-Breaking The Ice-

-Chapter One – I'm sorry, was that your thigh?-

-By The Ginger Ninja-

Disclaimer: I do not own Aliens/Predator – I claim my characters though!

"Oh Minush, please don't do what I think you're about to do..." I flung an arm across my closed eyes, groaning inwardly as the unwelcome sound of shifting cat litter reached my ears.

Great, I thought, does he even know what time it is? Absolutely no respect...

I dragged my arm off my face and forced open my eyes with a resigned sigh, sliding reluctantly out from under my snug duvet in the darkness. Only dressed in a skimpy cami set, I immediately came out in goose bumps and wrapped my arms around myself in a better effort to stave off the cold, hopping from foot to foot on the chilled laminated flooring. Experience had taught me, however, that a brief cold snap was far better than trying to sleep in a room smelling of cat poo. I quickly sidled over to my door, flicked the light on and squinted at my clock while blinking rapidly, my eyes protesting at the sudden bright glare. Oh joys, 2am.

Grumbling, I grabbed the roll of cheap bags used for the scooping up and disposing of cat poo and tore one off, slipping it over my right hand. A moment later, Minush emerged from his enclosed litter tray, shaking each gray paw in disgust and I snorted, muttering, "Well I'm sorry, I'm not the one who didn't want to go out for his evening loo break because it was snowing."

He gave me a smug look, as if to say, 'no, but I'm not the one who has to clean it up either'. I pulled a face at him and bagged up the poo, sealing it in with a hasty knot. Wrinkling my nose, I grabbed the handle of my skylight and tugged it open, letting the cold night breeze in and the smell out. A quick peep out on tiptoe revealed an untouched blanket of white covering the neighbouring rooftops. Snow in March wasn't exactly common, but it made a welcome change to the month's usual nondescript weather. It had stopped now though, the heavy gray clouds dispersing to reveal a clear night sky. I turned and headed down the stairs, keeping the dangerous little bag at arm's length.

Minush dogged my bare heels as I descended the dark stairwell, and sat peering curiously through the heavily shadowed banisters when I opened the front door as little as possible, stuck a lone arm out and lobbed the bag in the general direction of our fence. It was only a matter of time until I misjudged and sent a present sailing over into our neighbour's garden. I smirked briefly, then shut the door and hugged my now thoroughly chilled frame, taking the stairs two at a time in my haste to be back in a warm, snug bed. Skidding into my room I swiftly shut my skylight; the smell had gone but it had been replaced by bone-chilling cold night air instead. I flicked off my light, plunging my eyes into a sudden attack of night-blindness. Arms out and blundering towards my bed, I cursed not having a bedside lamp, but the bulb had blown a while ago and naturally, I hadn't got around to replacing it yet.

I bumped gently into the edge of my king-size nest, and quickly slipped blindly back under the duvet. As I wiggled down happily again, my finger tips brushed against something unexpected. I frowned drowsily and placed my palm firmly on its cool surface, trying to figure out what it was. A satisfied purring started next to my ear as I gave the unfamiliar object a light squeeze and my frown deepened, Hang on, that feels like... a thigh?!

I froze for a split second, then let out a squeak of alarm and flung myself out of bed as fast as possible, reaching the light switch in record time. My jaw dropped open in disbelief as the intruder's form revealed itself in the warm illumination. During my rapid retreat, I had cast most of the cream duvet's length aside, exposing a white torso, mottled with small black markings, and a steel gray pair of eyes framed by totally alien features.

How the fuck did he get in here?

The predator I had been feeling on was reclining comfortably on one elbow, looking completely at home, and regarding me with amused interest as my cheeks burned in embarrassment. Trailing lazily over his muscled shoulder before spilling onto my pillow, his black locks wore decorations of silver rings that had seemingly random positions along their lengths.

No wonder Minush hadn't been in a hurry to follow me back up.

Still mentally debating the reality of the creature in front of me, I closed my eyes and counted to three before tentatively opening them again. Nope, he was definitely real. We stared at each other for a few more seconds, then he invitingly patted the spot I had just vacated, and I stifled a hysterical giggle that began to bubble up.

"Nuh-uh, no way! I'm not getting into bed with a predator!"

"You just did." His ivory mandibles curved upwards into what looked suspiciously like a grin.

My mouth opened in shock at the unexpected vocalisation, then I scowled at him "Yes but..."

I shut my mouth.

Then opened it.

Shut it.

Opened it, "Okay, you win this one."

I gave a half-hearted wry smile as my vision tunnelled and I crumpled in a dead faint.

Hope you enjoyed! It isn't the kind of fic I usually do, and it was originally intended as a light hearted one-shot to jump start my writing again. I think I may end up continuing this though XD.

Also, many thanks to Sonsasu for beta-ing for me :)

-GN out-