A veil of hearts

•Warmth in the cold•

A/N: listen to the music above.

20
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Aina's POV

The cold seeps through my coat, numbing my fingers and toes. I've lost track of how long I've been sitting on this snow-dusted bench, my mind a whirlwind of confused thoughts and fragmented memories. The city lights blur before me, and I blink, realizing my eyes have welled up with tears - from the cold or my emotions, I'm not sure.

Suddenly, a familiar voice breaks through my reverie. "Aina?"

I look up to see Professor Joshua approaching, his arms full. My heart skips a beat, surprised and oddly comforted by his presence.

"You must be freezing," he says, concern etched on his face. Before I can respond, he's draping a warm muffler around my neck, his movements gentle and careful.

"I... thank you," I manage, my voice hoarse from disuse and cold.

He doesn't stop there. Next come a pair of thick gloves, which he helps me put on, his hands lingering for a moment over mine as if to transfer some of his warmth.

"Here," he says, pressing a steaming cup of coffee into my newly gloved hands. "This should help warm you up."

I wrap my fingers around the cup, feeling the heat seep through the gloves. The aroma of rich coffee wafts up, and I inhale deeply, feeling life start to flow back into my frozen form.

As I take a sip, I can't help but study Joshua's face. His brow is furrowed with worry, his eyes scanning me as if checking for any sign of harm. There's something in his gaze, a depth of concern that catches me off guard.

"You didn't have to do all this," I say softly, gesturing to the gloves, muffler, and coffee.

He smiles, a gentle, caring smile that makes my heart flutter. "I wanted to," he replies simply.

And suddenly, it hits me. This level of care, this attention to detail - no one has ever done anything like this for me before. Not that I can remember, anyway. The realization sends a wave of emotion through me, stronger than the warmth from the coffee.

I watch as Joshua brushes some snow off the bench and sits beside me, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body, but not so close as to be inappropriate. Even in this, he's mindful, respectful.

"You don't have to stay," I tell him, even as a part of me hopes he will.

He turns to me, his eyes meeting mine. "I know. But I want to make sure you're okay. We can sit in silence if you prefer, or talk if you'd like. Whatever you need, Aina."

His words, so simple yet so full of genuine concern, touch something deep within me. I find myself studying every detail of his face - the kindness in his eyes, the gentle set of his mouth, the way his hair is slightly tousled from the wind.

As we sit there in comfortable silence, the snow falling gently around us, I'm overwhelmed by a feeling I can't quite name. Gratitude, certainly. But also something more, something that makes my heart race and my cheeks flush with warmth that has nothing to do with the coffee or the muffler.

For the first time since arriving in Helsinki, I feel truly safe, truly cared for. And as I sneak another glance at Joshua, I realize that this feeling, this warmth in the midst of cold uncertainty, is something I never want to lose.

AUTHOR's NOTE
I know this chapter is short.
Do tell me how you all felt.
Bye bye frosts