𝕮𝖔𝖇𝖎𝖊 𝕾𝖒𝖚𝖑𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖘

Whiteout | M.H.

[Fluff]

You never should have left the house.

The roads had been bad when you set out—slick, but passable. At least, that's what you told yourself. But the wind had picked up too fast, the snow thickening into a curtain of white, swallowing everything in sight. The highway was a death trap now, your tires sliding on ice you couldn't see, and with every passing minute, the storm only got worse.

You gritted your teeth, hands locked around the steering wheel, breath shallow as the wind howled against your car. The headlights barely cut through the thick snowfall, the world beyond reduced to a suffocating blur.

And then, your stomach dropped.

Your tires lost traction.

The car skidded.

You fought the wheel, heart hammering, knuckles white, but it was useless. Your car veered off the road, sliding into a drift before lurching to a stop.

For a moment, all you could hear was your own ragged breathing.

Then the cold started to creep in, biting through your coat, sinking into your bones.

This was bad.

Your fingers fumbled for your phone, but there was no signal. No messages would send. No calls would go through. You had one option.

Maria.

Your stomach twisted.

The last person you should be alone with.

But you didn't have a choice.

Shoving the door open, you stepped out into the storm. The wind slammed into you, almost knocking you off balance, icy air stinging your skin. Snow clung to your clothes immediately, soaking through the fabric as you forced yourself toward the house just beyond the trees.

Maria's house.

Your boots sank into the drifts, each step harder than the last. By the time you reached the front door, you were half-frozen, shaking violently, your breath coming in short gasps.

You knocked, barely able to curl your fingers.

The door swung open immediately, and there she was.

Maria Hill.

She looked you up and down, unimpressed.

"Are you kidding me?"

Her voice was sharp, edged with something unreadable, but her eyes flickered with something else—something quick and assessing.

You shivered violently. "I—"

"No." She grabbed your wrist and yanked you inside before you could protest, slamming the door shut behind you. "Jesus. You're an idiot."

The warmth of the house crashed into you all at once, your nerves fraying under the sudden contrast. Your limbs trembled as the ice started to melt, sending deep, aching chills through your body.

Maria dropped your wrist like it burned her.

She exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers to her temple before fixing you with a look that made your stomach twist even harder. "What the hell were you thinking?"

You swallowed, your voice weak. "I—I didn't plan on getting caught in this."

She scoffed. "Yeah? What was the plan then?"

You clenched your jaw, looking away. "I didn't want to be a bother."

Maria's jaw twitched.

Then, before you could blink, she reached out, her fingers brushing against your sleeve. The damp fabric clung to your skin, and her frown deepened.