The silence in the cave was heavy, broken only by the fragile crackle of the fire and the harsh sound of Damon's breathing. His body, cold as marble, seemed to suck all the heat from Ester's. With every second she remained pressed against him, she felt her own skin crawl, her muscles tense trying to resist the invasive chill.

But she didn't back away. She couldn't.

The icy Qi within Damon was wild, untamed, spreading like icy roots through his veins. Ester felt it vibrate beneath his skin, a chaotic whirlwind trying to take root where there was no balance. With each flow she absorbed, shaped, and returned with her own rhythm, a dull ache ran through her back, as if she were forcing her body to endure two existences.

She bit her lower lip, closing her eyes. Cold sweat trickled down her temple, and drops mingled with her wet hair.

"Concentrate. If you lose your rhythm, he won't be able to handle it."

With each synchronized breath, Ester's heat tried to penetrate his ice, but it wasn't just physical heat—it was a rhythm of mana. She regulated the energy, stabilizing the waves, forcing his body to recognize that Qi as something natural, not an invader.

Damon stirred slightly, still unconscious, a low moan escaping his throat. The sound pierced her like a blade, but it also held her steady: it meant he was still there.

"You're not going to die," she murmured, her face pressed against his, the words breathed against his parted lips. "I won't let them."

Time seemed to drag, each heartbeat a challenge. The fire crackled, but it was fragile; the blizzard outside raged, threatening to swallow any hope. Inside the cave, there was only the sound of their bodies pressed together, the thin heat, and the invisible battle of Qi that could decide between life and death.

The flow finally began to shift. Ester noticed when the intense cold stopped being a mere barrier and began to waver, as if hesitating between spreading and calming. Damon's body reacted only slightly—his previously rigid fingers moved, a longer sigh escaped his lungs.

It was a signal. Small, but real.

Ester held him close, almost as if afraid the warmth she was exuding might escape. Her leg wrapped around his, her hand running down his back, rubbing to stimulate circulation. It was more intimate than she had ever allowed herself to imagine, but in that moment there was no room for shame. Only survival.

The Qi within her roared, pressing to release itself in its natural form of extreme cold, but Ester tamed it with fierce discipline. Every thread of energy she sent into Damon was carefully molded, as if she were teaching his body to breathe again.

"Come on…" she murmured, feeling tears sting her eyes. "Don't you dare leave me carrying this guilt alone."

The minutes became uncertain—it could have been seconds or hours, she didn't know. Time seemed to have frozen along with them.

Then something changed.

Damon moved more abruptly, his arms, which had been hanging loosely at his sides, suddenly rising, still weak, but wrapping around her back. The pressure was minimal, but enough to startle Ester.

She pulled her face away for a moment and saw his eyes half open, heavy, bleary, but alive.

"…Ester…?" His voice came out like a whisper, barely audible.

She felt her chest tighten, and before she knew it, she answered too quickly: "Don't talk. Just breathe."

But Damon didn't listen. He blinked slowly, his characteristic half-smile appearing on his lips despite his pallor. "I knew... you liked being on top."

Ester froze. The blush rose so quickly in her cheeks it almost burned hotter than the fire.

"You... idiot!" she snapped, her voice rising louder than it should have, but her hand didn't stop pressing against him, as if afraid he'd disappear again. "You're between life and death and you still find the strength to talk nonsense?"

He let out a weak laugh, punctuated by a cough, but the sound held more life than before. "If I don't talk nonsense... you'll worry too much."

Ester was silent for a few seconds, only feeling his heat finally respond to hers. The blue tint in his skin was beginning to fade, replaced by a faint blush.

"I've already worried enough," she admitted, in a whisper so low he might not have even heard her.

The heat from the fire began to spread further into the cave, and the storm outside seemed to calm, albeit subtly. Damon was breathing easier now, each sigh less forced than before.

Ester, exhausted, let her forehead rest against his collarbone, feeling her body finally relax after so much tension. But she didn't let go. She couldn't.

Damon moved his hand slowly, still with difficulty, until he touched her face. The gesture was awkward, but it carried intent.

"You... saved me."

Ester closed her eyes, her breath catching in her throat. Outwardly, she kept her expression cold, but inwardly, his confession completely disarmed her.

"Shut up," she replied firmly, almost automatically. "You're not out of danger yet."

Damon's fingers brushed the skin of her face, unexpectedly warm. The hesitant touch trailed down the side of her neck until it rested on her shoulder. He blinked slowly, his gaze still heavy with exhaustion, but clear enough to notice something that made him pause.

Ester's skin.

There was no fabric there. None of the layers of clothing she always wore like armor. Just skin, warm against his.

Damon's eyes widened a little, despite his weakness. Slowly, as if his mind was struggling to believe what he was seeing, he moved his hand and brushed lower, confirming his suspicion. The skin was smooth, bare, alive.

A wry smile played on his lips, even though he barely had the strength to support it.

"...You're..." His voice was hoarse, almost a disbelieving whisper. "...naked."

Ester froze. Her muscles locked as if every nerve had fired at once. She looked up reflexively, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of shock and barely contained fury.

"Shut. Your. Mouth." "I did it because you were going to die, you idiot!" she said, each word spat out like a blade.

But Damon didn't shut up. His smile widened, even if hesitant, revealing the old malice that seemed to survive even on the brink of death.

"So that was it…" he whispered, his voice weak but full of irony. "You couldn't resist the temptation to… use me as a bonfire."

Ester blushed violently. Her heart raced, and anger bubbled up along with shame.

"I did it because you were going to die, you idiot!" she retorted, almost shouting, her face inches from his. "Your body was freezing inside, the fire wasn't helping! It was the only solution!"

He laughed. Weakly, but he laughed. "The only solution… was to curl up naked around me? …I like your logic."

"Damon!" She almost shook him, but stopped herself when she realized how fragile he still was. "Don't joke about that!"

His eyes, however, remained fixed on hers, and there was something beyond provocation in them. A gleam of gratitude, almost tenderness hidden beneath the usual malice.

"So…" he murmured, his lips too close to her ear. "You really cared. Enough to… strip, risk your life, and hold me until I return."

Ester squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine when he said it so close.

"I told you…" she replied, her voice breaking for a moment. "…I wasn't going to let you die."

Damon let out a weak but genuine laugh. "Hm. If I'd known that almost dying would get me this… maybe I would have done it sooner."

"You bastard!" she burst out, her face burning.

He tried to lift his hand again, but his arm gave way halfway. Still, his expression didn't lose its humor. "Relax... I promise not to tell anyone that the cold, perfect Ester... slept naked with me in a cave."

She felt every thread of her patience being ripped away.

"You dare open that mouth again... and I'll freeze you whole, Damon."

Damon's eyes shone with that mischievous flame that seemed to survive any storm, even the death that had nearly swept him away seconds ago. He took a deep, labored breath, as if each breath were a struggle against the weight of the ice still remaining within him.

"...Shut up, Ester..." he murmured, his voice hoarse, low, charged with boldness and something deeper.

Before she had time to react, before she could spit another insult or turn her face away, Damon advanced. Even weak, even broken, he summoned the last of his strength and captured her mouth in an unexpected kiss.

He went straight for her, without hesitation. His lips, cold as snow and hot as fire at the same time, pressed against hers. A shock ran through Ester's body, as if ice and heat had met inside her at once.

Her eyes widened, her hands instinctively bracing themselves against his chest, unsure whether to push or hold him. Her heart pounded desperately, as if it had lost its rhythm.

For a moment, she considered pulling away. Screaming. Cursing him. Breathing fire at his audacity.

But Damon didn't relent. Weak as he was, there was something in the firmness of that kiss—a silent plea, a provocation, a confession hidden behind the boldness.

Ester felt the world spin. The chill she had been absorbing from him now seemed to spread within her, and the heat he returned mingled, creating something new, something that made her lose control completely.

When he finally pulled back, panting, his smile returned, albeit tired, albeit barely sustained by his remaining energy.

"...I've always wanted to shut that bossy mouth of yours..." he murmured, his lips still too close to hers.

Ester's face was on fire, her eyes flashing, her entire body rigid against his.

"D-Damon..." she tried to begin, but her voice faltered.

He just stared at her, that bright, mocking, intense gaze, even on the verge of exhaustion. "What now? Are you going to freeze me for this?"

Her hands trembled. Anger and shame mingled with something she didn't want to name.

Ester bit her lip, averting her eyes, but not moving away from him.