I am not prepared for what I witness outside.
Joss and Vee are covered in snow, their jackets and black beanies now white. Vee's hair hangs damp around her red-cheeked face as she laughs and dodges Joss's attempt to tackle her to the ground.
I watch for a few stunned moments as Heath walks into the fray and grabs snow from the ground. A distracted Joss yells at him as Heath deftly shoves the handful down the back of his jacket.
Vee's laughter peels again, and I'm shocked when the sound fills me with a warmth to counteract the cold. When did I last hear Vee laugh with genuine happiness? Have I ever heard this?
Joss now tussles with Heath, and Vee takes advantage of their distraction to land a snowball on Heath's bare head. He releases Joss, and she shrieks and runs as he strides after her.
I cross my arms, debating whether to join in but also knowing I won't have a choice unless I walk back into the house. Grumpy Ewan's already bowed out of the fun.
"Xander! C'mon." A snowball lands squarely in my chest, and my knee-jerk response is to return the attack.
Something overtakes me, and I'm pulled out of a world where demons breathe down my neck and into this snowy white one evolving in front of me. Most years, snow arrives if we're in England during winter, and a snowball fight always ensues.
Talking about Mac can wait. I want some of Vee's positive vibes, to forget and do something I rarely do—unwind and have fun.
VEE
I tussle with Heath, gasping out protests as he rewards my attack with his own. Cold water trickles down my neck as the snow he pushed into my jacket melts and I tear myself from his arms. Backing up, I beckon him to me.
"I can knock you to the ground if you do that again! Joss already discovered. Ask him."
"War, Vee?" Heath laughs and bends down to scoop more snow. "I don't need to tackle you to hit you with snow."
I side step his missile and poke my tongue out at him before grabbing my own handful. Glancing back at Joss, I halt in surprise.
Xander. Fighting Joss, throwing snowballs as if playing a tennis game.
Laughing.
Bloody hell.
I flinch as a snowball hits me in the back and spin around. "You're mean, Heath. You're going to regret this."
Before he has a chance to respond, I launch myself at him, and my strength knocks him backwards until he sprawls onto his arse. He laughs up at me and holds a hand out, supposedly for help pulling him to his feet.
I cross my arms. "I'm not that stupid!"
"Help Joss with Xander." He points at where Xander skilfully dodges Joss’s snowballs, easily hitting him. Snow hangs from Joss's jacket and sleeves. "I want to see what happens if Xander loses."
The childish glee takes over as I stockpile snowballs in front of myself, keeping an eye on the distracted pair. Heath appears at my side and grabs my face in his freezing cold hands before planting a cold mouth on mine. I shy away from his touch, tensing in case I feel snow down my neck next.
"Don't you dare," I warn as he releases me and takes one of my snowballs.
"Not for you." Heath winks as he lobs the snow across the space between us and smacks his brother in the shoulder. "These are for him."
I almost feel sorry for Xander as all three of us pelt him with snow, especially as his reaction is retaliation with a smile rather than storming back into the house. He can dodge some of our barrage, but not all.
Then he does something that shocks me. Xander straightens, lifts his arms upwards, and palms out in a gesture of surrender. The snow in my hand sticks to my glove instead of heading in his direction as he walks toward me. Eyes trained on mine, we meet in our usual challenge, silently weighing each other up. Like Heath, Xander has no gloves on, and his ice-cold fingers curl around my wrist.
"Are you surrendering, Xander?" I whisper. My breath mists around my face and mingles with the same around him.
"I never surrender to you." His mouth tips upwards at one corner
"Yes, you do."
My heart rate picks up further as he moves his face closer. "Not this time."
Before I can catch up to what he's doing, he seizes the snow from my hand and smears it into my hair.
"Omigod!" I shove at him with the force that would destabilise the others but barely touches him.
Xander laughs and picks at the snow in my hair, while I pout. "You're going to regret that, Pony Boy."
The ground moves as somebody takes hold of me, and I find myself slung over Joss's shoulder, my hair hanging downwards. He has a strong hold around my waist and I grip his jacket as he charges away from Xander.
"Joss! Put me down."
"Huh, I'm rescuing you from Xander."
"I do not need rescuing," I retort and wriggle against him.
I’m dizzy as Joss swings in another direction and calls Ewan's name. I move my head and see Ewan standing in the doorway, holding a beer, and sharing the others' amusement.
"You're playing with fire there," he calls. "Don't upset Vee or she’ll bury you in the snow.”
"Listen to him," I reply and attempt to loosen Joss's fingers.
"Do you want to land on your head?" he asks.
"Do you want to be in trouble with me?"
"Yes, please." Joss laughs and smacks my backside. "I'll look forward to it."
He sets me upright again, and I stagger, woozy from the blood running from my head. Joss's mouth twitches into a smile, and he leans forward to whisper, "You won't win against me either."
I wrap my arms around his neck. "We'll see about that." My lips touch his as I speak, and I step back with a smirk. "Are you coming outside, Ewan?" I ask.
"Looks like you four are ready for a break." He lifts up his bottle. "Maybe later."
"Boring sod," calls out Heath and rewards Ewan with a snowball to the chest. "Can't have you missing out."
Ewan gives him the middle finger and turns back into the house. "Don't stress, he normally needs a few more beers before he's any fun. You'd think Xander would be the fun police, but nope."
I screw my face up. "He's right though, I'm getting cold now."
Joss's face switches to concern. "Sorry."
"Don't be, I got you all too."
Leaving behind the others and their snowy fun, I walk after Ewan and catch up to him in the kitchen, where he's setting beers on the table next to a pack of playing cards. We've not spoken much recently, and I always feel the tension when we're alone. He shakes his fringe from his face and for the first time in a while smiles at me.
"You're a mess, Vee."
I shiver despite the warmth I stepped into. "Why didn't you join us?"
"I was about to, but think I was too late." He approaches and pulls my damp glove off, before surrounding my icy fingers with his warm ones. "Bloody hell, you are cold."
I almost joke to Ewan that he could warm me up, but I sense his wariness and decide not to make things awkward. "I'm okay, I’m about to change."
"It's good to see you relaxed." Ewan pushes a strand of damp hair from face. "I'm happy to see you smile.”