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Hyuse had never been fond of the cold.
He’d traveled through a good handful of areas where it snowed, none of them left a good impression. Snow slowed your pace and ruined your line of sight. It made traveling difficult, and forced you to take additional - often tedious - steps when dealing with it. It was an inconvenience.
And while he’d never admit it, he dealt with the cold poorly. Heavy coats had been a must on these missions.
The climate of Meeden was more or less temperate. At least it had been for the time he’d been here. But apparently that was going to change. Winter was upon them and Hyuse was not looking forward to it.
His worry was soon proven to be justified.
Snow fell from the dark, cloudy skies. It piled up on the streets in fluffy white flurries and stuck to cars and houses. The trees were decorated in it, and the air was frigid. You could see your breath, and the cold stung against exposed skin. Part of Hyuse wanted nothing more than to wait it out indoors. Though that obviously wasn’t going to work. He had things to do outside of the Tamakoma building, he couldn’t just abandon his responsibilities until the weather was more agreeable.
He layered up and set his jaw. Now was not the time to show weakness.
First it was shoveling. He’d been asked to shovel the snow away from the main walkway and he’d helped. While he was here he was going to carry his own weight. But the moment he stepped outside he began to reconsider his stance on doing so. It wasn’t as if they could force him, he was doing them a favor after all… but no, unfortunately for him his ethics won out in the end and he helped. Hyuse was going to play his role here properly, even if it meant suffering silently in the cold.
With himself and Karasuma working together it didn’t take long, though snow once against started to fall gently as they finished up. Hyuse shot the sky a nasty glare, cursing the weather. He’d better not be asked to shovel the next time. There were more than enough people here to do it instead. He’d done his share for today.
Upon returning to the building he was met with a mug in his face. He blinked in surprise and glanced down to where Yuma was now stood in front of him. The shorter had two mugs in hand.
Hyuse took a moment to remove the gloves he’d been wearing and shucked off his damp coat. He’d leave it to dry near the door rather than dragging the dripping clothing through the building.
“Good job. Want some hot chocolate?” Yuma handed Hyuse the mug without waiting for an answer “Chika and I made it.” He hands Karasuma the other mug. The black haired teen thanked Yuma and held the warm mug in his chilled hands, sighing in relief as the warmth began to seep into his skin.
Hyuse eyed the drink, then took a small sip. The warmed liquid began to thaw him out almost immediately and he couldn’t help the small noise of relief that escaped his lips. His eyes widened slightly and he swiped his tongue across his lips.
“Good, isn’t it?” Yuma grinned.
Hyuse forced his expression back to a neutral one and simply said “It’ll do.” Then after a pause he added “Thank you.”
Yuma was happy with that, he shot Hyuse a grin and turned to walk back into the building. Chika could be heard from the kitchen as well, so Hyuse assumed that’s where the shorter was headed to. Hyuse took another small sip from the mug and hummed quietly. It tasted quite good, and the warming benefit of drinking it was alluring.
Karasuma was looking at Hyuse with interest, though his expression was often harder to read than Hyuses own.
“What?” Hyuse asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. The two of them didn’t talk one on one often, what could he possibly have to say?
There was another moment of silence between the two before the older just shrugged cryptically and followed after Yuma.
Hyuse internally grumbled about the unusual way Meeden people interacted before he also made the walk into the kitchen.
As soon as he entered he was met by the sweet smell of hot chocolate. At the table was sat both Yuma and Chika, the duo sporting comfy clothing of their own and both with a mug in hand.
“Good job out there.” Chika greeted.
“Thanks for the drink.” Karasuma returned the greeting with a small smile.
Hyuse echoed his thanks and moved to sit down at the table beside Yuma. He didn’t have anything else planned for today, especially with the snowfall being as heavy as it was. He could train, but the cold weather made him want nothing more than to curl up under some blankets to wait it out.
“You ok there Hyuse?” Yuma asked, raising an eyebrow at the way Hyuse tucked in slightly on himself.
“Just fine.” Hyuse lied, forcing himself to sit up straight and take another sip from the mug. The casual way Yuma was smiling, and the fact the cold probably didn’t even affect his body made Hyuse just a bit jealous. His situation was one Hyuse wouldn’t like to be in, but it seemed that it did have its benefits. Mainly the fact he didn’t have to worry about the cold. Though he was still wearing warm clothes, so perhaps there was some affect? Was it just a fashion statement? Hyuse was mildly curious.
Pleasant conversation floated around the table with Hyuse mostly just listening in. It was warm and he felt as if he was finally thawing out from the shoveling he’d done outside. Though the chill hadn’t left him completely. He shivered, despite his many attempts to tamper down the normal bodily reaction. It was an action he quickly tried to stamp out.
He’d thought no one noticed until suddenly there was a solid pressure on his side. Hyuse looked over with a start and saw that Yuma had casually pressed against his side, motion not obvious due to the fact they were sitting next to each other already.
A cascade of emotions hit him. From flustered, to embarrassed, to irritated with himself, then back to neutral. Now was not the time for those feelings he was ignoring.
Hyuse was about to pull away when he noticed just how warm the other was. Yuma was wearing a comfy looking sweater and he was still managing to put off a considerable amount of heat through the material.
Was it because he was made of trion? Did the energy keeping his real body alive and the energy that managed his trion body keep him so warm? So many questions ran through his head. And the most important one being: Why didn’t Hyuse want to move away? Despite literally everything about himself he actually wanted to stay sitting there forever, next to the human heater that was his fellow neighbor.
Call it shock, or contentment, but he stated that way for the rest of the time they sat there. Only moving when he was called to look at some of the data they’d gathered from the Neighborhood. It was near painful to pull away from Yuma, but he did it without comment. Leaving the warmth behind and wandering deeper into the considerably cooler building.
It wasn’t cold by any means, but Hyuse found himself missing the warmth Yuma provided for the rest of the day. Surely this wouldn’t have any consequences… right?
-
His second time using his fellow Neighbor as a heater was one no one could fault him for.
They were headed to HQ and to do so would need Reiji to drive them. The older had asked him to take care of scraping off the frost that had accumulated on the car windows, and Hyuse had agreed. How hard could it be?
Turns out it was yet another menial task that winter had brought upon them. Hyuse was truly starting to resent the season.
The car had been left out overnight after a late night mission for Tamakoma First, and as a result it had developed a thick layer of frost on all the windows. Hyuse knew the Meeden people weren’t as technologically advanced as his world, but surely they could have figured out a way to instantly defrost glass at this point. It was a colossal waste of time to do so manually.
Hyuse scoffed and weighed the idea of just obliterating the car, but quickly decided against it. The cold weather was affecting his cool and controlled personality.
Just as he was finishing up Yuma, Chika, Osamu, and Reiji exited the building and headed his way. They all thanked him for doing it, but Hyuse didn’t feel any better.
They piled in, Osamu taking the front passenger seat and the three of them piling in the back. Yuma was sat in the middle with Hyuse and Chika on his sides. Hyuse couldn’t help but sigh quietly in relief at the warm touch. The car was still cold, and his hands ached in a way that made him regret not having put on gloves. But at least his side closest to Yuma was warm.
Hyuse shivered a little and rubbed his hands together, willing warmth to flood back into his chilled digits.
He’d just about accepted his cold fate until the car properly warmed up when two warm hands grabbed his own.
“You look cold.”
Yuma grinned up at him, tone far too casual for what he’d just done. And Hyuse couldn’t even pull away, more interested in getting feeling back in his fingers than keeping up his distant act. Part of him was also simply shocked into a still state. Yuma wasn’t necessarily touchy, neither was Hyuse, and yet here he was. Holding Hyuses hands.
Hyuse actively had to fight down the warmth he could feel creeping up his neck. Yuma getting in his personal space wreaked havoc on his self control and general emotions. He wasn’t blind to what he felt, but he also wasn’t willing to delve deeper or ponder on these feelings.
They were only teammates, friends even, for now. As soon as Hyuse got what he wanted their transaction would come to an end and they’d part ways. Getting involved emotionally any further would only serve to hurt him later.
“You’re warm.” He commented instead.
“If you can’t handle the cold I don’t mind helping out.” Yuma suggested, his expression hard to read. He was smiling, but his gaze gave nothing away. Hyuse had always had a hard time reading him.
It was a little frustrating actually.
“I am perfectly capable of handling the cold…” Hyuse hesitated a little before he cleared his throat and continued to talk “But I suppose it would be poor form to turn down assistance from a teammate.”he needed to be mocked for his inability to keep things strictly business.
“Hm.”
Yumas face was downturned, attention now focused on their joint hands. But he huffed fondly and didn’t comment. Instead he held Hyuses hands tighter, methodically running in thumbs over the back of his hands.
In no time at all Hyuse was warmed up and feeling returned to his fingers. But even as the car warmed and he no longer felt cold he didn’t pull away. Something as innocent as this was still safe. At least that’s what he told himself.
And that’s how it truly began. The beginning of the fall.
-
From then on Yuma would casually hold his hand when they were outside. Or he’d sit beside Hyuse on the couch, or stand pressed against him. Hyuse even found himself unconsciously seeking out the other when he was cold. And it had only been a little over a week! Had his self control truly become so poor?
“You and Yuma-kun have gotten close.” Chika commented one day during training. She was grinning, looking pleased. Her attention was focused on the target across the room, but it was obvious she was more interested in the conversation at hand than the training they’d been doing.
“I don’t think we’ve gotten closer than anyone else.” Hyuse replied stubbornly “It’s important we can work together while I am working with your organization.”
Chika shook her head, setting down her rifle and looking over at him “No way! You’re way closer with him than anyone else.”
Hyuse tried to ignore her intense gaze “Perhaps it may seem that way because we are both Neighbors. I do trust him more than any Meeden.”
That was met with an almost unimpressed look “You two were cuddling just the other night.”
“T-that was because there was only one extra blanket. I didn’t want to stand to fetch another and disrupt the others watching the film.” Since when had she become so forward with her observations? Hyuse wouldn’t admit it, nor would he show it, but the fact she noticed had him flustered.
It had been a movie night disguised as “team bonding”. And it had been cold, could you blame him?
“We’re here to train, not gossip.” Hyuse insisted “Now, try the move I suggested again.” Anything to change the subject.
Chika sighed softly “Right.” The two of them had taken to training together, Hyuse offering advice or feedback and Chika working with him on his defense. She was smart, and she understood the importance of the exercise so she was happy to return to it. But not before she got in a final word that would stick with Hyuse for the rest of the day “I just want you two to be happy.”
You two? Yuma was just helping as a teammate, was he not? No matter how much Hyuse tried to focus the thoughts plagued him for the rest of the training.
Chika, kindly, didn’t comment on it.
-
After speaking with Chika, Hyuse had thought things over himself. He liked Yuma, that much was clear. As much as he tried to ignore it or get over it. The other neighbor was exceptionally talented and excelled in areas that Hyuse did not. He made allies and friends easily, where Hyuse struggled, and he was fiercely loyal to those he considered worthy of that loyalty. Coming from a group that had willingly left him to get captured… it was something he wanted for himself.
He’d gotten along with Hyuse quickly, and despite the fact they’d never met before he’d become a comfortable person for Hyuse. They could fight on equal grounds and Hyuse never got that “othered” feeling he’d often get from others, from Yuma.
All this to say that he’d lost control of his emotions and now couldn’t rid himself of that adoration.
In his mind the only way to get over this was to work through it, ignore it. Do anything that would keep those feelings from growing. Put them in a box and tuck it away in the back of his mind? He had a lot of options and none of them were particularly healthy.
Hyuse spent the next few days attempting to enact his master plan. He acted normal, but tried to keep from actively engaging in physical contact. This just caused Yuma to be slightly miffed, occasionally shooting Hyuse a pout whenever he moved away.
He almost convinced himself it was working until another winter horror struck: the power outage. This was the worst season ever. Hyuse got the people who had ‘summer homes’ in other locations. And the location he was currently in didn’t even have the worst winter weather on Meeden, how did they deal with it?
It was after dinner and the weather was horrendous. The wind so fast and powerful it howled against the building and through the trees, bringing with it heavy snow and clouds so dark and thick they blocked out the setting sun. The weather had been poor all day, but now the never ending snowfall seemed to double the amount of snow on the ground.
Frost coated the glass of the windows and the slower running water around the Tamakoma building was starting to get a thin icy crust.
But at least it was warm inside… until it wasn’t.
Hyuse was in his borrowed room, blanket over his shoulders and tablet in hand. It played a video of his newest practice fights with a variety of agents who’d been willing to go ten rounds with him. Another particularly powerful gust of wind had his windows shaking, and then it happened. Without warning the room went dark. Heavy silence hit him, reminding him just how quiet the building could be without the constant hum of things run by electricity.
Hyuse waited for a while, expecting the energy to return and the lights to flicker back to life again. But they didn’t, the only light in the room coming from the screen of his tablet. He flicked on the flashlight option to better see the surrounding area.
Just as he was standing to go and ask about the power situation his door opened. Yuma poked his head in, and based on the thin layer of snow on his hair Hyuse guessed he’d been outside when it happened. Yuma spent many of his night hours on the roof.
“Looks like everyone’s power is out. The entire area is dark. Usami-san said it would be out for a while. These snow storms aren’t to be trifled with.” Despite his words he didn’t seem bothered, ‘=3=‘ face gracing his features.
Yuma was the first, and somehow the last person he wanted to see. He was trying to ignore his emotions here.
“I see. That’s unfortunate.” The power had been out for all of ten minutes and the cold was already starting to creep in. Hyuse scowled as he could already feel the shivers threatening him. Stupid snow, stupid storm, stupid room with seemingly terrible insulation.
“Hm.”
He’d expected Yuma to disappear, to go and speak with anyone else who was awake, but to Hyuses surprise the shorter was still stood at his door. An uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.
“What is it?” Hyuse asked shortly, setting aside his tablet and crossing his arms over his chest. It was such a sudden change of expressions he was starting to sweat a little.
Yuma stepped into his room, door gently shutting behind him “Hyuse.” He stood with his arms tucked behind his back “We need to talk.”
“About what?” Hyuse asked, definitely not panicking a little as he did so.
The white haired neighbor took another step towards him “You’ve been avoiding me.”
Hyuse scoffed and set aside his tablet, resting it on the desk “I have not. We were training this morning.”
“Not like that, you don’t sit by me anymore.” Yuma insisted “And you don’t stand by me either. If you keep this up I might get the wrong idea.” His words were honest, though a little more joking now.
“That’s… unimportant. Who I decide to sit or stand by is of no importance. You must be imagining it.”
There was a pause, and then Yuma grinned “You tell the dumbest lies.”
“Stop using your side affect for dumb things!” Hyuse grumbled.
“It’s not dumb, it’s important.” Yuma insisted, grin still curling his lips.
Hyuse wanted to run. He felt cornered, and a little embarrassed. And honestly if Yuma asked more questions he’d definitely let his feelings be know and that would lead to a whole mess. But because he was a proud person, he stood his ground. Well he sat proudly in the cushy rolling chair they’d given him, at least.
Yuma walked up to him and reached out to take hold of his face. His hands were so warm, a stark difference from the quickly cooling room “Aren’t you cold?”
And Hyuse WAS cold. And he was tired of having emotions he couldn’t control. And most importantly he was tired of avoiding Yuma.
“I don’t want to get too close.” Hyuse muttered, leaning into the hold “It won’t lead to anything good. I’m still your enemy, I’m only working with you for my own gain…”
Yuma looked surprised at his sudden honesty. His mildly surprised expression turned to one that was fond instead and Hyuse could actively feel his conviction crumbling “You haven’t been our enemy for a long time. You’re smart, you have to have realized that by now.”
“I have to go back to my world, to my master.” Hyuse insisted.
“Why does that matter right now?” Yuma shot back “The away mission is still a ways off.”
“I can’t believe you’ve made it as far as you have. You’re far too lax about things.” Hyuse sighed, finally giving in.
Yuma but him with a his telltale duck face “Thankfully I’ll have you to cover for me! Now, come on.” He removed his hands from Hyuses face and grabbed his arm, urging him to get up.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’re cold aren’t you? No point in standing around.” Yuma gestured to the bed.
Hyuse was going to have a stroke.
He spluttered and grabbed blindly at his tablet as Yuma hauled him over “This is highly inappropriate.”
Yuma rolled his eyes “It’s just sharing body heat. Do you want to be miserable all night?”
He didn’t have a good comeback.
And that’s how he ended up laying under his plush covers with a human heater by his side and a winter storm raging outside. Yuma wasn’t taking no for an answer and Hyuse didn’t want him to. This was the warmest he’d been since he started to avoid the other and now that he’d gotten a taste of it something told him he’d never want to let Yuma go.
Yuma was glued to his side, head resting on his shoulder. He was choosing to use Hyuse as a pillow rather than bother with the unusual one Hyuse had to use due to his horns.
If Meeden did one thing right it was the invention of a multitude of differently shaped pillows. They’d found one that worked perfectly with his horns.
That aside, Hyuse hadn’t realized how tired he was. They really should talk further, to clear the air. But that could wait until the morning… it was hardly the type of conversation to have in the dark.
Yuma, despite not having to sleep, curled up beside him. The line of his body against Hyuse was warm, and the chill was chased away. Hyuse yawned and shifted until he was more comfortable. Now that he was warm, and by the person he cared for, he found himself dozing off. He tried to fight it, only to give in when Yuma muttered for him to stop thinking so hard and rest.
Hyuse fell asleep, reassured that he’d wake up tomorrow warm.