Chapter Text
You aren’t sure what to expect out of Christmas this year.
The past few Christmases followed the same pattern. Work all day before picking the girls for dinner at your parent’s place, Kuroo only showing up long past your daughters’ bedtime, empty handed. Your mother makes snide remarks about his absence when the girls can’t overhear, and it hurts that you can’t refute her words, tell her that she’s wrong about him.
But this year - he promised to do better. And he has done better over the past few months.
He’s taken over bringing the girls to school, picking up his fair share of chores. It’s no longer a surprise to find him home for dinner at least thrice a week, and his weekends are now dedicated to you and the children. It’s more than you asked for - not that you asked for much at all in the first place, but he’s exceeded your expectations, so you should be understanding now, especially since Christmas is a working day, and it’s likely that Kuroo has to clear as much work as he can before the holidays over the turn of the new year.
He does send you a cryptic text not to worry about picking up the girls from childcare and to come straight home for after work though, so you dare to hope, cultivate a small bloom in your heart that keeps you warm throughout the day.
“Mama! Look at what papa cooked for dinner today!”
The telltale smell of fried chicken wafts through your little castle, your humble abode. Kuroo’s in a neon pink apron in the kitchen building up a mountain of perfectly golden fried chicken, Fumiko strapped to a chair by the counter so she can walk the proceedings, Aiko talking at you about her day at breakneck speed - papa stayed home even though he said he wasn’t sick, mama! And we watched lots of movies and went to buy cake even though he said it was supposed to be a surprise, whoops - Kuroo makes a strangled noise as Aiko lets the cat out of the bag, but she presses on - but we did have naptime, papa insisted - your poor husband visibly lets out a sigh of relief as he’s absolved of a mortal sin - even though Fumiko was naughty and cried, and I didn’t, mama -
“That’s great Aiko”, you say distractedly, catching her up in your arms as you gawk at your home. You’ve not put up the Christmas tree once the kids came along because you were focused more on keeping your little monsters and yourself alive, so the sight of a full height Christmas tree adorned in red and gold brings back memories of your early days of marriage when you and Tetsuro would put up a cheap, second hand Christmas tree and exchange little presents for each other when the clock strikes midnight.
“Tetsuro -”
“Surprise! Santa came early”, Kuroo says cheekily, waving his spatula at you. “Put down your things and take a shower. Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes, I promise!”
You must look like a deer stricken by headlights, though a more apt comparison would be a partridge stricken by a falling pear in its tree.
“What are you doing ?”
Kuroo’s smile falters, the light in his eyes dims, a faded gold. “I -” you watch as he gathers himself for a moment.
You look around again, noticing the details you missed the first time around. The laundry’s all done, folded nicely away. The floor is clear of dust. There are fairy lights all around the apartment, a hastily tucked away paper bag that indicates your favourite cake is probably sitting in the fridge, and Kuroo even went through the trouble of dressing not just the girls in adorable christmas themed dresses (Aiko, the sugar plum fairy, Fumiko, a chubby cheeked elf) - but Yaku your elderly dog is grumpily sporting a pair of fuzzy reindeer antlers too.
In one’s life, there are days full of sunshine and days full of rain. You’ve felt them both - the contentment basking in sunshine, the despair of being caught in a freezing cold downpour. But today, Kuroo Tetsuro is trying to make the best of all of it by creating a rainbow - in yuletide shades no less, of red and green, white and gold.
It’s a Christmas miracle, one that he’s created just for you.
“Mama - look! Papa even got some mistletoe cos Fumiko saw it on TV - we watched a lot of TV today while papa was cooking, he also said to keep that a secret”, Kuroo huffs a sheepish laugh - “and she wouldn’t stop crying ‘til he got her some, she’s such a baby, mama!”
It’s definitely not mistletoe that Aiko has in her hand - a sad looking branch with a cheery red ribbon twined around it, but you take it from her, holding it above her head before pressing a kiss to her smooth cheek.
“Mistletoe, huh”, you remark, as you make your way into the kitchen, breaking your journey with a quick peck to Fumiko’s forehead as your younger daughter giggles, slapping the countertops to express her glee.
He’s biting his lips, looking nervous as you advance towards him. “Fumiko really really wanted mistletoe, but you know it definitely doesn’t grow around here and I wasn’t going to call Yaku and get him to deliver a sprig of it from Moscow, he’ll chew my ears off so - Fumiko cover your ears, sweetheart - I snuck downstairs with Aiko and broke off a branch and tied a ribbon on it to make it look pretty but I think she’s kinda happy with it at this point - “
He breaks off as he notices that you’re standing really really close to him, flushing pink when he realises the branch he pilfered from some poor bush is being held over his head.
“Merry Christmas, Tetsuro”, you murmur, before brushing a kiss to the corner of his lips.
“Merry Christmas”, he breathes. Hope brings light back to his eyes, as he savours the honey in your smile. “I - forgive me -”
( for the holidays he’s missed, the times he put you aside)
“I’ll forgive you if you cut me a huge slice of cake - ”
“Done”, he says immediately, flinging his apron aside to rush to the fridge. “I mean, if you really want to spoil your appetite like that despite me cooking so much karaage - ”
“You could’ve ordered KFC, don’t complain!”
“As if I’m going to feed you and the girls that sort of processed junk - seriously, princess, for someone who loves food so much, you stoop real low at times - “
“I’ll show you how low I can stoop, Kuroo Tetsuro, you come back here - ”
Your bickering is interrupted by Fumiko lobbing a stray spoon over in a bid to join the fun, and you have to stop Aiko from joining in what she thinks is an all out food war. But when you wrangle the girls into their seats and Kuroo finally settles all negotiations with them to eat their veggies or no fried chicken for them - Aiko, I don’t negotiate with little terrorists, Fumiko, brocoli won’t poison you, I promise - you realise Kuroo Tetsuro has exceeded your expectations.
A Christmas celebration, your family all together.
It’s the best Christmas present he could’ve given you.