Breaths heavy, boots trampled in the thick snow as heavily cloaked arms wrapped around themselves. The Great Wizard Eibon trudged along in the three inch snow, his breath escaping from his mask and shimmering into view in between the stakes of his gated metal mask. Even in his thick cloak, the cold still nipped at his ears and buried itself into his soft arms. Grumbling about the new snow that had appeared at their camp, the wizard glanced left and right for some sort of heat source.

Finally, he saw it. A brightly-lit cave atop the highest hill eagerly called out to him. He could have sworn it whispered, "Eibon...Eibon, come to me! I'm warm!" Eibon didn't hesitate. He swiftly plodded up the snow-capped hill, only thinking of the inviting warmth. Once he reached the entrance of the cave, however, he stopped.

This was Lord Death's cave.

Eibon peered inside to see the cave vacant. Shivering and shaking in the cold, he grit his teeth under his mask as he fought an internal battle. He was cold, he wanted warmth. Lord Death's cave was warm, plus Lord Death wasn't there. But it was Lord Death's cave! That meant no one was allowed inside, lest they fear the Reaper's wrath. Eibon paced back and forth frantically as he sought an answer. Suppose he went in. What would happen if he was caught?

The theatre of Eibon's mind not so proudly presents...

As soon as the wizard has gotten comfortable by a dozen candles, a large shadow loomed over him. Eibon glanced up to see Lord Death standing above him, his scary skull eyes narrowed in fury. He extended his long claws.

Eibon gulped.

Fini

Eibon shook his head, clearing his imagination. But he was freezing! Lord Death wouldn't be back for a while, right? A particularly nasty wind blew by, lifting the metal mask off of the front of Eibon's face. That was enough to support his decision, and thus, he scuttled into the cave without a second thought.

As soon as he entered, he was blasted with warm air. Sighing happily, the wizard shuffled near the back of the cave, where there were many candles lined up against the rocks. The cave was simple yet elegant; Lord Death had a bed, a desk, and way too many candles to count. Not that Eibon was complaining. He slid down a cave wall, getting as close to the heat source as possible. He sighed again as warmth flooded his veins.

"Eibon?" a low voice rang out.

At this, the wizard's eyes shot open. What would Lord Death do to him now? Cut him open with his huge claws? Rip his skin off? Or even worse, kick him out into the snow?

"L-L-Lord Death!" Eibon stuttered, standing hastily. To the scientist's surprise, the shadow only waved him back down nonchalantly.

"You may stay," he replied smoothly. "I'm assuming the lab is much too cold for you."

"Ye-yes, just a little," Eibon choked out, still shocked at the fact that he was still in one piece. After a long, awkward silence composed of Death staring at Eibon's stunned face, the scientist finally got the hint and quickly sat down, his cloak fluttering as he did so. As soon as Eibon was seated, Death shuffled over to his desk and sat, grabbing a pen and beginning to fill out a piece of paper. Eibon watched him curiously.

Eventually, it grew awkward. Each thinking they should start a conversation, neither of them could find a topic. Growing bored with watching Lord Death write, Eibon settled on watching the snow fall outside the cave. He gained much satisfaction with the fact that the snow was outside and not on him.

Suddenly, Death put his pen down, finally having found a topic.

"Eibon, I-"

Before he could get any further, however, he saw that Eibon had fallen asleep. The wizard, leaning against the cave wall with the eyes of his mask closed, breathed shallowly. Death watched as his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. It was...admittedly, cute.

He immediately shook his head in an attempt to drive that word out of his head. Death doesn't call anything 'cute', not fluffy bunnies or puppy dogs, or cute little scientists knocked out in the back of your cave...no, definitely not!

Figuring he should move the wizard before the latter should wake up with a terrible ache, Death glided over to Eibon and latched his claws underneath the other's body and heaved him up. Eibon firmly in his arms, he slithered to the other side of the cave, fully intent on giving him some other place to stay. This cave just wouldn't be suitable for him- at least, not with Death's thoughts. It made the Reaper blush just thinking them. Good thing no one was around.

As soon as he was about to glide out into the snow, Death suddenly felt arms clasp around his middle. He glanced down to see the wizard with his heavily robed arms around him, snuggled deep into the Reaper's cloak in an attempt to get to warmth.

Death blinked, trying not to blush. Then he scoffed and turned his head stubbornly.

"Then I suppose I'll just have to keep you, hmm?" he muttered, skating across the floor and setting Eibon on his bed. Before the wizard could lose any heat, however, Death quickly crawled into the bed after him and pulled the sheets up to both of them, nestling the scientist against him.

His last thought was, you're going to hate me in the morning.

/

C:

Shinigami = Death because this is the past.

AND THIS PAIRING NEEDS LOVE DAMMIT. *shakes angry fangirl fist*