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“So, you’re sending me away?” Thoma asks, an eyebrow quirked but his tone mostly playful.
“You know that’s not it,” Ayaka responds, setting a hand on Thoma’s shoulder. “You just deserve a break. Brother is gone on business for a few days, and I’m more than capable of handling things around here.”
“I know you are. But—”
Ayaka interrupts him. “No ‘but’s,” she says firmly. She pats his shoulder before removing her hand, letting it fall back to her side. “You’re going to get some rest.”
Thoma isn’t one to argue with Ayaka; still, he says, “It’s the middle of winter. Where am I supposed to go to relax?”
Ayaka waves him over to a map that splays out on the wall. She points her finger to a remote area on Yashiori Island, which causes Thoma to tilt his head curiously.
“We own a cabin here. Our family used to spend time there in the winters when Brother and I were very young. No one has gone in some time… mostly due to the intense weather conditions on Yashiori Island during recent years. As you know, though, the weather has cleared up as of late, and the area has become habitable again. I recently had the cabin tidied, so it’s ready to be enjoyed.” She smooths the front of her dress with her palms. “It’s fully heated and stocked with plenty of food.”
Thoma gawks for just a moment. “How did I not know about this? You know I would’ve taken care of it for you.”
“That’s exactly the problem, Thoma. You don’t need to take care of everything. This time, allow me to look after you.”
A little embarrassed, Thoma bows his head. “Thank you, milady.”
She smiles. “Though when I was planning this, I did wonder if you would get lonely out there by yourself…” Ayaka trails off, “So I took it upon myself to invite a friend of yours, as well.”
“And who might that be?” Thoma inquires.
“How to say this…” Ayaka mumbles under her breath. “Um, the ‘One and Oni,’ Arataki Itto.”
Thoma laughs at the strain in Ayaka’s voice, like attempting to say Itto’s chosen title has physically pained her. “Itto, huh. That’ll be fun.” He’s not surprised by her choice to call on Itto, since they’ve been seeing much more of each other since the Irodori festival. Nursing Itto back to health after an allergic reaction that was partially Thoma’s fault surely had something to do with the quick development of their friendship.
Ayaka scratches her cheek. “I know that he won’t be the most… relaxing companion you could have—”
“Oh, please,” Thoma interrupts. “I’d be bored out of my mind alone there. He’ll keep it interesting.”
“Good, good,” Ayaka says, clearing her throat. “I won’t pretend to understand it, but I know you harbor certain feelings for—“
It’s unruly of Thoma to interrupt Ayaka twice in a row, but he can’t help himself as he feels his face heat up. “Milady, are you trying to make a move for me?”
Despite her words, Ayaka’s expression is mischievous: “I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing. But…”
Thoma raises an eyebrow. “But?”
“There’s just one additional detail… Itto’s getting released from jail on the premise that you’re taking him out of town—out of Kujou Sara’s hair. At least for a few days. So… he’s not allowed to leave the cabin or surrounding area.”
At this, Thoma bursts into laughter. “You struck a deal with Kujou Sara to get Itto out of jail so he could go on vacation with me?”
“Yes, well, he’s in jail quite often… and after the incident at the Irodori festival—that we were in charge of—I felt it was the least I could do.”
“He doesn’t hold that against us at all, you know.”
“Regardless,” she says, “You’re leaving tomorrow morning. Pack up.”
Thoma chuckles. Even some months ago, Ayaka was much timider. The traveler has certainly had their influence. “Yes, milady.”
—
The cabin is a bit smaller than Thoma expected. It’s not tiny by any means, but Thoma is used to the Kamisato Estate’s extravagance, and the cabin is strikingly… normal? Perhaps the Kamisatos could forget etiquette and act like children when they spent time here.
Still, Itto makes any room he’s in look small, so maybe that’s part of it. Now, he’s leaning up against a kitchen counter, still donned in a bulky winter jacket, white hair littered with snowflakes that slowly melt away. It’s snowing currently, though the terrain surrounding the cabin is already covered in a thick layer of snow.
“It’s nice of y’all to get me out of jail and all,” Itto says, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting slightly, “and of course, it’s great to see you, bro, but be honest. You’re here to babysit me, aren’t you? It’s really not necessary. Shinobu would have—”
“I’m not here to babysit you,” Thoma responds, cutting him off. “In fact, Ayaka wanted me to get some rest away from the estate, and she wanted to do you a favor. She knows I enjoy your company, so…” He clears his throat, scratching at the back of his neck. “It’s two birds with one stone, really.”
“Aw, man, I like hanging with you, too,” Itto says earnestly, his face lighting up. “I really shouldn’t complain, then, huh? It’s like a free vacation.”
“That’s… pretty much exactly what it is, yeah,” Thoma laughs, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on a hook by the door. He had started the wood-burning furnace just before Itto arrived, so the cabin had some time to warm up. “You hungry?”
Itto contemplates for a moment before he comes to a realization, “Hey, you’re supposed to relax! I’ll make lunch.”
Thoma holds his tongue despite how much he wants to argue. He does like to cook, so it’s not really a chore to him, but… Itto’s willingness to cook for him is also nice in its own way. “At least let me hang up your jacket, then,” he says, and Itto takes off his jacket to reveal his normal attire underneath—or lack thereof. Somehow Thoma isn’t surprised that he was shirtless under his coat. He observes how Itto’s back muscles shift under his skin as he takes a frying pan out of a cabinet, averting his gaze as if he hadn’t been staring when Itto turns back around.
Itto chatters while he cooks, explaining the circumstances of his arrest this time to Thoma, something about loitering and starting a fire in an unauthorized area—“And I swore the fire was just for roasting melons, but the Tenryou Commission never listens to me.”
Thoma muffles laughter behind his hand. He’d heard about what happened, actually, and the Arataki gang had started a bonfire on Tenryou Commission land. Be it for roasting lavender melons or not, a fire that near a stockpile of gunpowder and ammunition is far from ideal.
“And, voila,” Itto says, handing Thoma a plate of fried eggs and sausage. “I present you my very own brunch special: Arataki Itto’s Eggs and Meat-o.”
Thoma snorts, amused. “Thank you very much,” he responds, taking a seat at the table. Itto joins him a few minutes later with his own plate. Through the window just beside the table, Thoma sees that the snowstorm hasn’t let up—not exactly ideal conditions for a hike or anything outdoorsy.
However, Itto has his own ideas. As soon as they’re done eating, he takes Thoma by the arm and says, “Alright, I’ve been dying to have a snowball fight. Let’s go!”
Who is Thoma to deny him when he looks so giddy? They quickly slip back into their coats and gloves, Thoma fastening a scarf around his neck before they head out the door and into the snow. The cold air is sharp in Thoma’s lungs, though not entirely unpleasant.
It’s hardly another moment before Itto is squatting in the snow, creating an arsenal of snowballs. Thoma runs a little ways away from him, quickly shoveling snow into a mound and shaping it into a shield. He’s managed to shape a few snowballs before the first of Itto’s goes soaring over his head.
“That was a warning shot,” Itto calls, his laughter boisterous. “You’re going down!”
Thoma peeks his head above his makeshift fortress to see Itto winding up for another shot. He ducks as the snowball hits his shield and then grabs one of his own snowballs and launches it in Itto’s direction.
They go back and forth for some time before either of them land a big hit, but Itto manages to take Thoma off guard and knock him in the shoulder, which sends him reeling backwards. Then, Thoma decides to change his strategy, piling all his snowballs into his arms before launching out from his fortress, running at Itto while rapid-firing snow at him. Itto drops his snowballs as he’s forced to block the barrage with his arms, yelling, “Overkill! Overkill! You got me, man!” He drops to his knees dramatically before flopping back into the snow, covering his face with his hands. “Jeez, Thoma. No mercy.”
Thoma laughs as he sits in the snow beside Itto. When he moves his hands, Thoma can see that the tips of his ears and nose are red from cold.
“You need some earmuffs,” he comments, flicking at Itto’s nose with a gloved hand.
“I’m not even cold,” Itto replies immediately, turning his face away.
“Liar,” Thoma says, playful glint in his eyes.
“Not lying, bro,” Itto says, sitting up. His breath condenses between them as he speaks. “I couldn’t even tell you what temperature it is right now. The sun might as well be out.” Itto pretends to fan himself with his hand.
Thoma raises an eyebrow, masking the endearment he feels. “So you wouldn’t care if I did this, then?” he says, grabbing a handful of snow and reaching for the back of Itto’s neck. Just before he can dump the snow down Itto’s coat, Itto yelps and jumps away.
“You’re evil!”
Thoma just chuckles, letting the snow in his hand fall back to the ground.
—
Once they’ve warmed up with some hot tea, Thoma sets a stack of board games on the table. If Thoma knows Itto at all, he knows the oni loves a good competition, and he’ll be extra inclined after his snowball fight defeat.
“Oh, shit, man. Now we’re talkin’,” Itto says, rubbing his hands together as he eyes the board games. “It’s too bad that onikabuto aren’t out this time of year, I would have brought some!”
“I’m not sure I’d even want to try my luck against your fearsome beetles,” Thoma says as he chooses a game from the stack and lays it out on the table.
“Luck’s got nothing to do with it, bro,” Itto responds, launching into a detailed description of what makes the onikabuto that he picks the best ones. Thoma listens intently as he sets up the game, glancing up at Itto frequently to see the impassioned look on his face as he speaks. “But don’t worry, when spring comes around, I’ll help you find the best onikabuto ever,” Itto finishes with a gleaming smile that Thoma can’t help but reciprocate.
Itto does prove to be quite good at board games, beating Thoma more often than not despite narrating almost every single one of his moves. He boasts about having a lot of practice with the kids in the city, which doesn’t make Thoma feel especially confident in his own board game skills. Still, after several rounds of each of the games he’d pulled from the closet, he must admit defeat and accept his self-imposed punishment of cooking dinner.
—
After dinner brings them out into the snow again, since the storm has cleared. The nearly full moon casts white light across the fresh snow, giving it a certain glow. Thoma had rummaged through a closet or two to find Itto a pair of earmuffs—a fluffy pale blue pair that probably belonged to one of the Kamisato children, though they’re able to be adjusted to a large enough size to fit Itto, just barely.
(Thoma had fastened them onto Itto’s head despite the oni’s protests that he could very well do it himself.
“I know you can,” Thoma had said, feeling a warm flush on his chest and face as his hands lingered near Itto’s face. He pulled away, cleared his throat, and said, “But I wanted to. They look cute on you.”
Itto seemed, for once, at a loss for words.)
Although they had headed out with the plan to go for a short walk, they find a few sleds around the backside of the cabin, covered by a layer of snow.
“Shall we?” Thoma asks, brushing snow off one of the sleds.
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Itto laughs, clearing off the other sled.
Side by side, they drag the sleds over to a nearby slope that isn’t too steep. When they reach the top, Itto doesn’t spare a moment before hopping into his sled and flinging himself down the hill.
The snow is so fresh that Itto doesn’t really slide down the hill; he more so plows a path. Still, he does gain some speed, and Thoma hears whooping as he goes down the steepest part of the slope.
Because of Itto’s valiant efforts, Thoma’s trip down the hill is much smoother and faster. The wind is cold against his face, the sound of crunching snow loud in his ears, the speed causing his stomach to drop. When he reaches the bottom, he has to sit for a moment to catch his breath before he can head back again.
As he reaches the top of the slope once again, only slightly winded by the climb, Itto’s sled starts to slip down the hill without Itto in it.
“Itto, your—!” Thoma calls out, watching as Itto reaches for the sled to no avail; it quickly shoots down the path with no passenger. He can’t help but giggle at the spectacle of the empty sled and Itto pouting madly in its wake.
“You can use mine,” Thoma says as he approaches, setting a hand on Itto’s shoulder. “Just bring both back up with you.”
Itto looks at him. “Thanks, bro, but… Why don’t we both go?”
Thoma raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“Let’s share the sled,” Itto says, glancing between Thoma and the sled. “Might be even more fun that way. The more weight on it, the faster it’ll go.” There’s a mischievous glint in Itto’s eyes.
“If it’s big enough to fit both of us, sure,” Thoma replies, positioning the sled at the top of the path.
Thoma sits first, as close to the front of the sled as he can manage. Itto sidles in behind him, his legs on either side of Thoma and his chest pressed against Thoma’s back. Itto hammers the nail in the coffin by wrapping his arms around Thoma’s torso, his hands clasping together over Thoma’s stomach.
“Well, we fit,” Thoma says, and it comes out much squeakier than he intended. Despite the several layers of winter clothes between them, Thoma can feel the heat radiating from Itto’s body, and his mind gets a bit foggy.
After a few moments, Itto starts, “Thoma, you gotta—”
“Right! Right,” Thoma laughs, clearing his throat and pushing them down the slope with his hands.
It takes but a moment for them to gain speed, and Itto had perhaps been too right about their added weight making the sled faster. As soon as they veer the slightest bit off the path, the sled shudders and flips; they both scream as they are sent tumbling down the hill together.
Itto holds Thoma tightly as they fall, but the snow is fresh and fluffy, so it hardly hurts at all. They’re both laughing as they finally roll to a stop, dizzy and breathless and barely centimeters apart.
They lie on their sides in the snow, facing each other, and Thoma can feel Itto’s breath on his face. Itto’s flushed a pretty pink from the laughter, and Thoma thinks spending any more time with the oni will truly make him lose his wits. He’s so not used to being flustered, especially not in front of other people.
Just as he starts to turn away, Itto says, “Wait.”
He freezes in place, gaze locked with Itto’s.
“Thoma, you can totally say no, but can I kiss you right now?”
Thoma blinks hard.
“If I read the situation wrong, that’s on me—”
“No. No, yes, I mean, yes.” Thoma shakes his head, almost wanting to cower behind his hands. “Kiss me.”
Itto grins before he does, bringing one of his hands to the side of Thoma’s face and pressing their lips together. Itto’s lips are cold, and Thoma’s sure his own are, too, yet all he can feel is warmth. He grasps the front of Itto’s jacket with both his hands, pulling him impossibly closer, and Itto smiles into the kiss in turn, one of his fangs catching slightly on Thoma’s lower lip.
Their lips part and connect a few more times before they pull away, though barely. Their noses still touch as Itto says, “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. Practically since—well, since I woke up to you looking after me when I drank that soy, looking so concerned. People don’t usually look at me like that.”
Thoma pushes forward to give Itto another chaste kiss, feeling a fresh burst of confidence. “Well, they should. You’re a wonderful person, Itto.” He pauses, just for a moment, “Not to mention handsome.”
Itto laughs, and Thoma is enamored.
As he lays side by side with Itto he truly does feel relaxed, despite the cold. Perhaps he needs to admit to himself what he’d known all along—Ayaka’s always been right.