#indignant sulking is the perfect temperature

[muffinlance]

I propose a triple crossover: little scaled salvage. zuko is at approximate "can still be worn as a scarf for cuddles" size, his horn nubs are just barely starting to come in. akhlut crew wary until they find that dragon zuko is much less fighty (if just as reckless) than human zuko. winter rolls around and theyre a lil alarmed to find out that all the firebender talk about "agni gives us life" is more literal than they thought, as their scrawny lil dragon son basically starts hibernating

Oh my gosh little dragon Zuko--

He initially tries to escape by flying but can't make it far enough, because he is smol. (Ranalok and Aake just trail him in a boat until he has to land. Aake suggests wing-breaking as a future deterrent, kid doesn't even need those in human form. Ranalok says that's the Chief's call and spends the rest of the trip back with a tired shaky noodle hiding inside his coat. Later, Human Zuko insists he was just COLD, okay, that's ALL.)

Laundry involves their water heater occasionally being IN the tub, sporadic bubbles rising from the wiggly heating coil at the bottom, how long can dragons hold their breath because Panuk and Toklo are starting to discover the relevance of that question-- (Warm baths help with molting, of COURSE he has to get his head wet too, put him back--)

Apologies after burning Bato include a clearly ceremonial handing over of his last molt. Bato is now holding the shed skin of a child and this is just one more thing he Does Not Know What To Do With, in the rather long list he's acquired since returning to the ship.

Human Zuko walks around with a dog in his arms and/or clinging ridiculously to his shoulder. Dragon Zuko rides Seal Jerky around the deck like an epic mount, scaly nose raised high, scruffy little mane blowing majestically in the wind. Human Zuko DOES NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. (Seal Jerky is a happy pupper either way.)

On cold nights, Human Zuko steals blankets to his growing nest, and glares at anyone to dare mention it. The first time it was extra cold and he was a dragon, they thought they lost him again. Then Kustaa got into his own hammock--Wake me up if he's hypothermic when you catch him--and just kind of... paused. Dragon nephew had been waiting hours for his warm cuddles. (Toklo hereafter took to piling extra blankets on his own hammock as a dragon-lure. It has not to date been effective, because Toklo is a small inefficient radiator. Acceptable heaters include, but are not limited to: Kustaa, Hakoda, Ranalok, and Aake. Bato is too boney. Aake consistently scruffs the prince and sets him on the floor. This does not stop him waking up to a warm wiggle-snake against his back. Human Zuko insists it's Aake's fault for being so warm and huge and warm.)

Dragon Zuko is trying to teach the albatross-gulls how to land properly via demonstration. Effective communication has yet to be established. (Under the roosting birbs is also an acceptable place to take warm!naps. The crew would like to know how he squeezed through their cage mesh, do dragons not have bones?)

One of Ozai's letters includes a line about his son's skin. Hakoda originally takes this as a metaphor. This is not a metaphor. (Later, Zuko reads the letter, and does not explain to the Chief the difference between 'skin' and 'molt' that Hakoda can't be expected to know but Ozai definitely does. Little Zuko gets to the crying-hugs part of this conversation more quickly than older Zuko did.)

General Fong's letters contained occasional mentions of skin, as well. Fong has always wanted a piece of wall art to match that in the Earth King's palace, and if Ozai won't pay ransom... (NO WE ARE NOT SELLING YOU TO THE EARTH KINGDOM, says Hakoda, when he finally gets it.)

The crew was deeply unsettled to find that the Fire Lord's line were literally inhuman monsters. By the time they reach their first port, nobody had better say anything about their tiny inhuman monster, he is a BLAMELESS NOODLE.

(Aake submits to being a dragon-scarf-perch. Nobody had better say anything about that, either.)

[angryrabbit42]

Bonus Tracks 4

All for the lovely: @a-rose-by-any-other-doctor @dwsecretsanta

Read on AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/21925084/chapters/52331086

Fluffy Interlude

Intermission

“Need a rest?” the Doctor asked, letting go of her mind for a minute.

Rose turned to face him. “Your brain! How do you keep all that stuff in? S’just, I couldn’t have half those thoughts without my brains leaking out of my ears. You were thinking about pudding while doing maths and trying to figure me out and I was eugh… Tinkerbell.”

He laughed. “One thought at a time? That’s mindfulness and it’s healthy. You were half handling it before, I decided to control the flow a bit. I know it’s a bit more ocean of consciousness than stream but I am a Timelord after all.” The Doctor sniffed reflexively and Rose pinched him. “Oi! Why?”

“Ego,” Rose sang.

The Doctor reached out and pinched her arm. Rose squealed, falling away from him, giggling. He chased her fingers wiggling. Rose used her Torchwood training to flip him. Luckily the bed was big enough for her to flip and pin him, not flip him off the bed. Rose grinned down at him. “Whose impressive now?”

“You,” he said breathlessly, “always you.”

“Good, remember that.”

“I do, I will… Rose… let me up. I don’t think either one of us is ready for my slightly more human reactions to being pinned beneath you, as lovely and impressive as you are.” His ears turned red and his cheeks pink. “Especially since I just regained a very real, very vivid memory of you snogging the daylights out of me. I felt floaty for days. No idea why. Maddening.”

Snorting, she took pity on him and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it. Boneless now, the Doctor stared up at her with warm eyes, a hint of a smile lingering around the corners of his mouth. Rose backed off, giving him some space even as she enjoyed his reaction. It had always been her breathless and wanting. Now… Rose’s grin turned feral.

She flopped down onto her stomach. “Can we take a nap? God, I’m so…” Rose broke off as a jaw cracking yawn escaped her. The Doctor gave her an annoyed look as he mirrored her action. “I’ve been awake for days and I’m not a Timelord.”

“I am and am not a Timelord,” he remarked, thoughtfully. “Let’s sleep a bit. I could sleep a bit. Regeneration and telepathy take a lot of effort. Can we, can I-?” The Doctor’s eyes were darkening as he opened his arms to her.

Rose slipped into his arms, laying her head on his chest to listen to his single lonely heart. His arms came up around her, pressing her closer. “Feels right, the double pulse,” he murmured into her hair.” She felt his heart slow as he relaxed. “Ten minutes, four hours at max… A cat nap.”

A snore escaped him.

 Rose woke to find the Doctor had managed to cover them in a blanket. She was broiling in their little cocoon. She wriggled to free a foot, unwilling to let him go. The temperature change was lovely. The Doctor smelled amazing and she had somehow nuzzled the collar of his shirt down and her nose was touching his collar bone. She hummed in appreciation and felt his chest move as he giggled silently. “Awake?”

Rose made a noncommittal noise.

“Ah, how I love my morning hating Rose Tyler. She who loves waffles but not the general waffle hours,” the Doctor said, voice brimming with amusement. “We should order waffles. I am craving them. I hope they have multiple types of syrup…”

“How long?” Rose managed, mind foggy. She had been dreaming of a giant rabbit wearing a wolf’s head and everyone had candy. “Sleeping?”

“Three hours, thirty-two minutes, twenty-seven seconds,” he remarked cheerfully. “Timesense is online and working, lovely. I felt adrift without it. ‘Course now it feels like it’s ticking down to the big ‘D’ but it’s morning, time for new beginnings, not morbid underpinnings.”

Rose loosened her grip on him, to run her hand down his face. “No. Talk. No,” she grumbled. “Too many words.”

“I would be offended. I really would, if I hadn’t ordered waffles for two and well, a whole pot of hot tea. I remember what mornings are like with you around.”

“No mornings on the Tardis,” Rose heard herself saying. She froze. Would mentioning the Tardis upset him? He was separated from her and she had just been stupidly insensitive. A rush of adrenaline cleared the sleep right out of her. She pulled back from him in time to see his eyes.

“Quite right,” he replied and climbed out of the bed. Rose wanted to reach out for him but he was on his way to the door. He popped the door open as the cart trundled to a halt. He muttered something in Norwegian that made the woman laugh and wheeled the cart inside. The baked sugar scent of waffles drifted lazily around him, trumped by the tea. He fixed her cup and deposited it in her waiting hands. “Let’s eat.”

Rose sipped her tea caffeine slipping into her bloodstream. “Oh, this is gorgeous!”

The Doctor’s mouth was stuffed full of waffle, so he, of course, talked around it, “No, these are gorgeous! They have little syrup traps! Brilliant! When do you want to start again? On the memory thing? There’s only two left.”

“Um, as soon as we’re done eating. Mum will have us on the first zeppelin she can book, so figure 10 am.”

“We’ve hours! Here, eat this.” The Doctor poured a generous amount of syrup onto her plate and handed it to her. “S’better warm!” “Sorry, I mentioned the Tardis earlier,” Rose muttered.

The Doctor paused, the latest bite of syrupy waffle just centimeters from his face. His expression shifted to genuine puzzlement. “Why would you be sorry about that?”

“Well, you’re here, and she’s with him and I thought it might be a bit soon, insensitive.” Rose played with her waffle, stabbing it with her fork. “You’re all… homeless.”

The Doctor ate his waffled, chewing thoughtfully. “Yeah, but I was kinda hoping to shack up with you. If that’s okay? Last time I was homeless you did offer to share. If you remember.” He kept his eyes on his plate.

“Yeah,” Rose agreed, “I did.”

“S’alright if you don’t-” he began.

“I do,” Rose interrupted.

“Do you though?” he asked, giving her a way out.

“‘Course, don’t be stupid.” Rose caught his gaze. “Stuck with me, remember?”

“Yeah, s’not so bad,” he agreed, his wide boyish grin appearing like sunshine. “I’ve missed that adorable snore...It’s like a Zeuuooosian mating call. Very comforting.” The Doctor cheerfully went back to eating, ignoring her indignant squawk.

“Changed my mind, you have to go live with mum,” Rose teased, tearing into her breakfast.

“No, no, no, nononono Rose,” he protested, flecks of waffle and syrup flying. “I let you live with me for years rent-free. It’s only fair that you return the favor…”

“Fine, for two years, rent-free, then you’re off to the mansion. Mum has a wing of her own. I’m sure you could sleep in the guestroom closest to her…”

“No, no, no, cruelty thy name is Rose Tyler!”

“You have two years to plead your case, don’t waste it.” Rose polished off her breakfast as he gawped at her before settling into a smugness that was too thick to be ignored. “I’m serious.”

“Oh, I know,” he agreed.

A knock startled them. Rose moved to grab her gun and froze, she didn’t have one. The Doctor arched a brow. She rolled her eyes at him. “Rose, Doctor, are you up? There’s a zeppelin leaving in twenty minutes. I want to be on it. Tony’s been without his mum for days, poor mite. I need to get home.”

Rose hopped up and opened the door. “Yeah, we’re up.”

“Good, you’re feeding him,” Jackie stated. “He’s too thin, even thinner than I remember the other one being. You aren’t going to go into a coma, are you?”

Rose glared. “Mum!”

“Well, the other one did and he’s him, isn’t he? I half thought I was gonna find him tucked up in bed like the last one. You look alright, bit peaky.”

“Oi, I am not peaky! In perfect condition, mint condition, so--,” the Doctor growled.

Rose arched a brow at him. “Sounding a bit, Donna.”

He shut his mouth with an audible click. Rose turned back to her mother. “Mum, he’s fine. We stayed up talking.”

“Talk on the zeppelin. Down in the lobby both of you, ten minutes, sweetheart. And you, hop to it.”

Rose closed the door. “The memories will have to wait. We’ve got to catch a lift home. Oh, and the letter said you’d find what you were looking for in your left-hand pocket. Figured it would bug you unless I told you…”

The Doctor’s face lit up. “Wonderful!”

His good mood lasted until Jackie started in on him about jobs and clothes and jobs. The Doctor looked as if he’d swallowed a lemon tree. Rose glared hot pokers at her mother who ignored it to ask the Doctor what his intentions toward Rose were. The Doctor tapped a foot impatiently. The zeppelin line up with the steps and he bounded forward, stopping long enough to grab her hand. Rose let him drag her along. Jackie had to trot to keep up with them.

His need to explore got him banned from the cockpit in exactly two minutes into the flight. Rose watched him sulk at the back of the ship before she took pity on him and dropped down next to him. She offered him a banana. He took it with a brief grateful nod and munched it angrily. “I only wanted to know what it was filled with and how they stabilized it if it was helium or hydrogen. I didn’t want you on a potential Hindenburg.”

“Helium,” Rose told him. “I asked too. First trip and I found out there wasn’t a Hindenburg because the people here were smart enough to use Helium. Also, it’s more abundant here. No explosions at all. The things just bounce off each other in flight. S’weird.”

The Doctor settled down and dropped the banana peel behind him into a convenient bin. Rose lifted the divider between them. “What’s wrong?”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I was on a bus, a while back, ages ago now, it was a tough trip. Been a bit claustrophobic since then… Only on transports that remind me… of that...transport. This smells the same somehow and it’s not a conscious decision.” He kept facing forward, not meeting her gaze. The tension from his jaw infected the rest of him, making him all sharp angles.

Rose laid her hand on his. She could feel the terror clawing its way up through his telepathic barriers. “I’m afraid of this perfume Mum has. It--there was this mission with Mickey. Things went south,” she shared as he turned to regard her. “The creatures, the aliens, they smelled like her perfume.”

“Big orange things with more fangs then brains?”

“Mm hmm.”

“I knew I knew that smell,” the Doctor muttered to himself.

“I get it, I mean, I don’t know what you’re feeling but it’s--valid,” Rose said, repeating what her UNIT appointed psychiatrist had told her. Rose had done a few sessions before just tossing all of Mum’s perfume then buying the company and discontinuing the scent. Bit overkill for peace of mind. “Tell you later what I did to stop smelling that smell. What can I do?”

The Doctor gripped her hand almost painfully. “Distract me.”

“Okay, yeah, I can… Why don’t we,” she slipped half into his seat and wrapped his arm around her. “Good. Now lean down and smell my hair. C’mon, if the scent is bad in here, I should smell good, comforting like you do to me. Go on.”

The arm around her tightened. The Doctor tilted his head and buried his nose in her hair. His arms twitched as he relaxed. Rose took a hit of his scent too while they were close. The scent of Time wasn’t dissipating. It was still a part of him, deep down in the skin. Looser and looser, the Doctor sank down into his seat. Legs stretching out, toes uncurling, the Doctor pulled her closer. Rose let him and found herself in a delightful cuddle. “Gonna have to stay this way for the entire flight,” he whispered into her hair.

“Fine by me,” she murmured. “Mm,” he agreed. “Want to tell me what evil fate befell Jackie’s perfume bottles?”

“They tragically ended up in the rubbish tip,” she murmured rearranging herself to fit more comfortably against him. “The company decided to make banana scented things instead.”

“Oh,” he drawled out with obvious relish.

“Would it--Do you think it would help if we continued?” she asked.

“It would give us something to do and occupy my frankly magnificent if overactive at the moment brain.” the Doctor said, one hand releasing to slide up through her hair to her temples. Rose shivered. “Ready?”

Rose was heating up. If they were going to cling to one another, the Doctor wasn’t the only one who was going to need a distraction. The hand still holding her to him flexed and Rose shivered. He made a few lazy circles before sliding it up under the fabric to touch warm skin.

“Ready.”

“Allons-y.”

[mysunfreckle]

Alright but selkies sunbathe right? Grantaire probably loves stretching out on a rock, taking a nap and just letting warmth seep into his bones. And Enjolras, of course, is as warm, if not warmer, than a rock. Basically what I'm wondering is how many time has Grantaire just laid on top of Enjolras and let Enjolras warm him up?

“Grantaire,”Enjolras says, trying to push himself up on his elbows. “Could you move over alittle?” They had been lying side by side on the flat rock on the water’s edge,but by now Grantaire is lying mostly on top of him. Strictly speaking that isnot something Enjolras has anything against, at all, except- “I can’t read like this,” he complains, nearlydropping his book.

“But thesun is gone,” Grantaire complains back at him. “And you’re warm.” He lets hisarm drape heavily across Enjolras’ back demonstratively. Enjolras’ left leg isalready trapped under his tail, which is solid and heavy.

“R,” Enjolrasprotests laughingly. The rock isn’t exactly soft to lie on and he doesn’t have Grantaire’spadding.

“Fine,”grantaire sulks and he rolls off his boyfriend with a whining sound that coaxesa smile from enjolras’ lips.

“Sulkyselkie,” he teases, but before Grantaire can pull another face at him he giveshim a gentle nudge to make him lie down on his back.

As soon ashe does, Enjolras sprawls out on the stone as well, resting his head on Grantaire’stail.

“Oh, so youare allowed to lie on me?” Grantaire quips, but he doesn’teven manage to fake a little indignation.

“Shush,” Enjolrasgrins. “You’re soft.” He turns his head so he can just see Grantaire’s face.“And I can warm you up like this just fine.” He takes a deep breath andfocusses on the fire in his being. Slowly, carefully, he brings a little of itto the surface.

Grantairemakes an approving sound when he feels the heat beginning to radiate strongerand stronger around Enjolras and Enjolras smiles.

“Better?” heasks, taking up his book again and his head nestled against Grantaire’s fur.

“Mmm,” Grantairehums, closing his eyes. “Should have gotten myself a dragon boyfriend waysooner.”

Enjolrasreaches out and pinches the end of Grantaire’s tail, which makes his eyes flyopen with a yelp.

“Oi!”

Enjolrassnorts with laughter, a few sparks escaping through his nose.

“I’ll swipeyou off!” Grantaire threatens, trying to swat Enjolras in the face with histail.

“Yeah,”Enjoras hums. “You’re really not selling this as a good hangout place. Betweensquashing me against a rock and threatening to throw me into the water.”

Grantairehuffs and let’s himself fall flat on his back again. “You’re welcome to lie onme if you like,” he grins.

Enjolrasknows he doesn’t expect him to  andthat’s exactly why he promptly scrambles up on his knees, grabs his book andlays down flat on top of Grantaire on his stomach. His legs straddling his tailand his arms crossed against Grantaire’s chest so he can still hold his book.

Grantairemakes a surprised noise that turns to a content hum as he shifts his weightuntil they are both nice and comfy.

“How’sthis,” Enjolras asks, grinning at Grantaire across the top of his book.

“Prettydamn perfect,” Grantaire grins back.

Enjolrassmiles, he doesn’t have to focus to keep his warmth up now. When he’s happy andcomfortable it usually more effort to keep his temperature down. And withGrantaire that is clearly not necessary. He has closed his eyes and is almostdozing off, letting Enjolras’ warmth seep into his bones. Enjolras makes acontent sound that makes Grantaire open his eyes slightly to smile at him, buthe wisely doesn’t say anything about purring. Instead he mutters:

“You don’thappen to like reading out loud, do you?”

Enjolras’ looksup from the page. “I do actually,” he says warmly.

“You’re toogood to be true,” Grantaire groans happily and he folds his arms behind hishead and closes his eyes again.

“Is that a‘please read to me, Enjolras’?” Enjolras teases.

“Yes, yesit is,” Grantaire says.

“Alrightthen, just checking,” Enjolras smirks. He turns back to the beginning of hiscurrent chapter and starts reading. His voice is low enough to only be heard byGrantaire and from a little distance the sound of them both, happily basking ineach other’s presence, is merely a murmur among the rushing of the sea andwind. A very happy murmur, that shows no sign of fading away.

[law-of-nines]

💙🐉💙

I propose a triple crossover: little scaled salvage. zuko is at approximate "can still be worn as a scarf for cuddles" size, his horn nubs are just barely starting to come in. akhlut crew wary until they find that dragon zuko is much less fighty (if just as reckless) than human zuko. winter rolls around and theyre a lil alarmed to find out that all the firebender talk about "agni gives us life" is more literal than they thought, as their scrawny lil dragon son basically starts hibernating

Oh my gosh little dragon Zuko--

He initially tries to escape by flying but can't make it far enough, because he is smol. (Ranalok and Aake just trail him in a boat until he has to land. Aake suggests wing-breaking as a future deterrent, kid doesn't even need those in human form. Ranalok says that's the Chief's call and spends the rest of the trip back with a tired shaky noodle hiding inside his coat. Later, Human Zuko insists he was just COLD, okay, that's ALL.)

Laundry involves their water heater occasionally being IN the tub, sporadic bubbles rising from the wiggly heating coil at the bottom, how long can dragons hold their breath because Panuk and Toklo are starting to discover the relevance of that question-- (Warm baths help with molting, of COURSE he has to get his head wet too, put him back--)

Apologies after burning Bato include a clearly ceremonial handing over of his last molt. Bato is now holding the shed skin of a child and this is just one more thing he Does Not Know What To Do With, in the rather long list he's acquired since returning to the ship.

Human Zuko walks around with a dog in his arms and/or clinging ridiculously to his shoulder. Dragon Zuko rides Seal Jerky around the deck like an epic mount, scaly nose raised high, scruffy little mane blowing majestically in the wind. Human Zuko DOES NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. (Seal Jerky is a happy pupper either way.)

On cold nights, Human Zuko steals blankets to his growing nest, and glares at anyone to dare mention it. The first time it was extra cold and he was a dragon, they thought they lost him again. Then Kustaa got into his own hammock--Wake me up if he's hypothermic when you catch him--and just kind of... paused. Dragon nephew had been waiting hours for his warm cuddles. (Toklo hereafter took to piling extra blankets on his own hammock as a dragon-lure. It has not to date been effective, because Toklo is a small inefficient radiator. Acceptable heaters include, but are not limited to: Kustaa, Hakoda, Ranalok, and Aake. Bato is too boney. Aake consistently scruffs the prince and sets him on the floor. This does not stop him waking up to a warm wiggle-snake against his back. Human Zuko insists it's Aake's fault for being so warm and huge and warm.)

Dragon Zuko is trying to teach the albatross-gulls how to land properly via demonstration. Effective communication has yet to be established. (Under the roosting birbs is also an acceptable place to take warm!naps. The crew would like to know how he squeezed through their cage mesh, do dragons not have bones?)

One of Ozai's letters includes a line about his son's skin. Hakoda originally takes this as a metaphor. This is not a metaphor. (Later, Zuko reads the letter, and does not explain to the Chief the difference between 'skin' and 'molt' that Hakoda can't be expected to know but Ozai definitely does. Little Zuko gets to the crying-hugs part of this conversation more quickly than older Zuko did.)

General Fong's letters contained occasional mentions of skin, as well. Fong has always wanted a piece of wall art to match that in the Earth King's palace, and if Ozai won't pay ransom... (NO WE ARE NOT SELLING YOU TO THE EARTH KINGDOM, says Hakoda, when he finally gets it.)

The crew was deeply unsettled to find that the Fire Lord's line were literally inhuman monsters. By the time they reach their first port, nobody had better say anything about their tiny inhuman monster, he is a BLAMELESS NOODLE.

(Aake submits to being a dragon-scarf-perch. Nobody had better say anything about that, either.)