Author's Note: Wow, it's been forever since I posted here. Anyway, have some Christmas sugar and, as always, please review.

Raidou Kuzunoha the Fourteenth desperately craned his neck to see past the pile of boxes. His arms felt about ready to fall off. The fact Gouto had decided to sit on top of the packages on "lookout" duty didn't help.

"What a farce," the cat grumbled.

Raidou knew better than to respond. He didn't entirely disagree, but it did rather feel like the pot calling the kettle black.

Besides, that wasn't what bothered him. He could carry packages. In fact, he handled deliveries and pickup for Narumi all the time.

Usually, he could see over the boxes.

Raidou slammed into Narumi's back, sending boxes tumbling. Gouto yowled as he leapt for safety. Tae shrieked, falling on the slippery sidewalk. The two men followed.

Narumi groaned, but got on his feet quickly to immediately move over to Tae. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She looked despairingly at the staring crowd around them. This closet to Christmas and New Year's meant Ginza was packed. "Guess I should have taken more of those." She looked apologetically over to Raidou.

"It's fine," he muttered in response.

Narumi helped Tae to her feet. "Let's gather up all these boxes." She nodded.

Raidou pulled himself up. He was a little sore, but otherwise fine. Just a little sore. So, why did he feel so hurt? He began gathering up boxes.

"Are you alright?" Gouto asked, standing beside him.

He slowly nodded.

Narumi and Tae began stacking boxes on top of the ones already in Raidou's arms.

"Say something if it's bothering you," Gouto urged.

"Narumi-san?"

"Yes, Raidou?" The man popped his head around the boxes, a big grin on his feet.

Raidou opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out. He closed it again.

"What's wrong?"

"Hmm, is something wrong with Raidou-kun? Is he missing Nagi?" Tae came over to the other side. "We can take some of those, if you need us to."

He shook his head. Well, yes, he was missing Nagi, but…that wasn't what bothered him now. "I'm fine."

Narumi reached up and pressed a hand against Raidou's forehead.

The close proximity startled him, causing several boxes to tumble off the top of the stack. "Wha-?"

"Hmm, no fever."

"Don't worry, Raidou, I'll carry these."

"No," Raidou responded to Narumi. He was fine. Not sick at all.

"Hmm," he leaned in really close, "then why are you running so hot?"

All his arms lost their strength. The boxes fell to the ground. Narumi jumped back, nearly slipping on the winter ice.

"I'm going back to the office," Raidou muttered.

"Hey?"

"I'll see you there." Raidou turned away.

"Raidou."

"Raidou-kun?"

Raidou walked purposefully away. Once he was sure only Gouto followed he turned a corner and ran for the cable car. He needed to get out of Ginza now.

"Jōhei! Jōhei, what's wrong?" Gouto called, running right behind him.

Raidou leapt onto the crowded cable car even as it began pulling away from the stop.

Gouto barely managed to clamber on. "This isn't like you."

Christmas shoppers, almost all with their dates, laughed and joked all around them. Everyone had a Christmas cake and a date. Everyone but him. He just had a cat.

"Jōhei," Gouto urged.

"I'm fine," he muttered.

Gouto glared at him with the slitted eyes only a cat could really manage.

Raidou ignored him. He just had no idea what to say and no desire to find it.

The door to their sleeping space slowly opened. Raidou cracked open an eye. Narumi stepped in, light from the office light illuminating him slightly.

"Raidou?" he whispered.

Raidou clamped his eyes shut. He didn't want to hear it. He could see how Narumi's favorite vest wasn't on quite straight, how the mess in his hair was from more than removing his hat. He didn't want to see it.

"You awake?"

No. No, he wasn't. He just wanted to sleep. He hadn't been able to sleep yet.

Gouto let out a soft mew.

Raidou could hear the footsteps. A moment later a warm hand touched his shoulder. He could feel the heat even through the thick blanket, or maybe it was just the pressure. Whatever the case, it made him feel very warm.

"What's wrong?"

He turned over to bury his face in his pillow, managing to find a spot between lumps so he could breathe.

"Raidou," Narumi whispered. "Tell me. You know I can't read you very well."

Obviously.

"Raidou."

"Johei," Gouto pressed, "talk to him."

A moment of silence.

"I'll leave."

"Gouto, where are you going?"

"Say what you need to say," Gouto urged.

"Why'd he leave?" Narumi asked.

Raidou forced himself to roll over, a moment later pushing up to sit up.

"You didn't even get undressed," Narumi berated.

Raidou took a deep breath.

"I went straight to bed," he admitted.

"It wasn't even passed five when you left. Tae was looking forward to dinner with us."

"With you," Raidou whispered. He forced himself to look Narumi in the eyes. "She wanted to go with you."

"With us. She wanted to go to dinner with both of us. We were then going to see you off and go out for coffee."

"Since when?"

"Since when what?"

Raidou tried to talk, but every time he could feel his breath come out ragged. What was wrong with him?

Narumi grabbed his hands. "Is it bothering you?"

Slow nod. Yes, yes it was bothering him, but it shouldn't. Even admitting it felt wrong.

Narumi reached up to ruffle Raidou's thin hair. "I should have talked to your first."

"You were friends."

"And now we're…"

Raidou nodded. Yeah. Narumi and Tae, by some mystical transformation, possibly even demonic possession and charms, had become a couple. A serious couple. He'd managed to ignore it at first, but ever since the case with Abe no Seimei he'd felt him and Narumi drifting apart.

"Hey, don't cry."

Raidou blinked, only then realizing his eyes had begun to water. He'd managed to avoid crying since that day, but every time he thought about that case it made him upset. He knew that. Raiho had commented on it many times, as had Gouto. Even the Herald seemed to actively avoid mentioning it.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Don't be. You're hurting and I should have seen that."

Raidou clenched his fists, catching Narumi's hands in his own. He'd written Nagi many times, but the new role of a Great Summoner kept her rather busy and left her letters filled with requests for advice. He didn't mind giving it, but felt his initial connection with her fading as she became more pupil and less peer in his mind.

Meanwhile, Narumi had drifted to Tae.

"I know I'm not good company," he admitted. "I know our relationship is professional."

Narumi pulled his hands away, startling Raidou. Even more startling though, was being pulled into a tight embrace, head awkwardly leaning on Narumi's shoulder.

"No," the detective whispered harshly.

"Mr. Narumi?"

"We won't go from lovers to strangers." He pulled back, so he could look Raidou in the eyes. A finger gently wiped away the water from Raidou's eyes. "Agreed?"

"Then what are we?"

"Raidou, no matter what happens you will always be my dearest friend."

"Not much of a friend."

"Are you kidding? You're loyal, intelligent, powerful, oddly charismatic, beautiful, caring, how much longer do I need to go?"

Raidou let out a strange sniffle, whether because he'd been trying not to cry or to hold back a chuckle even he didn't know.

"Friends?" Narumi asked.

"Friends," Raidou mused. To be honest, he didn't know what he would have done if he and Narumi had started fighting.

"I'm sorry we can't be more."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was fun while it lasted, and I'm glad it helped me get to know you better, but…well, I think I love Tae more, or at least the same amount, and I've always been more interested in women and…"

Raidou leaned closer. Sure enough, even in the dim light, he could just make out a blush on Narumi's face, something he'd only ever seen when the man had been drinking.

"I'm thinking of starting a family."

"A family? With Tae?"

"Yeah, I know it's weird, but she's actually thinking about it too. Though, she insists while she's happy to raise children we will be getting a babysitter when they're little so she can still do her job, and she insists on still doing freelance work too, or at least photography."

"With kids?"

Narumi grimaced. "Yeah, I know it's weird, but…I think we can work it out."

"Boarding school."

"Probably," Narumi admitted with a sigh. "And she understands she can't work as much, or that it needs to become a hobby, but I couldn't ask her to just stop and, well, you know how much money we make."

Raidou nodded. Fair enough. Tae may not have been a big earner, but just a little extra would help a lot if they were thinking kids.

"And I know they'll have the coolest uncle," Narumi added, ruffling Raidou's hair again.

"Me?"

"You. Raidou, I trust you more than anyone else in the world."

"Really?"

"Completely."

Raidou finally managed to smile. It wasn't very large, they never were, but it was very clear. "Narumi?"

"Yeah."

He wrapped his arms around his friend. "Can we just spend one more night together like this? Nothing…"

"No sex, just closeness."

"Yeah."

"Anytime." Narumi returned the embrace. "I still love you, you know."

"I love you too."

Narumi kissed Raidou gently on cheek. Raidou hugged him even closer.

As long as they were still together it would be okay.