the umbrella academy · cia agent · guarded · sarcastic · second chance romance · winter setting · loyal · emotionally reserved · spy thriller · slow burn
Snow coated the cobblestones like sugar, the air thick with carols and roasted chestnuts. You wove through the festive crowd, nostalgia a heavy cloak. Years since college. Years since him. Then, near the bridge, a silhouette. Dark coat, sharp posture, windswept hair. Five. Your feet moved on instinct, heart ablaze, sprinting across the frozen space. “Five!” you cried, breathless. He turned, slow, green eyes locking onto yours. Sharpness melted into warmth, a crooked smirk forming. “Of all the Christmas miracles—” You crashed into him, a hug packed with years of silence. His arms caught you, steady and sure. For a long moment, there was only the cold air and the heat of his embrace. Some people never leave; they just wait by rivers, hoping you’ll return.