NOTES:
Timeline: 4 months post-canon; pre-relationship.
Hatsumode: it's the first Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year. Some people visit a Buddhist temple instead. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days.
Omikuji: random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Literally "sacred lot", these are usually received by making a small offering and randomly choosing one from a box, hoping for the resulting fortune to be good.
Amazake: a traditional sweet, low-alcohol Japanese drink made from fermented rice. Many Shinto shrines provide or sell it in the New Year.
"Try some."
The shrine is practically swarmed with people as snow falls gently down; powdery and light, drifting lazily through the air. Hands clasped tight and warm, Emu guides Parad through the streets of Tokyo. Their footprints are soon lost among dozens of other sets passing beneath the torii, always politely to one side or the other.
"Here," Emu murmurs, slipping a shiny gold five-yen coin into Parad's hand as they wait in line for the altar. "For the offering box."
"I can't remember when's the last time I did this," Parad remarks, glancing around to see the mass of people lining up to give their offerings for the coming New Years just minutes away. "It's been ages…"
Emu looks at him curiously. "You never went to visit any shrines after the extraction?"
"Nope."
"Not even for Hatsumode?"
"Didn't see the point." Huddling close, he glances up at the impressive altar. "I thought I had unlimited years ahead of me so I never understood the fuss about New Years until now."
Emu hums in thought before the intern suddenly turns to him; wide-eyed. "Wait. Weren't you born on New Years?"
"Sorta?" Parad breathes out a steady wisp of cool air. "Technically, I already existed long before Y2K but after the extraction, I can't remember when exactly is my birthday anymore." Pausing, he thinks that through before shaking his head. "No, well...I could find out about it if I made the effort but I can't see the point to that. Besides, I didn't think my birth is anything worth celebrating so I never bothered."
"...do you want one?"
"Hm?"
Intertwining their fingers, Emu stares up at him with a look that he can't exactly decipher; soft but terribly sad. Maybe even a bit wistful too.
"A birthday," Emu clarifies, cheeks ruddy from the cold. "Do you want one?"
Mouth pursing in thought, he tilts his head up to stare at the dark sky and watches as the snow floats down; some of them landing on his nose and lashes. Finally, he lets out a sigh and shrugs.
"I don't care either way."
Emu bites his lip. "Because you don't see your birth as something worth celebrating?"
"Heh, my birth caused a lot of problems, didn't it? And well, I'm here, so that's enough." Grimacing, he glances away as memories of Chronicle resurface with unforgiving clarity. "Celebrating it seems like an insult to the people who suffered."
A hand cradles his jaw, guiding him back as Emu gives him a firm look. "I don't think it's an insult and for what it's worth, I believe it's worth celebrating."
"You're probably the only one who thinks that." And before the doctor can protest about that comment, Parad swoops down to give Emu's cheek a swift peck. "Thank you though."
Emu lets out a huff but reluctantly lets the matter drop. Parad thinks that this won't be the last time they'll be talking about his controversial existence.
There's a chime ringing throughout the shrine grounds before everyone begins to count down the final seconds of 2017.
"Three! Two!"
He and Emu share a smile, hands clasped between them as they welcome the new year together for the first time in years. "One."
"Happy New Year!"
Squeezing his hand, Emu rests his head on his shoulder. "Happy New Year, Parad."
"Happy New Year, Emu," he says back, leaning his head on top of Emu's.
When they finally make it to the altar, they swing the rope and ring the bell together. They then toss their coins into the collection box, bow in unison, clap their hands, and close their eyes to pray.
'Thank you,' he thinks, pondering hard to find the right words. 'Thank you for Emu and this second chance that I've been given,' he thinks at last, then nods to himself a bit, satisfied. 'Please let me do right by Emu and those I've wronged. Please give me the strength to carry the weight of my sins so I won't burden Emu anymore than I already have.'
When he finally opens his eyes, Parad sees that Emu is looking at him with a smile; soft and curious.
"What did you pray for?" Emu asks as they walk down the stairs in tandem to make way for the people behind them.
Clearing his throat, Parad sheepishly ducks his head. "If I tell, it won't come true."
He's aware that Emu can easily read his mind if he really wants to know but the fact that the intern is asking outright is appreciated. While he doesn't mind telling Emu about his prayers, saying them out loud seems a bit embarrassing. And for some reason, Parad thinks it might even saddens the doctor. He tries to avoid that when possible.
"That's wishes on stars, I think," Emu remarks with a snicker but doesn't pry. "Either way, let's go see if we're lucky or not this year," he adds, tugging Parad's sleeve playfully and leading him to a small outbuilding with dozens of little drawers and a wall of paper knots. Emu drops a few coins into a little slot in the counter, then shakes the box until a stick falls out before passing it to Parad.
Once they've got their omikuji, they open the matching drawer for their fortune.
Parad blinks down at his fortune in surprise to find a kanji he didn't expect to find. "Good luck. Didn't expect that."
"Huh," Emu murmurs, grinning up at him as he shows Parad his fortune. "We match."
Parad laughs. "Combined, that should make 'Great Fortune', wouldn't it?"
"Well, we are invincible together after all," Emu quips, gently knocking their shoulders together.
He smirks, throwing an arm around Emu's shoulders and brings them close. "That we are."
Carefully folding their fortunes, they then make their way to a stall that's selling hot cups of white beverages. It seems popular if the crowd is anything to go by. Well, as long as it can help stave off the cold then Parad isn't complaining.
"Two please." After thanking the lady, Emu offers one of the paper cups to him. "Try some."
Taking the proffered drink, Parad gives a careful sniff and finds a sweet aroma hitting his nose. Curious, he turns to give a questioning look to Emu. "What's this?"
Because he doesn't remember much of past Hatsumode when he and Emu shared the same body since he tended to be asleep at the time.
"Amazake." Emu smiles, gesturing at the cup. "Go on, it's good."
A tentative sip and his eyes widen in delight at the taste bursting on his tongue. "You're right, this is good."
"Told you," Emu teases before laughing when Parad pokes out his tongue. The doctor then smiles at him and it's one of those smiles; bright yet soft with emotions he's not sure he can decipher— the ones that Parad is seeing with increasing frequency as of late. Oddly, those smiles are always directed at him for some reason. "Parad?"
Returning the smile, he lowers his head when Emu beckons for him to bend down. "Yeah?"
"I'll be in your care again this year, Parad," Emu says as he leans up to press a tender kiss on Parad's cheek.
Pleased, he chuckles and returns the kiss; lips lingering on a cool cheek before he nuzzles their faces together. "I'll be in your care this year too, Emu."
Although he may not know what the year has in stored for him, Parad is grateful that despite past tragedies, he's been given the chance to have a good start for the new year.