They were so close. Everything was white, except for Bragi. His lips were blue. Even his clothing looked white, but the glistening crackle of movement convinced Idun that was just frost. The only color was blue, and it matched his eyes but made Idun's heart break at the same time. She laughed, and Bragi laughed too, but he was trembling. Idun didn't know if she was trembling as well, but he was. And his lips were blue. Idun lifted her hand and brushed a finger lightly over the blue flesh she longed to kiss. Then she leaned up slightly and kissed him anyway. He didn't feel cold, but Idun was certain that was because they were both too cold to feel any more of it. And that was so, so sad.
The wolf skin was moved, and her husband's protests chilled her deeper than even the cold could reach. "It...it was for you. I think. I came back because..." Idun's brow furrowed as she pressed against his shoulder. Her eyes stayed closed, but sleep was no longer a threat. Her fall had done terrible things to her husband. His lips were blue and his cheeks were pale, and there was frost everywhere. A little longer, and they would've both been ice sculptures. "I can't explain...why. I just...felt you. You pulled me back. I felt you."
Some of the smoke cleared. A few wisps shifted through the air and vanished, and then the painful sadness of reality began to set in. Idun listened to Bragi, and it all made sense, but the tragedy of it all seemed like something her husband had made up for a story. She hated that she had put him through this. Idun didn't remember the shades, but she remembered the moment before she fell. It was like her soul froze over, and the pain was nothing compared to the sadness. Idun remembered horrors without truly remembering them. Bragi deserved to know why she was close enough to fall here in the first place, but Idun wasn't sure yet. There was still so much smoke.
"I woke up," she said quietly. Idun was much too scared she'd wake the dead too if her voice was any louder. Her frozen throat wouldn't allow louder volumes anyway. "I'm here now. I came back. And...Bragi, I need you close. And warm. Your lips are blue. I'm sorry. I don't know how I fell. I just...I feel like I was lost again. And you finally found me. I'm sorry it took so long. It's just so terribly cold here. I don't think I'm built for the cold..." Idun looked up at Bragi and tried to smile. She was trying to joke. Clearly she had no business in a cold as endless as this. It wasn't funny, but she tried anyway.