I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams…
Forehead pressed to the cold window, violet eyes watched sadly as snowflakes danced and twirled around in the air, settling heavily on the already white-coated ground. Shuichi sighed, rolling onto his back on the glass floor.
Black hair spread around his pale face as he stared up into the blue-grey dominated sky. Brightly colored lights sparkled in their reflections, and branches bustled into the afterimages of snowflakes.
Christmas: his first Christmas away from home, his first Christmas in New York, and his first Christmas away from Yuki.
Sad eyes traveled across the floor to the piles of letters and small presents from his fans, most of them American, some of them Japanese, all of them supportive of his new, and temporary, solo career. He hadn't bothered rustling through them yet, he knew that they all said the same thing. Right now, he didn't want happy wishes and compliments; he wanted curses and death threats with the promise of a warm night of love afterwards.
He wanted Yuki. But Yuki was miles and miles away.
Shuichi closed his eyes with a soft sigh, nestling his cheek into his sweater, and fell asleep, listening to the sad Christmas song that was playing through the speakers.
"Yuki, Yuki, Yuki!!!" Shuichi dived onto the sofa, and Yuki barely managed to dodge the super-glomp, cigarette clamped between his teeth, glasses falling down his nose.
The novelist swore harshly, falling off of the sofa from his precarious perch on the arm.
The vocalist smiled innocently, peering down at Yuki through a curtain of bangs. "Merry Christmas!"
Yuki blinked angrily up at the boy, wondering why his hair was black instead of shockingly pink. He decided to ignore it, and badger another paradox. "Where the hell did you come from?!"
"The door," Shuichi sang, pointing to the front door. "I came home early to celebrate Christmas with you, Yuki!"
Yuki sighed, hauling himself up onto the sofa, smashing his cigarette in the ashtray. "Alright, alright," he sighed. Bracing himself for impact, Yuki settled himself into the cushions.
Shuichi dug into his book bag, pulling out a wrinkled looking, clumsily wrapped box. "I got you a present," he mumbled sheepishly, offering the package to Yuki.
The novelist chuckled softly, expecting no less from Shuichi, so he had been prepared. "Hm." He accepted the box, then reached under the coffee table, producing a bag with tissue paper leaking out the top.
"You got me a present!!!" Shuichi shrieked happily, latching onto Yuki.
"Oi, open it before you become a human leech, kid!" The blond grumbled, shoving the musician off of him.
Shuichi set on removing all the paper from the bag while Yuki, more carefully, unwrapped his present.
Inside the box were two packages of printer paper, and a jump drive. "Hey, it looks like you actually thought," Yuki said softly, uncharacteristically touched by the present. Normally Shuichi gave him stupid things, things that, even though the novelist saw no value in, ended up on a brick-a-brack shelf, and kept safe.
Shuichi laughed softly. "I heard you complaining about never having enough paper and storage space when you talk to your editor," he stated, reaching into his bag and removing his gift.
It was a white and pink hat with cat ears. Each ear, where there would normally be a pink triangle, was a heart.
"Ohmigawd, this is so cute!!! I love it, thank you Yuki!!!" Shuichi gushed, shoving it onto his oddly black hair. Afterwards, he cuddled up to Yuki, wrapping his arms tightly around the novelist's middle. "I love you…"
Yuki chuckled. "Marry Christmas," he murmured, leaning down and pressing his lips to Shuichi's.
The vocalist kissed back eagerly, pressing close to his lover. He relished the feeling of Yuki's hands sliding down his back, pulling him close and…
"Hey, Shu, wake up."
Shuichi's eyes opened slowly, reluctant to leave his dream about a Christmas with Yuki, and a snow-encrusted red-head came into view. He started, sitting suddenly. "Hiro?!" he cried.
Hiroshi grinned, helping his friend up. "We thought we'd surprise you by coming over here, man," he said with a grin.
Shuichi peered behind him, and there was Suguru and K, waving stupidly.
In the door stood Reiji, Santa hat perched on her short brown hair. She pushed up her glasses with a diabolical smirk. "Merry Christmas, Shindou. They're your presents from XMR and NG-Pro."
The raven-haired boy blinked, and Hiro clapped him on his shoulder. "Bad Luck's back. Let's keep it for good, man."
"But… What?"
"Tohma moved our contracts to XMR at the request of Reiji-san," Suguru said, stepping forward. "We were kinda tired of being unemployed."
Shuichi stared at the keyboardist, then at Hiro, completely overwhelmed. "Oh, you guys… I'm so hyped!!"
K clapped his hands eagerly. "Then let's celebrate with eggnog!"
Helplessly, Shuichi laughed, being dragged along into Christmas with his friends.
New York wasn't home, but it sure as hell could be with Bad Luck in tow.
Thousands of miles away, Eiri Yuki woke up. He looked around, frowning. He had left the television on, and an old war-time Christmas song was playing. He quickly shut it off, rubbing his temples.
He stood, staring out the window, snow flying heavily down. Slowly, he sank down onto the sofa, letting loneliness and regret sink into his heart. He stared sadly at the only present under the tree, the one he'd wrapped months ago, before he had pushed Shuichi away. It was strange, but not unexpected that he'd dreamed about giving the present to him.
At least, in their dreams, Shuichi was home.
A/N: Sort of like a bonus-story for Ricochet. Years before the original, months after the beginning. Fluff-tastic. I want Shuichi's cat hat. But it suits him. MERRY CHRISTMAS.