#oh and akira's house is located in empyreum if it wasn't obvious

[akirakirxaa]

Cuddle & Snuggle prompts 23. snuggling up to them when they're cold

[Prompt list here! Takes place in my unreleased Haurch Lives AU.]

The door to the small cottage creaked open, the snow from the storm outside blowing wildly inside behind Akira before she kicked it shut. She began to shed her warm winter clothes when she realized the house was freezing. It was nearly as cold as the blizzard outside. She stopped by the kitchen, starting up the stove and placing a kettle of water on top, before continuing to the sitting room.

"Haurch?" she called out. The fireplace had dulled to embers, likely having not been fed in a while. She grabbed a new log, tossed it into the fireplace, and tossed a haphazard fire spell at it to get it started before turning to the sofa, finding her lover curled up, fast asleep. She smiled softly and knelt next to him, shaking his shoulder gently. His eyes cracked open, one hand moving to rub the sleep from them, then lit up, propping himself up on one elbow.

"Ah, you've returned!" he took her chin in one icy hand, pulling her in for a kiss. She relented for a moment, happy to see him, then pushed away, taking his hand in both of hers and rubbing.

"You're freezing!" she scolded. "There's a storm outside, you should have fed the fire before taking a nap." He grinned sheepishly.

"W-well," as if just realizing how cold it was in the house, his frame shivered. "It wasn't exactly planned. I was just so comfortable in front of the fire, waiting for a beautiful maiden to come join me." He reached for her, but she hopped up out of range. Akira popped into their bedroom, pulling a spare duvet from the wardrobe before heading back to the living room where he had sat up, his long arms wrapped around himself. She flung the comforter around his shoulders, the heat from the fireplace already making the house comfortable enough to shed her coat and toss it on the nearby matching chair. She made to sit with him when the kettle whistled, reminding her of what she'd started.

"Oh!" she hopped up as if the sofa had burned her, scurrying to the kitchen. "Sorry, I'll be back in just a moment!"

"Take your time, love," he nestled into the comforter, content to wait for her. Akira found their two favorite mugs on their shelf, pulling them down and reaching for the tea tin before changing her mind and instead grabbing the cocoa powder her friend Ren had taught her to make. Haurchefant still preferred to make hot chocolate by his own method, but the powder made a decent cup when it was Akira making it. She quickly poured the hot water, gave each mixture a stir, then went back to her beloved, handing him the steaming mug.

"You spoil me, dearest," he grinned at her, happily taking the drink as she settled in next to him under the comforter, the large blanket easily stretching over both their shoulders. After sipping their drinks for a few moments, they set them on the tea table before the sofa and settled back into the duvet as the heat from the fireplace banished the chill from the air. With a sigh, she settled back into the crook of Haurchefant's arm as he pulled her close and rested his head on hers. She took one cold hand in both of hers, rubbing it between them to bring the warmth back.

"Is that better?" she asked, repeating with his other hand. He hummed thoughtfully, then adjusted them so that he was stretched out on the sofa, Akira laying over top of him, and the duvet over them both. He sighed contentedly.

"That's better," he smiled into her hair, and she had to admit she agreed. "I daresay I would think it a fine spring day with how warm I feel now." She giggled, twisting a piece of his hair around one finger for a moment before reaching to pull his face closer, planing a chaste kiss on his cheek. Or so she planned, but he turned at the last moment to capture her lips, and for a while they just stayed like that, quietly enjoying each other's company with gentle touches and quiet kisses while the wind howled outside, the cold a thousand malms away.