This was originally written at the start of the year, when the UK first got some snow. Enjoy :D
The first thing she noticed as she lazily opened her eyes was the alarm clock on her bedside table, proudly displaying '9:46' in glowing red figures. Daphne groaned, rubbing her eyes gently as she laid underneath the blue covers of the King bed. Glancing to her right, she smiled as her boyfriend continued to sleep soundly, his chest rising up and down with each passing breath. He had been up late the previous night, cutting logs in the garden to burn as firewood. It had been bitterly cold for the last few days, and already Fred had began to build up a stock of firewood by the backdoor to keep the house warm on frosty night.
Reaching over, she softly caressed his cheek as he slumbered, being careful not to wake him. He mumbled sleepily, shifting slightly before resuming his sleeping duties. Daphne chuckled quietly to herself, slipping out of the bed and grabbing her white dressing gown. Wrapping it around her body, she decided that a shower could wait due to her sudden urge for coffee.
Taking one last look at her handsome man, she walked out of the room and shut the door carefully behind her. If there was one thing she liked about getting up before everyone else, it was the sense of freedom she felt as she waltzed down the stairs knowing that she could basically do anything she wanted until someone else joined her. And all she wanted to do at that moment was drink some hot coffee.
Their house was quite small, but it was all the space that they needed to live comfortably. The living room and kitchen had been crafted into an open-space living area, which was perfect for the young couple who liked to spend as much time together as possible.
Daphne stretched out her arms, yawning as she made her way across the lounge towards the kitchen area. The light from outside was streaming through the curtains, brighter than usual. She could already guess what she would see when she opened them; the cold weather from the previous week must've been leading up to something, she thought. Grasping both of the curtains in her hands, she pulled them open to confirm her suspicions.
"Snow..." she whispered, a smile growing on her face. The garden had been coated in a crystal white blanket, the only disturbance being the footprints of tiny birds that had walked across in the early morning. Daphne stepped back, admiring the Narnia that was just outside her window. There was only one thing on her mind; Fred.
Fred+Snow= Excitement.
She had always known about her boyfriend's love of snow, even from their childhood. He would always be the first to know when snow was coming, and the first one to be out in it when it did arrive. It was a way for him to escape from the stresses of everyday life; for some people, stress relief is a hot bath or watching their favourite cooking programme. For Fred, it's making the best darn Snow Angel in all of Ohio, and perhaps even the World.
"He does make pretty good Snow Angels..." she muttered to herself, still staring at the winter wonderland as she waited for her coffee.
Just as the kettle finished boiling, she heard the soft noise of footsteps coming down the stairs. Turning so that the small of her back was leant against the kitchen counter, she smiled as Fred stepped into the lounge. Their eyes met, and he smirked.
"I saw the snow," he said, now in the kitchen area with her. She grinned, folding her arms across her chest.
"I bet you did," she replied, loving the excited look in his eyes whenever he glanced out of the window. Although he was a grown man now and his need to jump out into the snow had lessened over time, he still couldn't hide the way his eyes danced whenever he saw snow.
Moving forwards, he gently wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her cheek. She sighed happily, enjoying the security she felt in his powerful arms. Placing her hands on his back, she felt the warmth radiating from his body, making her feel even more secure.
"I love you," he whispered, kissing her again before pulling away. She blushed, finding herself unable to stop smiling.
"I love you too," she replied, holding the eye contact for a few moments as they just stared at each other. Fred yawned, running a hand through his hair which seemed to stick up all over the place. She giggled, and he raised an eyebrow.
"What?" he asked.
"What have I told you about washing your hair and going to bed without drying it?" she chuckled, and he sighed.
"Not to do it..."
"Exactly," he walked over to the countertop and poured her coffee for her, turning to her as he pulled the milk out of the fridge.
"No sugar, right?" he questioned, pouring just enough milk into the brown liquid. She nodded, taking the mug from him and rewarding him with a kiss. Sipping it gently, she realised that she felt colder than usual.
"Man..." she began, grabbing his attention, "... I was going to have a shower but now I'm thinking of a hot bath," she pondered, sipping her coffee again. He smirked, placing his hands on his hips. She loved it when he didn't bother getting dressed before coming downstairs, as she could stare at his muscular torso as much as she wanted and he wouldn't even notice.
"Really?" he grinned, a familiar sparkle in his eyes, "Am I invited?" he asked, and she scoffed.
"No, why would you be?" she teased, enjoying the way he reacted to her rejection. He feigned sadness, folding his arms across his torso and sniffing.
"I just thought since I'm your boyfriend... but I guess not..." he replied, turning back towards the cupboards to look for some cereal.
Daphne chuckled quietly, but suddenly an idea sprung to mind. Placing her empty coffee mug (she was thirsty) on the counter, she walked over and gently wrapped her arms around his stomach from behind.
"Tell you what, you can join me in the bath..." she began, and immediately he brightened up.
"I knew you'd come around! Okay, you stay here and I'll go get the bubble bath..." he went to leave but she tightened her grip.
"...if..." as soon as she uttered the word he sighed, resuming his search for the cornflakes.
"If?"
"If you go out in the snow... naked," she whispered as if someone would hear her. He scoffed, turning around in her arms to face her.
"Are you crazy? People will see me, and it's cold out there!" he exclaimed, and she leant up and kissed the tip of his nose.
"Then I guess I'll see you after my bath then," she replied, releasing her grip on his waist and beginning to walk away.
"Wait!" he called, and she turned back towards him with a smirk, "...I suppose if I'm quick..." he pondered, and she nodded.
"That's what I like to hear..."
Daphne slipped her trainers on, having quickly changed from her pyjamas into a purple sweater and jeans. Gripping the handle of the back door tightly, she prepared herself for what could possibly be the funniest thing she would ever see.
"Are you ready?" Fred's voice called from somewhere in the house. She smirked, holding back her impeding laughter.
"Yeah!" she replied loudly, her grip steady on the brass handle. Fred could be heard sighing, as if contemplating his increasingly unfair 'bargain' with his girlfriend.
"Is the back door ready? I want this to be quick," he called again, his voice sounding more and more uneasy by the second. Daphne tutted, her smirk growing.
"Yes! Now get out here and stop being such a wimp!" she half joked, knowing of course that Fred was anything but a wimp. She knew that very well, but they had their days where they poked fun at each other and today was one of those days.
"...alright. Just... don't laugh too much, okay?" he replied one final time, the door of the bathroom opening as Fred peeked his head out, making eye contact with her from across the living room. She smiled, opening the back door and gasping quietly at the sudden gust of cold air. Her reaction made him regret his decision even more, but he knew that he couldn't go back.
Stepping into the living room carefully, two hands censoring himself to Daphne and anyone else who happened to be looking out of their windows which overlooked the Blake-Jones Residence, he made his way towards the back door. Daphne was having trouble containing her laughter, every now and then letting out a high pitch giggle as she struggled to maintain composure.
Fred stopped behind her, carefully glancing out of the glass window of the door in case there was someone out in their gardens or opening their curtains. Daphne smirked, leaning up and kissing him lightly on the cheek.
"Go on," she encouraged, patting him on the shoulder. He nodded slowly, turning to face her.
"Alright... but just remember..." he paused, a perplexed look appearing on his face, "...I don't really know how to put this..." he thought for another moment before his eyes snapped back to look into hers.
"It'll be cold out there... really cold." At first she didn't quite get his meaning, but after a few seconds she grinned, a noticeable blush creeping its way across her cheeks.
"Oh, don't worry. I won't judge," she replied with a hint of tease in her voice, and he chuckled.
"Good. Now let's get this over with..."
Daphne didn't need any more convincing. Without a moment's hesitation, she pressed her hand to the small of his back and pushed him outside and into the snow. His immediate reaction to the coldness of the snow against his bare feet involved a hushed series of curses before skipping to the middle of the blanked of snow, now using one hand to censor himself and the other to maintain balance. The last thing he wanted to do was to fall.
Of course, whilst he was not enjoying the experience very much at all, Daphne was in hysterics. The idea that she could lock the door and leave him out there in his Birthday Suit was all too tempting, but she decided against it. She also liked the idea of sharing a bath with him, so Daphne focused on her current objective.
Fred could hardly feel his feet anymore, and he looked over at her with a sorrowful expression on his face.
"How long do I have to stay out here? It's freezing!" he exclaimed, and she shrugged.
"I don't know... how about another thirty seconds?" she suggested, and he nodded after a moment's consideration.
"Alright," he moaned, turning his back to her as he looked over at the rest of the garden. Suddenly, the mischievous and quite frankly sometimes evil side of Daphne began to grow restless, and being the opportunistic woman she was she couldn't miss a vital chance to play a nasty prank. Well, it wasn't really a prank, more like pushing your boyfriend over when he doesn't expect it so that he gets covered in snow.
Dashing as quickly as she could, Daphne followed where he had previously walked until she was in pushing range. Just as he began to turn back around again, she placed both of her arms on his upper back and pushed with all of her might. Normally he would've been able to stand his ground, but with the element of surprise on her side and the fact that he was already weakened by the cold, he went down like a bowling pin.
It was almost like in the movies; everything was in slow-motion. From Fred's wide eyes to the light explosion of snow as he landed, Daphne could see every hilarious moment. She almost wished she had a camera.
No... she thought ...the people of YouTube might not appreciate a naked man falling in the snow as much as I do...
Fred hit the snow face first, immediately scrambling out of the freezing substance.
"Sweet Jesus!" he exclaimed, toying with the choice of wrapping his arms around himself to heat up or continue to cover certain areas. He chose the latter, "What'd you do that for?" he asked, sounding genuinely upset about what she had done. Daphne giggled again, stepping towards him and lightly rubbing his now ice-cold arm.
"Sorry, Freddie, I couldn't resist," she explained, and he sighed.
"Well, next time try to control your impulses," he replied, beginning to walk back towards the house. She followed, linking her arm with his.
"Next time?"
"You know what I mean," he half-snapped, but she could tell he was playing along with her humorous mood. Opening the back door, they stepped inside and shut it quickly behind them.
"Right, I'll go get you some warm clothes and a hot basin for your feet. Just sit tight on the couch and I'll be back in a second," she instructed, pressing her lips to his briefly and chuckling at the way his entire body was going red because of the change in temperature. He smirked, walking over to the couch and sitting down.
Hearing her skip up the stairs with minimal effort, he sighed. Suddenly his brother's voice echoed around his head, repeating words he had often said to him when they were younger.
"Fred, you're a cool dude. But sometimes you can be so stupid you wouldn't believe..." Fred chuckled.
"Well, I was promised a hot bath with a hot lady, and now all I've got is pneumonia."
As he was thinking about the spelling of the last word in his sentence, Daphne reappeared with a blue sweatshirt and grey sweatpants.
"Here," she said, handing him the clothes, "I'll get the basin for you," and with that she was gone again, bounding up the stairs with speed and grace only ever seen in gymnastics competition.
Standing up, he pulled the sweater over his head and did the same to his lower body with the pants. His mood lifted as he felt the warmth from the soft fabric, and he sat down again with a smile on his face.
Daphne came back down the stairs, more slowly this time to avoid spilling any water from the plastic basin she always kept in the cupboard. Fred smiled, taking the basin from her and placing it on the floor with a gentle reassurance of, "I'll do it."
Placing both of his feet into the warm water, he sighed with relief. Daphne giggled, sitting down beside him and snuggling into his arms. Gently rubbing his stomach with some hope of helping to heat him up, she looked up at him.
"I'm sorry Freddie, I won't push you over again. Well, at least not when you're naked..." she apologised, and he smirked.
"That's right! Because that was a mean thing to do!" he replied, a hit of humour in his voice, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to watch the Today Show," he added, grabbing the TV Remote and examining the buttons. Daphne raised an eyebrow.
"Fred, you haven't watched the Today Show in years!" she reminded him, and he nodded.
"Indeed, but I need some reminding that there are good people in this world, like Katie Couric. Katie Couric would not have pushed me over in the snow whilst I was in the nude."
Before Daphne could correct him on his error, the Today Show flashed onto the TV screen. Daphne watched his features as he saw what she was about to tell him.
"Who is that? Where's Katie Couric?" he asked frantically, feeling another good thing about the day slowly wasting away. Daphne suppressed the urge to laugh.
"Freddie, Katie Couric left the Today Show five years ago!" she told him, and his face dropped.
"You're kidding?"
"Nope." Fred buried his face in his hands before rising again, a truly sad expression painted on his face.
"She... she was my favourite..." he near whispered, and she chuckled knowing that he was acting it up slightly for her amusement. Although, Kate Couric had been his favourite Today Show presenter ever since she had known about his viewing of the Today Show.
"It's alright, Freddie. She presents the CBS Evening News now, so you can watch her then!" Fred immediately perked up, smiling happily.
"When's it on?"
"Uh... the evening?"
"Oh," he let out a sigh, glancing at the clock before sighing again. Daphne kissed his cheek, gently pulling his face around to meet hers with her free hand.
"So, bath time?" she questioned, and he nodded.
"I guess so; I'll run it if you get the soaps and stuff," he replied. Fred had never been one for fancy bath products. By 'stuff', he meant anything that Daphne could possibly want in the bath, even a rubber ducky if she were to choose. Daphne nodded.
"See you there," and with that she stood up and began to walk towards the stairs, deliberately swaying her hips just enough so that he would notice. He watched her walk away, a plan already hatching in his mind. His brother's previous quote was floating around in his head again, except slightly modified.
"Fred, you're a cool dude. But sometimes you can be so incredibly awesome and clever and handsome you wouldn't believe..."
Daphne finished getting ready, admiring herself in the mirror before fixing a towel around her body. She had applied a little make up to her face, knowing that it would probably get washed off anyway. Picking up a small basket of assorted bubble baths, bath bombs and a tub of strawberries fetched from the fridge, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out into the landing. She was excited about their bath; during the week work got in the way of so many things including the special time that couples need to share together. But now there were no interruptions, just her, Fred and a bath of warm water; or as she liked to call it, Paradise.
Pausing in front of the bathroom door, she composed herself before knocking.
"Can I come in?" she asked, trying to make her voice sound as sexy as possible. His response was not as expected.
"Oh, sorry. Do you need to use the bathroom? I'll be like two minutes," he replied though the door, and she frowned.
"No, I was hoping that I could share that bathtub with you," she reminded him, and she heard him chuckle.
"Really? Well, if you want to do that, there's something you've got to do for me..." she could tell he was directly on the other side of the door now from his voice, "Tell you what, I'll let you have a bath with me if you go outside..."
Daphne sighed, leaning against the door as he said what she thought he had said. Today was going to be a long snow day...
Review? Go on, you know you want to... if you do, Katie Couric will go back to the Today Show and make Fred happy again! And you wouldn't want Fred to be sad, right? Exactly... ;D