Pyro-Ghoul

His inner furnace is flickering weakly, sending spurts of heat through his body in irregular intervals. It's common for a ghoul his age to get weaker during seasons that don't fit well with his element. Usually, he'd need more vaccines during the winter, but with Copia up to the neck in paperwork and most Siblings too scared of going anywhere near the den, he's been neglected for the better part of a month, leading to him developing a cold. 

Which is not an issue at all, for the most part. It won't kill him. But he'll be damned if he isn't gonna bitch about it. 

His tail flicks, the tassel sticking out from the heap of blankets the others have stacked on top of him to keep him warm and cozy, surrounded by his Swarm's scent. 

He feels his nose clogging up and snorts, trying to free his nostrils. He manages the left one, the right burning and itching now. He wants to rip his skin off. 

If there's something Alpha cannot stand in this world, it's when he's itchy. It drives him up the wall, especially when it's one of those itches that just doesn't go away, no matter how much he scratches. 

His ears flick but he doesn't look up as he hears footsteps approach, fancy dress shoes padding over the carpet in the den's main hall. 

"You look awful", Ifrit says as he sits down cross legged next to his mate. 

Alpha gives a tired chuff in response. His throat feels scratchy and dry. 

He's aware of how shitty he must look. His scales and skin are ashy, not as vibrant anymore and his smoke comes in slow, lazy swirls, barely enough to create a smell at all. 

He cracks his eyes open when he feels the pads of Ifrit's fingers in his hair, scratching the base of his horns. His vision is a little blurry and he goes to close his eyes again, kicking up a rusty, strained purr. 

They remain silent like this for a while until Ifrit gets up with a quiet groan. He's getting old too, Alpha muses. Although 'getting old' is relative for an immortal ghoul. 

"C'me on, ember. You gotta warm up." 

Alpha squints up at him. His mustache tickles his lip uncomfortably and he's close to impulsively trimming it with his claws. 

"I am", he nods to the fireplace. "'S the warmest place here." 

Ifrit shakes his head, his hands on his hips. 

"No. This kinda fire ain't doing shit. Come here." 

He bends down, grabs his mate by the waist and gently lifts him out of the heap of blankets and pillows. Alpha hisses in protest but doesn't do anything else. If he thinks about it, he doesn't really care. He just wants to feel better.

He gets to his feet and Ifrit helps him towards the bathrooms, sitting him down on a toilet like a child, while he fills the bathtub with water. 

Alpha watches him with weary, feverish eyes, blinking sluggishly. 

"How's water gon' help me with anythin'?", he asks, his voice scratching against his vocal chords harshly. 

Maybe he should just shut up. 

Ifrit hums, bending down and dipping his hand into the water, which starts to bubble and steam softly. 

"You needa warm up from the inside out. Heat all around you", he straightens up again and shakes a few droplets off his claws before holding his hand out towards him. "Come on." 

Alpha blinks and groans as he lifts himself to his feet heavily. Ifrit snakes an arm around his waist and helps him get out of his clothes. He's not even in his uniform, as he hadn't had the energy to put it on in the morning when he'd woken up to a splitting headache. Just an old AC/DC shirt and some sweatpants he's pretty sure once belonged to Primo or Secondo. 

He hisses as cool air hits his skin and the scales on his shoulders flare defensively. 

"Woah, calm down. Get in, I'll be with you in a moment," Ifrit licks his forehead soothingly and helps him climb into the tub.

The water is almost boiling as he slides in, steam rising from the surface. Alpha sighs in relief as he feels the heat seep into his bones and muscles, his head leaning back against the edge of the tub. He feels the smoke escape his cheek holes with a satisfied hiss, his furnace flaring up contentedly. 

His brain feels sluggish as he finally manages to fully relax and calm his frayed nerves. He only cracks an eye open when he feels the water shift and Ifrit slide into the tub next to him, the younger ghoul's body sizzling quietly. 

"Ah. Feel better?" 

Alpha nods with heavy eyes and reaches out to tug his mate closer by the horns, snuggling into his neck glands and pressing his nose over the bumps possessively. 

"Thank you", he rasps and Ifrit answers with an amused snort. 

"No need for that. You think I wanna see you suffer all day?" 

Their tails tangle underwater and Alpha feels the way Ifrit's more intact furnace is keeping the tub warm and cozy. 

His joints still ache, especially the arthritis in his fingers, but he thinks his head is clearing slightly, the water vapor slowly dissolving the mucus in his sinuses.

"I hate being sick." 

Ifrit snorts. 

"I know, ember. I'm here", he licks his temple softly, rough tongue scraping over the ashy skin. 

Alpha manages a low purr, eyes drifting shut again as he lets himself relax and his body heal, his core sending thankful pulses of heat through his body. 

"'S warm."