The pale light of dawn crept into the den, brushing over the furs, the wall drawings, and the faint curls of smoke from the dying embers. The cave was quiet—except for the rhythmic sound of soft breathing and the occasional sleepy sigh from the cubs.
Silas stirred first. The serpent opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the faint glow. His gaze landed on the figure beside him — Evan, half-buried in furs, lips slightly parted in sleep, one hand curled near Silas's chest. A soft pout lingered on his face, as if he were dreaming of something unsatisfactory.
A small chuckle escaped Silas's throat, low and amused.
"So stubborn even in dreams…" he murmured.
He leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from Evan's face. The soft warmth of his breath ghosted against those pouty lips — and before he could stop himself, Silas pressed a gentle kiss to them. It was feather-light, tasting faintly of warmth and winter air.
Evan stirred at once, lashes fluttering. His eyes blinked open—clear, sleepy, and confused—before realization hit.
"Y-you—" his words stumbled out, cheeks already pink.
Silas's tail flicked lazily. "Good morning," he said, tone far too calm. "You looked… displeased. I thought a kiss might fix that."
Evan buried his face in the fur blanket, groaning softly. "You're impossible."
A soft chuckle echoed through the den. "You've said that before," Silas replied, clearly pleased with himself.
Kael's voice, low and teasing, drifted from the outside. "If you two are done being sweet, we have work to do. Or do you plan to flirt until the sun goes down?"
Evan peeked out from the blanket, his blush deepening. "You're awake already?"
"Have been," Kael said lazily, stretching his arms. "Trust me, it's hard to sleep when someone's whispering love songs beside me."
Silas shot him a look sharp enough to silence even an orc. Kael just smirked and turned back to stoke the fire.
Evan cleared his throat quickly. "Alright! Time to clean the vegetables!"
---
By the time the snow outside began to glimmer under the morning light, the den was filled with cheerful noise. Silas had boiled snow water in large stone pots, steam rolling up in silver wisps. Evan and Kael sat side by side, washing the vegetables one by one in the warm water.
The cubs hovered close, fascinated by the whole process.
"Look, Mama! It's like bathing, but for food!"
Evan laughed softly. "Yes, something like that."
Kael picked up one of the round snow cabbages and grinned. "If I'd known food could look this clean, maybe I'd have eaten more vegetables before."
Evan gave him a look. "And lived longer too."
Kael chuckled. "Fair point."
Silas came up behind them, arms crossed. "You're supposed to wash, not talk them to death."
Evan turned, giving him a deliberately sweet smile. "You could help instead of criticizing."
"I already fetched the snow," Silas said, but the faint curve of his lips betrayed him. With a quiet sigh, he knelt beside Evan, taking up one of the roots and helping rinse it clean. His large hands were careful, almost delicate in motion.
Evan couldn't help glancing at him — at the way his scales caught the faint morning light, the quiet focus on his face. His heart gave a small, traitorous flutter.
Kael caught the look and smirked. "Careful, Silas. At this rate, he'll start praising your washing skills next."
Silas didn't even look up. "Then I'll wash more, so he has reason to."
Evan groaned softly. "You two are hopeless."
The laughter that followed echoed warmly against the stone walls.
---
By the time the vegetables were washed, dried, and stacked neatly in the side chamber, the whole den smelled faintly of freshness — green and alive, even in the heart of winter.
Evan dusted off his hands with satisfaction. "Perfect! We'll have more tasty options for food now."
Silas placed the last yam in the corner and nodded approvingly. "You planned well."
Evan turned to smile at him — and just then, the familiar ding of the System shimmered in his vision.
[System Notification: Task Completed — "Store Winter Vegetables."]
Reward Unlocked: Blueprint — Washroom & Bathhouse (Basic Model).
For a moment, Evan froze.
Then his eyes widened, mouth opening in silent astonishment.
A… bathhouse?
He almost burst into laughter and tears at once. "Finally! I don't have to heat ten pots of water just to wash up! Outside"
The cubs blinked at him in confusion. "Mama? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Evan said quickly, though his eyes were shimmering. "Just—happy. Very, very happy."
Kael arched a brow. "You look like you found treasure."
"Better than treasure," Evan whispered, pressing a hand to his heart. "Warm water on demand."
Silas tilted his head, bemused. "You cry over strange things."
Evan wiped his eyes, laughing softly. "You wouldn't understand, Silas. This is called civilization."
Silas leaned closer, voice low, amused. "Then I'll just trust your strange joy… as long as it keeps that smile."
Evan blinked, cheeks flushing again. "You're doing it again."
"Doing what?"
"Making me—" He stopped mid-sentence, flustered. "Never mind!"
Kael snorted from the side. "At this time, I am regreting being single...."
Silas's tail twitched warningly. Evan sighed, face in his hands.
But the sound of their laughter — light, teasing, full of warmth — carried softly through the den, mingling with the gentle whisper of falling snow outside.
And as steam rose from the fire, and the faint scent of fresh greens filled the air, it felt — just for that moment — like home.
...
Below are pictures of the cave and the chambers.