Before reading, here's some information to know: Hakuo's character item is a kotatsu, which is a table with a heavy blanket or a comfortor over it with an electric heater attached under the tabletop. This way, the heat is trapped under the blanket and makes for a cheap, great way to stay warm!

With that out of the way, please enjoy this next chapter!

--

The next day or two in the Voyakiloid Household had been rather...filled with the desperate need to transition. It was strange having a third member in the house, much less one who acted almost exactly in the same manner as another.

Probably the biggest of problems they faced right now was the lack of a third bedroom. This resulted, unfortunately, in Hakuo being stuck sleeping on the couch.

Not that he didn't like the couch, though.

It was softer than most anything else he'd slept on in the past, which said quite a lot.

But no, it wasn't sleeping on the couch that bugged him, it was that the house was so dang cold. What with winter just around the bend, and the house having little to no heat to begin with, it felt let being buried under an ice rink.

So what was he going to do about it?

Well, he did have a certain little thing he hadn't bothered to move with him. It was too big, after all. But...

Maybe a little labor was worth it. It would warm him up, at least...

--

The little surprise, however, caught Dell at a bad time. Just as he was heading out the door for work, he practically slammed into a crate sitting on the front step that was bigger than his computer desk.

"What the...What the Hell is thing doing here?" He held himself in the doorway, staring in slight disbelief at the package.

Since when did they ever get mail of any sort? And just...What was in there?

Behind him, Haku peered out at large box. "H-How are we going to get it inside, Dell-san...?"

"I have no idea..." He admitted, looking annoyed. They couldn't just leave it outside, but they weren't exactly strong enough to haul it inside either.

"What's outside?"

Haku jumped at Hakuo's voice, which made him jump as well at her action. As soon as he saw the package, however, the silver-haired boy sprung from his spot and proceeded to push it past them, leaving the two siblings with a look of awe.

"How did you..." Haku gaped, pointing as he pulled the box into the living room.

Hakuo couldn't help but blush slightly at the looks they were giving him. "I-I'm pretty strong, actually..."

"You don't look it." Dell remarked, crossing his arms.

With a sheepish look, the Yowane reluctantly took off his jacket in front of them, and surprisingly, he hadn't been lying. His arms were a slight bit thick, giving the sense of at least a little more strength than either Haku or Dell did.

"..." Shaking his head, Dell tried to ignore what he'd just seen and instead walked over to inspect the package.

"So what's in this thing, anyway?" He asked, leaning against the wall while lighting a cigarette.

A grin spread across Hakuo's face for once, and eagerly he tore open the cardboard to reveal...

"...What is it?" Haku asked, feeling a bit embarrassed for not knowing.

"It's a kotatsu..." Hakuo replied, his ego boost deflating fast. The thing looked like a table with a large comforter or a sleeping bag over it.

"I've always had it...I...I thought it could keep us warm..." Shuffling his feet nervously, he wondered now if this had been such a great idea to try.

Kneeling down, the boy crawled under the table, disappearing under the comforter before a snap was heard, and the kotatsu slowly came to life with warmth.

"S-See?" He crawled out and sat under it like a regular table. "I-It's electric and it'll keep us warm..."

Hesitantly, Haku stepped over and sat on the floor, sliding under. Her legs were enveloped in warmth, and it sent a shiver up her spine at the extent of how good it felt.

Warmth never felt so good.

All the while, Dell watched with slight curiosity. As tempted as he was to ask how much it would cost to keep the thing running, he decided it best not to break the mood.

"T-Thanks, Hakuo-san..." Haku gave a tiny bow of her head, a blush tinting her cheeks.

"It was nothing...Really..." Hakuo smiled back awkwardly, trying to imitate her. He probably shouldn't mention how much work it took to get the thing up here...

"Dell-san, you should come and-"

The workaholic was already out of the room, having run off to grab his laptop...

...Before promptly coming back and sitting beneath the table, soaking up the warmth while working as usual.

No one spoke, instead choosing the enjoy the quiet and wonderful embrace of the kotatsu.

And for the first time since he'd arrived, Hakuo felt like he'd been truly useful to his 'siblings'.