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The freezing cold of winter in the Constant is merciless, but the Queen is even less merciful for those who wander in the dark. Despite being relatively close to the main base, Maxwell and his companion see no option other than to set a fire pit and rest here for the night. They would need to cross a swamp to reach the rest of their comrades, but that would be more than a foolish decision to do on a winter night.
Foolish as it might be, Maxwell begins to question his decision as he stares at his companion, sitting by the other side of the fire pit. Even though he enjoys the quietness of Wes's presence, in this particular situation, he would rather have any person other than him.
Wes is so pitifully sensitive, and fragile, even more than Maxwell himself. Every time the mime stays with someone, this "someone" has to protect him. It annoys Maxwell to the brim. Unlike the others, he couldn't care less about that guy, he doesn't understand the need to protect everyone seems to have every time they are around Wes.
Hypocritical thoughts. He already gave Wes his own Puffy Vest, and his own fluffy bed roll, in expectation that it would help with the cold. It wouldn't be convenient if Wes died here.
He observes his fellow survivor. The mime is shivering from the cold, trembling so violently it can be noticed from a distance, curling himself and embracing a Thermal Stone in an attempt to stop body heat from escaping.
Good grief, that man is so sensitive, all the sacrifice he made for that damn mime is being in vain. If he continues like this, he will eventually freeze to death.
Maxwell can feel his own body starting to give in too. The warmth of the fire pit is not enough… he contains his shivering, but he knows soon enough he will end up just like Wes, and they both will be just two cold, dead bodies in the middle of nowhere.
Maxwell sighs, he has to do something to avoid this scenario, even if it means to take selfish measures.
He stands up from where he was sitting, and makes his way over to his companion, sitting beside him. Wes finally raises his head that was hidden from the wind to face the man beside him.
Is it really okay to do this? Wes won't tell anyone after all, and he also couldn't possibly hate Maxwell more than he already does (according to Maxwell himself).
"Where is your Thermal Stone?" He asks in a bossy tone.
Wes is reluctant for a bit, but he eventually takes the Thermal Stone that was sitting on his lap and shows it to Maxwell. The taller man then takes the stone for himself, Wes does little to protest.
"I already gave you my vest and bed roll, I need something to warm up as well, or I will freeze to death." He justifies himself, not that he needs to do it, it's his right to stay alive.
Wes doesn't protest at all, it's fair, he also worries about Maxwell. Wes smiles and nods at him, before hiding his head and curling himself again, to keep his body heat.
They stand there in silence for a while, Maxwell couldn't feel more awkward. He sits beside Wes, while the younger man shivers and rubs himself with his hands, in an attempt to warm himself up.
This place had surely changed him, he feels so uncomfortable with his choices now, making him feel guilty. The man who was once the corrupt King of the Constant.
Even though he feels awkward, he finds himself unable to get up and sit elsewhere. He is sitting so close to Wes he can feel the other's warmth. His own sense of survival wiped away those feelings for a moment, he gets closer to Wes, seeking for more of the other's body heat. Wes doesn't seem to notice.
Maxwell then gets an idea when he realizes what he is doing.
Is he really doing this? Well, it's not like Wes will tell anyone anyway.
"Come here." Maxwell then pulls Wes to his chest, wrapping his arms around the smaller one.
This was something Wes couldn't ignore, he looked up at the other's face with a confused expression. It made Maxwell blush.
"Don't get the wrong idea! I'm only doing this because I don't want to carry a dead body around…" Maxwell justifies.
Wes understands, so this is only for survival, but it's a welcoming affection. Wes then wraps his own arms around Maxwell and buries his face in the taller man's chest, allowing himself to relax.
Maxwell sighs deeply, as much as this is embarrassing, his body thanks him, Wes' body heat is a comforting sensation, both on the outside, and the inside.
They eventually allow themselves to lay down on the fluffy roll, still embracing each other, the warm Thermal Stone lying between them. Maxwell stares at the night sky with the shivering younger man in his arms, and he's beginning to relax. He eventually lets himself relax as well and doze off…
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Slowly opening his eyes, he notices it's already morning.
He then checks on the young man, unconscious wrapped in arms and with head lay down on his chest. Wes has stopped shivering, but his body is still incredibly cold, his muscles are stiff.
Maxwell himself starts to feel chilly, he then notices the fire pit's fire, extremely low, and about to run out, surprised it hasn't faded during the night.
He carefully gets up from the bed roll, calmly, to not wake up his companion, allowing him to rest for more time. He walks over to the fire pit and reaches for some logs he got himself and attempts to revive the fire.
When the fire is already high enough, he takes a moment to warm up, he also puts the now cold Thermal Stone nearby, allowing it to heat as well.
He observes his companion, still quietly sleeping beside the fire. It's about time for him to wake up and for them to start to make their way back to their base, and to the others.
Maxwell reaches over to his fellow survivor, places one hand on his shoulder and gently shakes him.
"Wes, wake up, we need to get back to the camp." He announces.
No response.
"Hey, Wes, get up." He shakes the unconscious man, a bit harder this time, hoping he is just too lost in his own dreams.
"Wes?" He calls out again, shakes him again, there is no response, the mime doesn't even move. Maxwell starts to feel anxious.
He noticed just now he can't see Wes's cold breathing anymore, the small puffs of cool air that would come from his breathing.
"Wes?! Get up!" His calm attitude now gives place to panic, he shakes Wes more violently, not caring about being polite anymore.
No response.
Maxwell does a final test, he removes the mime's gloves and places his fingers on the other's wrist, attempting to feel a pulse.
Nothing. He is gone.
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Gasping for air, he opens his eyes widely when his heart starts beating again. The amulet around his neck disappeared. Wes gets up in a hurry, looking around, he is surrounded by a few of his friends. Observing, he recognizes the place as their camp, pretty far away from the place he remembers to be before.
“Welcome back, Wes! Are you feeling better?” Wilson asks with a smile.
“Of course he is feeling better, genius, he was dead just a second ago!” Willow replies, earning a frown from the scientist.
Wes would chuckle if he wasn’t too lost in his thoughts. How did he arrive here? The last he remembers, he was near a swamp, sleeping in the arms of… That’s right, where is Maxwell? He gets up from his sitting position, and frantically looks around, trying to find his companion in question.
“Maxwell brought you back here, he looked very worried.” Wilson starts to clarify what happened. “Anyway, you’re safe now, you should rest near the furnace for a while.” He points to their furnace, and Wes finds Maxwell resting close to it.
Wes nods and walks over to Maxwell, sitting right next to him, at first the taller man seemed to ignore his presence, the two sat in silence, until Maxwell started speaking.
“How are you feeling?”
Wes simply looks at the other smiles, both as a way of showing he is fine, but also because he is genuinely happy that Maxwell took care of him. That man used to be so distant and cold, he now feels like he is starting to warm up.
Maxwell hums at his “response”, and they stay in silence for a few moments again. Wes eventually leans his head on the other man’s shoulder, and sighs contentedly. He would think Maxwell would push him away, but there they sit, looking at the furnace. It seems Maxwell got used to his body heat.