Author's Note:
Based on the prompt: cold/freezing/needing to be warmed up. For QiaolianMM, I hope this is what you wanted. I had fun writing it :) Enjoy!
The rain seems to come down even heavier than before as they struggle to make their way to the safe house. It's blowing a gale and the elements seem to be fighting them over every step they take. He can feel the cold seeping into him, through his jacket and shirt, settling into his bones. It's hard to remember if he's ever been quite this cold before. Looking over at his partner beside him worry settles into his stomach. Her uniform is soaked through completely and he can see the violent shivers wracking her slight frame as she struggles against the wind. Arms wrapped tightly around herself with shoulders hunched inwards as she tries to retain whatever heat she can, he worries that they might not reach the safe house in time. He reaches out to her numbly, grasping her icy fingers in his own as best he can. A silent encouragement, not just for her but for him as well. They will get through this storm, together. Stumbling on, he finally spies the safe house in the distance. Thank god. He's honestly not sure how much longer they could have gone on, he's worried that May might've ended up with hypothermia or something.
Once they finally reach the safe house he fumbles to unlock it with frozen fingers. Melinda stands beside him huddled in on herself and he can feel concern bubbling inside him. Guiding her through the door, he shuts it behind them, finally freeing them from the terrible onslaught of wind that they'd been fighting. Without the wind whipping their clothes and faces it is less cold but the chill has already settled into their bones.
"Melinda?" He calls as his partner stands in the centre of the room, dripping wet but completely still save for the occasional shiver.
She turns to face him, dark hair dripping hanging limp by her face and plastered to her back.
"We should get warm," he tells her as he begins to peel off his soaked jacket.
Nodding mutely, she follows his lead unzipping her uniform. Shuffling around the room, Phil hunts up some towels and blankets for the both of them. Coming back to his partner, he places the towels and blankets down as he helps her remove her boots. A difficult task with frozen fingers. They both strip down to their underwear wrapping themselves up tightly in their towels to dry the cool moisture from their skin. Heading over to the kitchen, he makes them both a hot drink go try and warm themselves up again. Shivers are beginning to run through the both of them as they gradually begin to warm which is a slight hindrance as they attempt to try and get some of the warm fluids into them. Melinda shuffles over to the thermostat, allowing the room to gradually heat up so as not to shock their body systems.
"We should get to bed," he tells her in between shivers as their underwear begins to dry a little in the ever increasing warmth of the safe house.
She only nods in response, slowly moving towards the other room in the house. He follows after her into the room finding one double bed.
"You can take the bed," he offers because even though they're both freezing, he is still a gentleman.
"Don't be ridiculous," his partner speaks for the first time that night.
She looks at him like he just offered to set his hair on fire.
"We're both frozen and it would be better to share a bed anyway," she states, "that way we can share warmth."
Something must change in his expression because she grins at him a little as understanding dawns on him. His partner is so clever.
"Ok," is all he replies as they both move towards the bed.
The sheets are dark blue and soft, and the quilt and blankets are warm without being heavy as he slides in beneath all the blankets on the bed. Moving in towards the centre of the bed, he feels it shift a little as Melinda slides in next to him. Their movements are slow and measured as their skin is still overly sensitive from the warmth returning to their freezing bodies.
"Come here," he opens up his arms to her as he lies on his side.
Slipping in closer, she tucks her body in against his so that they are pressed together, skin on skin. Wrapping his arms around her gently, he relaxes as she rests her head beneath his chin, tucked into his chest. The feeling of her warm breath in his bare skin is soothing, and he can already feel the warmth seeping into him as they share the heat of their bodies. Her hair is still slightly damp which he can feel against his neck.
"I'm sorry," he mumbles as his arms tighten just a fraction around her as their legs tangle together in a way that should be too familiar for professional partners.
The non-committal noise she makes in the back of her throat is the only response he gets as he tenderly smoothes a hand over her hair.
"It was my fault that we got caught out in the storm," he states.
It was supposed to be a simple retrieval op but somehow things went wrong and then they found themselves on the run in the middle of storm with no backup or extraction. They'd have to wait til tomorrow morning at least before a team would come to pick them up.
"You're an idiot," his partner says softly with a fondness in a voice that only he can detect.
A small smile pulls at his lips as he looks down at her curled up in his arms. Her eyes are shut and her breathing is even, he could almost assume that she's fallen asleep if it weren't for the tips of her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. Even tired and bedraggled from the storm she still looks beautiful to him.
"Your idiot," he whispers dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
"My idiot," she says quietly as a small smile forms on her lips, a mirror to his own.
He holds her securely in his arms as slowly both their breathing evens out as they fall into a heavy slumber, asleep in each other's arms.
A/N
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