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It's not a winter, yet it's so cold in here. In their temporary shelter.
It makes De Vera think it’s another anomaly but white coats said the readings are normal. Still the hellish cold is seeping into the bones making Zoe uncomfortable to sleep.
What about her mentee — he genuinely doesn't care. It seems that Dylan is totally okay with the poor conditions, even without blanket.
Now she is watching the man lying down beside her. She knows the moment he closes his eyes — he falls asleep instantly. He's so tired. They're so tired. But the piercing cold is getting to Zoe too hard now. She feels like her teeth begin to chatter.
Leaving out doubts, she's moving closer. And in a foot away of his body she already feels — he is basically radiating heat. Almost like the Furnace her coworkers told her about.
“Hmm, is this his newfound ability or what?.. Interesting”
She reaches out her hand to touch — Dylan feels it right away and looks back giving her a surprised look. The girl freezes for a moment and then blurts out:
— Do you mind if I hug you? It's fucking cold in here.
Dylan squints in disbelief. Then reaches out to touch her hand. He flinches outright and backs off, blinking in astonishment. Not just cold, dead cold. Her skin bites like dry ice.
— So... - he starts tentatively.
— Yep, the Snow Queen I am, - Zoe cuts him off and smiles wryly, almost insulted by the distrust. But she gets it.
— Okay, - Dylan's answer is short and clear, as he turns around and lies down again.
Zoe watches his shoulders getting tense, awaiting for her touch. And she doesn't care anymore. She needs this. All the warmth she can get.
Hugging him from behind she nuzzles between his shoulder blades and it feels like home. Breathing in the smell of sweat, metal and leather.
"Does his back has always been so wide?" - flashes through her dozing off mind.
Then the wave of intense warmth washes over her, dragging girl into sleep in a blink of an eye.
<....>
Hard to say how long they've got to sleep — time is a joke in here — but Zoe feels surprisingly rested and refreshed. For the first time in ages.
Warm and soft mattress under her feels so cozy that she doesn't want to ever get up. Opening her eyes Zoe sees not what she expected to — Dylan's face is so close that she's feeling his hot breath now. And the mattress seems to be not a mattress at all. She can feel his chest going up and down steadily under hers.
Motionless in awe, Zoe doesn't miss the chance to observe the details: the long lashes, the freckles, the fading scar across the bridge of his nose, the wrinkles on the forehead, the moles at his eyebrow and under the eye. And the specks of blood scattered across his cheek, the ones he forgot to wipe off. Or didn't care enough.
Dylan is so deeply asleep that the weight of the girl’s body and her gaze doesn't disturb him at all.
Meanwhile Zoe feels her face inevitably blushing to the tips of her ears. Now she’s awake enough to release everything. Now she has to get up.
The next moment she feels something warm weighted onto her back. His hands are wrapping around her, squeezing tight. Leaving no room for retreat. Damn, damn, damn!
Restrained, Zoe sighs and rests her head back on his chest. She closes her eyes and smiles mischievously, anticipating his reaction when Dylan finally wakes up.