Archive of Our Own

20… 30… 40… 50…. 56.

Alyosha sat back in his chair, biting his inner cheek as he counted his mora. He had promised his partners he would be able to join them for dinner over the weekend, wanting to be the one to pay for it. Alyosha was not the type to rely heavily on others, so it always left such a sour feeling in his stomach whenever the others bought things for him or took care of him. He let his fingers run across the top of the mora, feeling the bumps and engravings. 

I’ll just have to budget this week.

Alyosha would never admit it, but he often felt like he didn’t pull his own weight in their relationship. He was often out on a ‘hunt’, far away from Sheznograd. It didn’t help that he lived in Sretomorozsk, a whole hour's train ride from the main city. If he could even afford the ticket. Working part-time at the theater covered his rent, while his ‘hunts’ didn’t often pay much and covered the rest of his expenses. Living with such insecure jobs often meant Alyosha had to budget, had to spend most of his days working for little reward.

He was dragged out of his thoughts by a knock on the door, Vodyanitsa poking her head into the prop room. The theater was busy preparing for her show later in the week, while Alyosha’s thoughts were still on the dinner to celebrate. If his manager had noticed his dazed expression, he never commented.

Vodyanitsa stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She had such a bright grin on her face, eyes darting as Alyosha did his best ot hide the money he was counting. “Alyosha! I was wondering where you were! Odette just left, and I was getting soooo bored.” The girl pranced her way over to Alyosha, who took her into his arms. He wasn’t the biggest fan of physical contact, but she was. Alyosha would forever let himself be uncomfortable if it meant that Vodyanitsa still had that bright, beautiful smile on her face.

“Odette left?” He looked at the door; she was never in one place for too long, trained by years of working for the Fatui and the Rokot.

“Mhmmmm,” Vodyanitsa dragged out the syllable. “I’m so mad at her! She promised she would be here for longer, but due to her HORRIBLE scheduling, she forgot she needed to go to Glupov! Can you believe it?” The water spirit twirled out of Alyosha’s arms, taking a seat on the couch where Tugarin was dozing. The dog perked up the second he realized she was there, snuggling into the girl's thigh and barking. 

“HI Tugarin! All sleepy? Such a good boy!” Vodyanitsa praised the dog as she giggled, petting his favorite spot behind his ears. Alyosha felt his heart swell at her sweet tone. 

He approached the couch, wiping his hands on his shirt. They felt clammy with sweat. “He’s been moping all day. We’ve been cooped up in here, preparing for your show.”

Vodyanitsa sighed, her head falling back. Alyosha loved how expressive his girl was, how she controlled a room with every sigh and laugh that fell from those lips. “I swear- this show is running us all dry! My voice is going to crack mid-performance if I don’t warm up properly, but I NEVER have time to practice!” She whined.

“You’d probably have more time if you stopped lounging in Odette’s green room all day.” He reached forward to gently tuck a green strand of hair behind her ear.

“I do not! And just so you know, I do practice in there!” Vodyanitsa blushed, turning her head away. “I- I just like hanging around Odette. You do too!”

Alyosha laughed at her flush, his hand coming out to gently trace her cheek. “You’re gonna do great on Saturday. You are the Prima Soprano of the troupe.”

Vodyanista preened at the praise, lighting up and smiling. “Alyosha, you’re too kind.” She giggled softly, making room for him to sit on the couch. The hunter sat down, reaching over to pet his dog’s back. “When do you get off?” Vodyanitsa leaned over, resting her head on her partner’s shoulder.

“10,” Alyosha responded, rubbing her arm with his calloused hands.

The girl sighed, shutting her eyes. “That’s so lateee! Are you going back to Sretomorozsk tonight?” 

Alyosha thought for a moment. He needed to make his way back home soon; he needed to stock up on supplies. He also knew that he had enough to make it through a few more jobs and could spend tonight out on ‘hunts’. Most animals were still hiding away due to the blizzard, so he’d have to focus on finding things to pawn and auction off. “Yeah, I’m going to head that way.”

Vodyanitsa’s brow furrowed, and she shook her head. “The trains stop running at 10! You’re not going to walk all the way home! You won't get home till.. Like midnight!” She nuzzled her head into Alyosha’s chest, hiding her face. All of his partners loved how warm Alyosha was. He was like a walking Kresnik’s torch.

“I’ll make sure to run, then.” Alyosha let out a small smile. He wasn’t the most expressive; usually, his face was blank, and his tone was calm or sarcastic. He wouldn’t tell Vodyanitsa that he wasn’t planning on going home tonight, not wanting to worry the water imp. She would worry to the point that her head exploded, and then she would whine about it to Odette, who would tell Mitya, and- there goes his plans to treat them on Saturday.

Vodyanitsa ran her hands over Alyosha’s muscles, defined from years of working as a hunter. Alyosha wasn’t a big guy. He wasn’t tall, wasn’t as defined as someone from the armored palace would be. He was shorter than Mitya, which the older never shut up about, but had more muscle than the researcher due to their respective jobs.  “You better! And make sure to dress warm!” She smiled; Alyosha felt his gaze soften. “We don’t want you to get a cold before the big performance!”

Alyosha just shook his head. Out of the 4 of them, Vodyanitsa was the one who got sick the most. Her immune system was shit, and she often spent way too much time in freezing water. Even a water imp could only take so much. Alyosha never got that sick- maybe a sniffle or a light fever- but he knew how to take care of illness. In the wild, being sick could mean life or death.

“I’ll be fine, Vodyanitsa.”

Alyosha was not fine. He hadn’t slept for more than an hour last night, and the night before, he had eaten only twice, and both times it was a small meal of whatever scraps he couldn’t sell for mora. While Alyosha’s diet was always unbalanced, primarily consisting of meat, he usually ate better than this. He was in Sheznograd to sell his meat and pelts from his hunts, and would have to stop for a quick and cheap meal, if he even had the time. Work at the theater started in an hour; he still had to visit Zolnyy and sell off his hunt, then walk all the way to the theater. 

With quick steps, Alyosha hurried towards a butcher. A deer carcass was heavy on his back, wrapped up in a blanket so as not to bother the civilians. Tugarin followed closely, the dog happy to be in the city again. Tugarin honestly just loved all the attention he got; children would run up and give him pets and food scraps. He was so spoiled, but the dog deserved it for how hard he worked when he helped the hunter.

“Alyosha! Good morning!” Zyryanov yelled out, beckoning the man over. He was one of Alyosha’s usual buyers, the restaurant owner happy to take any meat off the hunter’s hands. “Got a good haul?” He asked, gesturing to the carcass on the smaller man’s back.

“Yeah- I’ve gotta take it to the butcher real quick, then the meat's all yours.” Alyosha smiled, nodding his head as he continued to walk through Zolnyy. There weren’t many people out and about; it was before noon, and people were more likely to stay inside due to the morning cold.

After a long, too long, stop at the butcher, Alyosha was able to get the deer cut up and sold off. Usually, he did the butchering by himself; it was much cheaper, but it took more time than just getting it done in Zolnyy. That’s what Alyosha didn’t have: time. There were only 20 minutes left before his shift started, not enough time to get food and run to the theater. 

Alyosha could work on an empty stomach.

He set off towards the theater, keeping his steps quick. Tugarin led, already knowing where they were going. He was a smart dog; Alyosha just wished he took to his training better. It’s been a month, and he still couldn’t count to 10. 

“Where are you off to?” Alyosha paused when he heard a familiar voice. Valeriy. If Valeriy was nearby, that meant-

“Can’t you let me take my break early?” A nervous voice filled Alyosha’s ears, and he slowed to a stop to look around the corner. Valeriy and Mitya. You could never find Mitya without Valeriy close behind, and it wasn’t because they were friends. Mitya often complained about how overbearing Valeriy was sometimes, even though it was his job. ‘He’s always RIGHT THERE! Can’t a guy go enjoy his girlfriend’s beautiful show WITHOUT getting yelled at?’ Alyosha had to hold back a small laugh at the sound of his boyfriend’s voice in his mind.

“You’ve taken 2 breaks today, and it’s only noon.”

“Those weren’t breaks! A man can only do so much thinking when he’s in one place for too long. I’ve gotta get out and get some inspiration sometimes!” Mitya laughed, and his voice got closer to Alyosha. The hunter hid out of sight. If Mitya noticed him, he would definitely be late for work. 

“You didn’t get any work done.” Valeriy sighed, his voice also getting closer. “You need to get back to work.” Alyosha knew Valeriy wasn’t a bad guy. He made sure Mitya was taken care of, made sure he did his work, and made sure that his work didn’t kill him. Alyosha didn’t exactly dislike Valeriy, but he didn’t like how overbearing he was towards Mitya. He didn’t let the guy rest and always wanted him to be thinking. 

Mitya and Valeriy rounded the corner, and Mitya’s eyes immediately met Alyosha’s. Shit.

“Alyosha?” He lit up like a bulb, running up to his boyfriend and pulling him into a hug. They hadn’t seen each other since their last date on Saturday, and it was now Wednesday. Going that long without seeing his boyfriend made Mitya go insane. “I thought you were in Sretomoroszk!”

“I’ve got work at noon.” Alyosha let himself melt into Mitya’s embrace, and he felt a certain scarf come up and rub at his neck. “You’re going to Vodyanitsa’s show on Saturday, right?”

“Yep! I’ve got a ticket and everything.” He smiled, leaning down to gently peck Alyosha’s lips. Vodyanitsa and Odette always offered Mitya better seats, but he always insisted on buying his own ticket, stating, ‘I want to support my girls!’ Alyosha loved how encouraging Mitya was.

“You’re on your way to work? Let me come with.” Mitya gently caressed Alyosha’s cheek, tracing his freckles. 

“I’m going to be late.” The hunter frowned, looking at the time on a clock nearby.

Mitya frowned, noticing the dark circles under Alyosha’s eyes. They stood close to each other; Mitya could feel the younger’s breathing and heart beating. “When was the last time you got proper sleep?” The researcher asked, brushing Alyosha’s hair back. Tugarin jumped at their legs, wanting to be petted. 

“Last night.” Alyosha was quick to respond, wanting to shut down Mitya’s worry. 

Mitya just nodded his head and sighed. He adjusted their positions, hiding behind Alyosha as if he wasn’t the taller one. “Can you tell Valeriy that it’s time for me to take my break? It is lunchtime.” He let his tone fill with that usual boyish charm.

Valeriy just shook his head, letting out a quiet mumble. “I will go pick you up at 12:30.” He turned to leave towards the Armory Palace. “Alyosha, it was good to see you.” He nodded at the hunter before leaving.

Alyosha watched him go, and he let Mitya grab his arm and lead him towards the theater. Mitya always had to have his hands on his partners, whether it was touching their arms, hands, or the small of their backs; he was such a hands-on person. Alyosha hated and loved it. He felt his skin prickle whenever one of his partners touched him, but he also felt the warmth bloom in his chest. There was no winning.

“Are you excited for the show?” Mitya asked, filling their walk with conversation. He and Vodyanitsa were the talkers of the four. Odette was quiet, preferring to watch rather than speak. Alyosha wasn’t as quiet as she was, but he was not on the same level as Vodyanitsa and Mitya.

The smaller nodded his head, watching as Tugarin ran ahead to lead the way. 

Mitya kept his eyes on his boyfriend, gaze wandering over the pale skin, flushed cheeks, and beautiful eyes. Alyosha was as beautiful as the snow blanketing Sheznaya; his partners always made sure he knew that. 

Out of the four of them, people expect Mitya and Alyosha to get along the least. Mitya had a horrible work ethic, spent most of his time slacking or dozing off, and was a freaking energy scientist. Alyosha was hardworking, headstrong, and a hunter. There's a saying across Teyvat: Opposites Attract. Alyosha felt that was the perfect way to describe him and Mitya.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, only broken up by Tugarin’s barks and whines. When they got to the theater, Alyosha was already 10 minutes late. His manager would chew him out for it, but he would be late a thousand times over if it meant he got to spend more time with his partner.

“I have to go,” Alyosha said as they made it to the split in the hallway backstage. “Odette or Vodyanitsa should be in there,” he said, pointing to their green room. 

Just as Alyosha was about to walk away, Mitya pulled him back and into a sweet, soft kiss. “Can’t forget about my goodbye.” He laughed, pecking Alyosha’s cheek. Alyosha flushed and disappeared into his room, not without giggling at Vodyanitsa’s shriek when Mitya went into their room. 

“MITYA!!! KNOCK NEXT TIME!” The girl’s yells got quieter as he got further away. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY MANAGERRRR!”

There was a quiet knock at the door. Alyosha looked up to see Odette entering the room. The show was tomorrow; Vodyanitsa was busy preparing and resting her voice; Mitya was getting as much work done as he could so he could take more time off, and Odette had just gotten back from an overnight Fatui mission. Alyosha had worked himself to the bone this past week. He had slept a total of 3 hours, eaten a total of 3 times, and once almost passed out due to the cold. It was worth it, however. He had made enough to cover this month's rent and take his partners out to a meal after the show.

“Odette?” He spoke quietly, knowing the girl preferred it when he was soft-spoken. 

“I hope you’re not too busy.” The ballerina carefully entered the room, her steps quiet, soft from years of training in dance and the Fatui. “I have a gap in my schedule and…” She pulled a small box of food out from behind her back. “Can I eat in here?”

Alyosha looked at her with a soft stare, his gaze knowing. Alyosha was bad at remembering to eat. He had a bad diet and oftentimes was hounded by his partners to eat properly. Odette was different. Years of being a dancer made her conscious about what she put into her body. She only ate really small portions and made herself sick whenever she felt she ate too much. It was worrying. It was like eating took just as much effort as dance or the Fatui did.

“Of course.” Alyosha moved over to make room for her on the couch. He was fixing a prop that would be needed for the show tomorrow.

Odette approached, carefully sitting down and fixing her skirt. She wasn’t nervous, nor timid. The ballerina was the opposite of timid. Alyosha had never seen her frightened, had only seen her upset a handful of times, and had only seen her cry once, shortly after her mother was injured. She was composed, calm, quiet. Odette observed; she waited to act till the right moment.

“What are you eating?” Alyosha asked. When it was the two of them, he was the one who made conversation.

Odette opened the box, pulling out a small tray of vegetables and some bread. It was a light meal, one that wouldn’t make her bloat. “Just something small. I’m not really hungry.” She leaned against the back of the couch, her posture as straight as a proper dancer’s should be.

Alyosha nodded, his eyes still on the prop. The more he paid attention to her food, the more conscious she would be about it, and Alyosha needed her to eat. It was hypocritical and ironic, but Alyosha always worried his partners didn’t eat enough or take care of themselves, though they all worried the same for him.

The room was quiet as Alyosha worked and Odette ate. She took a moment between each bite, inspecting it and picking apart her food like a puzzle. Alyosha let out a soft noise in pain when he sliced his finger on the prop, standing to grab a bandage. Odette watched, her frown soft. “You’ve been dazed recently. Is something going on?” She asked, adjusting so he could sit back down next to her.

“I’m alright.” Alyosha shut down her worry, but even he knew it wouldn’t work. Odette worried, and she worried hard. Having such a spacey boyfriend and an energetic girlfriend caused that. She didn’t know what they did when she was away on Fatui missions, didn’t know if they took proper care of themselves. 

“Have you eaten?” Odette asked, carefully touching his arm. Odette knew of Alyosha’s issues surrounding touch. She knew he preferred it to be on his arms rather than anywhere else. 

“Yes.” The lie fell from his lips as if it were a feather in the sky, settling between them, resting on a tightrope, ready to fall at any moment.

Odette knew he was lying. You couldn’t lie to not only a member of the Fatui and heir to the name of ‘The Fair Lady’, but also Lelek of the Rokot. Odette had told this lie a thousand times before, and the feather fell from the rope.

“When?”

“Earlier, I hunted a rabbit and shared it with Tugarin.” At the sound of his name, the dog perked up before settling once more.

“Alyosha,” Odette whispered, her tone breaking his facade. “Please.”

“I know.” He nodded his head. “After work, alright?’

If Odette noticed his lie, she didn’t say anything.

The performance was beautiful. Vodyanitsa’s voice carried the allure of a siren, pulling people in and holding them there. Alyosha could listen to her sing for the rest of his life. He would be happy if the only music he had ever heard had the cadence of her voice.

“You did amazing, Vodyanitsa!” Mitya ran into the green room, pulling his girlfriend into a warm hug. Vodyanitsa squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Odette and Alyosha followed the researcher into the room.

“It was beautiful,” said Odette, who walked over and kissed her cheek. Vodyanitsa preened under her lovers.

Alyosha nodded along, standing nearby. He stood close enough that he felt a part of the group, but far enough that he didn’t feel overwhelmed by their heat. He wasn’t feeling too well. His head was pounding, and his stomach hurt with nausea. He couldn’t sleep last night, tossing and turning in pain, so he instead exhausted himself on a hunt. He just hoped it didn’t show on his face.

“Can we go to Podvorye Restaurant?!” Vodyanitsa twirled out of their arms and into Alyosha’s, who caught her with a gentle kiss. Her wandering fingers tickled at his sides, and he pulled away, colliding with Mitya. It was a proper group hug, all four of them intertwined. “I could really go for some ice cream!” She spoke in a sing-song voice, nuzzling into Alyosha’s neck. “Mmm… you should too.. You’re so warm.” 

Alyosha just nodded, rubbing her back. His other hand intertwined with Odette’s, who rubbed at his knuckles. Mitya’s hands were wandering, caressing his back and waist. Alyosha couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. His head started to hurt even harder.

The four set off for the restaurant after bundling up. It was snowing hard out, akin to a blizzard. Alyosha felt his heart swoon at the sight of his partners with snowflakes in their hair and kissing their eyelashes. They always said he was beautiful, but Alyosha only saw true beauty when he was looking at his partners.

“Ohhh!” Vodyanitsa’s voice cut into Alyosha’s thoughts, and he looked at his girlfriend. She was whispering something to Mitya, their hands intertwined. They were swinging them back and forth; if they swung any harder, they would hit Odette, who was standing close to Alyosha. The dancer was keeping an eye on the hunter, her gaze knowing. She knew what it was like to work yourself into sickness and exhaustion. She knew what it was like to starve yourself into nausea.

Alyosha hated that she knew.

“Odette?” Alyosha gently took her hand, warming her cold fingers with his own warm ones. “You’re staring at me.” He let a soft laugh fill his voice.

“I know,” Odette responded, and that was that. The pair was quiet the rest of the walk, listening to their partners whisper back and forth.

The restaurant was warm, and Alyosha draped his coat over the back of his chair. Mitya demanded that he pull out all of his partner’s chairs, but Alyosha got to it first, pulling out the four of them as he walked around the table. Mitya gawked and laughed, his scarf coming up to hit him on the head.

“I’ll order us drinks,” Alyosha said, kissing the crown of Vodyanitsa’s head before going over to the counter. He leaned against the wood, and the bartender approached.

“I’ll have two glasses of fire-water, a glass of red wine, and a water, please.” He ordered, watching as the bartender got their drinks. The fire-water was for him and Mitya, who didn’t really need the alcohol but would whine if he didn’t drink. The red wine was for Vodyanitsa, who preferred it over white wine because white wine tasted weird. The water was for Odette; she wasn’t a drinker and preferred to wash her meal down with something light. “Also, can you bring me the bill?” He asked when he was handed the different glasses. The bartender nodded, and Alyosha went back to their table.

He set down the different drinks, receiving several thank-yous. “Alyosha, you know us all so well.” Mitya smiled, drinking his fire-water. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you were stalking us to know our drink orders; you’d be able to with your hunting skills.” He joked, his foot rubbing Alyosha’s ankle under the table.

“I’d think I would know if he was stalking us,” Odette said softly, smiling at Vodyanitsa, who happily sipped at her wine.

“He wouldn’t need to stalk us; you always complain when you don’t drink with a meal!” The water spirit laughed. “Oh.. I wish I had some beer with this meat… Ohhh…wine would taste so good with this cheese.’” Vodyanitsa changed her voice in an attempt to imitate Mitya, who flushed and laughed.

“Well, a good meal is always better with some alcohol.” He smiled, and his statement caused laughter to be shared around the table.

Alyosha rested his cheek on his fist, gazing at his three lovers. They made his heart swell with love. He didn’t know where he would be without them, probably buried 6 feet under the snow.

Odette said something that Vodyanitsa found absolutely hilarious before she started going off on a rant about an old man who wouldn’t stop complaining about her shows. Mitya laughed along, his hand intertwined with the singer’s. Alyosha listened along as best he could, but he felt his eyes drooping. Vodyanitsa noticed, and he felt her foot gently trace his under the table. She was checking in on him without making a scene, because she knew he didn’t like to be fretted over. Alyosha nodded and did his best to focus on the conversation.

When the food was placed in front of them, Alyosha felt his mouth water. He didn’t immediately go for the food; instead, he drank more of his drink, which made the nausea in his stomach worsen. The food wasn’t for him. He was treating his partners; they deserved the most. 

Mitya grabbed a plate and put it in front of Alyosha, then set some meat and vegetables on it. He then helped Vodyanitsa plate her own food and watched as Odette picked apart the meal and took the things she would like. He served himself last, and Alyosha frowned. He leaned forward to help.

“Mmmm! This looks so good!” Vodyanitsa sang, taking a bite and lighting up. “Alyosha! Try the meat!” 

Alyosha picked up his fork, and his hand trembled at the sight of the meat in front of him. The thought of eating made him feel nauseous. The thought of food mixing with his stomach acid made bile rise to the back of his throat, but he kept it down and took a small bite. It was good; yes, deer was one of Alyosha’s favorites. It gave a lot of meat when hunted, so he could sell most of it and still enjoy the scraps. “It’s good.” He nodded, hiding his nausea.

Odette ate quietly, each bite taking longer than the last. If Alyosha ate less than her, the others would surely notice and cause a scene. Odette knew this too, and was purposely pushing herself to make the hunter eat more. It made Alyosha’s heart swell with something he couldn’t place: worry and regret.

Mitya and Vodyanitsa got carried off in a conversation about Odette’s next performance, who was listening along and providing input when necessary. The conversation went on for a while before it turned to Alyosha. 

“So… how was your last hunt?” Mitya asked, carefully pulling Alyosha’s hand away from his face and rubbing away the redness it left. Alyosha had been dozing most of the conversation, and it was jarring to be woken.

He cleared his throat, sitting up straight. “It went fine. There was a group of thugs out by Sretomoroszk, and I cleaned them up before I went and got some rabbits.” He picked at his food and took a sip of his wine.

“When was this?” Odette asked. She knew that he had been too busy during the day to be going out on hunts, meaning he was doing his other work at night.

“Last ni-” Alyosha cut himself off. His partners weren’t stupid. Vodyanitsa and Odette weren’t scientists like Mitya, but they both were incredibly smart. Mitya was a literal energy researcher. If they knew he was out all night, they would immediately connect the dots and start questioning how he was taking care of himself. “Last week.” He lied.

“Mhmmm...” Vodyanitsa narrowed her gaze, looking at her lover with sharp eyes. “Then how come I saw you in Zolnyy this MORNING with some rabbits?” She questioned, poking his foot with hers.

“Old supply.” He shrugged, avoiding his partner's narrowing gazes. “Are we done eating?” He looked at their plates. Vodyanitsa and Mitya had finished their food; Odette did her best, and… Alyosha had only taken that one bite.

Mitya sighed and nodded, standing. He helped Vodyanitsa up and into her coat, while Odette was quick to get up and help Alyosha. He shook his head, dismissing her help, but she didn’t listen. Alyosha hated and loved her stubbornness.

Mitya went over to the counter, ready to pay their bill. The other three followed, and Alyosha bit his cheek. There was no longer a weight in his pocket from his mora, having paid before they all ate. When the bartender confirmed that, Mitya turned to Alyosha with narrow eyes, immediately connecting the dots.

They left the restaurant, and Alyosha did his best to get away before Mitya caught him. “Where’d you get the money from?” He asked, holding onto Alyosha’s waist. Alyosha felt his skin prickle at the touch. 

“I don't know what you’re talking about.” He tried to steer the conversation away, but Odette and Vodyanitsa approached. He was cornered, his partners like wild animals, ready to attack.

“That bill would’ve cost you a whole week's worth of work!” Vodyanitsa came up, her hands tickling at his sides, which he did his best to avoid. Her touch made him even more nauseous.

Odette didn’t touch him, and she gently held onto Vodyanitsa’s wrist to get her to stop. “Alyosha… is that why you’ve been working so hard?” She asked. “I saw you at Zolnyy the other day with some things to auction and some meat. You’ve been there every morning, I asked Zyryanov.”

“You’ve been working at the theater every day! You wouldn’t have had the time to hunt… unless it was at night.” Vodyanitsa nuzzled his neck; her nose was so cold.

“Have you been sleeping… at all?” Mitya asked, keeping his voice quiet. He gently caressed Alyosha’s waist, his scarf coming up to pet his cheek.

“Or eating?” Odette asked, which made Alyosha glare. She should not be talking about bad eating habits.

Alyosha sighed. He was caught, and there was no reason to fight back. No matter how stubborn he was, his partners were 10 times worse. “I wanted to treat you guys today. You three always pay when we go out; hell, Mitya, you pay for my gun repairs when I can’t, Vodyanitsa, you buy Tugarin’s food when I can't, and Odette, you always make sure my winter gear is repaired… I wanted to do this for you three.” He rambled, his cheeks pinking. “So I took up extra work at night and… skipped out on meals.” It felt nice to get it off his chest, but at the same time, he didn’t want to tell them. They would worry, they would fret over him; they didn’t need to.

“Oh, baby…” Vodyanitsa whined, holding onto him tightly. “We love paying for you! We can pay for you!”

Mitya nodded, gently leading the four of them towards Odette’s place, as it was the closest. “I’ve got way too much money for just me. I want to spend it on you three.”

Odette was silent, her gaze on Alyosha’s stomach. She wouldn’t be able to tell through his coat, but she knew he had been thinner lately. Odette noticed everything about her partners, her gaze always so observant.

When they got inside, they all helped each other out of their outdoor clothes and sat next to the warm fire. Alyosha was in Mitya’s arms, with his legs on Vodyanitsa’s lap, who was snuggled into Odette. They were cuddled so close that the fire felt 10 times hotter than it actually was. It made Alyosha’s hot skin burn to the touch. Mitya noticed and frowned. “You’ve got a fever.” He mumbled, pushing back Alyosha’s sweaty hair.

“Nuhuh…” He mumbled, hiding his face.

“Alyoshaaaa!” Vodyanitsa whined. “You’ve gotta stop working yourself sick! Especially not for something like paying for our meal! I wanna pay for it!”

“It makes me happy knowing I can provide for you three…” Alyosha sighed.

“And you do! You let us stay in your cabin when we are in Sretomoroszk; you always go into battle first, even if you’re fighting with Odette! You always make sure I don’t overwork my voice and bring me herbal tea when I don’t feel good! You help Mitya write down his thoughts so he doesn’t forget them, and stitch the holes in his scarf when it snags. You provide for us in so many ways…” Vodyanitsa rambled, rubbing at his ankles.

“She’s right, Alyosha,” Odette spoke, bringing her hand up and gently touching his forehead. It was soothing, her hands cold with her Cryo energy. “You provide for us the most.”

Alyosha sighed and hid his face again. Mitya let out a soft laugh and pushed his hair back so Odette could soothe his fever. “Let us take care of you.”

It was snowing outside when Alyosha woke up, but he didn’t feel the chill at all. His throat felt clammy, and he could go for a cigarette to soothe it. He felt warm, incredibly warm. Vodyanitsa was sleeping on his chest, Odette tucked into his side, who was being held by Mitya. Alyosha wouldn’t get up. He didn’t need to. Sleep would soothe his throat, and his partners would keep the chill away. They would always provide for him, and he would provide for them in return.