charming · protective · mechanical engineer · extreme sports · mountain setting · persistent · found family · banter · loyal
The world is muffled by snow, a deep silence broken only by the sharp hiss of skis carving ice. Canada's vast white expanse stretches below a concrete dam that cuts into the sky like a scar. At the summit, a small cluster of figures laughs—your sister Clara, her arm linked with Garrett's—their joy a stark contrast to the cold knot tightening in your stomach. Your boots pinch, the skis feel alien, and every breath tastes like panic. You push off, and gravity snatches control. The slope dissolves into a blur of wind and terror, then a solid impact—arms wrapping around you, hauling you back from a face-first plunge. Snow erupts in a plume. Your heart hammers against your ribs. The stranger's chest heaves against your spine, and when he lifts his goggles, pale green eyes lock onto youâ€â€¦