The way the days getting shorter and colder could impact one's moods was no joke. Ifrit got to see it first hand in several of his packmates, and apparently it was a common ailment amongst the siblings of sin, too. Not everyone was filled with a sense of eerie excitement when the halls were cast in darkness by eight at night, or thrilled by the shadows looming. If he was honest, Ifrit loved it. The chill in the air carried the faint scent of cinnamon from the kitchens, and the sound of wind whistling through the abbey windows created a comforting white noise that made the prospect of staying indoors even more appealing. What was better than a warm cup of hot chocolate, a cake, and nestling amongst the thickest blankets with someone he held close to his heart?

He and his boyfriend had done this before. This wasn't their first winter as a couple, and it wasn't going to be their last. The faint memories of previous winters together brought a small smile to his face - the sound of holiday music from the common room, the taste of sugar cookies they'd burned, the feeling of cold noses touching before seeking warmth under blankets. In fact, he liked to think of himself as something of an expert in the art of cheering up his boy.

It had begun as early as that morning. It was still dim outside, the sun only just beginning to crawl over the horizon, painting the sky in soft hues of purple and pink that barely penetrated the thick abbey walls. He could tell that his boyfriend was struggling to drag himself out of bed when it wasn't even bright out yet. His movements had been a little absentminded - forgetting his socks on the way to go and shower, his coffee growing cold beside him as he stared blankly out the window. Ifrit had grabbed him gently to do up the top few buttons on his shirt before he could slink away, the fabric soft against his fingers as he brushed a stray hair from his forehead.

"Hey you," he greeted, already trying to gauge whether this had been the type of rough day that his boyfriend would want to talk about, or if he'd want a little quiet time. The weight of him slumping down into Ifrit's arms was answer enough for the most part, the familiar scent of his mate mixing with the faint aroma of the pastries he'd baked earlier. He could feel the tension slowly leaving his body as Ifrit's warmth seeped into him, and he had to make a conscious effort to hold back the giddy smile on his lips as he curled his arms around the other ghoul. "I'm here, you're fine now."