“Look who’s trying to kill now.”

Jade’s voice was soft—too soft. She was crouched beside me, perhaps trying to stop me. I blinked, out of breath as I stared at the man crumpled beneath me. My fingers twitched, and I let go of the mab's collar. He slumped to the floor, his face barely recognizable beneath the swelling and blood. The mixture of blood and saliva bubbled out of his mouth, and I felt something cold settle in my chest. He was still alive.

Barely.

What the hell was wrong with me? My anger had been flaring too easily, snapping at every turn, and I wasn’t sure if I could keep it in check anymore.

The Arcane Spell.

That had to be it. I’d used the mind spell, let its power reshape parts of me, and now it was eating into my reasoning—my emotions—like a parasite burrowing deeper and deeper. I’d invited a monster into my mind. And I had no idea how to fight it. The realization was just as infuriating as it was terrifying. I exhaled slowly, wiped my bloodied knuckles against the man’s clothes, then reached for a handkerchief, methodically dabbing away the blood smeared across my face. The stark red against the pale cloth made me feel bad.

I’d seen worse. I’d done worse. But somehow, this felt different. Like I was losing something—Myself. Piece by piece.

“You feeling okay?” Jade’s voice was gentler this time.

I nodded mindlessly, stuffing the stained handkerchief back into my pocket. “Yeah,” I muttered, though the words felt empty. “I’m fine.”

Jade hummed, unconvinced, but she didn’t push.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze flicking between me and the unconscious man at my feet. “You know,” she said lightly, “if you’re gonna keep punching people into the afterlife, at least let me know so I can keep score.”

I huffed a quiet laugh, though it sounded more hollow than I intended. “Funny.”

She smirked faintly but didn’t say anything else. I was grateful for that. I didn’t have the words to explain what was happening in my head—or the fear that maybe I was starting to lose control altogether. And the scariest part? I wasn’t sure I even wanted to stop.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the self-proclaimed scientist. I extended a hand toward him, offering what little kindness I had left. “You okay?”

He hesitated, his eyes darting between me and my outstretched hand, clearly debating whether he should accept it. In the end, he stood up on his own, brushing dust off his coat. I sighed inwardly and pulled my hand back. People really didn’t know how to appreciate kindness these days. Not that I cared. It just made things unnecessarily awkward.

“I’m fine,” the scientist muttered, though his tone lacked conviction. His eyes kept flicking nervously toward Jade, and when I followed his gaze, I immediately saw the source of his discomfort.

She had walked to stand over a group of six—five men and one woman—laid out on the floor. They weren’t physically hurt, at least not visibly. She hadn’t even touched them. But I didn’t need to ask to know what was happening. The air above their heads was thick, black clouds of coagulated bad luck swirling like dark coffins. If I didn’t step in, the tunnels would become their graveyard. I rubbed my temple, my brow furrowing. Of course. I had hoped—foolishly—that we could get through this without more unnecessary chaos.

Walking over, I placed a hand on Jade’s shoulder, stopping her. She glanced back at me, her expression lighting up as though I’d given her a reward. Her eyes sparkled with something between satisfaction and curiosity, as if silently asking, Why stop now?

I almost rolled my eyes.

Was she always this happy around me because I rarely stopped her from running wild? Or because I never judged the chaos she brought?

I shook the thought away.

“They should be enough, right?” she asked, hopeful and completely unbothered by the scene before her.

Bending down to the group’s level, I stared at the six villains, their faces pale and pleading. “Here’s the deal. If you want to get out of here alive, you’re going to answer every single one of my questions truthfully. You miss a detail? Lie? You’ll wish you hadn’t.”

They didn’t need much convincing. “We’ll talk! We’ll talk!” one of them stammered, his voice cracking. “Please—just let us go. We didn’t mean to get in your way.”

The others nodded vigorously, fear written all over their faces. I could practically smell their desperation to escape.

Jade exhaled dramatically, crossing her arms. “See? That’s the problem with low-level villains.” She leaned in slightly, mocking them. “No spine.”

“Yeah, well, not everyone enjoys being on the receiving end of your hobbies,” I muttered.

She nudged me with her elbow. “You do.”

“I tolerate.”

“Same thing.”

I shot her a look before refocusing on the villains. “Good,” I said, straightening up slightly. “Let’s start simple.”

Their eyes darted between us like a pack of cornered prey. “Have you seen any signs of a secret auction? Black market deals? Powerful people gathering down here for shady business?”

The six exchanged nervous glances before one of them, a scruffy man with dirt streaking his face, spoke up. “There’s… a lot of illegal stuff happening in these tunnels. They run through the entire city. Drugs, prostitution, arms deals, illegal gambling—you name it, it’s here. But an auction? A secret gathering? Not in this area. If something like that’s happening, it’s not anywhere we’ve seen.”

The others murmured in agreement, nodding like bobbleheads. “We stick to small jobs,” another one added quickly, his hands trembling. “These tunnels are just neutral ground for scum like us. We don’t mess with the big players.”

I tried reading their faces for any trace of a lie. They seemed too scared to fabricate anything, though that didn’t mean they weren’t withholding information. Still, this was better than nothing.

I let out a slow breath and straightened fully. “Fine. Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

The six didn’t need to be told twice. They scrambled to their feet and bolted toward the nearest exit, their footsteps echoing through the empty tunnel.

Jade tilted her head as she watched them flee, “I thought you were going to let me finish my fun.”

“You had enough fun,” I muttered, casting her a look as I brushed off my hands. “Besides, we got what we needed. Let’s keep moving. We need to double confirm their information.”

Jade shrugged, clearly unfazed, and fell into step beside me. “Fair enough,” she said, “I’ll give them credit—they were smart enough to listen.”

“Lucky for them,” I replied dryly, glancing at the darkened tunnels ahead. “But unlucky for us. If the big players are hiding somewhere else, we’re going to have to dig deeper.”

Jade sighed dramatically, shoving her hands into her coat pockets. “And by ‘dig deeper,’ I assume you mean more punching and interrogation?”

“More or less,” I said, cracking my knuckles. “People like this don’t spill secrets over tea and cookies.”

Jade laughed. “Yeah, but tea and cookies sound way more fun.”

I laughed at her line of thought. “Right, because I’m sure an underground meta-trafficking ring is just dying to host a casual afternoon tea.”

She gasped in mock offense. “What, you don’t think I could charm high-profile criminals over chamomile and shortbread?”

I smirked. “Oh, I know you could. But it’d end with you poisoning the tea just for fun.”

Jade’s eyes lit up. “Ooooh, now that’s an idea.”

I groaned. “Jade—”

“Kidding. Mostly.” She winked before shifting her focus back to the tunnels. “You think anyone else is still down there?”

“Only one way to find out,” I replied. “We wait.”

Jade exhaled sharply and kicked a loose pebble across the floor. “Ugh. I hate waiting.”

I arched a brow. “You just like the punching part.”

She gave a quick peck on my cheek, “I like the winning part.”

I sighed, taking her hand in mine as we stood in the eerie silence. “Just try not to start anything before we know what we’re dealing with, alright?”

Jade wiggled her fingers playfully. “I promise absolutely nothing.”

Suddenly, a wiry man with jittery hands tried to bolt past us, but Jade’s foot shot out, perfectly timed to trip him. He face-planted onto the gravel with a loud, undignified grunt.

Jade crouched down next to him, her tone sickeningly sweet. “Going somewhere?”

The guy flailed, hands scraping against the tracks. “D-Don’t hurt me! I didn’t see anything!” he sputtered, his face half-buried in the dirt.

Jade tilted her head as she spun a loose coin between her fingers, leaving me to wonder if she had secretly cleaned her hands in my jacket's pocket or stolen from some cave dweller.

“You say that now,” she mused, flipping the coin lazily. “But we’re going to ask a few questions, and you’re going to think very carefully before answering, right?”

The guy made a noise somewhere between a whimper and a pitiful nod. At that exact moment, another group of four came sprinting out of the tunnels, panting like they’d just seen a ghost. Well. They were about to. I let them barrel straight toward me, staying perfectly still until the last second—then phased intangible just as one of them lunged through my chest. He let out a startled yelp as his momentum betrayed him, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Before the others could react, I solidified, grabbing one of them by the collar before he could take off.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I growled, yanking him backward as his friends froze in place. “Sit down. We’re going to have a chat.”

Jade glanced up from her own prisoner, looking far too pleased with herself. “How many’s that now? I lost count.”

I adjusted my grip as the guy in my hands squirmed. “Not enough,” I muttered.

Jade snorted. “Spoken like a true workaholic.”

I rolled my eyes. “Just focus.”

She grinned, offended. “I’m focused.”

I turned back to our captives. “Alright,” I said, voice calm but firm. “Talk.”

One of the guys gulped. “T-Talk about what?”

Jade tapped her coin against the stunned guy’s forehead. “See, that’s already a bad answer.”

It didn’t take long. Again, we asked the same questions—over and over—beating answers out of the unwilling and intimidating the rest into submission. “Have you seen any signs of a secret auction? A black market? Any powerful players coming through these tunnels?”

The answers came quick and desperate:

“No, nothing like that here!”

“Just small deals! Drugs, Sex, and Weapons, but nothing big!”

“These tunnels are just for scum like us! We don’t know anything about auctions!”

Jade paced behind me, her long, fancy boots tapping rhythmically against the concrete as I crouched over the last guy we interrogated.

“You’re all so useless,” she muttered, stopping to glare at him like he personally offended her. “Seriously? You spend your whole lives lurking in tunnels, and this is the best intel you’ve got?”

“I swear!” the man wheezed, hands raised in sheer panic. “We don’t mess with the high rollers! If something like that’s happening, it’s not here!”

I exhaled, then let him go. He scrambled backward like a kicked dog, his face ghostly pale as he pressed himself against the wall, eyes darting between us like we might change our minds about letting him live. Slowly, I stood, dusting off my jacket before glancing at Jade. Her smile was gone now—replaced with mild frustration.

“Well,” she said, exhaling hard. “That was fun. And pointless.”

I nodded, jaw tightening. “We only have one more day to find the site.”

Jade let out a long, dramatic groan, stretching her arms over her head. “Ugh. Deadlines. Why do all the fun things in life come with them?”

“Maybe if we found what we were looking for, we wouldn’t be pressed for time,” I muttered

She clicked her tongue. “Pfft. That sounds like quitter talk.”

I shot her a tired look. “That sounds like reality.”

She grinned. “Reality is boooringggg.”

I sighed, pulling out my phone to message the rest of the group. No luck. We need to broaden our search. As we walked toward the tunnel exit, the silence between us felt… off. For once, neither of us had anything snarky to say. That alone was concerning.

Jade must have noticed too, because she nudged me lightly with her elbow. “Y’know, this is usually the part where you make some dramatic, brooding remark.”

I didn’t respond, just kept walking, my mind too tangled in thoughts to entertain her antics.

Then—

I stopped. Mid-step. One foot hovering above the ground, my breath catching slightly as I blinked at the world outside the tunnel.

Jade nearly bumped into me. “Dude. What are you—”

Then she saw it too.

Snow.

Soft, gentle flakes drifted from the sky, twirling as they caught the faint glow of streetlights. The world beyond the tunnel, so grim and gray just hours ago, was now blanketed in white—pristine, untouched, and quiet. I stepped out, the crunch of fresh snow beneath my boots sending a wave of unexpected calm through me. The bite of cold air filled my lungs, removing the stale stench of the tunnels, and for a moment, the weight of everything just… lifted. Snow always did that to me.

Jade followed close behind, her footsteps muffled. “You okay?” she asked, watching me curiously as I stood there, head tilted up toward the sky.

“Yeah,” I said softly, my breath misting in the cold air. I couldn’t help it—a faint smile tugged at my lips. “It’s snowing.”

Jade stared up with me, her brows furrowing like I’d just said something incomprehensible. “It’s snow. So what?”

I turned to look at her, my smile widening just a little. “Snow’s… different. It’s quiet, peaceful. It covers everything—makes even the ugliest places look beautiful.”

Jade blinked at me, clearly caught off guard by the sincerity in my voice. “Wow,” she said after a beat, smirking. “Look at you, getting all poetic. What’s next? A monologue about the fleeting nature of life?”

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I rolled my eyes. “Never mind.”

“No, no, please, continue,” she teased, nudging me. “This is adorable. Should I be writing this down? Maybe get you a scarf and a mug of hot cocoa so you can really complete the aesthetic?”

I ignored her and stepped forward. She really knew how to ruin a moment. But…Who could I complain to? I was the one who put a collar on a cat’s neck.

Jade strolled beside me, completely unbothered, humming some out-of-tune song under her breath, but her voice was very good as she somehow made it work. I turned to look at her. Her hair was dotted with flakes, the cold brushing pink into her cheeks. She sang happily, her breath curling into the crisp night like faint smoke. Maybe it was the snow. Maybe it was how still everything felt. Or maybe it was just her—standing there, singing, looking at me. For a moment, the world froze—just the two of us, surrounded by white. I don’t know what came over me. Maybe it was the magic of the snow. Maybe it was the fleeting peace that made me forget about everything else. Before I even thought it through— I moved.

In one swift motion, I grabbed Jade and pulled her toward me.

Her eyes widened in surprise, a quick intake of breath escaping her lips. “What are you—”

But I didn’t let her finish. My lips pressed against hers, soft but certain, stealing whatever words she had planned to say. Her body stiffened for half a second, caught off guard, and then she stumbled back. I followed, my grip steady but gentle, as her boots slipped against the snow-dusted ground and she fell onto her butt with a soft thud. Even then, I didn’t let go. I followed her down, crouching in the snow, my hands cradling her face as if she might disappear if I let go. Her skin was cold beneath my touch, a stark contrast to the growing warmth between us. Her breathing deepened, each exhale brushing against my lips in soft, nervous waves. Jade’s pale cheeks—already kissed pink by the cold—turned a deeper red, blooming with heat that had nothing to do with the winter air.

The kiss lingered, slow and sensual.

My thumb brushed gently along her cheeks, grounding both of us as I tilted my head, deepening it just slightly. When I finally pulled back, my breath mingled with hers in the cold, our foreheads nearly touching. Her eyes stayed closed for a beat longer before fluttering open, wide and stunned. She stared at me, her lips still parted slightly, as though her mind was struggling to catch up to what just happened.

“Wow,” she exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper, carried away in a wisp of misty breath.

I couldn’t figure out where Jade had gotten this habit of saying "Wow" after most of the time we kissed. It wasn’t like a romantic, breathless wow. No. It was a Jade wow. Casual. Silly. Like she was reviewing a new flavor of ice cream instead of locking lips with me. Sometimes it came soft and slow, like she was genuinely amazed. Other times, it was mocking, like she was making fun of herself for reacting too much.

Anyway, a grin tugged at the corner of my mouth as I looked down at her. “Wow?”

Jade blinked a few times, still dazed—then burst out giggling.

I raised an eyebrow. “That’s your reaction? first Wow and then Laughter?”

She covered her mouth, shaking with laughter as she tried—and failed—to compose herself. “I just—I just fell on my butt, and you—you’re smug about it!”

“Well,” I said, offering her my hand, “technically, you fell because you were too caught up in the moment.”

Jade smacked my arm before grabbing my hand. “Oh, shut up.”

I pulled her to her feet, and she stood close—cheeks still flushed, lips still tinged red. And she didn’t let go of my hand. Snowflakes gathered in her hair like tiny crystals, melting against the warmth of her skin.

“You okay?”

“Okay?” she repeated as she looked down at herself, her fancy coat and fancy skirt and top now dusted in snow and damp patches. “Oh, come on,” she groaned, brushing futilely at the wet fabric. “Do you know how expensive and limited edition this coat is? I had to tank their company website so no one else could purchase it.”

I paused, tilting my head. “You what?”

She waved it off. “Not important.”

I took a step back, helping her dust off, “I was simply doing what you asked.”

Jade paused mid-motion, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

I smirked, then, with zero warning, reached out and squeezed her cheeks together, forcing her lips into a pout. She let out a muffled, indignant noise, her expression annoyed yet undeniably cute.

My voice was light, almost casual. “You once said say I should kiss you more often. That you liked it.”

Jade blinked, then her brows furrowed deeper, her hands gripping my wrists as if debating whether to shove me away or break my fingers.

“Try to remember,” I mused, tilting my head. “That morning—you woke up, bit my neck, and mumbled ‘let me eat you’ like some kind of feral goblin.”

Jade’s entire face turned red.

Instantly.

Her eyes widened in horror, her body stiffening like I’d just exposed her deepest, darkest secret to a stadium full of people.

“I—” she gasped, then immediately shoved me away, her flustered panic turning into pure offense.

“Oh my god.”

“I WAS HALF-ASLEEP!”

"Are you sure, you heard me right."

I burst out laughing, dodging the very real threat of her incoming smack.

“Oh, no no. You don’t get to kiss me and bite me in your half-sleep, call me a midnight snack, and then pretend it never happened.”

Jade groaned loudly, covering her face with both hands. “I HATE YOU.”

But a faint pink already dusting her cheeks spread like wildfire. She blinked rapidly, opening her mouth like she had something more sharp and clever to say—but nothing came out. Instead, she fidgeted, her fingers fussing with the snow clinging to her lacy top like she could shake off her own embarrassment.

She gathered herself, “Yeah, well…” she started, but faltered.

I shrugged, deliberately nonchalant. “I’m just following instructions.” feigning innocence.

Jade’s mouth opened, then closed, then opened again—like her brain was short-circuiting in real-time. It was rare—so rare—to see her at a loss for words. And I was enjoying every second of it.

She finally managed to point an accusing finger at me, her blush deepening. “I—I never said that!”

I nodded firmly, my smile widening. “You did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Ohhh, there was actually one more time.” I tapped my chin thoughtfully, pretending to recall something critical.

Jade froze. And I continued smoothly, “Last week, at your place when we were playing games in HyperSpace and I kept losing…”

Her eyes widened in horror. I leaned in slightly, drawing out the moment. “You said, and I quote—” I paused for dramatic effect, savoring the panic on her face—“‘If you kissed me more often, I would lose to you willingly and even let you have your ways.’”

Jade sputtered, her hands flailing wildly in protest. “That—that was different!”

“Oh?” I arched an eyebrow. “Different how?”

“You were frustrated because I kept winning at a game you played a thousand times,” she shot back, her voice quick, defensive. “So I had to say that to make you happy.”

I blinked. Then grinned. “Wait, wait, wait—so you’re telling me you bribed me… with affection?”

Jade lips pressed into a tight line. “I—”

“So, what you’re really saying is… you’re willing to use kisses as a bargaining tool to keep me from getting competitive?”

“NO! That’s not what I meant—”

“Ohhh, I see it now.” I snapped my fingers in mock realization. “You’re running a full-on emotional economy here. That’s kinda devious.”

Then, she did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed a handful of snow and smashed it directly against my face.

“THERE! TEST THAT!”

I stumbled back, coughing as the cold seared my skin. Jade grinned victoriously, her confidence fully restored. I wiped the melting snow from my face, deadpanning at her.

“…Okay.” I nodded slowly, voice calm. “So that’s how we’re playing now.”

Jade’s smug grin flickered into something closer to caution. She took a single step back, her body tensing, eyes scanning mine for intent. She knew. She knew I was about to make her regret her decision. "Wait—"

I lunged. Jade yelped, twisting out of my reach, laughter bubbling out of her as she bolted through the snow.

“Nope! Nope! NOPE!” she shrieked between giggles, kicking up white powder as she zig-zagged away from me.

I took off after her, my boots crunching through the fresh snow, taking in sharp bursts of cold air. Jade was fast—fast in the way someone who had too much energy to burn was. Her hair whipped behind her, stray snowflakes catching in the strands, and her footsteps were erratic, unpredictable. She dodged behind a tree, using it as a barrier, glancing over her shoulder just long enough to smirk at me.

“You can’t run forever, Jade!” I called, clutching my stomach to take more air.

She whipped her head around, her silver eyes bright with challenge. “Let me inform you, I can never run out of stamina. That's a fact if you didn't know before!”

I snorted and scooped up a fresh pile of snow, packed it fast, and hurled it straight at her back. It hit perfectly, exploding in a burst of white.

Jade stumbled forward, letting out an overly dramatic gasp. “NO—”

I lunged again. This time, she tried to sidestep, but I caught her by the wrist, yanking her back toward me. She twisted violently, her boots sliding across the ice-packed snow as she fought to keep her footing. She lost. Her legs gave out, and instead of regaining control, she grabbed my coat for support. Bad move.

Because if she was going down, I was going with her. We crashed into the snow, tangled together, a mess of limbs and breathless laughter. I landed first, the impact dull thanks to the powder beneath us. But Jade landed right on top of me, her weight pressing into my chest, her hands bracing against my shoulders. Our faces were so close—too close—her breath ghosting across my lips, her eyes wide and flickering with something unreadable. The world went still.

The chase, the chaos, the laughter, It all melted away in the silence between us. Snowflakes drifted lazily through the air, catching in her dark lashes, disappearing against the warmth of her flushed cheeks. Her breathing slowed, her fingers curling slightly into my jacket. She was close enough that I could see every tiny detail—the way her lips were slightly parted, the way her pulse thrummed just beneath the delicate skin of her throat.

“Ha! Victory!” she declared.

That lasted all of two seconds before I bucked my hips, knocking her off balance and flipping us. Then I caught both her wrists in one hand, using my body weight to press her down into the snow. She gasped, half-laughing, half panting, her chest rising and falling beneath me. Her eyes flicked down—to my lips—Then back up to meet mine. I didn’t even think. I leaned in, swallowing her lips. Jade didn’t pull away. In fact, She arched slightly into me, her body pressing into mine as her fingers curled into my coat.

In the middle, she mumbled something, so softly that it got lost in the whisper of falling snow. I squinted, our breaths still mingling in the cold air. "What was that?"

She looked away quickly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Nothing.”

I chuckled softly, my instincts kicking in. I did what she always did to me. I leaned in, staring for her collar bone, her neck her jaw—just lightly, playful bites mirroring her own usual antics. Jade gasped sharply, her whole body tensing as she whipped her head around to plead. “Not now—”

I grinned, completely unrepentant. “No, no, I definitely heard something there.”

Her cheeks were already flushed from running, but now, with the embarrassment and heat creeping in, they practically glowed. She tried to look anywhere but at me, her fingers fussing with the snow on her sleeves like it was the most interesting thing in the world. With an exaggerated huff, she crossed her arms and muttered again something barely audible.

I tilted my head. “Didn’t catch that.”

Jade’s glare could have melted steel. “I said… more. I LIKE IT. Happy?”

The single sentence barely left her lips before she turned away again, like she’d just admitted to some grand secret that could ruin her forever. I blinked, a little surprised—before a slow, knowing grin stretched across my face. "More?" I repeated, making sure I heard her right.

Jade’s jabbed a warning finger in my direction. “Don’t make me regret saying it.”

I held up my hands in mock surrender. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Though I definitely couldn’t stop the smug edge in my voice. “Finally, why didn't you accepted it before. Jade, Shy? Wow!”

Jade huffed dramatically, her arms crossing over her chest like she was trying to physically shield herself from her own embarrassment.

“You’re the worst,” she muttered under her breath.

I chuckled softly, letting the moment linger. I didn’t push her any further, though—I knew better than to overplay my hand. Instead, I let the silence settle as we lay there together, half-buried in the snow, the world around us still and quiet. Then, reality kicked in. The cold started seeping through my clothes, and the snow packed under my back was less romantic and more freezing.

Jade shivered, wrinkling her nose. "Okay, okay—cold, cold, cold."

I chuckled, pushing myself up first, then reached down, offering her a hand. She hesitated for a split second, then took it, letting me pull her up. A little too forcefully. Jade stumbled slightly, crashing into me for a brief second before she steadied herself, muttering a flustered "Ugh, shut up."

"I didn’t say anything."

She stepped back, brushing at her clothes, frowning when she saw how soaked her coat had gotten. “Ugh, now my clothes are completely ruined.”

I looked down at myself—covered in snow, damp patches forming, ice clinging to my sleeves. I sighed, dusting myself off. Jade shook her head, still brushing at her skirt, flicking away stray bits of snow like it had personally offended her.

Then, with a loud groan, she shuddered dramatically. “Ugh, it's so damp! It’s seeping through my clothes—this is actual torture.”**

I shook off my own coat. “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you declare war and lose.”

She shot me a flat look. “Excuse me? I didn’t lose. We both got tackled into the snow.”

I shrugged. “Okay, but who ended up on top?”

Jade glared at me. “I will punch you.”

I grinned, brushing some damp snow off my sleeves. “Go ahead. Just means your hands will get even colder.”

She grumbled, rubbing her arms, visibly shivering now. Then she took a step closer, pressing against me just enough to steal warmth, burring her freezing fingers into the pocket of my coat. “It’s so freaking cold, North. You owe me body heat.”

I snorted. “Oh, now you want to be close?”

Jade didn’t move away. Instead, she leaned in just slightly, her cheek brushing against my shoulder.

"I'm freezing, okay?" she huffed, rubbing her arms for warmth. "And this dampness is making it worse. My tights are completely soaked."

I glanced down, noticing just how soaked her skirt and tights had gotten. Well, obviously. She wasn't exactly wearing winter jacket too just a fancy cardigan sweater, and falling into the snow multiple times hadn't exactly helped. I sighed, relenting, before reaching up to tug my scarf loose. With one swift motion, I wrapped it around her neck, pulling her in slightly. “Better?” I asked, voice quieter now.

She blinked, then muttered, “…Maybe.”

“That’s a yes.”

Jade rolled her eyes, but didn’t pull away. Instead, she stole another moment of warmth before sighing dramatically. “You’re lucky I love you. Otherwise, I’d throw you back into that tunnel.”

I chuckled. “Oh, what an honor.”

Jade finally took a step back, tugging my scarf tighter around her neck, like she was staking a claim on it.

“Come on,” I finally said, nudging her arm lightly. “We’ve got a job to finish. Let's go to Caleb house, we can dry them their.”

“Yeah,” she sighed, shaking her head—though a faint smile tugged at her lips. “But you owe me new clothes.”

I groaned, dramatically rolling my eyes. “Fine. You can take one from my closet.”

Jade’s head snapped toward me, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “Really?”

"Let’s get one thing straight—I said one thing, not everything.”

Jade waved me off, completely ignoring me. “Let’s see… what should I take first? That black hoodie? Your leather jacket? Ooooh, maybe those limited edition jackets you always complain are the ‘expensivest thing ever’—”

I glared. “If you touch my jacket, we fight.”

Jade grinned like a menace. “Those are the real treasures?” She laughed, still shivering slightly, but looking way too pleased with herself.

Then—seizing the moment—she added, “Oh, and… I want more kisses.”

“What?”

She said it too fast for me to process. But, Jade grin faltered for just a second, like she had surprised even herself by saying it. But—Jade being Jade—she recovered instantly, tilting her chin up, her smirk reappearing in full force. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Yet, her fingers twitched. She lifted her hands to press the backs of them against her cheeks, like she was checking for warmth. Like she was making sure her body hadn’t betrayed her embarrassment.

But I’d already heard enough. And I wasn’t about to let her get away with it. I took a step closer, my voice lower now, teasing but serious at the same time, “More kisses?”

Jade refused to back down, “More kisses.”

I hummed, pretending to consider it, rubbing my chin as if I were weighing a serious life decision. “Hmm. I don’t know… That sounds like a lot of work.”

She scoffed, reaching up to grab my coat and tugging me slightly on track, her silver eyes daring me to resist. “Then stop thinking and get to work.”

I raised an eyebrow, mock-offended. “What are you, a roll-the-wheel game? Pick one: Selfish! Greedy! Shameless! Clingy! Needy! Demanding! Obsessed! Materialistic! Aggressive! Lacking any or all moral!”

Jade snorted, completely unbothered, her grip on my coat not loosening in the slightest. “Mmm, I thought you liked me for those qualities?” she said sweetly, tilting her head like she wasn’t holding me hostage.

And yeah.

I really did.

Someone or something had damaged my head unfortunately.

"Bratty!" I chewed the word back in, and didn’t pull away. Didn’t want to. I leaned in, but this time, I took my time—letting the moment stretch, letting her anticipation build.

Her fingers twitched against my chest, gripping my jacket harder, like she was impatient with the pace I was setting. Her breathing was rapidly turning shallow, her lips parted just slightly, her body stiff but ready, as if she was seconds away from snapping. Her eyes kept flickering down—to my lips. Then back up. A silent warning. A silent demand.

I ignored her outright, but my mind betrayed me, wandering back to earlier in the day, to the library, where she had pushed me against the bookshelves, where we had devoured each other in a haze of reckless need. Where we had wrestled for more than an hour, until our bodies trembled, until our breaths came out in ragged gasps, until we barely had the strength to stand. Until we had been drowned in pleasure, in each other, completely lost to the heat of it all. And yet, here she was. Silver eyes burning with hunger, nails digging into my chest, pressing closer like she hadn’t had enough. Like she would never have enough of me. Where the hell did she get all this energy?

I exhaled, half in disbelief, half in surrender. "Insatiable." I whispered, perhaps I was to blame for enabling her. A second later, she snapped. Jade lunged. One hand fisted into my jacket, yanking me forward with zero hesitation, her other gripping the back of my neck, pulling me down to her. So hard, so desperate and searing. It wasn’t slow or teasing—it was hungry. I barely had time to react, to catch up, before she pressed closer, her lips moving, her tongue coiling around in mine like she had something to prove. I groaned softly, my hands automatically finding her waist, pulling her flush against me. Fortunately, she wasn't bad at kissing anymore, our daily practice had born great fruits. Though, she still lacked delicacy that came with time and experience.

She made a small noise, something almost frustrated, almost pleased, and I felt her smile into the kiss before she bit my bottom lip

I exhaled sharply, pulling back just slightly from the pain. “Ouch—” My grip on her tighten.

She pushed right back in. And honestly, I wasn’t about to stop her again. I turned the kiss deeper, shifting my weight, flipping the dynamic back on her, forcing her to take a half-step back into the snow. She whined slightly, caught off guard, but instead of pulling away, she growled before yanking me down into another kiss, hungry and demanding, her fingers curling into my hair like she owned me.

After a few long heated minutes of make out session, she finally broke away, panting as she pressed her forehead against mine. I could see it in her eyes, possessiveness. The real miracle, though was that she didn’t just rip my clothes off right here in the middle of the damn park.

“Better?” I murmured, my voice soft. I captured her lips again, but only for a second. Though, Jade was unable to go. She let out a slow, shaky exhale as she whispered, "Barely."

I chuckled, sliding my hands to her waist, feeling the way her body still hummed with want, still pressed against me like she wasn’t ready to let go.

"You really have no self-control?" I teased, tilting my head slightly.

She snorted, though it came out more like a frustrated growl, "You have no idea how much effort this takes," her breath hot against my skin. "I still don't know how you do it. How can you be so calm?"

My fingers slowly traced along her spine, knowing damn well what I was doing. "Who says I’m calm?"

Jade stiffened, her fingers twitching against my chest. Her eyes flicked up to mine, searching—testing, "So you're just pretending?"

I smirked, dragging my thumb along the curve of her waist, slow. "I never said that."

I made a mistake as she immediately lunged to bite my hand she was holding. "You are so unfair." She finally pushed me away, unable to take in all the emotions coursing through her head.

I groaned, tilting my head back toward the sky like the universe might offer me divine intervention. “I have created a monster.”

Jade let out a breathless laugh, running a hand through her messy, snow-dusted hair, her lips still red, still swollen from the kisses.

“That’s on you,” she said smugly, “You started this.”

I looked at her, deadpan. “Excuse me? I started this?”

Her silver eyes glinting with mischief. “Too late to complain now.”

She hummed thoughtfully, pretending to consider something important. "Besides, you like giving in to my desires."

“I do not—”

She shot me a look.

I hesitated.

...Okay. Fine.

Jade’s smirk widened, slow and victorious. "See? Self-awareness is important. Besides You love me. And you love letting me have my ways."

I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw another dimension. "That's not true."

“Oh? So it’s just all a white lie, then?”

I swallowed. Damn it.

The next words just slipped out.

“…I simply like making sure you don’t become sad from all loneliness you have in your heart. I can't imagine that for you.” I muttered, voice quieter now, rawer.

“You’re sweet.” Jade beamed. “See? That's Love.”

I blinked. "What?"

Jade just watched me, lips pursed like she was debating something.

Then—without warning—

She stood on her toes, her hands lightly gripping my jacket for balance, and pressed a soft, warm kiss to my cheek. I froze. The warmth lingered, my skin still tingling even as she pulled back, looking far too smug.

“There.” She dusted off her hands like she’d just done something important. “That’s for making me happy.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

“Happy?”

So easy?

She just smiled, rocking back on her heels. “Mm-hmm.”

Then she turned, starting to walk again, looking completely pleased with herself.