Disclaimer:I do not own Harukanaru Toki no Naka de nor its characters. They belong to Koei and Mizuno Tooko. If I did own it, I would bring more Yasusen into the series.

This is the sequel to the previous Christmas fics I have written: Under The Mistletoe and A Merry Yasusen Christmas. Thanks to Vraieesprit on LJ for suggesting I bring a certain character into the modern world stories.

I'd like to wish my readers Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy the fic!

Kotengu flew around the shopping centre, avoiding as many people as he could after an incident in which a chid mistook him for a stuffed animal and squeezed him too tight. At least whenever Akane hugged him tightly it didn't hurt. Seriously, what was it with kids being rough? Deciding it would be best to just forget that ever happened or he would not be able to rest well without having nightmares of being cuddled to death, he continued to seek the fruits and vegetables he could smell. Another scent filled his nostrils, a very familiar scent... "Yasuaki!" he whispered. Heading away from the fruits and vegetables, he changed course and flew to the other end of the supermarket to seek out the onmyouji.

Yasuaki was pushing a trolley, already filled with food, in one hand was a list that Eisen had written out. He noticed a lot of what he was after was sold out, but he did manage to find suitable substitutes. He froze in his steps, which almost had a woman also pushing a trolley running into him. He excused himself when she went past and graced him with a dirty look, knowing what he did had displeased her. Focusing on why he froze in his steps, he realised he could detect a very familiar aura. It was the same aura that used to have him throw up a barrier or prepare to dodge a tiny screaming creature that would fly towards him. He turned sharply to the left and saw the tiny demon. Tengu... Looking around to make certain nobody was looking, everybody seemed too preoccupied with shopping, he gestured for the demon to fly towards him and caught him before he could do damage, flying at the speed he was. "Tengu, what are you doing here?"

"What? No hello, good to see you again? Your manners haven't improved at all, Yasuaki," Kotengu replied, wagging a finger as if to say tut-tut.

"I do not have time for this, I have to hurry with the shopping."

"What's the occasion?"

"Christmas."

"Huh?"

He sighed. "I'll explain later. Now, sit down here," he placed the tengu in the children's seat of the trolley, "and be quiet. If anybody finds out what you are, there could be trouble. No. There will be trouble." He looked at the list to see if there was anything in the aisle that he would need.

"How is everyone?"

"I said be quiet."

"Just asking..."

"Everyone is well. Now, be quiet."

"Okay."

Yasuaki didn't know how much longer Kotengu would stay quiet, he knew the tengu liked annoying him, even after the whole return me to my true form thing had been settled. Keeping that in mind, he hurried through the supermarket carefully, grabbing everything he needed and got into a queue.

After twenty minutes, it was finally time for Yasuaki to be served. He explained Kotengu was a stuffed animal he had purchased at a store beforehand, which satisfied the cashier, while Kotengu felt steamed. He was a stuffed animal?! He was not an animal, and he certainly wasn't stuffed! He was alive, and if it wasn't for the fruit Yasuaki had purchased as an extra if only to ensure the tengu would stay silent, he would've demanded respect. He watched every item of food go over the conveyor belt and heard them beep as the cashier picked them up, made like she was setting them down and then moved them to some bags. This is a strange place... the tengu thought to himself.

Yasuaki picked up the bags, and then took Kotengu out of the trolley, settling him in one of the reuseable bags. He paid the cashier, received the change, exchanged goodbyes and left the store.

On the walk home, it was fortunate hardly anybody was around because all Kotengu wanted to do was talk from his new hiding spot...inside Yasuaki's jacket. Because nobody was around, Yasuaki humored him. "I think Eisen will be happy you are here. He mentioned last week that he did miss you."

"Really?" Kotengu's eyes became large and watery at that news. He too was fond of the monk.

"Anyway, we are near the apartment, so I demand silence from you until I say so."

"Okay..."

"If you are not quiet, you will spoil the surprise. I will hand you to Eisen and claim you are a stuffed animal. He is certain to remark the toy looks like you, to which you will come to life and tell him the truth."

"Oh, okay then!" Kotengu agreed to be absolutely silent the rest of the way.

"You will get your fruit afterwards."

Wow, two good things! He gets to see Eisen AND he gets a free meal that he didn't have to swipe!

Eisen patiently waited for Yasuaki to return from the supermarket, the house all decorated, save for the tree. That was something for both of them to do together, after all, there would be need of a boost to reach the top to place either a star or angel on top. He heard the knock on the door and hurried to open it, not wanting Yasuaki to be out in the cold too long. He opened the door, and there was his partner. "Okaeri nasai, Yasuaki."

"Tadaima." Yasuaki leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on Eisen's cheek. "I was unable to find a lot of the exact items, but I did find suitable substitutes."

"Thank you for going to get them."

"It is only fair, you are cooking, I should get the food." He walked towards the kitchen, Eisen closely behind him. He set the bags on the counter. "I have a surprise for you." He unbuttoned his jacket, carefully grasped Kotengu and brought him out. "Here."

Eisen carefully accepted what he thought was a stuffed animal. "Yasuaki...he looks just like Kotengu-dono...I do miss him..."

"Well, you don't have to anymore, I'm right here! I missed you too, Eisen!" Kotengu replied as he moved out of the monk's hands and flew up to his cheek, hugging and nuzzling.

"Kotengu-dono! But, how did you...?"

"I secretly joined the group when you all came here, and have been hiding everywhere. I didn't want everyone to know I was sneaky as I know that would not have gone well. It was a coincidence Yasuaki and I ran into each other."

"Well, it is very good to see you again!"

Kotengu turned to Yasuaki. "By the way, where's my fruit? I'm hungry..."

Yasuaki sighed and reached into a bag. He pulled out some apples and pears and set them on the bench. "Here." He watched as the tengu flew right to the fruit and started chomping loudly. Yasuaki then moved to get the rest of the food out of the bag.

Eisen moved to the bench and started to help.

All three of them were in the living room, Kotengu sitting on Eisen's shoulder...the one not snuggled against Yasuaki at least. Eisen and Yasuaki explained what they could to the tengu about how everything worked in this world.

"So, that's what that box is..." Kotengu mused as he looked at the television. Yasuaki had switched it on during the explanation. "Haha! I'm bigger than those people!"

"They look small, but when you see them in real life they are bigger than you," Yasuaki replied.

"What?! But if I was in my true form, I'd be bigger again, so change me back!"

"We have already settled that, do not start again."

Eisen chuckled sweetly at the exchange, some things never changed. "Besides, Kotengu-dono, it would be bad if people were to see you in your true form. In this world, your stature is an advantage."

Kotengu turned to Eisen and sighed. "If you say so, Eisen..."

Yasuaki shook his head, a small smile on his lips. As much as Kotengu loved to banter with him and most of the other Hachiyo, anything said by Akane, Shimon and Eisen was gold.

"By the way, what is Christmas? And...when did you two become a couple? Is it easy for you?"

Nosy thing, Yasuaki thought. Well, he couldn't blame the tengu for asking so many questions.

"You see, Kotengu-dono, Christmas is a holiday celebrated by those of Christian faith. It marks the birth of their lord Jesus Christ. To celebrate Christmas, people gather together and exchange presents. There is a large dinner."

"Is that why Yasuaki was buying all of that food?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"But, you're not Christian are you?"

"No, we're not. But, we enjoy the aspect of gathering with loved ones."

"Oh, okay. So, about you two..."

"Christmas is very special to us, as when we were at a Christmas party a couple of years ago, we were caught under the mistletoe. It's a tradition for two people under the mistletoe to kiss, and well, we did. But, we also confessed that we have had feelings for each other for a while. Tomorrow, it will be two years since that day."

"Ohh...okay then. How did you get caught?"

"Akane-dono and Ran-dono set up a lot of mistletoe in the corners of the party room, knowing we'd prefer to stay there instead of being part of a crowd."

Kotengu laughed. "Wow! They really got you!"

"And we wouldn't have had it any other way."

"We needed a push to confess," Yasuaki added. He pulled Eisen closer and held him.

"Kotengu-dono, could you please leave the room for a few seconds?" Eisen requested.

Kotengu nodded. "Okay, I was starting to get hungry again anyway. I still have some fruit left." He took off for the kitchen.

Eisen turned to Yasuaki. "Yasuaki, may I please make a request?"

Yasuaki nodded. "What would you like, Eisen?"

"Kotengu-dono has nowhere else to go due to how most people in this world would react. And, he tends to be a delivery tengu for Takamichi-dono, I hope that did not sound meanspirited."

"No, you spoke truth."

"Well...would it be alright if he lived here with us? I know you don't get along with him very well..."

"Everything has been settled between us, our banter is habit. It doesn't mean we don't get along."

"Yasuaki..."

"Of course he can live here with us."

Eisen swiftly hugged Yasuaki tightly. "Thank you very much, Yasuaki, thank you very much!"

"Christmas is the time to be with loved ones, right? Tengu is also a loved one."

Kotengu flew into the living room after filling up. "Ahh, that feels better~! So, what did I miss?" He saw both of them were standing.

"Tengu, we have had a discussion about you."

"You're not going to throw me out into the snow, are you? Or make me sleep in a tree?" Kotengu teased.

"Of course not!" Eisen replied, appalled at such things even being considered.

"It's okay, I was just teasing! I didn't mean to upset you."

"Anyway, here is our decision. Tengu, you are welcome to be part of our family. You can live here," Yasuaki stated.

"You mean it?!" His eyes became large and watery and he flew right over to Eisen, hugged and nuzzled him, then repeated his actions with Yasuaki, much to the onmyouji's surprise. "Thank you~! I was getting tired of having to fly around to find food, especially since I am often chased away by animals. It was always too cold or too hot and so lonely... Thank you thank you thank you!!" He started to wail in gratitude.

Yasuaki and Eisen both held the tiny tengu in their hands and stood close by each other. If there was a Christmas miracle they could've thought to ask for, this had to be one of them, an addition to their little family in that small apartment. Now, they had another reason why Christmas time was such a special time to them.