The Arcana x Reader

🎄 Asra x Reader x Lucio

"It's what?"

"The door, it's stuck!"

"Really?" Asra gapes at the door, where I'm trying my darndest to push it open, turning the brass handle.

"Nahhhh, just thought it would be funny to lie to you for no reason," I step back and roll my eyes when he pushes at the door.

"You do have a mischievous streak."

"Is it iced shut?"

"Let's check the windows, maybe you can crawl out and pull it to break the ice." His smile is impish and teasing, as we walk over to the kitchen windows.

I narrow my eyes. "Why am I the one crawling out the window?"

"Because you dragged me and the goatman all the way down here, that's why." Asra laughs, distracted from the task at hand.

"Lucio did the dragging--"

"And you encouraged him."

I huff, crossing my arms. "Yeah yeah." The three of us had traveled down south to the snowy lands, as Lucio was on a fix for adventure, and Asra was talking something about magic wintery mushrooms-- truffles? "You had a hand in this too."

"Perhaps," he grabs the curtain, pulling it aside, and gawks.

"Is that--" I lean in closer to look out the window, "--snow?"

"Up to the window," Asra's voice is full of wonder.

I ponder for a moment. "Do you think Lucio will be able to get back?" The party had split yesterday, Asra for his fungi, Lucio for his bounty, and I stayed in the cottage we'd borrowed; Asra had returned last night before dark, before the snow had begun, but Lucio--

Knock knock.

I turn to look out the front window, pulling open the curtain.

"Speak of the Lucio."

His pale face, blond hair, and roguish smile greet me through the glass, and with a bit of difficulty, I pull open the window for him.

"Lucio, I'm glad you could find the cottage in this snow!"

"Almost didn't, but here I am!" He drags himself awkwardly through the window, grinning as he loops his leg through-- and falling flat on his face to the floor with a thud and a groan.

"Ah, yes, here you are," Asra says in a deadpan voice.

I close the window, helping Lucio to his feet.

His face is covered in a pout, and I kiss his frozen cheek. "That... Was NOT cool," he grumbles.

"It adds to your charm," I quip, turning to make tea.

"You think so?" His voice swells once more.

I make a noncommittal hum, lighting the stove and setting the water to boil. The cottage falls silent, Lucio changing into dry clothes and Asra stoking the fire.

The tea is steeping when I feel a pair of arms slink around my waist, and a head atop mine.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Lucio calls from across the room. "You've hogged them all this time." I can practically hear his pout, and get to see it as Asra turns us around, his hands on my hips

"Oh? Well I'm the one holding them, so I get their affections. Boo hoo."

It's obvious that Asra means to tease Lucio.

"Hey!"

And Lucio doesn't disappoint, rising to the bait and stamping his foot.

"Behave, both of you," I detangle from Asra, trying to keep my smile in check as it rises on my face. They may not be the best of friends, but my boyfriend and enby sure are cute.

I pour each of us a cup of tea, and grab my own, moving to sit on the pile of pillows and blankets in front of the warm hearth. Asra had built a lovely fire, the smell of burning cedar and oak swelling through the cottage.

Asra joins, sitting aside me and pulling a blanket over both our laps, an arm around my waist. Not to be outdone, Lucio plops down at my other side and drapes a blanket over our shoulders. He'd downed one cup of tea already, and his second was set delicately on the floor beside us.

"You're still cold," I bump my shoulder into his.

His golden arm wraps around my shoulders under the blanket, the magic flowing through it doing little to warm the metal.

"Guess you should help warm me up," his smug grin is cut short by a pillow in his face.

"Oops." Asra.

Lucio huffs, his childish side coming out as he throws a pillow at Asra, it bouncing off his white fluff.

"Lucio. Asra," I warn. "You'll both have to cuddle on the floor tonight instead of me in the bed if you aren't nice."

Obviously just a bluff.

Still shuts both of them up.

There's a fine line when it comes to their playful bickering, and serious or underhanded fighting, so it's good to know when to let it slide, and when to nip it in the bud. Also I don't want the tea spilled.

I relax, reveling in the warmth of them and the fire, their arms wrapped around me.

My partners are lovely. They're close to me, they're sensitive to what I feel, their hands are pushing at each other while they think I don't know, and they're just... Home.

Even this far away from the shop.

I'm home.