Work Text:
Running a workshop in Portia was not easy. And it was especially challenging in the winter. The frigid temperatures made it hard to stay out for long periods of time to gather resources - and even if you were caught outside, you would only want to stay close to the furnace to keep warm. But there was a lot on your plate today since you slacked off the past few days, so you had to push through the cold to complete your work.
At around 9pm, you opened the door to your house, your hands violently shivering as they turned the doorknob from being outside all day. It was a miracle that you didn’t get hypothermia - but frostbite was imminent. As you opened the door you noticed your husband Aadit sitting in the dining room with dinner for two, which was a steaming fresh pot of bubblefish soup.
“Hello darling, I’ve prepared supper for the both- oh my gosh!” he exclaimed.
Upon seeing your near-frozen state Aadit rushed out of his chair and into the bedroom to grab a spare blanket to wrap you up in. When he returned, he draped the blanket over your shoulders and gently wrapped it around your chest.
“Darling, I’ve told you many times to be careful out there - and you’re nearly a popsicle!”
“I-I’m f-f-fine....” you stammered, clearly not fine.
“We need to get you warmed up.”
Aadit gently placed his hands on your shoulders and slowly lead you into the bedroom. He sat you down on the bed, and rushed out of the room once again to prepare a basin of warm water for your feet. He returned shortly after with the basin and a towel draped over his forearm. He set the basin down on the floor beneath your feet - he then proceeded kneel down and began gently removing your shoes and socks. He slowly dipped your foot into the warm water, one after the other. Once your feet were submerged, he left the room again and returned with your supper. He handed you the bowl of soup, still piping hot, and sat down beside you on the bed. He laid his arm around your waist and peered over at you, visibly concerned.
You were starting to feel warmer already - not only from the warm water, the heat of the house, the soup, and the blanket - but also warm on the inside, from Aadit’s kind gestures, his gentle touch, and soft spoken words.
“Darling, I really hope you’re alright. I hate seeing you push yourself like this in the cold...”
“It n-needed t-to be d-done.”
“Please promise me you won’t push yourself so hard next time?” he pleaded, furrowing his brow.
“Alright, a-alright.”
“Thank you, darling.”
He gave you a small kiss on your temple, his beard gently tickling your face. You smiled blissfully in response. The two of you continued to eat your supper in silence after the discussion.
After finishing supper, Aadit took out the empty bowls to the kitchen - he returned to dry off your feet with a towel after soaking them in the basin. You were pretty much back to your normal temperature already thanks to his efforts - you really owed him one for this. Aadit removed the basin from under your feet and dumped the water out into the kitchen sink. He returned to the bedroom and sat beside you on the bed once again.
“So, darling... are you feeling better now?” he asked. He gently brushed some hair out of your face and slipped it behind your ear.
“Yes, much better. Thank you sweetheart.”
You leaned in to give Aadit a kiss on the lips to thank him and to show your appreciation.
“We should get some rest. I’m sure you’ve had a long day.” Aadit suggested.
You both got busy tucking yourselves into bed for the night. After getting tucked under the covers, you laid on your side to face your husband.
“You know, I’m still a little cold...”
“Oh? Well, I know how to fix that...” he chuckled.
Aadit enveloped his arms around you and cuddled you into his chest to keep you warm and safe. His knit sweater smelled pine and fir trees from working on the tree farm. His chin was gently resting on the top of your head. Being cuddled in his warmth felt like home. You gently stroked his arms until your hands found their way to his chest. He was surprisingly muscular beneath that kind disposition and his sweater. You buried your face deeper into the crook of his neck, savoring the moment. Aadit started petting your hair, his hands starting at your scalp, then slowly working their way down to the middle and the ends of your hair. His hands then found his way down to your back, where he slowly stroked your back up and down. You nudged your foot against his shins, where he raised his leg to let yours slide in, becoming even closer to him. This position would soon become uncomfortable, but for the moment, it was pure bliss for the two of you.
“Feeling warmer now darling?” Aadit whispered.
“Yes, much warmer.”
After several minutes of cuddling in that position, Aadit pulled away for a moment to look at your face. He leaned in for a few kisses, each more deep and passionate than the last. He pulled away after the third kiss to admire your beauty. He smiled warmly, his eyes deep and full of comfort and love. You could get lost in his eyes for days on end. He raised his hand up to your face and began petting the side of your cheek with his thumb. He smiled and let out a small chuckle, enamored by the bliss of the moment. He was so grateful of his decision to retreat to Portia, not only for safety and peace, but of moments like this, with his true love that he was proud to call his wife.
“I love you, my darling.”
“I love you too.”
It only took a single night like this to make the even the coldest winter nights in Portia feel like a warm summer day.