💖Solemn Love Together💖

A Little Ingenuity

You were right about things getting colder at a rapid rate. While still out collecting data with Kite, cold had turned to freezing and snow soon fell around the area your camp was in. The entire remaining week of the expedition had you doing your work in the fresh powdery snow, which made things admittedly a little more difficult. Every hour chilled you to the bone and forced you to use all your mental strength to ignore the feeling of snow down your boots for the sake of the data. It was necessary.

But, you eventually became fed up. On the last day of your stay out in the woods, you stayed out a little longer than usual to ensure all your stats were accurate. It was dark and only your headlamp provided you with light, so you didn't see it coming. The weight of the snow on the branches above you had grown too heavy, and eventually a mound of snow plummeted down on top of you. Your clothes were filled with it, and the weight had knocked you down into another fresh pile of snow. Cold was an understatement for how you felt. You were downright pissed, and frozen, several curse words leaving your mouth as you stomped back to camp.

You trudged through heaps of snow to get back, shaking as much of it off of you once you had finally returned. The tent was then rather aggressively unzipped by your hand once you were done, which startled Kite who was sitting inside peacefully. He was about to question what had made you so upset, but quickly understood why you were in distress once you started taking your clothes off.

Despite having shaken off as much snow as you could before coming inside, there was still an astronomical amount of it inside your jacket and shirt; hell, even in your pants. Every layer of clothing you peeled off had a new pile of snow to go with it. It was honestly alarming how much snow came out, and Kite watched you in shock. Once stripped down to a sports bra and shorts you flung your damp clothes into the corner, heaved the snow back outside, and zipped up the tent again all in one swift movement. Then with a huff you turned to Kite and threw yourself at him with an annoyed whine, now shivering in his lap.

"I fucking hate the snow." You mumbled into his chest, squeezing him tightly to sap up all his warmth.

"So I can see. You got hit with the falloff from a tree, didn't you?" He asked while pulling the sleeping bag up to cover you.

You nodded against his chest, and he chuckled. He wrapped his arms around you and hugged you tight for comfort, easing your shivers away.

"We go home tomorrow morning. I'll get you out of this cold soon, love." He hummed.

"I don't know how you do it sometimes. How in the hell do you withstand that awful wind?" You questioned.

Kite coaxed you to lift your head from his chest with a finger, kissing you once you did. He was abnormally warm for once, and you loved it. You practically melted into him, absorbing his warmth gratefully.

"I've slept outside without a home for years. I'm a little used to it." He said.

"Absolutely maddening." You muttered.

"Perhaps a little." He chuckled. "But, by the sound of it, it seems that the wind has died down a little now. Would you want to go out and see the stars one more time before the truck comes to pick us up in the morning?"

"No. Too cold." You said stubbornly, nuzzling your head right back into the crook of his beck.

"Mmm, what about if I made it warm enough for you?" He offered.

"And how in the hell do you plan on doing that?" You scoffed.

"Wait and see." He winked, gently shifting you out of his lap. "Put on your spare clothes and give me a moment. No peeking~"

You were upset to no longer be in his embrace, but your curiosity kept you at ease. Whatever he was gonna do intrigued you, so you held tight to his sleeping bag while he grabbed a stack of blankets packed just in case and took them outside with him. You had no idea why, but he said no peeking, so you occupied your time with dressing yourself again and sealing in your stolen warmth.

As time passed you heard branches snapping, a fire starting, and things scratching against the tent. Now you really wanted to know what he was doing. You maintained your position though and patiently waited for his okay. After twenty minutes of hearing all those mysterious sounds, silence came again, and then he called out to you.

"You can come out now."

Cautiously you crawled over to the door and unzipped the tent expecting a cold wind to greet you. It didn't though, and you found yourself met with warm air and a pleasant sight. Blankets extended out from the tent and to surrounding trees supported by sticks and twine, creating a little fort of sorts that held in the warmth of the fire that burned. There was a small hole in the top of the structure to allow smoke to escape, and you could see the stars through it as well. It was a perfect dome of warmth cleared of snow. Kite sat beside the fire waiting for you, a warm smile on his face and marshmallows slowly roasting on sticks in front of him.

"How...?" You said quietly.

"A little ingenuity is all it takes." He said.

"You really are something else." You huffed, fully leaving the tent and sitting down next to him.

"I just wanted to see the stars here with you one last time before we go." He hummed. "If that means I have to build you a space to be comfortable to do so, then so be it."

His words made you laugh; not in mockery but of adoration. You pressed your shoulder into his and leaned into him gently, taking one of the finished marshmallows and eating it. It was perfect and sweet, warming your lips.

"You really made a whole blanket fort just to get me out here. Words cannot measure how much I love and appreciate you." You sighed.

"I love you too _______. That's why I do these things." He chuckled.

Kite craned his neck down to kiss your cheek. He paused for a moment next to you before turning your chin with his hand and kissing your lips next. It was just as gentle and genuine as the first, his lips lingering on yours in favor of the sweetness left behind by the marshmallow.

"Mmm, sweet, like you~" He hummed.

"Obviously!" You giggled.

Happy with where you were, the two of you looked up at the stars through the canopy of blankets. Despite the initial cold, his arm around you made everything alright, comfortable in the dome of warmth he created for you.