Climbing Class One-Shots

Cabin Fever

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Chris shivered, rubbing his upper arms with his hands.

"Of course, we're going the right way." Josh waved his flashlight in a circle, turning to look at Chris. "I grew up here, remember?"

"Right, Right." Chris' teeth were about to chatter. The wind was cutting straight through both of his jackets. "So how come we're going to this cabin again?"

"I just want to make sure everything is all in one piece up there before everyone gets here tomorrow. We're probably going to have to send Mike and Jessica up here or something. You know how they get when they're all in the same room as Matt and Emily."

"Drama City." Chris shook his head.

"You got that right." He pulled open the gate leading further up the path. "Thanks for walking out here with me, bro. I know how much you hate the cold."

"It's fine. It's dangerous to come out here alone, especially with the storm."

Josh smiled and reached around, taking one of Chris' hands as he led him up the path. "I didn't know you cared so much."

Chris nearly moaned from the heat of Josh's hand. How was he still so warm with subzero winds whistling around them. "Of course, I do, dork. Don't be weird."

Josh only laughed and kept pulling Chris along. Their boots crunched in the snow, but it was hard to hear with all the wind. Chris didn't know how Josh could see—snowflakes were clinking to his glasses, piling along the bottom edges like it did on window ledges.

"Here we are." Josh let go of Chris' hand and stepped up onto the porch. "Be careful on those steps; they're a little icy."

Chris stepped carefully while Josh unlocked the door.

It wasn't much warmer inside, but at least there wasn't any wind in here.

Josh flipped the light switch, but the light remained off. He did a few more times before giving up. "Guess the power's out."

"That would explain why it's so cold in here." Chris shivered again, cleaning off his glasses with numb fingers.

Josh chuckled before kissing the tip of Chris' nose. "I'll get a fire going for you, okay?"

Chris's face flushed and he smiled. "Thanks."

"You'll want to take your coat and boots off through; you'll warm up quicker that way." Josh was hunched over the fire stove, putting in fresh logs. He struck a match and lit the kindling before going around the room to light some of the candles in corners and on tables.

"Right; I'll go see if there's any blankets or something."

Josh clicked his lighter shut. "I'll get it."

Chris smiled and unlaced his boots. His boyfriend might have done crazy things like drag him through the snow in the middle of a storm after sundown, but at least he was attentive. He sat his boots neatly by the door before hanging both his coats up on the rack. He could see his breath, but at least the fire was helping. He crossed over to the stove and held his hands out to it, making a happy noise in the back of this throat while his fingers started to defrost.

When Josh didn't come back after a while, Chris stepped further into the cabin, looking for him. It was cute, the little cabin. Somewhere he'd love to spend time in the early fall, when the leaves were colors and the snowstorms were minimal.

He found Josh standing in the hallway, quilt in one hand and picture frame in the other. He was oddly still, spacing like he did sometimes. Chris had seen him do it before. He stepped towards him slowly, setting a hand gingerly on his shoulder.