A/N: Warning, this is another X-rated chapter. I'm getting pretty trigger happy here lmao.

Chapter Fifteen: Merrymakers

Nagisa didn't need an alarm to wake up the next morning, despite the dark. The soft sounds of shuffling sheets and a sudden cold from the space beside him quite did the trick, and was unpleasant in an entirely different way than a screeching clock. An involuntary whine sounded deep in his throat, and he blinked his pretty eyes open.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" his boyfriend asked, no longer beside him, but sitting at the edge of the bed and fumbling for his glasses. The clock read 7:15, but his mind screamed 'bedtime'.

"Yes," he pouted, his arms reaching to wrap themselves around Rei's waist. "'s cold without you."

"I have to go work," he replied without conviction. "And I need to make sure my parents get off all right. They should be up already." Nagisa sighed at the lack of romance and reburied himself in the plush duvet.

"Fine," the blond conceded, successfully burritoing himself away. Alone. He couldn't quite fall asleep again and resorted to just waiting for Rei to finish his shower - thankfully, he was efficient in everything that he did, and not ten minutes later, he stepped back into the room clad in only a towel around his waist, with water trickling delectably down his abdomen. Nagisa catcalled, his face peeking around the marshmallow covers. Rei glanced back and arched an eyebrow at him, not honoring him with a reply, but the younger man giggled nonetheless.

While watching his boyfriend dress was quite the treat, Nagisa forced his eyes away and dragged himself to the shower. Once he'd cleaned himself up and washed some of his stiffness away, he moved onto makeup, as per usual. The blond decided on a subtle look, still unsure how Rei's parents would react to his more feminine tendencies. He wore his black silk button down with white polka dots and black slacks instead of anything particularly ostentatious. When the attorney helped him pack yesterday, he'd said to select red jewelry, but now he wondered whether something so eye-catching would be appropriate... Nagisa reached into his bag to search for his gold herringbone chain, but couldn't find it with his jewelry. Odd. Maybe he'd put it with his makeup for safekeeping? He whirled back to the bathroom and checked for it there, but had no luck. Maybe the nightstand? When Nagisa didn't find it there either, he began to panic. Having forgotten completely about the older couple staying with them, he noisily raced down the stairs.

"Rei!" he called frantically, bursting into the breakfast nook and thoroughly startling both his boyfriend and his parents.

"What's wrong, darling?" Rei inquired with concern, placing his coffee on the table and setting aside the newspaper.

"Rei, you haven't seen my gold necklace, have you? That my father gave me? You know which one, right?" The blond felt his throat constrict with worry. He'd never lost it. He needed it.

"I know which one, but I can't say I've seen it." Nagisa felt his heart break cleanly in half, and it must have shown on his face, because the attorney hurried to add: "But I'm sure it's just at your house. I don't remember packing it." He eyed the writer warily, and his parents looked on with concern as well, but he heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed into the one free chair.

"Oh. Oh. You're probably right," he acknowledged, suddenly feeling much better and a bit embarrassed about causing such a fuss in front of Rei's parents - again. The couple seemed understanding, however, especially Amira.

"Have a cup of tea, darling," she implored, pouring him a mug of warm milk, lemon juice, and black tea from a kettle resting on the table. He realized then that the table was quite decorated for breakfast, featuring eggs, toast, beans, tomatoes - a full English style meal.

"Thank you, Mrs. Ryuugazaki," he replied, his cheeks reddening at his conduct again .

"Amira please, dear," she stated simply, with an elegant smile directed at the blond. He grinned tentatively back. "I remember how frantic I felt when I lost a set of bracelets given to me by my mother for my wedding. It was just before Rei's second birthday, in fact - Yoshiro, don't you remember?" The elder man chuckled from behind the editorial section of the paper.

"I do. I found Daiki dangling them over Rei's crib, with one of them already shoved into his mouth."

"Father, is that really necessary to tell him?" the cherry-faced attorney protested while Nagisa giggled at his side.

"Oh, but it's so cute, Rei!" the blond exclaimed - just imagining him as a chubby-cheeked baby had him gushing. Irritably, his boyfriend shoved a forkful of egg into Nagisa's mouth.

"What was that you were saying? I couldn't quite catch it, I'm afraid." The blond rolled his eyes and dropped the topic in favor of dishing himself up some food.

Breakfast passed pleasantly and much less awkwardly than Nagisa's barely-passable dinner the previous night. He chatted lightly with Rei's parents about inconsequential things - what they liked to eat, the weather forecast, the news... It wasn't long until Amira and Yoshiro excused themselves, however, as their cab would shortly arrive. Tossing on one of Rei's coats, Nagisa accompanied them down, helping with their luggage, and saw them off with his boyfriend.

"It was a pleasure meeting you both," he told them, shaking their hands once more after placing their bags in the trunk of the cab. It was dark still, and quite chilly, but the snow had already begun to melt. "Here are your Christmas gifts," he continued, handing them the neatly wrapped, small packages - one scarf for Rei's sister in law, one for his mother, and something for Rei's brother and father that he'd chosen on his own. The blond stepped back, allowing his boyfriend to say his proper goodbyes, and once the cab pulled away, raced back inside.

Light had begun to peek over the horizon, and Nagisa knew he didn't have too much time left to prepare for work. He pulled out a coat that actually belonged to him (as nice as his boyfriend's smelled) and, resigned to the fact that he'd left his old necklace elsewhere, tossed his faux-ruby statement piece on.

The entire drive to work, the blond was unusually quiet, unable to stop thinking about his gold herringbone necklace. He didn't wear it every day, but not having it made him feel uncomfortable and exposed nonetheless, dampening his mood so severely that once he arrived at work, even the oblivious Momo noticed his lack of energy.

"Nagisa, why're you so quiet?" he probed, Hana and Gou listening with concern.

"I'm just tired," he replied, waving it off without enthusiasm.

"Like hell you are," Gou retorted. "You've got twice as much need for socializing when you're tired. Stop lying to us, you little twat." Her words were harsh, but her face was worried. The blond rolled his eyes with a small smile.

"I just lost my favorite necklace and it's bothering me. I could've sworn I took it to Rei's place the other day, but it wasn't there," he revealed gloomily as he messed with his keyboard. The restlessness was getting to him. "Rei thinks I left it at home, so I can look later, but still..."

"You'll be miserable until you do something about it," Hana stated matter-of-factly from beside Gou's cubicle. "Look for it today if you're so upset."

"But Rei's so busy..." Nagisa reluctantly protested. The brunet had elected not to join him for coffee the next few days in order to keep Christmas open for them. He didn't want to be a nuisance.

"You've got him wrapped around your finger, he literally won't care so long as it makes you happy," Gou replied. "Just text him."

"Are you positive?" Both women gave an emphatic "yes" . Well, if they were so sure... The young man whipped out his iPhone and sent a quick text to his beau.

To: Rei Ryuugazaki

hey can we stop by my place tonight? i really wanna look for my necklace... :(

A reply came back almost immediately, despite the fact that the attorney was surely buried up to his red glasses in dull black-and-white paperwork.

From: Rei Ryuugazaki

Absolutely. I'll be out of work as soon as possible. Christmas is in a week, so if you'd like we can use the trip to collect some extra clothes. That is, if you want to stay over so long...

The blond's face melted into an affectionate smile at the older man's considerate behavior - getting back to him so quickly, inviting him to stay longer, driving him all over... Nagisa took the opportunity to recognize that he had considerable luck in finding someone as perfect for him as Rei, and made quick work of a much cheerier reply.

To: Rei Ryuugazaki

thank you! youre the best 3

Feeling a little more accomplished now that he'd done something about his misery, he continued on with work, prepping his final draft for formatting. Poor Gou would have to work through the holiday on her advent calendar, but Nagisa was buckled down and racing through what he could for the same reasons as Rei was so busy. His pitch meeting with Ms. Amakata was rapidly approaching - he needed her approval for his next article before the holidays officially began, and if he didn't have it, he'd be working overtime. As if on cue, her commanding voice sounded throughout the office.

"Nagisa! You're next!" He collected his laptop and waved at her as Michael from formatting exited the office, looking quite pleased with himself. The December edition had printed beautifully, and he suspected that Ms. Amakata must have praised him thoroughly. Time to live up to those expectations!

Nagisa grabbed his laptop and gave himself a mental boost as he stepped into his boss' less-chilly-than-usual ice cube office. He followed her gesture and took a seat across from her, and Momo waved at him from from his position handling visuals from the Japanese branch. The older woman didn't hesitate once her ex-assistant had settled.

"What do you have for me?" she demanded, crossing her legs and leaning in attentively. The blond sat up a little straighter under her scrutiny and turned his screen her way.

"Well, I was thinking of an article based on the choker fad we're seeing," he suggested. He was about to pull examples of his plans, but his boss waved him off.

"Too similar to your last article," she stated simply. Okay, strike that one off the list.

"World accessory trends?" he tried again. She raised an eyebrow.

"That's a loaded topic - one misstep, and it's advocating cultural appropriation, Nagisa. It's a good thought, but I want to hold off on that until you're more advanced in your career." A sting, but the young man shrugged it off - the world of writing was a harsh one, after all, and he couldn't even imagine the decisions editors had to make. He paused to think - maybe using bracelets, earrings, and necklaces all for one article hadn't been the smartest choice, holidays or not. Seeing the wheels in his head turning, Ms. Amakata suggested a direction for him.

"My vision for this issue follows the 'New Year' theme," she explained. "I want something new for the readers, but more importantly, I want something new from you. From all of my employees. Your challenge was good for you, but I want to see you expanding creatively." Nagisa hummed his response, and suddenly thought of his present to Rei, tucked safely under the tree. And after that, Rei's blue and red sweaters came to mind, the only parts that stood out in a sea of grey. He snapped his fingers.

"How about a New Year's resolution themed column?" he blurted eagerly, leaning into his editor.

"An interesting thought. Expand," she ordered. Eager to convince her, he kept on.

"Well, a lot of people might think 'I want to be more professional this year', or 'I want to be more extroverted', you know?" Ms. Amakata nodded thoughtfully. "Changing yourself is as difficult as changing your style, but it's really easy in baby steps - like, a new color pop to draw attention to yourself," he described, gesturing to his crimson necklace. His boss grinned proudly.

"A change in style, huh? That's what I like to hear from you. New Year's resolution." She clapped her hands energetically. "All right, I'll give you the green light on that one. Remember to write with personality," she advised, and excused him to begin his work.

Feeling rejuvenated, he started outlining his article, and completely forgot his anxiety about his necklace until he received a text from Rei announcing his arrival. At the sight, he leapt up and, too impatient for the elevator, sprinted down the stairwell, through the snow, and hopped into the car.

"I don't think I've ever seen you move so fast," Rei commented dryly, an amused smile teasing at his lips as he pulled back into traffic. Nagisa wasn't in the mood to joke any longer.

"Just hurry up," he whined, his eyebrows scrunched together with apprehension. For a moment, he saw something like hurt in his boyfriend's eyes, or maybe guilt for his words, and quieted down. A moment later, the writer apologized. "I'm sorry for snapping, I'm just really worried about it - it's the most important thing in the world to me, and I've been just so worried this whole day, you know?" The lawyer shook his head.

"No, no, it's all right. I apologize for joking. I knew you were upset, I just wasn't thinking."

"It's okay," he replied, and they traded small smiles before continuing their drive in the relative quiet. The writer ran a list through his head of all the places he could have left it - his jewelry box in the bathroom, his bedside table, even the floor of his room. He couldn't even remember taking it off when he slept with Rei!

Nagisa jumped out of the car as it came to a slow in front of his house, before the older man even had a chance to put in park. As he dashed up to the door, he realized his house keys were still at Rei's - he hadn't any need to bring them with him when he left that morning. Just as panic began to settle in his chest, the door opened and out peeked a chilly-looking Haruka.

"Oh thank God," the blond exclaimed, pushing past the American with no explanation whatsoever. As he ran into his room, he heard Rei addressing his roommate indistinctly. He couldn't bring himself to pay any heed to their words. Nagisa pored through his belongings, making a complete mess in the process. He didn't find it in his bedroom, not on the floor, nor on the table. The gold chain wasn't in the bathroom. Desperate, he checked his coffee table, under the couch cushions, everywhere in his living room - it was nowhere to be found. Concerned, the other two men watched him as he flopped dejectedly onto the couch.

"It's not here," he murmured, this throat thickened with grief. Rei and Haruka exchanged a glance, the former looking almost ill with worry. Haruka politely backed out to Nagisa's room.

"I'll get some stuff together for you," he whispered considerately while Rei joined his beau on the couch. The writer felt a warm set of arms pull him into a warmer chest, and he bit his quivering bottom lip as he began to cry.

"It was supposed to be here!" he sobbed, curling into Rei's comforting embrace. "Why isn't it here?"

"There, there, darling. I'm sure it's only been misplaced." The blond felt the vibrations of the attorney's voice against his ear. He was faintly surprised to hear that Rei sounded nearly as distressed as he was. Through his grief, Nagisa felt a surge of warmth for the lawyer's sincere sympathy. His tears subsided to hiccups. Haruka wandered back in, holding a bag of mismatched clothes rather awkwardly.

"Um, I'll keep an eye out for it while I'm here," he offered, putting the bag down and sitting on Nagisa's other side, rubbing his back softly. The blond rubbed some snot off on his sleeve.

"Okay," he replied, not thinking to ask what the black-haired meant by 'while he was here'. He collected the bag from Haru, noting that while the clothes didn't really match, they were all of his old favorites - cozy sweaters, his tracksuit, and a couple soft scarves. "Thanks, Haru," he sniffled. For a moment, they stayed as they were, but Rei soon pulled away.

"Why don't we get going to my place?" he offered quietly, concern etched in his face. With another sniffle, the blond nodded and allowed himself to be led away by Rei, giving a forlorn wave to Haruka as he left his house - and hope of finding his gold necklace - behind.

Nagisa could hardly be bothered with thoughts such as eating, and as such, Rei dropped him off at the apartment before leaving to go get dinner by himself. The blond made sure to leave the front door unlocked for him, but didn't turn on the lights, instead heading straight for the couch and collapsing upon it, closing his eyes and crying in the dark. At some point, the lights on the Christmas tree automatically turned on, and he pulled the deer throw over his stinging eyes, as mascara poured down his cheeks. Sobbing in makeup was such a hassle.

"Nagisa?" he heard from the hallway as the door opened. From behind his closed eyelids, a flood of light poured in. A crinkling bag told him Rei had placed the groceries on the floor. "Nagisa, where are you?" he called from closer by. The blond moved from underneath the blanket and heard his boyfriend start. "Goodness gracious, what are you doing down there? In the dark, no less." The sofa creaked slightly where the lawyer sat at his side. A warm hand stroked the writer's back, and he sniffled audibly. Rei sighed quietly. "Still upset?" The lump of the younger man nodded, and the attorney tugged at the corners of the blanket. "Darling, look at me." Nagisa's bloodshot, glassy eyes blinked a few times as he adjusted to the light, and he saw his boyfriend leaning over him. The sincerity in his eyes shocked him. "I absolutely promise you that we'll find your necklace. So please, won't you join me for dinner?" Depressed, the blond wondered where Rei got all that serious confidence from.

"... Not hungry," he replied, the hoarseness in his voice surprising even him - though the subsequent growl in his stomach contradicted those words.

"Not even for macaroni and cheese?" the brunet offered, taking a hold of Nagisa's chilled hand. The blond's head tilted.

"... Well, okay." Relief was evident in Rei's face as worry-induced wrinkles vanished.

"I'll go get it. We can just eat on the couch." The writer pushed himself up and wrapped the throw around his chilly body as the lawyer went to reheat their dinner. The idea of the macaroni - and that Rei had correctly assumed he'd need said comfort food - warmed his heart.

"Here you are," his boyfriend said, sitting beside him on the couch with his own serving. Nagisa noticed that it was a fancy kind, with crumbs and multiple cheeses, and he assumed that the lawyer had gone to Waitrose. "I'm not usually partial to an unhealthy choice before work, but that's the least of my concerns. I just want to make you happy," he confessed, causing the younger man to color. Rei wasn't usually so vocal about his intentions. The blond figured the least he could do was respond in kind.

"It's working," he admitted with a bittersweet smile, catching his beau's soft violet gaze as he took the warm bowl into his hands. "Can we watch a movie?" he asked, hoping to get his mind off of his grief and at least attempt to enjoy his time with Rei.

"Anything you want, darling," he replied easily, switching the TV to his usual old movie channel. Nagisa frowned, and before he could change his expression, was caught by his beau. "Do you want to watch something else?" he pressed. After a baffled moment, the lawyer asked, "What movies do you enjoy, anyhow? I never thought to ask."

"I like a lot..." Nagisa replied, not wishing much to expand. "But I just want to watch something light-hearted right now. Maybe Christmassy." Rei took a moment to reply, and when he did, his voice was hesitant.

"My sister-in-law bought me a copy of Love Actually one year as a joke..." he suggested. "I've never seen it, but it looks rather like something you'd enjoy...?" The blond perked up immediately.

"I love that movie!" he enthused, for a moment discarding his misery. The brunet gave a resigned smile.

"Romantic comedy it is," he stated. He stood, placed the disk in the DVD player, and fell back onto the couch with skepticism etched on his face. The writer, at last resorting to his clingy self, climbed onto Rei's lap. "Nagisa!" he protested affectionately, "I won't be able to eat my dinner like this."

"I'll just feed you," he responded, stubbornly nudging his boyfriend's arm. Obligingly, the man wrapped it around his small lover.

The petulant young man deliberately made quick work of their dinner, practically stuffing both his face and Rei's, so that he could force them into cuddling. Not that the brunet was protesting to the idea - once they had set the dishes aside, he willingly tugged his wrapped-up darling into his warm embrace, kissing his downy locks softly. The blond was surprised that his beau seemed rather involved in the movie, but he supposed he shouldn't have been. Despite all that Rei said, Nagisa knew he had a romantic side, as evidenced by his constant attentions throughout the film. Once they'd finished, the writer immediately applied himself to the older man.

"What did you think?" Nagisa pressed, turning around to face him.

"It was a good movie," Rei conceded with a grin, rubbing his boyfriend's back. The blond smiled, obviously pleased with the reaction.

"Which couple do you think we're most like? I think it's got to be the Prime Minister and his secretary!" he insisted, wrapping his legs around the older man's torso like the actress had done at the end. Rei chuckled and pinched some of the fat on the blond's thigh, causing him to yelp a little and lean in closer to their embrace.

"You do have large thighs like her," he agreed, and the writer made a sound of protest that was interrupted by further analysis. "But I rather identified with the author and the Portuguese woman. Sometimes," he confessed, "it feels as though we come from two completely different worlds - you're so beautiful and cultured and relaxed, I don't know how I ever reached you. I can't believe how lucky I am that you love me." He tilted Nagisa's chin up and looked into his rosy eyes, but didn't make a move beyond that.

"... You called me fat, but I think I can forgive you after that," he pouted, leaning his forehead against Rei's. The other man laughed.

"I didn't call you fat, I said you have large thighs, and I happen to be quite fond of them, thank you." Holding his boyfriend fast, the attorney stood, and for the first time that night, the blond laughed. Rei's expression melted with affection. "There's that beautiful smile," he murmured as their eyes locked. Nagisa's face went red up the ears.

"Should we go to bed?" the younger one blurted, his arms wrapped securely around his beau's neck.

"If that's what you want," he agreed, setting him down gently and taking his hand to lead him up the stairs and to his room.

Rei helped him undress before removing his own clothes and embraced him upon the mattress, softly kissing the blond's ears, eyes, and jaw. Nagisa's lashes fluttered clothes as he hummed his content, but it was cut short as his boyfriend drew away. Displeased, his plump lips formed a pout and his rosy gaze sought his lover.

"... I don't want to try anything new tonight," Rei admitted nervously after a prolonged stare. "I just want to be together." He reached out his hand to stroke his darling's cheek like it was something delicate, and the blond noticed that his fingertips trembled slightly. He reached his pale hand up and pressed it against Rei's, so that the latter's warmth enveloped his cheek fully.

"Me neither," he agreed. "I just wanna be taken care of." He snuggled against the pillows, allowing his eyelids to drift shut - but not before he glimpsed a full smile of deep affection spread over the brunet's handsome face.

That night, as Rei made love to him, whispering sweet words of comfort and devotion, Nagisa had never felt safer, nor more precious to any single person. This warmth stayed with him until the first light of morning. Though his beau had long since left for work, the blond awoke to a small bouquet of dusty pink roses, dark green pine sprigs, and crimson holly at his side. Tied to it was a handwritten note from the brunet himself.

"'Nagisa,'" he read aloud, "'I'm sorry I had to leave you so early. Have a wonderful day - I'll be home a little past five. Love, Rei.' Oh, that's so sweet of him..." The writer gently hugged the flowers to his heart, and took care to put them in a vase as soon as he'd finished dressing. He took a moment to post a picture of the set up on all of his social media accounts (and tagged Rei in each and every one of his posts) before making himself some breakfast and settling down to work.

First things first, he finished his Christmas shopping. Among his purchases were a voucher for a couples' cooking class for he and Rei to enjoy, a DIY spa day kit for his sister Emi, and heatable insoles and circulation improving socks for his father - Emi of course had helped him pay for the former. He took the time to print the voucher and place it in a prettily decorated envelope, to be set in between the branches of the tree, right where Rei could see it best. And when at last the lawyer arrived home several hours later, it was the first thing he noticed.

"I'm home!" he called into the apartment. Nagisa replied from the kitchen where he attempted another dinner.

"Welcome home, Rei!" He peeked from around the corner to see his boyfriend toying with the envelope by the tree, his coat not even yet removed. The brunet met his gaze and presented him with a little grin.

"What's this, now?" he mused aloud. Nagisa left the kitchen and kissed the older man on the cheek.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," he retorted, poking his boyfriend on the nose. The attorney's cold-flushed cheeks turned a darker shade of pink, and he muttered an excuse to get away from his teasing beau. Chuckling, the blond returned to his dinner preparations only to be joined by Rei a few minutes later.

"What is it you're making?" he asked, sitting at the counter and watching the writer with great interest and a contented smile upon his face.

"Steamed broccoli, ravioli, and salad left over from lunch. It's got orange slices in it!" he relayed cheerily. "Not the best, but it's about all I can manage at my level."

"It's not as though I could do any better," he replied with a half-hearted shrug. "We'll have to do better than this if we live together." Nagisa's heart skipped a beat, and a set of tongs clattered out of his hands and onto the ground.

"Oh!" he gasped, bending over to grab them and hopefully hiding his holly red face. Rei was already that serious?

"Nagisa, are you all right?" his boyfriend inquired curiously, peeking over at him shyly. A chagrined look on his face told the blond that Rei regretted saying anything in the first place.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied breathlessly, straightening himself out and placing the tongs in the sink. "I was just... well, surprised. I didn't know you were that serious." The brunet's dark eyes widened slightly.

"At this point it's still an'if'," he pointed out rationally, and Nagisa was at once relieved and disappointed. "But... well," the lawyer began bashfully. The younger man perked up slightly, and Rei glanced away, his cheeks dusted pink. "It's just... it feels like we're newlyweds, like this - between the food, the greetings..." He sounded too embarrassed to finish, but the blond, for whom boundaries hardly existed, flushed deeply and continued on his behalf.

"I know what you mean," he agreed sweetly, fiddling with the broccoli. "It's kind of nice," he admitted. When they looked one another's ways, they were both smiling and red.

"It is," the older man agreed, and they left it at that - a secret shared fantasy too far away to yet grasp.

The next day, Rei once again had work, and Nagisa took the time to deliver a few gifts to his father's tree - everything he'd bought for Emi and his father, along with the ones that his boyfriend had chosen.

"Hi Daddy!" the blond greeted as he strode through the door, arms laden with presents as though he were some kind of modern-day, fashionable Santa Claus.

"Hello there, son," his father replied. "I see you've come prepared!" he remarked with a smile spreading across his wrinkled face.

"Mmhmm!" Nagisa agreed, releasing his burden upon his father's bed. He noticed that Emi must have been around lately, as the small tree in the corner of the room already had a few gifts underneath it, and the stockings were showing the first signs of fullness.

"Darling, I'm glad you've come," his father began again, turning fretful. Nagisa noticed that his father had pulled out his old laptop and that it was resting upon his knees. "You see, I'm at a loss as to what I should buy for your boyfriend. This Google says I ought to consider hunting, fishing, or camping gear, but I thought I should ask you first." The blond laughed outright and peeked over his father's shoulder at the search 'what to get your son-in-law for Christmas'. He was a mix between mortified and amused.

"First of all, Dad, we are nowhere near close to marriage," he stated, wiping a tear from his eye. His face was red as he recalled the previous night's conversation. "Second of all, Rei is definitely a metropolitan man. The most sporty he'll ever get is a tool kit." The old man looked disappointed, and with a wry smile his son patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure something like a tool kit could have its benefits, though!" he offered, not knowing if Rei would even use one of those.

"Well, how about this?" Ken offered, pulling up a window featuring something similar to a Swiss Army knife, but in the shape of a flat rectangle. "It's a tool set the size of a credit card. It's called a Tool Logic," he described. Nagisa's eyebrows raised.

"I'm impressed with that, actually. It sounds like a good idea!" he praised. "Do you want help ordering it?" he offered, to his father's great offense.

"I think I know how to use the Amazon," he stated, quite affronted. The blond let him go and began organizing his haul. He artfully arranged what he could under the tree and slipped a few smaller gifts in the stockings. Unable to resist, he patted his own down as well, imagining what might be in there and grinning happily.

"Have you decided what you want for Christmas dinner?" he asked, noticing that the family recipe book was still on the coffee table. Ken shrugged.

"I would be happy with anything you could make for me," he replied happily, pushing his wheelchair over the table. "Do you want to pick out a meal together?" he suggested. He gave a sunny smile.

"Yeah, that sounds nice!" he replied, making grabby hands towards the book and collapsing upon the small loveseat in the room. "Do you think duck would be a good main course? There are only going to be us four, after all," he mused aloud, peeking through the duck and chicken selections available. "They look hard..." he whined. From beside him, his father piped up.

"Why don't you send Emi a text? She's always liked cooking, you know," he informed his son.

"Oh, that's a good plan! That way I won't have to make a decision myself," he said, whipping out his phone and shooting his older sister a text.

To: Emi Hazuki

Hey :P u know how me and my bf are cooking xmas dinner for dad? i was thinking itd be cool if u made something too since we suck at cooking lmao

He tossed his phone to the side and refocused his attention on the book, wondering what else might go with dinner. All of the side course recipes looked difficult as well, but if he enlisted his sister's help, he might feel more at ease with a challenge of such large proportions. He received a text back almost immediately.

From: Emi Hazuki

I'm in the middle of work you know

If she had the time to text back, he huffed, she could have at least been more useful about it. With a pout, he dialed her number and was greeted with an irritated voice.

"Can you not read, you twat?" his sister sighed on the other end. Though she couldn't see it, he grinned cheekily. His father chuckled.

"Anyways, since you're so dead set on being useful, I figured I'd bounce my ideas off you," he informed her, flipping to a dog-eared page at the beginning of the book. "So for the main course, I was looking at this 'four-spice duck and carrots' recipe that doesn't look too hard. What would go with that? It's got cinnamon, anise, coriander, and cumin."

"That doesn't sound awful for you," she agreed. "Careful though, duck can be tricky. Since it has vegetables with it, I think a soup would finish off a simple menu." He imagined her shrug from the other end of the line. "It's not much, but we'll be a pretty rag-tag group anyhow. Maki and Rika are headed up to Mum's, but I told her I was settling in here."

"Have you told her about your fiancee?" Nagisa asked, receiving a sharp look from his father (he hadn't seen that one for awhile) and Emi heaved a great sigh.

"No, not yet. I'm breaking it to her gently. Sort of saying that I moved without him because of the transfer and all."

"Probably a good plan."

"Oh - my superior's calling me over. Text me a recipe for soup from that book, okay? I'll see you soon." Before he had a chance to say goodbye, she'd hung up, though he was left smiling heartily.

"She said she would cook soup," he informed his father, who set to looking for a recipe. Ten minutes later, they decided on a curried parsnip and apple soup that sounded absolutely delectable and way above his skill level. "Anyways, now that that's sorted out, I have to go. I'm gonna go shopping for all the ingredients and stuff." He leaned over to give his father a hug.

"I'll see you soon, Princess," Ken replied, waving him off happily.

Between grocery shopping and the fact that it had already been dark out once he'd left, Nagisa arrived at the apartment well after Rei had, and walked in to find him lounging on the couch with a book in hand. The older man glanced up over the rim of his glasses at his beau's noisy entrance, and the blond had to admit that it was an appealing look for him. He left the groceries at the counter and dropped a kiss on the brunet's cheek.

"Hi, Rei! How was work?" he asked, joining his boyfriend on the couch. He placed the book on the coffee table, switching his focus to Nagisa.

"It went well. We're wrapping up the aftermath of a minor assault - nothing big," he replied with a shrug. "Have you been shopping all this time?"

"No, I visited my dad," the writer informed him. "We decided on a duck with carrots for Christmas dinner, and Emi's chipping in with a soup." Rei smiled lightly.

"That sounds delightful. I hope you didn't buy tonight's dinner though, because I've already started it."

"Oooh, what is it?" Nagisa asked, perking up and leaning against his boyfriend.

"Just a chicken curry. Nothing fancy. Don't worry about peppers and onions - I remembered." The statement earned a kiss from the younger man, but the brunet stood and made his way to the kitchen. Nagisa pouted. "Don't give me that look," Rei jokingly complained. "I've got to make sure the apartment doesn't burn down." The officially bored blond shifted his gaze to the tree and noticed that beside his envelope to Rei, there was another (considerably poorly made) note addressed to him.

"What's this, Rei?" he enthused, poking around at the sharpie antlers drawn onto it, and the highlighter pink nose. He guessed it was supposed to be Rudolph, and that whatever was inside had been hastily shoved in during the older man's job. Said man was now grinning smugly.

"If I told you," he replied matter-of-factly, "then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it, dear? Now come have a seat, the curry is ready." With a roll of his eyes at the familiar words, the blond joined him at the table where a delicious-looking, albeit messy, curry was placed in front of him. He dug in happily to Rei's delight.

"So," Nagisa began through a mouthful of food, "what's your schedule going to be like till Christmas?" His amused boyfriend was careful to swallow his curry before he spoke.

"I don't have to go into work until after Boxing Day, but I have plenty to do from home, as do you I suspect. You've got another article coming up soon, haven't you?"

"So that means we can't get hot and heavy?" the younger man whined playfully, a pout forming on his red lips.

"You're dodging the question," Rei replied succinctly.

"You're dodging mine!" Nagisa shot back cheerfully. The brunet huffed, but he knew his boyfriend wasn't really mad because of a lopsided smile tugging at his lips, and the soft angle of his brow above the ridge of his glasses. In peace, they ate quietly, well prepared to enjoy the days to come.

The blond was surprised that in fact they didn't make love as often as he imagined, but rather settled into a routine that began more often than not with Rei making breakfast, Nagisa waking up just in time to join him, and working on a crossword together (through this he found out that Rei was fond of the Sussex Carol). Around midday, though the writer complained about it, the brunet would burrow away in his office to work on a few case files, and leave his younger beau to garner ideas for his article (and by extension, ideas for Rei's wardrobe) on Pinterest. One day he used the time to hang out with Gou and Hana to give them their gifts and receive one for himself, and on another he took the underground downtown to relax with Haru.

Once evening rolled around, he would stop at the grocery store and buy either a pre-made dinner or ingredients to cook up something himself. After they ate, Nagisa would work his wiles on Rei and while they made love once (and it was nothing new), the older man usually just took him to bed and cuddled (though he appreciated this as well). In the end, he chalked it up to nothing more than a period of adjustment, since Rei hadn't been as eager for sex in the first place. Besides, the blond figured he ought to be planning something special for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day anyhow. A treat for himself and his boyfriend. How thoughtful of him!

Their day started as per usual on Christmas Eve, but deviated when Rei left the apartment around three in the afternoon, much to Nagisa's confusion and delight. He'd have the opportunity he'd need to set up his plan at least, but hadn't the faintest clue when his boyfriend would return - and whether or not the surprise would be ruined.

Nagisa started by moving the lovely glass coffee table and couch well back from of their original spots in front of the fireplace, leaving a large area of bare floor in the living room. He took the opportunity to light the kindling and drive the day's chill well out and tied a bit of mistletoe upon the mantle. He set a chilled bottle of champagne on the coffee table and placed two glasses, the stems wrapped in red ribbon, beside it. At last, he turned out the lights. What had been a cool luxury apartment was leant a warm and romantic atmosphere, just the way Nagisa liked it. The area promoted what Rei really wanted, the blond had learned - a sense of intimacy. Hopefully the floor suggested his personal wishes - a racy, heat-filled encounter with his lover.

The blond stepped back to admire his handiwork before preparing the final detail - himself. He hurried to the bathroom, shedding his clothes while he was at it, to do his makeup. His aim was a saucy look, with red eyeshadow and winged black liner and silver gems glued below his eyes. He didn't use lipstick or lipgloss - no need - but instead shined himself up with a flavored chapstick, giving him a wet and kissable look. At last, he picked out a sheer candy-apple babydoll slip lined with ivory lace and shimmied on a completely transparent pair of matching boyshorts. At this point, the day had grown dark - Nagisa was beginning to worry as what began as Christmas Eve morning slipped into Christmas Eve night... He rushed back down the stairs and used what red ribbon he had leftover from wrapping the glasses to tie his wrists with a considerable amount of slack between them - he wanted to spice up their lives, but he wasn't sure if Rei was that into the idea of bondage. Baby steps. All that left him with one option left - wait.

And anxiously did he do just that. Nagisa sat on the floor in front of the fireplace as what remained of the day vanished until finally, at 5:30, Rei opened the door and called out, "I'm home!" The blond hurriedly posed himself on the floor, making himself as attractive as possible. When his boyfriend saw him, his eyebrows shot up over the rim of his glasses.

"Welcome home, Rei," he greeted seductively, crossing his ankles where he lay. "Are you ready to unwrap your present?" The brunet stayed silent a moment, likely taking in the whole scene, before placing a small box beside the champagne.

"And I take it that you must be my present?" he quipped, opening the bottle with a pop and a quiet fizz, barely audible above the sound of the crackling fireplace. Nagisa smiled in response, his eyelids fluttering half-closed. Rei sipped at the satin-wrapped glass before crouching in front of his beau and tilting his chin up. "I don't even get to choose? How presumptuous," he continued with a smirk. Quite tired of all this teasing, Nagisa leapt up, wrapping his bound arms around Rei's neck and kissing him so passionately that he knocked the poor brunet over. From between heady kisses, the lawyer panted, "Wait - not prepared - just -" but the blond hardly heard him until his boyfriend physically (and gently) pushed him away. "Stop for just a moment!" The writer pouted.

"Why? Don't you want me like this?" he asked, slight hurt quite obvious in his voice.

"Of course I do!" Rei insisted. "It's just..." He sat up, sliding Nagisa off of his lap, though the younger man still clung to his arm. "I have something to apologize for first," he finished sheepishly, his long arm reaching for the box on the table.

"What for?" Nagisa asked cautiously, eyeing the gift with open curiosity. His beau looked like he struggling to come up with the right words to say, but gave up, simply handing the present over with a blush. The blond took the rectangular red velvet box and pulled off its emerald satin ribbon. He opened it, and with shock so wild it brought tears to his eyes, gasped, his soft hand flying to his mouth.

There, sparkling so finely in the burgundy case, was a perfect gold herringbone necklace. Nagisa looked back up at Rei, hope in his eyes.

"... I'm sorry. I didn't know it would bother you so much," the attorney confessed, "not having it with you. I noticed on our first night together that it was quite tarnished, so I took it while you were sleeping. I meant the cleaning to be a gift, you see..." He fidgeted nervously. "I understand if you don't want to continue." But, with a much softer hold, Nagisa embraced his lover as he held back his tears, if only for the sake of his makeup.

"Oh, Rei, it's absolutely perfect. Thank you. It's the best gift I could ever ask for." Again, Rei pulled away from him, placing his hand upon the box.

"Then, do you mind if I...?" The younger man relinquished his necklace to his beau, who in turn gently clasped it upon his neck. "It looks perfect," he admired, his fingers lingering around Nagisa's collarbone. "Can I take this to mean you're still willing to be my present?" His violet eyes glanced up, and the blond plucked away his glasses.

"Do you want me?" he asked sensually, crawling into his beau's lap. With one strong arm wrapped around the small of his back, Rei lowered him down to the plush carpet, effectively placing himself over Nagisa. Their foreheads tapped together.

"Most certainly." Still staring into the blond's eyes, the attorney took his hand and placed a kiss upon his bound wrist. "Stay there while I get the necessities, all right?" And though he pouted about it, the blond let him go while he made himself more comfortable. He honestly didn't have long to wait - Rei was back in a flash, about as eager as he was, and joined him on the plush carpet, once again falling prisoner to the younger man's wild kiss.

There was no hint of reservation between the two. Nagisa was feeling at once pent up and passionate, both thanks to his boyfriend's vanilla sweetness that led them to not fucking every night he'd been there. Yet at the same time, the blond noted as Rei's hands ravished his body through the babydoll, it served to make their love tonight all the hotter. The brunet's fingers teased his beau's nipples through the sheer red fabric. Once he was bored of just touches, however, his teeth latched on, causing Nagisa to squirm with delight at the sensation. His nails dug into the plush carpet below him.

"Reiii, " he moaned, dragging out his name from between his teeth. He thrust his hips up, seeking any form of contact. His lover smirked and brought his lips down upon Nagisa's, who in turn caressed his neck - and promptly realized that his boyfriend was still in his suit. Obligingly sliding his hands further down, he helped Rei out of what was no doubt becoming a most restrictive garment. The older man's own hands tugged restlessly at his tie, casting it carelessly aside. Nagisa undid the first few buttons of his white shirt. The brunet's hands gripped his hips, and he took it as a cue to strip the older man himself, and expose the glorious body above him. Here, however, he paused.

"Rei?" The writer put on his best pleading voice, lifting a finger to the corner of his wet, plump lips and going for a look as 'nice' as possible. "Can we try something new tonight? I want to treat you," he said, fluttering his eyelashes over the silver gems on his face. His older boyfriend pulled away, looking slightly quizzical and very flushed.

"I would like to," he replied, awaiting Nagisa's next move. In a moment, with a surge of strength he hadn't quite expected from the smaller man, their positions were flipped. The attorney lay flat on his back while the now quite naughtily grinning Nagisa straddled him. The ribbons on his wrists came undone. Running his pale fingers over his beau's body, his hands came to pin Rei's to the ground. His voice became breathy and aroused.

"I'm going to ride you all night long," he stated, his eyes half-lidded with lust. From his position atop Rei's crotch, he felt a twitch. The brunet's red blush told him that his approach was most welcome. He helped his partner out of his very restrictive, well-tailored pants (a pity this purpose hadn't been considered), and removed his briefs with it before returning his previous position. Embarrassed, but ever the good partner, the older man gently began to massage around Nagisa's ass, relaxing his body to the fullest while said blond fixed up a condom and a helping of lubricant. He didn't hold back in application, either. Stroking the cool lube onto his lover's cock only helped him get harder, which in turn would only help Nagisa feel better.

The younger man discarded the lacy bottoms that came with his babydoll and leaned back, away from Rei. Curiously, his boyfriend propped himself up on an elbow, his violet eyes exploring every inch of the blond's exposed member. Nagisa loaded his fingers with lubricant and, catching Rei's gaze and refusing to look away, began to give him a show.

One wet finger prodded softly around his entrance, while his other hand busied itself stroking his hard-on softly. Over the sound of the fireplace, his soft moans made their way to Rei's ears. And the man was obviously enjoying what he saw, to the extent that it began to embarrass Nagisa himself. If he hadn't known his body so well, he certainly would've taken too long for either of them to wait. But in this matter, he could be quick and efficient, to make up for the time of lowering himself onto his boyfriend.

When he was finished, Nagisa scooted back up to Rei and gave his dick a quick suck for good measure.

"Have you ever done it like this before?" he asked curiously, looking down at the blushing brunet. The older man looked away and shook his head meekly. Nagisa smiled at the display. "Okay then, a couple ground rules," he stated, leaning down to kiss the corner of Rei's mouth. "Tonight, I'm in charge," he whispered sensually. "I control the pace, and we're gonna go slow, no thanks to gravity. Understand, you naughty boy?" he murmured, gripping his boyfriend's chin and forcing him to look his way.

"I understand," he confirmed, tucking a stray golden lock behind the young man's ear.

"All right," he said, pulling away and hoisting himself up into a squatting position, "here we go." Carefully, he aligned himself with Rei, and with excruciating slowness, guided the tip to his entrance and pushed himself on. His lover watched with rapt attention, admiring each and every vulnerable facial expression, reconciling the devilish man that had pushed him down with the so very exposed boy that now sat atop him. Once Nagisa was content with where he was, he granted permission for the attorney to move.

"Okay," he sighed, shifting up and down delicately, "you can match my pace, but don't do too much work." Rei's eyes took on a certain shine that his boyfriend had only seen in his most focused moments, and rolled his hips so gently in time with Nagisa's, and in just the right way so as to hit his prostate immediately. "Oh, God, Rei, right there!" he moaned, pushing himself back onto that spot over and over. The brunet adjusted himself to match, ensuring that he wasn't thrusting nearly as hard as his younger partner. Nagisa couldn't help but moan. Rei was a natural in this position. His attentiveness, his focus, and his meekness all culminated into what was the perfect top for the blond. His teeth sunk into his lip as he silenced himself. The attorney's hands began to wander across his body.

"You're so perfect," Rei told him. "So beautiful. I love you so much," he murmured huskily as his tanned fingers finally found Nagisa's erection and began to tease it.

"Oooh Rei, keep touching me, please, " he begged, thrusting himself against his boyfriend's member with greater speed and force. His erratic movements pushed the still lawyer over the edge. Rei's hands darted to his hips as his body tensed and he came with a cry.

"God, Nagisa!" he called, as the younger man moved against his orgasm. The writer pulled himself off of his lover's limp dick and rolled off to the side, only to have Rei's lovely digits wrap themselves around his erect shaft and begin pumping. His mouth joined a moment later, and the blond's fingers once again dug into the carpet. When he came, the older man swallowed.

"You didn't have to," Nagisa replied, feeling slightly guilty that his boyfriend hadn't been given any warning. Taking a swig of champagne and looking far more elegant than he should have for a man that was just rode for the first time, Rei shook his head.

"It's all right, I wanted to. Never mind that, though, you must be exhausted. Can you stand?" Nagisa nodded, but made no move to do so. Rei raised his eyebrows. "... I guess sleeping on the couch wouldn't be so bad, then," he concluded as his young partner curled up drowsily on the floor. With a shrug, the brunet grabbed his throw and joined Nagisa where he lay, pulling him into a comfortable spooning position. "But I guess I wouldn't mind this, either." Their warm bodies pushed up against one another, and they whispered sweet nothings under the cover of the crackling fire until, before they realized it, they both had slipped into the realm of dreams.