Author's Note: This was written as a Christmas request on tumblr, but I decided to post it here too. (I meant to post it sooner, but I sort of forgot? So enjoy some late Christmas fluff!)

Word Count: 1800

Last Christmas had been completely different, for both of them.

Hiei had actually volunteered to take the Christmas shift at the fire station, because he had a feeling that if he went to Yusuke's ridiculous holiday party his so-called friend would attempt to set him up again. Considering the last blind date Hiei had agreed to had ended in disaster, and him having to pay off damages to the restaurant manager, he hadn't been in a hurry to spend Christmas with his friends. He'd missed seeing his sister, but they'd spent all of Christmas Eve together. She knew that being a firefighter was important to him, so she'd understood that he didn't want to give up a night of working just because of a holiday. (She also understood that he didn't want to go on anymore blind dates.)

Touya had actually traded with another paramedic to take his shift. On the surface it had seemed like a selfless gesture, so that the other man could spend the holiday with his family. In reality, Touya had been avoiding Jin's plans for them to go out and have fun. The two of them were raised up together in the same orphanage and were still close friends years later, so Jin had taken it upon himself to make sure that his friend wasn't alone. Which had led to several disastrous dates and nights out, so Touya had taken the holiday shift.

A week after Valentine's Day, a week after they'd each been set up on horrible blind dates by their respective well-meaning (and incredibly meddlesome) friends, Hiei and Touya met entirely by accident. A cat had gotten stuck in a tree, and the owner had tried to climb the tree to get her cat back. The little girl had fallen and broken her arm, and Touya had been the paramedic on the scene when Hiei arrived. Hiei normally didn't rescue cats from trees, but Captain Mukuro liked punishing him whenever he smarted off too much. Which was pretty often.

The little girl had barely even cried as Touya tended to her arm, and she'd hugged around Hiei's waist with her good arm after he'd gotten the cat safely out of the tree. The other paramedic, some redhead named Ruka, had taken the little girl to the back of the ambulance after prying her off of Hiei while Touya just laughed. The two of them had made eye contact as Hiei scowled and Touya laughed, and Hiei had felt his scowl fading at the bright look on the other man's face. The scowl had faded so much that Touya worked up the nerve to ask him out for coffee, and Hiei had been so surprised that he'd just blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

"I don't drink coffee." The paramedic, whose name tag read Touya, looked down at the brusque tone that Hiei had used. He realized that he actually liked looking at the guy's ice blue eyes, and his usual well maintained brain-to-mouth filter failed him for a second time. "But I like ice cream."

The guy's head snapped up at the softer tone of Hiei's voice, and Hiei had held himself completely still as wide eyes looked all around them. The ground was covered in snow, more snow was starting to fall, and it was completely freezing outside. That didn't really change Hiei's preferences though. He didn't even like frozen coffee, but he hadn't found a time yet when he couldn't go for some ice cream. The guy's blue eyes met his, and Hiei held himself completely still even though he suddenly had the absurd urge to fidget. Hiei didn't fidget.

"Would you like to get some ice cream? I get off in an hour." The guy glanced over his shoulder at the back of the ambulance, where the little girl was holding her cat and talking up at the other paramedic, and Hiei held himself still as the guy looked at him again.

"I'm done as soon as I get back to the station." The guy's smile had been small, and Hiei's stomach had twisted. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but he'd never really felt his heartrate pick up like this before. The guy made a quiet sound as he started patting his pockets, and Hiei's head tilted to the side as he pulled out a small notepad and a pen. After some quick scribbling, he tore the top piece of paper off and stepped forwards to extend it towards Hiei.

"I'm Touya." Hiei didn't point out that he knew that, because of the nametag, and took the offered slip of paper instead.

"Hiei," he offered.

"Maybe I'll see you soon, Hiei." Touya had turned around then and moved over to the ambulance, and Hiei had held up the slip of paper to glance down at it. The note was simple. It was just a line of numbers, Touya's phone number, and a quick note telling Hiei to let him know where to meet for the ice cream.

That was ten months ago, and Hiei had never really considered himself lucky until now. He wouldn't say that Touya was the best thing that had ever happened to him, not out loud at least, but his life was better with Touya in it. Even though Yusuke and Jin, their respective friends who actually knew each other, had teased them mercilessly for the first few weeks after they started dating. Touya said it was just because they were jealous they'd both failed in setting them up with other people, and Hiei agreed. In the end, neither of them had needed any help. They just had to wait until they found each other.

Now it was Christmastime again, and this was going to be his first Christmas with Touya. It was going to be Hiei's first Christmas with any kind of partner, and Touya said it was the same for him. Neither of them had any family growing up, Hiei had only had started making friends in his late teens, so they were both new to…all of this stuff. So they were making up the rules as they went. The next night, on Christmas, they were all going to get together at Yusuke's house. All of Hiei's friends and all of Touya's friends, so Hiei and Touya were spending Christmas Eve by themselves at Hiei's house. They'd both discovered that they were quiet homebody types, so a quiet night in was the perfect way for them to celebrate.

At least, it would be if Touya would stop shivering.

"Just get under the blanket," Hiei said again and held out the large quilted blanket. Yukina had given it to him for his birthday a few years ago, and the thick fabric was usually too much for Hiei who always seemed to be burning up. Touya always seemed to be freezing though, so the blanket should be perfect for him.

"I don't need a blanket. I'm already wearing your jacket," Touya said stubbornly. Another trait they shared? Stubbornness. Hiei eyed where Touya was sitting next to him on the couch, and he had to admit that he liked the way Touya looked in his jacket. They were about the same height, Touya was a couple of inches taller, but Hiei was wider in the shoulders and a little broader overall. So the thick black hoodie looked almost too big on Touya's body, and he kept pulling the sleeves down over his shaking hands.

"And you're still shivering," Hiei pointed out. There was a fire going in front of them, Touya was wearing his own thin blue sweater under Hiei's bulky black jacket, but the other man was clearly still cold. Hiei, on the other hand, felt perfectly fine. He was just in jeans and a black tee shirt with the firehouse's logo on it, but he'd always run a little hotter than most people.

"But I don't need a blanket," Touya countered. Hiei tossed the quilt onto the back of the couch and thought over his options. They could move closer to the fire, even though the room was already pretty warm, or…there was a better alternative. "What are you…?"

"Warming you up," Hiei answered as he curled an arm around Touya's shoulders.

Hiei was sitting against the far arm of the couch, and he easily pulled Touya's body against his own. After a moment, Touya started to relax against him. They both shifted around to get more comfortable, and they ended up practically lying down across the length of the couch. Hiei's shoulders were supported by the arm rest, and he kept one leg pressed against the back of the couch while his other leg stretched out so he could brace his foot against the floor. Touya was stretched out between his legs, his socked feet tucked up under Hiei's leg, and his arms were wrapped Hiei's waist so that he could push his cold hands under Hiei's tee shirt and press against the hot skin of his back. Touya's cheek was pressed against Hiei's chest, and Hiei could feel light blue hair brushing against his neck and the underside of his chin.

"I think this is preferable to a blanket," Touya mumbled. Hiei glanced down at Touya's face, which was turned towards the fire, and his eyes were barely open. His pale cheeks had a little bit of color in them finally though, and there was a sleepy smile on his face.

"At least you're not shaking anymore," Hiei sighed. He wasn't actually annoyed though, because he liked the way Touya felt curled up on top of him. He reached up to wrap an arm around Touya's waist and hold him a little more securely, and his other hand drifted up to play with the short hair at the back of Touya's neck.

"We haven't opened our presents yet though." Touya's voice was nearly a slur now, clearly on the edge of sleep, and Hiei looked at the table in front of the couch. There were a few wrapped gifts on the table, waiting to be opened, and the light from the fire caused the wrapping paper to shine.

"We can do it later." Hiei wasn't in a huge hurry to move, and it wasn't like the presents were going anywhere. Touya tipped his head back to nuzzle his cold nose against the base of Hiei's throat, and Hiei's fingers flexed in his light blue hair.

"Merry Christmas." The words were whispered against the side of Hiei's neck, and Hiei turned to press his cheek against the top of Touya's head. He felt it when Touya's breathing evened out completely, and he let out one last quiet whisper before closing his eyes to get in a little sleep himself. "Merry Christmas."

Ending Note: I had never considered this ship before this request, but I sort of fell in love with it while writing this. So don't be surprised if I write another one-shot for them some day.