The snow came down in quiet drifts, blanketing the trees around their campsite and silencing all noise. Though they had a tent and bedrolls, and had built a small fire earlier that evening, the cold was ever-pervasive as Ilsabard winter set in.
Estinien lay on his side with his knees up, cursing himself for not bringing more appropriate cold-weather clothing and supplies. How was he to know that this Halone-forsaken mission would take so long? And how was he to know that he’d be laying back to back with an old foe, now turned friend? His teeth chattered and he rubbed his feet together in an attempt to chafe some warmth back into them, when truthfully, they had turned into blocks of ice at least three hours earlier.
“I can hear your teeth,” came Gaius’ voice from behind him. “They do chatter so. I would have thought that an Ishgardian native such as yourself would be more able to handle the chill.” A hint of humour tinged his words, and Estinien bared his teeth to himself.
“In Ishgard, I would have at least had a thicker tent and more than one fur to sleep beneath,” he ground out, “not this meagre bedroll and shelter. I would have thought you would have been more prepared.”
Gaius chuckled. “Aye, we were caught unawares and no mistake. No matter, I have survived worse, and I imagine so have you.” A shuffling sound, and Estinien realised that he’d turned around to face him. “You do realise that there is an easy solution to this problem.” It was not a question.
Estinien rolled over, eyes adjusting to the near-darkness until he could make out Gaius’ face. His eyes twinkled under curious brows, and not for the first time that evening, Estinien felt the irritating, unwelcome flutter of his treacherous stomach. Halone’s icy fucking tits , he was not supposed to be harbouring feelings such as this for a man such as Gaius van fucking Baelsar.
“Go on then,” he said, eventually, “what is this solution of yours.” He knew exactly what it would be.
Gaius just lifted his bedroll and an eyebrow, and Estinien sighed deeply.
“Fine,” he replied, a little tartly, “but the less we say of this the better, do you hear me? I will hear nothing of this in the light of day, or so help me…” he trailed off threateningly, but Gaius just chuckled in that infuriating way of his and flapped his bedroll.
“Come along now, you’re letting the warmth escape.”
“Yes, yes.” Estinien shuffled in closer, lifting his own bedroll so that they could overlap the two. “So which way do you want me?” He kicked himself internally - could that have sounded any more sexual? Ugh.
“Face me, I think,” Gaius said, considering. “That way I will not end up ingesting mouthfuls of your hair.”
Estinien snorted. “A fair concern, it has been known to happen. Very well, roll over then.” He shuffled in closer and wrapped his arm around Gaius, pressing up against his back with a soft sigh and the desperate hope that he did not get an unfortunate erection.
“Better?” Gaius tucked in the end of his bedroll and leaned back against Estinien, tilting his head to regard him out of the corner of his eye.
Though they were both wearing undergarments, Estinien could still feel the warmth of Gaius’ skin as their legs pressed together, just as he could feel the curve of Gaius’ arse up against his crotch. He set his jaw and focused on not thinking about how delightfully large it felt, and he certainly did not want to consider what it would feel like under his hands, or how it would feel to push his dic- no ! No, Halone’s fucking well-endowed arse, he would not think about that .
“You’re still shivering,” Gaius said into the silence, and Estinien realised that he had not responded the first time Gaius spoke.
“I- it’s nothing. I’m fine.” Estinien wriggled closer, buried his nose into the nape of Gaius’ neck and breathed in his scent. “Just taking some time to warm up, ‘tis all,” he said, voice muffled by Gaius’ hair.
Gaius shifted his legs until they were tangled together, then pressed his hand atop Estinien’s and patted it gently. “As you wish,” he murmured, turning back to face the tent wall. “Well, I am for sleep. Goodnight, Ser Estinien. May sleep find you soon.”
“Mmph,” Estinien muttered into Gaius’ neck. He inhaled again, cursing every series of events that brought him to this moment; considering how fucking good Gaius smelled, the way that the firelight earlier had flickered and highlighted his jawbone and that ridiculous nose, how his hair got gradually more messed up as the day went on, and especially the way that he relaxed back against Estinien, the hardness falling away from him as his breathing slowed.
By all the gods, he was absolutely fucked .