Chapter Text
It was cold. Very cold. Xyl0 had shit to do and he wouldn't let anything stop him.
Or so he thought.
He was walking along the sidewalk, left arm stuffed in his hoodie pocket in case the temperature fucked with the wood, right arm hanging by his side.
He then suddenly saw something out if the corner of his eye and did a double take.
...Or...someone? Xyl0 could barely make out the silhouette of a person, curled up on themselves slightly against the wall. They were incredibly pale, and...unmoving.
Xyl0 walked closer to investigate, and--
"T-Tama--" He stared in disbelief. Tamari? In this state?
"H-- Hey, hey, Tamari? Tamari, you there?" Xyl0 asked, waving his right hand in front of his face.
"...n-n-n-no...hhhheeere..." Tamari mumbled to himself, seemingly not noticing the bluenette waving his hand around frantically beside him. He shakily inhaled, his breathing shallow, as he weakly dug his fingernails into his bandaged hand.
"H-Hey? Hey?! Ugh...fuck...calm down, it's me." He began frantically typing at his phone. What the FUCK is going on.
"H-He....he's...nnnnnn..." His tight grip suddenly released and his legs gave in. "Ngh--"
"Woah, woah, shit--" He quickly pocketed his phone and pulled Tamari to him. He grabbed his own left arm and wrapped it around Tamari's shoulder, not caring if the cold damaged it anymore. He took his phone out of his pocket and continued typing, his thumb going numb and stiff. "...Jesus Christ."
"...hhhh.." Tamari put his right arm around Xyl0's body, weakly digging his nails into the fabric of the other's hoodie to stop himself from collapsing. "...i-iiiii...thh...hhh..."
"Hold on, just-- just hold on. Uh. M'kay." He pocketed his phone, switching Tamari to his right side. "C'mon."
They began walking, Tamari stumbling as he leaned into Xyl0.
"...Sh-Shit, why're you--" Tamari's fucking freezing. He shook his head, his grip on Tamari tightening.
...c-c-c...c-c...hhhh..." Tamari's grip began loosening as he struggled to keep up.
"I know, I know. We'll be at my place soon." He shifted his bangs out of one if his eyes using his head, the static in his vision and the thick snow impairing his vision but he could just barely make out the silhouette of the complex.
He pushed the door to his apartment open as Tamari nearly collapsed again. Xyl0 managed to take Tamari inside and put him on the sofa.
"There. You're...here." He looked to his wooden arm. Shit. He disconnected it from him and wrapped it in a towel, placing it on the table.
"...y-y--" Tamari had improved a bit, he was shaking as he slowly pointed to the prosthetic.
"I'll explain later, just..." He clutched his head. This visual static was gonna give him a migraine. That and he just took his hypothermic... acquaintance home.
He sighed as he let go, entering the kitchen. Tamari stared blankly at his reflection in the TV. He was a fucking mess. But he was an alive mess.
Moments later, Xyl0 came back in, plonking a mug in front of Tamari.
Is that fucking tea. My god.
"Don't fuckin' ask where I learned that...you'll probably find out soon." He shook his head, walking back into the kitchen as he muttered to himself about...a British person. Odd.
Not even a second later, he came back with a can of cola. He sat down next to Tamari.
"You OK now?"
Tamari was silent, shakily taking the mug into his hands as he stared inside it. "...c-c-cold..."
"...I know." Xyl0 sighed, managing to crack the can open with one hand.
"...I-I'm sorry..."
"You're a fuckin' dumbass sometimes, but I've grown used to it. Shame it wasn't Ashe there instead of me though, he's better at this shit." He looked over to Tamari. "Oi, it isn't poisonous, I did it the right way."
Tamari then started drinking it. "Wh-Where did you..."
"An old friend. Haven't talked to him in a while though." He stared at the mug. "Great guy."
Tamari hummed as he slowly put the mug down and reached to get his phone.
"What you doing?"
"I-I...need...to tell him."
"Pass it here. Doubt you can type considering how cold you are."
Tamari passed Xyl0 the phone, looking at the conta--
"...I know that guy." Xyl0 said. "He made that arm for me.
"R-Really...?" Tamari said. "That's...cool...u-um...he's...my dad--"
Xyl0 spat out his cola. "Your WHAT."
"M-My adoptive dad...?" Tamari repeated.
Xyl0 brought his attention to Tamari's phone. He looked at the on-screen messages. They were...really close.
Xyl0 began typing...
oi. its me xyl0. tamari's at my aparyment, he was. like. freeZing out tyere. like hypithernia. hes doimg ok rn, just keeping him here dor a bit. 👍
"Ignore any and all typos, can't really see my shit properly." Xyl0 said, handing the phone back.
They then began talking together. About what they've been up to, about the others, about...fucking Vocaloid. Anything to pass the time.
After all was done, Tamari left, and Xyl0 was alone once more.