Parker was, once again, freezing.

In the summer it wasn't so bad. But in the winter, when the heat didn't work half the time and it was like twenty degrees below zero, Barkovitch's slightly annoying habit of stealing all the blankets and moving over to the far side of the bed turned incredibly annoying.

And Barkovitch just kept sleeping, not even using a pillow, pressed up against the wall. It was like he wanted to deprive Parker of any sort of warmth whatsoever.

"Barkovitch," Parker hissed, shaking the smaller boy. Barkovitch muttered something and turned onto his stomach. "Barkovitch!"

Two options. One – rip the sheet from the bed and use that for a blanket. Or two – dump Barkovitch into a tub of freezing cold water.

Well, number two was always fun.

Parker picked up Barkovitch and slung him over one shoulder, getting another sleepy mutter.

"What's going on?"

Parker didn't answer.

"Blondie, put me down."

Parker paused, hand on the bathroom door. "Will you share the blankets?"

"No."

"Okay then!" Parker said, opening the door. He held onto Barkovitch as he filled the tub. Barkovitch began to struggle.

This had happened before.

Like always, it was difficult getting Barkovitch out of the blankets. He'd burrowed himself deep, and Parker really just wanted to take the blankets, dump Barkovitch in the water and go back to sleep.

With another shake, Barkovitch fell into the tub with a thud. He hit his foot on the faucet and it began to bleed.

Barkovitch sat up, shivering. "Fuck, Parker, what's your problem?" he asked, reaching for a towel.

"Shit, you're bleeding," Parker said, looking at the quickly-turning-red water.

"Yep. Get me a band-aid."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Then get me a band-aid. And fresh clothes. And make me breakfast. Even though it-"

"Okay, shut up," Parker said. "I'm not making you breakfast at three in the morning."

Barkovitch stood in the tub, arms crossed over his bare chest, shivering. He just looked at Parker, who sighed. "Fuck it," he muttered. "Stay here."

He couldn't be bothered with searching through Barkovitch's never-used room for clothes, so he grabbed a shirt that was too big for even him and some of his boxers. As an afterthought, he grabbed a band-aid.

Barkovitch was in the exact same position he'd been in when Parker left. Parker rolled his eyes and threw the clothes at Barkovitch, who nearly dropped them.

"I'm gonna go make some popcorn. Band-aid's on the sink."

Hopefully he didn't mind burnt popcorn, Parker thought as he shook the blackened kernels into a bowl.

"That's burned. Christ, you're hopeless at this sort of thing."

Parker watched as Barkovitch, dragging around a blanket like a cape, threw his popcorn away and started a new bag.

"Here's a hint – if it starts to smoke, don't leave it in for another thirty seconds."

"Shut up Barkobitch."

"Can we watch Saw?"

"I don't have Saw."

"I do. Let's watch Saw. Or Paranormal Activity. Or some shitty old Stephen King movie. Pet Sematary. Oh, Pet Sematary 2's really gory-"

Parker kissed him. Really, that was the only way to ever shut him up. It lasted until Barkovitch shoved him away to get the popcorn.

They ended up watching IT at Barkovitch's insistence that "it's not that scary, really. Only if you're seven."

By the end of the movie, Parker was shaking. "I fucking hate you."

Barkovitch rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's not scary in the least."

"We're showering together from now on."