olympic gold medalist btwâ alysa liu ââşââ
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synopsis: y/n hosts alysa, amber, and isabeau during a snowstorm, and a snowball fight turns messy when sides change.
the airport was loud in the way airports always were. rolling suitcases, announcements, footsteps that never stopped moving. it should have felt overwhelming, but y/n only felt one thing, anticipation.
she had been checking the arrivals area for almost ten minutes when she finally saw them.
alysa walked out first, hair slightly messy from the flight. amber followed close behind, already talking animatedly, while isabeau trailed them with her usual calm expression that somehow always looked mildly amused at everything happening around her.
her face changed instantly, like everything else in the world stopped mattering.
she broke into a run, bags almost slipping off her shoulder, and y/n barely had time to step forward before alysa collided into her.
y/n laughed as she caught her, arms wrapping tightly around her waist.
âyouâre going to knock me over,â y/n said softly.
âworth it,â alysa mumbled into her shoulder, holding on like she had no intention of letting go.
behind them, amber made a loud sound of disgust.
alysa finally pulled back just enough to look at y/nâs face. her cheeks were slightly pink, from the cold or maybe something else, and she was smiling in a way that made alysaâs chest feel lighter.
âmiss me?â alysa asked.
y/n raised an eyebrow. âyou literally texted me from the plane five hours ago.â
âso yes,â alysa concluded immediately.
y/n laughed again and adjusted alysaâs hood. her fingers lingered a second longer than necessary.
âyou look tired,â y/n said softly.
âiâm fine,â alysa replied, then leaned forward slightly. âyou should see amber. she tried to sleep sitting up and fell into isabeau twice.â
âi did not fall,â amber corrected loudly. âi leaned.â
isabeau nodded. âshe leaned into me repeatedly.â
y/n smiled and finally turned to hug amber and isabeau too, both of them greeting her with warm, slightly tired energy. but even as they talked, snow began falling outside in thick, slow flakes.
by the time they got to the car, it was already sticking to the roads.
amber peered out the window. âwe are not going anywhere tonight.â
ânope,â y/n said, starting the engine. âyouâre stuck with me.â
alysa leaned her head against the seat beside y/n almost immediately. âworst problem ever.â
âshe means best,â isabeau translated.
âi did not,â alysa said.
âyou did,â amber added.
the house was warm when they arrived.
lights soft, floors clean, the smell of something like cocoa already lingering because y/n had been preparing earlier without really admitting she was excited.
as soon as they stepped inside, the contrast from the cold made everyone exhale at the same time.
amber dropped onto the couch immediately.
âi am never moving again.â
isabeau took off her coat slowly. âthats what you said on the plane.â
âi meant it this time.â
alysa, however, was already looking out the window.
snow was coming down harder now, covering the yard in thick white.
âwe should go outside,â she said suddenly.
y/n turned. âabsolutely not.â
âsnowball fight,â alysa insisted.
amber immediately sat up. âactually that sounds fun.â
isabeau looked between them. âi would rather sit in silence.â
alysa pointed at her. âyouâre coming.â
isabeau sighed. âof course I am.â
the yard was already knee deep in snow.
y/n stood with laila and ilia beside her, bundled in jackets and gloves, while alysa stood across from them like she was preparing for something important.
amber and isabeau were technically on her side.
âokay,â alysa announced, holding a perfectly packed snowball. âwe follow my strategy.â
amber raised a hand. âwhat strategy.â
âthatâs not a strategy,â isabeau said.
alysa smiled brightly. âit is if i say it confidently.â
y/n laughed from across the yard. âwe are so winning this.â
alysa pointed directly at her. âyouâre going down.â
âshe is so dramatic,â y/n told laila.
âshe likes you,â laila replied immediately.
y/n choked slightly on air.
alysa threw the first snowball.
it hit nothing important, but it started everything anyway.
snow exploded into chaos almost instantly.
laughter, shouting, running.
y/n ducked behind a pile of snow while ilia immediately launched a counterattack. laila was laughing too hard to aim properly, which somehow still worked in their favor.
alysa moved fast, surprisingly fast, dodging and throwing with focus that made her competitive streak obvious.
âyouâre all slow,â she called out.
âyouâre loud,â y/n called back.
âiâm efficient,â alysa corrected.
amber, meanwhile, was supposed to be helping alysa.
it hit alysa directly in the shoulder.
amber froze. âaccident.â
isabeau immediately followed with another snowball.
this one hit alysaâs arm.
alysa stared at both of them.
âyouâre supposed to be on my team.â
amber shrugged. âweâre evaluating leadership.â
âyouâre betraying me,â alysa said.
âwe are enhancing the experience,â isabeau corrected.
y/n laughed so hard she almost dropped her snowball.
âi canât believe this is happening,â alysa muttered.
âit is very believable,â isabeau said.
then amber leaned slightly toward y/nâs side.
and threw another snowball at alysa.
alysa stood frozen for a second.
then slowly turned toward y/n.
âyouâre enjoying this.â
y/n smiled sweetly. âmaybe.â
alysa pointed at her. âyouâre next.â
second round: full betrayal
this is where everything collapsed into chaos.
amber fully switched sides
she just walked over to y/nâs group mid fight like it was completely normal.
âhi,â she said, joining them.
âyou canât just leave.â
âi just did,â amber said calmly.
isabeau followed a few seconds later.
alysa looked betrayed in the most dramatic way possible.
âyou were annoying,â isabeau said.
âyou were loud,â amber added.
âyou threw snow at us first,â y/n pointed out.
alysa turned slowly toward y/n.
y/n smiled again. âiâm just here.â
âyou are orchestrating this,â alysa accused.
âno,â y/n said. âyouâre just losing.â
laughter erupted everywhere.
then the fight restarted, but now it was chaos in the purest form.
amber and isabeau were fully helping y/n, calling out alysaâs movements, blocking her throws, and occasionally sabotaging her aim just enough to make her lose balance.
alysa was laughing too, despite everything, snow in her hair, cheeks pink from cold and effort.
she tried to throw a snowball at y/n.
âyou are not allowed,â isabeau said.
âthis is unfair,â alysa said.
âthis is teamwork,â amber corrected.
alysa gasped dramatically. âyou betrayed me.â
âyou started it,â y/n said.
âi started nothing,â alysa insisted, laughing now.
she ran forward again, slipping slightly in the snow, and y/n instinctively stepped forward too, catching her lightly by the arm so she did not fall.
their hands stayed connected for a second longer than necessary.
y/n shrugged. âi did not want you to fall.â
alysa smiled softly. âyouâre so nice.â
âdo not get used to it.â
eventually, nobody was keeping score anymore.
snow in hair, gloves soaked, breath visible in the cold air.
amber eventually flopped into the snow.
isabeau followed. âsame.â
laila collapsed next to y/n, laughing too hard to stand.
alysa finally stopped too, standing in front of y/n, breathing slightly heavier, cheeks flushed, eyes bright.
âyou cheated,â she said.
âyou lost,â y/n replied.
alysa stepped closer. âyou teamed up against me.â
alysa smiled slowly. âiâm impressed.â
âi am a little mad,â alysa said, leaning closer, âbut also i kinda like when you win.â
y/n froze slightly at that.
ânothing,â y/n said quickly.
alysa reached up, brushing snow off y/nâs cheek.
âyouâre cute when you try to act smug,â she said quietly.
y/n looked away immediately.
amber from the snow: âoh my god just kiss already.â
isabeau: âplease ignore her.â
inside, warmth hit them instantly.
blankets. cocoa. the sound of everyone collapsing into couches and floors.
alysa immediately gravitated toward y/n again, sitting close enough that their shoulders touched.
amber and isabeau were still arguing lightly about betrayal.
laila and ilia were still laughing.
y/n handed alysa a mug of cocoa.
âyou lost,â she said again.
alysa took a sip. âiâm awareâ
alysa leaned her head gently against y/nâs shoulder.
ânext time,â she murmured, âiâm so winning.â
outside, snow kept falling. inside, everything was warm, loud, soft, and exactly where it should be. and alysa did not move away from y/n the entire night.