Sasuke made the trek out to his mailbox in the snow. It was cold as hell. He hated snow. He ducked his head down into his jacket as he opened and then closed his empty mailbox. Nothing came anyway. Why did he come out here?
He turned his head and found that the row of leafless trees that lined the neighboring street had been wrapped in lights for next week's festival.
He caught sight of dark hair blowing in the wind from the top of a ladder with a trail of lights hanging from what had to be ice-cold hands. Who the hell decided today was the day to set up? Was anyone going to even want to go to the festival when it was this freaking cold?
Hinata reached up into the tree branches and strung the light string into place, wrapping it around the branch until she was out. The light's plastic felt like sharp rocks running across her hands. The snow that brushed free off the branch wasn’t even melting on her hands anymore. She stepped down from the ladder and flicked it off her hands, stretching her fingers in and out. Her joints were getting stiff.
She looked at the branches she still had to do and huffed, leaving a cloud trail out of her lips.
She wasn’t going to get any warmer by slowing down.
Moving the ladder, the metal felt like she was touching ice. She set it into place to reach the next branch and shifted it to make sure it was flat in the snow. Digging into the box for another string, it felt like she was putting her hand in a box of nails.
It was too cold. At least it wasn’t still snowing.
Hinata climbed back up the ladder with the lights and connected them to make sure they lit up before she started twirling them around the branches. Only a few more and she could go inside.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” A voice came from under her.
Hinata peered down at Sasuke, looking back up at her in a thick black coat with the hood up and his hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked up at her like she was crazy. “Decorating.”
“On the coldest day of the year?” Sasuke snipped. Obviously… Hinata finished her strand before coming down. He turned his head up and down the street. “Why are you doing it alone?”
“Sakura-chan is home sick, and Shikamaru is babysitting for Kurenai, and it was too cold to have the trainees out here.” Hinata brushed her hands off and looked up at the mostly lit tree. “I am almost done.”
“Where are your gloves?” Sasuke looked around at the other trees that all glittered back at him. “How long have you been out here?”
“A while,” Hinata admitted. “Long enough, my gloves got soaked through.” She gestured at her discarded gloves hanging off the side of her box along with her scarf that was getting in the way of her movement. Neither were helping much anyway.
“Aren’t you cold?” Sasuke eyes narrowed on her. What kind of question was that? Of course, she was cold.
Hinata waved her hand at him, gesturing him to go back inside. “I’m almost done.”
Sasuke caught her hand. “Holy sh*t.” He held her hand between his and rubbed them. “Your hands are freezing.” His hands were toasty warm. It made her blood rush to her face. Hinata tried to take her hand back, but he held on to it and picked up her other hand to add to his warming. “You need to get inside,” He demanded, pulling her away from the tree.
“I have to finish.” Hinata protested.
Sasuke didn’t stop for her. He shifted her hands to more comfortably drag her behind him. “Let someone else do it. You did most of it.”
Sasuke sat her down on his couch and made her wait for him to put a kettle on. Before long, he put a mug in her hand. Hinata jumped and hissed and put it down quickly, flexing her hands that were tinged red from the cold and dry from the wind. She was going to have to warm up slower. The mug wasn’t even that warm, but it probably felt like lava to her near-frost-bitten hands.
Sasuke turned the mug to put the handle in front of her. “Sometimes, I think you don’t have any self-preservation instincts.” He commented, trailing up to see how red her nose and ears were. She kept putting her hands over her ears and rubbing at them while she waited. They probably ached as they thawed. That was always the part he hated most after coming in from the cold.
“Not sure if that is something you can say.” Hinata countered with a frown that was more of an offended pout than he was sure she meant it to be.
Sasuke looked her flat in the eye. “Neji wouldn’t have let you stay out there that long.”
Hinata's face scrunched from pout to actually offended. “That’s low.”
“But accurate,” Sasuke tacked on.
Hinata was a responsible woman when it came to everyone else but herself. He was sure she wouldn’t have let anyone else out there for that long without sending them inside, but she would stay out there until she froze to the side of the tree to not disappoint some stupid, snot-nosed kids at the winter festival.
Hinata dismissed his comment by not responding. She brought her hands around the mug and hovered them to take in the heat. A shiver ran up her spine visibly.
Maybe she had been out there for too long. Her fingers stung as they warmed up, and her ears itched as she got feeling back into them. She tried holding the cup again, and once she could fully wrap her hands around it, despite the slight burning sensation, she was able to bring it to her lips and took the tiniest of sips.
It felt amazing to have the heat of the tea run down her throat and heat from the inside, even if it felt like drinking liquid fire. The more she warmed up, the more she realized how cold she had been.
Sasuke watched her for a long moment. Another shiver wracked her body, making him get up and leave the room, coming back with a blanket. “Here, take off your coat.” He commanded, opening the blanket and lifting it, ready to put it around her shoulders.
Hinata waved her hand to try to stop him. “I don’t plan on staying long.”
Sasuke ignored her and continued to hold the blanket out at the ready. Hinata relented, putting the mug down and pulling off her coat. She didn’t realize that it was practically soaked through until she peeled it off. It probably wasn’t helping her much.
The blanket was dropped around her shoulders and adjusted into place, tucked in close to her face. “Your cheeks are still red.” He commented, still hovering, knelt down in front of her even though he had finished his fussing.
Hinata put the back of her hand on her cheek. The skin was still ice-cold to the touch. At least her hands were getting a little warmer. “I just can’t seem to warm up.” She hummed.
Sasuke eyes seared into her, and her cheek flushed for a new reason as his eyes dropped to her lips. Was he thinking of…?
Hinata got her answer before she could fully form the thought. He got closer, using the blanket to pull her in.
The kiss rippled goosebumps up her spine and into her hairline. His lips were warm, making her distinctly aware of how much colder hers were. She became uncomfortably conscious of how dry her lips were as his moved, tilting her head back slightly for better access. He didn’t seem to mind.
Another wave of goosebumps came with his hand slid up to cup her cheek, sending a ticklish sensation down the skin of her neck. Was it because it was warm or because it made her heart flutter? She reached her hand out and twisted into his shirt. The goosebumps were asking her to pull on him, to tell him to give her more of the heat, but she fought that instinct.
Sasuke pulled back, and Hinata's eyes fluttered open with a question in them. ‘What was that?’
“Are you warmer now?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
Hinata felt heat rush to her face. Yes, she was, but that was a dirty way to get her to defrost. She licked her lips, trying to rid herself of some of the dryness she was self continuous might still be there. “Not warm enough.” She breathed out and watched his face flush red, too. Served him right.
His visible embarrassment was short-lived as a grin spread across his face. “I can fix that.” He lifted himself up to tower her on the couch.
Heat rushed up her body into her ears as she leaned back, unintentionally inviting him closer. Okay, he won.
