Cubicula et fabulae

The warm porridge settled comfortably in their stomachs as they finally trudged into the small bedroom. Obsessio immediately flopped down onto his familiar spot: the thin bamboo mat and rubber sheet laid out on the floor. He stretched with a satisfied groan.

Amor paused, looking from his own simple pallet to Obsessio's sparse arrangement on the hard floor. "Hey, Sio..." he ventured, concern softening his voice. "Seriously, doesn't that... hurt? Sleeping down there? Looks kinda rough."

Obsessio propped himself up on one elbow, flashing a confident, slightly cocky grin – pure Alpha assurance. "Nah, dude. Zero issues. Chill." He patted the mat. "Alpha perk, remember? Could sack out anywhere – that cave earlier, a pile of rocks, whatever. Comfort's optional." He winked.

Amor rolled his eyes playfully, a smile tugging at his lips. "Oooh, listen to Mr. Tough Guy over here! Getting a big head now? Should I start calling you 'Mighty Alpha, King of the Floor'?" He teased, unable to resist.

"Not cocky," Obsessio countered, lying back down and folding his arms behind his head. "Just stating facts. Strong Alpha." He chuckled softly. "Strong and humble."

A comfortable silence fell for a moment before Amor spoke again, his tone shifting to genuine care. "Btw... about Nana earlier. Are you sure she's okay? Carrying all that stuff... Maybe she needs a massage? I'm pretty decent at it, actually." His Omega nurturing instincts surfaced, wanting to soothe the pack elder.

Obsessio shook his head against the mat. "Nah, forget it. Nana hates massages. Seriously." He sighed, remembering. "Tried once, ages ago. Took her into town, found this nice Omega masseuse, figured it'd help her aches. Total disaster. She practically bolted off the table. Said she couldn't stand strangers touching her, hands all over her body... even another Omega." He shrugged. "She's just wired like that. Besides," he added, his voice softening with a touch of reverence for her resilience, "she's got her own way. Knows how to ease her own pains. Uses that special scent blend... the one infused with Grandpa's old cologne smell. Works for her."

Amor absorbed this, a wave of relief washing over him. Nana wasn't just tough; she had her own strength, her own remedies, rooted in memory and self-sufficiency. "Ahh, okay then," he murmured, settling onto his own pallet. "That's... actually really good to know. Makes me worry less about her." He pulled the rough blanket up, the day's exhaustion finally claiming him fully. The scent of damp earth from Obsessio's clothes and the faint, comforting aroma of woodsmoke from the hearth filled the small room – a simple, safe haven for the young Alpha on the floor and the Omega finally finding peace in his new, unexpected home.

Relieved about Nana, Amor climbed onto his simple pallet, sinking into the thin mattress with a sigh. He pulled his blanket up, then paused, peering over the edge at Obsessio curled up on the floor below. The firelight had died to embers, and a distinct chill had settled in the room.

"Hey... you sure you don't want a blanket?" Amor asked softly, noticing the subtle shiver that ran through Obsessio's frame despite his earlier bravado. "Looks kinda cold down there."

Obsessio's voice came out slightly muffled, trying to sound nonchalant. "Nah, I'm good. Told you, Alpha tolerance. Cold doesn't bug me." Another involuntary shiver betrayed his words.

Amor hesitated, then offered softly, "Or... you could come up here? Seriously, there's room. I don't mind sharing." He scooted over slightly on the narrow pallet.

Obsessio shot up like he'd been electrocuted. "WHAT?! No! Nope! Absolutely not!" His voice was a startled rasp, eyes wide in the dimness. "Ve, we can't... share a bed. Seriously."

Amor blinked, genuinely perplexed by the intensity of the reaction. "Why not?" he asked, his tone pure, innocent confusion. "It's just sleeping. And it's warmer up here."

Obsessio ran a hand through his hair, flustered. "It just... isn't done. Okay? Trust me. Bad idea." His voice held a strange mix of panic and something else – Alpha protectiveness warring with instinctive caution. "Look, just... just go to sleep, alright? It's late. Big day tomorrow helping Nana in town."

"Town?" Amor perked up instantly, momentarily distracted. "Really?"

"Yeah," Obsessio confirmed, seizing the topic change gratefully, lying back down stiffly. "Once a month trip. Buys supplies... grown-up stuff, I guess. Never really asked what." He pulled his thin sheet tighter around himself.

"Grown-up stuff, huh?" Amor echoed, a hint of playful skepticism in his voice. "Alright, fine." He picked up his own thicker blanket. "But at least take this. Seriously, Sio. I've got the mattress, it's warmer. This blanket's way better than that sheet." He leaned over and gently tossed the blanket down onto Obsessio.

Obsessio caught it, the soft weight landing on his chest. He hesitated for a second, the warmth already seeping through. "...Thanks, Ve," he mumbled, pulling the blanket around him, its familiar scent – a mix of Amor and simple soap – surprisingly comforting.

"Anytime," Amor whispered back, settling back under his thinner cover. "Night, Sio."

"...Night, Ve."

Silence descended, thick with unspoken tension on one side of the room and peaceful acceptance on the other. Obsessio lay rigid under the borrowed blanket, hyper-aware of the Omega breathing softly just above him, the scent of Amor now wrapped around him. His Alpha instincts hummed a confusing tune – protectiveness, wariness, and an unwelcome flicker of something warmer he fiercely pushed down. Stupid Omega and his stupid kindness, he thought, not unkindly, burying his face in the blanket. Just sleep. Boundaries. Remember the boundaries.

Amor, blissfully unaware of the internal storm raging below him, sighed contentedly. The mattress was warmer than the floor. The scent of earth and rain from Obsessio's corner mingled with woodsmoke. Safe. Warm. Home. He drifted off quickly, a small smile touching his lips, leaving the young Alpha below wrestling with his instincts and the undeniable comfort of the Omega's blanket, the lines between pack, protection, and something more becoming dangerously blurred in the quiet dark.