Work Text:
Jiang Cheng makes fun of him (gently), but Huaisang can taste the snow in the air. A storm is coming. He closes his eyes and breathes in. A storm, yes, but one that brings the fat, feathery flakes of snow that pile up on branches and walls, six inches deep or more, blanketing Qinghe, softening its blunt, gray form and, for one day at least, the Beasts of Qinghe put away their claws and curl up like sleeping cats.
Huaisang loves it.
“‘M gonna freeze my dick off,” Jiang Cheng complains as he stomps up behind Huaisang.
Huaisang suppresses a sigh. He didn’t marry Jiang Cheng for his poetry, after all. He turns around and opens his arms, drawing Jiang Cheng close.
“We can’t have that,” he says as Jiang Cheng snuggles close. “I’m really quite fond of your dick.”
Jiang Cheng’s hands wander until they rest over Huaisang’s ass. Huaisang grins as Jiang Cheng makes a surprised little sound as his hands find the reusable hand warmers Huaisang stuck in his back pocket. Jiang Cheng hangs heavily on Huaisang, hands digging into his pockets.
“So warm,” Jiang Cheng sighs with pleasure.
“Where are your nice warm, woolen gloves, my darling? I spent weeks knitting them.”
“In the room,” Jiang Cheng says.
Huaisang would be annoyed with Jiang Cheng, but now that his hands have warmed up, they have begun to explore a bit more enthusiastically. Jiang Cheng’s ice-cold lips, however, are another matter.
“Have you been outside?” he asks, worry coloring his tone.
“Yeah.” Jiang Cheng nuzzles Huaisang’s neck until he works Huaisang’s scarf loose and creates a little space to shove his face closer to Huaisang’s body heat. “Sparring and…”
Huaisang can’t quite make out the rest, but he has a good idea. Despite literally years as Huaisang’s partner, some of Huaisang’s cousins still feel the need to fuck with Jiang Cheng when he visits -- just to make sure he knows his place, you see. And how quickly things can go wrong if Jiang Cheng dares step out of line and hurts Huaisang. Sure, the Qinghe healers have plenty of remedies for frostbite, but he’d rather not waste any of their vacation in the infirmary if he can help it.
Huaisang throws his arms around Jiang Cheng’s neck and hugs him tightly before stepping back. He ignores Jiang Cheng’s complaints, taking the warmers from his back pockets and tucking one in Jiang Cheng’s right hand and the other between their clasped hands.
“Come on,” Huaisang says, tugging him toward their private wing. “I got some new bath bombs we can try out, just to make sure you’re properly thawed out before dinner.”
“Fine.”
Jiang Cheng trudges grumpily beside Huaisang. Snow shakes down as they walk, dusting their heads and shoulders. Jiang Cheng’s cheeks grow pinker by the minute, and Huaisang hustles them along.
Jiang Cheng stops at the gate to their private courtyard, though. Huaisang has a moment to give him a look before he’s swept up in an embrace and kissed within an inch of his life.
“What was that for?” Huaisang pants when Jiang Cheng sets him on his feet again.
Jiang Cheng shrugs and offers a crooked grin.
“Just wanted to make sure my lips were warmed up,” he says.
Huaisang laughs and pulls him along to their rooms, determined to make sure all of Jiang Cheng is properly warmed.