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Silver hated waking up quickly. It was so unbecoming. But with a snrrk? of surprise and a jolt, he was awake. The ground was cold beneath him and his muscles were stiff. He would have been making jokes about waking up stiff in the dark, but it was too damn cold. A puttering campfire sat dejectedly before him, illuminating the small cavern and the couple across the way. Ah. Right. Irene was curled up in the arm of her princeling, who had draped his coat over the two of them. Silver rolled his eyes, but with a flick of perfectly manicured fingers, sent a pulse of magic towards them. Nothing special, just a wave of comforting warmth. He watched as they relaxed into each other, and sighed. The dragon would never understand, and his little mouse wouldn't either, but Silver's magic could be more subtle than they thought. After all, comfort came in many forms.
Stretching dramatically, he tried to figure out what had woken him. There was the contrary couple, there was the fire, there was Vale- there Vale wasn't. With a start, Silver glanced around their stone quarters. The detective was gone. Standing, Silver moved quietly towards the entrance of the cave. Yes- fresh bootprints in the snow led him towards the investigator.
Silver watched his companion silently. The man was shivering, his coat having been destroyed in their narrow escape last night. What utter foolishness had led the detective outside in this abominable cold? With a sigh, Silver stepped forward.
Vale turned immediately. When he saw who it was, his scowl hardened. No surprise there. Silver, for all his expertly projected arrogance, was an excellent judge of character. The detective kept everyone at arm's length, and his life was a closed and carefully guarded book. That being said, Silver had picked up a few things in the way the gruff man carried himself. He had been hurt, badly, by someone he had loved. Things like that tended to leave a lasting impression. Silver only wished he could get close enough to comfort the detective, to tell him he didn't need to be afraid any more. Admittedly, he knew less about romantic love than he did about the funner kinds, but he could be sentimental when he chose to. Not too sentimental. It gave one wrinkles.
Nevertheless, something about Vale had had Silver hooked from the moment they met. Whenever he observed Silver, his gaze was as detached as if he was assessing the scene of a crime. Scratch that, he was less interested in Silver than he was in crime. The chase, admittedly, was part of the allure. No one, not even Irene, was so completely immune to the fey's magic. But it was more than that. His eyes, the way he became so animated when working on a case, the dedication and quiet confidence of his mannerisms... Anyway.
Silver regained focus, watching Vale size him up. The detective was only a few inches shorter than the fairy, with a wider stature that came from years of rough work Silver could never endure. He did like the results, though. Finally, Vale slumped, his shoulders drawing in and his arms crossing.
"If you've come to mock me-"
"I haven't." Why had he said that? Vale's eyes widened ever so slightly. Shit. Might as well finish digging this hole. "I thought you might be cold." With a disbelieving scoff, Vale turned back out towards the mountains. Although his response was expected, it still hurt.
Silver stepped forward. So Vale was still beating himself up over it, then.
A few days ago, he had been working on a case involving a fey jewel thief, a series of counterfeit artworks, and apparently a zoo break-in. Frankly, Silver barely understood the details. Anyhow, a series of clues had led Vale to believe he'd find the mastermind's hideout in the French alps. He had asked Irene along, to which Kai had insisted he join, to which Silver, having nothing better to do, insisted he come along as well, so the lovebirds didn't "disrupt the stipulations of the treaty." And for his own reasons. Which had nothing to do whatsoever with Vale. At all. Ahem. One thing led to another, and it turned out the entire thing was a trap. They had narrowly escaped into the mountains, Irene using her book-magic or whatever to carve them a temporary dwelling from stone. Vale had evidently been frustrated with himself and his self-appointed failure ever since.
Silver stepped up beside the detective. The sky was deep navy blue and saturated with stars. The quarter moon blazed brightly in the sky across from the two men, illuminating the ridged valley.
"It's beautiful." Silver whispered. Vale glanced up at him, and then quickly away, frustrated more than embarrassed at being caught. He hesitated.
"It- it is." He spoke stiffly. Silver turned to gaze at the detective, and just barely managed to stifle the laugh of disbelief that squeaked out. The proud detective was practically blue with cold. Immediately, he saw the walls go up in Vale's eyes and winced, ashamed the detective felt he had to be so guarded.
"I'm..." Vale glowered, and moved to turn away. No. He had to get this right. Silver reached out, slowly. He caught Vale's cheek and turned the detective's face so they were eye to eye. "Vale. I'm sorry." Vale breathed deeply, but didn't karate chop or stab or throw Silver off the mountain. His eyes narrowed, but within them Silver saw confusion more than outright anger.
"Why are you out here?"
"I wanted to make sure you were ok."
"Tsh. I don't believe that for a second." Of all the-! Silver grit his teeth. The shorter man's face was freezing beneath his hand.
"I want you to be able to trust me."
"Why?" Why. That was a good question. That was the question. Why was Silver so desperate for the approval, the connection, with this man who despised him so? Silver couldn't answer with words. Ever so slowly, as if moving to pick up a scared stray cat, he raised his other hand to Vale's face. Vale didn't move. Silver reigned his magic in, pulling back the cloud of glamour. He watched emotions swirl in Vale's eyes- confusion and anger and sadness. But also... curiosity. A spark. Perhaps it was only the scientific curiosity of a man trying to understand his opponent. But it could be more. Silver took a massive breath. He leaned forward and-
Silver had to physically restrain himself from jumping back in shock. Good God, Vale's lips were like ICECUBES! But the bewilderment, the wonder, the excitement, of being able to finally kiss the great detective was more than enough to keep him in place. The kiss was soft, gentle, perhaps somewhat more chaste than Silver would have liked. But he didn't force himself forward. Slowly, they broke apart. Vale's eyes were wide. In them, Silver hoped, was the reflection of his own emotions. Vale said nothing. Shit. Shit. Shit. Why had he done that? He didn't even know if Vale liked men! He moved to flee, to put as much distance between them as possible, when Vale moved with a burst of speed. He clasped Silver's forearms, keeping the fey trapped in place. Silver's eyes widened.
"Please. You're... warm." Silver exhaled. He smiled.
"Of course." With a sudden burst of inspiration, he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around his companion. Vale's expression softened. Was he... smiling? Silver didn't think it was possible. He settled for Vale was "not glaring." That felt more appropriate. Moving slowly and deliberately, as to not shatter the perfect bubble of calm, Silver released a coil of magic. He disguised it by wrapping an arm around Vale's shoulders, letting the warmth of his body and his magic seep into the shivering sleuth.
"Per..." Vale tensed. No. Too familiar. He couldn't scare away the detective now.
"Vale." He relaxed, and Silver sighed inwardly in relief.
"Vale. Will you come back inside before you catch your death?" The detective sighed. Then- a small nod. Yes! Silver smiled. He steered his companion back towards the cave.
"Let's get you comfortable."