AN: I kinda wanted to go with canon-era on this one, but literally no one was warm in Bastogne, so – ehh. modern-era it is, then!
Joe isn’t sure what’s more surprising; the realization that he dozed off in the middle of the Silent Hill sequel, or the feel of a body curling up against his side.He stirs, just enough to prompt a grunt from the person at his side. He feels an elbow dig into his ribs and he jolts back awake, head lifting as he casts a glare over his shoulder. “The hell are you doing, Guarno?”
As expected, Bill looks as disheveled as one typically looks while watching horror movies at two in the morning. His hair is mussed and untamed, hanging over his forehead. There are shadows rimming his eyes, making the lines of his face (and the sharpness of his underbite) stand out in stark contrast. The television casts him in an eerie light. He looks tired, certainly ready to rest, and more than a little annoyed by Joe’s interruption.
“Ain’t it obvious?” he demands, then shakes his head. “You never been cold before?”Joe blinks, tired brain not able to connect both statements together. “Huh?”Bill blinks at him, giving him that look he gives people whenever they aren’t seeing what’s “right in front of their damn eyes”. Bill has little patience for oblivious people, and Joe is anything but oblivious. When Bill leans further into him, he shakes his head and tries to figure out what the hell is going on.“You’re warm,” Bill finally says, enunciating each word with painful clarity. “I’m cold. Let’s cuddle for warmth before I fuckin’ freeze to death.”Joe takes a moment to consider this statement, weighing its rationality through the tired haze of his mind. Bill certainly isn’t wrong. Joe has most of the comforter cocooning his own body, after Bill’s insistence that he didn’t need it earlier in the night. “That thing’s gonna make you sweat out your eyeballs,” he warned, allowing Joe free domain of the blankets while he focused on setting up the film. Joe hadn’t complained at the time, figuring he’d either prove Bill right or wrong.Now, though, it’s obvious that Bill’s prediction was inaccurate. Joe is warm and comfortable, while his friend’s uncovered body is shivering. The night air holds a definite chill – Bill always keeps his house close to freezing, even in the winter, though Joe suspects he just can’t figure out how the ancient thermostat works. It’s gotten under Bill’s skin, and now he’s the one coming to Joe for precious body heat.He’s not smug. He’s just… a little amused. It would be cruel to drag his friend’s torment out, but Joe’s no saint.“You wanna put your hard head on my chest? That thing weighs more than a concrete block. Probably cause that’s what it’s made out of.”“Hah. Hah hah. Move over,” Bill insists, squirming closer.“Wait, are you serious?” Joe raises an eyebrow as Bill, ever persistent, forces himself under the blankets – and against Joe’s body as a result. He grunts as he makes himself comfortable, positioning himself between Joe’s legs in the process.Joe blinks, and huffs a sigh into the top of Bill’s head. His friend looks utterly content.“This is pretty gay, man,” Joe says after a moment. Bill tips his head back and smirks.“I know,” he replies. Joe rolls his eyes, turning away to hide his own grin.He knows better than to think there’s a point in arguing with Bill; and besides, now they’re both warm and comfortable. There’s no reason to complain at all.
