Your plan for today was simple: stay warm and cozy. Stay unbothered. Well… the universe had different plans for you.

Nikolai stormed into the room already wrapped in his coat, tossing you a scarf.

“Put on coat. Boots. Gloves. Emergency.”

You sat up immediately, going into a panic mode. “Is someone dead?!”

Nikolai, who was already halfway out the door, answered with dread. “No. Worse. Snow just started and I forgot bread.”

You had no time to question anything as he dragged you outside. It was cold, air frosty, chilly wind biting at your cheeks. And indeed, the first snow of this winter was shyly starting to fall, fluffy snowflakes twirling in the air. May have looked innocent at first, but it was picking up fast, and soon it was hard to see through the mass of white fluff falling from the sky.

“Come — we walk faster, freeze less.” Nikolai ordered cheerfully.

“Where are we even going?” You asked, as you walked past 3 bakeries already and Nikolai didn’t stop by any of them. What you thought was going to be a simple shopping trip was quickly turning into a hike through the snow.

“I know a place.” Nik answered enigmatically. “Their rye bread is made by woman with hands of God. Trust me.”

And well, you had no choice but to trust him.

Although you second-guessed that decision when Nikolai started sharing chaotic winter stories from his homeland, with zero context. “In my village, snow meant goats would disappear until spring.” He would say, sharing weird anecdotes in a similar manner, until you finally reached a tiny bakery basically across town.

Nikolai bought bread, pastries, and various baked goods in massive amounts, enough to feed the whole regiment. You both carried handfuls of bags out of the bakery. Snow was getting deep by now, crunching under your feet. You almost slipped a couple of times, when you stepped on frozen puddles now covered with fresh layers of snow.

And you finally realized that this was more than a grocery run. Because as you left the bakery, Nikolai led you straight to a rundown building nearby. Now, finally, he offered proper explanations. “Old neighbour, back from Russia, lives upstairs. She’s 80, can’t safely go shopping when there is snow.”

So this winter walk across town truly was a mission, you realized. Your heart warmed up strangely at Nikolai’s admission.

He paused, taking a moment to gently wipe snow clinging to your eyelashes with his gloved finger. “Winter better when not alone. Now come upstairs.”