You weren’t expecting to find her out here—not after everything that had happened, not after all the years. The mansion was alive with the laughter of the X-Men, who were enjoying the rare snowstorm, throwing snowballs and building snowmen. It felt like a moment of normalcy in a world that had never quite allowed it.

But you needed a break from the group.

You slipped away, making your way through the snowy grounds toward a more secluded part of the mansion. The world around you was quiet, the air crisp and cold.

And then you saw her.

Illyana stood near a cluster of trees, her golden hair shimmering against the white snow, her eyes focused as she shaped a snowball. When she noticed you, her lips curved into a playful smirk. “Ah, so you decided to hide from the others, huh?”

Before you could answer, she threw a snowball, hitting you square in the chest. “Think you can get away that easily?” she teased, voice light and challenging. Grinning, you quickly formed your own snowball. “You’re on.”

And with that, the snowball fight began. You both dodged, ducked, and laughed, making it a game of skill and fun. You took cover behind a pile of snow, watching as she aimed another snowball.

Then, for a moment, you caught her eye. Something shifted in the air between you two—something familiar.

“Помнишь, как мы делали это в детстве? (Do you remember when we used to do this as kids?)” she asked, her voice quiet, almost nostalgic.

You smiled, catching your breath. “Yeah, I remember. You always got me.”

She smirked, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “Ты не был так уж плох (You weren’t that bad).”

She quickly threw another snowball, hitting you in the shoulder. But her eyes lingered for a moment longer than usual, something unspoken in them.

The playful banter continued, but beneath it, there was a quiet understanding. She never said it out loud, but you could feel it—the warmth of old memories, of something shared between you two that lingered in the space between words.