Spiced Cider

It was Christmas Eve and Ichigo was sitting at home, having gotten off the phone with his dad and sister's after wishing them a happy holiday. He made a pot of homemade spiced cider and poured some into his mug, sitting in front of his Christmas tree. He heard a knock at his door.

It was Gin, dressed up in Santa suit, although not with the fake beard and belly. He did however have a large black sack over his back. Gin looked startled to actually be speaking to Ichigo, although Ichigo had no idea why.

"Um…Merry Christmas," Gin said awkwardly.

Ichigo gave him a wide smile and invited him in. "Want some cider?" he asked.

"Sure," Gin replied, lounging on a bean bag.

"So, have you been the one doing all of this for me?" Ichigo asked as he poured.

"I…er…well, yes," Gin answered.

Ichigo thought it was adorable how he turned slightly red when admitting it.

"Thank you," Ichigo told him, handing Gin his mug.

"I uh…brought some Christmas presents for you," Gin said, taking out some wrapped presents from his bag. "Although, I'd prefer if you opened them now so I know if you like them of not rather than waiting for Christmas day."

"My family opens presents on Christmas Eve anyways," Ichigo said.

"Oh then," Gin replied, handing Ichigo a present.

Ichigo opened it. "Holy shit," he said, almost dropping it. It was a tablet pc.

"I heard that was one of the best ones for artists, it comes with a couple of stylus' and…" Ichigo interrupted Gin with a hug. Gin turned a little red. "I'm not used to doing stuff like this," he confessed.

"I bet you Rangiku put you up to it," Ichigo said.

Gin was a little startled at that. Ichigo laughed.

"I did tell you I've read everything you've written, right? Your weekly articles, your books, your blog. I know what kind of person you are, and I know you always take ridiculous bets with Rangiku."

"I wouldn't have done it if you weren't deserving of it," Gin told him sincerely. "These next two kind of go together," he said, handing Ichigo the last two packages.

Ichigo opened up one. "Wow, Adobe CS5? This is so expensive!" he opened the other package, which was a book on how to use the software.

"I uh, suppose I should be going now," Gin stood up, finishing off his drink.

"No, don't," Ichigo said, suddenly close to him.

"Ichigo?" Gin asked, as Ichigo didn't back away be remained close enough that Gin could feel his breath.

Ichigo leaned forward and kissed Gin. Gin started to respond but then pulled away, his arms still around Ichigo. "I didn't do this for…any ulterior reasons," Gin said, his forehead leaning against Ichigo's.

"I know," Ichigo replied.

"You don't know me really. I'm not a nice person," Gin claimed.

"You're nice to me."

"It's easy being nice to you," Gin answered.

Ichigo rose his face up and gently kissed Gin again, knowing that the older man, no matter what he was saying, had to want it if he was still holding Ichigo so close.

"Ichigo," Gin breathed, pulling away again, but still not forcing himself to fully let go of the boy. "You're just feeling happy because I…"

"You're not about to claim that I like you because you bought me lots of stuff, are you?" Ichigo said with a smile. "You have to know I'm not that type of person."

"No, you're not," Gin admitted.

"It's funny because you say I don't know you, but I know you very well," Ichigo said. "I know that you got engaged at 20 and that he cheated on you and broke your heart. I remember that because I hadn't known you were gay before that and you being so open about it really helped me come to terms with myself in my own life, because I respected you so much. I know all your friends, I know that you're an orphan, I know your favorite movies and books, and I know that you don't consider yourself a political writer but are more or less an activist, standing up for rights of the poor and oppressed. I read every word of everything you've ever written, so I feel like I know your soul because no matter how closed off you are in real life, you are completely open in your writing. Why do you think I had a crush on you all these years?"

"What?" Gin asked. "Before you met me?"

"Yeah. Luckily for me you weren't a grumpy old man but instead totally hot," Ichigo said, his fingers lingering at Gin's collar. "And I know you have to have been practically stalking me to do all this for me. You have to know more about me than you've been letting on."

"I…I'm sorry about that, I had to get information so that I could…" Gin started apologizing.

"It's ok," Ichigo said, nuzzling his neck.

"You sure that cider wasn't spiked?" Gin asked.

"I'm completely sober," Ichigo said with a laugh. "I've just wanted you for a long time, and you look completely…edible…in that outfit."

At the word "edible" Gin shivered. He wasn't a man who resisted temptation that often in his life, and he was feeling himself give in quickly to this earnest seeming young man in front of him.

"I AM a grumpy old man," Gin claimed, trying to back up from Ichigo's caresses but finding nowhere to go since he was already pressed against the wall.

"Are not," Ichigo said. "You're not that much older than me, and even if you were I wouldn't care. I don't care." He lips brushed against Gin's neck and he could feel the man shift beneath him. Come on Gin, I know you have to want this, or else you would have bolted out the door five minutes ago. He kissed Gin harder this time, more insistently, not letting him escape, holding his jaw in place with his hands as he delved deeper and deeper into his mouth. Ichigo moaned as he felt Gin's tongue brush up against his, and then lick at his lips, then move inside his mouth. He felt Gin's hands tightening their grip around the small of his back. He smiled and moved one of Gin's hands lower, feeling Gin groan into his mouth as he did it.

"You're…too much…" Gin was panting.

Ichigo grabbed onto the collar of his red velvet suit and pulled him backwards, towards the center of the room, away from the door. Since that went so well he decided to keep going and pulled Gin all the way into his bedroom.

Gin woke up with a sneeze. He brushed his nose and found that he was face first in a forest of orange hair, cuddled up tightly with Ichigo's naked body. I probably should have just left, he thought to himself, not bothering to move at all, just enjoying the warmth of the body next to him. I will just hurt him. He doesn't need any more pain in his life.

Ichigo was waking up. He looked into Gin eyes, open fully and looking at him intently. "Why such a serious expression?" he asked Gin.

"I'm just…"

"Happy to be here," Ichigo supplied him with.

Gin smiled. "Happy to be here," he agreed.

"Oh, and Merry Christmas," Ichigo said. "I didn't know what to get you so I got you freezing cold feet," he said while putting his feet between Gin's legs, entwining them.

"Why are your feet so cold?" Gin said with a gasp.

Ichigo mumbled something and moved his legs closer.

"You are going to have to stop doing that," Gin said, feeling himself come alive as Ichigo's bare legs brushed against his.

"Oh, this?" Ichigo said, moving his legs again.

Gin moaned and then grabbed the boy, pulling him close. "Bad boy!"

"Yes please," Ichigo responded.

"Yes please what?" Gin asked.

"Yes please punish me," Ichigo said with a twinkle in his eye.

Maybe it will be different this time. Ichigo is different. He is a different person than I've ever met before, and when we're together I'm different too, Gin thought. His thoughts were interrupted when he got smacked upside the head with a pillow.

"Ok fine, now THAT you're getting punished for," Gin said, tackling Ichigo.

A/N: So, it's T, so there's no lemony stuff. I did however write a oneshot that follows our two lovers to New Year's Eve that is rated M. It's called "Champagne, after A Christmas with Ichigo."