Chapter Text
Snow fluttered to the ground, coating the Earth in a white blanket. Rei looked up at the grey sky, his breath coming out in steam from how cold it was.
He was on his way home from the village where he had bought more warm clothing and supplies to keep himself from freezing to death over the winter. Suddenly, a string of growls echoed around the forest. Curious about what was making the noise, he decided to take a detour.
The aggressive growling continued as Rei ventured deeper and deeper into the snow covered woods. Then, he finally stumbled upon the source of the noise. Tied to a tree was an odd colored fox, its neck constricted in a noose. When the fox realized Rei was there it snarled, trying to escape. But the motion only served to tighten the rope around its neck.
In order to appear less threatening, Rei knelt down, making eye contact with it. “I’m not going to hurt you, it’s okay.” He said softly. “I’ll help you, it’s okay, it’s okay…” Once it stopped struggling, he slowly crept towards it.
The fox shrinked back as Rei extended his hand. It then started to cautiously move forward, sniffing at his fingertips. After a while, the fox seemed okay with Rei so the man started slowly loosening the rope, trying not to startle the poor animal in the process. The fox let out a whine, wanting to get out of its predicament as soon as possible.
After cutting away the rope the fox immediately scampered away, turning back to take one last glance at Rei before disappearing into the wilderness. Looking at its fleeting figure, he smiled. Hopefully, it won't get into any more trouble. He then continued walking home, thinking of the pretty yellow-gold fox he had saved.
Unbeknownst to him, the fox peeked around a tree, slowly following and watching him venture home.
Rei woke up shivering. The morning was always the coldest part of the day. He sat up and started making a small fire to heat up some water. Looking around the empty home, he sighed, sipping his tea. His house was small, but big enough for two since his younger brother used to live with him. Ritsu has been long gone for months now, chasing his own dreams and leaving behind Rei. Sometimes he writes, but only sometimes.
knock knock
Startled, he whipped around to look at the door. It was very unusual for someone to be visiting him in the dead of winter. Rei slowly opened the door and was greeted by a blonde young man.
“Heya, can I stay with you for a while?” He smiled, his grey eyes twinkling.
“Huh? I–excuse me?” Rei blinked. “Who–”
“Um, before you continue can we talk inside? It’s kinda chilly.” The mysterious man sniffed, his nose red from the cold.
“Oh! My apologies. Please, come in.” He ushered the man inside, kicking away papers that were littered on the floor to make room for him to sit. Rei then handed the man a cup of tea. The latter sighed with content, smiling as he took a sip.
“Ah~ that hit the spot, thanks! Oh, I’m Kaoru by the way.”
“W-well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kaoru. I’m Rei.” He sat down across from the visitor, his gaze full of questions. “So, why do you need a place to stay? And why ask me, a stranger, of all people?”
“Welllll, um, m-my parents kicked me out. Yeah, yeah, they kicked me out so I got nowhere to go. And it seems uh, comfy here?” Kaoru scratched his cheek, a smile tugging at his lips. “Also, I can clean your house for you as a payment for letting me stay.”
“Hm? My house isn’t in need of cleaning though?”
Kaoru made a face and glanced around the house.“I think the mess can speak for itself.” Rei felt his face heat up in embarrassment. It’s true that he wasn't very organized, but he could find things much better if they were all over the place. Kaoru paused for a moment, tilting his head in thought. “I guess another reason I wanna stay is that I’m kinda returning a favor.”
“What favor are you speaking of? I don’t recall ever helping a young man like you. I apologize, this is all happening very quickly, I don’t seem to understand.”
Kaoru let out a laugh. “I know it’s sudden but I just need a place to stay for a while, that’s it.” Rei stared at him for a few moments, eyeing the faint marks around Kaoru’s neck. The latter quickly covered them with his hands, chuckling awkwardly.
“....Alright, you may stay. Just don’t cause too much trouble, you hear?”
“Of course~!”
And so, Rei gained a new housemate.
“...You know, when you said you wanted to clean my house I assumed you knew how to…well, clean.” Rei raised an eyebrow in amusement, watching Kaoru clumsily try to sweep the floors.
“Hey~ I’m just nervous when you watch me.” Kaoru threw a glare in his direction. Rei laughed,
“I’ll leave you to do the job then. I need to run some errands in town, so don’t do anything reckless when I’m gone.” He then put on his cloak, and left.
Kaoru made sure Rei disappeared from view before reverting to his fox self. It was way easier to sweep the floors with his fluffy tail than using a flimsy broom. After sweeping, he went back to his human form to pick up scattered objects splayed across the floor and started organizing them.
The majority of the mess consisted of crumpled pieces of paper. Kaoru took one and flattened it out, unveiling scribbles and splotches of ink. He could tell that the chaos of the ink was hiding something underneath, but it was impossible to find out. Curious of what the other papers had, he began uncrumpling them all. Unfortunately, all of them had ink splashed onto them. Maybe he could ask Rei about these later.
He looked around the home, nodding to himself. Living here for a while wouldn't be bad. The half fox-half human interacted with other people before, so he was no stranger to human behavior. But he never stuck too long with anyone in fear of them finding out his secret and leaving him. He’d rather run away first, than be abandoned.
After a few hours, Kaoru stood in the entryway admiring his hard work. The floor that used to be covered with crumpled paper was now sparkly clean, and all of Rei’s tools were neatly stacked on the table. Back at his past home, he was used to doing chores so cleaning wasn’t something new.
Thinking he could surprise Rei by cooking something, he rummaged through the cabinets looking for ingredients. But, he came up empty handed. What has this man been eating? Kaoru thought to himself. Then, the door suddenly creaked open.
He flinched and whirled around.“Oho~ the house looks very tidy now. Thank you for your hard work, Kaoru.” Rei grinned, setting down a large bag.
“No problem~ I’m pretty good at cleaning.” Kaoru got up, brushing the dust off his clothes. “Do you have any food or something? All that effort is making me hungry.”
Rei chuckled, taking out something covered in cloth and giving it to Kaoru. “I got this while in town, it's quite delicious.” The blonde accepted it and slowly unwrapped it. A sweet aroma filled the home, and Kaoru's mouth started watering. Placed in the cloth was a warm cake-like good. He looked at Rei gratefully and took a bite. His face immediately lit up with how soft and sweet the warm pastry was.
“?! What is this?? It’s good!” Kaoru happily continued munching down.
“I haven't got the slightest idea. I observed them placing the batter into a pan though. So maybe they would be called…pan…cakes?” Rei furrowed his brows, thinking about other things the pastry could be called. Kaoru laughed, finishing up the sweet.
Night fell and they got ready for bed. Rei began to untie a large cloth that held blankets stacked together. “While in town, I purchased another futon for you to sleep in.”
“Oh~ thanks! Was that the only reason you went into town?” Kaoru took the blankets from him. Setting them up right next to Reis' bedding, he immediately snuggled under the blankets and sighed with content.
“Hm, well that was the main focus. But I also had to pick up some other things.” Rei went to go under his blankets as well. The small fire in the middle of their home casted a warm glow around them and the snow outside fell softly. He glanced around the house, then looked back at Kaoru who laid next to him. The blonde looked at him through droopy eyes, sleep threatening to take him.
“ ‘s comfy…I haven’t been this warm in a long time.” The orange hues of the fire reflected in his eyes, turning them amber. Rei smiled at him fondly. Even though they had just met today, he already felt at ease with the Kaoru. It was the first time in ages that he didn’t feel lonely.
“I’m relieved you feel comfortable. Now, go to sleep. You must be tired cleaning the house all day.”
“Mmm yeah…g’night, Rei.” Kaoru's eyes fluttered shut and his slow peaceful breathing filled the air. Rei silently chuckled at how fast he fell asleep. Taking one last glance at him, he closed his eyes and let sleep take over.
Rei woke up warm, very warm. He groggily opened his eyes and turned in Kaoru’s direction. Though he didn't have to look far, for the young man was snuggled right to his side. Kaoru’s arms were around Rei’s shoulders, his feet tangled in his. Rei’s face erupted in a blush and he didn't move a muscle.
Unable to fall back asleep, he stared at the ceiling contemplating his next course of action. He didn't know what led him to do so, but he suddenly started to awkwardly pet Kaoru’s head. The boy responded by mumbling incoherently while nuzzling deeper into Rei’s chest. This position was very comfortable, and honestly speaking, Rei wouldn’t mind staying like this forever. He continued petting the sleeping boy and almost succumbed to sleep again, but Kaoru’s form stirred. The blonde drowsily looked up, blinking in confusion. After a few moments, realization finally hit and he shot up, scrambling backwards.
“AH!! S-sorry, sorry! I have a habit of snuggling up with the person sleeping next to me. Pr-preserve warmth, am I right?” He spoke quickly, rubbing his neck sheepishly. “So! Uh, what’s the game plan for today, Rei?”
“Hmm, well, I’m in need of inspiration for my next art piece. Could you perhaps recommend some activities that cause creativity to spark?” Rei yawned, snuggling under the blankets. “Although, I wouldn’t mind sleeping again. With you beside me, you’re almost like a personal heater and I’ve never slept so comfortably in ages.” His eyes slightly widened. “Ah. You know what? Since I woke you up, I’ll make it up to you by becoming your personal pillow once more. Now come, let us sleep for a while longer.” He lifted the blanket, beckoning Kaoru to lay with him again.
So, art was the reason for the scribbles of ink. “No way~ I’m already wide awake.” He flicked Rei’s forehead, causing the latter to yelp. Kaoru placed his hand on his chin. “I do know a place that has a pretty nice view, maybe that’ll spark something in you?” Rei groaned, rolling himself into a blanket burrito and nudging Kaoru’s knee with his head.
“Fine~~ we can go after breakfast.”After their small meal, they bundled up and headed outside.
The sun was reflecting off the snow, blinding the two as they exited their home. Even though there was sunlight, it did nothing to fight off the bitter cold. “The place I was talking about isn’t too far from here, let’s go~” Kaoru took the lead with Rei following close behind. The snow was piled high, so going through it was almost like marching.
“Kaoru~ you said it was nearby, but we’ve been walking for sooo long. Are you perhaps making a fool of me?!” Rei whined, latching onto Kaoru’s shoulder. He felt as if the sun was sucking the life out of him.
“Rei…we’ve only been walking for like, five minutes. We’re almost there, just over that hill.” Kaoru pointed at it in the distance. He then continued walking, half dragging Rei through the snow.
“Noooo, not the hill….Kaoru, Kaoru, please have mercy on this frail oldman, I’m begging you.”
“Stay strong for a while longer, you can do that for me, right?” Kaoru turned to Rei, giving him a smile.
“...Hey, that’s cheating.” He looked away, his face feeling warm. Kaoru laughed, the joyous sound filling the air. Rei wished he could bottle it up and listen to it on repeat.
The two trudged up the hill. It was steep but thankfully, on the shorter side. But climbing a steep hill while it was covered with snow drained his energy fast. As they neared the top, Rei felt his legs tremble with exhaustion.
“K-kaoru, my legs–ah?!” The blonde who was already at the top yanked Rei towards him, grinning ear to ear.
“Whew! There we go~! Well? Do you feel the inspiration flowing through your veins yet?” He put his hands on his hips, looking out at the view. Rei was speechless, his brain processing the scene in front of him.
He couldn’t find the right word to describe the landscape, but it was similar to the word ‘ethereal.’ The small beach was covered in all white, sparkling in the sun. Surrounding the perimeter of the beach was the hill they were standing on. It was almost like it was hiding the scenery from view, only to be unveiled once you climbed the hill.
Kaoru began making his way down. “It’s slippery, be careful.” He held out his hand to give Rei support.
“Thank you, you’re very kin–?!” Rei lurched forward, his legs reaching his limit of physical activity. Crashing into Kaoru, the two tumbled down the hill. Once they came to a stop, Kaoru groaned from underneath him.
“R-rei...you really need to go outside and touch grass more often.”
“I’m an artist, I don’t go outside.” Rei mumbled into the fabric of Kaoru’s kimono. He then got up on his arms, staring down at Kaoru who laid below him. With his blonde hair splayed across the snow and his face dusted with red from the cold, Kaoru looked quite attractive. While he was staring, Kaoru placed his finger on Rei’s forehead and pushed, causing the latter to get off of him.
“I know I'm good-looking, but it's embarrassing when you stare~” Kaoru flashed him a teasing grin.
“One can’t help but stare at someone as handsome as you~” Rei winked, feeding Kaoru’s ego. They laughed, standing up and brushing off the snow that clung to their clothes. “Are you alright though? I apologize for my clumsiness. I do hope you aren’t hurt…”
“I’m a-okay~ I’ve been in worse situations before. But what about you, old man?”
“...I'm quite alright, thank you for asking.” Rei wanted to inquire about the other situations he was talking about, but Kaoru walked away, avoiding the incoming questions.
Kaoru wandered towards the frozen lake's edge. “You know, you’re kinda weird. Normal people wouldn’t have followed me, let alone allow me to stay in their home. What if I was looking to steal from you, or something?” He glanced back at Rei, raising an eyebrow.
The raven haired man responded with a slight shrug. “I own nothing valuable people would want to take. Besides, even if I lose what I have now, I wouldn't be angry. I'm much too tired.”
“Tired of what?”
Rei didn’t respond, turning his head to gaze unseeingly at the lake scenery. Kaoru stared quietly at him as a gust of wind blew, ruffling their hair and clothes. After a few moments, Rei turned back to Kaoru. “Nothing. Don't pay any mind to my nonsense.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, no. It’s quite alright.” Awkward silence settled between the two. Kaoru cleared his throat,
“We should head back. You look like you’re freezing.”
Without another word, the two started to climb the hill once again to get home. After they made it over Kaoru squatted down, glancing back at Rei. “I don’t usually do this, but get on. Your legs are su~per weak so I don’t want you to like, collapse or something.”
“Ah. I don’t want to trouble you–”
“It’s fine~ hurry up before I change my mind.”
Rei reluctantly went on his back, resting his arms around Kaoru’s shoulders as the blonde stood up. Making sure Rei was situated, he then continued trudging through the snow.
After their meager lunch, Rei began to paint. Kaoru lazed around, folding the papers Rei had discarded into cranes.
“Hey, why are you out here living by yourself anyways? It’s pretty far from the village.”
Rei hummed, looking at his sketch at different angles. “My dear younger brother used to live with me, but he left to pursue his own ambitions. I am much too attached to this house to leave it. Besides, I prefer to live in a place that is secluded from other people.”
Bedtime rolled around but Rei didn’t want to go to sleep yet, not wanting to disrupt his creativity flow. Kaoru laid his head on the table, watching Rei through his bangs. The candles on the table caused Rei’s eyes to glow a warm shade of red that reminded Kaoru of a sunset.
“–Kaoru?”
The blonde blinked, his thoughts interrupted. “Ah, sorry, wasn’t listening~”
“I said you should head to bed first. I’ll join you shortly.” Rei said, looking at his paper. He then nodded to himself, satisfied with the sketch he’d drawn.
“Alright then, good night.” Kaoru yawned, moving to lay in his futon.
True to his word, Rei went to bed soon after. In the middle of the night, he was gently shaken awake.
“Hey…’s cold. Can you–can I…” Kaoru’s silhouette was illuminated by the moonlight, his eyes blurred with fatigue. He was still half asleep, his hair sticking up in random places. “I jus’ wanna make sure you’re…okay with…yeah…” Mumbling, he rubbed his eyes.
Rei looked at him, still half asleep as well. Not saying a word, he lifted his blanket up. Kaoru gratefully snuggled underneath the cover, latching onto Rei. The two fell back asleep quickly.