He drew them first to the hearth where the fire danced but burned low, moving to tend to it before all else. It was automatic, as easy as breathing, to take the poker in his free hand and carefully break apart the old wood so that it flared anew, hot and bright. It was harder to settle fresh logs atop the vivid coals with that same hand, coaxing here and there until the new fuel caught and started to crackle, but he wouldn't release the arm around Hotaru all the while.
With warmth assured for the next several hours, then and only then did he tuck her tenderly onto the couch. He hesitated after, a moment's uncertainty as to where he should stay, but before he could worry overmuch about propriety her fingers caught at his coat and he sighed in relief. The night was dark and full of memories he didn't have the strength to face alone, but the couch was soft and he shrugged out of his torn coat to lay it over the two of them as he stretched out beside Hotaru, settling her against his chest and resting his chin on the crown of her head.
He wasn't Enzo, and she wasn't the people he'd lost, but for tonight, in that moment, all that mattered was that they had each other.
~Fin~
With warmth assured for the next several hours, then and only then did he tuck her tenderly onto the couch. He hesitated after, a moment's uncertainty as to where he should stay, but before he could worry overmuch about propriety her fingers caught at his coat and he sighed in relief. The night was dark and full of memories he didn't have the strength to face alone, but the couch was soft and he shrugged out of his torn coat to lay it over the two of them as he stretched out beside Hotaru, settling her against his chest and resting his chin on the crown of her head.
He wasn't Enzo, and she wasn't the people he'd lost, but for tonight, in that moment, all that mattered was that they had each other.
~Fin~
