PART ONE

You breathe out, watching your breath cloud in front of you. Your hands rub up and down your biceps, just covered in a thin knit sweater. It was a dumb idea not to wear a jacket today. The cool winter breeze is making your cheeks feel numb and your nose is probably the colour of a cherry. Your hair is blowing messily with each cold gust of wind.
You look down to your feet. Your sandy coloured high heel ankle boots atop the light dusting of snow. You look up and lean forward to look around you and down the fairly vacant street. The bus is late, of course it’d be late on the coldest day of the winter thus far. You exhale heavily, watching your breath once again.
You’ve just finished work; a very long work day was now behind you and you’re looking forward to enjoying the evening by spending it alone and relaxing.
You walk just a few meters from the bus stop to a nearby bench. Dusting the snow off the bench, you take a seat on the cold wood. You pull your cell phone out of your purse and turn on it’s screen to see a weather network notification. That’s never a good thing. You sigh heavily and open the notification.

Heavy snow expected to start around 5:00pm and continue into the evening.
Public transportation delayed by 1 hour 12 minutes.

You’ve got to be kidding me. You look to the clock on your phone’s screen. 4:48pm. Dammit.
Your house is too far away to walk; so you have two options, call for a taxi, or call a friend to pick you up.
You don’t hesitate to do the second option. You open your contacts and scroll.
She’s working. At work also. Doesn’t drive.
You sigh and continue to scroll through your very small amount of contacts.

“Y/N?”
You look up from your phone and in the direction of the voice speaking your name. You smile when you see him. His eyes form into lines accompanying his lips in smiling towards you.
“Hi Daniel” you greet him kindly. It’s only been about a half an hour since you last saw him, but you were happy to see him again.
Daniel is your co-worker. He only a few months ago started working at the same cafe as you. Today you both worked the same shift but he stayed back to speak with your employer.
“Doesn’t the bus normally come by now?” he asks you kindly.
“Usually, but all public transit is delayed by an hour” you answer.
“Oh, did you want a ride home?”
Your eyes light up with his offer. Anything to get out of this cold.
“Please” you chuckle. “I mean, if it isn’t a bother to you, than yes, a ride would be nice” you roll your lips in and shove your phone into your purse.
“I’m parked just down the street a little” he smiles, an awkward but always charming smile.
You nod and stand up from the bench. Together you start walking in the direction of his car.
“Here” he speaks and you turn to face him as he swings his jacket off his shoulders.
“Oh?”
“You look cold” he chuckles, wrapping the jacket over your shoulders. You gulp and thank him sweetly.
If your cheeks weren’t already pink from the winter air, they would be now from blushing at his gentlemanly action.

Daniel and your relationship has been odd, and the longer you know one another, the more you confuse yourself.
When he had first started the job, and you had first met, you weren't exactly fond of him. Sure he had good looks that would distract you from time to time, but he just didn’t come across as the warmest person to you. Maybe it’s because he was shy to start, but, to say the least, you didn’t think your feelings would develop into a friendship of any sorts.
After a week or so of knowing him, he became less awkward and would talk to you more and more each day. Despite your lack of interest, you were kind enough to keep a conversation with him here and there through the work day.
Not long after, you actually started to become friends. You exchanged phone numbers and would even text on your days off. And within a matter of days you had become quite close of friends, something between you two just, clicked.
Most of your friends tease you for the way you are with Daniel. Your cheeks can’t help but flush every now and then, and your lips don’t often fall from a subtle smile.
Since you started becoming friends, it’s been fairly evident to everybody around you, and to you yourself that Daniel is crushing. But for some reason you couldn’t find a way to like him in return. There’s no reason you shouldn’t have an interest, other than that you just don’t.
He’s sweet, funny, and has great looks. He treats you like a goddess and everybody around you basically wants the two of you to be together. Heck, even you want the two of you to date.
But even with all of this, you just couldn’t force your heart to change it’s mind and grow any sort of interest.
… That is until recently.
Only about two weeks ago did you start growing a certain affection for him. You’re not exactly sure why it took you so many weeks to gain this affection, but one things is for sure: you regret it. Why do you regret it?
Because about three weeks ago you rejected Daniel when he kindly asked you on a date. You felt terrible then, having to turn him down. But now that you've grown to like him in return, you can’t help but feel worse. You’ve ruined everything that could have ever been between the two of you.
Maybe you've liked him the whole time you’ve known him? And maybe your denial in wanting to be his friend at first came from the fact you were attracted to him?
You always blush when you see him, and he always makes you feel comfortable no matter the situation you’re in. So maybe you were just too dumb to realize you really did like him?
But there’s no use in asking such questions now.
You still aren’t fully comfortable with your feelings for him. And you don’t quite understand them yet but here you stand, the blood rushing to cheeks warming your very frozen apples as you walk with him to his car, his jacket swung over your shoulders.

After a short walk you reach his car. It’s a white sports model car. Kindly he prances to the passengers side door, opening for you and gesturing with a hand that you get in. Just as always, even when you’ve rejected him, he still manages to do the simplest things in order to impress you. He’s a real gentleman.
“Thank you kind sir.” you joke with an honest thank you.
He scoffs a laugh, watching you take a seat.
“What?” you send a playful glare at him as he closes the car door behind you.
Your eyes widen, sliding a hand under your rear. Oh my God. Your jeans are damp from the bench you had just been sitting on. That's what he had held in a chuckle about.
You watch him get into the driver's seat out of your perfrefreals.
“You know you shouldn’t laugh at people like that” you scold him playfully.
“I-” he holds in a laugh once again. You sigh as he starts the car.
“It’s funny” he speaks through the slight laughter escaping his lips.
“It isn’t~” you whine.
He looks at you with a bright smile before beginning to drive.

You sit silently, listening to him hum along to Christmas music playing fairly quietly over the stereo.
“Baby all I want for Christmas is you~” he sings out loud, glancing towards you briefly. You giggle girlishly in attempt to hide your shy crushing self. But in all honesty it only makes it more obvious.
The car comes to a stop at a red light and you notice him looking at you. Your eyes stay pasted to the roads ahead. Not one car passes by.
“You look cute with your cheeks this rosy” he chuckles.
You look to him and blink, more like bat your lashes, allowing a small smile to cross your lips. You look away shyly as he smiles back at you. His pink lips contrasting to his pale skin and dark eyes.
The light turns green and he begins driving again. The snow has now started, falling flake by flake slowly past the car window. Daniel takes a turn and you arrive at your house in no time.
“Daniel?” you start.
“Hmm?”
“Did you wanna come in for a little?” you invite him inside. Nobody is home, so why not spend some time with a good friend… your crush.
“Uh, sure” he smiles. Opening his car door.
You get out of the car and lead him to your front door.
You open the door to the warm air of your home.
He kicks off his boots and prances up the stairs and into your living room. He always makes himself right at home when he comes over. You remove your own boots and join him, who is now sprawled out over the majority of your couch.
“It’s been a long day~” he whines.
You laugh. “It has”

Over the next couple of hours you both chat back and forth about many different things, as always, the way friends do.
“Dinner?” you ask, your stomach grumbling softly.
“Yeah, did you wanna order in?” he asks a question in return.
“We can-”
“Pizza” he states, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. You chuckle watching him dial the phone.
Daniel places an order for your favourite type of pizza.
“Thank you, bye” he ends the call and turns to you. “They said it’ll be delivered in about thirty minutes”
“That’s fine” you smile, your stomach grumbling louder at the thought of food.
“Are you sure you can wait that long?” he teases.
“Shut up” you nudge him.

The doorbell rings and before you can even speak or move, he’s already on his feet, wallet in hand and prancing to the door. You drop your shoulders and stand from the sofa.
He closes the door and turns to face you, the pizza held between both of his hands.
You shake your head while he walks back up the stairs.
“Why are you shakin’ your head?”
“You know why” you reply.
“My treat” he nudges you, placing the pizza to the table.
You continue to shake your head playfully. I mean he is cute.. But he does this every time.
“Common, it’s almost Christmas, ‘tis the season of giving” he opens the pizza box and takes a slice in his hand.
“You do this year round, your excuse is invalid” you tease, taking a seat beside him and picking up a slice yourself.
“The snow is getting a lot heavier, so I probably can’t stay much longer, I’d rather not drive in a blizzard” he laughs.
“I’d rather you not too” you agree even though you don’t really want him to leave any time soon.

Another hour slips by without any notice. You sit beside Daniel watching a cartoon Christmas classic movie. Thanks to Daniel the pizza box is practically empty.
“Ah ” his voice interrupts the comfortable silence you were holding. You turn to face him.
“I should probably get going” he stands from the sofa and walks to the window.
“Do you have to leave?” you speak with a joking tone. But your not exactly sure its a joke.
He pulls the curtain back to see outside. He sighs heavily and begins walking for the door. You follow him down the steps and to the front entrance.
“Its pretty snowy out there” he tells you sliding on his boots.
“I’m sure, it hasn’t stopped snowing since five” you watch him as he opens the front door. The snow is piling high outside and is blowing rapidly in the breeze. You look to him. He’s not really going to drive in this condition, is he?
The snow is thick enough that you can’t even see the street from your front door.
For a moment neither you or Daniel move. He stands at the door, his hand still resting to the handle.
“Is now a good time to start playing ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’?” he chuckles. You giggle.
“Just stay, for- maybe- just a half a drink more?” you playfully make a pun off the song. He looks back at you with that adorable smile of his. Please stay.
He closes the door and a smile grows over your face as well. Immediately he begins to take off his boots.
“Did you want to-” you pause watching him walk up the stairs and take a lying position on the floor.
“Tired?” you ask taking a seat cross legged beside him.
“A little” he looks up at you, his cheek rested to his forearms.
“You were saying? Did I want to?” he prompts you.
“Oh, uh- did you want to, I don’t know, watch another movie?”
“Sure” he smiles, turning his head to face the television.
“What movie?”
“Why did you ask, if I’m gonna have to pick the movie?” he chuckles sitting up cross legged himself.
“I-” you start but pause seeing his expression change. His lips curve into a relaxed smile, and his eyes soften their gaze.
“What?” you direct your question at his expression.
“Nothing” he giggles boyishly.
You stand from the ground and step past him to look through a bin of Christmas movies beside the television.
“I’ll pick. I’ll pick” he wraps an arm around your shoulders and places a hand over top yours that shifts through the DVDs.
You look up at him standing at your side. He’s handsome. You’ve always thought so, but for some reason, at this very moment he appears more handsome than ever. Maybe it’s the dim lighting from only your Christmas tree and the television, or maybe your feelings for him were growing stronger by the second.
He looks down at you but not one of you says a word. You avert your eyes from him and look into the bin of movies.
“Your cheeks are still rosy” he chuckles, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear.
No, I’m just flustered by your touch Daniel…
“Are they?” you look back up at him.
“Yeah” he smiles. “It’s cute, I think that was my first thought of you when we met; you and your rosy cheeks we’re cute” he laughs quietly.
His compliment only makes your cheeks warmer and probably more red.
“I’m gonna change into pajamas, you pick a movie” quickly you spin away from him and head up the stairs to your bedroom.
It’s not that you really feel any need to change into pajamas, but your cheeks need the break from him to cool down.
Quickly you change into pajama pants and a baggy t-shirt. Cupping your cheeks in your hands you exhale heavily. They’re not too warm anymore, so you decide to venture back down to the living and to Daniel.
“What? You look confused?” you stop on the third to last stair.
Daniel shakes his head. “No, well, are those bunnies on your pajamas?” his eyes narrow in on you.
You look down at what pajama pants you’re wearing.
“Yeah, why?” you chuckle. That’s what he looked all confused about, if I was wearing pajamas with a bunny print? He’s so weird. But he’s cute.
“No reason” he smiles and you continue walking, joining him on the couch.
“You know, you kinda look like a bunny”
You furrow your eyebrows. Never have you thought, nor have you been told that you look like a bunny.
“That’s it, your new nickname is bunny” he chuckles, reaching for the remote.
“Okay~” you hold back a laugh, accepting his new nickname for you. It’s an odd nickname, but it’s endearing to say the least.
He presses play on a movie. It’s a simple romantic holiday film. One that you quite enjoy, but never did you think he would choose to watch this of all the movies in the bin.

The movie reaches the halfway point and you feel your eyelids getting heavy with each second that passes. You’re tired, exhausted even.
“Are you tired?” he asks you, shifting to look at you and away from the television.
“A tad” you yawn a reply.
“Why don’t you head off to bed?” he suggests
“No, I want to finish the movie”
“But if you’re-”
“Daniel” you hush him and reposition yourself on the sofa. You lay down your head resting on your hands beside his thigh.
Your eyes continue watching the screen, flashing picture by picture through the movie.
“I take it you’re staying the night” you laugh keeping yourself awake.
“Baby it’s cold outside” he jokes making you laugh a little harder. “Should I not?”
“No, you can, of course” you insist that he does stay the night.

The movie continues and you yawn again, this time he yawns directly after you. You giggle rolling to your back to look up at him. He rests his head backward against the wall. Shifting yourself upwards you rest your own head to his thigh. You looks down at you now shyly smiling with your own action. He chuckles softly and runs a hand through your hair. You roll over to face the screen again, your ear still pressed to his leg and his hand still gently playing with your hair.