Winter crept in without warning. The first snow blanketed the campus in early December, transforming every rooftop and walkway into a picturesque wonderland. Lights flickered across the quad, holiday tunes hummed faintly from dorm windows, and students buzzed with the excitement of the upcoming break.
For Athena, though, peace didn't come easily.
She sat by the apartment window one Saturday morning, watching snowflakes swirl past the glass. Mason was still asleep in their room, sprawled across the bed like he hadn't slept properly in days. She could hear the soft rise and fall of his breathing—and it gave her both comfort and ache.
They had mended after their last argument. But wounds like those didn't vanish overnight. Since then, Mason had made a noticeable effort. He started walking her to class more often. He left football practice early when he could. He even brought her hot cocoa from the café across campus when she was studying late.
Still, she couldn't shake the fear lingering quietly in her chest—that one slip, one moment of inattention, could send them spiraling again.
A knock on the door startled her.
She opened it to find Harper standing in the hallway.
Her expression was neutral, polite, but Athena's stomach twisted.
"Hey," Harper said lightly. "I was just dropping off Mason's scarf. He left it at practice yesterday."
Athena blinked, her grip tightening on the doorframe. "Oh. Thanks."
She hesitated before reaching out, taking the scarf without meeting Harper's eyes.
"I'll let him know you stopped by."
Harper smiled faintly. "Sure. You two okay?"
It was such an innocent question—but Athena felt the sting behind it.
"We're... working on things," she said simply.
Harper nodded. "That's good to hear. Mason's a good guy. A little dense, sometimes, but he cares."
Before Athena could respond, Harper gave her a parting smile and walked off down the hall.
Athena shut the door softly and stood for a moment, holding the scarf in her hands.
A few minutes later, Mason stumbled out of the room, rubbing his eyes.
"Morning," he said groggily, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "You're up early."
"Harper stopped by," Athena said, handing him the scarf.
Mason blinked, surprised. "Oh... right. I forgot that."
Athena stepped away, folding her arms. "Do you usually forget things like that? Or just when it comes to us?"
His brow furrowed. "Athena, come on. I've been trying."
"I know," she said quickly, "and I see it. I do. But I can't help feeling like maybe I'm still the one trying harder."
Mason stepped closer. "You're not. I promise."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, softly, Athena spoke again. "Christmas break is coming. Maybe we need some time... not apart, but quiet time. Just us. No practice. No Harper. No distractions."
Mason reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. "A cabin. Snow. Hot chocolate. Just us."
She gave him a small smile. "Exactly."
He grinned. "I'll plan it."
And for the first time in a while, Athena believed him.
They had cracks, sure. But maybe the snow could help soften the edges. Maybe they just needed to remember why they fell in love in the first place.