Ego Christmas Challenge 2k17

Day 2: Hot Chocolate

There are many ways to make hot chocolate. Water, or milk, powder or mix, adding extra things like marshmallows or vanilla or other flavouring, each person has some way they like hot chocolate the best.

The cabin was cosy this time of night, the pitch blackness only interrupted by the light from the moon shining through the window pains, highlighting the way to the kitchen like a quest pointer. It was unusual for Anti to wake up through the night at all without either one of his boyfriends stirring beside him, but here he was, in the kitchen at 3 am trying not to stumble around blindly in the dark. He was in the mood for hot chocolate, his style, without the shitty boardroom coffee tasting bullshit, or the fancy ass hot chocolate the others enjoyed. Just, a cup of warm chocolate milk with the tiny marshmallows, just how he liked it. He pulled open the cupboard doors, grabbing the chocolate syrup, a cup, grabbing the milk from the fridge, and the marshmallows from the pantry, reserved specifically for these occasions, and s'mores when the times arose.

Filling the glass with milk, he turned to put the milk in the microwave for more time than was strictly necessary. If he was going to have hot chocolate, he was going to have /hot chocolate/, dammit.

He missed the beeper for the microwave going off, already starting to nod off where he stood by accident.

He zoomed to turn it off, but it was too late, Anti could hear Host's heavy footsteps already coming down the hallway. Anti still went about his business, figuring Host could get what he wanted from the kitchen, but he still felt kind of bad about waking him up.

"Why are you up?" Anti asked, putting far too much chocolate syrup than was definitely healthy into his milk and stirred it with a spoon.

"The Host woke and did not see you, but then heard the microwave and realized you must be here. Why are /you/ up?" Host came to sit on the counter beside Anti's in-progress hot chocolate.

Anti shrugged in response. "Just, up, I guess." He plunked the marshmallows in. Way to many marshmallows. Enough to more than cover the surface of the drink.

"The Host can smell how much chocolate and marshmallows are in that. You're up for a reason." Host paused, his bare, blank eyes looking as best he could in Anti's direction. "The Host won't pry if you do not wish him to, but the Host is curious and concerned for your well-being."

Anti smiled fondly at him, and took a small sip of his drink to hide it. Even though it burnt his tongue, and even though he knew Host couldn't see it anyway.

"Honestly, it was nothing. Just, a nightmare I guess. I'm OK, really."

Host placed his hand on top of Anti's head to use it as leverage to get off the counter, and placed a kiss on his temple. "Come back to bed when you're done."

As the Host shuffled back to the bedroom, Anti called out behind him "Host?"

The Host stopped mid track, and turned back to look at Anti.

"Thank you."

The Host smiled at him, the softness in his expression a welcome site to the other being. "We'll both probably be awake when you come back, so don't worry about making too much noise."

The Host shuffled away, and Anti sat alone in the dark kitchen, drinking his too-hot hot chocolate. Everything was OK.