AD 2200, 12/17, 6th Hierarchical City of Yabiko – Unknown Area

As the cold winter's wind blows mercilessly through the alleyway, Hazama shivers under the thin layers of his suit. Gritting his teeth to keep them from chattering, his steel-toed shoes crunch the snow underfoot as deftly as possible as he makes his way towards his little hideaway.

Ever since that brat with the blood weapons managed to keep him from getting out of this dreary little possibility that they call a world; he's been struggling to keep a low profile.

Shivering slightly as he reaches for the doorknob, he pauses to open his golden eyes to scan the alley and the rooftops for pursuers. Seeing none, he shrugs off the feeling of paranoia and winces as he grips the cold metal to unlock the door, shuffling into the decrepit building with a weary sigh.

The sight that greets him is sorry, indeed. A ratty sofa sits in the former living room, whilst the bedroom is bare entirely. He grunts as he opens the pantry, finding naught but canned foods in need of a heat source he doesn't have to consume.

Scowling now, Hazama searches every inch of the dismal dwelling for blankets, supplies, anything of use at all.

Coming up empty handed, Hazama sits on the couch with a grunt and blows on his hands, rubbing them together for warmth. He sits in silence for a while, busying himself with warming his hands as he racks his cunning mind for a solution.

There's always burglary, as Yabiko's got plenty of families going on vacation now that the surface is more livable, what with the cleansing of most seithr from the place, but that's risky, not to mention, a bit crude and beneath him.

However, if he doesn't take steps to alleviate the cold's effects on his admittedly weakening body, he's going to be a sitting duck for the NOL's damn hunting parties.

Hazama sits back with a groan, muttering, "Ugh. This is so damn irritating." He stares at the sealing through the crack in his eyelids, huffing, "All of this because of some crazy brat."

Hazama feels a prickling on his skin again, and opens irritated eyes to look around. He scoffs, "Ya know, I'm not in a good mood right now. Better come out before I get antsy."

No answer.

Hazama keeps his eyes open as he carefully looks around the dark room. Whoever they are, the intruder has some nerve to not answer. They either don't know who they're dealing with, or…

A shadow seems to switch dimensions out of the corner of his right eye, and Hazama barely ducks below a swing of a razor-like blade that tears the hat off his head, and cuts a few stray green hairs from his scalp as well.

Rolling forward and throwing a hand back, he tosses a few spare blades from his coat, nicking his assailant on their legs.

Hibiki Kohaku hisses in pain as they narrow their amber eyes, their raven hair swaying as they rush in for another assault.

Hazama, eyes brightening despite himself, crows, "Oho! Captain Kohaku, so lovely to see you!"

Hibiki hisses, "Shut up." They throw another swing at his throat, precise and deadly at always.

Hazama grins as he shunts back and throws a kick into their sternum, using the momentum to gain some distance and send Ouroboros through a nearby window, clearing the glass enough to dive out of it a moment later, getting away from Hibiki momentarily.

A moment is all he needs before using his Nox Nyctores to repel up to the roof of a nearby warehouse, hurrying through the empty district as fast as his achingly cold legs can carry him.

He quickly ducks into an open skylight a few seconds later, unwilling to give the crafty assassin a visual for even an instant.

Ducking into the first room he sees; Hazama is delighted by his luck. The damn thing's got heat to it, and looks like a storage room of some kind. Hiding away behind some crates, he uses his knives to pry open the top of one.

Blankets. Hazama blinks, then pinches himself absentmindedly. Pain delights his senses as he grins.

Hazama murmurs, "Well, well. Guess I just needed to look around a bit more. I'll have to get the lapdog something nice later for getting my rear in gear hehehe…"

Taking a few of the blankets with him, Hazama begins to craft a plan. Slowly but surely, like building a Jenga tower, he crafts himself a hideaway within a hideaway, piling crates into a corner until he's left with a walled structure that he can easily lie in and jump out of as needed.

Wrapping himself into the blankets, Hazama feels his eyes drooping with fatigue. There's a small chance Hibiki could find him, but it's a chance he'll have to take. He's too worn out, too chilled to the bone from days in the snow to care much as his eyes drift shut.

Cold.

A cold sharp pain under his jaw wakes Hazama from his slumber, causing him to jolt and nick himself on the blade held to his throat by a murderous looking Hibiki.

He grins delightedly for but a moment before the blade presses tighter, and he pouts. "Now, now, Captain Kohaku, where's your holiday spirit? Can't you see I'm napping?"

Hibiki scowls uglily, and Hazama grins again at the sight of genuine disgust in their eyes. It's always a treat to get the Colonel's lapdog to break their precious mask.

Hibiki murmurs, "Hazama, I am placing you under arrest."

Hazama hums, then surges forward, pressing the blade closer to his neck, but giving him the surprised jolt from Hibiki he needs to free a leg and kick up into their groin, causing them to falter for an instant. An instant in which he presses a chaste kiss to their chapped lips.

Hibiki stills for a moment, utterly frozen as Hazama quickly summons Ouroboros and repels away from the sticky situation, crowing, "A little new year's kiss, for luck!"

Hibiki is after him a moment later, and Hazama, reinvigorated by his slumber and good luck, cackles into the night as he makes his way through the back alleys, reveling in this chaotic jaunt he calls freedom.