Mrs. Santa
Pairing: TezukaFuji
Warning: OYIF spoiler, OCs, futuristic setting
Disclaimer: No. Again, not mine. But they do belong to each other.
A/N: Ur... before I end OYIF, maybe I can give you a bit of a spoiler. And this is actually for wizli. In case you've been wondering why I've been gone, I've been writing fic gifts for friends. O.o
oOo
Gift-wrapping, in Tezuka's opinion, was no trivial task. When he was eight, his enthusiastic mother had taught him how to wrap presents properly. Metallic wraps went with wedding and anniversary gifts. Boxes were tied with ribbons. Magic tape was the most appropriate seal there was. No wonder he was taking his time carefully taping the paper, cutting the uneven edges and ribboning at precise angles.
Scissors held up in the air, Tezuka paused and turned slightly. He felt warm air touch his nape as Fuji sighed impatiently.
"Kunimitsu, you don't have to be so neat," Fuji whispered. He encircled his arms around Tezuka's waist as he dropped to the floor, right behind Tezuka. If Suzumi were anywhere near, Tezuka would have pushed Fuji away. Fortunately, though, the three year-old girl was probably sitting in Yumiko's car and enjoying a caramel apple with Yumiko's daughter, Yuki. Suzumi was on her way to convince Yoshiko-baachan to bake the Christmas cake since, she said, otouchan's cakes were too spicy for Christmas. As it was, Fuji took full advantage of their daughter's absence and buried his head at the crook of Tezuka's neck.
"These need to be presentable," Tezuka said, resuming his work.
"But what's the point? They're going to be ripped off," Fuji said matter-of-factly.
Tezuka glanced at the gifts under the Christmas tree. About a handful were wrapped in almost crumpled paper and sealed with different lengths of tape. He had to repress a chuckle as he caught Fuji's glare. He couldn't believe that, for someone as artistic as Fuji, gift-wrapping would be such a challenge.
"Finish quickly," Fuji said. "We still have to clean up the kitchen or okaasan will get angry."
"Your fault," said Tezuka, holding up a finished box and placing it delicately under the tree. "You shouldn't have bought the gifts on the last minute."
"I was busy," said Fuji, smiling gently. "And, for the record, I bought yours first."
Tezuka raised his brows.
"No. I didn't wrap it," said Fuji quickly. He disentangled himself from Tezuka and said, "Eiji and Oishi promised to come early to help."
"I'm almost done," replied Tezuka. He placed the last box among the pile of gifts and began to stack them neatly. He frowned, however, when a thought crossed his mind. "I don't see a present from her."
"There's none," Fuji replied simply.
Tezuka glanced sharply at Fuji and crossed his arms, waiting.
"She called last night and said she's in Japan," Fuji said, with a nonchalant shrug. "She'll visit tonight."
Tezuka pressed his lips. "She can't just appear and disappear whenever she wants to."
"But she's still Suzumi's mother, however much we dislike her." Fuji reminded Tezuka. "Anyway, she's too busy and self-centered to be bothered taking care of Suzumi."
"But she could confuse – "
Fuji chuckled. "You worry too much," he said, patting Tezuka's shoulder soothingly.
"Considering – "
"We can never change the fact that she's Suzumi's mother, Kunimitsu," Fuji said thoughtfully. "And we do owe her for that." He smiled for a while.
Tezuka eyed Fuji in a long, calculating moment. Then, he nodded his head curtly. "Should I call okaasan now?"
"Yes, please," answered Fuji. "If Inui sees that there's no food yet, he might go on and volunteer to cook."
"I thought you liked Inui's cooking," said Tezuka, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Fuji smiled back, eyes glinting in amusement. "Yes, I do," he retorted. "But I don't want my daughter to eat anything touched by Inui."
oOo
"Ochibi, go on and open your gift, nya! I think you'd like it very much," Eiji said excitedly, his Santa hat jingling and the small stars in it lit up in red and green.
"I know what's inside," said Echizen, frowning at the huge box in front of him. "A case of Pon – " Echizen stared at the box. "Kikumaru, was that you?"
"What? What did I do?" asked Eiji said.
"You mewled," Echizen said accusingly.
"I did not, unnya!"
Echizen wrinkled his brows and finally unwrapped his present. He stared blankly at it. After several seconds, he smirked.
Meeeeeeeow!
A tiny, Himalayan kitty sprang to Echizen's arms, eyeing the box odiously. Echizen stroked the kitten's fur and turned to Eiji, mumbling his thanks.
Eiji turned to Oishi, grinning. "See? I told you he'd like it! Ochibi, you can call it Karupin 2!"
"Kikumaru, Echizen, will you please be quiet?"
Eiji's head shot up. Seeing Tezuka's glare and the child who was cradled in Tezuka's arms, Eiji almost shrank in his seat. Echizen's smirk grew wider. Eiji dropped his voice by several notches and went on with his conversation with Echizen, insisting that the new cat should be called Karupin 2.
"Hm, Kunimitsu," said Fuji, chuckling at the scowl in Tezuka's face, "Suzumi is a heavy sleeper, she won't wake up easily."
"Hn," Tezuka said.
"Or you could bring her to her room, Yuki's sleeping there," Yumiko said helpfully as she sipped her coffee.
Tezuka patted Suzumi's sleek brown hair and adjusted her arms so that it didn't dangle against his sides. "No need. We'll have to wake her up in a few minutes anyway." He dropped down on the sofa, right next to Fuji, and fixed Suzumi's position so that the child's head was on his lap and her legs were on Fuji's.
"You should relax," Fuji said, his fingers raking through Tezuka's hair.
"I am relaxed."
Fuji grinned. "But, you know," he started, absently messing Tezuka's brown hair, "I really once thought you'd be more of a strict father." He glanced at Suzumi and smiled widely. "I'm actually surprised that you spoil Suzumi…"
Before Tezuka could respond, a ring came from the door. He caught Fuji's gaze and his brows furrowed. On the other hand, Fuji smiled reassuringly, saying, "I'll get the door." He gently put away Suzumi's legs and smiled softly when Suzumi curled up to Tezuka.
Fuji was aware of the tension from the moment he opened the door. Fierce brown eyes looked up at him, but Fuji continued smiling, undeterred. "Good morning," he said politely, but if one listened close enough, a hint of coldness was in his voice. "Merry Christmas."
"Where is she?" asked the woman, her coat swinging with the cold air.
"She's inside, with Kunimitsu, if you'd like to see her," Fuji replied quickly.
The woman shook her head; her perfectly set hair flowed as she did so. "No need." But she looked over Fuji's shoulder and spotted Tezuka on the sofa. Her eyes landed on the sleeping child in Tezuka's lap and she nodded. "You and Ku – Tezuka seem to be taking good care of her."
"I'm glad you think so," Fuji said, almost meaning his words.
"Well, here," the woman put out a red, glittery box and handed it to Fuji. "I have to go now."
"I think she'd like this," Fuji said cautiously.
The woman only jerked her head. She turned on her heels and, soon, she was trodding down the yard toward her car.
"Otouchan?"
Fuji blinked when he felt a tug at the hem of his shirt. He replaced the civil smile with a genuine one and picked up Suzumi, who was rubbing sleep off her eyes.
"Who was that?" asked Suzumi sleepily, burying her face on Fuji's shoulder.
"Hm?" Fuji started, as he shut the door behind him. "Mrs. Santa. She left a gift for you."
At that instant, Suzumi's eyes shone. "Really?" she asked. Once the red box was in her sight, she seized it eagerly from Fuji and slipped away from Fuji's arms.
"Otousan, otousan," she called, waving her present as she ran excitedly to Tezuka. "I have a gift. Can I open my gifts now?"
"No, I don't think so," Fuji said, following behind Suzumi. He had to hide a wide grin when Suzumi leapt up to the sofa. "You have to promise to be a good girl next year and eat your vegetables."
Suzumi's eyes widened, reflecting the horror that a child usually reserved for 'vegetables'. "Mm, but – otousan, look, otouchan is being mean," said Suzumi, pouting.
"Syusuke," said Tezuka in a short, warning tone.
Fuji arched a thin brow. "You spoil her," Fuji remarked, watching as Tezuka gave Suzumi a gentle push toward the Christmas tree.
"She's just a child," Tezuka said defensively. He saw Suzumi rip the red box open and take out a blue dress. "What did she say?" Suzumi was showing it off to her cousin, Yuki, who just went out of bed ("Mrs. Santa gave this to me!").
"Nothing, really," said Fuji, scooting close beside Tezuka, "except that we're taking good care of Suzumi." Suzumi was moving on to the next box of present and she was waving around a tennis racquet that was more than half her size ("Ochibi, can't you give anything not related to tennis?" Kikumaru yelled).
Tezuka nodded quietly.
"I don't think she has plans to introduce herself to Suzumi," Fuji said contemplatively.
"But she'll have to," Tezuka pointed out.
"Yes," agreed Fuji. "But, by then, Suzumi will be old enough to decide for herself. Besides, even if we have the legal rights to keep Suzumi, it's her blood that's in Suzumi, not ours."
Tezuka's eyes met Fuji's. "I know."
"Well then, in the meantime, be a good father to Suzumi and don't spoil her too much," Fuji said, letting out a low, teasing laugh.
Tezuka tried to glare at Fuji, but his attempt was failed as usual. He slipped an arm around Fuji's waist and nodded against Fuji's hair.
Be a good father. Yes, he could do that.
-End-
A/N: The picture of over-protective father!Tezuka was inspired by this guy I saw in one of my train rides. There was this guy, he was tall and, well, serious-looking, but, yeah, kinda handsome and he was smiling because his child was squashing his face like children often do. flails And, um, Christmas celebrations in our country often extend from Christmas Eve dinner to Christmas morning - that is if you're wondering why the celebration seemed to go on.