TW: Fluff

The weeks leading up to the official start of winter had been tense. It was the first time that Toby had actually seen the transition, and it was honestly frightening. Often their outings would end abruptly with Martyn collapsing, his hands going to his neck and throat as he tried without success to get air into his lungs.

Toby was forced to watch as there was nothing to do to help. The first time it had happened Toby had rushed to his side, trying to figure out what was wrong only to be snapped at and shoved away by his friend. Over time Toby had learned that eventually Martyn would be able to breathe again, and until then it was safest to not go near him.

The tips of the tree spirits fingers were turning blue from how little he was able to breathe these days, the soft strands of hair that Toby would often brush back while they curled up by the fire turning brittle and losing their color like the leaves that fell outside their door.

Toby was putting up some of his adventuring items when he heard something crashing in another room. His response was more tame then it would have been in any other season. Walking to the other room where he saw Martyn.

The guardian was knelt over the counter slightly. His back and arms shaking from what Toby could see. The items that had made the noise were littered around, broken and shattered.

"Martyn?" Toby finally offered up a voice as he moved forward into the room leaning against the wall. Even if he was growing use to this as a normal thing, it was still startling to see his docile friend so on edge, so aggressive to absolutely everything.

Receiving no response Toby debated just going back to the other room for a few minutes but something stopped him. There was no gasp for air that normally came with the attacks, just shaking body.

That was when he heard the words. Repeated over and over like a mantra. "It's okay, see? it's warm here. Please don't go." then again. The quiet words that were being repeated sound wavering. Toby pushed away from the wall.

Reaching out his fingers they brushed the numbed skin and the eyes that meet his looked lost. It was then that Toby could see the little potted plant that had curled up; going away for the winter as most plants did.

"Hey it's okay." Toby promised reaching out and uncurling Martyn's fingers from it. His friend was still shaking, looking back at the dead plant with panic. Toby had no idea what went through Martyn's mind as a normal thing, but in winter it was especially hard to determine.

Martyn made a noise, halfway between a cry and a whine as he curled into Toby's chest. His body still shaking and catching Toby off guard. It was far from normal for Martyn to actually seek out comfort in winter. "This really has you shook up doesn't it?"

For a few moments there was no response. The room was filled with quiet heartbeats and uneven breathing. Eventually though his patients was rewarded. "Why can't I save them? I hear them dying every year. Crying to me to keep them warm, why can't I do it?"

Toby took a quick breath before he brushed at the brittle strands of hair covering Martyn's face as the guardian curled up more. For a few seconds Toby thought about trying to explain nature to Martyn that they would all come back once winter was done.

Somehow Toby didn't think that would help though. After all this wasn't Martyn's first winter. Surely he already knew everything would come back eventually. It didn't change what was happening right now though. It didn't fix anything right now.

Trying to come up with a plan Toby smiled, something striking him suddenly. Grabbing a hold of Martyn's hands Toby brought them up to his lips and kissed the chilled skin. "Well duh, how are you going to keep anything warm when you are running round freezing yourself?" Toby tried, hoping that it would distract Martyn.

It seemed to work and the guardian looked up, blinking slowly at him before looking at their hands. "What do you mean?" He murmured as Toby moved away.

Toby pulled his hoodie off before tugging it down over Martyn's head. "You are running around in shorts and a t-shirt and absolutely freezing your body. I am surprised your fingers haven't fallen off already. Have you seen how blue they are?" He chide, pulling Martyn's arms through the hoodie and wrapping his hands around his friends again.

"You practically have frost bite already! If you want to warm something up, you have to be warm yourself you know." Toby glanced behind Martyn, trying to see if the mugs had been broken earlier like the plates. He tried not to sigh when he saw that they indeed had.

Well there went hot cocoa. That sucked big time. His contemplation of the broken mugs was brought to an abrupt end though as lips pressed against his own. Startling Toby to focus back on the person currently pressed against him.

When Martyn finally move back he smiled slightly, "Like you?" He asked and Toby's mouth was left open. Not even sure what the hell Martyn was talking about Toby just nodded numbly, his lips tingling slightly from the cold and frost that clung to his mouth now.

Toby let out his held breath, the air fogging up by his mouth as it mixed with the chill. It felt like winter had came early, but the warmth spreading up his neck and onto his cheeks was doing a very good job of keeping it away.

Martyn couldn't help but chuckle slightly when he saw how completely stunned Toby was. Leaning down the guardian nuzzled his face into the warm neck, the fabric of the hoodie bunching around his own neck as he breathed in the warmth. "Human are silly." Martyn finally decided.

Credit to guardianofthesaplings on tumblr