Chapter Text
Her shivers are distracting.
Mafuyu glances over as the two of them stand outside, waiting to cross the street on the way back home from their brief trip to the convenience store. Neither of them really relished the idea of having to tread out on such a cold winter day for an errand, but even small grocery trips weren’t exactly something they could put off forever.
When Kanade had tried to in fact, imply trying, Mafuyu had to very bluntly point out that they were not bears, and couldn’t just hibernate away the need for supplies for an entire season.
This light was taking ages. Mafuyu had a few bags on her, while Kanade carried a lone one herself. She had insisted—honestly Mafuyu could handle carrying all of the bags, but Kanade felt guilty, making her walk all the way without helping, and always insisted on trying to carry...anything, really. Not that a bag of tissue boxes was exactly a lot of weight out of Mafuyu’s hands, but in reality the taller girl was just trying to appease the composer’s ever-present desire to lend a hand a little bit.
Purple eyes studied the girl next to her subtly. She had forgotten her gloves, and despite how many times their friends made the suggestion to shop for one, Kanade still lacked the presence of a scarf in her lackluster closet. It wasn’t that cold—to Mafuyu. Kanade just seemed like she was more sensitive to the cold weather, for some reason.
Finally, they cross the street. Looking around, Mafuyu stopped by an empty bench, prompting Kanade to stop a few steps late and look over at her, confused.
“Mafuyu? Is something wrong?”
Quietly, the girl put her bags down, before reaching for the one Kanade held and putting that down as well. “Kanade...step over here.”
“Ah? Um...sure, okay.” Stepping closer to Mafuyu, Kanade looked up at her, waiting. Without another word, Mafuyu’s own warmer hands reach for both of Kanade’s. She brings them together between her own, getting a small jump and a startled look of embarrassment from the small composer. She was barely used to Mafuyu doing these kinds of things in her own house, but out here in public? Kanade was pretty jumpy when she was out and about in broad daylight.
“Mafuyu?!”
Kanade’s hands really were...very cold. Staring at them for a moment, Mafuyu’s moves her fingers around them gently, almost massaging Kanade’s hands and fingers between her own delicately. Her gaze drifts to Kanade’s face, that deadpan, neutral look never faltering despite the subtle hints of curiosity in her expression.
“Why are you so cold?” She thought about that horribly obvious, vague question, before adding, “In general...even when it’s just a little cold.”
“O-oh...I don’t know. Mizuki said maybe it’s because I ‘don’t have any meat on my bones,’ as she puts it. I’ve always gotten cold pretty fast though—it was a handful for my mom and dad.”
Mafuyu nods, looking at her hands again. “Does it feel better?”
“Um...a-a little bit, yes. Thank you.”
She released Kanade’s hands, but after a moment of thought, she finally moved to unwrap the light scarf from her own neck, before instead loosely tucking it around Kanade’s, taking her time to adjust it and fix it properly. Hesitantly, Kanade reached up to touch the scarf, blushing as she looked at Mafuyu meekly and smiled a little bit. “Th-thank you, Mafuyu.”
“Next time, lets look at scarves. You really should have one.”
“You’re right, sorry.” Kanade picked her bag back up as Mafuyu did the same, and they resumed their adventure home, now that Kanade was left a little warmer in the presence of her company.