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“Where are we going?” Rei asks quietly into the cold night air, his breath swirling around in a cloud as he pulls his jacket tight around his thin frame.
“It’s a surprise, Rei,” Kazuki smiles at him. His nose, a slightly deeper shade of red than the rest of face, peaking out from under his fringe that pokes out of his blue beanie.
“S’cold,” Rei sniffles.
“Yeah, it’s winter, silly,” Kazuki teases.
Turning the corner, they are greeted with bright shimmering lights that hang in swoops over the town square. Different vendor carts line the street as families and couples stroll around the center. The sounds of Christmas melodies and children laughing fill the air; only the harsh crunch of ice skates gliding to a stop on the rink pierce through the holly jolly.
“So many people,” Rei groans at the crowd.
Kazuki laughs, shaking his head at Rei.
“Come on,” Kazuki chuckles, yanking his hand out of his pocket as he grabs it. Leading him through the happy people, Kazuki heads straight for a bright red vendor cart.
Ho-Ho-Ho Hot Chocolate
The Best in Town
“The best in town!” Kazuki beams at Rei as they stand in line.
“Better be,” Rei mumbles under his breath as they step up to the attendant.
“Two please,” Kazuki holds up two gloved fingers as he smiles wide at the girl dressed as a cute Santa.
She pours the hot, velvety liquid into two cups and smiles back.
“And a candy cane for the Grinch,” she teases, handing Rei the wrapped candy.
“Thanks,” he grumbles, completely missing the flirty wink she gives him.
“Come back, again,” she calls to him as they step out of line and walk down a less crowded path.
“Oh, she liked you, Rei,” Kazuki pokes as he nudges Rei in the ribs with his elbow.
Rei blushes, he never understood flirting. If you like someone you should just say it, why play games and tease the person if you want to date them? Well, actually, it is kinda nerve racking to admit your feelings for someone, he admits to himself.
“Rei, I was only joking,” Kazuki chuckles into his hot chocolate, side eyeing the way Rei’s face is scrunched in thought. “Try the hot chocolate,” he nods.
Rei slowly brings his cup up to lips, blowing as the steam dances around his cheeks. Cautiously sipping the liquid, his tense face begins to soften. The thick, creamy cocoa coats his tongue as he feels the heat of the drink slide down his throat, warming his body from the inside out.
“Best in town?” Kazuki smirks.
“Best in town,” Rei nods, his hot breath puffing a cloud around him.
“Told ya,” Kazuki chuckles. “Turn here, there’s something I want to show you,” he points to a dark alley, leading behind all of the festivities.
Rei doesn’t really pay attention to where they’re going, focusing on the warm cup in his hand and sipping at it. He trusts Kazuki enough to lead him wherever. He’s already dragged him to this holiday hell, what could be worse?
“Up here,” Kazuki nods up to a set of stairs in the building behind the festival. It’s dark and cold and reminds Rei of the zombie game he was playing earlier today.
“Wanna see your surprise?” Kazuki smiles at Rei from a few steps up, taking Rei out of his gaming thoughts.
They quickly ascend the stairs to large opening. There’s a small table set up with two chairs against a dusty window. Soft yellow light twinkles through the glass from the street below.
Rei’s eyes go wide as Kazuki takes Rei’s cup from his hand and sets it on the table, then bends to reveal a small picnic basket.
As Rei stands there, watching Kazuki unload the contents of the basket onto the table in quick, practiced movements, he suddenly realizes what Kazuki was planning all along.
“I know you hate crowds,” Kazuki says, closing up the basket once again. “And you hate the cold,” he slides the basket back under the table. “And just being out of the house makes you uncomfortable,” he chuckles as he turns to face Rei.
Rei continues to stand still, his hands at his side, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“But, I really wanted it to be a surprise,” Kazuki blushes, slowly walking back to Rei. He grabs Rei’s gloved hands in his own cold bare hands, and gently pulls him over to the window.
Staring down at all of the Christmas fun the crowd is having, Rei can feel his heart pounding in his chest. His hands get a little too warm in their gloves and he has to remove them, shoving them in his pocket as Kazuki eyes him from the corner of his vision.
“Rei?”
He jumps slightly at the sound of his name, not because he’s scared, but because he’s nervous. Kazuki has always had a flair for being romantic, but this…this is all too much.
“Rei,” Kazuki calls again, sweet like his Best in Town hot chocolate.
Rei gulps down his heart that jumped up into his throat, and turns to look at Kazuki.
Rei blinks rapidly when he feels Kazuki’s cold hands take his left, holding it between his own. That’s when he sees him.
Kazuki is down on one knee.
Rei gasps deeply, at the sight of him. The soft glow of the lights shining in his hair like a halo, the pink tint to his cheeks and nose, the way he smiles fondly up at Rei, and the look in his eye.
A look that fills Rei up with warmth, fills him with love and need and desperation and life itself.
“I love you, Rei,” Kazuki’s voice wavers as tears start to well up in his eyes. “I’ve loved you for so long, and I can’t imagine a life without you in it,” he sniffs.
“Will you, marry me?”
Rei blinks back the wall of tears obscuring his vision of the man he loves as he nods, vigorously. Pulling Kazuki up from his knee, laughing into each others mouths as they kiss in the warm blanket of their love, Rei holds Kazuki close to him, never wanting to let go.
Kazuki gently tugs Rei’s left hand from where he holds his waist, sliding a thin gold band over his ring finger. Rei is Kazuki’s beautiful, sweet, albeit quiet, love of his life, and now, they can love each other forever, however they please.
Gazing into Kazuki’s bright crimson eyes, the corner of his lashes collecting his tears, Rei smiles the widest he’s ever smiled. He gazes at Kazuki’s face, feeling love like he’s never felt before, the warmth it blossoms from inside of him, the passion it builds between them. Leaning into him, Rei presses his lips to his, sweetly, gently, lovingly showering him with affection he’s only ever felt for Kazuki.
Kazuki lets Rei cover him in kisses, letting him express his emotion, however he wants, even if it’s only when they’re alone, in a secluded room, away from the crowds, he prefers it that way. Rei is his, and his alone.
Rei doesn’t feel like his peppered kiss are enough to show Kazuki how much he loves him. He did all of this and so much more for Rei. He needs Kazuki to know how much he appreciates him, how much he loves him.
Gently, Kazuki feels the love of his life pull away from him slightly, looking down at him as his dark blue eyes slowly blink at him, making Kazuki blush even more at the fondness behind them.
Pulling Kazuki into himself even closer, Rei cups Kazuki’s face in his hand, the gold ring shining in the glow of the yellow lights, and angles his head back, so he can kiss Kazuki passionately. Breathing him in, deeply. Gently nudging his tongue into his mouth, Rei tastes the best hot chocolate in town. It’s a taste Rei will never forget, and always crave.
“I love you, Kazu,” Rei whispers into his cheek, pressing their faces together as his arms wrap around him tightly. “I’ll never let you go.”
Closing their eyes as the squeeze each other, pressing together so tightly, they might become one, Kazuki and Rei hold each other, basking in the warm of their love, on a cold winter night.