Day 11: Wearing Kigurumis
Rating: K+
Modern AU
It had been snowing for three days. Not a light dusting of flakes that left the world looking like the top of an enormous Victoria sponge, but an angry whirling blizzard of white that obscured the view from the windows and made going outside even for a moment a dangerous feat.
Arthur was curled up in a tight ball on the sofa wrapped in three blankets and clutching a mug of hot soup. He normally liked snow, but three days of being stuck indoors was taking its toll. Things would have been bad enough, but as luck would have it the boiler had finally broken down the previous evening and the apartment was like the inside of a freezer. He had been nagging the landlord about fixing it since October and he'd promised he would get it sorted it out, but there always seemed to be something else of higher importance that needed to be done instead.
His mood had reached an all time low by the time the front door clattered open and a blast of numbing air barged into the flat from the hallway. The draft was followed by Arthur's room-mate-turned-boyfriend, who promptly whirled around to slam the door shut after dumping a carrier bag on the counter in the kitchen. Curious, Arthur got up and went to investigate.
"Hey!" Merlin's nose and ears were glowing red and his hair was rumpled from wearing his woolly hat, but he was beaming as though it wasn't minus twelve degrees outside and about minus ten in the apartment. He went to kiss Arthur but the other stepped back, holding his hands in front of him.
"Oh no you don't, I've only just got my body temperature up to a non-critical level."
Merlin laughed and gestured to the carrier bag. "There's something in there that might help with that."
Over the past months he'd spent living with Merlin, Arthur had learned to always be suspicious of anything the other man brought home. Which was why he was only half as surprised as he could have been when he pulled an oversized romper suit out of the bag. He held it away from him at arm's length, looking over the expanse of dark red material like it might bite him.
"Merlin, what on earth is this?"
Merlin was still grinning, exceptionally pleased with himself. "It's a kigurumi," he said brightly.
"It looks like something an infant would wear."
"It's fashion," Merlin said loftily. He took the bag from Arthur's hand and pulled out another similar garment. This one was a far less alarming colour - the kind of blue that know-it-alls like his sister would call 'cornflower blue'. Merlin's eyes shone as he held it up to show Arthur. "Look, I've got one too."
"You don't really expect me to wear this, do you?"
As a matter of fact Merlin did expect him to wear it, and even let out a little squeal of delight when Arthur shuffled into the living room wearing the monstrosity that his boyfriend called a gift. Merlin was already wearing his and had settled into a corner of the sofa, looking incredibly cosy and completely adorable.
"The red suits you," Merlin commented as Arthur threw himself down on the sofa.
Arthur grunted in response. Even though he still felt ridiculous, he was much warmer now. Merlin crawled closer and snuggled into his side, pulling the blankets over them both.
"Don't pout," Merlin said, kissing him lightly on the nose. "Some day you'll grow to like it."
"I doubt that. However, I do think I like seeing you in one."
Merlin blushed. "Behave."
"Make me."