Cozy

Johnson took a hard swing at the log, splitting it clean in two before wiping at his forehead, trying to keep the sweat out of his eyes. He'd spent a good fifteen minutes splitting logs for the fire. He'd had to do it in the backyard, of course - Susan would never let him do shit like that in the house. Not even in the garage. It was freezing cold outside, but the task was hard work, and he'd already worked up enough of a sweat to discard his shirt. He knew she liked to watch from the window, inside where it was warmer. He also knew she thought he liked putting on a show, seeming so strong and resilient, showing off the muscles that he'd worked so long to build for her. He'd been doing it for himself all along, of course, but he wasn't one to argue with her.

He lifted the basket that he had been putting the cut wood into and carried it back into the house. With a heave, he lifted it into its place next to the fireplace and began building the shape for a fire. Susan watched silently from her spot on the couch, artbook in her lap and a smile on her face. She loved watching Johnson be all manly. He didn't do it very often - he was a big goof, and a gamer - but every once in a while he reminded people of just what an intimidating figure he had, and that he was a force to be reckoned with if you got on his bad side. There had not been a single block of wood that had taken more than two swings for him to cleave in two.

When he was done, Johnson grabbed a towel and wiped himself off of sweat before pulling his hoodie back on. He lit a match and tossed it into the fireplace before shutting the pane, which was designed to continue to let air in, but keep it from escaping so as to circulate the air better within the space and build the fire faster. He walked over to Susan and lifted her up slightly, sliding into his spot behind her and resting her back down with her head against his chest. She snuggled into him for a moment before turning back to her notebook and starting to draw.

With the fire starting to burn, Johnson picked up his controller and turned the tv on, resting his hands in Susan's lap as his game booted up. She giggled. "You're gonna go and ruin a perfectly romantic moment by playing your games?" she asked.

"I'm not ruining anything that you aren't already ignoring," he said calmly, his eyes already glued to the screen. "You already stopped snuggling. You draw and I play. That's what I love you for."

Susan laughed out loud at that. "Oh, is that all?" she asked teasingly.

"Yes. Now get on it so I can love you."