A/N: Hello! I'm the Tiger and Bunny fangirl who should be sleeping and studying for finals but is instead writing a fanfic. I'm not really sure where this will go, and I hope I stay in character. I don't write fanfics much so please don't kill me if it's bad ;A;. Also, this is post!Episode 25, so expect some spoiler-y things coming from it. Don't want spoilers, I'd suggest skipping this story until you watched all of T&B. Even if you haven't, watch all of it dammit!
Christmas had always been Barnaby's least favourite time of year. Too many painful memories surfaced up at that time of the year. However, something changed when he met Kotetsu, the foolish older man had always tried to make him smile. Whether it was his birthday or any other silly day of the year, Kotetsu had always gone out of his way to make Barnaby smile.
Yet here that damned time was again, and Kotetsu was insisting on spending the holidays together. "Come on, Bunny, you'll meet my family. I for one know Kaede's been begging to see more of you, and I don't think Mom would mind meeting my partner." Kotetsu insisted, poking Barnaby on his side. And lover, he silently added in his mind, but Mom doesn't need to know that, nor Kaede. She'd probably kill me for taking Barnaby away from her. Yes, the two of them had finally gotten together, the experience with Maverick had made both of them realize what they meant to each other.
Barnaby let out a groan, "I told you, my name's not Bunny, it's Barnaby!" Not that it bothered him anymore, he actually kind of liked the nickname. Not like he'd tell Kotetsu that though! The saying was more automatic then anything, something he picked up over two years ago.
The two men had shared the same apartment ever since they rejoined the hero business again. Both after leaving Sternbild, came back, and deciding that just sharing an apartment would be easier for both of them. They were partners after all, and it would also mean less time spent on waiting for the other to arrive at the scene. He would never admit the true reason to anyone's face other than Kotetsu's. It was simply too embarrassing for the pale blonde man. Now if Kotetsu brought it up, that was a different story. He liked to point out the relationship between him and Barnaby.
"You didn't answer if you wanted to spend Christmas with my family, Bunny." Kotetsu said, still using the silly nickname.
"What's the point? I share the apartment with you, not to mention the fact that I hate the stupid holiday." Barnaby huffed. It wasn't that he was angry with the older man, it was just the holiday season brought out the worst in him. Kotetsu was just the unlucky man who had to deal with it.
Kotetsu just raised an eyebrow. He wouldn't rest until he made Barnaby smile. It was a battle of stubbornness, Kotetsu wanting Barnaby to spend the holidays with his family. Barnaby determined to curl up into a little ball and ignore the world. It was a battle Kotetsu was determined to win. "You share an apartment with me, yes. However, you don't share an apartment with my family, and they'd love to meet you." Well, Kaede would love to see him again. For the year he lived with his family, Kaede chattered nonstop about how cool and awesome Barnaby was. Kotetsu let out a bemused grin at the memory of his darling daughter.
"I've met your daughter already, I don't think your mom could handle both of us in the house. I'm not going." Barnaby growled.
"What, so you're going to curl up into a little ball and ignore the rest of the world? Yes, I understand your parents died on Christmas Eve. Yes, I feel horrible about that. But do you really think your parents would want you to be unhappy every Christmas Eve? When Tomoe died, all she asked was for me to be happy and to continue being a hero. Don't you think your parents want you to be happy?" Kotetsu threw his hands up in the air in an exasperated manner. Really, he loved his Bunny, but he always found a way to get under his skin.
Barnaby let out a sigh, "Fine, I will spend the goddamned holidays with your family, Old Man." He huffed and crossed his arms. Really, the old man knew how to push all of his buttons and play him like a puppet to get him to do anything.