Fawnlock wasn't new to snuggling. It was days like these, especially, that had him more than eager to curl up around his human under warm covers. John saw much more of Fawnlock in the winter months, when the cold cut through his scattered fur no matter how thick and downy it grew. Come December the creature no longer even bothered leaving the cabin. Thankfully, the pair found reprieve from Fawnlock's fits of cabin fever like this, sleepily staving off the bitter cold together. Fawnlock never seemed to tire of using John as a body pillow, while John had no complaints with sacrificing his personal space in return for a placated fawn.
The fawn in question had fallen asleep like this, laying on top of John like an oversized, furry leech, his head pillowed against his chest. The two were tightly entwined beneath the quilt, John's legs propped up to accommodate Fawnlock's size and Fawnlock's arms wrapped around as much of John as he could get, which was practically all of him. The fawn loved this position in particular for the way John's legs seemed to hug back at him and the endless expanse of warm, soft John belly below. The first time he had discovered this pose John had turned red as a beet, unaccustomed as he was to the sheer intimacy with the fawn at the time. He could hardly push him away, however, what with the pointy antlers so near his face and the way Fawnlock keened with sheer delight at this newfound comfort. John quickly learned to love this way of cuddling himself, dozing peacefully in a half-sleep even after his legs went a bit sore from holding the position.
Outside, the wind whistled, blurring flakes of powdery snow against the windowpanes and threatening to howl. John closed his eyes and listened, searching for a rhythm in the gusts. Finding none, he turned his attention to his breathing, attempting to synchronize it with the fawn's. He passed a few minutes this way, balancing his inhales against Fawnlock's exhales, trying to line them up perfectly. He was startled, then, when the creature suddenly whimpered in his sleep, a small, slurred sound. John held his breath, worried -perhaps a little too fiercely- at the nature of his dreams. The sound came again, this time softer. John gradually released his breath. Inclining his head slightly, he pressed a kiss against Fawnlock's crown, hoping to soothe him despite his unconsciousness.
The next thing he knew Fawnlock's ice-coloured eyes were boring into his own between groggy blinks.
"What?" The fawn demanded in a croak. John blinked at him.
"Sorry?"
Fawnlock grunted impatiently, knocking his head against John's chest by way of explanation.
"Hey, watch where you put those things!"
"What do?" Fawnlock insisted, ignoring his complaint. "What do John?" John looked at him for a moment before he understood.
"Oh. That? That was," He cleared his throat. "That was called a kiss." Fawnlock's eyes narrowed, trying to understand. "Kiss," he repeated.
"Kissss," Fawnlock parroted, processing the word. "Show!" He demanded. John sighed at his request, but not without fondness.
"Yes, alright." He pursed his lips and pointed to them before leaning forward to smooch Fawnlock's forehead. "Kiss," he said again, smiling as he pulled back. Fawnlock mimed his actions, pursing his lips and awkwardly pressing them to John's forehead. They stayed there, limply, just a moment too long. He examined John's face to see if he got it right.
"No," John said, repressing a smirk, "Like this." He repeated his action, emphasizing the sound his lips made against skin. This time Fawnlock got it right, smooching a bit wetly at the same spot as before. He looked at John imploringly.
"Good," John praised him. "Just like that." Fawnlock grinned and immediately covered John's face with kisses between exclamations of the word. John was helpless but to giggle against the onslaught, squinting his eyes as the fawn's lips landed on even them. He knew there would be no end to this now that he had gleaned it; Fawnlock overindulged in every new piece of information he could get his speckled hands on. When one of Fawnlock's kisses landed on the corner of John's mouth, however, he paused. His eyes flicked up to his human's briefly, glittering, and John had no time to protest before his lips were on his own, pecking at them noisily in short bursts.
It wasn't long before John was kissing him back, guiding him into a proper kiss with a hand cupped against his face. Fawnlock exclaimed a wordless, mumbled delight at the new sensation, his mouth pressing greedily against John's. Their teeth clacked together painfully, causing Fawnlock to pull back with a cry of anguish.
"It's okay," John reassured him with a grin, "I'll show you."