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Your teeth chatter as you finally get past the wooden door of Alyosha's house, leaving the frigid blizzard outside. Snow clings to the fabric of your hood and coat; it will soon melt in the warmth from the Kreshnik Kristal burning in the small furnace. Your limbs still feel frozen, cheeks and nose flushed from the bitter cold. Tugarin funnels between Alyosha's legs as they enter the home with you, tracking in some snow that would soon turn into a puddle.
"Ah, Tugarin, don't shake!" The dog shakes the remaining snow off its fur, flinging it onto both you and Alyosha. He sighs, ensuring the door is shut tight to keep the cold out. "We made a mess while rushing in here..." He complains, brushing the fuzzy hood off his head to rest on his back. Alyosha seemed almost unfazed by the cold— his experience as a hunter has helped him build up a resistance to the Snezhnayan cold— but you don't miss his frost-bitten cheeks and shivering breath.
"I'll help you clean it up, we should've dusted off outside before we came in." His honey eyes land on your shivering form as you offer assistance, but he quickly shakes his head, approaching you. "No, I'd rather you warm up." His gloved hands brush the snow off your shoulders with a firm swipe. "This snow is nothing for me. You, however... Please go sit in front of the furnace." The tone of his voice holds an affection you may never have heard before. His hands rest on your shoulders, and you can't help but pause and stare at his face. He was so kind and extremely giving— always putting the ones he cares about first.
With a nod, you turn to the warm light emitting from the furnace and make your way over. You can hear Alyosha behind you sweeping up the powdery snow, shuffling the pile out through the smallest crack of the open door possible. Tugarin trots up next to you as you hold your hands in front of the fire, sniffing you for a moment before he decides to sit and bask in the warmth with you. Soon, the intensity of being out in the blizzard calms, and you come to your senses.
Alyosha creeps into your mind during the silence. A kind and hardworking man, one you wholly trust. Hes a talented hunter, and he has compassion for those around him, like a burning flame. You've grown close with him since you arrived in Snezhnaya; he offered you help when you needed it most, and now you've been tagging along with him ever since.
Every time you accompany him when he goes hunting, you're always impressed not only by his rifle skills but also by his communication and teamwork with Tugarin. He and the adorable dog are inseparable, and after he told you the story about when he first found his fuzzy companion, it only made you realize that his kindness is not something he uses to gain the upper hand, but rather an extension of his heart. He does whatever it takes to make ends meet, constantly taking up random jobs at the Korolevskiy Theater to gain a bit of extra mora, just to give it to those who need it most. You can't help but admire him— he's worked so hard and done so many good things. And not to mention, he certainly has a pretty face.
You're torn from your thoughts when the man you've been daydreaming about sits down on the floor next to you, closer than you thought. He sat with one knee up, his other leg resting on the floor as he absorbed the heat from the furnace. You glance over at him, watching the warm, flickering light bounce off his rosy cheeks and amber eyes. With reluctance, you turn your gaze back to the soothing firelight, curling your shoulders in to preserve heat.
Unbeknownst to you, you had leaned closer to Alyosha while your mind wandered off, your shoulder brushing his a few times before you noticed. The warmth that was shared with the touches made you want to cuddle up to his side— but now's not the most appropriate time— not when your mind has been occupied by him these last few weeks.
"There's no harm in huddling up for warmth." You turn to him, finding that he's already looking at you; his expression is soft with gentle eyes. "Kreshnik is limited, but I still want to keep you warm." You feel his arm around your back, pulling you by the shoulder into his side. Almost instantly, you could feel his body heat seeping into you. He was so warm, like a furnace of his own.
With the added proximity, your faces were close enough that you could count the freckles scattered on his cheeks. You both held eye contact for a moment longer than it should've lasted, watching his gaze flicker lower to your lips before turning back to the furnace. "Mh. You're warm." You state quietly as you snuggle a little closer, leaning your body weight into him. He happily obliges, his arm around your back holding you a little tighter than before. His familiar scent is stronger now, woody and earthy tones accompanied by a permanent scent of cold air.
Alyosha chuckles at your statement, and you can feel the way his chest vibrates with laughter. "I run warm. Helps me with the cold quite well." You hum in acknowledgement, a comfortable silence falling over you both.
Like clockwork, your mind wanders back to him, only this time, you can't stop thinking about how he initiated contact with you. And it wasn't something as simple as earlier, when he brushed the snow off your shoulders; instead, he pulled you close to him to keep you warm. You've already forgotten about the cold that still lingers in your limbs, too focused on soaking up the feeling of his arm around you, and your sides pressed together, flush.
You're only taken out of your thoughts when he rubs your shoulder gently, falling into a slow rhythm. His touch is so gentle and warm that you can feel his deft, meticulous manner through it alone. Exhaustion catches up to you; finally becoming warm after freezing all day makes you drowsy. Your head slowly falls forward before you catch yourself dozing off, jolting back upright. Alyosha's hand around your shoulder pulls you the slightest bit closer.
Instantly, you perk up and get reminded of the proximity. You think about how hes keeping you close, making sure you're pressed against him so you can feed off his warmth. Before you know it, you're dozing off again, your head drooping towards him as sleep starts to overtake your senses. His soft, faded hair brushes against your cheeks as your head bumps into his— once again, you jump awake to prevent yourself from crashing into him.
"You tired?" Alyosha's gentle voice calls out as you turn to lock eyes. He can tell you're about to pass out any minute now. "Yeah. Sorry— I'm dozing off." He only shakes his head, his hand rubbing your shoulder before he rises to his feet. His touch lingers on your body; the lack of his warmth makes you wish to fall right back into his arms. You look up at him from the floor to find his gloved hand outstretched for you. "Head to bed. I'm gonna clean up a few things, but you don't need to wait for me."
You place your hand in his, and he helps you rise to your feet. "You always have something to do... You're sure I can't help?" You ask, noticing the way his hand lingered in your grasp for a moment longer than necessary, watching as he pulled away and walked over to his desk cluttered with a few random things. "Don't worry about it— I've got it all covered. You just get your pretty little self to bed, yeah?" You can feel your neck and cheeks warm from his endearing words, but you're quick to listen— almost embarrassingly so. "Ah, okay."
So, you spend a few minutes shedding the outer layers of your attire. Gloves, a thick coat, and snow boots, leaving you in the inner layers of your outfit. As you're pulling the thick blankets back from Alyosha's bed, you're brought back to the first time you slept here. It was embarrassing—he offered you the bed and chose to sleep on a blanket on the floor. You fought with him for longer than necessary, scooting over and giving him space to get into the narrow bed next to you. His explanation for refusing was to keep you comfortable; he was worried that being so close would not be as comfortable or suitable. Though when he finally caved and laid next to you, facing away, he realized that all his concerns were for nothing, as you both woke up feeling refreshed and well-rested.
You smile as you slide into the sheets. Hes so kind, always respectful, and such a sweetheart. The blankets were cold to the touch, and sent a small shiver through you as you laid down, pulling this thick quilt up to your chin.
As you lay, your eyes wandered to Alyosha, who was busy turning off lamps, making sure Tugarin was all set for the night, and removing his outerwear. You turned on your side to face his back— he was pulling his leather gloves off and setting them on the shelf, following his hood and navy coat. You force your eyes to stay open despite the sleep tugging at them— you want to watch him a little while longer. He was handsome, terribly so... every glance made your heart rate spike.
He steps out of his boots and his thick winter trousers, rummaging about in a drawer to change into some softer pajama pants. Even in the darkness of the home, you watch his idle movements. You can tell hes tired, stumbling over his feet as he pulls the warm pants over his ankles and up to his hips. He leaves his black turtleneck sweater on; even with the furnace going, it gets freezing cold at night. When Alyosha turns around, your eyes meet his.
"You left your earmuffs on." Your voice is weak with sleep, breathy, and barely audible as you fight the desire to shut your eyes. He chuckles, hands coming up to remove the fuzzy earmuffs from his head. "You've been watching me change?" His tone is teasing and lighthearted; you only bristle and pull the blanket higher, humming.
After tossing the earmuffs aside, he exits your vision as he comes around the side of the bed. Tension pulls at the blanket as he slips into bed, his weight dipping into the mattress. It was awfully intimate—for two friends, that is. You could feel his presence at your back, and you swear you could feel the warmth radiating from him as he adjusted with a sigh.
Your eyes finally close, and you can't help but wish to feel his embrace again. Even if you only experienced it for give or take ten minutes, you already find yourself addicted to the warmth and softness of him against you. You reminisce about the firmness of his grip, the way his hand rubbed your shoulder so affectionately—is this how Alyosha is with everyone? Does everyone get the snow brushed off their hair by him? Do they get compliments that warm you faster than Kreshnik Kristal? Does he let just anyone snuggle with Tugarin?
The overthinking melts your brain, and you sigh as you sink your head further into the pillow. It smells like him, like the plain soap he uses—even with generic shampoo, his hair is still soft and fluffy. The relationship between you and Alyosha is something that makes you ponder your life decisions. You guys are close, close enough to share food, a bed, and clothes sometimes, even body heat... But not close enough to reach out and stroke his handsome face, not close enough to give in to your desires and press your lips against his—how cruel.
You've been wracking your brain so much through the exhaustion that you're now dreaming of him; his arms wrap so tenderly around your waist as his chest presses to your back, knees slotting against yours as his nose finds the nape of your neck. His fluffy hair tickles your neck as his warm breath puffs against your skin; it all felt so real, so warm.
"Comfortable?" Alyosha's raspy yet soft voice reaches your ears, only for you to realize that you were not stuck in dreamland but rather woken from sleep. Your eyes flutter open, and you glance down to find his arm strung over your waist. This was all real; he felt so incredibly warm, pressed to your back, so firm behind you as his arm held you tight. All you can do is let out a soft breath and nod.
"Good." His voice trails off quietly, the sound dissipating into the dark room. Amidst your half-asleep mind, your hand searches and rests on his arm, keeping him tucked close to you. He nuzzles his nose into your neck, lips brushing over the skin delicately. "I'm not leaving." He mumbles the reassurance, his leg hooking over yours. "I'm right where I wanna be."