give me goosebumps
"You know, this is quite possibly your worst idea to date."
James rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Regulus, as he struggled to light a match against the box. "This is possibly my best idea yet, is what I think you mean."
Regulus eyed James warily once he managed to spark the match. "I really don't think lighting a match inside a tent is a good idea, James."
James sniggered and as he used his free hand to search around the floor of the tent for something. "We're having a good time, aren't we?"
Regulus stared blankly at James. "This isn't a good time. Sleeping on the ground under a bit of tarp in the middle of the forest is not a good time. Especially not when you're so close to lighting the whole forest up in flame—will you please put the match down?"
"If you're trying to guilt me into taking you home, it's not going to work," James said with a grin, and he pulled a citronella candle out from under a pile of clothes. "And if you must know, this is a luxury tent, not a bit of tarp." He used the match to light the candle, then shook the match to extinguish the flame. He pushed the flap of the tent open to toss the burnt out match onto the ground outside.
A gust of the freezing cold air outside the tent blew inside, and Regulus pulled the sleeping up around his chin and shivered. "It's so cold," he moaned. "Can't we just use a bit of magic to—"
"No!" said James as he zipped the tent back up. "You agreed—no magic. It'll spoil the experience."
"That was before I realised you were taking us camping in arctic conditions!" Regulus pouted. "You said we were going on a nice holiday."
"This is a nice holiday!"
"It is for you—you like doing weird stuff like this."
James laughed as he pulled Regulus's sleeping bag down so he could crawl into it with him. "There's nothing wrong with being outdoorsy. It's a type of freedom you don't get with other holidays."
"I just wish you'd told me where you were planning on taking us." Regulus huddled against James as he slipped down into the sleeping bag beside him.
"If I'd have told you, you wouldn't have agreed to come."
Regulus paused. "You're right." James laughed and wrapped his arms around Regulus and pushed his hands up the front of his sweater, causing Regulus to shriek and try to bat at his arms. "Stop it, James! Your hands are freezing!"
"Let me warm them up on you then!"
Regulus grumbled but eventually settled again, once his body had acclimated to James's frozen fingers. "What would have been the alternative to going camping?"
"Hmm," James nestled closer to Regulus. "It would have been a disaster. You'd have stayed at Sirius's flat while Remus was around, and you'd have had to listen to them going at it all Christmas. I'd have come over to try and spend the holidays with you, and Sirius wouldn't give us a moment's peace because he'll think I'm going to deflower you or some other ridiculous sentiment—"
"—okay, okay," Regulus interrupted. "You're right. This is much better."
"Now, stop complaining," James replied. "And cuddle up closer if you want to get warm. You're wearing far too many clothes."
"That's because it's about minus three thousand degrees. If I don't warm up sometime soon, I'm going to have blue balls for Christmas."
James snorted. "Classy." He started yanking at Regulus's sweater until he succeeded in pulling it over his head, then started attacking his t-shirt. "Just take off your layers, you'll warm up much quicker with skin-to-skin contact."
"James—get off—"
James launched Regulus's t-shirt and sweater to the other side of the tent, out of Regulus's reach, and then pulled his own shirt over his head. "Aww, you've got goosebumps," he said, tickling Regulus's back. "Does someone need a hug?"
"Yes," Regulus gasped, clutching at James in his desperation to cling to some warmth. "For God's sake, yes."
James pulled the sleeping bag up as far as it could go, almost over Regulus's head, and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "See, we're having a good time."
"James," Regulus mumbled.
"Hmm?"
"Did you do all this just to get an excuse to get me naked and hug me in a sleeping bag?"
James snorted. "Of course not, babe." He kissed the top of his head softly.
"You're lying, aren't you?"
"Absolutely."
Written For:
- Assignment #11/Culinary Arts Task #4: Write a story set in the woods/forest.
- Winter Funfair/Naughty Elf on the Shelf: 11. (dialogue) "You've got goosebumps."
- Winter Funfair/Naughty or Nice List: Naughty 4. (word) Disaster
- Winter Funfair/Guess the Name: Elf 2. (word) Holiday
- Winter Funfair/Decorate the Christmas Tree: Tree Decorations 7. (genre) Fluff
- Winter Funfair/Snowman Dressing: Mouth 8. "This isn't a good time."
- Winter Funfair/Hot Chocolate Station: Section 6 - 6. (theme) warmth/heat
- Winter Funfair/Shoebox to Charity: 9. (object) candle
- Winter Funfair/Advent Calendar: 1. James Potter
- Winter Funfair/12 Days of Shipmas: 3. (plot point) write about taking a trip
- Winter Funfair/Magical Mistletoe: 5. (action) shivering
- Winter Funfair/Christmas Karaoke: 11. (dialogue) "Blue balls for Christmas, classy."
- Writing Club/Gotta Catch Them All: 21. (trope) huddled together for warmth
- Writing Club/Film Festival: 4. (dialogue) "Does someone need a hug?"
- Writing Club/Elizabeth's Empire: 13. (object) candle
- Writing Club/Sophie's Smut Bucket: 14. (dialogue) "You're wearing far too many clothes."
- Writing Club/Lyric Alley: 7. But I've got warm and tender love
- Writing Club/Throwback: 3. (word) luxury
- Writing Club/Buttons: Actions 3. Lighting a candle
- Autumn Seasonal/Days of the Year: 17th November - Take a Hike Day: Write about someone outdoorsy
- Autumn Seasonal/Locations: 1. (location) a forest
- Christmas Fight Club/Competitor: (trope) huddled together for warmth
- Moony's Neon Cafe/Drinks: 24. (word) guilt
Word Count: 753