Work Text:
GOD is it cold...
Your thoughts had been the only thing that was visibly heard in your mind outside the wind that whipped itself around without a care, bringing the large sum of snow to slam against your face and body along with it.
“Hey Bertholt!” You had looked up at the tall figure that was leading you through the Hell of a blizzard.
“Yea?” He had slowly turned towards you to meet your gaze with his own.
“We almost there?”
“Yea,” Like always, he had replied with a soft tone. You'd never really heard him raise his voice, or really come out of the shadow's without someone like Reiner to follow behind.
You hadn't cared much for the winter training, not that anyone really did. The cold and snow had always hit hard, there was only a gray mist two feet in front of your own nose, and every time you dared to open your eyes wider than a small glint you were rewarded only with a blast of winded snow in your sights. You only wished that the damned house the two of you were suppose to take refuge in for the night wouldn't be to much further, you knew that the kind hearted cadet you were paired with would only tell you that it was only a few more steps so that you didn't tucker out at the long expanse that you would need to hike; of course you really wouldn't even if it was such a long way.
“Is that it!?” You had to shout to have your voice heard over the wind that would blow the words from a hearing distance.
The reply you got was a sort of sound, though the wind had drowned what ever word it was. At the moment whatever Bertholt spoke wouldn't have mattered anyway, your mind was locked on the shaded object that had taken to looking like the side and angle of a building.
Yes
You had finally made it.
The first thing you had done when you walked in was quite literally flop onto one of the beds lined neatly against the wall, every part of you was aching from both the cold that dug deep into your skin and the long hike that seemed to stretch an eternity of miles. Deep breaths were now escaping from your lips, you hadn't really noticed them before; your mind was to focused on complaining about the poor conditions.
“Are you alright?” A voice that was tainted with insecurity had whispered as a figure walked to your side.
“Yea, just fine,” You looked to the side to see the shadow that loomed over you. To your surprise you had seen the cadet with his thick coat hung over his forearm, “Are you like, not cold?” You had asked as you sat up from the bed, shocked that someone would already have enough retained heat to take off their coat.
“N-no. Not really,” Bertholt had looked away from you once you had made eye contact, the smallest traces of snow were still melting from his face and hair. How the living Hell was he not cold in the slightest?
“Lucky bastard,” Smiling you had planted your feet on the ground, pushing your weight to a stand before walking over to where you presumed you would be able to start a fire, “At least it's only one night.”
“Hmm,” The cadet had hummed a response as he started tugging at the boots strapped to his feet.
Well isn't this hella awkward...
“I think we need to get our own firewood,” You had commented after darting you eyes back and forth to scan the small cabin for the stray logs that would serve to heat your being.
“I'll go,” Bertholt had immediately stood, you could see a small bead of sweat slowly starting to roll down his cheek.
“Are you sure?” In your mind you had thought something was wrong with the cadet, though he was always thought strange by everyone else in the cadet corps.
“Yea,” Does he know any other word?
“Alright,” You had sighed as you moved a stray strand of hair that found itself getting in your face, “Please be careful.”
To your surprise the last words you had spoken had caused the cadet to flinch in the slightest amount, though he had quickly allowed his muscles to relax before turning back and whispering a 'thanks'. No other words had been given time to be spoken before his figure had retreated outside the door and out of your sights.
In your mind you had only found yourself feeling rather bad for the cadet, he seemed to panic and worry about the most random things. It wasn't to hard to see the insecurity that had swarmed his mind and forced him to hide with a small slouch behind those he put his trust into. It was sort of a shame; he was an expert on the 3Dimensional Maneuvering Gear, yet there was still a lack in confidence that a good soldier needed.
With nothing better to do, you had allowed yourself to sit neatly on the edge of the bed you had decided to claim as your own. Your body had started to warm a little without the wind constantly blowing snow in your face, thank God, so you took the time to slowly start to tug off the boots that had a thin layer of ice crusted around it.
The corner of your eyes had caught onto an object, it wasn't out of place or seemed out of the ordinary to the average sight. Though seeing the small folds of the fabric had lead to the spark of concern within your chest. How the living Hell did Bertholt manage to forget the coat that had given the resistance to the wind and snow that was sure to leave him frost bitten and dead without the clothing protecting his skin.
“Shit...” You had whispered as you quickly went to grab the fabric discarded sloppily on the ground.
What the Hell do I do!?
Though like a work of fiction focusing around romance, you hadn't needed to wait much longer for the answer to walk right into play. Without another thought managing to ripple through your mind the door keeping you safe had been slowly creaked open, allowing the tall figure you had allowed yourself to worry for to step in with a bundle of frosted wood.
“Sorry if I took long,” Bertholt said as he closed the door by leaning his weight against it.
“Are you ok!?” Your sudden outburst had forced the cadet to flinch, holding the pile of wood closer to his chest.
“What?” Sweat had immediately started to slide under his chin as he tensed his shoulders.
“You forgot your coat... It's a fucking storm out there!” You had clenched your fists as concern was slowly beginning to fade into anger.
“Sorry... I was really warm in it and I didn't think it would hurt to be outside for more than a few minutes-”
“Are you ok?” The anger had suddenly found itself escaping from your heart when you saw the cadet shake, “I'm so sorry for shouting,” Apologizing you had walked over to the cadet's side, gently placing your hand on his arm. At your touch you felt him tense with what you thoughts was fear, lovely, though you were relieved to feel the warmth start to spread through your palm.
“Hey, um... I don't think we're gonna be able to light this,” Bertholt had nearly whispered as he pulled himself away from your touch, “It's cold and it's getting all wet now that the ice is melting.”
“Shit,” You had looked at the puddle that was now forming in front of the cadet's feet, “Well this is gonna be one Hell of a night,” Smiling you had tried to brighten the mood, though it was sort of hard with an awkward turtle.
“Are you gonna be alright for the night?” The sudden hint of concern the cadet had shown had left you slightly startled, you hadn't seen the trainee ever really ask someone something without Reiner at his side; it was the sort of strength a friend would give you when confronting something you feared.
“Of course,” You had flashed a determined smile, “It's been two years of training and I'm not leaving until I finish.”
“Where should I put these?” Bertholt had asked after a moment to consider your words, gently shifting the position of the wood stacked in his arms.
“I donno, you're the team captain remember,” You had replied, there was suppose to be a third member, but of course the poor thing couldn't make it. You had envied them, it was cold and wet and they had lucked out; you made a mental note to get on them for it later.
“Are you sure you're gonna be alright!?” The cadet had suddenly shouted, causing you to look up into his eyes with shock, “I mean... You're starting to shiver and we're indoors, and you still have all you're equipment on and I don't know had good the blankets are going to be,” His eyes had darted back and forth to avoid your own.
“I'll be fine,” You had never heard the cadet give show such concern to anyone; not that you had ever really seen him anyway, though that wasn't the point, “I'm not even shivering.”
Of course your body was trying to.
-
You were clutching to the covers with tight fists, sure that your knuckles had been turned to the pale shade of white. All curled up your knees were tucked in close to your chest, arms held tight at your side and, of course; a shiver preventing your mind to descent into a soft sleep. You hadn't managed to get a bright fire burning at all, the wood wouldn't allow such a haven. It was only one night, that was all you were trying to tell yourself, as long as you could still move your fingers things couldn't really be all that bad,
“{First}??” A voice had whispered, almost as if it was hiding behind a mask of fear.
“Hmm?” You had slightly debated whether it would have been better to act like your mind was peacefully slipped away or to face the reality that held you hostage, though what good would pretending to be what you weren't do?
“Are you alright?” The voice had constantly been speaking to you the entire night, repeating the same three words over and over. It was an incredibly sweet thing to do, but at the same time it started to get slightly annoying.
“Is anything I'm going to say gonna convince you I am?”
“Sorry, we lost Lucio last year from the cold so I...” The memories of the cadet had started to flood your mind. He was a great soldier sure, though last year Bertholt had been paired with him for the same winter trip; though only one of them was lucky enough to come back still breathing.
“Last winter was a lot worst than this one, I'm fine,” You had hunched your shoulders to your ears to try and save any heat that was left, “How are you doing?”
“I'm fine,” The reply was muffled and quite, “Are you sure-”
“What can I possibly do or say to make you stop asking that,” You had interrupted the cadet with a small amount of regret.
“Can you let me sleep with you?”
“What!?” You had snapped your head up at the request.
“I mean... I'm not really to cold and I could keep you warm,” The concern in his voice was now starting to make you feel guilty for shouting out, “I won't do anything I promise, I just don't want you to-”
“Fine,” You didn't want to hear that sentence be finished.
Without another word you had heard the ruffling of sheets before the creak of floorboards had brought the shadowed figure to your side, “I'm sorry if it's cold,” Bertholt had whispered as he lifted the covers, allowing a small blast of air to bring a chill to your spine.
The heat had flooded over your back as the body had been pressed against it, allowing the shivering to finally cease as the cold had started to be replaced, “Why are you so warm?” You had asked with a whisper as you turned your body to face him, trying to push yourself into his chest as the heat pulled you in.
“I... Just am,” He had replied with the same diminished tone, “Can I, put my arms around you?”
You had given a small laugh, “Sure.”
It felt so nice, to be wrapped in someones arms. Your face buried safely in the crook of the taller cadet's neck and your legs intertwined, it in all honesty had seemed like some cheesy romance; though with the heat that was being brought into your body you hadn't really cared. You just hoped that an instructor or fellow trainee didn't decide to walk in, that would be one situation you would not want to try to explain.
The way it had felt, seemed so right. You could feel his hands gently wrapped around your body; one wrapped around your lower back and resting on your hip, while one had been placed softly around the back of your head, keeping you held tight and warm.
“Are you feeling better?” Bertholt had pulled you closer to him.
“Yes, thank you.”