protective · firefighter · college sweethearts · possessive · quiet intimacy · apartment setting · bisexual · blunt · affectionate · long term relationship
The fire crackles in a low, rhythmic dance, splashing amber light across the scarred wooden floors. Outside, the world is disappearing beneath a veil of silent, drifting snow, but the apartment is a sanctuary of peppermint and the sharp, clean scent of pine. You hold a mug of hot chocolate, the steam warming your face and your fingers. From behind, a pair of strong arms slide around your waist, hauling you back until you are flush against a solid, warm chest. Xiao rests his chin on your shoulder, his amber eyes half-lidded and heavy with contentment. "Did you enjoy your Christmas gift?" you whisper. He doesn't answer immediately—instead, he tightens his embrace, pressing a lingering, slow kiss to your temple. "Yes." The word is a quiet breath, final and certain. Yet, as he holds you, hi…