Jove opened the door to the shed alongside Eve and set about gassing up the snowmobiles. The station had a jerry can filled with extra gasoline, but topping up their rides just about drained it empty.
"We'll try to fill up when we get there, I suppose," muttered Eve.
"We'll figure it out," said Jove. "We don't have a choice."
"You know, when you put it like that, it seems like such a small problem," said Eve, with some of her usual sarcasm.
"Minuscule, even," he said, with a wink.
The more pressing problem which he expected they'd run into was getting the snowmobiles started again once they'd arrived. They were gambling on Port Sirius having block heaters, or at least their fuel mission being quick enough for the snowmobiles to not have much time to cool down while they were working.
Jove took on the responsibility of towing their gear, attaching it to the sled and then connecting that to his snowmobile. Eve struggled a bit starting her own ride, which was a somewhat worrying omen. Jove got his started with more ease.
Kira and Aster had come outside to see them off from a distance. Eve showed Jove the map and pointed out where they'd be starting off from.
"Follow behind me, but not too close," she said. "If we do run into a crevasse, we don't want to both fall into it."
"Good thinking."
"We should be okay though as long as we stay the course."
She climbed onto her snowmobile and started off. Jove gave her four seconds head start before racing after her. He waved to his mother and aunt on the way by. It was odd how close the sensation of departure was to leaving home. At some point, he'd adjusted to viewing the station that way without realizing it.
The Antarctic sun hung low on the horizon, its rays painting the endless expanse of snow in hues of gold and pink. Despite the beauty of the scene, the cold was relentless, piercing through Jove's layers of insulation with a biting intensity.
As he followed Eve's lead, the wind grew more forceful, battering against his body like a physical assault. Each gust threatened to throw him off course, the snowmobile struggling to maintain traction on the icy terrain. Jove leaned forward, squinting against the stinging flurries that pelted his face.
The cold seeped into his bones, a persistent ache that no amount of layering could fully defend against. Jove flexed his gloved fingers on the handlebars, fighting the numbness that threatened to set in.
The wind howled in his ears, drowning out all other sounds save for the growl of the engine beneath him. Jove leaned forward, hunkering down against the biting chill, his focus narrowing to the path ahead and the faint outline of Eve's snowmobile in the distance.
A particularly strong gust of wind nearly knocked him sideways, and he fought to regain control of the snowmobile. His heart raced, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he narrowly avoided a wipeout. The sled attached to his ride swayed precariously, and he cast a worried glance at the precious cargo it carried.
He saw Eve slow down ahead of him and he drew up alongside her. She waved a hand and pulled down her ice encrusted scarf.
"You okay?" she shouted over the sound of the snowmobile's engines.
"My hands are getting a little cold, but I'm otherwise good to keep going."
Eve had taken out the map to check their route, but frowned at his words. "Let's take a break, then. Frostbite is no joke."
They kept the snowmobile's idling, but climbed off to stretch and rest. Jove took his outer gloves off and tried to rub his hands, still covered by the smaller gloves, together for warmth.
"Here." Eve suddenly unzipped her jacket and held her arms out wide.
"Do you… want a hug, or something?"
"Stick your hands under my armpits." She motioned with her hands impatiently. "Just do it. Trust me."
He did and was immediately surprised by how much heat was radiating from underneath her shirt, more than he would have expected. "Whoa. What is that?"
"I clip handwarmers to my bra right under my armpits," she said, with an interesting smile. "It's my favorite trick for keeping the core warm while cross country skiing."
"It seems effective enough."
The posture had him standing right in front of Eve, arms extended almost like he was groping her breasts. He tried not to stare directly at her, much as she was also trying not to stare at him. It was awkward, but also strangely intimate.
"My fingers feel revived," he said. "Thanks."
He couldn't resist snapping her bra from the side through her shirt as he pulled his hands back.
"You jackass," she said, smiling. "Here. Take some for yourself. If you put them between your cotton gloves and your thick gloves, they'll at least keep the tops of your hands warm."
"How many do we have with us?"
"Eight," said Eve. "Well, six now that I'm using two."
"I'll take some, but I think I'll save them for later," he said. "Just in case."
"Fair enough."
They continued on for another hour, only slowing down when Eve needed to check the map or the terrain grew choppy. Jove was impressed by the time they were making and even starting to have some fun.
Out of nowhere, he watched Eve slow down suddenly ahead of him, and then swerve at an awkward angle. From his perspective, it seemed as though she just disappeared, dropping below what appeared to be level, unbroken snow.
"Eve!" he shouted.