Written for Shipping Week on Morsmordre
Prompt: manatee
Pairing: Snorpy/Chandlo

The summer heat was stifling. The temperatures had been well over one hundred for more than a week, prompting Snorpy to launch into one of his conspiracy theories about chemtrails. He was frantically hopping from one foot to the other, flapping his paws while giving a long winded explanation about weather manipulation. His partner patiently listened, although he had no idea what Snorpy was talking about.

"It's just like the last time, Chandlo! We had a heat wave for nearly two weeks with temperatures soaring well past one hundred and eight. I remember going outside and there were six or seven airplanes in the sky, all of them leaving behind chemtrails, enough to form a cage across the sky! Whenever one of the trails they left behind started to fade, another airplane flew past and drew another line with its trail of chemicals. I watched this for hours, it was like a cage I tell you, stretching from one horizon to the next. They're keeping us trapped in here! And it was only a few days later when the record breaking heat wave began."

Floofty looked up from the book they were reading. "You mean you actually ventured outside for the first time in six months?" They licked their paw and turned the page. "Astonishing."

A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "Mock me if you will, but this is something I witnessed on my own. Targeted individuals such as myself take this very seriously. We have to. First it begins with the HAARP facility, and then it progresses to concentrated areas, so the Grumpinati - "

"Bro, you need to chill, Snorp-dawg." Chandlo, who had been sitting on the couch fanning himself with his cap, interrupted his partner's steady stream of rambling nonsense. "Literally, we all need to chill. It's too grumping hot."

Snorpy sighed. Nobody ever took him seriously, especially not in this heat. He padded back to his room and flopped down on the bed, lying sprawled out on his back. By mid-afternoon, the sunlight was positively blazing through his bedroom window, forcing him to get up and close the blackout curtains he specifically bought to block the summer sun.

"Whatever the cause of this wretched heatwave, there appears to be little I can do about it," he muttered, not bothering to hide the irritation in his tone. The situation wouldn't have been so dire if it weren't for the fact that his sibling's air conditioning had broken down, forcing them to stay at Snorpy and Chandlo's apartment until the repairs could be completed.

The late afternoon hours passed in silence, the shifting patterns of sunlight slowly making its way across the curtains. Snorpy was still lying on his back, one leg stretched over the side of the mattress, when the sun began to set. It was simply too hot to go anywhere or do anything, despite Chandlo's insistence that they visit a water park or some place similar to cool off.

To anyone else, this would have been a wonderful idea. Snorpy, on the other hand, was appalled and had to spend twenty minutes explaining why water parks are a breeding ground for various diseases. It seemed like no matter what Chandlo suggested, Snorpy had a well thought out excuse to stay indoors for the remainder of the year. That meant there was only one thing left to do.

While Snorpy was asleep, Chandlo went to the store and bought a couple items that would help them have a more enjoyable summer. He returned home a short while later, just as the first stars became visible on the horizon.

"Snorpy, you awake yet, bro?" Chandlo approached the curtains in his boyfriend's bedroom and drew them back, the last remnants of daylight streaming in across Snorpy's face.

"Hnurr hmm whuhuuh?" Snorpy blinked and slowly sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He reached for his glasses, seeing Chandlo's smiling face at the foot of the bed once he put them on.

"Did you have a good nap, Snorp-dawg?" Chandlo deposited a small shopping bag on his partner's lap. "I gotcha something."

"What is this?" Curious, the engineer peered inside the bag. When he reached inside, he found a circular object with a speaker. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was a sound machine for relaxation. There was also a plush manatee inside, which immediately drew Snorpy's attention.

Hugging the manatee and rubbing it against his cheek, the golden furred Grumpus happily snuggled his new stuffie. "Chandlo, he's adorable! I love him. Ah, but what do I name the little fellow?"

"I thought you'd like that." Lowering himself into the mattress, Chandlo took a seat beside him, still grinning from ear to ear. "The box says you can put it in the freezer to make it cold for a couple hours. And that machine makes soothing ocean sounds. Pretty cool, huh?"

Snorpy's face lit up with the biggest smile. "Chandlo, that's so thoughtful of you. Better to stay indoors anyway."