Hello, lovely readers!
Sadly, I couldn't get this chapter finished by my intended goal, which was BEFORE Christmas, but three days late isn't that bad, right?
This chapter has had blood, sweat and tears poured in to it XD. It really was putting up a fight to let me get everything out, but I think it turned out okay?
WARNING: There is an added scene after this chapter ends (after my little sign off) which answers the question about Kai's gift to Rei (you'll see...). Anyway, it is of an explicit, sexual nature. If any of you perverts would like to read it, please do so and I hope you enjoy! If you'd rather not, fair enough!
As always, I would like to thank anyone still coming back and reading this. And a big big thanks to anyone who takes the time to leave a comment. Feedback is a writer's dream! Really appreciate it!
I hope (if you celebrate it that is) that you had a very merry Christmas! And I hope you're still feeling festive, cause this chapter is all about it.
Here we go...enjoy!
Joyeux Noël
December 1st. The day when a certain breed of person came out like lunatics on a full moon.
The Christmas enthusiasts.
Kai had known for many years that Rei was one of those people, but until two years ago, he didn't have to suffer it.
Now that they were engaged and living together in (almost) marital bliss, it was unavoidable.
"Kai? Do you think Tyson and Hilary would like this card more, or this one?" the concerned Chinese man asked as he held up two fancy cards.
Kai didn't look up from his phone.
"One on the right."
Rei frowned.
"You didn't even look!"
Kai huffed and lifted his violet eyes reluctantly, glancing at them and giving a shrug.
"Yup. One on the right."
Rei near enough puffed out his cheeks.
"Kai!"
Kai's smirk finally broke, setting his phone down and turning himself and his attention to him before he blew a fuse.
"Okay, okay...You know I think cards are pointless...let's see." he caved as he studied them carefully.
"I think the one on the right Hilary will like more. Got the French and the glittery snow. Tyson would like the one on the left. More masculine. But we all know Hilary wears the pants in that relationship, therefore I stand by my choice that the right one is better. Happy?"
Rei brought the cards to the front of his face again and looked them over again, uncertainty all over his face.
"I guess..."
Kai rolled his eyes. How anyone could flap so much about a Christmas card was beyond him.
Gifts on the other hand...that hadn't escaped his mind.
What the hell did he buy for him!?
Their first Christmas 'together' was shortly after Naomi had died. They weren't even dating at that point. But under the circumstances, finding a wonderful gift wasn't even on the radar really.
The following Christmas, they hadn't been dating all that long, but several business trips in a row to different countries meant he could pick up all kinds of herbs, spices and other foody stuff that Rei loved on his short travels.
This year?
He had squat...
This had been such a whirlwind year. He'd been in a car accident, they'd gotten engaged, up and moved to Paris together, Rei had reunited him with his long lost mother figure.
Annnd not to forget they'd had some pretty rocky patches throughout the months...
Quite the action packed 12 months...
But now things were looking up. The air felt clearer, they felt more connected. Their home felt like their home.
The stresses they both faced day to day with work, school and having a young child were still there, but they felt more like a unit.
And now plans were finally in motion for the two of them to get hitched. The perfect, meaningful venue for their wedding booked and a date set for April 16th.
Leaving a mere five months until their wedding...
But that was a panic for another time.
Right now, the issue remained.
Rei had given him a ring and a commitment, followed by the gift of a long lost loved one. So what the hell did he buy him for Christmas?!
After promising to put up with his stupid ass for the rest of his life and be a father to his son, somehow some novelty socks didn't cut it.
He sighed. Why couldn't it be as easy as buying gifts for Gou?
Toys, toys and more toys.
His face brightened when an R-rated thought about toys Santa could bring Rei...
Would that be a better avenue to go down?
"What are you smiling about?"
Kai came back down to earth with a bump, snapping his head to Rei, who was fanning the freshly written card to make the ink dry faster.
"Nothing!" he shrieked back, going back to his phone quickly.
A little over two weeks later, and Kai was still yet to come up with his perfect gift idea for Rei.
Gou and Maxime were taken care of. But Rei...
Time was slipping between his fingers. Work was manic, and had him bouncing between different meetings across the city and wider before the year came to a close.
If it weren't for Rei periodically reminding him, he would have completely forgotten that Gou's daycare was holding a little Christmas show on the 20th. That Friday.
And Maxime was coming along as well.
Despite the gift panic, and the frantic dash to get everything wrapped up at work, he couldn't wait for it.
The proper start to the Christmas celebrations.
His baby boy's first performance. And knowing him, the little attention lover he was, he was going to revel in it.
As the night came, they arrived at the centre, dropping Gou off with his little classmates to get ready while they waited less than patiently in the lobby area with all the other gathering moms and dads.
When they were finally given the go ahead to enter the hall, the three adults head inside with the other mass of excited parents, all trying their best to keep their composure and not break in to a run and fight for the very front row to get the best view of their precious angels on the little stage.
Kai, Rei and Maxime managed to get second row, thanks to Rei being incredibly light on his feet.
Kai insisted on being in the middle of them, thereby taking away the risk of having to talk to other parents.
He was here for one special little boy only...
The seats were filled, coats were off, and the excitement rose as they stared at the empty stage holding a cardboard fireplace with stockings and a Christmas tree impatiently.
Finally, a few agonising minutes later, a plump, sweet looking lady with thick glasses and a bright red Christmas sweater beamed as she walked on to the stage.
/ "Mamas and papas, grannys and grandpas! Welcome to our Christmas performance! The little ones have been practicing very hard! We hope you enjoy the show! We ask that cameras and cellphones are used in a way that doesn't stop anyone else from seeing..."/
She went on a little more about rules...that no one was listening to, already getting their phones and cameras out ready.
/ "We start this evening with a wonderful performance by our toddler class, taught by Ms. Legrand!/" she said happily as she gestured off to the side where a closed door was.
A bunch of beeps went off in unison as the parents locked and loaded the lenses at it.
The door opened, and within seconds the entire room erupted in one large "awwwwwwwwww" as little feet toddled out, looking around with hints of confusion, excitement and bewilderment on their faces as their costumed bodies came out.
The three of them waited.
There were a few little ones dressed as teddy bears, a girl dressed up like a doll, another boy dressed like a cute little clown, a little girl dressed as a ballerina...
The three of them tensed up and gushed hard, strained noises leaving their throats.
Blue hair and confused violet eyes toddled out, dressed in a bright red coat with gold tassels on the shoulders, white pants and his black rain boots, and a tall hat with a feather on it. Cheeks painted with red circles.
Their little Nutcracker Prince...
Their teacher introduced them all and their 'characters' to give each one a moment in the spotlight.
/ "And here we have Amelie, who is playing a beautiful ballerina! Want to show us a spin?"/
The pretty dark haired girl grinned, raising her chubby arms over her head and twirling, melting the hearts of the audience and making her parents gush.
/ "And last we have Gou, who is playing the brave nutcracker!"/
Gou's big eyes looked up at her, a little dazed. She brought her hand to her head in a salute as a prompt, making him remember his cue, bringing up his little hand to his head and smacking it on his forehead.
Kai and Rei gripped each others hands tight and almost keeled over, more strained noises coming out their throats as they tried to contain it all.
Their little boy was the cutest thing on the god damn planet!
It took a moment to wrangle the small, fidgety toddlers in to a line without one running off to touch the tree or the stockings, and to get the CD player working, but soon piano music came through the small speakers and the teacher got down to the front of the stage for them to follow her.
The majority of them somewhat followed the simple, toddler friendly moves, moving their hands and feet and jumping when the teacher did.
The nutcracker stood frozen, painted red circles sat on top of an almost traumatised face as his violet eyes took in the masses of people staring at him.
He loved attention, but this was intense.
His eyes finally clocked three very familiar faces, smiling and waving at him.
But they were miles away.
And where the hell was Donald?!
He was alone up here dressed like this for some reason. And then they were going to leave him there and never come back.
His eyes welled up and bottom lip stuck out, enormous whine leaving his throat.
Rei and Kai's faces fell.
Uh oh...
Rei's camera was off and the phone back in his pocket before the first distressed wail left his throat, out the seat and ducking down as he made his way to the stage, sympathetic chuckles following him as he went.
Once he got to the front, he panicked when he met eyes with the teacher, still busy trying to keep the show going.
...Should he not have come? Was he supposed to just let him cry?
Maybe this was a good learning experience for him? Character building?
But crap, now what?!
The teacher continued to dance along with the other little ones.
Mind blank, he smiled at Gou and kept glancing at his teacher, copying her as well. Hands waving and feet taking simple steps.
Maybe he would do it if he did it along with him?
Kai snorted along with Maxime, who was also videoing the whole thing.
/ "What on earth is he doing?"/
/ "Shining like a star, that's what he's doing...don't think Gou is having any of it though..."/
Gou tilted his upset face at his baba.
What fresh hell was this?!
This wasn't taking him home!
He cried harder and dropped to his knees, holding his arms out for him.
Rei gave up, feeling himself flush at the ripples of chuckles and laughter from behind him.
….And all the cameras that had captured what he'd just done.
But screw them, his little man needed him.
He got closer to the small stage and held his arms out back, quickly getting filled as their weeping nutcracker flopped in to his arms and held on for dear life.
He carried the distraught prince back to his seat with him, trying to quieten him.
As soon as he sat, away from the stage and back with his daddies, he'd stopped. Though kept the sad face and teary puppy eyes, since they brought him lashings of fuss and attention from both daddies and Mimi.
His papa, being something of a pro a face paint, went at drying his eyes without smudging the red circles on his cheeks.
They still needed a thousand more pictures yet!
Rei had similar thoughts, still trying to lean in an awkward position on his chair to get his little soldier in it.
"I think if you want pictures, we'd better take him and do it now. He's getting fidgety already, that hat is coming off soon. And that make up is one more flood of tears away from ruined." Kai whispered to him.
Rei nodded, bear hugging the baby so his costume destroying hands were restrained and shuffling quickly to get out the hall, followed by the other two.
As he was set down and a stream of shutter sounds started rolling, Rei realised his fiance was a genius.
No one else was out here! And there was a pretty Christmas tree and everything!
Gou got picked up and passed around to each of his family members, being good and making cute faces for them.
Then Papa and Mimi got one together, Papa and Baba got one together, Baba and Mimi...
Rei pouted, seeing the patience wearing thin on his dolled up son.
"Awww...I wanted one with all of us..."
Kai's face saddened.
Awww...so did he!
"Wait here! Keep him happy!" he ordered as he darted off, in search of...anyone.
The other two did their best, trying to keep him amused and his costume complete.
It wasn't too long before Rei had to bust out the ultimate weapon.
"Heeeey! Look who's here!" he said brightly as he pulled a white and blue plush out his deep coat pocket and jiggled it.
Violet eyes lit up brighter than the tree beside him.
"Do-nooo!"
He knew he'd come!
And perfect timing.
Kai returned with an ancient, gruff looking janitor, who didn't look pleased to be there.
Kai eyed the duck.
He knew they had precious little time...
He went off in French apologetically and appreciatively, handing his phone to him and showing him how to work it before diving behind his gorgeous, mish-mash of a family.
The old man grumbled, holding up the newfangled contraption he'd been given.
The little one was distracted by something off to the left.
"Hoo-ooo! Over here!" his gruff voice let out unenthusiastically as he waved his hand.
Big eyes snapped to him, a big, chubby cheeked grin breaking out as he waved back.
The old man's stony face turned to mush.
Awww...shucks.
Suddenly the urge to take the perfect picture struck him.
With several shots taken before the old man was pleased with the perfect outcome, he handed the phone back, wished a merry Christmas and went about his job, a little jollier.
When they went back to the hall, the toddler class had already finished their act, the parents already fighting their way out to get their kids to take pictures like they just had, only a line forming.
Pfft, amateurs.
They felt mean, but Gou was starting to get restless. The hat came off. The face paint got rubbed and smeared, and the threat of a tired/hungry/both tantrum was forming like a storm cloud over his head.
And Kai sensed it wasn't something even Donald himself could calm.
Instead of politely sitting and watching everyone else's kids, they got the hell out of there.
They felt less bad when another couple with another toddler head out as well.
At least they weren't the only assholes...
December 25th came in what felt like a blink later.
Rei couldn't shake off the smile as he sat on the floor of Gou's room, getting him dressed for Christmas at Mimi's.
It took forever, but his picky father found an outfit for him he approved of.
And to be fair to his soon to be husband, he'd done good.
A red and white checkered shirt sat beneath a red sweater sporting a gingerbread man, little jeans and stripey Christmas socks.
He looked both handsome and cute a button at the same time.
Now if only he could do something with that hair...
Baby had a serious case of Hiwatari bed-head.
"Rei?!"
Rei sighed, lowering the comb and made a dull face at Gou.
"I bet your entire college fund I know what he wants..."
He picked him up, sauntering his way down the hall and lazily walking in to their bedroom to see...
Yep. The college fund was safe.
Clothes. Everywhere.
Kai spun around, shirtless and panicked.
"Which one!?" he pointed at the four options hanging up.
Rei glanced at them, bored.
"They're all nice. Any of them."
Kai near enough stomped.
"Reeeeiiii...come on! Help! Please?"
Rei kept his face stern for a few more moments before he just couldn't handle the helpless look on his face.
"All right...let's have a look here..."
He scanned the hangers, looking back at Kai waiting with anticipation and back to the clothes.
"This one." he ordered almost, selecting a navy blue sweater decorated with a stripe of white and red fairisle pattern across the chest.
"Oooooh!" Kai agreed as he took the hanger off him.
Rei rolled his eyes.
Every time...
He would find this whole 'I need Rei to pick my clothes for big events' thing much more endearing if he didn't empty the entire wardrobe first...
Meanwhile, Maxime wore her house clothes as she darted around the house like a woman possessed.
Both stressed, panicked, nervous and ridiculously overjoyed.
She and Henri had both been big lovers of Christmas. It had been just the two of them, but that hadn't made it any less of an event in the Souliere house.
The decorations were plenty but tasteful. The food more plentiful and worked on together. The gifts both funny, thoughtful and practical and the music endless.
But since Henri passed, Christmas just became another day. The magic was gone. And in the years since his leaving, the only sign of it being Christmas cards from friends and the special bottle of good red wine they drank every year especially for the occasion.
At least one tradition had to be kept sacred.
But this year...
This year the loneliness was a thing of the past.
This year the decorations were plenty and tasteful again, this year the kitchen was full of dishes she hadn't prepared in years, this year there was a real tree with mounds of gifts she had spent hours wrapping and placing under there, and in a matter of hours, her house would be full of music again.
And she would be spending Christmas with the most incredible gift that she could ever have been blessed with.
She did one more circuit round the house.
The tree looked good. There were no awkward spaces left bare without some kind of decoration.
The fireplace was stocked with wood for later, the floors vaccuumed and dust free, cushions plumped, the bedrooms made up, everything the baby might need set up and ready...
Now just for the oven to preheat to shove the bird in and she could go and get ready herself!
She clocked herself in the mirror. A few rollers in her hair and a bare face.
She shuddered.
This could take a while...
Now what was she going to wear?!
"Comeoncomeoncomeon!" Kai rushed as he charged out the front door, Gou on his hip with a bag of gifts in the other hand. Scarf and coat on pristinely on both father and son as they launched in to the bitter December morning.
Rei rolled his eyes as he struggled to get his shoes on.
He hated winter for the sole fact he had to wear proper shoes. Not his slip on slippers.
"I'm coming! Hold your horses!" he groaned back as he filled up his arms with food and their overnight bags.
Thank god he and Kai had the good sense to load the presents in the trunk the night before.
Kai waited at the passenger door, ready to strap Gou in.
Only problem was, Rei had the key and was taking an age.
He bounced Gou excitedly on his hip.
"Ready to go see Mimi?! See what Santa brought you?!" he screeched as his knees dipped, making Gou's head bob a little as a grin broke on his round face.
"Mimi?"
"YESSS! We're going to spend Christmas with Mimi!"
Gou made stoked noises back, feeding off his Papa.
Apparently that was awesome!
Rei finally managed to make it to the car, the bleep signalling the car was open.
Kai was a very safe driver. Moreso since the crash. But he figured with how excited he was, he'd better drive.
With the radio on and playing festive music to help them on their way, they head towards Amiens.
And after a drive that almost felt as long as the first time they'd made it for Kai, they pulled up in front of the familiar, pretty cottage. Small front garden glinting with frost.
Unlike the first time they'd come here, Kai was out the car door in a shot, wrestling with buckles to get Gou out just as fast.
"Just watch for patches of ice!" Rei shouted from the front seat.
Last thing they needed was him slipping holding Gou 'cause he couldn't hold on five more seconds.
Enough bags under his arm for trip one, they went to the front door, ringing the bell and waiting.
Now Rei was excited...
This was going to be special.
Kai's heart slammed as the door clicked and creaked open, grinning as he was met with equally grinning teal eyes.
"Ahhh! Joyeux Noël! Come in!" she beamed as she threw the door open the rest of the way and stepped back to let them in before the cold came with them.
As they stepped in, they were smashed with a wall of beautiful smells. Fragrant pines, sweet berries and herbs and spices wafting from the kitchen.
Holding herself back until they got their coats and shoes off and hanging them up, she jumped.
"Merry Christmas, Petit Prince!" she nuzzled in to the man taller than her, getting held tightly back.
"Merry Christmas, Maxime!" he nuzzled back, getting hit with another waft that warmed his soul more than anything else the house was offering him.
Chanel perfume.
He held her out from him and looked her over, taking in her nice emerald green dress.
"/You look beautiful!/"
She made a bashful face, smile stretched further as she bat his arm.
"Oh, stop..."
Rei's ears perked.
Ooh! He understood what he said!
"He's right, you do!"
"Merci!" she thanked as she went to give Rei a hug and peck on the cheek as well, "I'm so glad I put in a little effort, look at my handsome boys..." she said before she gasped, taking in Gou standing among their knees dressed up in his little Christmas outfit, "Especially yoooooooou! Come here! Let Mimi see you!" she gushed in an animated voice as she kneeled down.
Gou grinned and toddled right over.
Wow, everyone sure was excited today!
Her gushing and fawning exploded as she took a close look at the gingerbread man on his sweater, squishing his cheeks and going off in French while the toddler lapped it up.
"Come! There's something special waiting for you in the living room! Come with Mimi!" she exclaimed as she stood herself and held out her hand.
His small fingers wrapped round hers and toddled with her, leaving Kai and Rei to split the bags between them before they followed.
Suddenly, as the two in front reached the doorway, Gou lost his mind.
He babbled and screamed at his daddies behind, point and jumping to alert them of impeding greatness before his legs went like a hyper Dachshund, pulling Maxime with him.
Kai and Rei snorted.
"Guess he spotted the tree." Rei deducted, walking in with Kai before their smirks got wiped off their faces.
Nothing fancy, she'd said...
Just a simple, nice family Christmas, she'd said...
The Christmas tree looked real and almost touched the ceiling. Looked like it had been decorated by a professional for a magazine shoot or something. Gold and white and champagne pink ornaments spread in among pine cones and twinkling gold lights.
Four white stockings hung on the fireplace, the top of which was lined with fir branches, tall, thin white candles stood either side of a decorative, golden clock with a huge wreath on the wall behind it.
The spaces around the room filled with poinsettia, holly, golden angel ornaments and ribbons.
Maxime looked over her shoulder before turning herself to face them nervously as she saw their matching wide eyed stares looking around.
She'd either done too much or not enough...she'd tinkered too much to even know any more.
"I um... Do you like it?"
Rei's face remained somewhat dumb.
"Did you...hire help for this?!" he asked.
She blinked.
"What? No! Of course not! Apart from the two nice men who brought the tree in for me."
His face rolled up in to a soft smile as his eyes watered a little.
This was insanity! The hours she must have spent!
"Maxime...this is breathtaking! But you didn't need to go to all this trouble..."
She stood straighter.
"I beg to differ. I haven't entertained for Christmas in years. And if this particular one doesn't deserve some special treatment, then really I can't think of what would."
She had him there.
And she had a wonderful point.
She sat them down on the couch, running off only to return a moment later with a tray of drinks for them.
As the grown-ups took them, they all eyed the toddler hanging around the tree, poking decorations and touching the wrapped boxes.
Maxime chuckled.
"Should we let him open them now?"
Kai eyed the mountain of wrapped boxes.
Special first Christmas or not, she had spent too much on him. Them.
They had agreed not to...
And shit, they had not brought enough for her...
"Sure!" Rei answered, "Give us a minute to go get they stuff we bought him as well!"
Maxime gladly grabbed Gou and put him on her lap for a cuddle while they went.
The moment they got outside, Kai grabbed Rei.
"Rei! What are we going to do?! She went nuts!" he hissed in a panicked whisper.
"What do you mean 'what are we going to do?' We let Gou open them and say thank you!"
"But did you see how much stuff she got him!? I thought we said just a little something! I don't even think we have room in the car for all that!"
Rei sighed.
"I know, I know...she got him a lot...but she just became a grandma. Its her first Christmas with him, with you! She just wants to spoil him. I know how you feel, I feel bad as well. But then we will just have to make it up to her and show her out appreciation later on. Okay? Let her have this..."
Kai made a noise.
"But we only got her something small! I'm gonna look like a bad...person!" he rambled, not wanting to jump the gun and use the S word too soon.
Rei made a dull face at him.
"If Gou gave you something similar, at any point in his life, would you deem it too small?"
"What?! No, of course not!"
"Well there you go then!" he told him firmly, "Just relax! Enjoy this! It's a special day for you as well and I'm sure she would much rather you enjoyed everything she's done rather than worry about paying her back."
Kai muttered and shifted his way to the car.
He guessed...
When they walked back in, bags of gifts in hand, they quickly went to work trying to get them under the tree without ruining the display Maxime had set up with hers, putting hers to the side for easy access.
Both toddler and grandma were ready and up.
"Let's go see! Go choose one!" She pushed, taking him to the tree with her to go pick one up.
She sat on the floor with him, helping him get a tear in the paper before letting him at it while Rei had his phone clicking from the couch.
Gou pulled up a blue and white striped shirt and held it up for daddies to see.
Maxime gently took it, opening it up and turning it to show him the front.
Gou lost his mind again.
"Donnooo!"
"Yeeeessss! You've got some Donald pyjamas!" she cooed.
Kai sat with a leg crossed over and leaning his cheek on one hand. Suddenly the guilt of it being too much vanishing.
They both looked so happy.
Gou scrambled out her lap and toddled over to them.
"Papa. Donnooo! Donnooo!" he rabbited, holding it up.
"Yeehhhh! Lucky boy!"
Gou held it out for Kai to take, lifting his arms up the second he did for him to put it on him.
"Pffffft, these are for night-night...look! Mimi has another one for you!" he distracted quickly.
Last thing he needed was a tantrum.
Gou took the bait, going back over to her and going at another box.
After a few more openings of colorful wooden blocks, a beautiful wooden train and stuffed toys, he needed a minute to investigate and play with them.
Rei cleared his throat to get Kai's attention, nodding at the tree as a hint to give her theirs now she was freed up a moment.
Kai straightened his sweater and stood himself up, hot-footing his way to the tree and picking his little pile up.
"Maxime, these ones are for you...if you'd like..." he stuttered.
Her teal eyes lifted to him and smiled.
"Ooooh, you didn't have to bring anything for me darling!" she flushed, getting on to her knees and then her feet to accept them.
She balanced them in one hand and took his with the other, leading him back to the couch and settling down on the end with Kai beside Rei.
She lifted the first one, looking for the right place to start unwrapping.
"That one is just a little something from all of us!" he informed, feeling himself get nervous.
She smiled and gently tugged the pretty paper, folding it open.
She lit up when she was greeted with a beautiful silver frame, holding it up to take in the even more beautiful picture inside.
The four of them at Gou's first Christmas play!
"Ohhhh! It's perfect!" she gushed, leaning over and placing a peck on Kai's cheek, "I love it! It's just what I needed!" she said happily as she shot out her seat, going over to the mantelpiece to put it up, right beside her wedding portrait with Henri.
She stood back to admire it, fighting not to get emotional.
"Voila! Just perfect!" she gestured, "Thank you so much!"
She came back to the couch, throwing he and Rei another peck before he handed her the other one.
Finding the right spot to tear, she tore the other beautifully wrapped gift, opening up a black and gold hard covered book.
She opened the cover and felt the lump in her throat come back when a much younger set of ruby eyes stared back, bold blue triangles on a younger face.
Kai watched her and held his breath.
Rei had printed some pictures of their teen years, of their early adulthood and Gou as a baby for her as she'd requested. But for this very purpose, he asked him to keep them limited.
It took weeks of going through all the ones he had, calling Tyson, Max and the others for anything they had, asking Tyson to go to their house in Japan and hunt through the albums there and send everything over, then even more time deciding which should go in the pile for scanning.
But thanks to that, he had a detailed display of his life that should have had her in it but didn't, to show her.
She pursed her lips to hold it in as her delicate hands turned the pages to see gold medals, places and sights he'd been to with them. Gradually growing taller, broader more handsome and defined.
With each passing page, he was turning more and more in to the man she prayed he would become.
The one sat next to her.
A pretty young lady started appearing in the pictures.
Her smile grew when a few Polaroids showed a wedding dress and a suit.
So this was Gou's momma...
Soon she bubbled with pride as that handsome face wore a cap and gown, graduating college.
Only to almost overflow again a few pages later when a black and white square of blur appeared. The very first image of Gou. In that beautiful woman's belly.
She was able to see that beautiful woman's belly get bigger and bigger, saddened as she also saw her look weaker and weaker.
Her heart broke, seeing her frail, holding her freshly born baby boy.
Kai had told her she died the day he was born, which made this the last picture for her.
What a horrible loss...she looked wonderful.
Her hands turned the pages and was showered with pictured of a perfect, healthy, tiny baby.
Papa looked thin as he started appearing in them with him.
He went from a little wrinkled prune to a pudgy cheeked little munchkin rapidly. Daddy looking better as he did as well.
As she flipped through the rest, she got an even bigger sense of relief and gratitude.
It wasn't just seeing Kai grow, or Gou for that matter that made her heart swell to the point of bursting. But throughout all of the years she'd just scanned through, there was one constant.
One long haired face that had also grown taller, more handsome and defined beside him and every step and milestone.
With perfect timing with her train of thought, she glowed at stunning engagement shots. The Eiffel Tower sparkling behind.
Oh, that was enough to make any girl on the planet jealous...
But if anyone deserved it, it was them.
With the wrap up to present day, snaps of Disneyland and first outings in Paris, she closed it and finally lifted her head to Kai, having his hand held by Rei.
How long had she been lost in it?
"This is absolutely wonderful...thank you so much." she choked, reaching over and patting their hands while drying her eyes with the other.
Happy tears or not, she didn't want to blub on them.
"Ah, now then!" she distracted herself, "I bought something very small and silly for you and Rei. Probably more for Rei." she chuckled, making herself stand and fetch her own little pile.
She handed it to Rei, setting herself back down with one more on her lap as she took up Kai's hand in place of Rei while he opened it.
Gou lifted his head, picking up his wooden train as he toddled over, interested in what Baba had.
Rei picked him up, setting him on his lap while his arms went round him to open it.
"Heh! Aw, Maxime! A proper crepe pan!" he grinned as he lifted it out the wrapping.
She chuckled.
"After Kai's call the other week, it seemed you were without one. Can't have you living and learning to cook in France without one. And once you do, maybe you could teach this one how to do it."
Rei smirked.
"Aw, he did good. But thank you! This is great! I love getting new things for the kitchen!"
Kai smirked, feeling even more pleased with himself for getting that set of pro kitchen knives for him. Thanks, Oliver...
"Thank you." he said himself.
Maxime held one up for him, a sweet look on her face.
"This one is for you..."
Rei set their gift down on the floor, shifting Gou in to a more comfortable position on his lap while he played with his train to see.
Kai gave an appreciative smile, shifting towards her a little more on the couch before he carefully unwrapped it.
With the paper unfolded, his eyes met with faded white. But something instantly familiar.
Rei's face fell as he saw the smile wipe from Kai's face in a split second, craning his neck to see.
Kai lifted it gently, like a precious artifact that could crumble at the slightest pressure.
He turned it over in his hands, a small sound of emotion leaving his throat as his hands trembled.
A cover that was originally white now was faded and slightly browned by age, small tears and rips lining the edges.
What were vibrant yellow planets and stars had now dwindled and dimmed below the equally dull lettering.
Le Petit Prince
Just like the first time he'd seen her again, he felt the clock in his soul wind back in time and reduce him to a six year old boy again.
An overwhelmed one.
The comfort and joy this very book had brought him.
The world it had given him to escape to when things were at their worst.
The warmth and safety he felt as he leaned in to her side in bed, listening to her read it to him over and over through their time together.
His lips strained, bringing his shaking hand up and pushing his thumb and forefinger in to his eyes, the shaky breath he'd held in jetting out his nose.
Maxime pulled him in to her, letting her fingers brush through the back of his hair.
So much for not blubbing...
"/You kept it all this time?/" he choked, fingers still in his eyes, though the tears were already pouring.
"/Of course. I took what I could. I would have loved for you to keep them instead, but we both know they would have taken them all. Someone had to keep what we had safe. And now it is, you can have it back./"
Rei had no idea what they were saying, but his brows were furrowed and eyes were threatening to go as he held Gou tighter.
...Who was obliviously still playing with his wooden train.
Until he finally registered there was crying somewhere and sat up, big violet eyes looking around and letting out a sad 'oooohhh' as he caught his daddy upset.
He wriggled out of Rei's hold and clumsily stepped over the cushioning of the couch to him.
With concern laced eyes, he babbled and tapped his arm.
Kai finally dared remove his hand from his already red tinted eyes, quickly wiping away the evidence best as he could and forcing a smile, coming away from Maxime a little.
"Papa's fine!" his hoarse voice tried to convince.
For a two year old, he was already smart enough to call bullshit.
The toddler clambered on to him, standing on his thighs and flopping to give him a kiss on the cheek before stumbling up again, holding out his train in offering.
Maybe papa needed this more than he did.
Maxime gently took the book from him to free his hand, since the other was helping Gou stand steady on his legs.
Kai took the train, pulling his baby in to a hug in thanks.
"/I hope you will read this to him when he's old enough./" Maxime added, going back to brushing aside his hair fondly.
He turned his still damp eyes to her.
"/Oh, I had already planned on it./" he chuckled as he sniffed, "/But I would love it more if you did.../"
Maxime loved that idea too.
The idea of being in their lives completely.
Kai let go of the train a moment and gently pulled her in as she had done to him, placing a kiss on her head.
"/Thank you. Means the world to me./"
He decided to leave it at that, despite the reels of words of love, gratitude and aching nostalgia on the tip of his tongue.
Like her, he didn't want to dampen the day with tears. Happy ones or not.
Like a magnetic push, they broke from each other, Kai getting up and taking him back to his pile of new toys while Maxime excused herself to the kitchen to check on the food.
Rei took the opportunity to slide over, curiosity unbearable as he approached Kai's gift like Indie Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, for a closer look.
He took in the time aged book and melted, picturing little Kai cuddled up with her being read to.
Aw, what a special gift...
With more playing, yet more toys gifted to Gou and Rei unable to stop himself helping her in the kitchen, Christmas lunch was ready.
The beautifully set table was filled with equally beautiful dishes of roast turkey, chestnuts, potatoes and vegetables.
Maxime popped a cork of an expensive bottle of red wine to go with it before they started.
Her little piece of Henri to bring to the table and make her family gathering complete.
And in what could only be described as a Christmas miracle, Gou ate his food without one lick of fuss or protest.
Not that they could blame him, tasted as good as it all looked.
After summoning just enough resistance to stop before they got uncomfortable, Maxime brought out a platter of cheeses, as was done in France.
...Well, would be rude not to.
But oh god...
Even she had reached her limit.
"...Shall we save the yule log for later?" she asked weakly, feeling the food induced sleepiness overpower her.
Kai and Rei nodded frantically, wondering if they would ever be able to eat again.
Clearing away was a joint effort, and monstrously hard work considering it was hard to move.
But finally, salvation in the form of the couch, fire and Gou knocking himself out for a nap brought blissful peace to Maxime's home.
"This wine is fantastic..." Kai droned out sleepily as he swirled his glass.
"It is. Henri and I saved this for Christmas every year."
The two turned to her, feeling the uncomfortable guilt of making her bring him up unintentionally.
She felt them look, turning back while taking her own sip of wine.
"It's all right. He isn't a taboo subject." she chuckled a little, "Though I dare say he would have loved to have been here today."
"He is, in a way." Rei tried to comfort.
What else could you say?
"Indeed. If this is his wine, let's enjoy it in his honor." Kai added, lifting his glass for them to follow.
They did, clinking glasses.
"Merry Christmas, Henri."
He hoped wherever he was, that he knew he would take care of her now.
It wasn't much longer after that that Gou roused from his sleep, only needing a few minutes to shake off the sleepy grizzles before he got excited by the mound of toys again.
And once again, he summoned papa to come play with him.
It took every ounce of energy he had to move from the sofa to the floor, pants feeling tight as he did, but soon colorful wooden blocks were being made in to bridges by daddy for his new train to go through, for some reason crashing in to Donald after.
Maxime swirled her glass as well as she watched, Rei having fallen victim to food induced sleep as well.
In this one day, it felt like years of wrong were being made right.
Mended as best as they could be at least.
Kai had in a small way gifted her with as many years of absence as he could.
She had given him back something that had been held precious to them both. Arguably a symbol of their entire relationship.
One that had also withstood the years apart, growing older, but what lay inside never changing.
And currently, father and son were playing with the kinds of things she had always wanted to give him when he too was much smaller and rounder faced.
The times she had passed those beautiful toy shops in Russia all those years ago.
She had seen a gorgeously crafted train back then as well.
It wasn't meant to be.
She made do with the stories, drawing, houses of cards and hand shadows.
He was a grown man now, far too old for toys.
But watching him play with them with Gou...
Well, better late than never...
As so perfectly written in Le Petit Prince:
'Toutes les grandes personnes ont d'abord été des enfants, mais peud'entre elles s'en souviennent.'
'All grown-ups were once children...but only few of them remember it.'
If this brought back fond feelings of the small and simple things they did together, if it made him feel something now that he never had, then she was happy.
Hours later, with Rei too waking from his snooze, a walk around the neighborhood to try and ease the full bellies and let Gou get out some energy, some more wine and a yule log later, the day was coming to a close.
Now it was Maxime and Kai who were fighting against the lethargy of the full belly of Christmas.
They'd done so well to last until evening, if they said so themselves.
Rei chuckled at the two of them looking so sluggish, himself feeling perkier after his own nap earlier.
"Would it be all right to go give Gou his bath now?" he asked.
Maxime tried to sit up.
"Of course! Here, let me sho-"
"It's fine." Rei insisted, chuckling harder, "I can work it out! You stay there and relax."
Kai gave him a thankful smile as he picked up their son and carried him off, leaving him on the couch with Maxime.
"/Thank you for today...everything has been wonderful./" he said as his eyes got ever heavier.
"/Oh, darling. It's all been a pleasure. Every second of it./"
"/It has.../"
His eyes drifted to the small side table next to him, his Christmas gift still placed there.
He debated...
It was childish...
But ever since he'd peeled the paper back, he'd been wanting it horribly.
He cleared his throat.
"Maxime?"
"/Yes, darling?/"
An embarrassed pink hue came to his nose.
Was he really going to ask her...a man well in to his twenties...?
"/I know it's kind of weird...but.../"
She rolled her head to him questioningly, seeing him pick it up hesitantly.
"/Would you...? I mean do you think maybe...?/"
Her heart burst as a touched smile spread.
For her little prince, any time...
"/Of course.../"
She shifted over, curling her feet up on to the sofa as she leaned in to him, reversing the role somewhat.
He handed her the book, slipping down a little to get her under his arm and more comfortable
His full stomach swirled as she opened the faded book, clearing her throat as little as well.
"/When I was six years old, I saw a beautiful picture in a book.../" she read.
From the moment the first word came out her mouth, the rest came flooding back to him like a picture in his mind. Word for word.
He hadn't forgotten...
Exactly like every time he'd come back from the abbey, he felt himself enveloped by reminiscent safety. His nose almost in her hair with that ever so familiar scent of Chanel flowing through his nose.
His arm held her a little tighter, making her lean in a little harder as she continued to read.
The urge to cry yet again was very much present in both of them, however this time, the tears didn't come.
This felt too normal and right.
Just twenty years overdue.
But it was fine, because right now they both felt twenty years younger.
When Rei came down a while later, having bathed Gou, put him to bed, and taking the opportunity to get himself showered before the traffic ensued, he walked in to the magically decorated living room again, only to be presented with something far more wonderful than any decoration.
Maxime curled up in to him, fast asleep with the book dangling in her hands.
Kai fast asleep with his head slumped on hers.
He ever so carefully took the book, which came out her hand without stirring her and placed it back on the side, quickly and quietly fetching a blanket to drape over them.
He didn't have it in him to wake them.
He figured the risk of the crick in the neck was a small price to pay for enjoying this kind of rekindling between them. They deserved it.
He flicked off the light, silently bidding good night and one more Merry Christmas to the mother and son before he went up, feeling a sudden urge to go hold his son, too.
End of Chapter!
(Sexy stuff below)
I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a real bitch to write, but I hope it had the impact I was aiming for.
Would love to know your thoughts on it!
Wishing you all a slightly belated Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Lots of love, Roy.
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With Gou settled down in to his own room again for the night, Kai and Rei retreated to theirs.
This had been the greatest Christmas ever, and Kai was now left with the childish sadness that it was all over.
Well, almost...
Santa still had one more present that was yet to be delivered.
But he had doubts about giving it.
It hadn't been quite what he'd originally planned, since his first visit to the adult shop left him the color of Rudolph's nose within seconds.
Walking by the aisle of...ridiculously sized toys and weird contraptions he wasn't even sure what were used for, he'd chickened out and gone for something far more tame.
Undergarments...
For Rei, of course. Not him.
He wasn't going to dress up in anything 'sexy'...that didn't suit him.
But Rei in those little things...oooooooh...
Now that was a pretty picture.
Didn't matter if they'd be ripped off within moments of him putting them on.
It was Christmas, and Rei always looked amazing in red...so...
One red one...
One leather one with...little strips and rings and stuff that just...yeh, Rei needed to put those on.
And as cheesy as it was...as much as he cringed buying them.
Animal print...
Ooooohhhhh, but in his defence they looked just like the ones he'd seen in Rumble in the Jungle 2...
They were wrapped up in his closet.
The question was, did he have the balls to give them to him?
They'd never done anything like...that.
He dried himself off, staring at the closet as Rei went off for his shower too, coming back a little while later doing the same and towel drying his hair.
"You all right?" he asked as he caught the vacant staring.
"Hn!? Yes! Great!"
"Good..." Rei chuckled at him, going over to his side of the bed.
Kai dug deep.
He'd bought them...may as well...
He could always brush it off as a joke if Rei hated them.
"I um...I know we said no Christmas gifts for each other..."
"Kai, you bought me that knife set..." Rei said to him dully.
"You liked it, didn't you?"
"Yes, of course! They're awesome!"
"Good. Mmhmm. Well anyway, I bought you a little something else..."
Rei's towel flopped in to his lap.
"Kaaaaaaaiiii..." he groaned, "I appreciate it, but we said no gifts! Now I feel bad!"
"Well...that's the thing, I get something out of it too..." he said as his face heat up.
Rei's brow lifted.
His cat senses were tingling...
Did he mean...bedroom things?
Ha! Had they gone down the same route?!
"Is that right...?" he said with a smirk, "Because actually, I did get you a little something too..."
"You did...?"
"Mmhmm...but you first..." he smirked.
Kai nodded, going to his closet and feeling this was a mistake the whole time.
"I uh, here...it's dumb! Just a silly idea! You can throw them out and never speak of it again if you want!"
"Kai..." Rei cut off dully and held his hand out.
Kai shut up and put the wrapped box in his hand, visibly squirming on the bed.
With another smirk, Rei opened it up, his lips only curling more as he removed the tissue paper and his eyes settled on the fabric...and leather.
"Oooooh, Mr. Hiwatari..." he said in a low purr, "Are these for me?"
Kai nodded, wanting to die as Rei lifted up the...ridiculously sexy leather one, dangling on his finger.
"You want me to dress up a little for you?"
"You look fantastic in anything! Or nothing!" he covered his back instantly, flustered.
"Aw, thank you baby. But I'd be more than happy to slip these on for you...if..."
Kai's face hung.
"If...?"
"If you promise right now to put on what I got for you." he bargained, swinging the leather number in his finger harder.
Kai blinked.
"Oh, for fuck sake..." he groaned, "It isn't like a policeman's uniform or something like that, is it?"
Rei broke his seductive aura for a moment to belt out a laugh.
Thought that was a beautiful image...
"No, nothing like that. I promise."
Kai still looked unsure...He didn't know what Rei had up his sleeve. And didn't want to go making promises he couldn't back out on.
Rei felt it, standing himself up and slowly removing the towel from around his waist, holding it up and lazily dropping it to the floor.
That sure got his attention...
He smirked at the captivated look on his face as he lifted one foot, then another and slowly eased the leather up his legs, all the way up until they were on.
Metal rings dangled strips that decorated the top of his thighs a little.
He lifted his hands, taking them up his body and up through his hair to lift it as he turned to give a little peek of the back.
"...Is this not worth it?" he asked with a small pout.
"...I promise..." Kai's robotic voice replied as he felt his cock instantly turn to rock.
Rei smirked.
Good boy...
He walked over to his drawer, grabbing a hair tie from the top and throwing his hair up in a messy bun before he retrieved his own gift.
Kai lifted a brow as he took it.
...This wasn't clothing.
What had he done?
He peeled it open and felt his heart stop.
The fuck was that?!
Was a black...curvy...thing? Only a couple of inches long.
"What is this?!" he fired at him with a crack in his voice.
Rei got on to the bed, shuffling to him on his knees.
"Relax..." he cooed, "it's called a prostate massager..."
Kai threw it down.
"You said put on!"
Rei shrugged.
"Did I? I meant in..."
"I'm not shoving this thing up my ass!" Kai screeched at him.
"Baaaaby...come on. It's nothing serious...and you might like it. Just try it. If you don't like it, we get rid of it and never speak of it again, hm?"
He expected this. Hence why he hadn't gone for anything bigger, longer, wider or scarier looking.
His poor, clueless man...needed some eye opening...but baby steps.
Kai glowered.
Like fuck he was gonna do that...
Rei shifted closer, running his hands up Kai's chest and leaning in to his ear.
"And I promise, if you don't like it, I will do whatever you want...I'll make it up to you big time. So it's a win-win. Try it and like it, or hate it and I make it alllll better. What do you say?" he breathed in to his ear as he traced patterns over his skin.
Within minutes, it was out the box and ready to go.
Plenty of lube and the black, curvy thing was inside him.
Rei guided him to sit up, control in his hand.
Already, the tip of curvy thing rubbed somewhere that gave him a tingle...
"One other rule..." Rei told him as he sat himself in front of him, "Your hands aren't to touch any part of yourself, okay?"
Kai glared again.
He didn't sign up for this...
"Okay?" Rei said more sternly.
"Fine!" Kai snapped, just wanting to hurry up and get it out of him.
Rei leaned forward, placing a sloppy kiss on him.
"Good...then let's see..." he smirked as he clicked the button.
Kai flinched and let out a small yelp as a buzzing sound rattled under him, curvy thing suddenly vibrating inside him.
This...uuugnnnnnn...this felt weird...
Rei held in his laugh. Oh that face had been funny...
But he wanted him to like it.
After a few moments to let him get familiar with it, he grabbed his slim waist and guided it to rock, watching his face intently.
His eyes glowed hungrily as his face showed it all...
That had felt nice...
He let go of his hips, wanting him to figure it out himself and go to town. But he saw the almost defiant and conflicted look on his face as he did.
He clicked the control to amp it up a notch.
Maybe this would help...
The sound that came out of him told him it had.
Followed by his hips moving on their own.
This was more like it. Now he didn't have to guide, he could watch and admire.
And admire he did.
Kai's face flushed quickly. His hips moved harder.
His eyes clouded over.
He clicked the control again.
A sound that had never left Kai's mouth before leapt out as he felt the vibrating intensify, amping up the feeling inside him with the tip of curvy rubbing and tickling just the right spot.
The tingling and sparks were getting out of control. What the hell was this thing?!
Hoooooooooolllly shiiiiiiiiiiiiit...
His whole body shivered with fever, prickling with heat as his mouth panted out humid breaths of air.
Rei bit in to his lip, letting his hand slip down and paw at the front of his own leather binding as he watched the show that had escalated quickly...
Just like the website had promised...
His clammy palm clicked the remote again.
As he did, a deep and whining moan that rippled through the bedroom shot out of him, moving his hips faster as his arms flew out round his neck.
He wasn't allowed to touch himself, but he needed something.
Rei's hands hovered at his hips, wanting to touch back and yet wanting to tease him more.
He allowed his arms round his neck, for leverage if anything, since the moment they wrapped round him, Kai's hips started going like a steam train.
Not to mention looking at that face close up was getting him good and riled.
Kai's mouth attacked Rei's needily, barely able to kiss him properly from the pants and moans streaming out of him while the tip his cock leaked against Ray's stomach.
Rei's hands came up to grab his face, kissing him back just as heatedly and slipping his tongue inside his gaping mouth.
The moans became muffled, but no less intense, the heat from his face radiating on to his.
Suddenly, Kai pulled back, eyes hazed and brows showing his urgency.
"Baby!" he breathed out loudly and dripping with desperation.
Rei smirked.
There were only a few instances Kai ever called him that.
When he cooked something amazing.
When he was grovelling.
And when he was about to make him come hard.
Rei's thumb and forefinger gripped his chin and tilted it up roughly.
"That's it...almost there..." he growled as he clicked the control.
He held his face there and watched the burning face glow and foggy amethyst eyes roll back in his head, a strangled, orgasmic howl bursting from him as his entire body spasmed.
The second he felt his muscles relax, he shut it off, letting him slump in to him.
"...You really liked that, huh?" he purred.
Kai wasn't quite able to talk yet.
Holy fuck...they made them that intense?
Rei looked down and grinned.
That was the beauty of not having him touch himself.
He was still good to go...
He lifted him slightly, reaching between his legs to gently ease it out, feeling him shudder as he did.
"You okay?" he checked.
"Yeh..." Kai panted back.
"Good..." he growled as he lifted him and threw him back on to the bed, towering over him, "Because we're just getting started..."
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