Chapter Text
“Snow! It’s snowing, Ilay!” Taeui shouted, pressing his face against the frosted window. His black panther ears twitched uncontrollably, and his tail flicked in excitement behind him. Outside, snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, covering the garden in a soft, delicate blanket of white.
Ilay appeared at the top of the stairs, leaning casually against the railing. His snow leopard ears tilted forward as he watched Taeui’s antics, a faint, amused smirk curving his lips. “Looks like someone’s in a good mood,” he murmured, voice low and teasing.
Taeui spun around, eyes sparkling. “Come on! Let’s go out before it melts!” His tail lashed behind him with anticipation.
Ilay chuckled softly and pushed off the railing. “Alright… if you insist,” he replied, his tone calm but his presence alone making Taeui’s pulse quicken.
Taeui dashed to his room, practically bouncing with excitement, ears perked high as he changed into thick winter clothes. When he returned, he froze for a moment. Ilay was standing in the hallway wearing only a light sweater and long pants. His ears twitched, tail swishing lazily, and despite the cold, he looked entirely unbothered.
“…Aren’t you cold?” Taeui asked, tilting his head in concern. His own tail swished nervously.
Ilay shrugged, smirking. “Snow leopards have a natural resistance,” he said casually, the calm in his voice sending an involuntary shiver down Taeui’s spine.
Taeui’s grin widened. “Then take this!” He scooped up a handful of snow from the doorstep and flung it at Ilay. The snow hit his shoulder with a soft plop, and Taeui’s laughter rang out, bright and infectious.
Ilay’s eyes narrowed, ears twitching in mock irritation. “You dare?” he murmured, voice low and playful. In an instant, he moved with terrifying speed, closing the distance between them. Taeui’s tail stiffened, ears flattening slightly in delight and nervous anticipation.
“Catch me and I’ll let you do anything you want!” Taeui called over his shoulder, darting across the snowy yard.
Ilay’s smirk deepened. “Oh? Anything?” he asked, his voice carrying that magnetic undertone that always made Taeui’s body respond before he even realized it. He lunged, quick and precise, and in moments, Taeui felt strong hands on his shoulders.
He gasped, heart racing, tail curling instinctively as Ilay pinned him gently to the snow. Taeui’s ears twitched nervously as he looked up at him. Ilay’s dark eyes bore into his, and the faint scent of him—warm, intoxicating, familiar—washed over Taeui in waves.
“You’re mine,” Ilay murmured, voice low, commanding, but not unkind. Taeui’s tail twitched with both anticipation and surrender.
“And I’m yours,” Taeui whispered back, pressing closer. His ears flattened against his skull, and he shivered slightly from the cold… and from Ilay’s presence.
Ilay chuckled softly, brushing a hand over Taeui’s hair. “Good. That’s exactly what I like.” His other hand traced the line of Taeui’s shoulder gently, warming him against the chill.
Taeui laughed, shivering, and then flung a fresh snowball at Ilay. The game continued, both of them darting across the yard, throwing snow, laughing, chasing, each movement a playful dance. The crisp air bit at their cheeks, but the warmth between them was undeniable. Taeui’s tail flicked nervously whenever Ilay drew near, ears swiveling at every shift in his tone or movement.
Eventually, Taeui stumbled, snow-covered and laughing, and Ilay caught him instantly. “You’ve had enough snow for one day,” Ilay said, scooping him up effortlessly. Taeui’s tail curled around Ilay’s arm instinctively, ears pressed back as he nuzzled into Ilay’s chest.
Ilay’s voice softened, brushing the words almost like a caress. “Let’s go inside. Warmth is better than frost for you right now.”
Taeui rested his head against Ilay’s shoulder, ears twitching with contentment, tail wrapped loosely around his own waist. “Best… snow ever,” he murmured, his breath puffing faintly in the cold air.
Ilay laughed, a low, rumbling sound that made Taeui’s chest warm despite the winter chill. “And it’s only just begun,” he said, tilting Taeui’s chin up slightly to meet his gaze. “We have all winter.”
Taeui’s ears flicked, tail wagging softly in agreement, and for the first time that day, everything felt perfect—the snow, the cold, the quiet intimacy of shared warmth, and the subtle pull of instincts that made the bond between them electric.
The evening grew darker, the sky painted in soft purples and golds as the snow continued to fall. They finally trudged back inside, snow crunching under their boots. Taeui wrung out his mittens, laughing softly at the sight of Ilay, still calm and composed, shaking a bit of snow from his hair.
“I… I don’t want this day to end,” Taeui admitted, ears low and tail curling nervously.
Ilay’s gaze softened, a rare gentleness in his expression. He brushed Taeui’s hair back, fingers lingering. “Then it doesn’t have to,” he said simply, and with that, the first snow became a memory neither would ever forget.
”But now…let’s continue where we left off in our room. I know what I want to do to you now.” Ilay said with a innocent smile.
”….have mercy…”