Author's Note: This oneshot takes place in the same timeline as some of my other stories. It takes place after the events in "Shades of Discovery" and "Not Human". (And a few other stories in the timeline, but since Touya and Yuki are the main characters those two are the ones that matter here.)
Thank you for reading! This fic was written specifically for Touya's birthday (written entirely on Feb. 29th, 2004), and it was first posted to my LJ as a treat for my most loyal fans before the day was done (in my time zone at least). (~sparkles~ I have fans! ~giggles~) As always, I hope this offering is worthy. Please let me know. Thank you!
Throughout the town of Tomoeda, a great scramble was to be found. "Well, what do you think he would like?" was the question on the lips of nearly everybody who knew Kinomoto Touya. This question was met with a shrug, or sometimes by another question. "Have you asked him?"
Sakura shook her head, snuggling further into her girlfriend's embrace as they sat on the couch together. "No. I'd feel bad if I asked him about it. What kind of a sister would I be if I had to ask my own brother what he wanted for his birthday?"
"I don't know. A considerate one?" Tomoyo sounded genuinely puzzled. It was a problem she'd never had to deal with exactly.
"You don't understand," Sakura groaned. "He'll just tell me he doesn't want anything, or he'll tease me for not coming up with something. Why do I have to have the worst big brother in the world?"
Tomoyo just laughed, shaking her head. "You don't mean that. Otherwise you wouldn't be worried about what to give him."
"Well, what are you going to give him?"
"I don't know," she admitted with a frown. "What do you think he'd want from me?"
~@~
"I want to give him a bunny rabbit! He likes things like that!" Nakuru's eyes sparkled with mischief as she danced ahead of Eriol and Syaoran on the sidewalk.
Eriol shook his head patiently. "He already has his yuki usagi, I don't think he would appreciate the pun."
"Nuh-uh! He has Yue now, and only Yue. There is a distinct lack of bunnies in his life, and I mean to remedy that."
"Trust me," Eriol said, "when I say that Yue would not appreciate you giving his boyfriend a rabbit."
"Aaaw! You're not fun!" Still, she laughed and skipped from window to window and looked for something that would catch her eye as the perfect gift.
"Why do we have to give him a present anyway?" Syaoran grouched. He wasn't getting into this birthday thing at all. "It isn't even his birthday this year, that was last year."
"He's family," Eriol explained, draping an arm across Syaoran's shoulders. "Besides, I remember what it was like to turn twenty-nine. He'll need all the consolation he can get."
Syaoran chuckled. "Just a year away from thirty. All I can say is I'm glad it's him and not me."
Eriol shot his boyfriend a look. "Need I remind you--?"
"Clow is Clow. Eriol is Eriol. You're my age; end of discussion." He planted a kiss on Eriol's lips and grinned.
"Actually, I--"
"Stop it right there! Just let me gloat at Kinomoto's misfortune in peace, okay?"
Eriol grinned, nodding. "Enjoy it while you can, Syao-chan."
"I plan on it."
~@~
Fujitaka sat behind his desk, staring blankly at all the papers and the odd artifact. Tomorrow. Twenty-nine years ago tomorrow, he had become a father. "I'm too young to have a son that old," he whispered to himself, shaking his head in silent bemusement. He had a nagging sense of being even older than that--another flash of memory from Clow's time--but it was gone before he gave it much thought. That wasn't the point. The point was...well...it didn't seem possible that that much time had passed since Touya was an infant.
"Where does the time go?" He fished out a small photo album that he kept in his drawer at work. These were picture he didn't keep at home in frames. Perhaps it was selfish of him, but he found these candid photographs too personal to share, even with his children. Some day he would. Some day he'd let go of them.
He opened the dark blue cover, and then slid his finger carefully across the plastic covering the image of his wife. She beamed up at him, hands pressed at the top and bottom of her bulging belly. It hadn't been much yet, not in that picture, but it was clear that a life was forming within her womb. It had been the first day she'd put on her maternity clothes rather than just wearing some of his clothes for comfort.
"You'll remember that day, even without the photographs," Nadeshiko whispered in his ear, her ghostly form leaning over his shoulder.
"I know," he said, smiling. He still flipped through the cherished book and shook his head slowly. He paused toward the back of the small album to look at a picture of Nadeshiko, hair tangled and sticking to her head from sweat, looking tired and smiling the softest smile he'd seen from her. In her arms was a red, squalling, wriggling little newborn. His fists were flailing and his little eyes were scrunched up tightly. His mouth was open in an almost perfect "o" and Fujitaka could almost remember the sound of the infant wailing. That little voice had changed so much as time passed.
"It's what I want to give him, for this birthday. Promise me."
"He'll love it," he replied, heart constricting. "Next year?"
She laughed, planting a phantom kiss on his cheek. "Did you have something better in mind for this year?"
He sighed, defeated. "Your wish is my command, my love."
~@~
Touya pulled open the gift wrapping, looking at the small leather bound photo album. It was dark blue with gold embossing on the front...his name. He looked up, eyes wide, to stare at his father. "This is--?"
"She wanted me to give this to you."
He felt a lump in his throat that was bound to be embarrassing in front of all of these people. He set the gift aside and blinked, hard, before looking up. "Thank you," he murmured. He would look inside later, when there wasn't a room full of people there for a party.
Touya then looked around for the next present--and was surprised to see he'd run out. So, aside from the photo album, he'd gotten a watch, assorted knick-knacks from people from work, some clothes, and some new software for his computer. Oh yes, and a computer game from Nakuru having something to do with raising rabbits--though that gift was eminently forgettable, and utterly puzzling. Not exactly making out like a bandit this year. "Yuki?" he mouthed the question, brow furrowed.
His boyfriend just smiled enigmatically and shook his head. "Not yet," he mouthed in return.
That brought a smile to his face. "Thank you, everyone. They're all wonderful presents."
There was a chorus of "glad you liked it" and similar sentiments. Nakuru was grinning off to the side, telling the two young men she'd tagged along with that it was too a good gift, and he did too appreciate it. Touya shook his head, looking up at Yukito as he sat down next to him.
"Who invited those three?"
"They're family," came the short reply, with a slight frown.
"Hiiragizawa I can barely accept as an in-law, if you insist, but the other two?"
"To-ya, just accept it and be nice."
"That brat broke my sister's heart," he grumbled.
"No, she broke his, in case you forgot what happened at your father's party last year. Now smile, before you ruin the whole party for everyone else."
"I'm turning twenty-nine," Touya said. "I think I'm entitled to a little bit of grouchiness. Thirty is looming right on the horizon, where I can't hide from it anymore."
Yuki's glare was pure Yue--unsurprising since they'd been merged into one for years now. "Need I remind you how old I am? Thirty is nothing."
Touya grinned. "Yeah, but you make it look good." He waggled his eyebrows for emphasis.
"So do you, To-ya. Trust me," he whispered in his lover's ear. A shiver went through Touya's body as the warm breath tickled him, and he began wondering what kind of present he had to look forward to that could not be given in full view of their company.
"Come on! It's time for cake already!" came a cry from Sakura's handbag, and she quickly dove for it, blushing.
"Hehe, that's just the alarm I put on my cell phone," she explained nervously while a few people from Touya's work looked in confusion. "It's a reminder that I, um, have to go, er, do something." She ran from the room.
"He was definitely not invited," Touya grumbled quietly. "However, he is right. I want some cake."
"Wait here," Yuki instructed, smiling. He returned with a huge cake, brightly lit by a forest of small candles.
"Here we go," he sighed. "Everyone settle their bets now how many breaths it will take me to blow this thing out."
Everyone laughed but Touya.
~@~
It was hours later when Touya finally had peace and quiet to contemplate the photo album his father had given him. "Okaa-san," he murmured, touching the pages with the same reverence his father had done only twenty-four hours before...and for years before that. There was a hint of sadness to this touch though that was missing from Fujitaka's caresses the last few years.
"If I had one wish," he murmured softly, sadly, as he turned the pages.
"What would you wish for?" Yuki asked, settling behind him, resting his head on Touya's shoulder and wrapping his arms around the larger man.
Touya jumped, taken by surprise. "I'd wish that you couldn't sneak up on me like that," he teased, turning to beep his lover lightly on the nose.
Yuki wasn't fooled though. There was a brightness to Touya's eyes that betrayed the unshed tears, and he knew his love too well to think such a gift would be taken without bringing up some of the pain Touya always associated with the loss of his mother. "You wish you could see her again, don't you?"
"Yuki, you know I'd do it all over again without hesitation. I don't regret--"
"But, if you had one wish, it would be to have your magic back."
He didn't say a word. He just looked again at the photo album and fingered through the pages. "She is the one who put this together. I remember her going through old pictures, and I saw these, and I asked her what she would do with them. It was a few months after Sakura was born, and she had just gotten pictures developed, and then started looking for others, and she said she'd put them all in albums for us for when we had children of our own. I remember looking at her like she was crazy. I told her that would never happen because girls are icky. She just laughed."
Yuki chuckled as well, shaking his head. He knew full well that Touya didn't have that opinion of girls anymore...that that was not the reason they were together...but the irony would not be denied. "You were partly right at least."
"I don't know if this is his way of giving up, or her way of letting me know she's okay with the way things are. I want to be able to ask her, but I can't ask Otou-san something like that. I just--"
"I know," Yuki murmured. "It's time for me to give you your birthday present, To-ya."
Touya shook his head. "You don't have to give me a thing. You are a present to me."
Those words went ignored though as Yuki stood and shed his earthly form for one more supernatural. His true form.
Touya blinked in confusion.
"What's this about?"
Yuki...or Yue since either was accurate these days...motioned for Touya to stand. When Touya did so he smiled up at the human and reached up to caress his cheek. "I asked both Sakura and Eriol about this," he began, shocking Touya. "They both assured me that Sakura has grown into her power, though I could tell this on my own. I'm overwhelmed with power and energy, to the point of insomnia most of the time."
"I've noticed," Touya said wryly. "I keep waking up to an empty bed, or a horny boyfriend. The latter is certainly preferable, but it's hard to keep up with you these days."
Yuki leaned into Touya, whispering in his ear, "I want you to keep up with me." He pulled back and smiled. "Are you ready for your gift?"
He blinked a few times, photo album falling from his fingers without a second thought. "Are you saying--?"
"I can return your magic to you."
Touya shivered. "It won't hurt you at all, or put you in danger?"
"No. I wouldn't dream of tainting your gift like that." He then kissed Touya fully on the lips, just a brush of flesh on flesh, and a smile to make it all the sweeter. "Or I could go leave to shop for something at the last minute--"
Touya shook his head, rolling his eyes. "No, that won't be necessary," he said with a twist of his lips. Then, straightening his shoulders, he slid his fingers through a lock of Yue's long white hair and looked into those familiar violet eyes. "Thank you," he said, unable to express better how wonderful a gift the mere offer was. His magic....
An unearthly blue glow engulfed Yue's hand, and he caressed Touya's cheek with it first. It sent waves of cold energy through his body, making the taller man shiver with the feel of the energy suddenly coursing through him. Yue placed his hand over Touya's heart, leaning close to hear the heartbeat and allow the energy to flow between them at every point of contact.
It was like being swept down a swift river, riding over rapids and feeling every pulse as the cool spray washed over him. Touya's eyes were staring, wide, but unseeing as the flow and the feel of magic consumed him once again. This was Yue's life force, but it had flavors of his own to it as well. It was truly being returned. His breath came in short gasps now, and his heart pounded rapidly. He felt like he would explode, and his knees buckled, unwilling to support him.
He trembled all over, even as Yue supported him fully. They were connected deeper than had ever been possible through mere physical contact now, as Yue anchored the magic to his soul once again. He drank it deep like a desert parched of rain will quickly take all the water it can if spilled upon. He accepted what was offered greedily, and knew that there was somehow more and more and more until he was filled full and even thought he would overflow with it.
With shaking hands he managed to push himself away and stand on his own, realizing that their magical union was near the end. Touya looked down, and all he could see was the deep and unconditional love shining in silvery eyes. Yue was glowing brightly, exuding so much magic it was staggering.
"I--"
It was over. This time Touya did fall to his knees, both from overload and gratitude.
"Thank you, To-ya."
"Me?" Touya looked up, questioning his boyfriend's sanity for being the one to offer thanks. "I should be thanking you."
"You did," he said, kneeling also. "I love you so much, this was the least thing I could do. Thank you for letting me."
"Yuki, I--" He still couldn't say it. He still could not put into words what it was he wanted to say so much. Instead he pulled the moon guardian into his arms and held him tightly, crushing the breath from him.
They stayed there, holding each other, both overwhelmed by the experience. Eventually Yuki fell asleep in Touya's arms, looking more at peace than Touya had seen him in a very long time. Touya carefully stood, and with newly awakened eyes he stepped out into the night. Around him, the streets were sparkling and glowing with energy. The trees and the grass once again glowed with their life force, and from the corner of his eye he caught the motion of a ghost walking down the street. Far from afraid, Touya stared with wide and grateful eyes at the apparition. The world was full again. He was complete again.
And, then he felt it. It was a feeling that washed through him with the familiarity of a baby blanket or favorite childhood toy. He smiled, not needing to look. He knew.
"Okaa-san."
Twenty-nine wouldn't be so bad after all.