It was a nice day in Sapporo, September 18th, to be exact, and Makoto left a building with something wrapped in nice paper. It was a gift for his beloved husband, Sousuke. Not just any gift—something that meant a whole lot to the gentle Makoto. He actually had just left a retirement home where he was doing volunteer work. He loved helping the old people of the city out and it gave him a purpose in life and made him more happy. At first, a lot of the people (mostly the women, since that was whom he was with for the past few weeks) didn't like Makoto because he was gay, and most of them held traditional beliefs, but now, they viewed him like a grandchild.

"Bye, Makoto-kun! We hope you visit us again!" said one of the women, an 82-year-old sweetheart.

"I will, Tanigawa-san!" said Makoto as he left the retirement home with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to see how Sousuke would react when he gave him the present he made. It had a lot to do with what Sousuke had been telling him recently: the weather. Moving to Sapporo meant that it got cooler a lot earlier than in Iwatobi and the temperatures were a lot colder come winter time. Sousuke was by no means an enthusiast about the cold; in fact, he kinda hated it, but this was the best place in Japan that he could get a high-paying job. He was 27 and worked with the government for national defense and Makoto was a 8th grade literature teacher and a part-time swim coach. They have been living here since May, and they have yet to see the beautiful winter snows that would be arriving in about two months.

Makoto had made Sousuke a sweater and it meant so much for him. He had spent three weeks learning how to knit three hours a day with the women and he knew that his boyfriend would love to have something made with love in every stitch! Makoto had bought his own yarn from the nearby craft store as well as his own needles. It was so much fun to make! Within twenty minutes, Makoto arrived to their apartment. Good. Sousuke was not there yet. He could relax a minute or two.

Makoto was sitting on the couch, admiring his platinum wedding ring on his left hand. It was a very beautiful ring and he loved wearing to symbolize their love. The inside had his name "Yamazaki Makoto" engraved in kanji. He loved it so much since it cost over ¥700,000.

He heard the door to their apartment close and immediately got up.

"Sousuke!" exclaimed Makoto with joy as he hugged and greeted his husband. He planted a kiss on his cheek and Sousuke had a serious look on his face.

"Hey, Makoto," he said in a neutral tone. Makoto could tell Sousuke must've had a hard day at work. He didn't even return the kiss, but the present would probably cheer him up.

"I'm so glad that you're home," squeaked Makoto in his normal cheerful tone. "I got you something."

"You didn't have to do that," he insisted as he was handed the present that was nicely wrapped up. He opened it slowly and looked at Makoto who looked like he was watching his child's first birthday. Sousuke unwrapped it and inside...was a sweater. It was red, white, and blue, and had snowflake-looking patterns on it and zigzags. Sousuke honestly didn't even know what to think of it since it was so...

"Well? What do you think?" asked Makoto, dying to know his husband's opinion.

"Honestly? I think it's hideous," confessed Sousuke as he looked at it more. "Take it back to the store and get a refund."

Oh, Sousuke really screwed up this time. Makoto's eyes began to water and his lips began to quiver upon being stabbed in the heart with Sousuke's cold words.

"Y-y-you t-think...it's...h-hideous?" asked Makoto rhetorically as he did his best to stifle the tears.

"Yeah, that's what I said. You should tak-"

"How can I take back a sweater that I made?! Unstitch everything and get my money back for the yarn?!" exclaimed Makoto as he ran out of the room and into the bedroom.

Sousuke felt like utter shit. "Y-you made this? For me?" he said to no one. Oh, boy. Now came the part where guilt consumed him and made him feel even worse. If there was one thing that Sousuke hated seeing, it was seeing Makoto cry. And if there was something he hated even more, it was being responsible for making Makoto cry. It was pretty much like making an angel cry. His angel. His devoted husband. And now...Sousuke broke his heart. All because he made an honest statement. That was one thing that Makoto loved about Sousuke: his honesty. He wasn't going to lie about because he knew he'd hurt Makoto more by pretending to like it when he actually hated it.

Sousuke looked at the sweater. The more he looked at it, the less unattractive it became. Makoto made this himself? Wow. Sousuke could not have felt any more like a monster. His eyes grew a bit moist as well. He had to make things right with Makoto. Sousuke took off his work shirt and was left in his black wifebeater undershirt. He put the sweater over his head and was surprised that it was very soft. One of the most comfortable things ever. He put his arms through the sleeves and walked to the door of their bedroom. He could still hear Makoto sobbing. This was killing Sousuke, so he knocked on the door. He didn't even check if it was locked, but he knocked out of courtesy.

"Makoto? Babe, let's talk."

"Go away," urged Makoto through his tears. Sousuke frowned.

"It's about the sweater. I-"

"Did you put it in the trash?"

"No, I-"

"You burned, didn't you? Since it's so hideous..."

Sousuke could not have felt any worse if he tried. Not that he wanted to. "I know it's not an excuse and it's cliché as hell, but I had a bad day at work."

Makoto said nothing.

"Open the door. Please."

"It's unlocked," said Makoto.

"Well, could you please come out into the living room? Please?" begged Sousuke. "I want to show you something."

Within a few minutes, Makoto appeared into the living room, tears still staining his face. "Well, what do you think?" he heard and looked at Sousuke. Sousuke smiled and wrapped Makoto into a hug and kissed his forehead. Makoto had a warm smile appear on his face.

"I think it looks very nice on you," said Makoto as he rubbed Sousuke's shoulders and kissed him on the lips. Makoto rubbed Sousuke's chest and said, "It makes your muscles look incredibly sexy."

"Oh, does it?" chuckled Sousuke as he rubbed the back of Makoto's hair. He pulled apart for a second and flexed his arms. "How does this make me look?"

"Like the sexy man I married," said Makoto with a smile and a giggle as he caressed Sousuke's biceps. "What changed your mind?"

"You," said Sousuke. "I know what I said was horrible. But the longer I looked at it, it honestly started to look pretty nice. You did an excellent job, babe."

"I did it because you said you wanted something warm to wear. Winter comes earlier here than in Iwatobi."

"I appreciate it, baby," said Sousuke as he wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist. "I appreciate all the things you do, even if it doesn't look like it. I didn't mean to offend you, baby."

"At least you were being honest, which is something I admire," said Makoto as he rubbed his husband's shredded back. "I know you truly love me."

"I do; I wouldn't have married you otherwise," replied Sousuke as he smiled and kissed Makoto gently on the forehead. "You should make another sweater; one that we could share."

"I like that idea," said Makoto as he nuzzled into Sousuke's shoulder. "I like that idea a lot. Will you promise that you'll like it?"

"Of course, babe; you are the one who will make it," said Sousuke as they sat on the couch and kissed some more.

-5 weeks later-

It was October 24th and the days were getting shorter and colder. Not to mention the dreadful wind that worsened the chill. Makoto was looking down at the drizzling street below their apartment and waited for Sousuke to get home. He had finished another sweater and was excited to show Sousuke.

It wasn't until 4:51 p.m. that Makoto's husband got home.

"Hey, babe, sorry I'm a bit late," apologized Sousuke as he picked up Makoto bridal style and kissed him all along his neck and jaw.

"Sousuke!" giggled Makoto happily as he wrapped his arms around his husband's head and kissed his cheeks over and over. "I'm so glad you're home. I have a surprise for you."

"Oh, do you?" answered Sousuke as he took off his jacket and put it in the closet.

"Yes, sweetie, open this," instructed Makoto as he handed Sousuke a large box.

"Please don't tell me it's alive," teased Sousuke.

"No, I wouldn't dare do that," answered Makoto a bit seriously before the smile returned to his face. Sousuke opened it; it was a sweater, a very large one at that. The top half of the sweater was made of teal yarn and the bottom half consisted of a dark lime green. The feature that astonished Sousuke the most was the fact it had four arms: two teal and two green. The two pairs of arms were about a foot apart from each other so that they could hug each other.

"It's a...sweater with four arms!" smiled Sousuke. "I think I know what this means." He took off his shirt and his black undershirt and put on the sweater and of course, it naturally sank on him. Makoto took off his shirt and undershirt and got in the sweater so that their bare chests were pressed against one another. Sousuke put his arms through the top pair of sleeves and Makoto did the same with the lower pair.

"I love you, Sousuke," said Makoto as he set his head on Sousuke's fixed right shoulder.

"I love you so much," said Sousuke as he tightened his embrace and kissed his husband. "This was not what I had in mind for a sweater for us to share, but I love it a lot more."

"It'll be great for watching movies," added Makoto, "or cuddling on the couch."

"I like both ideas, Makoto," whispered Sousuke as they did an Eskimo kiss. "Why don't we cuddle on the couch and then watch a movie? I'll make dinner afterwards."

"I love the way you think," nodded Makoto as they both awkwardly made it to the couch. Sousuke lay down first and Makoto lay on top of Sousuke's muscular warmth. They proceeded to kiss one another passionately and moaned lightly from the wonderful heat they were making. Makoto raised his head up and looked out the back door that was their patio and said,

"Hey, look out the door, Sousuke!"

Sousuke did as Makoto told him and looked out. Sousuke smiled. "It's snowing. It's so beautiful."

"Not as much as this moment," said Makoto as he pushed Sousuke down onto the couch and resumed kissing him. He knew it was the start of a perfect evening.