"It is fucking freezing in here." Baz was huddled in the corner of his bunk, surrounded by blankets and wearing three sweaters, but still managing to hold his head high enough to look generally superior. One of the mage's experimental spells had backfired, putting out the heat of the entire school.

"Really, I hadn't noticed," said Simon from above. Fortunately, it was holiday break, so most of the students were at home, but unfortunately for Simon and Baz, they were stuck at school. It wasn't the first time they'd spent Christmas together, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Talking's supposed to warm you up, right?" Simon asked from the top bunk.

"You know what would work better?" Baz was rummaging around for his wand. "A fire." He found it, somewhere in the bedsheets, and pointed it at the trashcan.

"Not water, air, or earth," he said, and a solitary spark jumped to the crumpled up papers, promptly extinguishing itself. He groaned. Simon knew he was about to be on the receiving end of a long bout of complaining from his roommate. The predictability was kind of comforting, actually, and he sat back in anticipation.

"You know, Snow, I bet this whole thing is kind of your fault." Of course it was. "The mage wouldn't have been doing any bloody experimenting if it weren't for the Insidious Humdrum. Which is entirely your fault, and entirely your problem in my book. What's he doing messing about with who the bloody hell knows what kind of heat-sucking spells when this whole mess is yours, Snow?" Simon muttered an apology. Mostly to see how Baz would retaliate, but at least a little bit because he actually felt guilty.

"You're sorry, Snow, that's bloody brilliant. I don't know why I've been trying to start a fire over here when I should have been working on an apology from you. Well, that's fixed, and now you've got your heart to keep you warm, so you won't be needing those blankets anymore, yeah?" Baz got up from the bed and actually starting trying to take Simon's covers. But the boy on the top bunk was wrapped in a tight cocoon, and when Baz tugged, he teetered on the edge of the mattress.

"You wouldn't..." Baz got a terrible glint in his eye.

"Oh, yes, I certainly would," he said, and gave the blanket a final jerk. Simon came toppling down from the bed, on top of Baz, who also sank to the ground, and Simon's arms were still tangled in the blankets and not even available to break the fall. They lay there for a few seconds, Baz sprawled on his back and Simon still semi-cocooned, his head resting on Baz's stomach.

"Okay, not to be weird, but you're kind of warm," Simon said.

"Well, I may or may not be human, or even alive, but my body still produces heat. Great," he snapped, but he did not make any effort to move. Baz sighed, resigned. "You're kind of warm, too."

"Well, I am a human. I would hope I'm warm." After a beat, Baz pushed himself up into a seated position, leaning against the wardrobe, and Simon's head fell into his lap.

"Snow. Your head. It's, um..." Baz's face became momentarily less pallid, and he trailed off as Simon sat up too, so that their shoulders, or rather the layers that covered them, were touching. Simon was shifting around, opening up his blankets so that Baz could share them. Huddled together on the floor, the chill seemed less harsh, but they still shivered and thought of ways to get warmer.

"Oh, I know, your face got really hot when my head was, you know." Simon smirked as he jerked his chin towards Baz's general crotch area. Baz actually laughed out loud.

"Don't try to tell me you wouldn't react the same way, Snow." Simon didn't even have a chance to protest before Baz's slim fingers were on the fabric of his pant leg and his palm rested on the zipper. Baz stared straight into Simon's eyes as he placed his hand there, waiting for Simon's gaze to flit away, for his face to pink in embarrassment, or even for him to push Baz's hand away. But Simon just stared right back at him.

"Not fair. You had warning." Simon nodded grudgingly.

"Alright, I'll concede that. So, are you going to move your hand anytime soon?"

"Well, seeing as you are immune to my touch, why should I?"

"I didn't say I was immune to your touch..." Simon winked, and Baz moved his hand, if only to cradle his head desperately.

"Bloody hell, Snow, that? That was your attempt at seduction?" Baz was shaking his head. "For years, Snow, I've been subtly...If you weren't so dense, you might've picked up on it by now!"

"Picked up on what?" Simon asked, stupidly, as Baz knew he would. At least he was predictable.

"I like you, you bloody idiot. Like, like like." Baz turned away, ready to feel the presence at his side disappear, ready for Simon to walk away, for this conversation and perhaps all others to end.

"Really?" Simon did not sound repulsed or excited, but mostly curious. Baz nodded uncomfortably, still waiting to be rejected by his best friend. "Are you sure?" He nodded again, more curtly, wanting this to be over.

"Well?" he asked, impatiently. In answer, Simon put his arm around Baz's shoulders and pulled himself closer to his roommate. A smile crept across Baz's lips, and he put his arm around Simon's waist. They sat like that for awhile, facing towards the bunk beds and looking there, not at each other.

"I would just like to say, now that things are how they are, that you are really hot." Simon paused, and Baz laughed softly. Simon could feel the vibrations in his chest. "I guess that was a weird thing to say."

"Eh. First of all, I know. And secondly, on the list of weird shit you've said, Snow, it's not that high up there." Baz considered bringing up some of the speech mishaps Simon had had over the years, but opted instead for a compliment. "I guess you're pretty hot, too, Snow. Huh. I was referring to your boyish good looks, but on a side note, I'm not so cold any more." Simon put his head on Baz's shoulder.

"Me, neither."