Archive of Our Own

With winter having reared its frostbitten head, the world behind the windows of An and Akito’s apartment was a stark snow and ice white. The apartment of which An had just entered, her scarf-covered mouth gaping open. With her free hand, she jabbed a finger towards the living room - or, more accurately, the new addition to the room. 

“A kotatsu? Akito. Akito. Am I dreaming? Or is that a kotatsu?”

Her finger zigzagged from every detail: to the fluffy blanket ends spilling out across the hard-wood flooring, to the wooden board already laden with a bowl of mandarins and the television remote, and, finally, to the self-satisfied smile of the man seated in front of it all. 

He lifted a hand up, a relaxed ‘welcome home’. “One of the guys from the school soccer team hooked me up with this one.” He grinned, fingers drumming lightly against oak. The bored motion betrayed none of the self-satisfaction in his voice. “Got it for nothing,” he formed a zero with his thumb and forefinger, “I cashed in a favour.”

“No way!” The surprise on An’s face deepened. “That’s a steal!”

“You bet. And it’s comfy as hell– Come and try it for yourself.”

“Aye aye!” Kicking off her loosened shoes, An stripped off her jacket and scarf next. Stuffing them into the jacket storage closet revealed the mass of fluffy down, mittens, and hats that the couple had amassed for the winter. Finished with her tidying up, the bubbly joy in her bloomed brighter with every turn she took around the kotatsu. “Woah…it’s like…winter has really started!”

Watching her spin, Akito squinted at her statement. “Well, yeah, you were just out. Didn’t you see the snow?” Turning his head around, he gestured to the frost-flecked panes of glass. 

Half glowering, half pouting at his sarcasm, An let out a small harrumph. “Of course I did! You don’t get it, it’s not just about the cold,” she plucked a mandarin from the table, spinning it like a basketball, “it’s about the winter vibe! Fluffy clothes, mint-flavoured sweets, and kotatsu’s! So,” her wide grin shined like sunlight on snowfall, “tell your friend thanks for me!”

"Alright, alright. Whatever you say." Akito rolled his eyes, An’s infectious cheer influencing his own smile. “Now,” he stretched himself backwards, patting the floor beside him, creases growing in his sweater, “are you coming in, or not?” His hair, surprisingly messy, strands scuffed as though he had slept on the floor, tipped over his face as he tilted his head inquisitively. 

“Hmmmm…” The woman deliberated, giving the orange fruit another spin, the mass picking up speed, becoming a blur. The rotation ceased as her grin grew. “Oh. Oh ho ho. Sure!” Placing the sphere back in the bowl, she stared at the spot Akito was situated at. “Move over a bit?”

“Why? There’s plenty of room.” 

“Just do it! No questions!”

He moved sideways. “No, not like that.”

He shifted towards the blanket. “Nope! Go backwards!”

Slowly, he retracted himself from the warmth, legs still embedded in the blanket, and chest entirely uncovered.

“Perfect!” Smoothing down her pants, An plopped herself into place. 

Right inside the gap between Akito’s outstretched legs.

“...”

“...what? You told me to take a seat!”

“Yeah. A SEAT." Using his finger like a pencil, the man traced a circle over his flustered face. "Do I look like a chair to you?”

“Well, maybe you would if you weren’t frowning!” An craned her head over, reaching out to stretch his cheeks like a child playing with clay. “Give your girlfriend a smile, won’t you?”

The smile didn’t arrive. “Mmrmphm,” came the muffled protest to An’s meddling, the man entangling An’s fingers with his to tear them off his face. Soft laughter and a few seconds of struggle met his efforts. The girlfriend, happily having teased him, eventually yielded, turning to face the television, a singing competition program. 

"Oh! This is my favourite show!" She wiggled slightly, swaying to the music. "You put it on for me, didn't you?" 

Busy massaging his face, the ruffled ginger remained silent. Instead, he appraised the curtain of blue-grey hair nestled at his chest, as the music from the television bounced up into a pop song.  Inch by inch, his fingers rose to An’s scalp, catching, and pulling, a silky strand between his thumb and forefinger. 

“Ow!" Backhandedly, she swatted at him. "That snags!”

In place of a reply, the man’s glare softened, taking on a mischievous tint. Like rippling water, Akito gradually detangled the waterfall of hair before him, parting the waves to unveil the nape of An’s neck. Letting the locks fall from his fingertips, and lowering his head, his lips parted and landed on skin. Grazing once. Twice. Soft as the brush of a butterfly’s wing.

Resulting in a gigantic laugh bursting out of An’s mouth. “HUH? What? That- that tickles-” 

“Too bad, so sad.” The rather roguish chair proceeded to attack the sides of An’s stomach, his fingertips dancing, fluttering above the hem of her shirt.

"Aki-" She twisted, mirth overcoming her ability to verbalize. She threw herself side to side, attempted to wriggle her way out, and yet still, her captor remained unfazed. So, she did what anyone would do in her position; she pushed herself close to his chest, and raised her head square into his chin.

"OW-" came the swift, and sharply uttered, exclamation. "Ow- damn- what the-" Akito's hands retreated, rising back up.

And so, An took her chance. Twisting around once more, facing him, before aiming her open palms over his wrists. Akito’s fingers stilled, his attention caught on moving himself away - but to no avail. Victory gleaming on her face, An pushed herself closer to Akito, pushing his hands to his chest. And pushing her face closer to his.

A moment passed. Akito’s hands were released. Withdrawing from his body, marginally, and releasing a contented sigh, An drew her fingers up to the face of her beloved, thumb brushing against red skin. “Oh?” She traced a line, from his cheek to his jaw. “Your skin is hot. Looks like someone’s embarrassed~” Her lips, equally warm and glistening, curved into an arc. 

“Hell no. It’s this damn hot kotatsu." Turning his face the other way, but not making any move to tear An’s hand off his skin, the man scowled, albeit unconvincingly.

“Sureeee it is,” she sang, angling her head to plant a smaller, quicker kiss on his jawline. She then swiveled around, placing her hand atop Akito’s knee. “Would it help if I stopped using you as a chair?”

She could feel the motion behind her as Akito briskly shook his head “Nah. This is fine. Even if my legs are falling asleep.” Like clutching a pillow, the ginger wrapped his arms around An’s chest. His heartbeat oscillated at a steady rhythm, blending and merging with the melody of An’s heart, a far sweeter song than the ballad flowing from the television’s speakers. "Just don't try and destroy my chin again. It hurt like hell."

"Uh, that was the point!" She pulled the futon closer, covering more of her and Akito’s legs. Letting out a blissful hum, she laid back, Akito’s damaged chin resting on the crown of her head. ”But I won't, I'll stop teasing you, I promise!..on the condition that you don’t let go.” 

Planting a kiss on An’s hair, Akito let out a warm, low hum of his own. “I wasn’t planning to, darling.”

“Oh my!” An’s ultraviolet smile beamed so brightly, it could have been considered a fire hazard. “Look who’s feeling romantic. It’s almost scary!”

“The hell you mean 'scary'? I won’t do it again.”

"Awwwww, come on! You’re no fun…darling. Ha! That made you blush, didn't it?”

“No. Since when was this a competition?” Akito grimaced, trying to erase the flush on his face. It didn't work. “Because if it is,” his mouth lowered to her ear in a whisper, “I’m gonna win.”

A successful move, every nerve on An’s body jumping at the sound. “AH! No fair! If the competition is scaring the heck out of me, then yeah, you’ve already won!”

“Oh? Sounds like someone’s a sore loser.”

“Who are you calling a loser? This game only starts now!” 

• End