It's yet another cold and harsh winter morning in Townsville, when snow falls and blankets the ground like a thick fur coat. Blossom Utonium sits at the table and sips her hot chocolate. While her gaze is fixed on the falling of snow, her mind is far away, for the chilling air fills her with heaviness and a deep sense of longing.

She shuts her eyes and sighs deeply. She remembers the last winter, when he'd kissed her goodbye in a flurry of red and warmth and promises that he'd be back.

Blossom hasn't heard from him in a year. Buttercup had told her to "get over it, he's not coming back," while Bubbles had told her the same thing, albeit in much gentler terms and pity in her gaze. Blossom had stubbornly refused to believe them. Brick would never leave her in the lurch without a single form of contact. He's not like that.

A wave of cold hits her and she shudders, craving his body heat now more than ever.

The doorbell rings, and she gets up slowly to answer. It's probably Buttercup coming over to ask for more warm clothes. Her green-eyed sister always manages to lose her scarves somehow.

She opens the door and gives a slight jump when her gaze meets an achingly familiar one, and his crimson eyes, bright and shining with emotion, take over her mind and steal her breath away.

She lets her eyes trail over the contours of his face, his ever-sharp jawline, his angular nose, the lifting corners of his mouth and she commits them all to memory, for the twelve months away had changed his features and honed his perfection to the finest.

"Brick," her head feels light as she murmurs the word, her voice oddly dreamy as she lets his name roll of her tongue again. It's been ever-so long since he last stood in front of her.

"Hey, Bloss," his voice sends a painful wave of nostalgia crashing over her, and only he can evoke such magical emotions in her with two words. Only him.

Before she knows it, she's crashing into his chest, his arms wrapping around her waist as her own hands slide to their place around his back.

She inhales, and she finds the scent of him so comforting and home-like that her eyes sting, and soon there are two wet spots on his vermillion turtleneck–the one she'd made for him for his twentieth birthday, and she cries even harder because he remembered–that quickly increase in size.

She looks back up into his eyes and feels his hold on her tighten. The corners of his lips quirk up into a fond smile and there's a slight glint in his beautiful red irises as he speaks. "It's been so long." His thumb goes up to caress her cheek. "Too long."

And as she admires the vividness of his eyes, it finally hits her that here he is, in her arms once more and it's everything she's ever wished for.

"You're back." The words spill out of her mouth and she chokes back another sob. "You're finally home."

He nods, playing with the ends of her hair as he squeezes her closer. Her eyes shut in fulfillment, for their bodies are pressed together just the way she likes it – so close that there is no room for doubt. Then there is happiness, happiness that swells hugely and threatens to burst out of her chest at the thought that he's here, he's back, with her.

Suddenly, she's lifted from the ground – instinctively, her legs wrap around his waist and her head rests on his shoulder. (He had liked to do that a lot before he left – carry her unannounced. He'd said he did it for her shriek of surprise, but she's gotten used to it now, much to his annoyance. Joke's on him for doing it so much.) She hears the door click shut before they move over to the couch, and Brick gives a contented sigh as they sink into the soft cushion.

(They had spent a lot of time and money in choosing and buying that couch – let's just say the two of them like their couches comfy.)

"I'm so scared," she admits softly, paranoia tinging the edges of her voice, "I'm so scared that this is all just a dream." Blossom clutches at his turtleneck and shuts her eyes, the fear of it all being too good to be true consuming her.

"Huh." She glances up at his noncommittal statement just to catch the entertained smirk playing on his lips, and his expression is so roguishly attractive that her heart pounds in her ears. Feeling her face heat up in embarrassment, she tears her gaze away from him.

"Blossom?" Brick nudges her shoulder with his, his grin brimming with fondness. "Hey, look at me."

And she complies, pink orbs peeking out from under her messy bangs. Her heart melts at the glow on his face, the shine of happiness in his eyes, and she interlaces her fingers with his, giving their hands a tight squeeze. She doesn't think she's ever seen him smile this much before.

"Pinch me." She says simply, dazedly, as hope creeps it's way back into her coral eyes.

Brick does as he is told, a glimmer of amusement in his own eyes, and it hurts.

Pain has never been so welcomed before in her life.

"Oh, Lord, you're actually here," the words tumble out of her mouth in her excitement and suddenly he's laughing – holy goodness, why doesn't she have that sound on her ringtone – and his lips are pressed against hers. A shiver runs down her spine at the familiarity of it all, the perfect slanting of their lips; the pressure he puts onto their kiss; the sensation of his fingers going through the roots of her hair and massaging her scalp. And she's missed it all, so much that no matter how many times she says so, it won't ever be enough to describe the extent of it.

"God," he breathes when they pull apart, cheeks flushed and breaths laboured, "I'd forgotten how amazing it feels, being around you." He leans his forehead against hers and shuts his eyes as they soak in the bliss of the moment.

It isn't long before she closes the gap between their mouths again, her arms encircling his neck as she kisses him tenderly. She feels him smile against her lips and she can't help but smile back, memorising the feel of his skin under her fingers.

"I missed you," he murmurs, gently seperating from the kiss and pressing his forehead against hers, "so much."

She laughs, ballooned with the ecstasy of being around him again, and reaches up to cradle his chin. Beaming, she stares into his eyes, her gaze deep, unwavering and so full of her passion for him. "Me too."

He pulls her back into his arms and she melts into his hold, the smile on her face wide and permanent. Their fingers interlace and she holds onto him tightly, letting a part of her soul seek out his. He squeezes back, and it's as if two pieces of a puzzle came together, because they fit.

And she no longer doubts that this is a dream now – the sparks that form whenever his thumb brushes against her knuckles are too real, the warmth of his body surrounding hers too true for it to be a figment of her imagination.

Her vision blurs and she lets her tears–of joy–fall, because she'd always known he'd come back. Her grip on his hand tightens as he presses a kiss to her temple. Always.

i'm back!!! i'm so sorry for the two month hiatus i got myself involved with two many things and was focusing on so many at the same time that i couldn't get anything done so take this as my apology fic to you HAHAHAHHA anyway i hope you enjoyed the fic and maybe i'll see you soon? no promises :))

thanks for reading!! love you!!