Percy woke to warmth.

He blinked a few times before focusing on the fireplace in front of him, watching the flames crackling merrily in the hearth. His entire body ached, the human shell healing slowly from everything he had put it through the night before.

When he sat up, he turned to find Kris walking down the stairs, pulling on a red and black flannel shirt, though the Fae paused and broke into a slow smile when he met Percy's eyes. "Morning."

Percy glanced toward the windows and grimaced ever so slightly. "Mid afternoon, I think."

"Yes. We both slept well." Kris began buttoning up his shirt as he walked toward Percy, looking down at his hands and mumbling absently. "I hoped that you'd wake up before I had to leave."

"Why?" Percy stood, forcing his stiff body to move, feeling the pain in his feet even as he took a couple of steps toward the other man.

Kris stopped when they were in front of one another, dropping his hands as Percy took over doing up the buttons. "I wanted to say goodbye."

Percy's hands stilled at the Fae's words, long enough that Kris looked up to him, meeting his gaze. Then he frowned softly. "You aren't coming back."

"This is my home. Of course I'm coming back." Kris covered Percy's hands with his, watching him carefully. "I didn't want you to wake up after I had left. I wanted you to know that you're welcome to stay here. I want you to stay here. And I feared that with all this done, if I missed you tonight, you'd be gone by the time I was back."

The reassurances soothed Percy, and he nodded once. "I still feel like I could sleep for a few more nights."

"Then stay here. I have wards here. I can keep you safe. You can sleep and not worry." Kris squeezed his hands gently, his expression hopeful.

Percy nodded again. "I'm sorry for making you... I didn't realize there'd be repercussions on your side. Last night, you could have just stayed silent. I would have understood. You could have lost so much. To ask that of you, was... selfish."

Kris dropped Percy's hands, reaching up to cup his face, meeting his eyes with an intense half-glare. "I saw that look in your eyes. I knew you were trying to tell me to let you take the fall. To ask that of me, was selfish. I would have lost more than I could live with."

They stood there, watching each other, the silence only broken by their breathing and the crackling of the fire.

Then Percy offered a half grin. "You are melodramatic, aren't you?"

"No more drama until the next holiday. We've had our fair share of these past few days." Kris grinned right back, ducking his head ever so slightly. "Can I kiss you now?"

Percy nodded and tilted his head up to meet the man halfway. Their kiss started out soft, tender, and careful. But the taste of the other man drew Percy to deepen the kiss, his hands sliding up over Kris' chest and around his neck, pulling him closer. Kris tasted like home, like comfort, like everything that was the opposite of Percy and everything that he was familiar with. Their bodies melded together, though the clothing between them was enough to drive him to frustration, and he was reaching to unbutton the shirt that he had just done up when there was a knock at the door.

They broke their kiss and Percy gripped Kris' shirt, panting silently as he watched the man pull back just enough to look down at him with a brilliantly cheerful grin.

"I could just refuse to let you go." Percy growled, pulling Kris in for a hungry kiss.

It lasted until there was another knock at the door, prompting them to pull apart once more, and Kris gave him a pained look. "We just saved Christmas. Would you really endanger it again?"

Percy allowed himself one more kiss, making it hard and deep, watching the look of desire that knocked Kris senseless as they broke apart. And he grinned, letting go of the man's shirt before turning and walking over to pick Kris' jacket and hat up. "I don't care about your Yule. But you do, so I wouldn't ruin it. You said you didn't want anymore drama this year."

"Did I?" Kris was dazed enough that he didn't object when Percy pulled the hat onto his head for him and shoved his coat and boots into his hands, though he grinned boyishly as he walked toward the door. "Miriam left a pot of stew for you. It's keeping warm on the stove. Make yourself at home here, but your temperature isn't quite up to what it should be. Your human form is still battling everything. Stay in and stay warm."

Rolling his eyes, Percy waved the man off, though he paused and offered a genuine grin Kris' way. "I won't go out to cause any trouble this year. No worries."

Kris nodded, pausing one last time at the door before walking through it.

The breeze of cold air that squeezed in until the door was closed again chilled Percy, sending him back to the fireplace to put another log on and wrap himself in a blanket. He didn't like the idea of Kris being as low on energy as he was and trying to complete Yule eve on his own, but he knew he would be useless.

And Kris knew what he was doing.

***

The sun was rising as Kris walked tiredly through the door, into his cabin. He was coated in snow and half frozen, though it only really bothered him because he was as low on power as he was from the night before. The warmth of the room washed over him, drawing him to look around curiously, only to find the place empty.

The fire was burning merrily, as if Percy had put on some wood before leaving only a few moments before. But the blankets were folded neatly on the centre cushion of the couch and any trace of the man had been cleared, from the dishes and pots that were sitting clean beside the sink, to Percy's very presence.

Kris frowned and pulled off his hat as he stepped out of his boots, turning to hang his jacket up on the coat rack where it could dry out. The sight of the spare jacket he had left for Percy confused him. He had made sure to hang up the shirt and jacket within sight, because he would not trap the man within his house by refusing to clothe him, but the fact that Percy had left them there made little sense.

Unless.

Kris reached out with his power, using what reserves he had left to search for a sign that someone else had been there, that someone had used magic in his house to hide their tracks.

A noise behind him had him turning around, reaching for the wood axe he left by the door.

Percy stood halfway down the stairs, hair wet, only wearing a towel around his waist, watching him with an amused expression. "I used your shower. But I did not want to push my luck and search through your room for clothing. The pants are a wreck."

Swallowing relief and the rest of his fading disappointment, Kris shook his head as he set the axe back down where it had been. "I thought you had gone."

"Naked?" Percy smirked and continued walking down the stairs, arching a curious brow.

"Without choice." Kris smiled lopsidedly, realizing how dumb that sounded now that he had time to think about it.

He wanted to offer the other man clothing, but he was far too distracted by watching Percy walk toward him wearing only a bath towel. His skin still glistened a little from the shower, and the light of the fire played over the man's skin as if it was part of him.

Percy reached up and ruffled Kris' hair, still smirking. "Never fear that. I like where I am. It would take a great deal to take me away. Or your wishes. I'd leave if you wanted me to."

Then Percy paused and grinned up at him, his expression insufferably arrogant. "Yes, you can kiss me."

Arrogant, but incredibly attractive.

Perhaps once the passion had turned into something more solid, more assured of its place between them, Kris would find the ability to tease the man for his mischievous look or arrogance in assuming exactly what Kris wanted to do. But right then, with only hours since the first time he had kissed the man, Kris did not have that self-control.

Wrapping his arms around Percy, he kissed the Demigen firmly, almost desperately, wanting to communicate all his desire for Percy never to leave and his joy over the fact that the man had chosen to stay. Even if it was just for that night, even if they had to take it day by day and figure things out, Kris was brilliantly and deliriously happy that Percy was with him then, in that moment.

Percy returned the kiss, hands sliding up Kris' shirt, their bodies arching together, prompting Kris to lift the other man up, half carrying him to the couch. He sat Percy on the back of it and they continued their kiss, breaking apart only as Percy stripped off Kris' clothing, before pressing back together to touch and explore each other's bodies with renewed fervour.

They fell over the back of the couch, a tangle of limbs and passion that had them rolling onto the floor by the time they reached climax, leaving Kris dazed as he laid on his back, Percy on his side, in Kris' arms, body half sprawled over him. They laid there for what seemed like a delicious eternity until the fire was only coals and the bright morning light filled the room merrily.

Percy lifted himself up onto his elbow, looking down at him with a smirk. "Merry Yule, Kris."

"Merry Christmas, Percy." Kris grinned and reached up to run his fingers through the man's hair, relaxing into the floor, which seemed like the best mattress Kris had ever been on.

"Sleep. I'll keep watch." Percy ducked his head and kissed Kris' forehead gently.

They were safe, in Kris' territory, in the village and in the cabin that he called home. But there was something else about the statement, something ancient and loving that Kris understood beyond what was said.

He fell asleep holding onto his Demigen lover, feeling more secure than he had in centuries.