. Right now, he couldn’t tell which.

Dom, meanwhile, was lost in the shimmering green depths of Nile’s gaze. They weren’t just eyes - they were windows, glimpses into something safe, warm, and constant. She felt herself gazing into a possible future, one where the two of them were together - happy. The thought caused her chest to tighten, and she shivered as Nile reached up to trace the soft lines of her face. His touch was warm despite the chill in the air, his lightly calloused fingers skimming her skin with a tenderness that made her breath catch.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

When his hand cupped the back of her head and neck, Dom didn’t resist. She allowed herself to be pulled in, her body leaning forward almost instinctively. Her eyes fluttered closed halfway, anticipation humming through her like the plucked string of a violin.

Their breaths mingled, warm puffs of air in the cool, damp night. The moment before their lips touched, their bodies tensed like tightly coiled springs, every nerve buzzing with the energy of what was about to happen.

And then the universe, in its infinite humor, decided to intervene.

A sudden downpour ensued, drenching them in an instant with icy cold rainwater. It hit like a thousand tiny needles, soaking through their clothes and plastering their hair to their faces. Both Dom and Nile screamed in shock, the cold breaking the tension as effectively as a bucket of ice water dumped over their heads.

The chairlift jerked to life with a mechanical groan, its motor sputtering back into action. The sudden motion startled them both, the chair swinging slightly as it resumed its descent.

“Guess the rain decided we’re not allowed to have a moment,” Nile quipped, shaking water from his hair as they clutched the safety bar for balance.

Dom laughed, the sound breaking free like a burst of sunlight through the rain clouds. “Yeah, well, it’s not the first time fate’s pulled the rug out from under us.”

Reaching the bottom of the slope, they both jumped off the lift, splashing into muddy puddles as they landed. Laughing the entire way, they hurried down the incline, slipping and sliding in the wet grass as Peanut bounded ahead, his paws kicking up mud in every direction.

The lights of Nile’s van were a beacon in the darkness, and Dom didn’t bother suppressing her relief as Nile unlocked the doors and ushered her inside. Peanut scrambled in behind her, his coat slick with rainwater, and shook himself vigorously, sending droplets flying everywhere. Dom yelped as the cold spray hit her again.

“Peanut!” she scolded, wiping her face with her already-soaked sleeve. “Seriously?”

System Notification: Peanut’s Rain Dance Activated! Effect: +10 Splash Zone, -5 Cleanliness.

She blinked at the translucent notification, the absurdity of it drawing a reluctant chuckle. Nile, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, grinned.

“Don’t blame him,” Nile said, starting the engine and cranking up the heater. “It’s not his fault he’s got moves.”

His words were so innocent that she almost missed the possible significance of them. But, had Nile just seen the same message as her? No, that was impossible. It was just a coincidence. She shook the thought out of her head, and watched Nile as he drove.

The atmosphere in the van was light despite the storm clouds pressing heavily against the windows. The soft hum of the heater and the rhythm of rain on the roof created a cozy cocoon as Nile navigated the slick streets. The rain-slicked asphalt shimmered under the dim glow of streetlights, the occasional red or green traffic signal casting fleeting colors through the downpour.

Nile drove with a focus that was almost unusual for him, his hands steady on the wheel as his wipers fought valiantly against the deluge. The roads were wonderfully clear - no one wanted to be out in weather like this.

Dom glanced at him from the passenger seat, her thoughts spinning in a hundred different directions. She noticed the tightness in his jaw, the way his brows furrowed slightly, betraying his own swirling thoughts.

When they arrived at her house, Nile grabbed a folded blanket from the back seat and threw it over their heads like a makeshift umbrella as they ran to the front door. The sound of their boots on the pavement was drowned out by the roar of the rain, and by the time they reached the porch, they were laughing again, breathless and soaked to the bone.

“Thanks for the cover,” Dom said, clutching the edges of the blanket around her shoulders. She stood on the doormat, her boots leaving damp prints on the concrete.

Nile grinned, shaking out his hair like a dog. “Anything to keep your hair from turning into a disaster zone.”

“Too late,” Dom shot back, laughing as she tried to wring out a few strands. Peanut chose that moment to give another vigorous shake, sending water flying everywhere - including onto Dom’s face.

“Peanut!” she groaned, wiping her cheek. “Alright, mutt. Just for that, I’m not letting you inside the house tonight. You get to sleep with your brothers and sisters out back.”

Nile snickered, grabbing Peanut’s collar to keep him from bolting. “Don’t worry. I’ll bring him around back.”

Dom shrugged apologetically. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not at all.” Nile smiled warmly, his grip firm on Peanut’s collar. “I’ll make sure he’s all situated, then I’ll head out.”

Dom hesitated, her breath fogging in the cold air. “Or… you could always stay over.”

The words hung between them, suspended like raindrops about to fall. Nile blinked, his smile faltering slightly as he processed the offer.

“Yeah… or I could do that…” His voice was soft, almost unsure, as if he didn’t quite believe she meant it.

Dom hugged herself, feeling the chill creep through her damp clothes. “You know I don’t like it when people say, ‘I’ll be right back,’” she called after him as he disappeared around the corner of the house.

All she heard was his laugh in response, muffled by the rain. Smiling, she stood on the porch, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she waited for him to return.

When he reappeared, his jacket dripping and his hair plastered to his forehead, he paused at the bottom of the steps. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

They stared at each other, the silence between them thick with unspoken words. The porch light cast a soft glow, highlighting the pink flush in Dom’s cheeks and the vulnerability in Nile’s expression.

“I’m so glad you’re -”

“I have to go -”

Their words collided, overlapping awkwardly. Dom froze, her heart sinking. “Oh. You do?”

Nile nodded, his face creased with worry. “The hospital just called. My parents had an accident. My dad hit some kind of animal on his way home. It broke through the windshield, caused him to spin out. The doctor says they’re beat up pretty bad.”

Dom’s stomach dropped. The alarm on her face was impossible to hide. “Oh, no. Are they okay? Do you want me to go with you?”

He shook his head quickly, his anxiety plain to see. “No, Dom. It’s okay, really. There’s no need for both of us to lose sleep tonight. I’ll see you at school, yeah?”

Dom hugged herself tighter, her voice small but steady. “Good night, Nile. Keep me updated on your parents, okay? Let me know if they’re okay.”

“I will,” Nile promised, stepping back into the rain. He paused halfway down the walkway, his silhouette blurry in the downpour. “To be continued, yeah?”

Dom smiled faintly, her heart aching for him. “Yeah. To be continued.”

With an impulsive burst of energy, Nile dashed back up the steps and leaned in to kiss her cheek. His lips were warm against her cold skin, and for a moment, Dom was frozen in place. She could have turned her head - just slightly - but before the thought fully formed, the moment was over.

Nile laughed sheepishly, retreating back into the rain. Dom raised a hand to her cheek, her skin tingling where his lips had been.

System Notification: +20 Emotional Warmth Effect: Heart Rate Elevated. Mood Boost Activated.

She watched as Nile climbed into his car, his grin visible through the windshield as he waved goodbye. Dom waved back, her smile lingering long after his taillights disappeared into the stormy night.

It wasn’t until the porch light flickered in protest of the cold that she finally turned to go inside, her heart a chaotic mess of warmth, worry, and something that felt dangerously close to hope.