This is a songfic of オトギは銀の国 (Otogi is the Country of Silver). This one-shot is lightly based on the English translation by Hanata.
Oliver gazed into the foggy window as he watched the snow fall for what seemed like an eternity. With every breath he took, the air condensed and blurred the glass even more. It was a freezing winter night; unable to sleep, he bundled himself with two blankets and sat by the window sill in deep introspection.
Due to his illness, Oliver was unable to leave his home, so he spent much of his days in solitude. His parents were strict about not permitting guests, leaving them to be his only interactions by day. It was lonely, but he had always looked forward to nightfall, as that was when the rendezvous occurred. The best way for his guest to avoid detection was to visit at night, and so it was decided that they meet when Oliver's parents were asleep. However, as it snowed quite tremendously, he did not expect his visitor to stop by tonight. Nevertheless, he still had difficulty falling asleep due to the bitterly frigid air.
Despite the incessant snowfall, the night was silent and tranquil—only reverberations from the grandfather clock were heard—with clouds that occasionally blocked illuminations from the full moon overhead. He leaned against the wall next to the window and absentmindedly watched as the snow perpetually fell—to which he thought would be enough to cover the entire world.
His gaze wandered towards the dead, leafless tree with a robust branch that extended directly towards his window. Everything was covered in thick layers of snow, as if the world lost all its colors. As Oliver opened his window slightly to brush away the snow that piled on the sill, he noticed—from the corner of his eye—the conspicuous flash of red that rushed towards his direction. He nervously leaned towards the window and observed as the familiar figure approached.
The clouds momentarily drifted away from the moon, revealing a boy about Oliver's age with messy crimson hair tucked under a white winter cap and a long, red coat. The boy frowned with impatience and misery as he struggled to walk through the thick layers of snow that reached halfway up to his knees. Slowly but surely, he eventually made his way to the base of the tree and started climbing—albeit with adversity as the cold precipitation pelted his face.
Oliver pushed the window further—just enough to have his guest climb through comfortably, but not enough for the snow to get in. He held out his hand to assist the redhead safely leave the old, but sturdy tree branch. Oliver shivered upon contact with the boy's frozen hand; the boy carefully leaped into the room through the window.
Once his guest was indoors, Oliver shut the window and sighed. Before he could berate his guest for making a trip through the relentless snowfall, he was met with a gentle, but freezing embrace. The redhead's cool breath traveled down Oliver's neck, which caused him to tremble from the coldness. He wanted to relish in the moment just a bit longer, but the frigidness from the slowly melting ice on his guest's coat transmitted itself from the intimate contact.
Oliver hesitantly looked up at his guest and broke the silence. "Fukase, there's melted snow on your coat." He slightly pulled away from the hug to create a minuscule distance.
In response, the red-haired guest, Fukase chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that. I was just so happy to see you again." He removed his snow-covered hat and coat as Oliver handed him a blanket for extra warmth.
"You didn't have to come here tonight in this snowstorm," Oliver mumbled as he looked out the window and no longer saw Fukase's footsteps in the snow.
"I really just wanted to see you again." Yearning for contact, Fukase reached for the blond's hand once again. "Even if it's been just a day, I miss you already."
Oliver's cheeks warmed up as their hands intertwined. As they held hands, he sensed a sudden warmness and realized that there were moderate-sized cuts on Fukase's left hand—gradual streams of blood flowed.
"W-wait here!" Oliver stammered with concern at the sight of Fukase's wounds. He immediately ran off, leaving the redhead sitting by the window dumbfounded.
In a hurried panic, Oliver rushed towards the stock closet to retrieve some medical supplies; worry washed over his mind and he nearly forgot about the possibility of waking his parents. Anxiously, he pressed one ear against the wall to scout for noises that signal whether they had roused. Faint echoes of snores permeated throughout the hall, and he sighed in relief.
Apprehension abated, Oliver rummaged through the closet and procured disinfectant, clean towels, and some bandages. He initially considered also getting a tub of water to wash off the blood, but he realized that the sound of the faucet running would produce too much noise.
Once he had all the necessities, he made his way back to Fukase, who grinned warmly at Oliver's return. The blond averted his gaze as he tended to the reckless redhead's injuries. For some time, they were both silent—the sound of the antiquated clock ticking became more prominent and was no longer background noise. With a mixture of anxiety and wistfulness indicated on his face, Oliver heard his own heartbeat among the uneasy stillness. Fukase noticed—with his infrequent glances—the blond's discomfort and wanted to dissolve the tension, but Oliver spoke first.
"You really need to be more careful," Oliver mumbled as he tied up the free ends of the bandages.
"Don't worry, Oliver. I've been climbing trees often enough. That was just a small misstep," Fukase replied sheepishly as he glanced at his bandaged arm. "But I'm okay! The pain is all gone now, thanks to you."
"That's not what I meant," Oliver said in a whisper. He turned slightly away from Fukase before he continued. "What if my parents catch you trespassing? If they catch you, we won't be able to meet again. I don't want you to get into trouble for my sake."
"I'd still risk it just to see you again." Fukase pulled the troubled blond into a tight embrace. "I want you to know that I'm willing to go through such lengths to be with you, even if it's just for a few hours each day."
Unsure of what to say, Oliver wrapped his arms around other's back and buried his face into his chest. Fukase's gentle caresses and the warmth of the embrace gave Oliver an inexplicable sense of comfort and safety, which allowed him to temporarily forget his situation. With each passing moment, the clouds parted away from the full moon, illuminating the previously dark room. A smile tugged at the corner of Oliver's lips as he remarked how this scenario was like one in a picture book. He wished these moments could last longer, but delighted in the brief times they had together.
Fukase lightly pulled away from the hug and ruffled the other's hair. "You should smile like that more often." He chuckled and closed the distance between them once more—their lips touching.
Oliver was pleasantly surprised by the display of affection, but allowed himself to melt into the kiss. He had always savored these transient, but wondrous moments in his otherwise uneventful daily life.
The grandfather clock continued to reverberate; outside, the snowfall lingered. Everything persisted as it did, as if the passage of time had no adverse effects.