Chapter Text
The six freshmen had been watching a movie in the common room, all cuddled up closely, to the point that they were almost on top of one another. The atmosphere was cozy, filled with the soft glow of the television and the gentle hum of their laughter.
At the moment, Ace and Deuce were curled up on the floor, with Ace tucking his face into the nook of Deuce's neck. Deuce rubbed slow circles on Ace's back, the gentle motion rocking him to sleep. The rhythmic pattern of Deuce’s hand made Ace feel safe and warm, lulling him into a peaceful state.
Nearby, Ortho was braiding Epel's soft lavender hair into tiny twists, mindlessly fiddling with the strands. Epel sat with his legs propped up on Jack's lap, who, in turn, was acting as a personal heater for Sebek.
Jack’s body radiated warmth, and Sebek was covered in almost all the blankets Yuu and Ramshackle had to offer, his large frame shivering beneath the layers. Only a small tuft of green hair peeked out from under the pile, a testament to the half-fae’s detestation of the cold.
Yuu curled up between Sebek and Deuce, their head resting comfortably against Deuce’s side. They were nestled closely against the green-haired boy, flanking the side Jack couldn't reach, wrapping the large, bushy tail around them as they sheltered Grim, who had decided that the cozy chaos was the prime spot for a nap.
Yuu looked down fondly at Grim, who was blissfully snoring, the tiny creature nestled against their shoulder.
Deuce's free hand gripped Yuu’s hand tightly, as if it were a lifeline, anchoring him as he drifted through the currents of life. He felt the gentle warmth radiating from Yuu, sending a wave of calm through him.
Yuu was in the process of picking a movie, browsing through the unfamiliar titles with suggestions from Ortho chiming in every few minutes, excitedly listing the options and waiting for a response.
Ace felt happy, although a hint of anxiety lay just beneath the surface. He knew that Riddle would be furious with both him and Deuce for not making it back before the lenient curfew the housewarden had set. But in this moment, surrounded by friends and enveloped in warmth, he felt a sense of safety he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Nobody could hurt him here. There were no roses, potions, or sweet dreams to take advantage of him. No blot could reach him here.
But as the minutes ticked by, a gnawing feeling settled in his chest. Yuu was practically wasting daylight, and they didn’t have much time left. Only around three months remained before finals—and then everything would change. Ace was terrified of change. What if Yuu found a way to get back home? They wouldn’t want to stay…
After all, who would want to live in a strange place when they were essentially kidnapped and forced to live there? The thought alone made him groan in frustration as he slid further down to bury his face in the stupid pink hoodie that belonged to Deuce. The familiar scent of the fabric calmed him slightly, even as his mind raced.
Ortho finally finished twisting the last section of Epel’s hair and began chirping a peppy tune, his mechanical voice bright and cheerful. Sebek shivered once more, the cold seeping through the blankets.
Yuu finally settled on a movie, curling deeply into Sebek and shifting Deuce even closer, igniting a protective warmth that Ace couldn’t help but envy.
He grumbled again, this time wedging himself between Deuce and Yuu, diving deeper into the sanctuary of warmth surrounding them. It felt like a small fortress—a haven from the chaos of outside.
As Ace rocked himself to sleep once more, he heard small, gleeful giggles of a mischievous humanoid echoing from the other side of the living room.
Ace moaned in anger at the disruption and started to get up to tell Ortho off for trying to spike the pizza with hot sauce again, but before he could even stand, he felt something grab the cuff of the sweats he “borrowed” from Deuce.
The pale hand dragged Ace right back to the ground just as he was enveloped by the overwhelming power of the many weighted blankets that Yuu had stolen from Crowley over the school year. A sigh of exasperation escaped him, but deep down, he appreciated the warmth.
Sebek gripped Ace’s waist tightly, pulling him closer and closer until Ace was inadvertently sitting on Sebek’s lap. The combination of tightness and warmth felt oddly comforting, and Ace relished the feeling of being surrounded.
The green-haired boy had a heavy head resting on his shoulder, and Ace could feel Sebek’s cold shivering breath ghosting up and down his neck, sending a small shiver of his own down his spine.
“Seriously? You good, cucumber?” Ace quipped, trying to lighten the mood further. He giggled as Sebek’s brow furrowed deeper; the half-fae often took offense to the teasing. Leaning over, he planted a chaste kiss onto the lines forming on Sebek’s forehead, a simple gesture meant to comfort.
Just then, a loud explosion echoed from the kitchen, followed by a cacophony of laughter and the sound of things crashing. Jack barreled over without hesitation, planting himself right next to Sebek and curling up into a ball on the floor, promptly knocking out. Epel and Deuce followed suit, diving for Jack's tail to use as a makeshift blanket, laughter bubbling between them as they jockeyed for the warmest spots, completely comfortable in each other's presence.
As time passed, Yuu finally managed to drag Ortho to sleep, settling him next to Jack, the soft robotic hums a comforting background noise. Epel and Deuce were curled up together, using Sebek’s legs as a pillow, the large tail now acting as their cover.
Ace couldn’t see it, but he could hear the grumbling of Yuu as they moved Grim into a more comfortable position, ensuring the weight of the rest of them didn’t crush him.
Ace grumbled, turning around and hooking the back of his legs behind Sebek’s back to make a curl, curling up closer so Sebek could hold onto him like a heating pad.
Sebek tucked Ace’s head underneath his chin, finally feeling the limp form of a half-asleep Ace fall further and further into the dream world.