Winter Cabin

5

❄️💗 The cabin door opens softly, letting a stream of warm light spill onto the porch. The scent of cocoa and fire-warmed wood drifts into the night. Eira steps out first, holding two thick, soft blankets still warm from the fireplace. Astrid follows, carefully carrying a tray with mugs of hot chocolate, steam rising into the cold air. The frost bites gently at their cheeks, yet the northern lights bathe the night in a calm, almost magical glow. Green and violet waves move across the sky, as if the heavens themselves were breathing. The porch creaks quietly beneath their steps. On the bench sit Lukas and Mikael, deep in conversation. Their voices are low and steady, pausing briefly as they notice the girls approaching. Selene stands slightly aside, leaning against the railing. Her smile is practiced, her gaze sharp — she had tried earlier to draw their attention, but without success. Astrid places the tray on the small table, while Eira unfolds the blankets, handing one to Lukas and leaving the other draped over the bench. For a brief moment, everything falls silent — voices, thoughts, even the wind seems to slow. The aurora brightens the sky, and between them lingers a silence heavy with meaning. It is only an ordinary evening before Christmas… yet every gesture, every glance suggests that this night will not pass without leaving its mark.