Winter Sound

Chapter 7: Better With You

Since Anya and Winter had confessed their love to each other, the two damaged soldiers got along much more swimmingly and actually began to be more open with one another with no surprises to come. Spending more time together whenever Winter was free from his duties in regards to the reconnaissance mission, Anya and her beloved boyfriend were often seen hunting for food or money on behalf of Volya and they were even seen cuddling on the couch, dining, preparing meals, and sharing a bed together. In all honesty, Winter and Anya were starting to act like a married couple as they began to think, feel, and speak with one mind even if they had their own opinions on certain things. All in all, their relationship was a good one and anyone who wanted love would've wanted to have a love like theirs.

A few days of being together and already, Winter had to leave for pursuing his target as a 'civilian' and checking in with his Master. Although he didn't want to leave the peace and love of the cottage, in the end, the man knew he had to do so in order to keep Anya out of the prying eyes of his Master's organization so she'd be safe. So, with sweet kisses and strong hugs, Winter departed to his destination while Anya remained behind in her home, sad to see her lover go but also relieved to know that the only reason he left was to protect her and their secrets. However, as quickly as Winter left, he soon returned to his girlfriend as they met each other with tender affection, words, and gestures. Now back in their routine while Winter was on his downtime at his Master's request for the target, the soldier and his beloved redhead spent more time together in their cottage while the scenes of ivory snow danced outside their windows.

One morning, Anya was sleeping in her bed as the sunlight poured into her bedroom while the snow continued to fall outside. Fluttering her azure eyes open, Anya looked up to see Winter's gorgeous face as her cheeks were tickled by his dark facial hair, which made her giggle lightly. Heaving his clothed chest up and down, Winter looked so peaceful in his sleep as his raven hair pooled around his shoulders and in his face while his strong arms of metal and flesh remained around Anya's waist to keep her safe from harm and close to him. Drawing patterns onto Winter's pectorals with her finger through his shirt, Anya smiled lovingly before she kissed the man's stubbled cheek while the male moaned quietly in his sleep before his own baby blues fluttered open to meet his girlfriend's eyes. Grinning slightly from the way she kissed his cheeks, Winter hugged Anya closer to his larger frame as he cuddled her in the bed before he greeted with a chuckle, "Доброе утро, Любовь моя (good morning, my love)."

"Hmmm...Доброе утро, Любовь моя." Anya greeted back as Winter kissed her forehead while the two remained in bed before the man was the first one to hop out of bed. Holding his hand out to Anya, Winter grabbed hands with the redhead before he walked with her downstairs to the kitchen to help prepare breakfast, never letting his metal hand leave her right, fleshy one. After consuming their breakfast and cleaning up after themselves, Anya decided to get some chores done. She had already cleaned the house and restocked the house with money, food, and firewood while Winter was gone, but she just wanted to make sure that all of the clothes in the house were washed and hung up by the fire to dry. Once her task was done, though, Anya returned to the living room to cuddle with her boyfriend as they both held each other in constant security and gentleness.

However, a sharp pain in Anya's abdomen seemed to interrupt the moment as she clutched herself around the stomach. With clenched ivory teeth and squinted eyes of blue, Anya lowered her head as she tried to calm the stabbing in her gut while her crimson strands fell in front of her face. And all the while, Winter began to notice as he asked his beloved, "Anya, what's wrong?" Trying to muster up an answer, Anya tried to grin and bear it as she lied about her pain, "Don't worry about me...I'm fine..."

"Are you sure?"

"Da...I'm fine..." Anya replied as she gave a curt nod before the abdominal pain ceased to exist as the dame found that she was able to relax. Seeing that his beloved was alright, Winter was able to calm down as well as he held Anya in his arms while the two began to cuddle again. However, the stabbing against Anya's internal organs started to act up again as she clutched her stomach again, squeezing her eyes shut as a few tears escaped down her cheeks and to the hardwood floor of the cottage below her feet. At once, a certain heat familiarized itself with Anya in the pit of her belly as a wave of nausea hit the young woman and a pounding resounded in her head, all of which the redhead recognized as symptoms of a normal condition as painful and as much of a nuisance as it was.