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The snow had been relentless all day.
It slammed against the windows, wind howling like it was personally offended by the concept of walls. The outside world was covered in a thick blanket of pure, blinding white, even now at night.
But inside Rin’s bedroom? It was blessedly warm. The heater hummed faintly in the background, like the soft, purring of a contented robotic cat. Curtains were drawn tight, and Rin himself: horizontal. Which was, as far as he was concerned, the ideal state of being.
The only light came from the thin sliver under the door, like the hallway was too scared to fully enter. Good. Rin didn’t want company. He was already dealing with enough.
On the bed, Rin lay beside Hiori. Which was the problem… and also the solution. And also the Problem™.
Neither of them spoke. Because they were intimate now, apparently. Past the point of needing words. (Or maybe Rin had just forgotten how to form sentences around him. Same difference.)
Hiori’s head rested against the pillow, his breath slow and even, eyes half-lidded with sleep, stupidly beautiful lashes batting inches away from Rin’s face. Clad in Rin’s hoodie (that Rin had begrudgingly lent him), Hiori looked like the protagonist from some sweet sugary shoujo manga. The hoodie sleeves practically swallowed his hands and hung past his fingertips like they’d always belonged there.
From upstairs, came a muffled thunk, followed by Shidou’s unmistakable voice, horribly off-key as he whistled (and butchered) the chorus of some winter pop song. Rin stared at the ceiling like it had personally wronged him, and tucked himself deeper under the blanket and, with great internal suffering, an inch closer to Hiori’s warmth.
“Ya regret lettin’ me drag ya outside yet?” Hiori murmured, voice low yet melodic, laced with that Kansai lilt that softened his words like sweet honey.
Rin turned his head. Big mistake.
Because there he was: smile faint, face glowing with that annoying, gentle radiance, like someone who’d never once in his life done something evil — which made Rin deeply suspicious.
“…No,” Rin muttered.
What he meant was: No, because you’re warm and beautiful and the only reason I haven’t strangled Shidou yet. But he had an image to maintain.
Hiori smiled, actually smiled, like this was a heartwarming, romantic and tender moment. (Which it was, though Rin had yet to admit it). Suddenly, the room felt twenty degrees hotter. Rin blamed the heater.
“I love ya too, Rin-tan~”
Rin made a face that, under his expressionless facade, could only be described as explosions and nuclear destruction. Rin-tan.
But… he didn’t pull away. Not even when Hiori leaned forward, so close he could feel the warmth of his skin. This was fine. Totally, completely fine.
He was simply experiencing the slow, humiliating process of falling in love, and he was doing it while horizontal. That made it better. Probably.
—
A few hours earlier, Rin would’ve given anything to be left alone.
It had been snowing since early morning. Pellucid, fragile snowflakes fell from the sky like drizzle, coating Kamakura in a pristine layer of white. Most people stayed inside, meaning the streets were almost empty.
The atmosphere had fallen into that unnerving kind of silence: quiet, still, and weirdly profound. Like the world had put itself on airplane mode just for him. There were no cars honking, no children screaming, and no annoying freaky noises from the creature called Shidou. It was bliss.
Rin was halfway through rewatching old match footage for the fifth time (for analysis, not emotional validation, obviously), when his phone buzzed.
He paused, glaring at it. Who dared to ruin his peaceful paradise? He would get revenge, he thought bitterly. Though, when he read the contact name of the notification, his whole body shivered, like he was the one scared instead.
cyanhead: i’m outside your house!! get your coat pls!! ٩(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و
Rin stared at the message for a solid ten seconds… with the kind of stare people reserved for tax audits and moral crises.
Then, with the resigned slowness of a man about to experience feelings against his will, he turned his head toward the window. Sure enough, there he was. Standing in the falling snow like a heaven-sent angel. Hiori Yo.
Wearing a navy coat, his scarf looped loose around his neck, and his cheeks rosy from the cold. His eyes were blinking slowly up at Rin’s window with a small, knowing smile. Of course he had the nerve to smile like that, watching Rin like an adorable, innocent-looking stalker.
Rin groaned, closing his laptop. He silently mourned the death of his peace.
—
“You really came all the way to Kamakura just to bully me into going outside?” Rin muttered, tugging the zipper of his coat up to his chin as he stepped onto the snowy pavement.
Hiori turned, boots crunching in the snow, hands still in his pockets. “’course I did. Ya been ghostin’ this whole break. Figured if I showed up in person, ya wouldn’t’ve the guts ta ignore me.”
“I should’ve ignored you.”
“But ya didn’t,” Hiori sing-sanged, tone bright, tipping his head back slightly as snowflakes kissed his nose. “So that means ya missed me. Admit it. C’mon! I took the shinkansen for two hours just ta see ya!”
Rin opened his mouth like he might say something, but closed it. He started walking instead.
Hiori caught up, trailing just behind him like a very persistent duckling. “I checked the forecast two days ago. Saw it’d snow here.”
Rin shot him a look. “You checked the weather forecast just to stalk me?”
“Well, not exactly.” Hiori said with a shrug, still grinning. “That was just the bonus. I told my folks there was some off-season trainin’ workshop out this way. Somethin’ about Blue Lock players and mental toughness and all that jazz.”
Rin blinked. “You lied to your parents. Just to come here?”
“Lie’s a stron’ word, dontcha think?” Hiori’s tone was practically angelic. “I just rearranged the truth a little. Technically, I am workin’ on my mental resilience.”
Rin raised an eyebrow.
“By endurin’ yer grumpiness, obviously~” Hiori added sweetly.
“That’s not how that works.”
“It is if I pretend hard enough.” Hiori chuckled, breath curling into white swirls in the frosty air. “Snow hardly ever stuck ‘round back in Kyoto when I was a kid. I’d always miss it. So I figured — hey, maybe I can finally see snow and ya at the same time.”
There was a pause. Rin didn’t respond right away. “…I missed ya, y’know?” Hiori said, more quietly this time.
“Hm.” Was what Rin finally murmured, though it was barely audible. Then, under his breath, “I know.” I missed you too.
The world around them was muffled, soft and white, like someone had swaddled the town in cotton. Hiori, who was following slightly behind Rin like a heaven-sent angel, was practically vibrating with joy.
They kept walking. Hiori gasped under his breath with each step like a toddler seeing snow for the first time. “It’s crunchy, Rin-tan.” Rin twitched visibly at the nickname, but Hiori pressed on. “Listen! Actual crunch!”
Rin did not listen. He was too busy pretending not to watch every time Hiori stopped to stare at snow-covered bushes or poke a tree trunk like it might giggle back.
“This is wild,” Hiori said, breathless, scrambling after him. “Feels like I’m in a movie or somethin’. Ya think I could eat some of it? Just like. A li’l?”
“Please do not lick the ground.” Rin deadpanned.
Hiori smiled cherubically, cheeks flushing from the cold as he crouched down. “It’s clean! Look, this part’s fresh!”
“You’re gonna die of frostbite and I’m not carrying you back.” Rin said, stopping to wait for Hiori.
Hiori just laughed, the sound bubbling up into the quiet. He walked close beside Rin, not touching, but near enough that their elbows almost brushed.
The cyan-haired angel rambled easily, his voice like a pleasant melody through the still air: about the train ride (he had a convenience store salmon onigiri and a herbal lemon tea), the train station’s refreshment vending machine (life-changing), and the book he tried to read but couldn’t because he was too excited to look out the window.
It wasn’t until they reached the vast sea that Rin finally spoke up.
“…It’s never this quiet,” he said, frowning faintly.
Hiori slowed to a stop beside him. The ocean had frozen over, though thinly, the surface a smooth sheen of bluish-white. It was so still that it looked unreal.
“Like the world forgot ta hit ‘play’ again,” Hiori murmured. “Kinda eerie, right?”
“Mhm.” Rin looked over at him. Snowflakes were clinging to Hiori’s lashes, glittering where they caught the light. One landed on the tip of his nose. “…You’ve got snow on your eyelashes.”
“Yeah?” Hiori blinked, the flakes fluttering off gently. “Pretty?”
Rin scoffed, trying to look away. “Stupid.” But his cheeks betrayed him, turning pink, which had definitely been from the cold and nothing else. Hiori noticed, but didn’t say anything, though Rin saw the tiny grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
It was only after another few minutes of walking that Rin, voice a little gruffer than usual, muttered, “My parents aren’t home. You can come over if you want.”
Hiori turned to him, blinking. “Wait. Really?”
Rin didn’t meet his eyes. “It’s warm. You’ve been out here too long anyway.”
“…I’d like that,” Hiori said softly as he smiled.
—
The house had the faint scent of miso soup broth and the soft, lingering smell of fresh laundry. Hiori peeled off his damp coat and scarf, icy-blue eyes roaming curiously over the family photos (aww, Rin looked so adorable as a kid — with big round eyes and puffy cheeks.) that were hanging in the entryway. Rin disappeared into the kitchen, mumbling something about ‘just sit down and don’t touch anything’.
Hiori smiled to himself and flopped onto the couch. From the kitchen, there was the sound of ceramic mugs clinking, milk simmering gently on the stove, and the careful, rhythmic scraping of a whisk. Rin was making hot chocolate the old-fashioned way. Of course he was.
Everything about it, the slow quiet, the thick winter air outside, and the faint smell of cocoa starting to fill the house; it made Hiori’s chest feel light. It was perfect.
…That was, until the front door slammed open with the subtlety of a bomb going off.
“Heya! In I come, baby~!”
Rin’s face twisted in visible horror. “No. No no no—“ He snapped his head to the door. “What the hell is that vermin doing here?!”
Sae followed behind, unbothered, setting down a bag of groceries. “I invited him. He said he got bored alone and threatened to commit heinous crimes.”
“Oho~! Didn’t know Rin had company!” Shidou announced, bursting in Rin and Hiori’s perfectly crafted bubble. “What a cute date setup! Rin-rin, you are one romantic bastard.”
Rin tore his eyes away from this living gargoyle in front of him. “Shut the hell up before I strangle you with a dishrag.”
Hiori was already snorting into his sleeve, trying to hide his grin as he bowed to the newcomer. “Nice ta meetcha too, Shidou-san!”
“Aw, I love you already, angel-chan~ Want marshmallows? I think Rin’s got the gross pink kind.”
“Don’t call Hiori that,” Rin snapped, launching a pink marshmallow straight for Shidou’s forehead — hard.
It sailed past Shidou’s ridiculously tall bleached pink-tipped hair, barely missing, and landed on the tiled floor with a sad little plop. Shidou grinned, unfazed. “Nice shot, Rin-rin! Though it’ll take a lot more to assassinate me!”
Sae, without even looking up from unpacking the groceries, said, “You’re cleaning that, Rin.”
Rin huffed and gave Shidou the nastiest side eye glare. “Bugs are banned from my kitchen.”
He turned on his heel and turned back to the counter, grumbling under his breath about ‘pest control’ and ‘needing to buy insect spray’.
Behind him, Shidou was already making himself at home, hanging off Sae’s shoulder like a lazy cat, despite being several centimetres taller than Sae.
Rin returned from the kitchen with two mugs in hand, steam curling upward in faint spirals. The scent of cocoa — rich, velvety, and slightly too sweet — wafted in the air. Each mug had three marshmallows floating on top, slowly melting into pink and white clouds.
He handed one to Hiori without a word. Their fingers brushed, briefly, and Rin swears his heart does not beat a little faster. He hid his face (it’s totally, absolutely not burning scarlet) as he took a slow sip from the mug. Hiori’s gloves were off now; his hands a little red from the cold, but warm against the ceramic as he cradled the mug like it was precious.
“Thanks,” Hiori said quietly, looking up at him through strands of light blue hair. “Smells amazin’. Just like the ones ya get at cafés.”
“…It’s literally powder,” Rin muttered, sitting down beside him on the couch.
Hiori took a sip, eyes fluttering shut for a second, absorbing the warmth and love from the hot chocolate. His nose scrunched slightly when he swallowed, like it was still too hot, and Rin looked away before the corners of his mouth betrayed him.
By then, Shidou had draped himself over the armchair, spreading out his limbs all over like he belonged there. And Sae, who had finished unpacking his little grocery haul, shifted his unimpressed gaze from Shidou to Rin, and then to Rin and Shidou again.
But even that couldn’t disrupt the strange little pocket of warmth blossoming between Rin and Hiori. Their eyes met for a brief moment. Shidou’s humming in the background was definitely ruining the ambience…but it was good. So stupidly good.
Hiori took another sip, slower this time, and his eyes flitted over to Rin’s.
Rin caught the look, blowing the steam away gently from his own mug. “…You always come at the worst times,” he muttered, words low and soft against the rim of his mug.
Hiori smiled, nudging his knee against Rin’s just slightly. “Guess it’s a good thing ya don’t mind anymore, hm?”
Outside, snow danced down in feathery drifts, covering the world in silver. With Hiori beside him, glowing like the sun in the middle of his winter, Rin was content. More content than he had been the whole break.
—
Later that evening, the Itoshi household was quiet. Mostly.
In the living room, Hiori was folding the blanket back over the couch.
“I’ll sleep here,” he offered, looking up at Rin with an easy, warm expression. “Ain’t that cold, and I’ve slept on worse, I swear.”
Rin frowned, arms crossed. “You don’t have to.”
“I know,” Hiori said softly. “But I don’t wanna kick ya outta yer bed, y’know?”
“You wouldn’t be,” Rin said, but hesitated.
Suddenly, Shidou walked into the room, watching the scene from behind the couch. He leaned dramatically over the backrest, chin in hand. “Ooooh, you’re lettin’ your soft li’l country boyfriend sleep on the couch? You're cold, Rin-rin.”
“He’s not my—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Shidou cut in, wagging a finger as he swaggered towards the door.
Rin opened his mouth to speak, but Shidou continued.
“Y’all took a long walk together, all cozy, and even drank hot chocolate like a damn couple! If that ain’t mutual pining, then I’m freakin’ blind.” Shidou tossed a wink over his shoulder to Rin specifically. “The label’s already there, baby lashes~ Don’t make me make Sae-chan book you an eye appointment!”
Rin looked away, ears pink.
Hiori laughed, scratching his cheek. “I mean, if yer offerin’ the bed, I’d take it. But only if ya don’t mind.”
“…We can share,” Rin said quickly, maybe a little too quickly. “If you want. If it’s not weird.”
Hiori blinked, startled, as if Rin was offering him gold. “Yer sure?”
“Yes.”
“Sure, sure?”
“Yes, Hiori.”
Hiori smiled, that slow, warm smile that made Rin’s heart thump a tiny bit faster everytime. “Thanks, Rin.”
—
Meanwhile in kitchen, Sae was rinsing mugs and plates under warm water. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms, and his expression was unreadable. Focused, maybe, or simply enjoying the quiet.
Shidou came up behind him, arms sliding easily around his waist.
“You’re being disgustingly cute tonight,” Sae muttered.
“Just inspired,” Shidou replied, nuzzling into his neck. “Rin-rin’s totally got a crush.”
“Obviously.”
Shidou leaned his head on Sae’s shoulder, watching his boyfriend with a grin that had a little too much fondness in it to be fake. “You’re washing dishes,” Shidou stated, like Sae didn’t have eyes. “Are you possessed?”
“You’re the reason there are dishes,” Sae deadpanned, not looking up.
“But you’re washing them. Are you tryna seduce me? Bold, Sae-chan, bold~”
Sae reached over and flicked water at him with no hesitation.
“So cruel!” Shidou said, laughing, but his smile softened when Sae finally glanced up, meeting his eyes for a second too long.
“…You’re dripping it all over the floor,” Sae muttered eventually. “Towel’s on the chair.”
Shidou didn’t move. “So you do care.”
“I care about not slipping and cracking my skull.” Still, Sae moved first, picking up the towel and tossed it over so that it landed comically on Shidou’s head. Sae ruffled his hair with casualness, yet his fingers lingered for a fraction of a second too long.
Neither of them mentioned it.
Shidou just grinned wider, like he had won the entire world. It wasn’t loud affection. Not with Sae. But it was steady, consistent. Sae always lets Shidou stay. Lets him take up space. And to touch and tease and spin his chaos into their life. But most importantly, never once asked did he ask him to leave.
That was love, too.
They stood there for a moment, in the dim light, Shidou pressing a kiss to the side of Sae’s jaw. Sae didn’t stop him. Of course he didn’t.
He just leaned back, just slightly, enough that Shidou didn’t miss the permission.
—
Upstairs, the room was dark and peaceful. Rin was already under the blanket, facing the wall, obviously pretending to be asleep.
“Thanks again,” Hiori whispered after a long silence. “For lettin’ me stay.”
Rin didn’t respond, not immediately. But under the blanket, Hiori felt something cold on his hand — Rin’s pinky finger brushing his.
“…You’re warm,” Rin murmured, almost grudgingly.
Hiori smiled into the dark. “G’night, Rin-tan~”
“Hm. Night, Hiori..” Rin began, then stopped, because anything else he said would sound stupid.
He didn’t believe in angels. He believed in cold sheets and quiet rooms and… people eventually leaving.
But Hiori was warm. Warm and still here, latching onto Rin unyieldingly.
Maybe, Rin didn’t need to believe in angels; just this.