For the 2018 Rarepair exchange, based on the prompts "magic/witchcraft" and "trapped together in a snowstorm." Happy New Year apollon-hyakinthios!

"You know, right around now would be a good time to have some fire magic. Say, if someone had lived with a fire mage for years and asked for a couple lessons."

"You're one to talk, Mr. Let's take a shortcut through the mountains." Toris glared in Eduard's direction, then returned his attention to the fire he was attempting to start manually.

"How was I supposed to know the pass was blocked?" Eduard replied.

"It's winter! It always gets filled with snow!"

"Which is usually cleared away! And technically, it wasn't filled until this storm rolled in," said Eduard, glancing at the entrance to their little cave where the wind howled and the snow still fell.

"I told you we should have turned around!" Toris growled.

"What difference would it make?" said Eduard. "We'd still have been stuck in the storm. If you'd moved a little faster, we might have made it through the pass before it was blocked!"

"If you'd moved a little slower then you wouldn't have twisted your ankle and we would have made it to the pass before dark!" Toris shouted.

The grey wolf sitting between them whined and lowered her belly to the floor, deep green eyes landing on Toris. He immediately felt her spirit cool his frustration and strengthen his bond with Eduard. The wolf, called Ratas, was their shared familiar, and she marked the exceptional nature of their bond. All master wizards had a familiar, an animal companion with a spirit that matched their own. They found one another during a journey that was made alone. He and Eduard had prepared together but departed separately, only to find each other again some weeks later with the wolf halfway between them. Time had paused for a moment, and in Toris' memory all three of them were still there, their bodies frozen but their spirits rushing to join one another. Toris had not expected to share a familiar with Eduard, but at the same time he was not surprised.

In just a look, the wolf reminded Toris of all this. He sighed and patted her head. "Sorry, Ratas. …and you too, Eduard."

"So am I," said Eduard. His hand joined Toris' in the wolf's fur, and for a moment their hands linked.

Toris returned to the few dry sticks they'd recovered before retreating into the cave, and was finally rewarded with smoke. Eduard pushed a tinder bundle toward him, and he flicked the embers into it with his knife. Together they blew on the tinder until it burst into flame and they were able to set it against their kindling. With the fire burning, they shared a smile.

"I bet Alfred can't do that," said Eduard.

Toris smiled ruefully. "Alfred doesn't need to do that. He just snaps his fingers. I did try to learn a couple fire spells from him, but I'm no fire mage. Plus, Alfred's not a particularly patient teacher."

Eduard chuckled. "Alfred's not particularly patient about anything. I suppose that's where his affinity for fire comes from. You, on the other hand, are very patient, and I do appreciate that." He kissed Toris' cheek, melting more of the frost in his hair and his mood.

Toris pulled Eduard closer, crushing Ratas between them. She grumbled and squirmed free, then settled herself on Eduard's other side. She gave his bandaged ankle a gently lick.

"How's your ankle?" Toris asked.

"Fine," Eduard replied. "It's numb now. Which is either a testament to the success of my potion, or a sign of the cold."

"Your potions are always successful," said Toris.

"That's because I have an earth mage to find the best ingredients for me," Eduard replied, nudging his boyfriend's side. He frowned, eyeing their cart in the corner. "My potions won't be much use if we can't get them to the next town."

"We'll get there. We're just a little delayed," Toris promised.

He and Eduard worked together as healers. They sold potions and wards to protect their town and their neighbors'. It was the reason for their urgency, and for Eduard's insistence that they take the mountain pass instead of the longer route around the mountains. Their friend Alfred had sent a letter a few days ago to ask for their help in combating an illness that was spreading through his town.

"We can't afford any delays," Eduard said quietly. "You should keep going. It's not full dark yet, and Ratas can go with you. She'll find a safe way through the pass. You don't need to take the whole cart, just one bag of-"

"I am not leaving you," Toris growled.

"I can't go now. I'd slow you down," said Eduard.

"Which is why we're staying here until morning – at the least. You're hurt," Toris insisted.

"It's only a twisted ankle. I'm plenty safe here; I've got my magic and you made a lovely fire," Eduard replied. "Alfred's friends are sick. They need those potions now!"

"And we need a rest. It's not just the dark that's a problem – did you forget the storm? Even Ratas would have a hard time finding her way through that," said Toris.

"You've got earth magic. You could read the stones to find a steady path, and I can make you a light that will cut through the thickest storm. I know I have a little bottle of Lampyridae worms, and if I add a few of those to moon water with an ember from the fire…"

Eduard started to reach for the ingredients stored in the cart, but Toris grabbed him before he could stand. He dragged Eduard against him and pressed Eduard's face into his chest, then kissed his hair.

"Slow down, Eduard. Just stop for a moment and breathe."

"But Alfred wrote that-"

"Shh," Toris whispered into his hair. "I know you're worried; I am too. But you've got to let it go for tonight. We won't help anyone if we get killed in that storm or lose all the potions you worked so hard on."

"Then what do we do?" Eduard asked.

"We wait. We rest. We see what it looks like out there in the morning," Toris replied.

Apparently in agreement, Ratas rested her head and heavy front paws over Eduard's lap. Eduard sighed and curled more comfortably into his boyfriend. "I see I'm outnumbered. Alright then, we wait until morning. Did you put the wards up?"

"You know I did. If anything tries to get to this cave they're in for a nasty surprise."

"You have the best surprises," said Eduard, tugging on a lock of Toris' hair.

"Only because my surprises don't explode if I leave them unattended, unlike your potions," Toris replied.

"That happened three times. Maybe four."

"Five. Raivis and I have been keeping count."

Eduard groaned. "I changed my mind. You are the worst."

"But you love me anyway," said Toris. He leaned down and stole a kiss before Eduard could offer further complaints.

XXX

Two more wizards stood on the other side of the pass, one holding a torch and the other a fistful of fire. The pass was a narrow road between two mountains, one that cut travel between their town and the next in half. Unfortunately, it was currently full of rocks, ice, and snow that rose above the wizard's heads.

"I'm just saying, if you'd learned anything from Toris you would have been able to put some wards on the pass to keep it clear," said Romano.

"And if you'd learned more of your grandfather's earth magic, you'd be able to clear this away in no time at all," Alfred retorted.

"Don't you dare bring Nono into this!" Romano growled. Davinci, the cat hiding in his coat, hissed.

Alfred sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry, that was a low blow. You know I didn't mean it; I'm just nervous. Eduard and Toris should be here by now. They promised."

"They probably took the road around the mountain, like any sensible person in a snowstorm. You know that'll take them an extra day," said Romano.

A part of him didn't believe it either, however. The healer pair may have seemed as cool as snow, but he'd seen them act with all the bluster of a storm when it came to people in need. Truth be told, Romano was just as eager as Alfred to find them. His brother was one of those who had been struck down by the epidemic, and he had some feelings for Alfred that he was still working through. He'd have gone into the snowstorm for either one of them individually, but both? He'd barely stopped to put on a coat.

There was a sharp cry above them, followed by a whoosh as Alfred's eagle swooped down. He landed in a tree just above them, knocking snow into Romano's coat and upsetting Davinci. Romano and the cat made identical noises of outrage, and Alfred laughed.

"Hey, Sammy, what did you find?" Alfred asked the bird. The eagle shook off his wings and resettled his feathers, then looked Alfred in the eye. After a moment of rare silence from the fire mage, Alfred turned to Romano.

"Sam spotted light and smoke not too far from the pass. Even if it isn't our friends, there's someone stuck out there."

"Guess we need to find a way through, then," said Romano. He sighed; he wanted to get back to Feliciano as quickly as possible. He didn't trust Ludwig to watch over him all night, and he especially didn't trust Ludwig's dog. On the other hand, he couldn't leave Alfred or the healers stranded.

With fresh determination, Romano took off his gloves and stepped up to the blocked portion of the pass. "Alright. Let's see what we're dealing with here."

He put his hands against the snow and closed his eyes, trying to block out the cold. Davinci rubbed up against his neck and purred, helping Romano focus instead on the structure of the pass and the earth beneath it. The earth purred, too, and he tuned into the rhythm of trembling rocks and hollow trees. By sensing these minute vibrations he was able to outline the stone and dirt beneath the snow. He let his senses travel up the sides of the pass as well, seeking loose stones or trees that were ready to fall. Getting crushed on the way through would be even worse than picking their way around icy boulders.

Romano opened his eyes and stepped back. "The snow's pretty heavy so it's packed in there. Not too many boulders, though, and everything else feels stable. If you turn up the heat, I should be able to sure up the rough spots as we go."

"As we go?" said Alfred, eyes lighting up with that hopeful puppy dog look Romano could never refuse.

He crossed his arms and looked away. "Yeah. We can't have Toris and Eduard freezing to death before they reach my brother, after all."

"YES!" Alfred exclaimed, and Romano found himself knocked to the side in the snow.

"Oi! Look out for Davinci!" Romano shouted. The cat had, of course, jumped ship the moment he noticed Alfred coming at them, and was shaking off the indignity.

Alfred laughed. "Sorry. I'm just excited for our first Rescue Squad mission!"

Romano rolled his eyes and shoved Alfred off him. "We are not calling it Rescue Squad. This is just the two of us clearing out a path for our friends."

"Exactly. We rescue them, they rescue the town. And once your brother is feeling better, we go rescue the world! Rescue Squad!"

Romano shook his head. Alfred had already managed to convince him, Feliciano, and Ludwig to join his traveling 'squad,' so he had no doubt the fire mage would find a way to convince the healers as well. "Let's start with rescuing them and see how it goes. Keep the fires small and steady so it melts the snow without triggering an avalanche."

"Yeah, yeah," said Alfred, taking a step back and igniting both of his hands.

"I mean it, Alfred, no fireballs," Romano warned. "Alfred? ALFRED!"

XXX

Toris woke early, while everything was still dark. He and Eduard were curled near the ashes of their fire, and Ratas was gone. There were a few prints in the dirt across the cave floor to suggest she hadn't been gone long; probably hunting. It sounded like the wind had died down outside. That was good news for breakfast and for the rest of their journey.

He looked down at his boyfriend and brushed the hair back from his face. Eduard's cheeks were pink, but he didn't feel overly warm or sick. Toris was glad of that; both of them were already run down, and he didn't want Eduard catching whatever illness had swept through their neighboring town. It had been ages since the last time they had a break. They'd been planning a small vacation for this week, but Alfred's letter put that on hold. They never refused a call for help, especially from their friends.

Eduard shifted against him and blinked awake. "Morning," he muttered.

"Morning," Toris replied, giving him a kiss. "How do you feel?"

Eduard frowned for a moment, taking stock. "A little cold. That's all."

"Me too," Toris admitted. He pulled a stick from the fire and poked at the ashes.

"Probably not much point in trying. We should get going as soon as we can; we can get warm once we reach the town," said Eduard. He sat up and stretched. "Where's Ratas?"

"Out hunting, I think. She'll probably check the pass, too," he replied. Eduard hissed, and Toris immediately abandoned his efforts with the fire to sit Eduard down again and tug at the leg of his pants. "Your ankle?"

Eduard nodded. "It's going to need to warm up a bit before I can put weight on it."

"You know you're riding on the cart, don't you? I'll pull it and Ratas can take some of the bags."

Eduard opened his mouth to protest, but Toris met his eyes and refused to back down. With a sigh, Eduard gave in and joined Toris in inspecting his ankle. It was swollen and bruised along the outside of his foot, and Toris let out a hiss of sympathy.

"Hand me that yellow salve and get some snow, please," Eduard said, as clinical and calm with his own injuries as he was with any other patient's. He was a good healer; brisk and cool where Toris was warm. They made a good team, in every way.

Toris dug through one of the bags for the requested salve, giving it a quick sniff to make sure it was the right one: arnica, aloe, and a hint of mint. Half of what he and Eduard did could hardly be called magic, in his opinion. It was a matter of knowing plants and understanding how bodies reacted to injury and illness. He handed the jar to Eduard along with a clean bandage, then tightened his coat and headed out into the snow.

As he filled a bowl with snow, Toris took the opportunity to peer through the dimness of pre-dawn. The previous day's storm had passed, leaving a thick coating of snow over everything. Ratas' prints were visible, but no others. He hoped he hadn't forced a fox or rabbit out of their home. The wards he set around the cave were meant to deter larger animals like bears, but in the rush he'd made them a little stronger than necessary.

Toris returned to the cave and knelt beside Eduard with the snow. Eduard had rubbed the salve over his ankle and was bowed over it, a soft blue glow emanating from his hands. Half their healing may have been science, but the other half was what made their magic so respected. Eduard used water magic to redirect blood flow and encourage clotting or reduce swelling. Toris drew his magic from the earth, reminding muscles and bones of their strength.

As Eduard finished, Toris pushed Eduard's hands away and drew his foot into his lap, planting a gentle kiss to his calf. Then he set about wrapping Eduard's ankle with bandages and packing it with snow. It had been too long since he had the chance to take care of Eduard, though he'd rather care for him in…other ways. Preferably ones that did not involve injuries.

"What're you thinking about?" Eduard asked.

Toris blushed; he hadn't realized how long he'd been silent. "The last time we were alone together."

Eduard smiled. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. Between customers, our friends, even Ratas – we hardly ever have time to ourselves," said Toris. He pulled Eduard's sock up over the bandages, then held his hand over it and shut his eyes. He whispered a spell to encourage Eduard's muscles to heal themselves, then traced a rune over him with his index finger.

Eduard raised an eyebrow. "Are you putting a ward on my ankle?"

"On your feet in general, to protect them from your own clumsiness," Toris replied.

"Is that the one you've been working on for Raivis?" asked Eduard.

"Yes. You can be my first living experiment," said Toris.

"That's very reassuring."

"Once again," Toris replied, "I remind you that my experiments do not explode."

"Hey, an exploding potion might help us clear the pass," said Eduard.

"NO!" Toris exclaimed, shoving his boyfriend back and grabbing his hands. "I am not letting you near any combustible ingredients until we are out of range of any avalanches."

"Combustible, eh? You better back up then."

"Why?" Toris asked, eyebrow furrowed.

Eduard rolled his eyes and leaned up to kiss him. "That's why."

"Oh."

"It's not funny if I have to explain it, you know." Eduard laughed, then wrapped his good leg around Toris to pull him closer. Toris nearly lost his balance and ended up straddling Eduard to keep from falling on top of him.

"What are you doing?"

"Experimenting with combustible materials," Eduard replied with a smirk.

"You can't be serious," said Toris. "What about getting the potions to the village?"

Eduard shrugged. "You said it yourself. It's still too dark to leave, we have to wait for Ratas to come back, and it has been a while since we were alone."

Toris shook his head. "I should know better than to encourage you."

"Is that a yes?"

"Shut up," said Toris, kissing Eduard's mouth.

XXX

It took Romano and Alfred until early dawn to clear enough of a path through the pass. Romano was ready to collapse from exhaustion, but at least he couldn't complain about being cold. Being around Alfred was like having a traveling fireplace – which was probably why Davinci was now riding in Alfred's coat, the traitor.

The good news was that once they were on the other side of the mountains, the going was much easier. Sammy dropped down occasionally to give directions, and Romano was able to use his earth-sense to steer them clear of any trouble while Alfred melted a path and lit the way.

Just as the sun rose over the horizon, coloring the snow pink, Davinci leapt off Alfred's shoulder and darted off into the woods. Romano frowned and grasped after the link with his familiar for answers.

"Danger?" Alfred whispered, crouching low and balling up the fire in his fist.

Romano shook his head. "Davinci's not scared. He's just smelled something…familiar, I think."

He squinted into the woods until he could make out a large grey shadow moving towards them, slowly materializing into the shape of a wolf.

"Ratas!" Alfred exclaimed. He nudged Romano's side and grinned. "I guess you could say Davinci found a familiar familiar, eh?"

"I hate you so much," Romano groaned. He knelt down in the snow, giving Ratas a pat on the head and Davinci a scratch under the chin. "Good job, you two. Can you show us the way to our idiot healers?"

The wolf butted her head against his hand, then padded off the way she'd come. "I guess that's a yes," said Alfred. "C'mon!"

They followed Ratas through the snow, retracing the prints that she had already left behind. Romano could also hear the rustle of wings as Alfred's eagle joined them. Sam wasn't made for flying among the close-grown trees, but he managed it without knocking too much snow on top of them. Davinci, as usual, preferred to keep his paws dry by riding in Romano's coat.

It seemed that Toris and Eduard hadn't been too far from the pass when they were forced to stop. It was less than a mile before Ratas slowed and led them towards an opening in the wall of a cliff. There were trees and bushes growing around the base, and there was something about the place that made Romano's senses slip right past it. He wasn't sure they would have noticed the cave at all if Ratas hadn't been guiding them. Toris made some powerful wards.

"This the place? Perfect! I'm so glad they found somewhere to stop for the night," said Alfred.

"Bet they're a lot dryer than us," Romano complained, but he couldn't summon any real annoyance. The healers had set out through a storm to help Feliciano and the rest of the town, and though he'd never admit it to Alfred there was some appeal in being the one to rescue them.

"I hope they're not hurt or anything," said Alfred, pushing aside the branches. "You'd think they would be up and moving by now, but I don't see them or any smoke."

Romano picked his way through brambles and grumbled, "After all we went through? They better not be. We don't need any more sick people."

He grew more worried when he spotted Ratas frozen at the cave entrance, blocking their view. He pushed her aside and rushed in. "Oi! Are you alright? We saw the pass and- OH GOD MY EYES!"

XXX

Several hours and one uncomfortable trip later, the group had finally arrived in the village. Eduard and Toris saw to the sickest people first, easing their symptoms with ready-made potions before turning Romano's kitchen into a laboratory. He would have complained, but if it meant the healers were closer to his brother he was willing to give up the kitchen and chop ingredients for them.

Alfred had remained with them as well, and Romano was grateful to have his strength. Alfred's strength wasn't just physical. He could buoy the entire village with a smile, and deep down he was a compassionate, complex individual.

"So Toris. That was a side of you I've never seen before, eh?"

Deep, deep down.

"It's a side I never wanted to see," Romano grumbled. "We spend all night clearing out the pass and worrying about you, and what do we find? You stopped to…to…!"

Toris blushed up to his ears. "I already told you, that's not why we stopped! We just…got a little carried away."

"He was kissing my ankle better," Eduard replied, sounding far too pleased with himself.

"That was not what he was kissing!" Romano hissed, face turning as red as the berries he was slicing. Davinci pricked up his ears from his place by the fire, but neglected to offer further commentary. He was too comfortable napping on top of the wolf.

"It still made me feel better." Eduard smirked. He stood, much to Toris' horror, then reached over and snagged a handful of berries from Romano's pile.

"I keep telling you to sit still!"

Toris made a grab for Eduard's arm, but Eduard neatly avoided him. "My ankle is nearly healed – and if it isn't then we aren't as good at healing as we claim to be."

Alfred laughed. "You two fight like an old married couple."

"So do you and Romano," Toris shot back.

"We do not!" both shouted.

"A bit quick with the denial, aren't you?" Eduard laughed. He crushed the berries in his hand and added them to the pot boiling over the fire. Then he raised his hand over it, stirring the liquid within with a precision only a water mage could achieve until the whole thing was an even purple color.

Toris leaned over his shoulder and sniffed it, then grabbed a spoon and dipped it in the mixture. He blew on it, then let a drop fall on his tongue. He grimaced. "Yup. That's the taste of sour grass I remember."

"It's ready then," said Eduard. He turned to Romano. "Shall we start with your brother?"

Romano eyed the pot skeptically. "You're sure something you whipped up in my kitchen isn't going to kill him?"

"Very sure," Toris replied. "Otherwise I wouldn't have had any."

"We'll start with a low dose either way and see how he reacts," Eduard added. He grabbed a bowl from Romano's shelves (without bothering to ask), filled it, and followed Toris into the next room.

Alfred turned to join them, but Romano grabbed his arm and pulled him back for just a second. "Hey, Al. Thank you."

"Me?" said Alfred, eyebrows raised. "I'm not the one who's saving Feliciano. Thank those two."

"I will. But it's their job to come out here and help. You, though – you didn't have to do anything. You could have waited to go looking for them, or just sent Sammy to see they were safe, but you cleared that whole pass and helped me drag them back here safe and sound. Thank you," said Romano.

Alfred blinked, then grinned. "You're welcome! It was a good adventure, and I'm glad to help anyone. Especially you."

Romano leaned a little closer…and was knocked into Alfred as Davinci leaped onto his back. "Davinci! What the hell? You could've knocked over the potions!"

"No worries, dude, I've got you," said Alfred. He righted Romano, patted the cat's head, then tugged on Romano's hand. "Let's go make sure the healers didn't get distracted again, right?"

"I am never going to get any peace with the three of you and your familiars and Ludwig around here," Romano groaned. He followed willingly, however, and had to admit that he could get used to the arrangement. Perhaps Alfred's Rescue Squad wasn't such a terrible idea after all.