Wonderland

Snow crunched beneath her as she disturbed its peaceful slumber. Flakes fell slowly from the sky, landing around her to join their brethren on the forest trees or on the ground. It was quiet as it snowed. Not a creature dared to break it, the silence was revered, it wasn't meant to be broken.

Arya breathed in the cold air, allowing it to fill her lungs. Smiling softly, she slipped off her glove and looked down at her ring. A beautiful side-stone engagement ring with a large diamond in the middle. She was engaged, she was engaged! She honestly couldn't believe it was real. Less than 48 hours ago, she was just his girlfriend and now, now she was his fiancé. She had a fiancé! She was getting married!

The giddy excitement hadn't left her and she was beginning to wonder if it ever would, or even if she wanted it to. She was happy, truly happy that the man she considered to be the love of her life, wanted to spend the rest of his with her. She honestly thought he wouldn't ever ask her to marry him, he didn't seem like the type of guy. When she brought up anything related to or similar to marriage, he got uncomfortable, so she just dropped it. She hadn't mentioned it for years, not wanting to pressure him. She had accepted that they would simply stay as they were. How many years would she have stayed with him like that? She supposed she would never know now.

Not that it was a bad thing. She much preferred this outcome.

Of course, her fiancé was usually out doing hero business, like he was now. Just this time he wasn't running off as some kind of alien, he was instead back at the cottage he had rented for them on the phone. To whom, she didn't know, when she asked she merely got waved off. This was something she was used to. It meant that Ben, her fiancé, was doing hero things. Something she had no right to snoop on, as it could mean the difference between life and death for somebody.

Lips suddenly touched behind her ear and Arya gasped as she was pulled backwards and against a hard chest. "Ben!" she giggled, turning around to face him, her palms resting against him. "You scared me!"

Ben sent her a boyish smile, his green eyes crinkling with mischief. "I called out for you, but you were so far gone in your own little world that you didn't even hear me." He squeezed her, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist to pull her closer to him, his expression changing. "Aren't you cold? You've been out here for hours."

Hours? She blinked and then narrowed her eyes at him as she thought. She didn't feel cold, nor did she feel like she had walked or stood for hours. She would have thought he was messing with her if it wasn't for the fact that he looked so concerned. Looking at her gloveless hand, she wiggled her fingers a bit and frowned at how numb it felt. Maybe she had been out here for hours. Arya put her glove back on and then looked back up at Ben with a smile on her face. "Sorry Ben, I didn't realize I was out here for so long. I didn't mean to make you worry. I'm fine, I promise. I don't even feel cold!"

Ben wasn't smiling, in fact, he was frowning. "I didn't want to chase you out of the house. You could have just sat on the couch. You know I don't mind answering the phone with you in the room. You didn't have to leave." He looked her over, running his hands through her hair and over her jacket to shake off the snow that had accumulated on her before cupping her face. "Babe, your freezing! And you say you aren't cold!"

Arya squealed, throwing her arms around his neck as he picked her up. "Ben! What are you doing?! Put me down!"

Ben shook his head and declared, "No. I'm taking you back inside. You're going to change into some warm clothes, and we'll have hot chocolate and watch some TV show. I honestly don't care which one right now. Your freezing! Cold to the touch! Don't you feel cold?!"

Arya sighed and shook her head, allowing Ben, her fiancé, to carry her back to the cabin. While he did, she took the opportunity to admire him. His soft, warm brown hair was beginning to turn white from the snowflakes and his cheeks and nose were turning an adorable shade of red. Ben, completely oblivious to her staring, continued to scold her for not taking proper care of herself. How she was going to catch a cold or worse, the flu. Arya merely smiled at him, before she leaned forward and sweetly kissed his cheek.

Ben stumbled before catching himself, causing Arya to pull away and start laughing. He glared at her before softening his face to smile at her. Leaning forward, Ben nuzzled her nose with his.

"I love you." He whispered.

Arya hummed, snuggling closer to him. "I love you too."