Yuki's Arc

Chapter 3 of 3

The stranger returned two days later. Yuki heard the footsteps outside and opened the door before he could knock. His hands hung at his sides, exposed and mottled white at the fingertips. The skin looked waxy, bloodless. He tried to smile but his face was tight with pain. She pulled him inside and sat him near the hearth, examining his hands without touching them. Stage two frostbite, maybe deeper. She needed to rewarm the tissue slowly or risk more damage. She told him not to rub his hands, not to put them directly by the fire. He nodded, watching her face as she explained about ice crystals rupturing cell membranes, about circulation returning too fast. Outside, she built a campfire surrounded by cushions she'd found stored in the cabin. The flames needed to be steady but not intense. She brought him out and positioned him at a careful distance, then wrapped his hands in cloth soaked in lukewarm water. He winced but didn't pull away. For two hours she monitored the rewarming, replacing the wraps, adjusting his distance from the fire. He asked questions about cellular damage and tissue recovery, the same genuine curiosity he'd shown with the koi. When pink finally returned to his fingertips, she felt the tension leave her shoulders. He flexed his fingers carefully and looked at her with something more than gratitude. She realized she'd been holding her breath, not just hoping his hands would heal, but hoping he'd stay long enough for her to understand why his questions made her feel less alone.