The snowstorm was wild. The cave we were in was dark, black stone further accenting its darkness, yet the cave's entrance was nearly pure white. Thanks to how much snow was blowing past.

"How neat," I whispered as I watched it.

We'd stopped in this little cave a few hours ago, once the storm got really bad. Vim thinks we were only a day or so away from our next destination, a small fishing village on the inland sea, but he like usual worried for my health. He didn't want to risk me in this storm.

And honestly I was glad for it. The snow was so strong, so cold, that even here next to a raging fire and curled up into Vim I was still fighting to keep shivers at bay.

"You know such cold used to not bother me much," I said.

"Hm. You've said so, yes," Vim said absentmindedly.

Leaning back a little, I glanced up at him. From this angle I could only see the side of his face. "What's more important than me right now?" I asked, teasing him a little.

He hummed and smiled. "Your safety, for one."

"Huh?" I frowned at that. What'd he mean?

We were alone. In a small alcove like cave. We had a good fire going and the storm was terrible but kept at bay thanks to the angle of the cave's mouth. I was in his arms, sitting in his lap basically, and wrapped in a warm blanket.

Just… what part of my safety was at risk, I wonder?

Vim sighed a little, and then shifted a bit. He snaked an arm under the blanket, as to wrap it around my waist. I felt my ears twitch a little at the action, since he usually didn't do such a personal thing even during moments like this. "You mentioned the house you grew up in had no walls," he said.

I nodded. "Yeah…?" I liked how he remembered such things.

"That means you likely didn't start noticing the cold, really noticing it, until you experienced warmth. Once you started sleeping indoors, likely in a warm bed. It's not that you can't endure the cold, Renn, you just now don't like it because you know it's not the normal thing to be in. You're not supposed to be freezing all the time," he explained.

"I'd rather look at it as if I don't like the cold no more because my heart is warm now," I said happily.

"That's a way to look at it too, I guess."

It was how I was going to look at it.

"If it's this cold maybe we can run into another frozen lake? Will the inland sea freeze over, maybe?" I asked, hopeful.

Vim chuckled. "No. Probably not. The waters here are a little warmer than usual, thanks to the region's temperament. But if you'd like we can find an excuse to head north instead of south maybe. There's a woman who lives on the north side of the inland sea, who we can visit. I've not visited her for several trips now so it is time for me to do so," Vim said.

"Who is she?" I asked, interested in hearing about a woman who lived alone. There were a lot of members that lived alone, and sadly most were women. I wasn't sure why as of yet.

"A pig. Or well, she's not a pig. She's actually a scrawny woman. But that's her bloodline," Vim said, explaining.

"Hm… Is she nice?" I asked.

"Not sure. She never really needs or wants anything, so I've not really spent time with her."

"Hopefully we don't need to go anywhere then," I said.

He nodded, brushing my ear as he did so with his chin.

The whistle of the great wind got a little louder, and I watched the storm for a bit. Although it was cold, and was keeping us from our task… I found myself having a good time.

I liked this. Sitting with Vim, just… doing nothing.

It made no sense. I wanted to be busy. To help our members. Yet at the same time I knew I longed for these moments. It was why I had nearly wept as we left that ice covered lake.

Vim and I were alone often, especially when we traveled, yet… strangely, we didn't get many moments alone. True moments.

Even while we traveled we were busy. Hurrying from one place to another. Or I was stressing and worrying about something, so as such felt in a hurry even if I wasn't.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I knew soon, in a matter of days, our stressful days would return. I'd once again worry over members, the schemes they wrought, dangers and more. I'd worry over Vim's decisions, his failures, and my own.

Those moments on that ice had been so wonderful because I had not thought about any of that. I had not thought of the Society. Or the drama. None of the sorrow or pain. Just joy. Pure and simple joy.

For a bit I relived the moments on that lake a few days ago. The feel of the cold wind as I skated quickly. Vim's warmth as he held me up, when I was still trying to figure out how to skate it properly. The hours after, as we huddled near the fire and I stared longingly at the lake, wishing I was back out upon it.

"I think that was one of my top five days ever, Vim," I whispered as I placed it far above most others.

"Huh…?" Vim shifted a little, and I could tell he had not understood me. But how could he? We had been talking about a member, a pig, not the skating on the ice.

"Your gift. Ice skating. That was one of the loveliest days I've ever had," I told him softly.

His arm around my waist tightened a little. Not around me, but itself. I felt his muscles coil. "Renn…" Vim whispered my name, sounding hurt.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Why'd he sound hurt? Why had he recoiled like that? He should be happy. He had given me something wonderful!

"If such a simple moment as that was enough to be in your top five… then I'm quite a failure, aren't I…?" he whispered gently in my ear.

My ears fluttered, and I wanted to turn around and thump him. Not just because of how itchy he had just made my ear, but because of what he had said. But Vim's hold, and how comfortable I was, kept me from doing so. Instead I just wiggled a little. "I didn't mean it like that Vim…! I just… really liked it. You and I don't get to be alone often, not like that at least. We don't often get moments just to ourselves… moments for just you and me. That hadn't been for the Society, or a member, or the world. It had been just for us. Special, and…" I started to ramble a little, since I was now not really sure how to properly phrase it.

How did I tell him how much I loved him? How could I prove it? His actions that had made me so happy, that wonderful day, were thanks to him. He had thought of it, planned for it, and prepared for it. And to him it had been but a simple moment. Yet it had so deeply affected me it may as well have been life changing. And he did such things for me often. More than I could count.

How come he could do that for me, yet I struggled to do so for him? He always teased, and said, that he was a failure as a husband… but the truth was the opposite.

I was the failure. As a wife.

Sniffing a little, since I was moments from weeping, I shifted and nodded. "You did great Vim. Don't think like that. I love you… please keep it up," I whimpered.

His arm tightened again, but this time around me. I felt him kiss my head, nearly my ear, and I blushed a little at the feeling. "One day, that day won't be in your top five. It won't even be a thought. I swear it," he promised.

"Mhm…" I nodded, my heart welling a little. What did one say to that? It was moments like this that I wished he was more okay with skin-ship, and…

Then before I could say, or do, anything… something huge stepped into the cave.

I sat up straight, my eyes going wide as a massive bear walked in. It looked nearly white, thanks to the thick layer of snow all upon it. It shook its mighty frame; dislodging most of the snow… made a deep guttural groan, and then stepped closer towards us.

"Vim…!" I whispered as I grabbed his arm wrapped around my waist. I wasn't too worried, since I knew even a giant bear such as this was no match for Vim… but it was so close! I knew how fast they could be. I knew how strong they were. I knew, even without looking at the ones right before me, that their paws and claws were bigger than my head, ears included!

Yet Vim didn't even budge. He simply held me firmly in his grasp. "It's okay Renn," he whispered.

Was it…?

I gulped as the massive creature sauntered up to the fire. It sniffed the fire deeply, huffing with its huge breaths, and with a small glance at us… it then stepped a few feet away and fell down.

My tail squirmed as the thing landed hard on its side, and then rolled over a bit. It laid down, breathing deeply and noisily, as it began to relax.

For a few moments the bear situated itself… eventually ending up with its back facing us. It began to breathe quieter, and even began to sound almost as if it was snoring.

"Did… did it just fall asleep?" I whispered.

"Hm. I don't think this is its den. I think it just came in to escape the cold," Vim said.

Huh…

"Why didn't it attack us?" I asked.

"We don't smell, Renn. At all. To it we don't exist," Vim told me.

Oh!

Oh my gosh…! "You're ignored by animals…" I whispered, realizing that meant even big ones like the bear.

"So are you now, Renn."

Gulping at that… I couldn't help but smile and hold back a giggle. I knew as long as we didn't make too much noise we'd be fine, but if I went ahead and loudly laughed it might grow irate.

And even if Vim could handle it… I didn't want him to.

There was no point in hurting the creature if it was just going to be peaceful.

It like us was just escaping the cold, after all.

This was what Vim had meant earlier, then. He had smelled the bear. I wonder how long the thing had been outside our cave, gathering the courage to enter it.

Leaning further into Vim, I smiled at the bear as I relaxed… even though it kind of stunk.

Another wonderful moment. "It's not a top five, but this is nice too," I said softly.

Vim chuckled at me. "You really are easy to please."

I nodded, glad to be so. "Your love makes it easy, Vim," I said.

"Hm… well, I do love you a lot so that makes sense."

"I love you too. Now what are you going to do when the bear gets hungry? Because I am and I now want you to cook something," I asked.

Vim sighed.

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