The wind howled like a wild animal, snow stinging my skin as I struggled to keep my footing in the blinding whiteout. My breath came in ragged gasps, each inhale like ice seizing my lungs. The avalanche had hit so quickly, I barely had time to react, and now I was fighting not only the snowstorm but the panic threatening to rise in my chest.

"Pip!" I shouted, my voice barely carrying over the roar of the wind. "Pip!"

He was there in an instant, his figure emerging from the swirling snow like a ghost, his eyes wide with concern as he reached for me. His gloved hand gripped my arm, pulling me closer, his warmth the only thing that grounded me in the chaos.

"Stay close," Pippin muttered, his voice tense but steady. His grip tightened as he maneuvered us both through the storm, one arm firmly around me, shielding me from the worst of the snow. "You’re not getting rid of me that easy."

I couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped me, even as my teeth chattered. It felt surreal, to be stuck in the middle of a battle mission and yet feel this—this warmth, this pull toward him. He was always there for me, even when I was too stubborn to admit I needed him.

We ducked behind a large boulder, the snow now falling in sheets, a wall of white that made it nearly impossible to see. The avalanche had only been the first of our problems, and we both knew it wasn’t over yet. But with Pippin here, his steady presence somehow made it all feel a little less terrifying.

"Can you believe we’re doing this?" I asked, trying to break the tension, though I wasn’t sure if it was for him or for me.

He flashed a grin, despite the circumstances, his eyes flickering with something that wasn’t just concern. "Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.