Work Text:
“Hey, Rio.”
She looks away from her book and glances down at Sakuta. His serene face and half-lidded eyes display his clear pleasure with his current situation: laying his head down in her lap. The nerve of this rascal.
He’s extremely lucky that she is in love with him.
“Hmm?”
He adjusts his position to be able to look into her eyes.
“Am I dreaming?”
“No,” she replies abruptly. She looks back into her book, but doesn’t quite begin reading again. “A dream of yours wouldn’t be so decent.”
“You’re right.” He tugs at the sleeve of her turtleneck with a smile on his face. “If this was a dream, you wouldn’t be wearing anything.”
“Idiot.” She flicks him on the forehead with her free hand. “Idiot, Sakuta.”
“Ow.” He suddenly gets a very serious look on his face. “Rio-san.”
“What is it?”
“Do that again.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“Why?”
“Because I like it when you show me affection.”
Despite herself, she feels heat crawling up her neck at that. It’s not entirely unwelcome in the cold winter weather.
Still, maybe she shouldn’t be feeding his masochism. She decides to rest her free hand on his forehead instead, running her fingers gently through his hair. He sighs in contentment.
“That’s not what I asked. Also, your hands are cold.”
“I’ll stop, then.”
“Please don’t. I’m sorry.”
They remain in peaceful silence, silently enjoying each other’s company for some time. She continues massaging his scalp as she reads, and if not for the soft gaze he was regarding her with, she’d think he’d fallen asleep. She’s just getting reengaged in her book when Sakuta speaks up again.
“You know, my hands are cold too.”
“Unsurprising. Your eyes always do look quite dead.” He ignores her comment, but his expression changes to one of mischief. He’s up to something.
“I want to warm them up,” he continues, “but I’m also very comfortable laying down here.”
“Azusagawa.” She narrows her eyes at him. “Why are you telling me this?”
“To give you fair warning.”
She lets out a very unbecoming yelp as there are suddenly cold hands snaking up beneath her sweater, coming to rest on her bare tummy and back. Her body flinches from the sudden uncomfortable temperature difference, causing her leg – and Sakuta’s head – to jolt upwards.
Rather than showing discomfort or shame, he seems entirely too pleased with himself.
“Y-You-!” She directs a very pointed glare down at him, heat spreading across her face.
In response, he simply cuddles himself closer into her, turning his face towards her body and closing his eyes. His stupidly cold hands are still circled around her torso in a pseudo-embrace.
“I love you,” he announces, surely desperate to appease her anger.
… His gambit works well enough.
She grumbles noncommittally and leans back into the sofa, resigning herself to her fate. She did choose this, after all, when she chose to make her feelings known to him. And she wouldn’t give it up for anything.
He’s extremely, profoundly lucky that she is in love with him.
… And maybe she’s pretty lucky, too, in that he chose to love her back.