For @rustyshackleford90. Prompt was Lee coaxes Lyra to take off his boots because he's old and tired.
Lee and Lyra reenter the house both stomping and breathing heavy from the cold, Pan and Hester nor far behind shaking snow from their coats.
"Do you think it's enough firewood?" Lyra asks as Lee chunks the freshly chopped logs onto the floor beside the fireplace.
"I sure hope so," he replies, huffing and puffing for a bit before making his way over to collapse onto the sofa.
"Boy howdy I'm tired," he says. " Hey, Kid. Do me a solid and help me get my boots off."
He raises one leg and Lyra squishes up her nose to one side.
"No thanks," she says, moving to the kitchen to get a piece of sweet bread from the bread box.
"Please?" Lee asks. "You know I'm old and tired."
"You're not that old," Lyra says returning, a big piece of bread in her mouth.
"You said you pulled three gray hairs out of my head yesterday," Lee pointed out. "Hence I'm old and feeble and can't reach my feet."
Lyra sighs and glances at Pan and Hester. Pan is trying not to giggle and Hester is shaking her head.
She finally goes to Lee and with two hands tugs at his boot. It doesn't budge. She tugs harder.
"You gotta pull, Kid," Lee says.
"I'm trying," Lyra grunts and her wet boots slide on the hardwood floor. "This is not easy."
"Whoa, whoa, Lyra, Lyra!" Lee warns before she tugs him right off the couch and into the floor.
She stares at him, holding his boot which is now free from his foot, and he closes his eyes and shakes his head, laughing.
"You are a STRONG little child," he says, shimmying back up onto the cushions. "The other one now."
Lyra lets out a dramatic groan.
"Come on," Lee says. "We're halfway there."
"Only if Pan and Hester help me," she says.
The two daemons oblige and the three of them tug and work off the second boot. Lyra collapses beside Lee with a sigh.
Lee shifts into a lying position and says, "I do believe it's naptime. I'll even give you the honor of holding my feet."
Lyra pinches her nose comically and says, "No thank you."
Lee covers his eyes with his hat and hums softly. After a while, his breathing becomes slow and deep and mixed with the roaring wind outside, it's an oddly pleasant sound.
Lyra goes into her room to fetch the old quilt that came with the house and covers him up. She watches him for a moment, very carefully removing his hat and stroking Hester, who is curled up next to him, only the tip of her head peeking out.
She then takes Pan in her coat and slips outside to watch the snow.
