Chise opened the front door to see Joseph standing there, soaked to the bone and shivering.
"Oh no," she exclaimed softly, hurrying to grab a blanket from one of the couches. "Did the spell fail?"
Chise gathered the Sorcerer up in the blanket as he grumbled, "it would seem so."
Elias, per Chise's insistence, had cast a simple shielding spell to protect their tired immortal from rain. Chise had worried that today's vicious thunderstorm would break it, and it looked like she had been right.
"What's wrong, Chise?" Elias appeared from the kitchen.
Chise took a towel from Ruth and began to dry Joseph's hair, causing the silver strands to fluff up like an angry cat's fur.
"Poor Joseph-kun got wet," Chise said sadly. "Elias-kun...do you think he could sleep in here? Just for tonight?"
From underneath the towel, Elias saw Joseph's lips curl upwards in a smirk. "Yes, Elias-kun...can I? Just for tonight?"
Elias went stiff. If he said no, kind Chise would no doubt hate him for it. But if he said yes...Cartaphilus would need her to sing him to sleep...so the Sorcerer would most likely end up in Chise's bed...
When the Mage didn't immediately reply, Joseph grabbed a bemused Chise's hand and cheerfully dragged her up the stairs.
Joseph had only chosen to lay with Chise to anger Elias, but now the Sorcerer was actually worryingly comfortable, even more comfortable than he was on the soft mattress outside.
The banshee had brought them two cups of honeyed Earl Grey tea and extra blankets to keep them warm, and Joseph was most definitely warm.
He was nestled beside Chise in her bed, his eyelids narrowed in a stubborn glare even as they grew heavy from her lullaby. Their hands were joined and resting on Chise's stomach. He was wearing one of her plain white nightgowns; the nightgown she wore was embroidered with pale purple flowers.
Outside, the rain pounded on the window, the drops slipping down the glass like the tears gathering in the corners of Joseph's eyes.
Chise's familiar was curled up at the foot of the bed, and...ah, Elias was there, lurking in the doorway.
Joseph drew up and pressed his lips to Chise's mouth, briefly. When he sagged back down, Elias was standing over them, his mouth open.
"I think it's going to storm all week, Chise," Joseph yawned, flashing a taunting grin at the jealous mage. "I can sleep with you tomorrow too, right?"
"I..." Chise was flustered and blushing, her hand tangled up in his still-damp hair. "O-of course."
Joseph's smirk deepened into a smile, though he hid it in Chise's sleeve.
As she watched a dreaming Joseph's face twitch, Chise realized she was wouldn't mind if this wasn't just for tonight.
A/N: For those who had watched Disney's Lady and the Tramp, do you remember that part in the beginning when baby Lady is crying so they let her sleep with them? This story was loosely inspired by that moment~