Drowning in Your Warmth

"Would you like some coffee, Sakamichi-kun?"

"Sure!"

The blue-haired boy passed a mug across the kitchen counter, while sipping from his own.

Onoda took the cup and immediately took a sip, but just as quickly, he began to cough and sputter, forcing himself to gulp it down.

"Are you okay, Sakamichi-kun?" Manami placed his mug down and approached Onoda in concern.

"It's boiling hot!" the bespectacled boy placed his own mug down in order to lift his glasses and wipe his eyes. "And so bitter! Manami-kun, is this how you always drink your coffee?" The boy looked pathetically betrayed, eyebrows crinkled, tears still forming- pretty adorable.

"I'm sorry Sakamichi-kun. I got so used to having it this way, I forgot that other people don't." He went to the sink and began to run some cold water into a spare sports bottle for the other boy.

"It doesn't burn your mouth?" Onoda asked in awe. Truly, anyone who could withstand such hell-in-a-cup was a fearsome opponent.

Manami handed him the cold bottle with a soft smile. "It does."

The weekend before New Year's was approaching and the two climbers hadn't had much of a chance to do any cycling lately with the currently frigid weather. Hoping for something to do, Manami had called up Onoda, asking if he could pay a visit to the other boy's home, explaining that he wanted to spend some time with Onoda, but didn't want for him to take such a long train ride. After much insisting, however, it was decided that Onoda would make the trip to Hakone after all. Manami's senpai had once told Onoda horror stories of the many times Manami had shown up late for things. Onoda was truly afraid that Manami might miss his train!

Now it was Saturday and the two boys had successfully biked back from the station to Manami's home and were currently in the kitchen, having just finished discussing plans for the day.

Once Onoda had finished cooling his burned, it was time to head out. They had decided to cycle around the country-side. Manami knew of a hilled area near a pond that he was certain Onoda would just love.

Both boys wore puffy coats and earmuffs, looking like two Peeps marshmallows in a box. Onoda's were shaped like that little sheep from that one anime he loved so much.

It had snowed the night before, but thankfully all the roads were clear. There was still nothing yet obscuring the crunchy brown grass back home in Chiba.

"It's so nice to ride with you without competing for a change," Onoda stated cheerfully as they rode along.

The blue haired boy was actually the one overjoyed that Onoda had come such a long way to see him. The boy seemed to share the same passion for his hobbies that he did for his friends. Manami found it amazing that there didn't seem to be one single event in Onoda's life that had prompted him to get so much enjoyment out of life- he seemed to have been born this way. Manami wondered what his own life would have been like had he never been ill as a child. Would he have grown up to be like Onoda, appreciating life regardless, or would he have become apathetic, taking everything for granted? Perhaps he would never would have let Miyahara teach him about biking and in extension, never met his precious rival.

"Um, you're awfully quiet, Manami-kun. Are you feeling alright? " the smaller climber slowed his bike.

"I was just thinking how happy I am that we can ride together like this. That's all." Manami sped up, a silent suggestion that Onoda should do the same.

The snow covered scenery glittered in the evening light, like a big vanilla sugar cookie.

The two shared a comfortable silence, save for the whirring of the bike wheels, until a soft sound caught Manami's attention. He looked to cyclist beside him: little puffs of warm breath emanated from the other boy as he hummed a little tune to himself.

"Is that from that anime you like? 'Love Ouji'?"

"Huh? Oh, it's 'Love Hime', actually. I didn't even realise that I was singing…"

"You were humming, actually."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I bothering you? This song always helps me focus on my cycling. Hey, do you like any anime songs, Manami-kun?" Just speaking the word 'anime' made the otaku's eyes sparkle, or maybe it was just the snow reflecting off his glasses. The thought never crossed the boy's mind that not everyone listened to anime music. He just took it as a given. Manami found it very charming.

Manami considered. "Well, I do know some video game music, I guess…"

"Oh! You like video games, Manami-kun?

Manami beamed an angelic smile. "Not at all."

"We're here. Should we stop and take a break?"

"That sounds great." Onoda stopped his bike and hopped off. "Wow! Look at those bunnies! Imaizumi-kun would love them!" He flipped open his phone to take a photo.

"Send those to me too when you get a chance. I also have a bunny-loving teammate." Manami knew that he'd probably forget to ever forward the message to Shinkai; he mostly just thought it would be nice to get another cheerful text from Onoda.

The top of the pond was a sheet of ice, like the opaque sugar window of a gingerbread house.

As he continued to watch Onoda still snapping away at the family of bunnies, Manami reached for his water bottle, only to be met with the brief sensation of his finger tips brushing the plastic, followed by a distinct 'PLOOP' sound.

Ploop?

His stomach sank as he turned to look at the frozen pond. Sure enough, the bottle had broken the thin layer of ice and was bobbing a few feet away.

He turned again to glance at Onoda. He was still snapping at the bunnies as if they were the world's most famous super models.

No need to worry Onoda- Manami was sure that he could easily reach the bottle, no big deal. He knelt down, one hand still on the shore as he extended the other...

The ice-cold water needled and pierced at every inch of his body. So this is what being stabbed must be like...It's not as exciting as I thought…

He must have slipped on the snowy shore and tumbled in. Onoda must be freaking out up there.

The bottle that was currently floating somewhere above him was the one he bought to replace the one he had given to Onoda that day. Every time he used it, he had been reminded of their promise to reunite at the interhigh. He knew that it was stupid that it still meant so much to him, even though the interhigh was long over- it wasn't even the original bottle! He really should have just left it floating in the pond. This actual time spent with his 'rival' was much more special than silly mementos, he thought as he continued to sink.

Manami fought his eyes open for a moment. The evening sun shone through the water, creating an ethereal effect, like waking up in the morning disoriented, with bleary eyes to a sun-filled room.

He closed them again. Colors continued a kaleidoscopic dance behind his eyelids. His mouth and nose kept threatening to open as he concentrated on keeping the water from flowing in as his lungs began to ache as if he had been climbing hills all day long. The prickling pain in his limbs was quickly beginning to give way to numbness…

"Manami-kun! Look, there're ducks too! …Manami-kun?"

Before he had realised it, while following the bunnies Onoda had wandered a ways across the field, far from the pond. Turning back to look, the blue-haired boy was nowhere to seen. He hadn't gone back home- his bike was still there.

"Manami-kuuuuun!" Onoda shouted, becoming alarmed, as he hurried back to the pond.

Adrenaline stung his nerves upon reaching the broken ice.

"Manami-kun…" Onoda whispered in disbelief, eyes growing wide.

They grew wider still as two white forms rose to the surface of the water.

Wings…?One of the ducks? No, a swan?

They were enormous, and white enough to make the snow green with envy.

The image dispersed as a sopping mess of blue hair splashed to the surface, gasping and coughing.

The vestige of wings was no longer anywhere to be seen. Had it been nothing more than floating chunks of white ice?

"Manami-kun!" Onoda was frantic now. He removed his coat to jump in, but then remembered stories about drowning people dragging their would-be rescuers under.

While the bespectacled boy was busy fretting, Manami swam to shore, shakily falling into something in between sitting and collapsing, shivering violently.

"What happened!? Are you okay!?" Onoda asked, helping Manami to remove his drenched coat, and replacing it with his own, which was too small to zip shut on the larger boy.

Manami just nodded, still breathless.

The blue-haired boy continued to shiver as he sat in the snow. Onoda knelt down before him, taking his hands one at a time, removing the damp gloves. He then took both of the slightly larger hands in his own and blew warm breath onto the finger tips.

With his cheeks puffed out that way, Manami thought that Onoda looked like he was blowing out birthday candles. He was doing it so earnestly too, as if this were a fool-proof preventative for hypothermia. It was decidedly worth drowning himself just to witness such an adorable display.

Still clasping Manami's hands, Onoda turned to look at the pond. The bobbing bottle immediately caught his eye as he quickly put two and two together.

"Were you trying to reach the bottle?" the boy's tone suddenly took a rare edge of sternness. Manami could definitely get used to seeing this side of his rival. "What were you thinking!?"

Manami had finally recovered his breath enough to speak. "I don't know…" He took a breath. "I only know that right now… I'm very glad that I'm alive, or I wouldn't be able to ride with you, Sakamichi-kun." He smiled weakly.

Onoda quickly melted back into his usual sweet self. "I'm glad that you're alive too. Do I need to call your family, or do you think you can make it home?" he asked, voice filled with concern.

"I think the pedaling will help warm me up. We're not too far from home." Manami was back to his usual unbearably angelic grin.

They had safely made it back to Manami's place. At the moment, Manami found himself on the couch, bundled in so many blankets Onoda had dug out of the linen closet, that he was certain that he would soon transform into a splendid butterfly.

The other boy was now rummaging in his overnight bag for something.

"Don't tell me you have even more blankets in there for me," Manami said, only half joking.

Onoda responded by triumphantly pulling out a cylindrical parcel with a little red bow on top, which he handed to Manami. Upon closer inspection, it was wrapped with pink and lavender Love Hime paper.

"It's not my birthday, Sakamichi-kun." Manami smiled quizzically.

"It's a late Christmas gift! Open it!" Onoda's eyes sparkled.

Manami tore the wrapping and immediately let out a laugh."It's a water bottle." He balled the paper and tossed it on the floor, placing the bottle on the coffee table. He noticed that his name had been very nicely printed on the side of it in a lovely shade of blue.

"Sakamichi-kun, I'm still cold." He pouted.

"Oh no! You have so many blankets already! Made we do need to get you to a hospital… Uwah!"

While Onoda was fumbling for his phone, a hand reached out from under the mass of comforters and pulled him onto the couch, whipping the covers over both their heads in one swift motion.

"Ma-Manami-kun!?" the blanket pile squealed.

"You're so warm, Sakamichi-kun." The blankets replied back. "It reminds me how happy I am to be alive. Thank you."

The end