Like Two Spoons in a Drawer

 “Artoria? Are you awake?”

She'd been dozing off, but Ritsuka’s voice snaps her out of it in a matter of seconds. Her eyes fly wide open, mind still sluggish but body ready to flee. “Whah?”

“It’s cold.” She hears them shifting. “Can I sleep with you?”

Aaaah. “Hm. Sure.” It is dreadfully cold. It’s not the worst Artoria has ever endured (her missing toes can attest that) but it’s still profoundly uncomfortable. People love to talk about how getting used to pain lessens it in the long run, but Artoria calls bullshit. Pain is still pain. Cold is still cold. Knowing it could be worse does not make her shiver any less. So really, she can’t blame Ritsuka for wanting to- “wait, whuh-?”

Her blanket is lifted up, and the wind immediately assaults her. Artoria curls tighter onto herself, hoping to keep what little warmth she holds close to her. The experience doesn’t last long, however; soon her blanket falls back down. Another joins on top of it. And then-

She takes a sharp breath when an arm suddenly curls around her, pulling her against a soft chest. Legs slot themselves against hers, knees in knees like two spoons in a drawer. That new body is cold too, but to Artoria they might as well be a furnace. She feels like she’s being suddenly wrapped in pure heat, shielded from the entire outside world.

“Is that… Okay?” Ritsuka whispers by her ear.

She nods. “It’s- it’s fine.”

They huff (she can feel their breath against her skin. This, too, is warm,) most likely amused by her embarrassment. Then set their chin on top of her head (she’d always known they were taller than her but she’d never truly realized how much until now.) “Good night, Artoria.”

“… Good night, Ritsuka.” She responds with the tiniest of voices.

(For a moment, she fears that she could never possibly fall asleep like this. But the next morning, she finds that she doesn’t remember the last time she’d felt so well-rested.)