~Chapter 6: Warm light~

Angelo sat back, watching the girl under the blanket shiver and try to regain some heat. He knew what he had to do, but he was trying his hardest not to let his rational mind talk him out of it.

He'd managed to find a small spot, cut off from the outside and dry enough to start a fire. He'd used the matches and anything he could find, making a small heap to help warm Yumiko up. He'd wrapped the blanket around her and laid her close to the fire, trying his hardest to remember what it was that he could do to help.

He'd remembered all he had read in books and all he'd learnt from his teachers. He recalled reading about Hypothermia and the prevention methods used. He didn't have a hot bathtub and neither did he have a change of clothes for her. He knew another way and the thought made him blush. To actually join her under the blanket and use his own body warmth to heat her.

After watching her for several minutes, shivering and whimpering underneath the blankets, he finally swallowed the lump in his throat and stood up. He took off his coat and quickly scrambled under the covers next to her, careful not to touch her just yet. He pulled his coat on top of her, making sure that she had extra warmth. He stilled when his hand brushed against her back, hoping she didn't wake up and suddenly scream at having him next to her.

He watched her shiver all the more and swallowed down his fear. He wrapped his arms around her and carefully pulled her back close to him. He felt her stir a little, as if she knew there was someone there with her, until her shivers started up again and Angelo just tightened his grip on her all the more.

He suddenly thought of something and leant in close to her ear.

"I-it's ok," he whispered gently, being careful not to startle her too much, "I-I won't hurt you. You're safe here...Yumiko."

Angelo felt himself blush furiously as he realised he was actually addressing her. Calling her by her first name. Talking to her. Although he was unsure she could hear him at first. Then, after a couple of seconds, her shivering became a little less violent, as if she was actually succumbing to his warmth and embrace. Angelo focused on his own breathing as he assessed her situation and watched after a couple more minutes her shivering stopped and she seemed to be asleep contently, finally warming up sufficiently to be out of the danger zone.

He leant his head against the back of her hair and inhaled deeply, marvelling at such a smell. He never thought, being ten years old, there could be nothing more divine than the smell of a flower. He closed his eyes and allowed his nostrils to be assaulted by the lovely smell, drifting off with her into a content sleep.

A short while later...

Yumiko' eyes slowly opened and the first thing she saw was a hand in front of her face, resting as if it were her own. But she knew it wasn't her own. For the simple reason both her hands were lower down by her side and under the covers. Secondly, these were quite notably bigger and slimmer hands than hers. She took a deep breath and sat up ever so slowly, inching further and further up and making sure she didn't suddenly awake her unknown companion, hoping they were a heavy sleeper.

She finally made it into a sitting position and turned her head to the side, looking down at the young boy. She blushed at the fact they were so close and the fact he was also very cute. She gulped down when she saw that his arm had slipped down from around her torso and was no draped over her lap. She was about to move away and figure out a way out but then noticed the shiny metal around his neck. She observed it for a few seconds before curiosity got the best of her and she leant forward ever so slightly. Her hand reached out and her face came very close to his. She saw his eyes closed and looked back down at the collar. Her fingertips dusted over the tip and she looked up again to see his eyes now open.

Yumiko hadn't meant to scream. But she couldn't help the suddenly fright. She startled all the hibernating animals underground and Anderson had been sure he'd heard something the whole mile away he was.

Angelo had watched her quickly crawl backwards until she'd stopped screaming, her back against a wall until she could move no more. He just sat straight up and looked at her calmly.

Neither of them said anything at first, just staring at each other and awaiting for the other' reaction.

"I-I-I...how...How are you feeling?" Angelo didn't move but finally managed to choke out, wondering why he was blushing so much.

Yumiko looked at him as if he were an alien at first, before she eventually managed to squeak something out.

"Al-alright." She gazed down at him, finally finding it awkward that she was so blatantly staring at him.

Angelo couldn't really think of anything else to say, other than the medical stuff.

"You-you shouldn't move about so much...you nearly slipped into a hypothermic coma," Angelo mentally kicked himself for making up the word 'hypothermic' and hoped she hadn't noticed, "I...you should get back to sleep. Not with me of course! I-I was only trying to keep you warm...I'll-I'll go look after the fire."

Yumiko just watched him bumble about nervously, seeing him almost trip over the blanket and head first into the fire. She restrained a giggle and saw him settle, a yawn escaping her mouth. Truth be told, she was still quite tired and exhausted. She shuffled around and edged back to the fire, taking the offered blanket and wrapping herself up tightly in it.

"I...thank you." She quickly shut her eyes and turned around to go to sleep as she whispered at him quickly.

She didn't catch his small smile and blush, his entire life being made by her simple statement.