Chapter Eleven: Hot Chocolate

Nagisa woke up in the manner of a dream - slowly, bathed in warmth, and covered by a thin layer of light. His hands were folded under his head and he was curled up at the edge of the couch. He was vaguely surprised that he hadn't fallen off, but with a berry red blush, he realized that he hadn't because draped possessively over his waist was Rei's arm. The older man was on his side, trapped between his boyfriend and the back of the couch, his head weakly propped up by the hand that didn't claim the blond. He was still sleeping.

In the silence of the morning, the young man reflected on the evening they'd had together. It had been comfortable, but somehow nowhere near as friendly as the nights they'd spent at his own house. Rather, it had left the impact of ardent affection and warmth born from the outside chill. Twice he had almost confessed to Rei and frankly, waiting was becoming hard for him. In previous relationships, he'd acted as soon as he felt the first whisper of love in his heart, but he simply couldn't rush the brunet into anything - not after their fight spanning nearly all of November. But at the same time... Rei deserved to know. In fact, the blond felt, he needed to know that there was someone new that loved him. Nagisa sighed, blowing out all sense of fear. He'd find a way to tell his boyfriend today. When he woke up, in fact!

Beside him, there was a soft grumble and a stir as the attorney awoke. He took a deep breath that stirred the hairs on the writer's neck and he was sure he felt his eyelashes brush against him as he blinked sleep away. He glanced behind him at the drowsy man.

"Nagisa?" Rei questioned tiredly. "You're awake first?" Even this early in the morning, he couldn't hide his incredulity. "That's a surprise," he murmured, readjusting his position and burying his face into his darling's neck. "Meant to have you sleep in the guest bedroom," he admitted quietly, closing his eyes once more. "This is a better idea."

"You're surprisingly honest in the mornings, huh?" Nagisa shot back, scooting back into Rei's hug. He snorted and kissed the pale shoulder before him.

"Hush. You've had the time to enjoy this, now let me." He giggled sweetly and for a few minutes, they remained in a quiet embrace. The brunet was surprisingly reluctant to rise!

At long last, the lawyer forced himself up, kicking back the blanket and causing the blond to give a gentle shiver. He protested, "Hey!" but received no pity.

"I ought to get dressed - what do you want to do today?" The blond jumped at his reply and exclaimed, "Shopping! We're going shopping!" Horrified, Rei glanced back with an uneasy look about him.

"Are you su-"

"Yes, I'm absolutely, positively sure. Go get dressed, I'm excited now!" He bounced up on the couch and reluctantly, Rei turned away.

"All right then," he told him, "I'll go shower." The man excused himself, leaving Nagisa to his own devices. Curious and unable to stop himself (or the rumble in his tummy), he trotted over to the kitchen and began digging around the cupboards. He found one ingredient that he'd need, and then another in the fridge...

As he heard the shower turn on in another room, he busied himself with preparing hot chocolate (he was surprised he'd even found hot cocoa powder, but considering he'd told Rei he liked it and it hadn't been opened, he had to assume his boyfriend bought it special for him). He poured some milk into a pot and turned on the stove to let it heat (but not boil). While that started, the blond figured he'd check around for peppermint sticks.

He found candy canes in a jar that he'd assumed was for decorative purposes and some mugs in a cupboard he'd had to climb on a counter to reach. By the time Rei came out, his hair still dripping a little and embarrassingly dressed in a work suit, Nagisa had prepared two cups of steaming hot chocolate (with extra chocolate), and peppermint sticks, set out in the breakfast nook, with all the curtains open. He'd slapped together some quick eggs and toast as well.

The brunet approached the scene with a cocked eyebrow and commented, "You learn the lay of the land quickly, don't you?" The blond rolled his eyes.

"I was trying to be romantic. Sit down and drink your cocoa." The lawyer laughed a little, joining his beau at the round table. Said beau immediately went pink and attempted to build up the courage to say his three cents, as it were. His lips parted and he eyed Rei sweetly, but with a quizzical look, he was interrupted.

"My, my, it's snowed, hasn't it?" Mug in hand, he rose and examined the streets from outside his window. Though the day was overcast, the room was brightened by its white glow. "Doesn't look bad enough to interrupt our plans, thankfully." He gave Nagisa a handsome smile and he nervously grinned back. "You should be getting dressed as well, come to think."

"You could at least let me finish breakfast with you," he huffed, pointedly sipping his hot chocolate. Rei rolled his eyes in reply.

"This is hardly a nutritious breakfast, Nagisa," he scolded the man.

"That's the thanks I get for all my hard work?"

"The thanks for using my milk and eggs, yes." They laughed at each other and the younger man finished off his breakfast. "The bathroom is upstairs and down the hall to the right. It's the second door," he informed the blond as he stood up and collected his bag, "I'll take care of your dishes."

Nagisa followed Rei's directions down the hall and found himself in a room the size of his living room. He gave a low, impressed whistle at the size, and curiously peeked at the entire space. The walls were patterned with, of course, white wallpaper with shining regency motifs. The floor, slightly wet from Rei's shower still, was decorative marble. One wall was curved to the outside slightly, paneled with diamond-shaped mirrors, and hugged by a row of countertops. There were two sinks, both with elegant faucets, and clearer, unbroken mirrors hanging above them. Across the way was the shower, with glass doors and tiled walls, but even more impressive was where the room met the windows. There was a huge tub, large enough to fit three people he'd imagine, polished white as a cloud and set deep enough that it had a step to get in. This wasn't a bathroom, Nagisa concluded - it was a spa.

Stunned by the absurd luxury, he dropped his stuff on the counter and approached the shower, shaking his head a little. He shimmied out of his clothes, folding them and leaving them on the counter. The fragmented reflection of his pale body shone back at him from the diamond mirrors. He examined his naked form for a moment, from the dip of his waist into the curve of his hips to his round, supple bottom. The memory of his boyfriend's warmth in the morning returned to him and he turned rose from his cheeks to his shoulders as he imagined it against him.

Nagisa had to shake himself of his thoughts and he turned the shower on to a warm temperature. He jumped back though, because of course, there wasn't a showerhead - the water fell from the ceiling instead. After recovering from the shock of that, he hopped in, sighing deeply. He rested his forehead against the black tiled wall, feeling around for shampoo and conditioner rather than looking around. He cleaned himself up, slapping his two cheeks every time he conveniently recalled that he was in Rei's house, completely naked, and forcing his reddening body to cool.

The blond successfully returned himself to normal by the time he got out, though he was still floored by his boyfriend's incredible lifestyle. He found towels underneath one of the cupboards by the mirrored wall and rubbed himself dry. Out of his bag he pulled a fresh pair of underwear - ruffled pink boyshorts with ivory polka dots. He didn't put his clothes on beyond that - he had to do makeup first and the room was still steamed up from the warmth of the shower.

He got as far as dusting his face with foundation before the door swung open and a sweet, low voice began, "Nagisa, do you wa-" He whirled around and came face to face with a red-speckled Rei, who, mouth half open, was staring at the ruffled panties on his beau's pale body. His eyebrows ticked like they were affronted and those sharp, analytical blue eyes blinked a few times. After a hasty glance full of realization to the blond's face, he jumped out of the room and practically slammed the door right in his face. "Sorry!" came the muffled shout through the door. Nagisa couldn't help it - he broke out into mirthful laughter, clutching at his naked sides, and leaning against the closed door.

"Good lord, Rei!" he called out, pretending that his face wasn't pink as the panties, "What sort of nerd are you that you can't even look at another man without a shirt?" There was a thud, and the door shuddered. Nagisa thought the attorney had leaned against the door on the other side. He made a strangled, dampened sound, and the blond laughed harder. Out of pity for the poor man, he dug around in his bag and put on his tights and last night's shirt before opening it to greet the wounded creature.

Rei had scooted aside and sat against the wall, burying his colored face into his hands.

"I'm sorry, I should have knocked," he apologized, whacking a fist against his forehead. Nagisa giggled and brushed it off.

"Don't worry about it. What did you need?" When the lawyer glanced up, Nagisa offered him a hand up and he took it gratefully.

"I just wondered if you wanted anything else for breakfast," he mumbled abashedly, attempting to hide his face by messing around with his glasses. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose, then took them off to wipe on his shirt, then put them back on again.

"I'm all right, but thank you." Sweetly, he leaned in and kissed Rei's cheek before returning to the task at hand. After foundation, he needed a bit of blush, bronzer, and luminizer. He tended not to use eyeshadow for the casual look he was aiming for, but did use thin, brown eyeliner and swept some mascara over his eyes. All the while, the brunet did not leave, but chose to watch his partner curiously, leaning against the doorframe. After having calmed himself down, he questioned the boy,

"Why do you do all of that? It seems like it takes a lot of effort." Nagisa fished through his bag and pulled out an ivory tulle skirt, knee-length with a wide matching ribbon, and slipped it on while considering Rei's question. It was high-waisted, snugly fitting, and complimented his camel sweater with Nordic designs well. His tights were similarly patterned, but brought more color into the mixture with the addition of a dim red. He added a fake-ruby necklace as the finishing touch.

"Because I like to look nice," Nagisa concluded, twirling towards Rei in the lovely skirt. He'd made it himself because the pattern had been so easy, but the prices in stores were outrageous. "For myself, and for you. Simple as that!" Rei shrugged to hide his red cheeks and offered his arm.

"Then shall we go?" he asked politely.

"Nope!" he replied cheerfully, "Not while you're wearing that outfit!" The attorney gave an incredulous look to his young partner.

"What's wrong with this?" he interrogated, examining his dark suit self-consciously.

"You look like you're going to work, not like you're going on a date," he protested, "so tell me where your closet it." Helplessly, Rei gestured to the door next to bathroom. With a happy skip, he realized he'd see his boyfriend's room for the first time.

All in all, it was as fancy as the rest of the home. The bed matched the regency theme, but the drapes over the window matched the ones in the living room, with their modern chrome patterns. The walls were done up in a high contrast gold pattern that reflected the natural light. The closet, in the right corner of the room, was large, but even so Nagisa wanted to cry from frustration.

Literally everything was grey. Despairingly, he faced his boyfriend who had slunk in ashamedly behind him.

"Why?" he inquired, sending a weak gesture to the closet. "You have to have something colorful in here, right? Buried deep in there, you've got some color..." The brunet's uncertainty scared him. In a desperate fit, the writer dived in, pulling out chrome suit after chrome suit, leaving their owner to catch them behind him.

"Nagisa, please be careful!" he called, but the blond refused to listen. But in the corner of his eye... Could it be? Like claws, the young man's fingers sunk into their soft, cashmere prey and violently, he pulled out a lovely dark blue sweater. Across the chest was a lighter argyle pattern - subtle, modern, but beyond a doubt, classy. He could barely believe that amidst this monochromatic ocean, he'd found such a gem!

"Look at this!" he gushed to Rei, delightedly holding out the sweater. The other man was considerably less pleased and in fact, appearing slightly disgusted. "What's the matter?" his young boyfriend pressed, holding the sweater like it was a lifeline.

"My mother got that for me several years ago for Christmas. You couldn't honestly expect me to wear an ugly sweater, could you?"

"Just because you got it as a Christmas gift," Nagisa insisted, "does not mean it is ugly. Yes, I do. Put it on over a white button down. Jeans would be ideal bottoms, but if you must, then grey trousers will do. I'll look for a scarf." Rei sighed in defeat, removing his blazer, and slipped it on over his shirt - he was already wearing the pants, it seemed. Meanwhile, equally as far buried, he found what he was looking for - a pale blue scarf with a few black and white stripes going across the short way. He suspected his mother had bought it to go with the sweater. Curiously, he checked the label - Burberry. Ah. He should have known by the high quality of the fabric.

When he looked behind him, the sweet blond found his boyfriend with a disgruntled blush and a handsomely well-fitted sweater. The pants matched perfectly already - no need to step in there - and his red glasses were rather charming. He sighed happily.

"Oh, Rei!" he enthused, using the scarf as a hook to bring him closer. "You look amazing! Your mother really has good style." He finished tossing the scarf on and placed his hands at the tuck of his boyfriend's waist. The older man kissed him gently on the lips.

"Thank you, I suppose, but I feel a little foolish," he confessed. The blond gave an encouraging smile.

"When people switch up their style, they can feel like that sometimes," he told the lawyer, stepping back. Automatically, he offered up his arm and Nagisa took it thankfully. They walked down the stairs and began to leave, but they stopped at a mirror by the door. Sweetly, the blond finished, "You're really handsome." Taken aback, the brunet examined himself more closely. The sweater hugged his masculine chest nicely and the straight, tailored pants fell with a neat crease from his hips. The scarf, its pale color sharp in contrast to the dark sweater, was haphazardly shoved around his neck, giving the pristine outfit a casual edge. The colors all together gave his eyes the loveliest violet glow Nagisa had ever seen and made his inky black hair shine like the deepest blue night. But he had to giggle at the dumbfounded, goofy look on the man's face. Consequently, he had to kiss his boyfriend's cheek.

"I suppose it's not so bad once it's on," he allowed, opening the door with a shy grin. It was well past 10 in the morning already, so once they had made it down to the first floor, the doorman was there to greet the couple, opening the door for their way out.

"Let's walk to the city," the writer pressed as the fresh snow crunched pleasantly under his boots. His arm was snugly tucked through Rei's. His sweetheart gave him a rather stunned look. "Well," Nagisa defended, "we're not jogging today, after all."

"All right," Rei conceded, "since you insist. But I'll not hear a word of you complaining about the cold. Where do you want to go?"

"Debenhams, I think. I always find good deals there, especially 'round this time of year." Well, that prospect certainly excited Rei. It seemed being quite wealthy didn't stop him from being a penny pincher in the slightest.

Every now and then, they'd stroll across a park, covered by a thin layer of snow, where children and teenagers played around and adults grumped about, or they'd pass through a street where some of the older buildings were dressed up in the sparkling white powder, untouched on their highest tops. The edges of the street may have been soaked in a grey sludge, but London was the image of serenity apart.

Well, to Nagisa it was anyways. When the couple stumbled into Debenhams, Rei was quite disgruntled at having to shake himself free of the offensive weather.

"Good lord," he remarked, "it's freezing out there!" He glanced his boyfriend up and down and, not without a hint of blame, complained, "You're even wearing a skirt! What sort of daft idea was this?" His boyfriend leaned up on tiptoes and kissed the tip of the brunet's frosty nose, chuckling slightly.

"What was that about no complaints?" he reminded the lawyer, pulling him into the warmth of the store. All around them rose racks of clothes like towers on a castle. Immediately, he saw fit to release Rei into the wild as he began navigating the racks on his own. The poor man kept Nagisa at arm's length, however, and simply wouldn't enjoy himself. "Don't you have anyone you might need to shop for?" he pressed when he realized that the lawyer really didn't intend to shop on his own.

"Well," he began hesitantly, rubbing at the back of his neck, "my mother and sister-in-law, I suppose..."

"Go on, then," the blond encouraged. Rei was a thoughtful man - surely gift shopping couldn't be that hard, right? When the man still didn't leave, he asked, "What did you get them last year?"

"Scarves," he replied awkwardly, "I get them scarves every year, but the thing is... The never wear them."

"Really?" Nagisa snickered, much to Rei's chagrin. He could just imagine the man picking a few out and remarking how practical and warm they were. "I'll bet you bought them solid winter ones," he guessed with a giggle. The brunet rolled his eyes, confirming his suspicions. He took his boyfriend's hand kindly and guided him to the accessories section. "You need to think ahead," he educated the attorney, "not about what they are wearing, but what they will wear." He approached a random rack in the designer section - he supposed Rei could afford it - and began to swipe through. "Think silks and florals for spring trends. This year, really bold florals will be in - it was just on fashion week." Uncertainly, he glanced through the selection, occasionally picking up one or two to examine them closely. After a few minutes, Nagisa couldn't help but wander through the area. He amused himself in the jewelry section, playing around with shiny gold cuffs (he'd write about those in the winter article - they were going to become incredibly popular for the season). For a moment he played with the idea of a pearl headband that reminded him of the clip he'd worn on his first date with Rei. If only he had the money!

"Nagisa?" Rei called, interrupting a fantasy in which the blond was decorated in opulent jewelry (all paid for by his beau, how sweet). Hastily, he shoved the expensive bracelets off and placed them back, turning to face the brunet. "What do you think of these? I couldn't quite decide." On one hand was a black scarf with bold lines of pink, green, and orange flowers. The colors themselves were pastel, but the design made up for it. The other was silky, fluttering prettily in his arms, and was white, grey, and rosy in watercolors. It too was reminiscent of spring (to be honest, the blond was surprised - Rei had followed his instructions quite well).

"They're both lovely!" he enthused, examining them closer. "Couldn't you just give one to each?" The lawyer shrugged.

"Neither one seems like my mother would like it. I was thinking of Satsuki - you remind me of her." The writer inferred that Satsuki must have been his brother's wife. "She's quite stylish, so I thought I should ask you instead of deciding on my own."

"It wouldn't be special if I chose," he protested, strolling back to Rei's side. "You want them to open them on Christmas and smile with the purest joy you've ever seen, not like they're trying to force a grin."

"I have to ship it to Japan, actually," the man informed him. "My parents are visiting my brother and aunt, so I'm on my own." Glancing at the scarves, he dragged himself to the front to pay for both, leaving his laughing partner to trail behind him. Outside, the snow had started once more and neither had thought to bring an umbrella. They weren't exactly to eager to leave and so they'd wandered a few floors up to the men's section. The younger one tried to keep an eye out for what he imagined would look best on Rei - he intended to get a gift for his boyfriend, after all. Besides, he'd need to revolutionize that wardrobe sooner or later. The lawyer didn't seem to favor any particular thing, however - in fact, he was positively distracted for once in his life, only able to focus on the man at his side every now and then.

"Is something wrong?" the blond had to ask eventually, slipping his fingers into his boyfriend's. They turned and began to work their way back outside, despite the greater chill.

"I just - I was was wondering, I suppose..." He trailed off, looking Nagisa in the eye and he felt his heart skip a beat at the intimacy, his heart warming despite the cold flush of wind as they exited the department store. "Since my family won't be around, I wanted to ask if you'd like to spend Christmas with me."

Nagisa's face drained completely. Oh, how he wanted to say yes, but he knew he couldn't - if he just left his father alone...

"Oh, Rei," he sighed. Before he had the chance to continue, the older man groaned loudly.

"Nevermind," he muttered, releasing the blond's chilly hand, "forget I brought it up."

"Rei," Nagisa whined, insistently tugging at his black, woolly sleeve, "it really isn't you, it's just that my family is still around and all and it's just, they're rather stingy with guests..."

"You don't even get along with your family," he accused petulantly, turning up his nose and pulling his arm away from his grip. Nagisa was about to protest indignantly, even snap, but instead he planted his feet and didn't go after him until Rei turned, realizing that his boyfriend was not following. He whirled around, approaching the blond, and was entirely prepared to hear any excuse that the man had to offer. His eyebrows ticked down in displeasure. But instead, Nagisa told him,

"Let me show you."

Nagisa had the route well-memorized. The bus ride to Poplar's St. Lucy's Community Hospital was short, but the tension between the couple stretched it out like a sore muscle. The blond kept himself rigidly silent to any and all questions, afraid that if he spoke, he'd be cross with Rei and in this season, he honestly didn't want that.

Well, Rei was by all means confused when they emerged in their park and when the suddenly silenced blond brought him around their regular route. He kept quiet at well, stiff with stubborn frigidness, not unlike a child. The writer didn't mind, though - in fact, he found it rather familiar. It was a bittersweet thought.

The lawyer's huffiness quieted as he saw the sign that read "in-patient clinic". A fog rolled through Nagisa's mind as his partner was checked in - what was he thinking, exposing his father to such a shock with no warning, what was he thinking, shattering his pride like this. Yet still, he guided them along to the Colonel's room. Quietly, Nagisa opened the door.

The couple found the man wistfully watching the snow build a drift upon the sill, his orange bottles casting a strange hue about the room. There was a meager effort at decorating, and a small fake pine tree sat on the sill. When a creak broke the silence, the man pivoted his chair with his abandoned, shaky smile.

"Daddy," Nagisa greeted, wrapping his arms around that sad, old man. With great strength, he gripped his son back. "Daddy," and he pulled away, "I brought someone special to meet you." The colonel's eyes refocused behind him and the young man pulled away, gesturing to his boyfriend standing awkwardly across the way.

"Oh," he chuckled heartily, "there's no need to tell me. Rei Ryugazaki," he saluted. "Colonel Ken Hazuki, at your service." The man swayed at the door a moment more, quite shocked at the situation, before he was able to shake it off and approach.

"S-sir!" he stuttered. "It's an honor to meet you, sir!" He faltered, unsure whether to shake the elder's hand or salute back, and the father and son laughed at his visible hesitation. He was humbled slightly, and his shoulders fell away from their rigid position. The old man had a warm laugh with a way of embracing the room like birdsong. Rei had heard that trill before. Ken offered his hand for a shake and, bending slightly, the attorney gladly took it.

"Pleased to meet you as well. You've completely commandeered my princess, you know. He talks about you so often!" The man gave an abashed smile and confessed, "My family's been saying that he's all I ever talk about these days as well."

"This room is disgraceful, you know. Where are your decorations at? It's nearly empty in here! And no lights!" the boy informed his father, after sharing a gentle laugh between the three of them.

"Now, now, Nagisa," the attorney soothed with a shake of his head, "what's here is plenty adequate for a celebration." The blond shot him a dirty look.

"You have no right to talk Rei," he replied sassily. "Your house makes a funeral look like a party." Of course, the brunet took great offense at this and asked the colonel if he could demonstrate his decorating prowess to the princess - and he was careful to use that word, much to his boyfriend's embarrassment. In the corner of the room, there was a box with dusty old baubles and strings. Nagisa jumped at the ornaments, his father chose the nativity scene, and the devious Hazukis left poor Rei with the lights! Though the blond knew he was being quite cruel, it was necessary to punish the man with some good-humored fun every now and then. The couple practically fell all over one another to get to the tree, each one swearing that they'd decorate it best, while the father watched the childish display with great amusement and made perfect the nativity.

The sky had begun to grow dark by the time they'd declared Colonel Hazuki the victor. His tree had become a glowing mess in front of the dark window sill, but it was made with love and so was already precious.

As the couple prepared to leave, Rei promised, "We'll see each other again soon, I'm sure. We ought to all have dinner together before Christmas, if you'd like."

"I would enjoy that very much, young man," the colonel affirmed, sending him a shining smile, though to him nothing was more filling than his son's loving smile as, arm-in-arm, they said their goodbyes, and were off on their way in the winter snow.

For a long time, Rei and Nagisa circled the park, tickled here and there by a stray flake, neither one quite sure what to say. The older man rubbed his thumb across the back of his sweetheart's hand, thoughts deeper than the yellow clouds above. The blond was quiet as well, but he only wondered on his boyfriend's judgement. The man had accepted the shocking situation with such grace, but had kept his thoughts solidly to himself, almost entirely unflinching. Even now, he was solitary and silent, and Nagisa wondered just how much time introverts needed to think these things through.

At last, they came to a stop at the blond's bench. Rei sat directly on the undisturbed snow, guiding his beau to the area beside him (though he had the sense to brush his seat off). For a while, there was nothing aside from the street lamp's golden glow touching the branches of the sprawling maple. Upon them blue shadows fell on the pristine snow. Sleepy flakes danced down from the sky like a sigh.

"That was very hard for you, wasn't it?" the brunet questioned at last, keeping his eyes pinned forward. Nagisa, for a moment, could not say whether it had been more or less than he anticipated: but upon reflecting, he thought of a teary-eyed boy in university awoken by a teary-eyed man in his bed, with no help in sight.

"Yes," he choked out, "yes, it has been." His pretty eyes coated themselves, but Rei placed a warm hand upon his thigh and rubbed it softly. He did not cry. In a heartbeat, their eyes met and, the blue sweeter and more intimate than the night, he murmured to the sniffling man, "I love you, you know. Very much." And like the softly falling snow, with cheeks red like holly, Nagisa replied in kind,

"I love you too."