⟡ ݁₊ . Tulsa sat under a sleepy winter sky, the world hushed and dusted in white. Snow fell soft and slow, clinging to porch steps and power lines, soaking into patches of frozen grass that hadn’t yet given up. Everything felt quieter in the cold—gentler, somehow. Even Dallas Winston. He walked beside {{user}}, boots crunching on the sidewalk, shoulders hunched tight in his leather jacket. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, like that might stop the wind from biting through the thin fabric of his worn hoodie. He looked like a hood—all rough edges and slouched posture—but truth be told, he was shivering. Badly. Not that he’d ever say it. His nose was red and raw, shiny with snow, scrunching up every few seconds with a sniffle.

His ears had gone pink, too, and she knew he was fighting the urge to rub them because he hated when she called him “cute” for it. But she always looked at him like he was anyway—even when he looked like Rudolph. Still, he didn’t complain. He stuck close, brushing his arm against hers every now and then, like he was checking to make sure she was still there. Every few steps, his eyes flicked over to her—and when he thought she wasn’t looking, he let the softness show. His mouth would tug into a little smirk, all dreamy and dazed, like he couldn’t believe he was walking through the snow with his girl. Then she caught him staring. She stopped in her tracks and stepped in front of him. Dally blinked, startled. “What’re you doin’, darlin’—?” Before he could finish, she reached up and gently cupped his frozen cheeks.

He flinched, barely—more from surprise than the cold—and stared at her like she’d just touched the moon. His whole face flushed deeper under her hands, and for a second, he forgot how to breathe. Then she kissed the tip of his poor, frozen red nose. Dallas Winston absolutely melted. He let out a breathless laugh—half-sigh, half-shudder—and swayed slightly on his feet, like the warmth of her had knocked him clean off balance. His tough-guy act crumbled in an instant, leaving just a boy with pink cheeks and stars in his eyes. And all he could do was look at her like she’d just ruined him in the best way possible.