Merry Christmas. May this 1+2 story give you warmth in the upcoming month. Inspired by a famous image.
In the cold and into the lightness of the natural light that flooded the room, I noticed on the ground, the weaving of many unknown lines. I looked up to see their origins. All I could see was wires layered onto the panes of glass as if choking the false freedom of view it offered with reality. I was in a broken glasshouse wrapped in barbed wire. A lunatic had taken to protecting the dead garden within with an absurd protectiveness that as useless- stones had been thrown at the glasshouse and there were shards of broken glass everywhere. A cold breeze drifted in from the cracks, past the overturned pots with dried soil and pieces of dead fauna. Its coldness sent a shiver down the exposed skin of my nape.
I didn't need to see the cold frost of my breath or the tiny flecks of snow that drifted in the air with the wind merging with the white puffs to understand it was definitely the middle of Winter.
I should have worn more than a tank top and short pants, but piloting Gundam war machines was heavy physical labour and searing hot inside. But the heated sweat I had given up earlier in a desperate battle fight for survival now felt like a icy river down my back as I stepped into the broken down wired glass cage which offered no shelter at all from the cold. I squatted down and curled myself into a tight ball.
I wanted to go home. Even though I had no home. I just wanted… to check out. Out of everything.
Unexpected warmth settled on my shoulders as a firm, muscled arm dropped down on me.
'Jesus Christ, it's cold.'
My heart nearly stopped. Even though I knew I was meeting with the startling adept ninjitsu master of an idiot here, I would have perhaps still reacted badly from the surprise if it weren't for that familiar American drawl that somehow always seemed to calm something in me. He had a strange sense of charm of ordinariness when he spoke which I hated. It always struck me as somewhat inappropriate when he blabbed on and on, cheerily commenting on even the most mundane of subjects, as if there wasn't a war going on at all. He was like rays of sunshine over a bloody battlefield- something I never quite felt was right yet was. Once my heart started again, I almost began appreciating his presence as it had jarred me out of the dark downward spiral I was heading down and stopped me from reaching the damn pits again.
Almost.
Given the awkward position I had found myself in- in the embrace of a boy who has was now firmly wrapping both his arms around my body and pulling me into a full body contact hug- I was unsure if I should resent or appreciate the warmth. But it was cold and his body was very warm so I said and did nothing as the American proceeded to complain.
'Fuck, I can't believe you how you can go around in the skimpy clothing of yours. I've two layers under this, and I'm still feeling like I'm an iceberg here.'
Duo did not feel like ice to me. Rather the opposite in fact. Extremely warm and inviting. I was starting to feel fatigue. My muscles was unclenching from the earlier stresses placed on them.
'Argh! Will you hug me Heero, if I begged? Please, I'm so cold here, and we still gotta wait for Wufei- he said he'll chop us if we left without him otherwise. Come on- it's Christmas time! Let's share the joy of warmth! Give me a present!'
I shifted against Duo and turned to face him. After adjusting my half-sitting, wrapped position up against him, I reached around him and pulled him close. I felt him jerk in surprise as I did so. And without further ado, I ran my bare arms under his jacket and shirt, and skin against skin, pulled him in close.
'Waah- Heero?!' Duo sounded startled.
'What?' I growled. We were, after all, cold. Why was he complaining after asking for cooperation?
'Erm... Nothing.'
I snorted and decided to lay my head on his shoulder. It was an convenient distance. Pulling him in closer, I adjusted myself and shifted my weight so I could comfortably lean against his now oddly tense body.
'Wake me up when Wufei gets here.'
I closed my eyes and relaxed into him.
As I felt asleep, I heard an odd intake of breath from Duo which sounded like frustration tinged with something else.
Stupid idiot was noisy, I thought, as darkness descended. But his arms were at least comfortable.
'...Seriously...?' I thought I heard Duo mutter. 'God, little one, be a good boy now for Santa.…'
I faintly frowned at his confusing remarks but then I didn't care to think anymore as I fell asleep against the comfort and warmth that was Duo.
Fin.
DSA