Cardinal: red cloak. Gonchy: slang for underwear and long underwear.

Restrained coughing woke you up. Your pillow moved with the motions of a hearty coughing fit. You are squeezed tighter as your husband braced during the fit. He was snuggling you like you were a teddy bear. He groaned when it was over and his head hit the dirt again.

You open your eyes. You raise your head to look at Jiraiya. He's sick, but won't admit it. He's oddly stubborn when it comes to being ill. He didn't like to be seen as weak or vulnerable. You've sat with him when he was hospitalized from deathly injures, a little cold isn't going to make you think less of him. He's a bit of an over dramatic diva at times.

You cast a look out to the entrance of the shallow cave. The wee sights of dawn were just barely peaking through the darkness. To keep out the cold and stay hidden, you ripped some of the branches off of the nearby pine trees and used them to cover the entrance. There was some frost along the inside edge. It's late fall, early winter. It's cold, damp, and gross.

"Noooo..." Jiraiya groggily groaned when you got off of him. He reached out for you like a baby wanting to be picked up and coddled. "Don't leave. You're warm!"

"I'm going out to get a few things." You inform him.

"But I'm cold!"

"You're cold because you are sick and refuse to wear proper shoes!"

"I got tabi on!" He raised a foot from under the covers to show off his sock. "And I'm not sick!"

Tabi won't save him from the cold. He's also got a pair of thinner socks that run up to his calves that he always wears during the winter months. The point of it being that he can still keep his normal clothing and still look good. His geta were originally made for winter wear since the elevated base on them are meant to keep toes out of the snow. The slots in the tabi meant he could still wear them with no issues of them falling off. He's also got his hanten on, which was a pale yellow like the crests on his haori. It's padding is thick enough to keep him warm but the cut of the sleeves leaves his arms mostly bare. It's built that way to keep his arms at full mobility for a fight. He usually puts on a base layer built to hold warmth with long sleeves to counteract the short sleeves of the hanten. He also usually has them long underwear too.

As unsexy as he thinks it is, it's necessary. His clothing may be old fashioned on the outside, but he's not prudish enough to take advantage of the modern advancements in winter clothing like base layers. He's out in the middle of no where in the start of winter. It's stupid to not have these things for fear of not being authentic. It's also rather funny to see him peel his pants off to reveal the long johns and look at you with a wonderment if this was sexy. He's your husband, you'll always find him sexy, but being his wife meant you could also make fun of him.

It's certainly not as hot to watch him undress when he's got six layers to take off and the cuffs of them get stuck on his joints. They were built to hug the body and keep stuff like snow and dirt off of the skin. Most times you gotta help him as the tight collar of the shirt gets stuck half on his head and his arms are tucked in and crossed over his chest like a makeshift straight jacket. Then his legs are stuck with the cuffs of the long underwear stuck half off of his feet and he's tripping on the material whilst blind from his shirt that won't get off of his head. It's like watching a toddler who hasn't quite figured out how clothes worked yet, but insisted they knew what they were doing. He even whines and sticks his lip out when he gets really tangled in his own clothing. It's even worse when he's drunk! You usually find him completely tangled on the floor cursing under his breath as he struggles with his base layers. You gotta save The Great Toad Sage from his own gonchies and do so with love.

But guess who forgot to buy a new set before winter came? Gonchy Boy himself wasn't without his gonchies. You warned Jiraiya when fall came around. He scoffed and waved you off with the belief that winter was still far away. It was still warm out with autumn barely getting started, you were clearly just over preparing. You and him get a new set every year since you both live in them for the winter months with only a few washes. They get pretty dirty and worn when spring comes so they get thrown out as unnecessary weight during the clean out for spring/summer traveling. Winter hit a week after you bought your base layers and Jiraiya got sick a few days ago as he was without his. He now snuggled you for warmth. Which was difficult since you are much smaller than him and he's usually the space heater you rely on.

Currently, you had your base layers on while Jiraiya suffered from the cold with only his thin layers to protect him. His ears, cheeks, and even the tip of his nose is pink from the frost. You'd kiss his cute little nose if it wasn't all snotty and raw. He's clearly bitter about you being right. He's stubborn and insisted he was fine without his all important gonchies. He'll probably stick out this whole winter without them just to double down and be difficult. Even if it meant literally freezing his ass off. You tuck a spare scarf you have around his mouth and ears. Even with the cloth there, you can tell he's pouting. He's frowning at you with his arms crossed.

"I won't be gone for long." You tell him. You settle for kissing his forehead, which was hot with fever.

You tuck Jiraiya's foot back under the covers, which was assembled out of the cardinal he wears as an addition layer for winter. You have one that matches and have it on to go outside. They are nice and all, but is hardly a practical layer with only linen on underneath. Unlike you, who is properly dressed to have it on as a wind breaker and not an essential layer. You set the water bottle by his head as a reminder to drink his fluids. He grumbles something as you leave. You ignore him as you go searching for something. Anything really.

The worst thing about winter was survival. Plants and animals are severely limited. Most plants die off with the cold and animals go into hibernation or flee to warmer areas. It snowed over night. There's a thin layer of snow over the land. Which is mostly comprised of thin growing spruces and firs. Most of them are shaking with the wind. You look around for anything that jumps out. But it's already easy to tell that you'll have to travel far to get anything.

It's hard to focus. Jiraiya sighs and rubs his eyes. There's a pressure in his head that made it hard to think. His fingers moved from his eyes up to the sides of his head rubbing in circles. Maybe massaging it will loosen the congestion... Not that he's congested from being sick. It's just... allergies or something. He feels heavy and sleepy. He rolls over to his side and curls up. His legs are cold. He missed you. The scarf you gave him smells like you, which is quite comforting. He peeks over his shoulder to look out the entrance of the cave. His eyes droop and head follows. He sighs and gives in. A nap will help.

A cold hand touches him. It's enough of a temperature difference to rise him from his sleep. Jiraiya opens an eye and smiles at the sight. It's you. Cheeks rosy from the cold and cloak decorated in snowflakes. He coughs until his lungs feel sore. He inhales a deep breath to get in the air he was just deprived of. You pull him up even when he whines. You place the water bottle in his hands. Surprisingly it's warm. It smelt vaguely minty.

"I found some plants that weren't totally dead from the freeze." You explain. You help him raise the bottle to his mouth. "I made tea."

"Tea." Jiraiya repeated. He's still half asleep. He took a sip with your assistance. It soothes his sore throat and the warmth seeped into his cold body. He looks up from his lap to the entrance. He frowns. "You were out all day..."

The sun was setting. The days are much shorter with the turn of the season. You were out for a few hours longer than you should have. Not something you should be doing alone. Jiraiya looks back to you and tilts his head ever so slightly in question. You brush his damp hair away from his face. He's a little sweaty from his fever. You raise the bottle to help him drink more. Even when sickly and out of it he's concerned about you.

"I got carried away exploring." You shrug.

"You didn't go too far out, did you?"

"I don't think so."

Jiraiya exhales a sigh through his nose. It was slow and difficult since one side was plugged up. You make him drink the tea so he can't complain. He stops you part way through and hands you the bottle.

"Don't deprive yourself of water just for me." He said, his voice is still gravely and rough.

You hold it and take a sip. It's not that tasty, but it is soothing. You watch as your husband struggles to stay awake. His eyes shutting and head bobbing down for a few moments. He's always like this when he's sick. His body shuts down to nap mode. All he does is deny he's sick and sleep. You gotta do one more thing before he goes down.

It's hardly a meal, but it's all you could find. Pheasants were still around picking at the ground for food. You managed to catch one with the toss of a knife. It was a little guy with not that much meat on him. But you didn't want to expend a ton of energy hunting when you had someone to take care of. The fire outside was easily put out when you had finished cooking. The wind was picking up with the night. It was hard to cook as it was almost blown out several times. It was going to be a cold night.

You practically had to shove pieces of bird in Jiraiya's mouth. He didn't have an appetite when he got sick, so he complained when you shoved the food into his mouth. He munched on it while glaring at you. He struggled swallowing it with his sore throat. Yet you keep feeding him.

Jiraiya whined your name and took the food from you. You worry too much. Enough to neglect yourself. He hasn't spent that much energy just sitting here and sleeping. It's you who went out and did things today. You are the one who is shivering and hungry. He tore off a piece and shoved it in your mouth with the same grace you did to him, which was hardly any. He made sure you got more. It's only fair. You glare at him with a mouthful of charred bird. He meets your glare evenly and tears off a wing without breaking eye contact before poking you in the face with it. His face said it all, eat woman!

Once the bird was down to it's bones, it was time to settle down. It may not be that late, but he's sick and you trekked through miles of snow for hours. You shed your cloak and lay it on Jiraiya's shoulders. He huffs and looks at you with a small frown.

"What? You're still chilly." You tell him.

His frown quickly turns upside down. He grabs you and pulls you against him. He tries to laugh but it comes out hoarse and cracked with coughs. You wiggle and fight him as he pecks you with kisses all over your face.

"I know a few activities that will warm us up!" He implied as he fell over onto his back with you on top.

"Stop it! You're going to get me sick!" You complain.

"I'm not sick!"

"Yes you are!"

Jiraiya rolled over so he was on top and had you pinned under him. You had no choice but to squeak and whine as he kissed you. His hands playfully squeeze and tickle your sides. His cold hands sneak under your clothing. Your skin breaks out into goosebumps and your back arches away to escape the hands of the pervy snowman feeling you up. His icy cold nose pressed against your jaw as he smooshed your neck again.

"Jiraiya stop! You're too damn cold!" You beg him.

"Never! Not until you admit I'm not sick!"

He bit and nipped at your collarbone. He put a big sloppy lick up your neck, which immediately turned cold when the air hit it. It's gross! He's gross! He just licked his gross sick germs all over your neck. Jiraiya grins like the devil as he pulls your shirt down to blow a raspberry on your chest.

"Jiraiya!" You squeal his name when he did that.

"Say it, baby!"

"You aren't sick!" You give in and shout out.

As promised, Jiraiya stopped attacking you. He laid over top of you giggling into your neck. It was that giggle he does when he wins and you lose. It's maniacal and giddy. You huff and put your hands into his hair. You stroke and brush it with your fingers. He likes it and it tends to calm him down. He began to cough. He had a harsh coughing fit that rocked his whole body for a minute or so. You hold his head still against your shoulder as he hacks up his lungs.

When it's over, Jiraiya relaxed over top of you. The fit stole his strength and he sunk down as he can no longer support his weight. He groaned quietly. His vision is dazed and blurry. His abdomen hurts like he got punched right under his rib cage. You are warm and smell good. Your fingers continue to brush through his hair how he likes. He relaxes further and groans.

"Sleep if you're tired." You coax him. You can read him well. Plus he's basically a big toddler when he's sick. Same when he's drunk. He likes sleep and being inappropriate. It's not all that different from when he's healthy and sober, except he's slightly more serious.

"Hmm..." He hummed as he pondered the idea. "Isn't it early?"

"Not that early."

"But late enough to do some other things?"

"Like wha-! Eep!" A squawk of surprise leaves you when he squeezed your ass. His hands sneaked under your clothing again with his popsicle fingers groping your bare skin. His kisses start up on your neck, but they are sloppy and wet. They lack the finesse he usually has when he dives into foreplay.

Your attempts to halt him only turn him on. Jiraiya purrs and chuckles when you tug on his hair. He even growls when you give him a light smack. His hands run up your back with the icy grip of a spirit tickling your spine. Your upper layers went with it and forced to gather at your boobs leaving your belly exposed to the frosty night air. It forced a shudder out of you, which he misconstrued as one of pleasure.

"Hell yeah, baby! I know how to turn you on!" His voice raised out of excitement. It still sounded like he was eating a snack of nails and staples.

"Jiraiya!" You complain when he forced your shirt over your breasts and snapped at a bra strap.

"Yes! Say my name!"

Good lord! Jiraiya is a bit of dummy sometimes. Either he's really oblivious to your disagreements with this idea or he's feigning it until you give in. You are enjoying yourself, but got some reservations about sleeping with him in the middle of a frost covered cave. Your lovely other half began to kiss the space between your boobs then down your middle. It does feel nice. It's about the same like he does when healthy and whatnot, but his cold nose is leaving more of a lasting tingle than his lips are. Maybe fooling around a little is a good idea. If just to warm up. It began to slow down. His lips stayed against your skin right at your bellybutton. Then his cheek hit your skin. His hair tips stopped tickling you and instead laid flat on your belly. You look down to see his eyes are shut and he's breathing deeply. Soft snores emanate from him as he falls quickly into a deep sleep.

"Sheesh." You sigh.

What a man. He turns you on and falls asleep! It's not his normal MO as he's usually an accomplished and thoughtful partner tango with. You roll your eyes and fix your clothing. It's hard to fix the cloaks back into blankets from this position. Especially when Jiraiya grumbles and wraps his arms around your hips to keep you from moving again. The best you can do is pull the cardinal on his back up higher. It leaves his legs exposed so he quickly curls up into a twisted cinnamon roll. You fall asleep soon after. Throughout the night, Jiraiya crawls back up until he's got his face against the crook of your neck and his body laid over top of you. The weight was secure and warm over your body. Even in your sleep, you hold him and nuzzle your cheek against his.

A gentle touch to his forehead woke him up. At first, Jiraiya grinned as you must be waking him up in a nice way. A check of his temperature, then maybe a gentle kiss to the lips. Then there's more force. Then some more. He groans when you shove him. He rolls willingly to the side so you can escape. He cracks an eye to watch you get up and fix your clothing. You steal back your cardinal and escape to the outside. It's first light again. The cave suddenly felt incredibly cold without you to steal heat from. Jiraiya yawns and rubs his head. There's still a pressure in his head, but he can breath again! Most of the congestion has cleared up and he can think more clearly.

You break off some of the pieces from your fir tree wind guard. They make for good kindling. You put together a pile of them along with some leaves and sticks along with thin logs. You take out the one thing you've always traveled with, a flint and steel. You strike the metal with your rock. After a few strikes, you get the sparks to light the wood.

A pair of arms wrap around you from behind. A heated cheek presses against yours.

"Oh nurse~!" Jiraiya sang into your ear. He pecked your cheek. He began to cough. He put his mouth against your shoulder as he had his fit. It sounds really phlegmy and gross. He even spat some of the phlegm on the ground beside you. Hm... charming. "I think I need my temperature checked."

"You shouldn't be outside." You tell him.

"Aw don't be like that! I feel fine!"

"Aren't you cold?"

Jiraiya smirks and grabs two handfuls of your boobs. He pulls you against his chest and chuckles. "Not when I got you and these to keep me warm!"

You roll your eyes. At least he sounds better. He's got his energy back. He looks better too. Not as grey and sweaty. He has that cute peachy undertone back to his skin. The flush to his cheeks and nose wasn't all from sickness anymore.

"Do you feel good enough to travel?" You ask.

"I think so..." Jiraiya sounded mostly sure. It's like he's more motivated by the idea of sleeping in a heated room with a bed rather than his health. His toes are like half froze and an actual blanket would be nice. Also just... you and him alone in a seedy hotel bed in a building that doesn't have working heat is just begging for people to have sex in it. People like him and you! He may have fallen asleep last night, but he won't tonight until he gets you satisfied.

Once heated up with more tea and cuddles, Jiraiya pulls you to your feet. He's excited to get started! A days rest has certainly put some pep in his step. You walk hand in hand with him back to the marked path. He coughed occasionally as he walked, but he didn't sound as terrible as he did a day ago. It began to snow as the day went on. Gentle snowflakes that floated gently to the ground. It was just... pretty. The fresh falling snow is refreshing. The way Jiraiya stops to watch it gave off the same vibe. He's always liked snow. He said it reminded him of things like peace and calmness.

Several hours later, you and him are in a little town that sells base layers for winter. Where Jiraiya then bought a set that fit him... Not because he got sick of course... the only thing he's sick of is his ass being cold.

At night in the hotel room you and your dearest rented, you come out of the bathroom to see him struggling. Jiraiya is stuck in his new base layer shirt with his hair being the main thing keeping it from popping off. His nose is being pulled up by the collar of the shirt getting stuck on it. His teeth are gritted as he yanks on the sleeves, which his arms are still stuck in. Every god damn time with these shirts!

"Need help?" You ask.

"..." Jiraiya lets out a very long sigh. "Yes."

You smile. He's still a little kid sometimes. He's pouting like one. You caress the sides of his face and kiss him. His pout lifts to a smile. You pull on the shirt and free him from the chains of the tight base layer. Jiraiya grins at you and puts his now free arms around you. He flops down onto his back forcing you to lay on top of him.

That maniacal giggle he began to do told only of trouble. Especially when you join him.