11th December xx21

Jordan Leventhal blinked as his surroundings slowly came into focus. The TV was still on, a list of credits scrolling down it. A warm blanket was draped across his legs, and a bowl of popcorn balanced precariously in his lap.

He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to rid himself of the foggy haze that had settled over his vision.

Sleep tried to lure him back into her warm embrace, but he resisted, instead trying to gain his bearings. His eyes flitted up to the clock hanging on the wall, before widening slightly in alarm.

It was half past midnight.

He sighed, before running a hand through his hair. Tomorrow would be a big day for him. It was to be the start of the reconstruction of his old home. He had put it off as long as he could, the place holding memories that shattered him too early, reopening scars that cut too deep.

But Azura, beautiful wonderful perfect Azura, had convinced him to do it. To face his fears and his demons. To accept the memories, both good and bad, for what they were. To take a step towards the future he dreamt of.

And he would. He owed to Azura. He owed it to himself.

A glance towards his left showed his girlfriend asleep next to him, her limbs entangled amongst his own. He smiled down at her fondly, and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face.

Her face was a portrait of tranquility, completely and utterly at peace. It wasn't often that Jordan got to see her like this, the stress of both school and her attempts at piecing his own life back together, clearly taking its toll on her. The past year had been the most hectic of his life, a mad scramble of gathering legalizing documents, appearing at court hearings, and trying to complete his education.

He had dropped out before he could complete high school. And if he was to have any shot at getting accepted into college, he had to finish his studies, at least via online courses.

He groaned softly as he remembered the happenings of the night before.

The duo had decided on movie night in an attempt ease some of their stress. And by the looks of it, they had fallen asleep half way.

Sighing again, he carefully untangled himself from Azura, and slipped off the couch. As quietly as he could, he tiptoed across the room so as to not wake her. He reached for his coat and scarf, meaning to get to his small rented apartment before dawn. As much as the thought of staying for the night appealed to him, he'd already far overstayed his welcome there.

Besides. He had work to do.

Winding the blue and white striped scarf around his neck, he started searching for his shoes. Spotting them near the kitchen counter, he started walking towards them.

And then froze when he heard her voice call out.

"Don't go."

He turned around, only for his gaze to be trapped by her own. She was still curled up among the blankets, but now her turquoise eyes were open, peering into his intensely.

"Stay, please."

"You know I can't," he whispered, bending down to retrieve his shoes.

He could hear the muffled sound of feet padding across the room. But for some reason, he was still surprised by the pair of arms loosely wrapping themselves around his waist.

"Stay," she murmured drowsily into his ear, her warm breath fanning across his cheeks.

"Azura..."

"Whatever it is you have to do can wait until the sun is up. It's nearly one in the morning. So come to bed. Here. With me."

He turned around in her loose embrace, hands moving up to cup her face softly. Her eyes were there, searching his own for emotions he had yet to name. And hers, her beautiful gaze so filled with adoration, made him feel as weak as he did the first time he saw her. That one fateful day that felt like an eternity ago.

That felt like it was only yesterday.

"Please," she tried again, her face leaning into his palm.

He never did learn to say no to her. To resist her and and all her implorations.

"Okay."

7th February, xx22

"Absolutely not!"

"Why?" Azura shouted, sitting down on her bed with a huff. "I want to stay here! With you."

Jordan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was an argument they had had one too many times. And one he had absolutely no interest in having again.

His girlfriend, though sweet, could be the most stubborn and temperamental human on Earth when she wished it.

"There's no question about it, Azura," he stated, with an air of finality. "I'm not letting you give up on your future. Especially not for my sake."

"It isn't just for you. Jess is staying here too. I want to be with my friends and family," she huffed angrily, her grip on the satin duvet near deadly.

"That's bullshit and you know it."

Azura glanced over at Jordan, her piercing glare softening his resolve for a moment. But only for a moment. The selfish part of him longed to agree with her, to allow her to go to a college closer to their homes. Where he could see her more often, and be with her. Not have to constantly worry about her.

To make this relationship work.

But he couldn't let her. She had already sacrificed so much, too much for his sake. And her future was not something that could be bargained with. She deserved this happiness. After everything, there was no-one who deserved it more.

Azura's voice sounded out again, broken and hoarse.

"I..." she started, her voice cracking. "I can't... I can't leave you here all alone. Xandar's going to Michigan State, and Jess will be far too busy with her internship to check in on you. I don't want you to feel alone again. Never again," she whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"You can't convince me to drag you down, Azura. I refuse to be the reason why you won't attend the college you've always dreamed of. Maybe I'll be alone here, but it'll only be for a little while."

He pushed away from his place at the wall, and sat down next to her.

"Besides. You'll have winter break. And summer. You'll visit me, won't you?"

Her gaze, so full of resolve and fire and determination, met his, as she pulled her legs up to her chest. "You talk about it as if it's actually going to happen. I'm not going, and there's nothing you can do about it. You may not think so, but this is what I want... To stay here."

Stubborn, hot-headed female.

"Why don't you understand? I couldn't bear to live with myself if I was the reason you had to give up your future," he sighed, tears of frustration springing to his own eyes. "I won't be a burden to you. Not anymore."

"You're not a burden! Why won't you see that?" she cried, pressing the heels of her palms to her eyes.

"Because I am! You've already done so much for me, sacrificed so much time and effort. And I allowed it, because I was selfish. Because you were the first time since... since, the accident, where anyone showed me any sort of love or affection at all. And I clung to that, clung to you,  because you were the only thing keeping me from spiralling into that dark place again. From losing my mind."

He pulled her hands from her eyes, gently, albeit firmly. She looked up at him with teary eyes, hair messy and disheveled, clothes completely rumpled. But even then she looked so beautiful, so beautiful, he couldn't help but hug her. He gathered her into his arms and held her, until both were crying in earnest.

"I'm not saying I've moved on from you. Far from it, Azura. But as much as I need you to be here with me, I need you to be happy more. You've taught me how to feel joy, to be happy, and I am. This is my home, and I've learned to love it. So please. Please, just go."

She sniffed. But the resolve in her eyes didn't waver. "No, I won't."

Before Azura could protest further, she felt his lips envelope hers in a warm embrace. For a second, fury simmered in her veins, indignant that he had the... the audacity to kiss her. But then it all faded away, like it always did. And she was utterly powerless. His lips, they held her to him, held her with memories and love and such promise that she almost gave in.

But then she remembered those nights where Jordan would cry himself to sleep, remembered how he used to sleep out in the cold all alone, and she just couldn't. She couldn't bear the thought of him going through that again. Because if she hadn't happened to walk by that night, if she hadn't seen him, he...

He would have...

She pulled back from him, a fresh wave of tears sliding down her cheeks. Even if this wasn't her battle to fight, she'd stay. She'd stay with him; not because of obligation or pity, but because she wanted to. Because she cared.

So she surfaced from the icy depths of his eyes, resolve strengthened anew.

"I'm going to stay."

Jordan looked at her one final second, before letting out a breath and standing up off the bed. "Fine then," he whispered, before swallowing. "I didn't want it to have to come to this."

Azura froze, shock coating her expression. Because his voice...

It was cold. And it had never... She'd heard him talk like this before, but not to her. Never to her.

But now...

Jordan bent down to retrieve his coat, before shrugging it on. He turned back to her, his expression hard and closed off, the tears in his eyes gone.

"Do whatever you want. I won't stop you. But whatever it is you decide to do, it won't have me in it. Stay or leave, I don't care. I'm done."

Azura's eyebrows furrowed at the hateful words. "Jordan, what are yo-"

"I'm breaking up with you."

The world seemed to stop. The world, the universe, everything was frozen into that one moment where her heart seemed to stop beating and her lungs ceased to work.

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me. I'm breaking up with you. I'm... I'm sick of dealing with you, and I need some space. I can't do this anymore."

His voice was so unbearably cold, and he wouldn't look at her, instead fiddling with the buttons of his coat. But his eyes, they glimmered, and his hands were shaking.

"You don't mean that," Azura whispered, arms crossing over to hug herself. "You would never..."

He laughed, a single bitter laugh, still not looking at her. "Wouldn't I?"

Putting his hand on the doorknob, he glanced at her once before wrenching the door open. "Goodbye, Azura."

He left.

The action had Azura scrambling to life, her feet falling over themselves trying to get to him. "No! Jordan, wait! Please!"

But her cries were met with no reply, as she stared at the now empty corridor. Falling to the floor, hands still clutching the doorknob, an endless stream of tears seemed to escape her. She pushed a hand to her mouth to stifle her sobs, before curling up on the floor, her chest filled with a broken sort of emptiness.

And unbeknownst to her...

A certain snow-haired boy sat on the stairway leading to her house, filled to the brim with the same sort of sadness, as he tried to cry without the girl of his dreams hearing him.

19th December, xx23

Black boots thundered down the sidewalk, as the young woman to whom they belonged very nearly threw her phone into the snow. In the darkness of night, the mob of people she had to push through only made her feel worse. Her eyes zeroed in on the text that had left her seething.

Hey Azzy! At Jess's so can't come pick you up. I'm sure you'll find your way home. It'll be great exercise! ;)

Oh, when she got home she was going to give him a piece of her mind.

It was holiday season in her home town again, and Azura, though still frustrated, couldn't help but fall in love with it all over again. She couldn't help it. There was just something about the lights, and the people and the snow which reminded of her of all the good things in the world.

Which reminded her of...

"No!" she reprimanded herself, squeezing her eyes shut as her strides grew longer. Not that again. She'd spent long enough agonizing over him, and she wasn't going to go there again.

After he... after Jordan broke up with her, she had been the most miserable she had ever been. Nothing more than a hollow empty shell of who she used to be. And after spending weeks crying in her bedroom, her family finally got sick of it and paid her college tuition fee. Including their summer course

Which was non-refundable. Which started in two weeks.

And so despite her protests, she didn't have a choice but to leave. College was better, since there was always something to do. Being a freshman meant more work than she could keep up with, and with so much going on it was easy to keep her mind off of him.

But then there were those days where she remembered. Remembered all those memories of the past year, and thought of all the memories she'd never get to share with him.

She didn't get much work done then.

But she got better. Everyday meant a new assignment to be completed, a new friend to be made. College made forgetting easy. College was almost everything she dreamed it would be.

Almost.

But now, she was here, and she missed her family. It had been over a year since she'd last saw them, after all. College came with hectic schedules, deadlines to be met a journalism course over her spring break and winter break that she simply couldn't pass up.

But she was back. Finally finally back. Back in this place. Back home. And although she missed it and everyone that came along with it, every step closer was painful, for every alley and every lamppost held memories of that one single magical year they spent together.

She shook her head.

It was Christmas. She wouldn't let this ruin her holidays.

So pulling her coat closer around herself, she marched forward, a forced spring in her step. She thought of all that was waiting for her at home, and a smile pulled at her lips. Her parents, warm food, Xandar whom she'd thrash as soon as she finished hugging him, presents, eggno-

Crash!

She collided with a hooded figure in front of her, the force causing her to lose her balance and stumble backwards. And she would have fallen, if not for the warm hand that grabbed her wrist.

"Miss? Are you alright?"

Her heart. Stopped. Beating.

That voice...

Azura looked upwards, her turquoise gaze meeting with an all too familiar icy blue one. She could see the exact moment when his gaze widened with recognition, when a myriad of emotions suddenly spilled onto his face. His hand reached up to pull the hood off his head, as a mop of snow-white hair was suddenly revealed to her.

Jordan.

She finally, finally, hauled herself upright, the lump in her throat tightening until it was painful. After dusting some snow off her pants, she awkwardly let go of his hand and scowled internally at how warm his grasp was.

And how right it felt.

Her voice box simply stopped functioning. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't find it in herself to wrench her mouth open, to force out all those words which had been left unspoken for a whole year.

So she took the easy way out.

She ran.

Her boots nearly skidded across the icy floor, as she tried to get away from all the 'maybes', and 'what ifs'. So much of it plagued her mind at once, that it was too much. Too much.

She had barely made it a few yards, when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Azura! Wait!"

And damn it all to hell, because despite everything, despite the time and the distance, her body still listened to him. Her legs froze and she could feel fury simmering in her veins. How dare he think he had the right to talk to her? How dare he have such control over her?

How dare he.

But she turned around anyway, and when their gazes met, it was all over. Because she missed him. And even though he broke up with her an entire holiday season ago, even though she nearly hated him for everything he said that day, she still loved him with every fibre of her being.

And she had missed him.

The world around them seemed to slow, all the chaos and confusion of last minute Christmas shopping tuning out into mere white noise.

And then, he was there, his long legs carrying him forward until he was just in front of her.

Azura couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.

Because he was there, in front of her, and this felt like a dream and a nightmare and everything in between, all at once.

He pushed his hair up with one hand. A nervous tic she knew well.

His throat bobbed.

"Azura, I... I just.."

His throat bobbed again. His fingers ran through his snowy locks.

"I'm sorry."

Suddenly, the world around them started again, and Azura was flooded with so many colours and sounds and sensations, because the whole world was brighter and and bigger and better when he was there. It's funny what love could do to a person.

Because in all the scenarios she envisioned of their reunion, she never imagined she'd throw herself at him in embrace.

And she'd never imagined him hugging her back.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry, Azura. I never meant to... I never thought I would..."

She shushed him, pulling closer, while his own arms wrapped tighter around her in response. "I can't forgive you, Jordan."

He pulled away, looking at her like a kicked puppy.

Grabbing his hands in both of hers, she took a step forward until they shared a breath. "Because there's nothing to forgive. I understand what you did. And why you did it. It was to make me happy, and even though I don't think it was right.."

She shook her head.

"I just..." she breathed, looking up at the boy made of winter. "I missed you."

His face lit up the whole world, his answering smile bright enough to rival the moon. And in a sudden bout of elation, he lifted her up and spun her in a circle. She shrieked in response before bursting into laughter.

His eyes shine as he set her down. "I can't quite believe you're real."

She smiled a little wistfully. "Neither can I."

"And to think I was about to finish an entire triple chocolate sundae down at the Gingerbread House all by myself," he smiled, his crystalline eyes dancing in a silent request.

Azura narrowed her eyes playfully, before pulling his sleeve, her feet carrying her towards the all too familiar cafe, thanking all her lucky stars for this encounter. Because, she realised, that this was the happiest she had been in a long while.

"How dare you."

21st May, xx25

"Sweetheart? Are you done yet?"

"Give me a second, would you? I only just got in. Sheesh."
 
Jordan glanced drily at the oak wood door. "You've been saying that for the last half an hour."

"Hey! I was taking a shower then. Now I'm getting dressed."

Jordan let out a resigned sigh before settling down on the plush red sofa. If he was gonna wait, he may as well get comfortable. Checking his phone every couple seconds, he tapped his foot impatiently, anxiously awaiting for Azura to emerge from their bedroom.

"Jordan!" his girlfriend's voice called out after a few minutes, muffled by the closed door.

He shot up from his seat, grabbing his car keys and phone which were placed beside him. Azura must be ready.

"Finally," he muttered under his breath, smoothing out his collar, before yelling back in answer. "Yes?"

"What do I wear?"

"What?"

"What do I-"

"I heard you the first time!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in bewilderment. "Seriously?"

"What? It was short notice, ok? Who tells someone that they're leaving for a party an hour before they're supposed to leave? Cut me some slack," she retorted.

"I got to know the same time you did, and I'm dressed."

The door across the hallway swung open, and Azura poked her head out, clad in a towel, hair dripping. "That's because all you have to do is put on formal pants and a blazer. But whatever. Anyway."

She stepped back, and let the door fly open all the way.

"Help me pick...?" she trailed off, gesturing to the mess of clothes pooled around her feet.

With an apprehensive glance at the clock, Jordan shook his head and made his way over to their bedroom, shrugging off his stuffy black blazer along the way.

"Hey..." Azura murmured, as soon as Jordan was close enough that she could place her hands on his chest. "I know you're nervous, ok? But you shouldn't be. You already got the promotion. You have nothing to prove to him."

"I know," Jordan replied, running his hands through his hair, messing it up again. "I just want to make a good first impression as head architect. I mean, he's my boss."

"You'll be fine," Azura reassured, before wrapping her arms around his neck. "And stop looking so anxious. We have another hour before we have to leave."

"You're right," he sighed, before peering at her from beneath his lashes.

Azura cocked her head, and her lips parted in question, but whatever she was about to say was lost to the breeze as Jordan pressed his lips to hers.

Bliss. He could never ever get tired of this. Of her.

In his opinion, it didn't last nearly long enough before Azura pulled away, taking his breath and desire to leave with her. His hands reached out to pull her back to him, but she danced away on lithe feet, a teasing, knowing grin telling him that she knew exactly what this was doing to him.

"Just because we have some time, doesn't mean we have time to waste, you know?"

Jordan groaned. "I hate you."

Azura glanced at him incredulously, before turning back to her wardrobe. She reached in and pulled out a black cocktail dress, held it up to herself, before throwing it back inside. She slid to the floor, a hand securely holding her towel up.

"Help me."

Jordan rolled his eyes, before pulling out a red sequined skirt. "What about this?"

"Too clubby. It's a formal event," she replied, throwing her arm over her eyes.

"This?"

"Wore that last week."

"How about this one? You look good in blue."

"I look good in blue when it's my size. That's Jess's," she groaned before burying her face in a pillow. "You know what? I'll just wear the freaking towel."

"As much as I'd enjoy that, this here is for my eyes only."

Azura raised an amused eyebrow at his statement. "Then I guess I'll just omit the towel entirely. That should be fun."

Jordan narrowed his eyes before his long legs strode to her place on the floor. And then a shrill shriek echoed through the house as Jordan threw Azura over his shoulder.

Her legs kicked uselessly in the air as she squealed again when the knot on her towel started to come loose. "Jordan! Put me down!"

He laughed lowly. "Not so bold now, are you?"

"Jordan, I swear to god, if you don't put me down this ins-"

Her voice was cut off by Jordan placing her unceremoniously onto the bed before climbing in beside her. "You still owe me the rest of that kiss, you know?"

Azura sighed, giving in and pulling him towards hers by his tie. "We're going to be late."

Jordan grinned, an impish mischievous little grin, before enveloping her lips in a kiss that made her see stars.

"We have an hour."

15th December, xx28

"Oh my god, you guys, I can't do this."

Azura was pacing the dressing room anxiously, a bouquet of red roses clutched tightly in one hand, while the other was rubbing at her temple.

"Calm down, Azura. You'll be fine," Xandar sighed for the umpteenth time that hour.

Azura whirled around to face her brother, eyes ablaze. "How do you know that? What if I trip? What if I stumble over my vows? What if Jordan ends up saying no?"

Jess leaned her head against the dressing room wall, hand reaching out to entwined itself with Xandar's. "He proposed to you. Of course he won't say no."

She shared a glance with Xandar, before pushing away from her place on the wall and striding over to Azura. She  placed both hands on her friend's shoulders, forcing her to look up. Azura started to turn away, but her best friend's grip on her tightened until it was almost painful.

She looked Azura right in the eyes, her familiar coffee scent washing over Azura in a soothing wave, before enveloping her in a hug.

Stunned, Azura felt her limbs lock for a split second before all the fight seemed to drain out of her. Every ounce of anxious fire that burned so brightly just a moment before, fizzled out.

Her arms wrapped around Jess's slim torso, and she sighed into her neck. She could feel the silken ivory fabric of the bridesmaid dress slide against her cheek, and she let herself lean against it.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I'm just so scared, you know? I want this to be perfect. He's worked so hard for this. We both have, and I..."

Jess murmured, "Today's going to be wonderful. And perfect. I know it will, because there's nothing in the world that could ruin what the two of you have. You've found your soulmate, Azura. It doesn't matter what happens today anyway, because you have an eternity before you to fill. You have your entire lives ahead of you to spend. And I know for a fact it'll be perfect because I know you, and I know Jordan. You complete each other, and honestly, watching you two makes me a little sick. So don't worry, okay? Everything will be just fine."

Azura sniffled. "Didn't peg you as the sentimental type. That's gotta be the sweetest thing you've said in a while."

Jess huffed out a teary laugh. "Oh, don't you get all sobby on me. It's your wedding day! Besides, you'll ruin your makeup and god knows your mom would kill me if you do."

"You're crying too!" Azura laughed, a knot forming in her throat with her attempt at keeping her tears at bay.

"Ok, that's enough. The ceremony's about to begin." Xandar said, rolling his eyes.

Jess and Azura glanced at each other, before yelling out and tackling Xandar in a hug. He yelped, before laughing and pulling them in. His own voice was thick with emotion when he finally spoke.

"Don't expect me to say this again, but.... You're a good sister, Azura. Maybe even the best."

"And maybe you're my best friend." Jess added, reluctantly pulling away from the hug.

"Maybe?" Azura gasped in mock horror. "How dare you?! Traitors, both of you."

She glared for another second, before bursting into laughter again. "Thanks, you guys. I don't know what I would've done without you two. And I don't just mean today."

Before either of them could reply, Isla Arquette burst into the dressing room in whirl of sapphire silk.

"Azura, come on!" she exclaimed, before really catching sight of her daughter. Isla saw her standing there, looking positively radiant in a white lace gown and veil, and that was enough to make the woman break down in joyful tears.

"Oh, darling! You're so... You look beautiful!" she cried, smoothing back a strand of Azura's hair that had escaped her chignon.

"Thanks, mom," the bride murmured with a smile, only half comprehending the comment because she could hear the music and laughter and idle chatter streaming in from the chapel and suddenly nothing else mattered because she knew-

She knew.

It was time.

She felt her feet carry her towards the source of the music, only half aware of her family behind her. She could feel her hands squeeze her bouquet, could feel the warmth of her father's arm as she took her place at the head of the bridal parade, but her mind was elsewhere, reliving every event, every happy coincidence that led up to this one single moment.

"You did good for yourself, kid," she heard her dad say from beside her.

She smiled at him, at his dapper suit and his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed back. "Not quite a kid anymore, huh?"

"Indeed," he chuckled, though his eyes glistened slightly. "Man, I feel old."

Azura laughed, but before she could reply, the great wooden chapel doors in front of her swung open.

And there he was.

Jordan.

There he stood, at the end of the aisle, the beginning of the rest of her life. She felt her eyes slowly pan up to meet his, blissfully ignorant of the crowd around them. She could feel almost a string of fate between them, a piece of her life she couldn't imagine living without.

Everything, everything, that had happened, led to this.

This.

That's what was happening. She couldn't quite believe it.

But it was real, and it was perfect. And it was everything she could've ever wanted.

Looking back on it, back on the boy at the end of the aisle and the girl walking towards him, on the absolute undeniable bond the two shared, you never would've believed that it all started how it did. It really was incredible.

That fairy tale that began with a scarlet scarf, a snow-bound promise, and the stars eternal shining above them on that one fateful day.