Cold noses and warm hugs

Cale is under the luxurious bed sheets, tossing and moving his limbs like a lazy cat, trying to find a comfortable enough position to go back to sleep. He just woke up thanks to his boyfriend's sickening healthy daily routine, that pretty much consisted on getting up early to run and train with the sword before breakfast. It didn't fit Cale's routine at all, because he would wake up after lunch if it wasn't because he shared bed with that lunatic.

Yes, Cale was certain that Choi Han was a lunatic. Who else would brandish a sword now, with peace settled everywhere, instead of resting?

But is not like he would change anything on him, after all, it was a part of who he was. He would eventually learn how to sleep without getting awakened by his habits.

The weather outside is turning chilly, snow piling at the entrance of the castle and turning the Forest of Darkness, the forbidden region filled with monsters and poisonous vegetation, into a dreamland fairytale forest. Its trees sprinkled with white snow surround the black almost ethereal castle, and underneath it, the Super Rock Villa almost feels like a cozy sanctuary. And so, Cale thinks that he made the best decision, staying on his warm bed to slack and stay comfortable. He doesn't feel like waking up (or moving, for that matter).

But his door is opened again, and he can almost feel the chills thinking about a certain vicious old man that has been delivering hot lemon tea every morning for the past two weeks every time he comes to wake him up for the day. And so, Cale decides on his next move: play dead. Well, maybe not dead, but asleep. Maybe that way, the assassin would spare him for another couple of hours, deciding to be merciful for a change.

Cale holds his breath a little, trying to stay as still as possible, until the light steps started to travel the distance between the door and the bed. Wait, he can hear the steps? Cale's heart starts to pump again, and he starts to compose himself, knowing that, if it were to be Ron the one entering his bedroom, his heart would stop from a jump scare of the old man smiling benignly beside him before he gets to hear even a little sound from him. So, if he could hear steps, it wasn't the old assassin.

'Then, who is it? The kids are with Eruhaben back at his old lair, picking up some things, and everybody else is doing their own things' thought the young man, before turning his head with curiosity to see who was in his room at this early hour without notice.

And there, he saw the raven youth staring at him, widening his eyes, and suddenly standing still a couple of steps away from his bedside, like a child who just got caught sneaking in, hands behind his back and stance on guard, trying to be stealthy but failing miserably at it. Cale's gaze, that was a little sharp from the sudden thought of him maybe getting ambushed while sleeping, grew softer after spotting his lover.

Choi Han, who was supposed to be training right now for a couple of hours before breakfast, according to his schedule, for some reason, was coming back to bed.

Cale extended both of his arms, doing grabby hands on a very cute attempt of invitation for the swordsman to go back to his side, and Choi Han couldn't deny it was very very VERY endearing. Cale never acted like a child in front of his family, always being the stoic and the impassive one, the most reliable father/friend/comrade for everybody. And Choi Han couldn't be happier at the fact that, when they were alone, Cale would allow himself to be a little bit more childish. He loved that he got to see that face from him.

Softening his somewhat tense demeanor, he approached the bed and hugged his sleepy boyfriend, burying his face on the crook of his warm neck and passing both of his arms in a tight hug, underneath the lying figure of Cale. Cale felt the outside cold lingering on his skin on the form of the other's breath and nose, so, he distanced himself from the hug a little without breaking it and pulled Choi Han to the bed, getting a little surprised yelp from the latter.

Now, both on each other's embrace, Cale hugging Choi Han's head to his chest, started peppering his face with kisses. His lips fluttered like butterflies at the raven's forehead, lowering to his eyelids, cheekbones to end up spending a couple of seconds on his cold nose, kissing it tenderly to warm it before settling at the other's rosy lips.

Choi Han was at bliss with the care and devotion those little kisses showed, heart quavering at his beloved's love demonstrations.

Now, feeling nice and at home inside those thin but comfortable arms, he let himself drift to calmness while basking at his partner's warmth for a couple of minutes before lifting his gaze to look at those reddish-brown eyes with long red eyelashes that seemed to love taking his breath away every time he looked at the fondness and love behind them.

Oh, right. He came here with a goal.

Shaking off the daze, Choi Han said

"I have something for you"

"Hm. And what would that be?" asked Cale, amusement mixed with sleepiness in his voice, already dozing off with his body pillow of a boyfriend in his embrace.

"It's a little something. Wanna see?" asked with a little mischievous smile that Cale couldn't see because he had his eyes closed.

After not hearing a response from him, Choi Han decided to take action. He jumped out of bed, put both of his arms on Cale's shoulders and behind his knees and carried him in a bridal style. Cale, getting lifted out of nowhere while he was falling asleep again, and getting hit by the cold outside the sheets, tensed up a little before accommodating himself on Choi Han's chest and arms.

"...what now?" asked Cale, fond irritation in his tone and a little pout he could not hide starting to form on his face.

Wordlessly, Choi Han waved his gaze on the young man between his arms, soft smile tugged on his lips, before walking out of the room in direction of the library. Cale was a little intrigued, why was Choi Han acting like this? It wasn't his birthday, nor anything like that. He didn't mind the sweet care in his actions, tho, so he would not ask further and decided to just roll with his antics.

Inside the library, there was a fireplace that they usually never used. It was lit, the brick chimney had stockings hanging and in front of it, there was a little rug with thick blankets sprawled on the floor, a mug at each side of it.

Cale was flabbergasted. Since he got here almost three years ago, he hadn't seen anybody celebrating Christmas (hell, none of the usual holidays he used to celebrate or see on his former world existed here), and he almost forgot about it. But it seemed that Choi Han did not.

"Ha" a little exclamations escaped from the redhead's lips, eyes fixed on the blankets while they stood on the door frame of the library. He thought Choi Han would set him in the rug at the floor where the little comfy setting was displayed but saw himself still in his arms. Turning his gaze to those onyx orbs, he saw Choi Han instantly lifting his eyes to the ceiling and did the same.

"Oh my god, so cheesy" chuckled Cale, shoulders trembling a little trying to suppress the laughter that threatened with getting loose from his mouth. Above them, at the door frame of the library, was a mistletoe arrangement hanging from a thread. They were exactly underneath the mistletoe, and Choi Han was staying still, waiting for the other one to take the hint and kiss him.

And Cale relented, pulling Choi Han by the nape a little so he could reach to his lips more comfortably. Happy with his shenanigans, Choi Han smiled and started to walk in the direction of the fireplace with a laughing man on his arms.

He settled him on the floor and covered with the thickest blanket, reaching for a mug of hot chocolate (with marshmallows for Cale, taking into consideration his child-like sweet tooth) and sitting right behind him, pulling the latter to his embrace, and sitting him on his lap while delivering a novel for the other to read.

"Merry Christmas, Cale-nim"

"...yes. Merry Christmas, Choi Han"

That day transpired that way, with Cale sitting on Choi Han's lap, basking on each other's warmth, one of them reading and the other watching with adoration painting his face.