Coco Comforts

The winters are harsh in the south, but nothing like this. 

Catrimul huffs as he puts another blanket along his wings, shivering in front of the fireplace. His prosthetic lies on the coffee-stained table in front of him, abandoned for now as he works on achieving the warmth he had had before he went outside. The snow was still falling outside, but the animals in the barn couldn’t wait for the snow to stop to be fed, and now he’s freezing on the unfortunate leather couch they have. 

The smell of maple whiskey fills his nose, and he leans his head over the couch back, catching the eye of one of his partners. “Here, tiger. I made your favorite,” Kaede says, and his eyes lower to see his most wonderful, perfect partner carrying the holy grail that is hot cocoa. Kaede also has a cup full of marshmallows, and Catrimul wonders how he had managed to get such an amazing boyfriend. 

Catrimul lets out a content sigh as his hand holds the hot cup, finally able to stop shivering. “Thanks, kitty,” he says, and then corrects his horrendous accidental-pun, “Kaede.”

Kaede says nothing as he places the marshmallows on the table, but Catrimul can tell he’s amused. He rolls his eyes, but reaches over for the topping, putting no less than twenty of them in his cup, as his partner leaves the room. Kaede returns soon after with a cup of his own, but Catrimul smells the heathen had grabbed coffee instead of the drink of the gods. 

As his partner curls into his armless side, Catrimul looks pointedly at the coffee. “You could try to have some taste.” 

“I do,” Kaede says, looking directly at him. His face is passive but his words warm, and Catrimul fights a blush as he turns to look into the fireplace. 

“Dork,” he mutters, smiling. 

They drink in silence, listening to the wind howl outside. It’s definitely the worst winter yet-- the power had turned off several hours ago, and there are several feet of snow outside that is only growing. Still, he knows the farm and the community around him will recover, as they always do, and relaxes onto the leather seat.

“Love ya,” he says as he finishes his drink. 

Kaede sets their drinks on the table, and gets comfortable under the blankets. “I love you, too.”