Home Sweet Home

Part 1

Alfred couldn't help the shivers that passed through his frame as the howling winds grew steadily colder.

Choking back a sob, the now eighteen year old man tightened the straps of the stolen winter coat around himself, and continued down a sidewalk in the neighbourhood he once lived in.

Man. He didn't feel like a man. He felt like he was still sixteen right now. Younger even. For surely sixteen year olds at least knew their neighbourhoods like the backs of their hands? Knew what to do or who to call in case of an emergency?

Although, Alfred reminded himself, even if he did have any emergency numbers on hand, the likelihood of them offering any assistance (in the event he managed to call them) was slim to none.

None, if you consider the fact that his parents (who were highly influential in their own right) had probably already called everyone to lament how utterly heartbroken and ashamed they were to have raised a...homosexual. Even in his mind, the exact words they had called him could not be formed.

Were they even his parents anymore? He supposed they were, since they hadn't legally disowned him. But he was an adult now. So throwing him out on the streets when he was too scared to even board a bus by himself was entirely within their rights, he supposed.

He wasn't exactly sure but, honestly, he was much more focused on finding the warmest, safest place possible to avoid the snowstorm that was coming sometime tonight.

Which wasn't exactly easy for someone who was as good as a shut-in.

Alfred barely knew his way around the block where he li- used to live. And now here he was, alone, in the middle of god-only-knows-where with a snowstorm on the horizon.

It had gotten even colder now. And windier. Alfred could feel ice cracking and melting every time his jeans moved.

And to make matters worse not one house he passed had left their garage door unlocked, or had a tree house he could at least hunker down in until morning. (Or even a trash bag he could salvage food boxes from – the idea disgusted him but he hadn't eaten all day. As long as there were no maggots or flies he'd have to stomach it for now.)

'It's hopeless.' Alfred thought, fighting back the urge to cry. 'I'll freeze out here.'

He didn't even know if they had any homeless shelters around.

Just as he had reached the end of the block, he spotted it.

A dog house. Hopefully an empty one. Most likely considering the upcoming storm.

Hesitantly approaching it, Alfred was glad to find that it was, indeed, empty. Save for a dog mat which he hurriedly pulled over his legs as he dashed inside, eager to thaw his legs a little.

It did him no good. The snowstorm came down not even an hour later. By the time his breath had gotten too cold to warm his fingers, blackness started to creep up on him.

Alfred blearily thought he heard barking before he passed out.

-xx-

"Kuma! What are you doing?! You can't go outside! There's a snowstorm!" Matthew tried to reason with his wolf-dog hybrid. Anyone who pointed out that dogs couldn't understand humans would be given the mother of all death glares by the Canadian (and now, American as well) EMT and politely told that Kumajirou could understand him just fine.

It was when the nail marks on the door started to turn into gouges that Matthew gathered his mountaineering harnesses and, after securing himself and Kuma, stepped out into the snow storm after his dog. Why did he feel like this was a bad idea.

When he discovered the almost frozen man in his dog's kennel, he swiftly recanted his earlier thought. Medical training kicking in, he hurried the young man and Kuma back into the house, praying he wasn't beyond saving.

Laying him onto the couch, Matthew stripped the man bare before drying him off and throwing a battery powered heating blanket over his torso. Turning the blanket on, he called for Kumajirou to bring the first aid kit. The dog swiftly obeyed.

Grabbing two spare towels, Matthew wrapped one around the other's head and placed the second gently around his neck.

When Kuma returned with kit, the Canadian grabbed the thermometer,

stuck it under the stranger's tongue and felt for his pulse. Relief seeped into his bones as he found it. A bit weaker than he would have liked, but it was there. His breathing was more noticeable than before too as Matthew took a closer look.

Most likely moderate hypothermia then, as severe hypothermia tended to imitate death quite well. Hopefully no immediate hospital visit would be needed as he doubted he would be able to get him to one right now, anyways.

The beeping of the thermometer drew his attention. 29° Celsius.

Shoving his hands under the blanket to warm them up faster, Matthew then proceeded to rub the man's exposed shoulders and legs being careful not to send too much heat to his extremities until the rest of him had warmed sufficiently.

When the stranger was breathing normally again, save for the slightly irregular pattern and occasional shudder in his breath (but that was to be expected), Matthew lowered the temperature on the blanket and put Kumajirou to keep an eye on him before going to make some soup on his portable stove.

The lack of Electricity was proving to be a hindrance rather than the escape he had envisioned. But luckily, nothing more than that.

-xx-

Alfred let out a groan as consciousness came slowly back. His head was pounding like someone had taken a hammer to it.

A delicious smell told his fuzzy mind that his mom must be cooking. Probably a stir-fry. Or soup. She was good at making soup. Oddly enough, though, he didn't feel hungry.

In an attempt to ease the insistent throb in his head, Alfred turned and snuggled into the oddly soft surface beneath him, relishing the extra warmth of his blankets and trying his best to fall back asleep before it hit him.

None of the furniture in his house was this soft, except perhaps the bed. But it couldn't be a bed, Alfred concluded, as he stretched his leg out a bit, only to have it fall off the end.

Ignoring the pounding in his head, the blond forced his eyes open.