The first snow of winter fell overnight. By morning, the university courtyard was blanketed in crisp white, glittering beneath the pale sun. Students rushed outside, laughing, throwing snowballs, and stomping tracks through the untouched drifts. The air carried the sharp bite of frost, the kind that turned breath into clouds.
Jade sat by the window of his dorm room, a mug of steaming tea in his hands. His fingers, usually steady when writing notes, now fiddled with the handle as his gaze followed the falling snow. He told himself he was simply enjoying the view but in truth, his mind replayed fragments of Adrien’s voice from the day before.
You make it feel effortless… I like spending time with you.
The words had burrowed into Jade’s chest, warming and confusing him at once. He wanted to believe them, but something about Adrien’s perfect ease unsettled him.
A knock jolted him from his thoughts. He set the mug down and opened the door. Adrien leaned casually against the frame, snow dusting his dark coat, his breath visible in the cold hall air.
“Good morning, bookworm,” Adrien teased lightly. “Are you planning to watch the snow all day, or do you want to actually enjoy it?”
Jade blinked. “Enjoy… it?”
Adrien held up a pair of gloves with a grin. “Snowball fight. Or a snowman, if you’re feeling less violent. Come on, Jade. You can’t let the entire campus have fun without you.”
Jade hesitated. He wasn’t used to being pulled into impulsive plans. But Adrien’s tone was coaxing, persuasive, and warm in a way that melted his reluctance. “I… suppose a little break wouldn’t hurt.”
“That’s the spirit.” Adrien’s eyes sparkled as he handed him the gloves.
The courtyard was alive with laughter when they stepped outside. The cold nipped at Jade’s cheeks immediately, but Adrien’s energy kept him distracted. Adrien stooped, scooping snow into a tight ball, and smirked.
“You know, Jade,” he said casually, weighing the snowball in his hand, “you’re making yourself an awfully tempting target right now.”
Jade’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare”
Too late. Adrien lobbed the snowball, hitting Jade’s shoulder with a soft thud. Jade gasped, indignant, and crouched quickly to gather snow of his own.
“You started this,” Jade muttered, his glasses slipping as he shaped the snow. He flung it with surprising precision, catching Adrien square on the chest.
Adrien laughed a rich, genuine sound that startled Jade with its warmth. They darted back and forth, their playful rivalry drawing curious glances from other students. Jade, flushed with exertion, found himself laughing more than he had in months.
Eventually, Adrien called a truce, raising his gloved hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, you win. You’ve got better aim than I expected.”
“You underestimated me,” Jade said softly, still catching his breath. His hair was dusted with snow, his glasses fogged, and yet Adrien’s gaze lingered on him with a curious intensity.
“Maybe I did,” Adrien murmured.
For a moment, the world around them quieted. Snowflakes drifted lazily between them, catching in Adrien’s dark hair. Jade felt his heartbeat stutter under that unwavering look, and he quickly turned away. “Perhaps… we should build something. Instead of waging war.”
Adrien chuckled, though his eyes still glinted. “Sure. A snowman it is.”
They worked side by side, rolling snow into uneven spheres. Adrien teased Jade for being too precise, and Jade scolded Adrien for being careless. Still, by the time their creation stood a lopsided snowman with mismatched twig arms and a crooked grin they were both laughing again.
“It’s hideous,” Adrien declared proudly.
“It has… character,” Jade countered, smiling faintly.
Adrien leaned closer, close enough that Jade could see the snow melting against his collar. “I like your kind of character, Jade.”
Jade froze, unsure how to respond. Adrien’s tone was playful, but there was a weight beneath it, something charged. He opened his mouth, only for a group of students to run by, pelting each other with snowballs and breaking the moment. Jade exhaled, grateful and disappointed all at once.
Later, they retreated to a café off campus, shaking snow from their coats as they stepped inside. The air was warm, filled with the smell of coffee and cinnamon. Adrien guided Jade to a corner booth, ordering drinks before Jade could protest.
When the mugs arrived Adrien’s black coffee and Jade’s hot chocolate Adrien leaned back, watching him with an easy smile. “You look happier today. I’m glad I dragged you out.”
Jade stirred his drink nervously. “It was… fun. More than I expected.”
“See? You need someone to remind you that life isn’t just books and lectures.” Adrien’s voice softened. “I like seeing you like this, Jade. Relaxed. Real.”
Jade’s throat tightened. The sincerity in Adrien’s gaze was almost overwhelming. He looked away, staring at the swirling steam. “You say things so easily…”
“Because I mean them.” Adrien’s hand brushed across the table, fingers grazing Jade’s. It was casual, but deliberate, sending a jolt through Jade’s chest.
Jade pulled his hand back instinctively, pressing it to his lap. Adrien didn’t push, only smirked faintly as though he’d already achieved something.
That evening, Jade returned to his dorm with cheeks still warm, though the cold outside should have chilled them. Danielle was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall with arms crossed. His sharp eyes flicked over Jade, taking in the snow clinging to his scarf.
“You were with him again,” Danielle said flatly.
Jade blinked. “Adrien? Yes, we...he invited me out to”
“I don’t like it,” Danielle interrupted. His tone was harsher than usual, though there was concern beneath it. “He’s… too much. Too polished. People like that don’t give without wanting something back.”
Jade frowned. “You’re being unfair. Adrien’s been kind. He’s… attentive.”
“That’s the problem.” Danielle’s eyes darkened. “It’s calculated. Can’t you see it? He’s pulling you in.”
Jade’s chest ached with conflict. Part of him knew Danielle meant well, but another part bristled at the warning. “You don’t know him like I do,” he said quietly. “He makes me feel… noticed.”
Danielle’s jaw tightened. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he pushed off the wall. “Just… be careful, Jade. Please.”
He walked away, leaving Jade alone in the hall, clutching his scarf and feeling torn between two truths: Adrien’s warmth and Danielle’s caution.
That night, Jade lay in bed, the memory of Adrien’s laugh echoing in his ears. His phone buzzed with a message.
Adrien: Did you have fun today?
Jade hesitated, then typed back: Yes. More than I thought I would.
Almost instantly, the reply came: Good. I like seeing that smile on you. Sleep well, Jade.
Jade’s heart raced as he set the phone down. His smile lingered, soft and uncertain, as snow continued to fall outside his window.
ns216.73.216.41da2
and then Add to home screen.