#mushrooms are one of the key foodstuffs in a world where the sun got shattered into mere embers 800 years ago

[victorluvsalice]

Valicer Polyship Week, Day Two: Huddling For Warmth (Valicer In The Dark AU)

Day Two of Valicer Polyship Week, courtesy of @polyshipweek, and we’re up to the first of a pair of Valicer In The Dark AU fics! This is the verse where Victor, Alice, and Smiler are a crew in the Blades in the Dark setting of Duskwall, having been brought together by Alice and Smiler trying to help Victor with his “ghost bride” problem, only to find themselves and him accused of murder after said ghost bride takes out her killer. So they just kind of embraced being criminals and set themselves up in a lair, ready to do at least vaguely Robin-Hood-ish crimes (and sell drugs, in Smiler’s case). The problem is, said lair (a version of Elder Gutknecht’s tower from Corpse Bride) isn’t exactly in the best repair at the time of this story, meaning that keeping warm on a chilly, drafty night is a bit of a problem. . .good thing I let them have my nice big purple blanket to keep themselves warm. XD Enjoy!

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“Ugh. . .why is it always so cold in here?”

“Well, you not having an ounce of body fat on you cannot help.”

Victor shot Alice a look. “I can’t help that. It’s true of everyone on my father’s side.”

“It wasn’t a judgment, just an observation,” Alice told him, tucking in the side of the blanket they were sharing a little more tightly around herself. “I think it’s safe to say the real culprit is every crack and chip in this old wreck of a house that lets in the breeze.”

“It’s not as bad as it was when we first moved in,” Smiler offered up from Victor’s other side, as usual looking on the bright side of things. “Once we got the glass in the windows again, things warmed up a lot!”

“Define ‘a lot,’” Victor groused, snuggling deeper into the soft purple cloth swaddled around the three of them. Yes, making sure to grab this before we fled my parents’ house was my best idea yet. “I don’t suppose you’ve got any brilliant ideas for a new kind of heater?” His eyes flicked to Alice. “One that doesn’t rely on open flame?”

“We can light the fireplace,” Alice said, though her tone was reluctant. “I can get over myself when it comes to avoiding losing some digits to frostbite.”

“No, we saw your face when we tried lighting it the first time – I’m not going to be the one to plunge you back into bad memories,” Smiler said firmly. “Besides, it doesn’t work very well, and we don’t have a good way to clean it, so. . .” They snuggled up against Victor. “What sort of heater do you want? Like the radiators your parents had in their mansion?”

“Ideally. . .though I guess that means we have to figure out running water first,” Victor admitted, frowning.

“Hey, I don’t mind turning my talents to plumbing! We need to do something about the bathroom anyway.”

“Other than toss the refuse down the nearest street drain?” Alice remarked blandly.

“That would be nice – unless there’s a mushroom farm down there,” Smiler said, sitting up straight. “We should check, actually – I bet you some lord or other set up something before the place went to ruin. And even if there’s not, we could set one up – who’s gonna check the tunnels here in Six Towers? We can get a few samples from my parents and see what grows!”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Victor admitted, before reaching out and pulling Smiler back in against him. “But let’s save it for a less-cold evening, shall we?”

“I’m in favor of that – even if squelching through our own poop would be pretty warm,” Alice said with her best Cheshire Cat grin.

Victor made a face at her. “You’re disgusting.”

Alice laid her head on his shoulder, blinking up at him. “And yet you haven’t kicked me out of the huddle.”

“Yes, well, you’re warm too.” Victor slipped his arm around her. “I love you. Both of you. And not just because you’re warm.”

“And we love you,” Smiler said, kissing his cheek. “And not just because you’re warm, because that would be a lie. Seriously, how is it you never gain an ounce no matter what you eat?”

“I don’t know! And I’m not about to summon up the ghosts of my ancestors to ask, so don’t mention it.”

“Aww. . .”

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