The Living Room: 9:00 PM
The heating system in the Manor had decided to go on strike. Being a pocket dimension, the "plumber" was actually a disgruntled goblin who lived in the pipes, and he was currently on vacation.
"I'm freezing," Mia shivered, pulling a thin knitted blanket around her shoulders.
The room went silent. Five pairs of supernatural eyes locked onto her. To a mythical beast, a "cold Mia" was equivalent to a five-alarm emergency.
Phase 1: The Space Heater
Liam was the first to react. "Unacceptable. My feathers are insulated for high-altitude flight. They can withstand negative forty degrees."
He sat on the floor next to Mia's armchair and partially unfurled one massive, crow-black wing. It was like a heated velvet curtain. He draped the tip of it over her legs. "Better?"
"Much," Mia smiled, feeling the warmth radiating from the Tengu.
Phase 2: The Wolf-Weight
"Wings are scratchy," Harry grumbled, shifting into his half-wolf form. He was basically a giant, muscular human with fuzzy ears and a tail that was currently thumping the floor like a drum. "Wolves are pack animals. We specialize in 'Thermal Sharing.'"
He didn't ask. He simply sat on the rug at Mia's feet and leaned his back against her knees. Harry's body temperature was a steady 104 degrees. Mia felt like she'd just put her feet on a radiator.
Phase 3: The Fox Duel
This was where things got chaotic. Louis and Niall locked eyes. As Nine-Tailed foxes, they were essentially 90% fur and 10% ego.
"Step aside, Goldie," Louis smirked, shifting into his sleek, silver fox form. "I'm the 'Silver Lining.' I'm aerodynamic and fashionable."
Louis jumped onto the back of the armchair, draping all nine of his silver tails around Mia's neck like a high-end, vibrating scarf. He started to purr—a low, mischievous rumble that tickled her ears.
"You're just trying to steal her earrings, Lou!" Niall chirped. He shifted into his golden fox form, looking like a giant, sentient marshmallow made of sunshine.
Niall squeezed himself into the tiny gap between Mia and the arm of the chair. He tucked his nose under her chin and fanned out his nine golden tails, covering her like a heavy, silken duvet. His fur was impossibly soft and smelled like vanilla-scented laundry.
"Niall... Louis... I can't see the TV," Mia muffled through a mouthful of golden fox-fluff.
Phase 4: The Reaper's Touch
Zayn drifted over, looking at the pile of feathers, fur, and tails with a look of deep judgment.
"You are all suffocating the mortal," Zayn noted dryly. He sat on the other arm of the chair. Being a Reaper, he was naturally cold, but he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small, glowing blue flame. "This is Soul-Fire. It provides heat without the... excessive shedding."
He held the flame near Mia's hands. It didn't burn; it just felt like holding a warm cup of cocoa.
The Result
Ten minutes later, Mia was buried under:
A massive black Tengu wing (Liam).
A heavy, warm werewolf (Harry).
A silver fox-scarf (Louis).
A golden fox-blanket (Niall).
A levitating Reaper with a spirit-flame (Zayn).
"Is everyone comfortable?" Niall's muffled voice came from somewhere near Mia's ribs.
"I'm great," Louis barked, nipping playfully at one of Niall's tails.
"Stop it, Louis! You're getting silver hair in my mouth!" Harry groaned.
Mia leaned back, completely immobilized by the sheer amount of mythical fluff. She was sweating, she couldn't move her arms, and Louis was currently trying to "groom" her hair with his tongue, but she had never felt more protected in her life.
"I think," Mia whispered, "I might be the only human in history to be defeated by a cuddle-pile."
"Victory is ours," Liam rumbled, his wing tightening around her protectively.