The cold hadn't left her bones, even long after Adrien had declared their "warm-up" was over. Her body had somehow made it through the snow laps, the ridiculous tree climb, and whatever other cruel surprises he had hidden under that smug smirk—but now, Alicia was pretty sure every muscle in her body had signed a petition to abandon her.
So the moment she was back in the manor, she all but collapsed into the bathroom, shedding layers of damp clothes like they were armor she no longer had the strength to carry. Her gloves dropped to the tiled floor with a wet slap, her jeans stiff from half-melted snow. Adrien hadn't said a word, only handed her a towel and turned away with a half-smile that said he'd gotten exactly what he wanted out of her.
The bath was already running, warm steam curling around the edge of the door. She stepped in, closing it behind her with a sigh that came from somewhere deep in her soul.
