Finders Keepers

Prompt 14: – Green

Rating: PG

Author's Notes: Assumes that, for some reason, Touma and Shin have started to like each other during the war with Arago.

It was eerily quiet, as usual. Shin didn't think he'd ever get used to it. Scratch that - he never would have to because they'd defeat Arago and the city would be saved. In the meantime, however, he was still having issues adjusting.

It was cold at night this time of year, too. That didn't help much. He sat with his back against the wall, watching the others move around the room through half lidded eyes. He wasn't sure why they had picked this building to sleep in. For all Shin knew, they could die of asbestosis before they made any progress. He thought of murmuring that to Touma, relaxing with his arms folded and head down next to him, but figured Touma would say something practical to shoot it down. Something about science. Something condescending so that Shin would feel just a little bit less intelligent.

The place was drafty, too. He shivered.

"Cold?" Touma asked quietly.

Shin tried to hide the goosebumps on his arms. "I'll be alright. You should get some sleep."

Touma snorted. "The longer we sleep here, the closer we are to getting some kind of asbestosis."

Shin sighed heavily, more a grunt of frustration than anything else. After a few more minutes he shifted and winced. "My back hurts," he complained.

"Lay down."

"It's dirty. It's like they never used this basement. You'd think, in an apartment complex, they'd at least have things like brooms, mops, extra cords…something. Anything."

Touma hid a secret smile at Shin's irrepressibly prissy need to stay neat and tidy even in the throes of war. "This really bothers you, doesn't it?"

Nodding, Shin gazed down his legs at the under-armor now sporting a healthy layer of dust on the bottom. "I suppose…yes. I don't like things being this empty."

"You weren't meant to be a soldier." Touma meant it in jest – they all teased him about it. He bore it with good grace, but his eyes grew sad.

"No," he murmured. "I really wasn't." Then he shivered again.

Touma stood, dusting off his legs. "Lean your head back. Get some rest. Lay where I was sitting if you want to avoid the dust."

Shin looked up, worried. "Where are you going? You can't go out alone. It's dangerous."

Touma brushed his fingers along Shin's forehead as he passed, and chuckled as Shin made a face of disgust. "It's dangerous everywhere, Fish."

"I'm coming with you."

"No," and it was a gentle command. "You're not. I'll bring Shuu. He needs to burn off energy anyway."

Shin's mind revolted at the idea of Touma going out into the abandoned city, but his body betrayed him and began to shut down into much needed sleep. "Be careful?"

"Of course."

Some time later, Shin woke to something heavy settling on his shoulders. He blinked back into consciousness, but could barely see anything in the dimly lit room. His immediate reaction was a rope, a trap, but the others were still asleep and there were warm hands massaging his neck and shoulders.

"What…?" He asked, then cleared his throat of dust and tried again. Touma settled back down next to him and stared at him blandly.

"It's big, but it was all I could find that would keep you decently warm. Sorry it's not the right color, but they were fresh out of powder blue at the department store."

It was a windbreaker – green and orange and lined with fleece inside. It was exceptionally large, but more importantly, it was warm. Shin started to smile at Touma, then faltered.

"You stole this?"

Touma shrugged. "No one else was using it, obviously."

Shin frowned. "Touma. You can't steal things just because."

Touma leveled a look at him with hard eyes. "I think our situation calls for exceptions. You're thin, it's cold. I brought you something to keep you warm. Oh –and by the way, you're welcome."

Shin chewed his lip, looking down at the material. Then he gave up, sighed, and rested his head on Touma's shoulder. Touma shifted to brace his back with an arm, and rested his cheek on Shin's dusty hair.

"…Did they have other colors?"

Chuckling, Touma shook his head. "Yeah, but I liked this one best."

"How come?" His speech was beginning to slur. Sleep hadn't entirely left him yet and was beckoning his return with her siren call.

"It matches your eyes, idiot. Now stop talking to me. I'm trying to sleep."

Shin smiled, hidden in the lapels of his new green jacket - which he fully planned to return once the city had been saved. "Thank you, Touma."

He got an answering grunt which was only satisfying to Shin – the sole speaker in the group of Touma's tactless language.

Burying into Touma's dirty neck, he sighed and let the nonexistent sounds of the city lull him to sleep.