It was breaking his heart, really. He didn’t understand why you refused to cuddle up with him!! — Well, he did understand in theory, your voice from an hour ago nagging in the back of his mind;

‘You just don’t get it,’ you’d announced loudly after what? the eighth time he’d tried to cuddle up beside you that morning. You’d almost let him, when he’d stared at you with an expression you could only liken to that of a kicked puppy, but at the end of the day you’d held firm. ‘You’re too hot!!’

Your hair was stuck you your brow from sweat, and the prettiest flush ran across..well, everything. If only you were saying that in a..different context — his brain did the work of supplying the rest of that scenario. At that he’d flushed red. Yes, he knew what you’d actually meant; the fact that, in your words, cuddling up to him was akin to climbing inside a lit furnace for a nap — but it didn’t stop him from filling that sentence away in his brain for another time.

It had been an hour since then, the thermostat reading a solid 35°, and he’d wandered around the house more times than he could count, searching for something to make you cool down enough that you wouldn’t oppose his touch. Unfortunately, it seemed that your current solution of lying flat on the linoleum and breathing in whatever chill the freezer could provide was quickly becoming the only one.

The heat was even starting to get to him, small rivulets of sweat beading down his forehead and gathering in his eyebrows and dark lashes, plastering his shirt to his back in a way that was nothing short of uncomfortable. He pulled off his sweat-soaked shirt, dropping it by the laundry before heading back to you. Maybe now he’d be cool enough that you’d be willing to cuddle with him.

He made his way back to the kitchen quietly, though the lack of physical contact was killing him at least he would be able to be near you. That plan went out the window when he laid eyes on you again.

Sometime in the few minutes he’d been out of the kitchen, you had shed your top and shorts, leaving you just your underwear and gods, that was maybe more than he could handle.

The clatter of a chair and a low groan is what alerted you to his presence.

‘Hey, love’, you opened your eyes slowly, relishing in the sight of him. His hair was sticking to his head, jutting out in odd angles like he’d just gotten done with the shower; beads of sweat collecting on his lashes and lips, making his collar bones and chest shine, and oh. He was flushed so beautifully, the colour staining his cheeks down lower and lower, emphasizing his v-line and tone until it oh so sinfully disappeared into his waistband. It was obvious that he still wanted to cuddle, that his need for contact was struggling against his respect and care for you.

In all honesty it was rather adorable.

In any other situation, you’d have taken a picture. Him standing so pretty and docile, that look in his eyes like he’d do anything for you just to be able to be by your side. The cold freezer air had helped you to cool down a bit, though you were still sweltering. But how could you ever deny him when he was just so beautiful?

Slowly, you turned so that you were properly facing him and sat up. ‘Tell me what you want, love,’ you asked, almost teasing in your tone. He didn’t reply, rather looking at the spot beside you on the floor like it was the gateway into heaven. You sighed, smiling a little. He really could be adorable, even if he could probably pick you up like a sack of potatoes if need be.

‘You want to cuddle, love?’ you ask, a bit kinder this time. He nods just a tad too vigorously to be normal, excited, and you gesture at the floor beside you. It takes a few seconds for it to register that your offer isn’t in jest, but he quickly lays down beside you — not touching quite yet, making sure you’re as comfortable as can be; he’ll take whatever he can get from you today, it’s a blessing you even let him get this close given the weather.

You press back against him, slotting yourself against his chest comfortably, before slowly guiding his arms around you. You can feel him practically melt into your touch, and maybe you can deal with being a little bit too warm if it means that you can be together like this; fitted against each other like you were made for one another, just letting the worries of the world slip away.

If it isn’t already clear idk what I’m doing so this may just be a jumbled mess— gonna blame it on sleep deprivation lol