Love don’t cost a thing

[Red]

"Red?" Alex's whisper drifted through their small camp. The campfire had been put out for the night and everyone was safe and snug down in their burrows. Red was too, curled up in fox form with his nose under his tail, napping. He couldn't fully go to sleep until he knew that Alex was home, and that nothing had happened to him. In their world, nothing was assumed. He couldn't simply expect to wake up to Alex beside him because all too often, people didn't come back.

Yip!

Red let out a soft bark to let Alex know that he was awake as he emerged from the warm burrow into the cool night air. The fog even penetrated into the woods! He was surprised to see how thick it had gotten—he could barely make out Alex's figure, five feet away from him. Red shifted out of fox form and shivered even more, but soon Alex's arms were around him.

"Hey, you'll catch a cold! Go back to sleep, I'll join you in a bit after I wash up." Alex kissed the side of his head. "Sorry I couldn't walk you home."

"It's okay." Red rested his cheek against Alex's shoulder, recalling the funny face he made earlier in the office. He thought about that look for a long while as he walked home with Nico and again after he got back to camp and washed up in preparation for bed. The burger would last him until morning; he had gotten used to living on starvation rations so a little food went a long way.

A part of him thought the look was jealousy but... that didn't seem like Alex. Red had never seen him be jealous before and there were young male shifters among them too. Although, Red never let anyone walk him home before except Alex. Was that it? Did Alex mind the fact that someone else was walking Red home? Or maybe he felt guilty about not being able to do it, since he brought it up now...

"Alex?"

"Hm?" Alex rubbed the sides of his bare arms to keep him warm.

"...Red safe. Nothing happen way home." He looked up and although he couldn't see Alex's face properly, he felt that Alex was no longer wearing that odd look from earlier. "Nico friend."

There was a long pause, and then he felt a brush of breath against his temple. Alex was laughing softly. "I see. You like him? As a friend?"

"Yep. He nice. Give Red burger. It taste good!"

Another laugh, this time louder. "You little glutton, anyone who gives you food is your friend! Is that where all of your loyalties lie, hm?"

"What mean this glu... uh... gloo ten?" Red had a feeling it was a bad word, even if Alex was using it in a teasing way. He felt Alex's hands at his chin urging his head up. Then—a kiss! Red's face felt red enough to light the whole area. "Alex why..."

"Don't ask why I'm kissing you, silly. Go back into the burrow, I'll join you in two minutes. Go on, or you'll freeze to death!"

"But—gloo ten? Alex gloo ten what this??" He had to know what this word was! "Why ten gloo? Can be more gloo?"

"Inside Red."

"If Alex no say, Red ask Nico right now."

"Oh really? You'll go right now? Naked?"

"...Red ask tomorrow. In shirt and pant." He slapped Alex's shoulder gently for calling out his simple bluff but obediently turned to re-enter their little home. "If Nico give burger one time more, Red no share with bad Alex," was his parting shot before he shifted back and dove back into the safety of the burrow. Behind him, he heard Alex laughing again.