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Nagisa always runs cold. Throughout his life, he’s been known for his cool personality and his ability to stay calm in the face of danger. But beyond that, his body temperature is always abnormally low. It's a fact of his life, hands cold to the touch, often startling others. During the winter months, while others are able to find warmth and comfort in sweaters and overcoats, Nagisa only feels a chill. It doesn't matter how many layers he adorns or how many hand warmers he stuffs in his pockets, that icy feeling never leaves his veins.
He's grown used to it over the years, content to live in his own frosty bubble for the rest of his life.
His mom hates his cold body. Every time she's doing his nails, makeup, or dressing him up in one of her frilly gowns and her hand so much as grazes his skin, she starts throwing a fit, lecturing him about how no man would ever want a girl with such a cold body temperature. Who would want a meal prepared by cold hands or to go to bed with someone who is practically an icicle?
All the bites at his body temperature are just another addition to his mother's long list of things she hates about him, so it doesn't affect Nagisa in any substantial way, but sometimes he can't help but wonder if she's right. Would he be able to maintain kinship without warmth? Maybe he really was born to be an assassin. Cold, unfeeling, and destined to be alone.
—
Karma always runs hot. Ever since he was little, his mother has scolded him for always running in guns blazing, a rascally little fire that she could never quite quell. It isn't just his personality, but his actual body that's warm. In the winter it's nice as he never finds himself cold, even when he's wearing nothing but a light sweater and jeans. Every other time of the year, though, Karma loathes his fiery veins. The summers are especially unbearable, and he finds himself overheating even in the mildest of seasonal weather.
Even though Karma is confident about most things, he can't help but feel a little self conscious about his blazing body temperature. It's no secret that he has a rocky relationship with his parents to the rest of his class. They know about their frequent trips and absences. What Karma keeps to himself, though, is the self loathing their continued lack of presence has put him through. He can't remember the last time they've sat down for a family meal or even a family conversation. His parents stopped keeping up with his life a long time ago, and even though Karma knows it's irrational, he always traces it back to the day he had sought out his mother for comfort the day before he was set to start middle school. He was worried that he would have a hard time like in elementary school, and his parents were gonna be away for the entire week. He had run to her as she packed, leaping into her arms for a hug, but she shoved him off of her, scolding him for his intense body heat in the middle of already hot weather.
It had been a stupid incident, and Karma feels like an idiot for how often he feels the hurt he had felt at that moment when he misses his mom, but a part of him feels like if he can't blame his weird body temperature for his parents staying away from him, then it must be him in general that they don't want to be around. And Karma would like to keep those sorts of thoughts out of his head.
—
When Karma and Nagisa first become friends, they're both hesitant of touching each other. Luckily, neither notice how the other goes out of their way to avoid physical contact because of how focused they each individually are on doing the exact same thing.
Their friendship is natural. They have the same taste in video games, comics, and movies. Even more, Karma's carefree and somewhat wild persona helps timid Nagisa break out of his shy bubble. At the same time, Nagisa's calm and gentle one helps Karma mellow out a little bit. Neither have any other friends, but it hardly matters to them. They're happy in each other's company, feeling an indescribable kinship and understanding towards each other.
When Karma stops talking to him, Nagisa tries not to take it personally. It's just the way of the world. Sure, maybe for a fleeting moment, he finally felt like he had found someone who would care for him and appreciate him despite his coldness, despite his personal flaws, despite everything—
But he supposes his mom was right.
No one would want to hang around his frosty aura or associate themselves with someone so stupidly frigid. Nagisa doesn't really understand why, but somehow, he feels even colder after Karma stops talking to him. It's like for a fraction of a second, he had felt warmth and forgotten what it even meant to be cold, just from being around him, but now it means nothing.
Karma wasn't originally planning on just leaving Nagisa behind like that, but his bloodlust scared him so much. As much as he cherishes the way Nagisa cools his raging personality, he just can't shake the feeling that Nagisa would do something unexpected one day. Maybe he would grab his hand or try to hug him without Karma being prepared to avoid contact. Then Karma would be faced with another rejection from someone he cared deeply about. He decides being the rejector suits him much better.
But ever since they stopped hanging out, Karma can't help but feel his skin blazing over. He thinks he's even growing feverish at one point with how sweaty and bothered he feels. Even worse, his anger simmers over, too. Without Nagisa, no one is there to calm him when he reaches his boiling point. He gets in a record number of fights over the next few months. He misses him. By the time he realizes how much he needs Nagisa, though, it's too late. The blue haired boy had been transferred to E-Class, and Karma feels more alone than ever.
He wishes he could curse his body temperature for this one, but he knows he only has himself to blame.
—
Reuniting is strange, but it's exciting, too. Nagisa can't help but feel a little excited when Karma transfers to E-Class. It feels a bit like a second chance. Ever since Nagisa joined the class, he has broken out of his shell, making new friends and contributing assassination ideas to the group. He wants Karma to see how much he's grown and show him that he can be strong just like him.
Karma isn't going to lie: He's fucking nervous to be in a class with Nagisa again. He's sure the boy will hate him for the way their friendship has ended before, and Karma himself is a little apprehensive to get too close once more. Still, the whole "assassinating your teacher deal" is more than compelling and keeps Karma occupied as he slowly works his way back up to friendship with Nagisa.
Things are still tense between them, though, and it's enough for their other classmates to notice. Karma has heard some of them whispering about the strange dynamic between the class' two top assassins. They aren't wrong. They're friends again, but it isn't the same as before. Karma still can't shake that extra level of heat that bubbled into his blood when he and Nagisa originally stopped talking, and Nagisa still feels colder and colder by the day.
It isn't until the class civil war that things finally feel whole between them again.
Hand to hand combat is Karma's art. His hands are fiery with heat, and his blood blazes like a scorching flame, giving him the power and drive to plow through any enemy. When it's down to just the two of them, the entire class knows that Nagisa won't be winning on that front.
Somehow, though, Nagisa does put up a fight. He may not be the strongest, but he's quick, and he's smart. Their fight lasts longer than expected, and each blow only adds more ice to Nagisa's veins and more fire to Karma's flames.
The unexpected happens when Nagisa tackles Karma to the floor. The plan had been to hold him down and stab him, but as soon as the two collide, they both feel it.
Karma is warm. Warmer than anything Nagisa has ever felt before. It's indescribable, and it immediately melts away the frost that had slowly been consuming him.
Nagisa is cool. Karma feels steam practically radiating off of him as the cold feel of Nagisa's chest against his puts out the fire that had been eating up at his heart.
They're still fighting, but the struggle is less visible to the class. Instead, the two only wrangle weakly against each other. For a moment, Karma picks up a discarded knife, knowing this is his opportunity to stab Nagisa in the back.
Maybe if his flames were still consuming him he would have done it, but right now, all he feels is the relief of coolness. He wants to feel this way every day, every second.
When Karasuma calls the game and Karma gets Nagisa to finally calm down, all the two can do is relax against each other. It feels like the whole world has gone from spiraling in on them to standing perfectly still.
"You're warm," Nagisa murmurs, arms still wrapped loosely around Karma's neck.
Karma chuckles. "You're cool." He sighs, pressing his weary eyes shut and placing a defeated hand on Nagisa's back. "I like it."
Nagisa pulls back at the admission, blinking down at Karma. The red head peeks his eyes open again, and for a second all the two do is stare at each other. Then, they smile, and they know something really has changed.
—
It starts small.
The day after the civil war, they walk to school together. No plans are made, it's just unspoken.
They both instinctively travel in the other's direction when they leave the house that morning.
When they meet, their chatter flows endlessly, falling back into the rhythm they had been in when they first met. Neither are sure who reaches out first, but by the time they reach the E-Class mountain, their hands are intertwined.
It ushers a shy smile onto both of their faces, and both boys sport a light blush. They fit together perfectly. Biting cold against flaming heat. With their hands joined together, both feel perfectly content, one cool for the first time ever, and one warm for the first time ever.
They make sure to release each other (much to both of their disappointments) when they enter the classroom in order to avoid teasing, but neither boy can escape the bubbly feeling that courses through their body the rest of the school day. When the final bell rings, they meet at the front of the schoolhouse, locking their hands together once more. It feels natural.
It becomes somewhat of a routine for them. Every morning they meet up, hands falling together easily, and walk to school together. When the day ends, they join up again and walk home hand in hand. Sometimes they spend time together at Karma's house, playing video games, watching movies, and never more than a few inches apart.
Eventually, they stop trying to hide it from the rest of the class, opting to link their hands together at any open opportunity. The urge to feel the other close is overwhelming for both of them.
Nakamura teases them the most about it, especially when they start cuddling during lunch.
"You guys are gross," she sticks her tongue out in mock annoyance as Nagisa sits down and presses himself against Karma, having just returned from the bathroom.
"Sounds like jealousy to me," Karma smirks mischievously. Normally he would get defensive, but he can't really find himself to care when he's in contact with Nagisa. Something about his presence mellows him out.
Rio rolls her eyes. "Oh, please, if anything I feel bad for Nagisa. Who would want to be that close to your stinky ass all day?
Nagisa barely even notices what Rio and Karma are bickering over, pressing his eyes closed as he contentedly nuzzles himself into the red head's warm side.
Kayano snickers and nudges at Sugino next to her, pointing to the boy across the table. Both giggle at Nagisa's cat like tendencies. The boy's practically purring, after all.
Karma is sure to bring his arm up to wrap around Nagisa's shoulders, pulling him even closer as he continues to argue with Nakamura. "I doubt you even know what I smell like over your own BO. For your information, I smell great. Right, Nagi?"
At the sound of his name coming from his favorite person's lips, Nagisa finally lifts his head and blinks open his eyes sleepily. "Hm?" He hums softly as he finally tunes into the conversation.
Karma sighs fondly and rustles Nagisa's hair a little. "Idiot, always zoning off lately."
Kayano gives Karma an unimpressed look. "And whose fault is that?"
The red head smirks mischievously. He can't help the slight flush of his cheeks and flutter of his heart. Even Kayano, who Karma knows has a bit of a crush on Nagisa, can't help but admit how close the two have grown.
Nagisa blushes as his friends point out his recent cloudiness. He's usually much more focused than this, but he can't really help it. Whenever he's with Karma he feels so warm and fuzzy, like cold was never something he even knew. It's overwhelming in the best way possible.
"He's just...really warm," Nagisa defends, unable to help the way he melts as Karma tightens his grip around his shoulders.
"Mm, you do run really cold," Sugino nods knowingly.
"Oh, that's true!" Rio exclaims. "Ugh, I feel like I get frostbite every time I bump into you," she says, shivering at the thought. "Can't believe you want to be that close to him all the time," she finishes, looking in Karma's direction.
Usually, Nagisa would find himself a little downcast at the mention of his cold body temperature, but before he can feel even an ounce of insecurity, Karma is wrapping him up in both arms and pulling him against his chest. "You're the one missing out. Nagi's the perfect temp, nice and cool," he smiles, gazing down at his blue haired friend. "Keeps me calm."
Nagisa feels like hot sugar has been injected straight into his veins at Karma's words.
"Now that I think about it...you guys are kind of a perfect match," Sugino chimes in with a thoughtful look.
Rio nods in agreement. "That's right, Karma's body is always, like, way too warm. Like I thought he had a serious medical emergency type fever when I first met him."
"Dramatic..." Karma grumbles, and Nagisa just giggles softly.
"Yeah," Sugino nods and takes a bite of his sandwich. "And Nagisa runs freezing cold. They must both feel a lot of relief with each other," he explains through a mouthful of food.
"Oh, you're right!" Kayano exclaims with a surprised look. Taking in Nagisa's warm, fluffy expression and Karma's unusually calm and almost gentle demeanor, she gets it. "You guys are perfect for each other!"
Nagisa hums gently and buries his face in Karma's school blazer. "Mm, yeah, Karma is perfect."
Karma's chest rumbles with chuckles beneath Nagisa's cheek. "Not exactly what she was saying, but I appreciate the ego boost." Warm hands cup Nagisa's face and tilt his chin up. The red devil smiles down at him with the gentleness of an angel. "I think you're perfect, too."
—
"Work was busy today," Nagisa's mother explains dully as she cuts through a piece of salmon on her plate. "The Yamada family is up and at it again trying to sue their neighbors."
Nagisa only hums, feigning interest. In reality, he can’t care less about his mother's boring
finance tales. His mind is occupied by a certain golden eyed boy. He feels cold without him, but after being close to him all day, a little bit of his warmth clings to Nagisa's skin.
A few days ago, Karma had gifted Nagisa one of his hoodies. They had been hanging out over the weekend. Nagisa wasn't sure if it was a date for sure. No one had deemed it a date, but it definitely felt like one. They held hands the whole time, shared a drink with two straws, and cuddled together on the pier as they watched the sunset. At the end of the night, Karma had kissed Nagisa on the cheek and sent him home with the hoodie he had been wearing all day.
"What's this for?" Nagisa had asked with a sweet smile and a flaming red face.
Sporting a similar blush, Karma pressed another gentle kiss to Nagisa's forehead. "Well...I know it's no substitute for the real thing, but hopefully it will keep you warm when we're apart."
Nagisa melted at that, bundling the hoodie up in his arms and hugging it close.
"I don't usually wear hoodies since I'm warm enough without them, but I've kind of been into their style recently," he explained. Smirking mischievously, he wrapped arms around Nagisa and tugged him closer. "I bet it will suit you. Make you look even cuter."
"You think I'm cute?" Nagisa peered up at Karma with hopeful doe eyes.
"Course I do," he scoffed like it was obvious. "You think I'm blind or something?"
Nagisa smiled sweetly and leaned up on his tip toes to press a kiss to his friend's cheek. "I think you're pretty cute, too."
Nagisa smiles dreamily at the memory. He's been avoiding wearing the hoodie in front of his mom so as to not draw too many questions from her, but he can't help but miss the warmth it provides in the wake of Karma's absence when he's at home. He can't wait to go to his room and fall asleep with it on. It feels like Karma is holding him close as he falls asleep.
Suddenly, Nagisa is snapped out of his revere by his mother's shrill voice.
"Nagisa! Are you even listening to me?! Did I raise you to spend all your time daydreaming?!"
Nagisa flushes and bows his head apologetically. "Of course not, mother. I'm sorry, I've just been thinking a lot about my test tomorrow," he averts his gaze, trying to conceal his lie stealthily.
Hiromi huffs at him. "Well, dozing off in the middle of our quality conversation isn't going to help you at all. You need more discipline."
Nagisa's blood runs cold and he chances a glance back up at her. "More discipline" always means a punishment coming from his mother. Just like he thought, she looks absolutely livid, face distorting in an ugly way as she reaches forward and grabs at his pigtails.
"You will go to the store and buy me a drink as compensation for your misbehavior right now," she growls, fists clenching dangerously as she tugs at his hair. Nagisa winces, trying not to make any noise as his eyes water from the pain. "Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes, I can do it, let me just go get a jacket and—"
"NO!" She screams and yanks at his hair, ushering a pained gasp from the blunette. "I said right now! Go like this!"
Tears in his eyes, Nagisa looks down at his attire. He's in his loungewear, nothing but thin cotton shorts and a t-shirt. "But, mother, it's night, and I'm in my pajamas," he argues meekly.
"Are you questioning your mother?" Hiromi snarls and slams Nagisa's head against the dining room table so that his cheek is pressed against the wood surface. "Your poor mother who spent the day slaving away to put food in your mouth and those nice pajamas on your back? Your mother who comes home from work only asking that her daughter obey her and listen to her talk about her day?"
Nagisa feels dizzy from the pain of his hair being pulled in various directions and his face being knocked against the table. He takes a deep breath and forces his breath to come out evenly.
His expression is stoic as he looks up and addresses Hiromi. "No, of course not, mother. I'll leave at once."
—
Nagisa fumbles with his phone, fingers almost numb as he shivers in bed. Through several mistaps and near drops of his phone, Nagisa barely manages to call the contact he craves the most.
The line rings, and every hum of his phone against his cheek feels like an eternity. After three rings, though, someone picks up.
"Nagi?"
"K-K-Karma," Nagisa stammers out through chattering teeth. He curls in on himself, trying desperately to gain some semblance of warmth but pitifully failing.
"Baby? What's the matter?" Karma sounds worried, panicked even. If Nagisa was in his right mind, he would be keening at the pet name, but right now all he can focus on is trying to expel the freezing cold from his body.
Nagisa takes deep shuttering breaths, but all it does is fill his lungs with what feels like freezing air. It burns his airway, making him cough into the phone pathetically. "C-cold," he manages through his coughing fit. "It's—I-It's r-really cold."
"More than normal?"
"Mmhm," Nagisa manages weakly. "I-I've got b-blankets and your h-hoodie, but-but, it's still s-s-so c-cold."
"Okay, okay, fuck, I'm coming to get you. Hang on, okay? I'll be right there."
Nagisa nods, forgetting that Karma can't see him. He hears shuffling on the other line and then Karma hangs up.
To say that Karma races to Nagisa’s house is an understatement. He sprints at full speed, heart clenching with worry as the sound of Nagisa stuttering from the cold echoes in his mind. His mind flares up, and he nearly sees red as he imagines how miserable the blunette must feel.
When he reaches Nagisa’s house, he takes a second to calm his rapid breathing and quietly sneaks to the side where he knows Nagisa’s room is. The window is already open just a crack, and Karma knows it’s an invitation for him to enter.
"Oh, baby," Karma whispers softly as he climbs through the window and spots the other boy curled into a small, blanket covered ball on his bed. As soon as he's fully situated in the room, Nagisa practically lunges out of his position, jumping onto Karma and wrapping his arms and legs around his warm body. Karma grunts, slightly caught off guard, but catches him nonetheless. It's like pure bliss for both of them, and Nagisa positively melts at the warm feeling of Karma against him.
"Karma," Nagisa murmurs into the red haired boy's neck, words muffled.
"Nagi," Karma coos. He's deliciously cool against his skin. Definitely much cooler than usual, but still perfect for Karma's heat. "You doing okay?"
"Yeah," Nagisa whispers meekly. "I'm okay. You're warm."
"Just for you," Karma hums. He pulls back a little, raising one hand to cup Nagisa's frigid cheek. He notices wet streaks staining his porcelain skin, and it ushers a frown onto his face. "Did something happen?"
Nagisa looks away sheepishly. "My mom. She was just being—you know." Nagisa sighs. "She was mad at me for spacing out during dinner and she made me go to the convenience store in my loungewear to get her a drink as compensation."
"The fuck?" Karma grumbles angrily. "She's fucking crazy. No wonder you're freezing." He rubs calloused hands against Nagisa's hoodie clad arms in soothing motions.
The touch practically reduces Nagisa to a content puddle, and all he can do is hum with pleasure. "I feel better now with you here," he admits softly.
Karma practically melts at his words, squeezing him tight. "Come on, let's go to my place. I'm scared what she might do if we stay here."
Nagisa hums his assent and starts pulling away to grab some stuff in preparation, but Karma holds him in place. "You just need clothes, right?" He asks. Nagisa nods. "You can wear some of mine when we get home."
Nagisa smiles at that and tries to quell the flutter in his chest. "Okay, let's go then."
Karma goes first, hopping out of the window skillfully and immediately reaching arms out to catch Nagisa's fall when he jumps after him. The two giggle as they land together messily, foreheads bumping together. The red head leads Nagisa back to his house a few blocks down. His arm sits snug around his waist the whole time, and although the angle is a little awkward to press together and walk at the same time, neither can find it in themselves to care.
When they arrive at Karma’s empty house, the red head tugs Nagisa up the stairs and into his room, shutting the door carefully behind him.
It’s nearing midnight, but both boys feel awake. Looking down at Nagisa, Karma can see the traces of a sad frown still creasing his eyebrows and worrying his lip. It strikes something in the red head’s heart, and he desperately thinks of ways to make the boy smile.
“Dance with me?” Karma asks suddenly.
Nagisa looks at him quizzically then eyes their surroundings. Although Karma’s house is spacious, his room isn’t exactly a prime spot for twirling and skipping around.
Chuckling at the look on the blunette’s face, Karma moves his hands from the boy’s shoulders to his waist and tugs him flush against his body. The two let out simultaneous exhales of content, and Nagisa finds himself immediately digging into the warmth of Karma’s chest.
The two sway slowly together, and Nagisa feels like he could cry from how gentle Karma is.
"Nagi," Karma murmurs softly into his hair. "I love you."
Nagisa’s eyes widen. His heart rate picks up, and his cheeks flush as he absorbs the other's words. Karma loves him? Nagisa sits on it, allowing himself to drown in it. Karma loves him.
He decides this shouldn't be surprising to him. He shouldn't feel shock or worry or fear because he knows it's true. Because Karma makes him feel more loved than anyone ever has. Karma fills him with that sweet sugary warmth that hugs him close and keeps him safe.
"I love you, too," Nagisa says, words muffled by Karma's shirt.
Karma is silent, but Nagisa feels the way his arms tighten around him.
"You make me feel warm," Nagisa continues speaking into Karma's chest. "And safe. I love you," he repeats with tears in his eyes.
"Baby..." Karma responds, sounding breathless. "I love you so much." He pulls away and leans down to press a kiss to Nagisa's forehead. "I've never felt so whole." He cups Nagisa's cheeks and stares deep into his eyes. "You do that. You make me feel complete."
Nagisa's lower lip wobbles pathetically at that. Karma smiles gently, and in a second, they're kissing. It's everything. It's perfect. It's a collision of light and dark, bad and good, day and night, cold and warmth.
Nagisa feels like he's been dipped into a warm pot of honey, every nerve in his body tingling with heat and excitement. He wants to feel this way forever.
Karma feels like he's swimming in a cool lake, calm and collected and peaceful for once in his life. He would give everything for Nagisa.
When they part, both boys are smiling like little kids, dazed and filled to the brim with pure bliss.
Nagisa bites his lip nervously and peers up at the red head with doe eyes. Karma grins and leans his forehead against his boy's. He pecks Nagisa's nose, ushering a soft giggle from the blunette.
"I love you," Karma repeats again, and Nagisa beams brightly.
They continue to sway in circles, pressing lazy kisses against cool and warm lips for what feels like an eternity. Nagisa thinks he could get used to an eternity like this. He thinks maybe being cold isn’t so terrible if someone as warm as Karma could love him for it. Silently, Karma thinks the same. Being hot could never be a curse to him if it meant his blueberry felt at peace.
They both can’t help but think that they complete each other.