Snowed in

Atsuo opened his eyes slowly, feeling a little confused. He looked around the room and wondered what woke him up at this early hour. Something was out of place, and he couldn't put his finger on it. He gazed at Yukiko, snuggling up to him. She had an adorable concentration on her face that he couldn't help but chuckle at.

"You alright," he asked, figuring that she was awake as well.

"Yeah," Yukiko replied softly "just a little cold."

"Now that you mention it," Atsuo said "it is a little colder than usual, isn't it."

"Doesn't bother me," Yukiko replied "I have my very own heater."

"Stealing my body heat, are we," Atsuo said, chuckling. He moved his hand to caress Yukiko's face, and found it unusually cold.

"Baby you're freezing," he said "are you sure it's okay,"

"I'm fine," Yukiko replied "it's just a little cold, no big deal."

"I'll go adjust the thermostat," Atsuo said getting up. He covered Yukiko with the blanket again and begun walking towards the door "it might get colder by morning."

"Don't take away my heat," Yukiko whined. Atsuo was sure that if she could throw away her blanket, Yukiko would have her arms stretched out dramatically, begging him to get back to bed to she could steal more of his body heat.

"I'll be back soon," Atsuo replied, walking out the door.

---

"It seems the powe-" Atsuo stopped midsentence "what?"

"It's cold," Yukiko replied, beneath the three sweaters, two layers of socks and one blanket. "You've been gone fifteen minutes, why is it still cold?"

"Power's out," Atsuo replied. "Don't know since when, but judging by the cold, it's been a while."

"Great," Yukiko said, trying to get off the bed. The layers of fabric she was surrounded by made this task a little difficult though.

"I can't sleep when it's this cold," Yukiko said "might as well figure out what's wrong."
 
Yukiko thought for a while, then hopped towards the window. She slowly moved the curtains away and saw what she expected; white.

"Thought so," she exclaimed "looks like there's a blizzard. The ice must have frozen the chakra in the power lines, preventing the electricity from running through. And hence, no heating either."

Atsuo walked towards the window as well, "woah, can't see anything out there. I've never experienced a blizzard in Omoichidou."

"Yeah, it's been years," Yukiko said "we've had storms, but not this bad in ages. Looks like we're snowed in. "

"Snowed in, seriously!?" Atsuo exclaimed and moved closer.

"Yeah," Yukiko replied "the snow is so deep, it's almost reached the window. The door is probably already blocked by the snow, in a few hours, the windows will be barricaded too."

"Shouldn't we try to escape then," Atsuo suggested "find a place for refuge since we don't want to be trapped in here for the next few days."

"No good," Yukiko replied "we won't be able to get a few feet away before the cold drives us back in. It's safer inside, and I don't think the blizzard can outlive our emergency supplies."

"You sure we can't go out?" Atsuo asked.

"I know you're worried about them," Yukiko said, trying to hug Atsuo "but the Kobiru emergency supplies are practically inexhaustible. They're safer there than we are here."

Atsuo hummed in agreement.

"Come on," Yukiko said "let's go find a way to restart the heating. I can't stay like this forever."

---

"Mornin'" Yukiko greeted her parents as he hopped in the kitchen. "How's the blizzard treating you two."

"Handling it fine," Akane said from her spot at the counter, a cup of hot chocolate in her hand.

"Tou-san?" Yukiko asked Shunsui, who had his head resting on the table.

"Yeah, fine," he replied, not looking up "whatever."

"Great," Yukiko said "chocolate for me?"

"On the portable stove," Akane replied.

"You're the best," Yukiko said and headed her way to the stove on the counter. "It's cold already," she whined "have to reheat it. Want some, Atsuo?"

"Sure," Atsuo replied, entering the kitchen.

Shunsui jerked up the moment he heard Atsuo speak.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Atsuo. Before Atsuo could reply, Shunsui turned towards Yukiko and asked "What is he doing here? How did he get in?"

"Relax, tou-san," Yukiko said, "no one can make it across in this weather. He was here since before the storm."

"Bu-but that means the he-"

"Shunsui-dear," Akane interrupted "why don't we go find a way to restart the heat. It's getting colder by the minute."

With that, Akane dragged Shunsui out the room, with the latter making no efforts by struggling as his mind was slowly being eaten up.

---

Once the issue was-mostly-settled, the four sat in the living room to discuss what has to be done.

"We do have enough survival supplies," Akane stated "but it won't last for more than a week. Hopefully, the storm will end by then."

"It will," Yukiko replied "but what are we going to do about the cold, I can't stand it any longer."

"We can start using our fireplace." Akane said.

"Fireplace?"

"You know-" Akane pointed towards the Badger god's alter. It took a while for Yukiko to realize that the fireplace she was talking about was underneath the alter.

"Oh," Yukiko replied "it's been so long I almost forgot we had one."

"Okay great," Atsuo said "we have a fireplace, but what are we going to set fire on, we can't go out and I doubt you guys have drift wood lying around the house."

"Hmm.." Shunsui begun thinking out loud "when you think about it, there are way too many books that-"

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT," came two feminine-yet somehow demonic-voices from different ends of the living room.

"Just a suggestion,"

"A stupid suggestion," Akane said.

"A really bad one," Yukiko agreed.

A little more brainstorming later, Akane came up with a plan.

"The furniture in the spare bedroom is just lying around, we could probably use that."

"We can," Yukiko said "it's being used by Mito-kun anyways, and he doesn't need all those."

"Are you sure you want to use furniture over-"

"Yes we are, tou-san" Yukiko replied sharply.

"Fine, you're the boss."

"I'll take care of them," Yukiko said, getting off the couch and throwing the blankets off her. She walked over to the spare bedroom, which was now inhabited by Mito-kun.

Atsuo followed her soon enough "I'll help her out," he said awkwardly.

---

"Mito-kun does not need this couch." Yukiko said "it has a wooden exterior, we can use this. Help me tear this thing apart."

Yukiko and Atsuo started pulling off the fabric.

"I know you love books more than your own life," Atsuo said "but they are easily replaceable. And it's better to use the books than breaking furniture."

"Do you want me to throw you out?" Yukiko asked coldly, "because I swear, even though the windows are frozen shut, I'll find a way."

"Okay, shutting up now," Atsuo replied.