Kaien hadn't expected to see Toga walking about town that early. The young hunter's parents were friends with his own and they had begun to hang out together as Toga matured into his early twenties. Toga seemed to like his company, but if he didn't he hid it well.

Kaien thought of catching up with the raven haired hunter and seeing if he wanted to grab a bite to eat. However, he quickly decided not to. He didn't wish to disturb whatever errand Toga may have been on, but he had the inexplicable urge to see what the younger man was up to. He felt as if he were prying into another's business. Kaien promised himself that no matter what he saw he would never utter a word of it.

But what could be so insidious inside a convenience store? He made sure to stay behind Toga assuring himself that he wouldn't be seen. The raven haired hunter plucked something off a rack and headed over to the counter. While Kaien meandered about the isles he couldn't see what Toga had bought. It was only until he made his way out the store that he saw a packet being ripped open. Kaien squinted to see what it was.

It looked like gum…understanding fell upon him as Toga threw his carton of cigarettes into a waste bin. Toga was trying to quit smoking! Well, at least the young man took in a portion of the lectures he provided him regularly.

Blue eyes met his own, and a wide smile graced the Yagari heir's lips. Kaien waved to him nervously but was happy to see the hunter making his way over to him.

"Today is the day isn't it Cross?"

"What day?"

"The day you've finally cracked!" the young hunter hollered.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the now retired hunter replied with a tiny smile. Yagari inhaled a deep angry breath hoping that he wouldn't loose it voice over so much irate yelling.

"At the very least you're logic is off," he huffed.

"What do you mean?" Cross asked. He was still smiling, and Yagari knew he was still waiting. The younger hunter's face and ears burned as he turned away.

"You want me to kiss you to prove I like girls…I don't see how that works," he mumbled.

Cross leaned back in his seat. "Do you not want to do it because you'll be disgusted by it, or because you're too embarrassed?"

"Both."

"Lair."

"What?" when the raven haired man turned to the other his face was a wonderful shade of red.

"Just try it," he soothed.

Yagari couldn't back down from a challenge. It wasn't in is nature.

Before Cross could blink, a pair of full sensual lips were pressed against his own. The young man before him was shaking, but from what he didn't know. The warmth of those lips left him sooner than he would have liked. When Cross' eyes opened a tall slim figure was rushing out and slamming the door behind him.

A few moments later, Jinmu came in looking rather confused.

"What's his problem?" he asked gesturing in the direction a certain young man had headed.

Cross' expression took on a mock somber tone and replied, "I couldn't say…"

Toga Yagari looked at the object is his lover's hand with distaste.

"I'm not wearing that," he said flatly.

Kaien's smile fell slightly, "But its Christmas! You have to!"

"Oh no I don't," the younger hunter cocked a hand on his hip.

"Toga put it on!"

"I don't do Santa hats! It just doesn't fit with my image. And there's no bloody way I'm going about jingling a bell and yelling Merry Christmas either!" Toga refuted.

Kaien regarded him calmly before he said, "But the kids would love it."

As if on cue there was a tiny gasp from around the corner. Four children were looking eagerly at him. Yuki had just turned four, the silver haired twins were five, and Kaname was only six. They were quiet and hoping not to be seen but their presences were obvious to the hunters. When Toga saw their lighted faces his resolve melted. It was Christmas after all. He gave his partner a half hearted glare before swiping the red hat out of his hand. "Fine you win…this time."

Toga stood on the boardwalk and looked at the newly rippled surface of the lake. A blond head popped up after a few tense seconds. Sodden bangs were pushed away from hazel eyes.

"Kaien get outta there," Toga sighed.

"Don't be such a spoilsport!" Kaien called smiling.

"You're gonna freeze to death! And when you do don't complain to me," Toga said. Kaien blissfully ignored him and swam to and fro. Toga rubbed his tired eyes and waited for his very annoying lover to satiate his latest impulse.

"Toga," he called, "Skinny dipping is fun! Get those clothes off!"

"No," Toga replied flatly.

"Oh fine," Kaien muttered. He made his way over to the dock and held out a hand. "Help me out?"

Toga grabbed onto his hand and pulled. Kaien didn't move. Toga looked at him confused before his blue eye widened. "Oh shit! No—"

Before Toga could work his way out of Kaien's grip, the blond pulled with all his might and Toga fell into the water. It was silent beneath the surface of the lake, dark and foreboding beneath him. Not to mention cold. He sputtered to the surface to hear his love laughing heartily at him. Toga scowled, a no longer menacing gesture when the man was soaked to the bone.

Toga grabbed onto the edge of the boardwalk only to be pulled under the surface again. He took a greedy gulp of air before trying again. Every time he attempted to exit the frigid water of the lake, Kaien would pull him back in. Finally he managed to heave himself halfway onto the wooden platform, but he already felt Kaien's hands gripping onto him to drag him back in.

"Kaien stop!" he pleaded. His clothes were heavy; the cold was sucking away his strength. If he went back into the water he didn't know if he could get himself back out.
Kaien looped his arms around Toga's shoulders and pressed his lips to his ear. "But wouldn't it be so delightful to drown in my arms?"

A visible shudder ran through the dark haired hunter. Then he realized that no one was holding onto him. He forced his exhausted muscles to lift him onto the boardwalk. He laid there unmoving and panting heavily until he rolled onto his back. A heavy warmth spread over him and when he opened his remaining eye a curtain of sodden golden hair blocked his view of the world.

"Hey," Kaien whispered.

"Hey…" Toga replied tiredly.

"How 'bout a warm shower?" he asked kissing Toga's lips softly.

"Sure…just gimme a minute…" He closed his eye and made no other move. A hot shower sounded blissful, but he was too tired to get up. Looked like he was the one going to freeze to death…or maybe not, because once again there was Kaien tugging and pulling on him…

I hate you sometimes.

Teacher's meetings were a fantastically boring formality. But it wasn't as if the teachers at Cross Academy didn't try to make them interesting. More often than not, they wound up discussing finances and problem students, but on occasion they could get the time to know each other.

There were the stoic teachers who never really said all that much but were pleasant to be around. There were the nervous and shy teachers who knew their stuff but had a hard time being in front of a group of students. There were the psychotic teachers who would have thrived in a torture chamber.

And then there was Toga. He tended to stick out like a sore thumb. He never had any illusions the fact he didn't quite belong there. It was reaffirmed every time the teachers were forced to meet up with one another. No one wanted to talk to him.

Some of the quieter female teachers had tried, but his brusque way of speaking had intimidated them. A shame really, he thought they were interesting too… The male teachers didn't have much time for him one way or the other. They couldn't understand how a man with an eye patch wound up teaching children. They'd once demanded he take it off, assuming he had no need for it; his only response was to politely tell them to piss off.

And so he usually sat alone with his gradebook during the moments they had some refreshments and chatted idly. He would have been happy if any one of them had wandered over to talk to him, but he wouldn't hold his breath. It was times like these he was thankful that being an Ethics teacher was not his only path in life. Vampire Hunting was where he shined. He had numerous friends and close acquaintances at the Association…still, he felt a tad lonely here.

He sighed and grabbed another pastry from the tray before returning to his gradebook.
"You're going to feel lonely and sick if you keep this up."

"Huh?" Toga looked up confused, though he was also relieved to see that Kaien had finally come. The blonde settled down next to him—perhaps a little too close for this crowd of people—and took Toga's food away.

"Translation: You're eating too many doughnuts," he smirked. He took a bite out of the chocolate flavored treat and handed it back to his lover.

"Sorry," Toga chuckled.

"For what?"

"For stuffing my face."

"Eh, it's okay. You never gain any weight anyway…I've tried to fatten you up but it doesn't work," Kaien sighed dramatically. Toga rolled his eyes. "You should be apologizing for feeling lonely though," Kaien said seriously.

"And why is that?" Toga demanded.

Kaien discreetly took his other half's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Because I'm here."

Toga blearily opened his eyes and hissed at the throbbing in his head. He sat up slowly and jolted when a pair of hands steadied him.

"Are you alright Master?" Zero asked him.

"Yeah…what happened?" He looked around to see both Kiryu twins and Kaito huddled around him. The boys glanced at each other nervously.

"Well…" Ichiru began then trailed off.

Kaito took a deep breath and said, "You took a swan-dive when our fearless leader started singing like a pansy."

At that he pointed to his left to show Toga that Kaien Cross was singing—rather emphatically—to himself during the middle of the training exercise.

"Master!" the young men cried out as Toga nearly passed out cold again.

My latest Cross/Yagari escapades. Even though this piece is short, I thought it's a nice compilation of snippets from Yagari and Cross' pasts. I had a great deal of fun writing these :) I was inspired by prompts from Destiny's Gateway Romantic FanFiction Archive. Phew, that's a long name XD You should check out the site too if you're in a momentary slump. Anyway, thank you for reading and drop a review my way! I do love them so…