Emo Trinity x Reader (Book 2)

Ray Toro x Reader - Fireplace (Advent Calendar 2020)

Prompt: F: Fireplace (How do they spend their time by the fire? Hang stockings? Fall asleep on each other?) from kairaiimagines "Christmas Alphabet" promt list on Tumblr
Word count: 577

You had closed your eyes a long time ago, and were not sure if you may not have fallen asleep in between a couple of times. Now your eyes flickered open again, just long enough to take a glance at the small fire in the fireplace. Its orange light gently skipped over the surfaces of the room, its heat radiating even to you, laying on the sofa in front of it, several feet away. It was comfortable warmth, the one of the fire mixing with the body heat of your husband Ray's lap, which you had placed your head in. One of his hands was absentmindedly playing with your hair, the other holding a book he was reading in concentration. He smelled of cinnamon and vanilla, after having spent the entire day in the kitchen, baking Christmas cookies. You inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell of spices, that of the burning fire and the one of the washing detergent you could still smell on the freshly washed pullover you were wearing.

You loved the cold winter evenings you got to spend like this. You thought it was very relaxing that Ray did not ache for constant attention from you. Of course he loved it, but he was happy just to have you around quietly, like now. It made relaxing in the evening so much easier.

In summer you had often spent the evenings outside in the garden, either sitting on a blanket by the tiny pond, or shoulder to shoulder around the small campfire site he had built next to the porch. Now, in winter, you were sitting in front of the fireplace almost every evening.

Turning your head so you could look at Ray, you studied his face. His brown curls had grown almost past shoulder length by now, framing his face beautifully. Quietly you watched him read, his eyes skipping over the lines of the book, which he rested against the couch's armrest. A soft smile pulled at his lips before he spoke.

"Am I really that interesting to look at," he asked softly, before turning his head, and looking at you in amusement.

You should not feel your cheeks heat up like that, you really should not. Not after having been married to him for over two years, not after having dated him for more than five. And still. His playful mocking of your attraction to him still made you want to hide your face.

"Oh, you have no idea," you answered, sounding a lot smugger that you felt, immediately turning your face to bury it into his pullover. You felt and heard him giggle joyfully, the hand in your hair massaging little patterns against the top of your head. "What time is it?"

Your voice sounded muffled against his belly. You felt him move as he craned his neck to take a glance at the clock behind the sofa.

"Just past 9pm," he answered, relaxing again. "Do you wanna go to bed already?"

"Hm..." you hummed, turning your head back to look at his face again, "a bit early."

"Okay," Ray looked down on you with soft eyes, then he brushed his thumb over your forehead. "Just let me know if you wanna get up."

You nodded and yawned contently, closing your eyes again. Ray shifted slightly, going back to reading his book, his hand resuming playing with your hair. And once again the only sound audible was the cracking of the fire.