Chapter Text
Fukuzawa wandered around the store, occasionally stopping to grab something off the shelf. Why is Ranpo's taste in snacks so unhealthy? He stopped in front of a card display. Maybe I should get a card for Kunikida. And Yosano. He carefully picked out two cards from the collection and put them on top of Ranpo's snacks. Now I just have to find something for Chuuya. This might as well be his first Christmas. Fukuzawa wandered around a bit more, trying to find a gift for Chuuya before he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He walked over to the item and smiled. Perfect.
Fukuzawa got back to the agency, ignoring the suspicious looks he received from Dazai, and went straight into his office. I have to wrap everything before I get home or Ranpo will figure it out. He probably will anyway but at least it will help. Fukuzawa had just started wrapping Ranpo's snacks when Dazai walked in. "What do you want, Dazai? I'm busy."
Dazai walked over and picked up the two cards, his face twisting in disbelief when he saw the names in them. "You got something for Kunikida and not for me!?"
"Kunikida has been helping me teach Chuuya math and other basic subjects. You haven't. Now as I said, I'm busy. What do you want?" Fukuzawa pulled the cards out of Dazai's hands and set them to the side before going back to wrapping.
Dazai picked up a thin, wrapped box and studied it. "This is lighter than I expected. Is it for the shrimp?"
"Shrimp? Do you mean Chuuya?"
"Yeah. He's small and red."
Shrimp. Of all the nicknames to come up with he chose shrimp. "Yes. It is for Chuuya. Leave it alone." Fukuzawa grabbed the box out of Dazai's hands.
"What is it? If I had met him I might have tried to get him something."
"I'm not telling you that. I'm busy, Dazai."
"Bor-inggg I think it's an extra extra small tie dye shirt. That way he'll be easier to find seeing as he's so tiny."
That's going to become a thing, isn't it? "Not even close. And even if it was a shirt it wouldn't be tie dye. Chuuya's favorite color is purple."
"Man, he really has poor taste. Purple is one of the worst colors. Maybe we shouldn't trust you to teach him."
Fukuzawa chuckled darkly. He might be right. Kunikida is a lot better at teaching than I am. And I can barely keep up with myself and Ranpo, let alone someone who can barely function on his own. Yes he's gotten better but there's still so much that he relies on me for. And the last time I tried to help someone after the government used them… He ripped another piece of tape to continue wrapping Ranpo's snacks. No. Now's not the time.
He didn't even notice Dazai walk to the door. "I… I'll just, leave you to your wrapping."
Fukuzawa looked at him, pushing back the rest of his thoughts. "Bye, Dazai."
Not even five minutes after Dazai left, Yosano walked in. Fukuzawa put the finishing touches on Ranpo's gift before smiling at her. "You don't come visit very often. What do you need?"
She smiled. "What? Is it so unbelievable that I just want to say hi?"
"You would've just texted me so you didn't have to leave your cave."
"Just because I spend most of my time in the Infirmary does not make it my cave. You're in a mood today. What's wrong?"
Fukuzawa's smile fell. "I'm fine. Just, reminiscing, I guess." Dazai certainly didn't help. Sometimes he really reminds me of… no. It's not the time. Again.
"Reminiscing on what? A past love maybe? I mean you are an old man."
"I'm not that old. And maybe that is part of it. I'll be fine though." He took a breath and started smiling again. "I have a card for you. Just because you aren't one of my kids anymore doesn't mean I'm not going to get you something." He held out her card.
"I never was one of your kids." She stared at her name on the card. "Not like Ranpo and Chuuya are at least."
"Either way, you'll always have a place if you want it. I wish you could meet Chuuya."
"I do too, but I don't think that this is a great time. Let him get a bit better adjusted first. I can wait as long as he needs." She opened the card and smiled, wiping tears out of her eyes. "Who knew you were so sappy."
He laughed. "You did."
"Yeah. I did." She laughed and finished wiping away her tears. "I'm assuming the suspiciously candy box shaped gift is for Ranpo. Is the other one for Chuuya?"
"Yes. And before you ask, I'm not telling you what it is. I didn't tell Dazai either."
"Wasn't gonna ask. I will make a guess though. Is it another stuffed animal? Like Blue?"
"No. You did better than Dazai though. He guessed a shirt."
Yosano snorted. "That sounds like him. You should go home. I know Ranpo is with him, but it's Chuuya's first real Christmas. Go be with him."
"I still have to give Kunikida his card, but I think after that I will. Don't spend all day hiding in your cave."
"Not a cave," she yelled as she left the room.
Fukuzawa stared at the door, waiting for someone else to walk in. When they didn't, he pulled open a drawer on his desk and looked at the card sitting there. He probably doesn't care. But still. For old times sake. Fukuzawa pulled it out of the drawer and set it in the bag with Chuuya and Ranpo's gifts. I'll still never forgive him. He stood up, grabbing Kunikida’s card and the bag, and walked to his office door. At least I still have a family to fall back on. He smiled softly and pushed the door open to Kunikida about to knock. "President, I was just coming to talk to you."
"Yeah, well it can wait until another day. Here." Fukuzawa handed him his card. "I need to get home."
"I'm guessing that's why you have the gifts. You decided to wrap them here instead of there because you figured Ranpo would see it there."
"Yes. Please tell me you aren't going to demand to know what's in them too."
"I'm just curious what you got Chuuya. I was thinking about getting him something too."
"I'm definitely not telling you that one. I'm sure you'll figure something out."
"I'm thinking a notebook of some kind. I know he likes writing, and it's a good thing to have. Unless that's what you got him."
"It's not. He'd like that though. Honestly, he'd probably like anything you got him."
"Yeah but I want it to mean something. He deserves to have people care about what he wants." Kunikida smiled. "Tell him Merry Christmas for me."
"I will." Fukuzawa stepped around Kunikida and was ambushed by Kenji and Naomi.
"I think a cow would be a great present!" Kenji exclaimed, reaching towards the bag before Fukuzawa moved it away.
Naomi rolled her eyes. "Maybe for you, but Chuuya is not a farm boy. Junichiro thinks it's a hoodie but obviously he's wrong too. You got him another stuffed animal, didn't you,"
"Yosano already guessed that and it's a no. Every single one of you has been wrong. Isn't this supposed to be a detective agency?"
"Rude!" Yosano yelled from inside the infirmary.
Fukuzawa rolled his eyes. "Look, you should all go home. You shouldn't have to be working today, and I'm leaving too. Merry Christmas." Fukuzawa continued to make his way to the door, ignoring everyone as they tried to respond to him. He finally made it out of the agency and started walking home.
I guess I need to make a short detour first. He glanced down at the card sitting in the top of the bag. Not that he's going to care.
He stopped in front of the tall, black building and pulled out the card. He stared down at the black letters on the white envelope. It's been almost 10 years since I found out about Yosano. 10 years since I realized there wasn't any chance for me to help him. I can't forgive him. Yosano's not the only one he hurt. And now… it's highly possible he knew about Chuuya. But still… No. This is the end. It's time to say goodbye. For good. Fukuzawa set down the card. Someone will find it here. And considering it's addressed to the boss, it'll get to him. Goodbye, Mori.
He looked down at the card one more time before walking away.
Fukuzawa quietly entered the house, setting down the bag of gifts on the counter. He walked into the living room to find Chuuya asleep on top of Ranpo. Ranpo looks miserable He made eye contact with Ranpo as he knelt down in front of them. He pulled Chuuya off of Ranpo and gently tapped his shoulder to wake him up. "Hey, Chuuya, how are you?"
Chuuya smiled sleepily at him. "Good."
"What did you and Ranpo do today?"
"Stories." Chuuya turned around to look at Ranpo.
"I told him about Christmas. I mean, it is Christmas eve."
"Is that all?"
"Yes!" Chuuya nodded. He's lying. Chuuya's never lied to me before. What happened?
Fukuzawa glared at Ranpo for a second before taking a breath. It's probably harmless. "Well, since Ranpo told you so much about Christmas, how do you want to spend tonight?"
Chuuya thought for a second. "Can you tell me a story?"
Fukuzawa laughed and pulled a blanket off the couch to wrap around them. "How about I tell you about the first time I actually celebrated Christmas."
Ranpo stared at him. "I don't know this story."
"No, you don't. I didn't really celebrate it much when I was younger. My parents were never really interested in stuff like that, and they wouldn't have been able to anyway. Later on, I just never really thought about it until about 12 years ago. I was working with someone, and they really wanted to celebrate it. I was the only one who they could celebrate with, so they invited me. Neither of us were big on gifts, so we got each other cards and just hung out. It was actually the first time someone went out of their way to spend time with me. It became a bit of a tradition and for the next 3 years we hung out every Christmas."
"Why'd you stop?" Ranpo asked, studying Fukuzawa.
Fukuzawa sighed. "It's… complicated. The two of us have a pretty long history. He hurt someone. A lot of people actually. And at first I thought that I could help him because it wasn't really his fault that he ended up the way he did, but eventually I realized that it wasn't fair to keep trying." Fukuzawa looked directly at Chuuya. "Sometimes, no matter how you feel about someone, you have to move on. If someone hurts you, you don't have to stay with them just because it wasn't entirely their fault. And it is one of the strongest things you can do to leave them. It's why you're so incredibly strong, Chuuya. I'm so proud of you."
Fukuzawa felt his eyes start to water and rubbed them. Ranpo studied him before smiling softly. "Chuuya made something for you."
Fukuzawa looked over to him. "What?"
Chuuya stood up and grabbed something out of his room. He held up a poorly wrapped box with a giant smile on his face. "Ranpo said you give gifts. So I made you a gift."
Fukuzawa felt the tears reform in his eyes. He's doing this on purpose. How am I not supposed to cry at that? Chuuya handed Fukuzawa the gift and sat back, watching him with wide eyes. "I can't open this and not give you guys yours. Ranpo, grab the bag that's on the counter." Ranpo walked over and grabbed the bag of gifts before sitting down beside the two of them. Fukuzawa pulled out their gifts and handed them out. "Why don't you go first, Chuuya? You just have to pull off the paper and open the box."
Chuuya stared at it. "Help?"
Fukuzawa smiled and pulled Chuuya into his lap. "Of course." He found the end of the wrapping paper and started pulling it apart. He nudged Chuuya once he had started it and let him unwrap it the rest of the way. Once the box was unwrapped, Fukuzawa opened it and let Chuuya pull out what was inside.
Chuuya pulled out the blanket and wrapped it around himself. He smiled as he stroked one of the dogs on the blanket. "It's like Blue."
"Yeah. And I made sure the blanket itself was your favorite color. What do you think?"
Chuuya pulled the blanket tight around himself. "I love it. You?"
Moment of truth. Fukuzawa picked his gift back up and stared at it. I don't know if I can do this. "Just open it!" Ranpo insisted, ripping open his snacks.
"I'm getting there." Fukuzawa started pulling off the wrapping paper very carefully, trying not to rip it. I'm already starting to cry. When did I become such a softie? He finished pulling off the wrapping paper and set it to the side. He carefully picked up what was in the box and started crying more intensely. He made me a bracelet. This had to be Ranpo's idea. What did I do to deserve them? He ran his fingers over the bracelet, trying to wipe some of his tears with his other hand. I need to thank them. Fukuzawa opened his mouth to thank them but was stopped by Chuuya reaching towards his face.
Chuuya wiped the tears off of Fukuzawa's face and frowned. "Do you like it?"
Fukuzawa smiled brightly and pulled Chuuya into a hug. "I do, Chuuya. I really do."