#left4dead2

The rusting lights on the ceiling allowed a generous amount of light to fall across the roof, even providing the suggestion of warmth. But suggestion wasn't enough, and as you tried to settle yourself on the worn sleeping mat with a thread bare blanket over you, it was very obvious just how little warmth there actually was in the bare safe room.

Nick seemed ok though. He always did, though. Laying in his shirt and suit pants, his jacket below his head like a pillow, the blanket pulled up to his chin. Whether he was actually asleep or not, he was still comfier than you were.

"You know, it's always said that-"

"No."

He shut you off before you were able to ask, somehow knowing what you were about to ask him. It was as if he had known that the idea had been on your mind since you had met up with him, never brave enough to get it over your lips, but enough of it there in your lingering looks or your silence as you lay down to sleep to tell him what you were thinking about.

"Oh, come on! Nick, it's freezing."

"It's not freezing. It's mild, I'll give you that. I've seen colder."

"When? When have you seen colder than this?"

"You ever been thrown out of an upstate casino in a New York winter?"

Without answering him, you huffed exaggeratedly and rolled over. You made a poor attempt at giving him the cold shoulder, but it was more freezing than just cold, and you quickly turned around to try and plead your case once more.

"I'm not asking to sleep in the bed with you. I'm just asking to share a bit of warmth, just for like... five minutes? We could chat a bit and then go to bed. By the time my body starts freezing over again, I'll be asleep."

Nick answered, still facing the opposite direction, not turning to you.

"I chat to you all day. You're relentless. Why would I want to talk more when I'm trying to sleep?"

Resigning yourself to the blatant fact that Nick would continue to refuse to let you into his bed until morning, forgoing sleep just to maintain his stubborn nature, you decided to give up. While you were both relentless in your back and forth, he was ultimately better at keeping his side of the argument than you were, and it was futile to fight him. You knew at least that by now.

So, in the warm, orange light of the safe room, you curled yourself into a ball to preserve your heat and eventually fell asleep despite the slight shivering of your entire body.

The cold was permeating your defences, however, and at some point during the night you woke up chittering, teeth clacking loud enough that they caused you to wake.

It seemed, however, that Nick was still asleep, completely oblivious to how cold you were.

His chest rose and fell in a subtle, constant pattern, completely silent. And he didn't shift as you bravely, perhaps misguidedly, shuffled over to his sleeping mat with your blanket and lay beside him. Your body ever so gently curled around his and you let out a sigh as you felt the heat from his back radiate into your chest.

A trembling hand rose to his side and, pausing for a moment, continued as you decided you were already this far, you might as well enjoy whatever brief reprieve from the cold you could get.

"I am awake, you know."

Jesu- Fuck!"

You pulled your hand away quickly, but Nick didn't move. He was facing the door still, the opposite one from which you entered in a hurry that evening. His body was still, at ease, and though yours was now tense it was still in close proximity. The promise of the heat was enough to keep you from moving too far away.

"Can you hurry up and get comfortable? You're keeping me up."

He hadn't asked you to move, or to leave. He wasn't telling you off in that condescending tone of his. He was telling you to get comfortable. It was as much of an invite as you were ever going to get, and you were more than happy to take it. But your body was completely still, almost stiffened by the surprise of his suddenly agreeable nature. Luckily, he was still Nick, and he reached behind himself to grab your arm and pull it round him.

"There. You warm now? Comfortable? Can I go to sleep finally?"

"Uh… Yes."

"Good."

And that was the last thing he said before he either fell asleep incredibly quickly, or chose to ignore you until he slowly found himself unconscious. You could feel your heartbeat thudding in your chest, your pulse strong in your neck, as you realised he had quite a grip on your arm, his thumb slowly stroking against your hand at random intervals. He seemed comfortable finally, as though the warmth and company were doing him some good too.