Norway
The air was crisp, the kind of cold that bit at your skin the second you stepped outside. Ingrid barely noticed it -years of Norwegian winters had hardened her to the chill- but Mapi? Mapi was suffering. Dramatically.
“Hace frío,” she mumbled into Ingrid’s shoulder, voice muffled by the thick scarf wrapped around her face.
“I told you it would be,” Ingrid replied, adjusting the beanie on her head as they walked.
“Sí, sí, pero no pensé que sería así.”
Ingrid chuckled. “It’s winter, Mapi. What did you expect?”
“Not this.”
They hadn’t even been outside for more than ten minutes, and already, Mapi was inching closer and closer, like she was trying to burrow into Ingrid’s body.
It started subtly. First, their arms brushed as they walked. Then, Mapi’s shoulder bumped against Ingrid’s side. And now -now she had fully latched onto Ingrid’s back, arms wrapped tightly around her waist, hands shoved deep into Ingrid’s coat pockets.
“You know,” Ingrid said, glancing down, “your coat has pockets too.”
“Sí, pero no son las tuyas.”
Ingrid huffed, amused. “That makes no sense.”
“Shhh. No hables.”
Mapi nuzzled further into Ingrid’s back, and Ingrid could practically feel the smug grin against her shoulder.
She sighed, adjusting to the added weight, because there was no shaking Mapi off now. Not that she wanted to.
Their pace slowed considerably. What should have been a quick walk was now more of a slow shuffle, with Ingrid having to drag Mapi along.
People passing by gave them funny looks -some amused, some confused- but Mapi was completely unfazed.
And because Mapi was unfazed, Ingrid was too.
She sighed dramatically, though there was no real exasperation behind it. “You know, this would be much easier if you just walked like a normal person.”
“No me gusta.”
Ingrid rolled her eyes. “Of course not.”
She shifted slightly, trying to find a way to walk more comfortably, but Mapi just tightened her grip.
“You’re impossible,” Ingrid muttered.
“And you love me.”
“Unfortunately.”
Mapi gasped in mock offence. “Princesa!”
Ingrid laughed, finally giving up on logic and just letting Mapi have her way. If she wanted to waddle behind Ingrid like some kind of oversized koala, fine. Ingrid would allow it.
She pulled her phone from her pocket and held it up, angling it just right so Mapi’s chin was hooked over her shoulder in the frame.
“Smile,” Ingrid instructed.
Mapi grinned instantly, dimples showing, her eyes squinting just slightly against the cold.
Click.
Ingrid glanced down at the photo, biting her lip to hold back a smile. Mapi looked ridiculous -her face half-buried in Ingrid’s shoulder, scarf wrapped up to her nose, eyes bright and happy.
It was perfect.
She turned her phone to show Mapi, who hummed approvingly. “Guapa,” Mapi teased, nudging Ingrid’s cheek with her nose.
Ingrid rolled her eyes, but she didn’t move away.
The walk took twice as long as it should have, but Ingrid didn’t mind. Mapi was warm against her back, her laughter soft in her ear, and even though she was heavy and inconvenient, Ingrid wouldn’t have changed a thing.