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It was Christmas Eve, and Hotguy stood on the roof of a tall office building, watching his breath cloud in front of him. It rarely got cold enough to snow, even in the dead of winter. Even so, the chill was seeping into his body, making it stiff and harder to move.
Normally the cold wasn’t a problem on patrols, what with him running and leaping across roofs, occasionally fighting off a stray mob that found its way to the surface. But he wasn’t really patrolling, he was waiting for someone, so he’d been standing still for quite some time.
Scar shifted from foot to foot, flexing his sluggish muscles to bring some bloodflow back to his fingers and toes. Cuteguy wasn’t going to show. Scar should leave. His grip tightened on the picnic basket in his hand and he shoved away his disappointment.
It wasn’t like they had agreed to meet up on Christmas. Cuteguy was probably with his family, enjoying the holiday. Scar lived far from his own family, and his medical issues and government job kept him from traveling far.
Still, he dared to hope. Now he was getting frostbitten for it.
Deciding to cut his losses, Scar let out one last puff of air and started towards the fire escape. Just as he neared the edge of the building, he heard the distinct sound of wings breaking up the silence of the night.
Scar’s heart squeezed, and sure enough, Cuteguy’s voice carried over the still air as his heels clicked on the rooftop.
“Hotguy!”
The butterflies in Scar’s stomach were suddenly very active as he turned around to see Cuteguy approaching in his winter attire. Cuteguy’s costume was already better equiped for the cold, and with the addition of his thick hooded shawl, he was almost completely covered against the chilly night.
Scar might have been a bit jealous, but moreso he was breathless.
Cuteguy’s next comment pulled Scar from his thoughts.
“Why the hell are you patrolling on Christmas Eve? Everyone knows nothing is stirring, not even a mouse.” Cuteguy followed up his quip with his signature smirk.
“Well-” Scar floundered a bit, “obviously the birdie didn’t know either, seeing as he’s right in front of me.” There, take that.
Cuteguy wrinkled his nose at the nickname. “I guess you’ve had me there.. Old guy,” he said, and he just had to tack on his own nickname. “But seriously,” he crossed his arms, “I’m curious why you’re out here so late.”
“Well, I was sort of hoping that you’d show up, and here you are…” Scar trailed off.
“That I am.” Cuteguy’s eyes flickered to the basket in Scar’s hand. “What’ve you got there?”
“Ah, right–” Scar set the basket down and opened it up, pulling out a quilt and laying it out on the ground. He moved the basket and sat onto the quilt with his back to the low wall of the roof, then patted the ground next to him.
Cuteguy rolled his eyes but walked over and settled on the quilt a few feet away from Scar, with the basket between them.
Things were already going better than Scar ever dared hope. He prayed to whatever god or Santa was listening for his luck to hold out at least a little longer.
“I was just thinking, that I’d like to spend my Christmas Eve sharing holiday treats with you,” Scar spoke as he pulled a container of cookies and two thermoses of hot chocolate from the basket.
Cuteguy perked up at ‘treats’ and Scar mentally high-fived himself. Cuteguy was leaning over as Scar revealed the assortment of cookies, instantly going for the one with strawberry frosting.
Scar smiled to himself, because he was thinking of Cuteguy while making that one.
“I suppose I could spare a moment of my patrol to enjoy some sweets,” Cuteguy said. He bit into the cookie and Scar swore his eyes sparkled. Or maybe those were his own eyes playing tricks on him.
“These are amazing! where did you get them?” Cuteguy said around a mouthful of crumbs and frosting.
Scar felt his cheeks prickle with warmth. “I made them actually.”
Cuteguy hummed for a moment. “They really are quite good. I wouldn’t be upset if you brought cookies to patrol more often,” he said, shoving the rest of the cookie in his mouth.
Scar’s heart swelled with the compliment. He may have just peaked in his baking career. Then Cuteguy licked a bit of stray frosting off his finger, and Scar had to rip his eyes away from Cuteguy’s mouth before he thought of anything other than cookies and frosting.
Scar pushed one of the thermoses closer to Cuteguy and asked, “Hot chocolate?”
Cuteguy glanced at him then to the thermos. “Yes please,” he said.
Scar grabbed a cookie for himself, an Elven kiss, and nearly choked on the first bite as he felt Cuteguy sidle up right next to him, basket shoved forward to make room.
“It’s cold,” Cuteguy clarified, cradling the thermos between his knees and his chest.
“Oh right, I brought this.” Scar reached into the basked at pulled a folded blanket from the bottom. He carefully moved the basket and everything properly out of the way before settling the blanket over their laps. “That better?”
Cuteguy sipped his hot chocolate and hummed appreciatively. “Much better.”
Scar slowly let out a breath and picked up his own hot chocolate. He barely tasted it as he could only focus on Cuteguy’s new proximity. Their arms brushed, and Cuteguy’s feathers tickled Scar’s back. Though Cuteguy’s face was forever partially concealed, Scar still did his best to memorize his features this close while he had the chance.
His hazelnut hair was tousled from flying, and it tangled delicately around the wings protruding from his head. It hung low enough to brush his eyelashes, and Scar fought the urge to reach over and tuck it away.
Purple eyes met his own, and Scar swallowed guiltily.
Before Scar could apologize for staring, Cuteguy glanced away and said, “This was all really nice, I think I needed it honestly.”
Scar began to wonder what that meant, but he realized Cuteguy would never disclose something that personal.
Scar watched Cuteguy fidget with the thermos for a moment before he set it down and spoke again. “I mean it. This is wonderful. I’m sorry I didn’t get you a gift as well.”
Scar would not stand for that. “No! Not at all!” He assured. “Having you here is all I could’ve asked for, I promise.”
“Still… maybe I could make up for it.”
Cuteguy suddenly turned and dropped his knees onto Scar’s thigh to face him better, bracing a hand behind Scar’s back. Scar’s eyes widened as Cuteguy cradled his cheek, forcing him to look at him. And then there was a soft warmth pressing against Scar’s lips.
It was electric. Every one of Scar’s nerves were sparking and his heart was racing. He didn’t dare move for fear of breaking the spell. It was both a moment and an eternity before Cuteguy pulled back. But before Scar could process or respond, Cuteguy’s lips were back on his and moving slowly.
Scar felt the hand leave his cheek and take his own, bringing it up to one of Cuteguy’s head wings and leaving it there.
Scar couldn’t believe it, but he’d be a fool to turn Cuteguy down. He let out a long, slow breath he didn’t realize he was holding and leaned into the kiss with his own gentle fervor. Carefully, he brushed his fingers over Cuteguyls feathers, feeling them shiver under his touch.
He would have worried if not for Cuteguy’s pleased sigh when he continued petting the soft appendage. Cuteguy’s hand settled on the side of Scar’s neck, and Scar threaded his fingers into Cuteguy’s hair to cradle the back of his head.
After another moment or so, Cuteguy pulled away slightly, Scar nearly chasing after his lips before he caught himself. Cuteguy’s face was noticeably and adorably flushed, but judging from the heat flooding his entire body, Scar was blushing worse.
“I, don’t understand,” Scar said quietly.
Cuteguy dropped his head to Scar’s shoulder and wrapped his wings around them both. As he snuggled into Scar’s neck, he said, “Y’know, most people just say thank you when they get a present.”
Scar smiled at the reply. He pulled the blanket closer to them wrapped his arms around Cuteguy, holding him close. He rested his head on Cuteguy’s and reveled in the contact and shared warmth. “Thanks birdie, that was incredible.”
Scar felt Cuteguy smile into his neck and his heart fluttered as he drew circles on his chest.
“I know,” Cuteguy said.