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Senkuu did his best to keep firm footing while also practically racing up the stairs as he went up the frozen steps to his and Tsukasa’s apartment. It wasn’t like the inside of their appointment was much better but at least there wasn’t snow that would dampen his shoes with each new step.
“Relax Senkuu,” Tsukasa chuckled a bit as he followed Senkuu up with one of the larger boxes the pair bought between his arm and waist.
“E-easy for you t-t-to say,” Senkuu tried to get control over his shhiving mouth. “Probably warm under all that muscle,”
“Hmhh,” Tsukasa hummed in response.
“Also remind me how many times I warned the landlord about the damn heating unit?” Senkuu tried to stop the back of his teeth from chattering from the cold air making its way through the apartment.
“The formal or informal?” Tsukasa grinned a little.
“Both,” Senkuu corrected, completely missing the point of the tease. “I could’ve fixed the thing back when I was 10 but it wakes him weeks to call someone to look at it?”
“Probaly doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s experiment,” Tsukasa playfully sighed as he got the small Christmas tree they just got in the door.
There had been some issues with the heating (Or at least that’s what the landlord had said the issue was) and because of that the heating was turned off, so for the past few days they had been relying on heated blankets, tea, heating fans, and a lot of baggy clothes,
“Ehhh wasn’t that bad,” Senkuu closed the door behind them, conveniently forgetting the small stain still left on the door from last year.
“Right,” Tsukasa raised his brow. “Well, at least it’s a little better in here,” Tsukasa felt well enough to take off his jacket and slip into the house slippers.
“Still can’t feel my fingers though,” Senkuu slipped out his slightly damp shoes for his dry house slippers as well. Senkuu was careful with the plastic bags in his hands as she shifted the bag around but there were still a few clinks of the ornaments in the bag.
They hadn’t meant to be out long but they found that inside of the stores were much warmer than their apartment and found themselves spending a bit more on (specifically science-themed) ornaments than they had meant to. Their student apartment would fit a full Christmas tree but based on the bags Senkuu was carrying you wouldn’t be faulted for thinking they had multiple trees in their little apartment.
Senkuu managed to switch out his shoes without cracking anything (or at least to his knowledge). As warm as the heat fan was, he couldn’t stand there all day, so without taking over his jacket he trudged forward.
Tsukasa had already taken the mini tree out of its box and put it in the corner of their dorm. The little bits of plastic that made up the pines already getting on the floor. The tree was the normal pine green but with bits of white to mimic the look of it having snow on its small branches.
“Sad we couldn’t get a bigger one?” Senkuu sat down next to Tsukasa as they both looked at the tree that couldn’t have been any taller than 3 feet.
“Nah, me and Mirai normally had this kinda tree for the holidays,” Tsukasa looked fondly at the small tree. “It would never be decorated though,” Tsukasa half shrugged.
Senkuu paused but only for a second. He knew Tsukasa was just recalling part of his life and didn’t want any pity. It was just how casually he had something so sad. How that used to just be the usual for his boyfriend.
“Well hey-,” Senkuu sat down next to Tsukasa. “We got a bunch now,” Senkuu grinned, holding up the few plastic bags he had. “Be a miracle if the little thing can still stand when we’re done,” Senkuu snickered a bit. “Bet I could rewire these lights to blink too,” Senkuu fished of the cheap lights they had bought. “In fact, I bet I could add a timer too,”
Felt like suddenly he had a whole bunch of ideas he could do to this little tree to make it more special than the little plastic thing it was.
I wonder where I left my wire strippers .
Senkuu must have had that look on his face that said he was thinking something because he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Senkuu turned and saw Tsukasa’s face melt into a smile, sending a small twinge to Senkuu’s heart. “Yeah, bet you could,”
For a second his swarming ideas stopped and one replaced them all.
I love him.
The same thought probably passed the fighter’s head too (or maybe Senkuu had just made it obvious).
Tsukasa placed a small kiss on Senkuu’s lips. “While you do that, I’m going to make up some hot chocolate,” Tsukasa grabbed the instant hot coffee from the bags and pushed himself off the floor. “And don’t worry, I won’t add any sugar to yours,” Tsukasa reassured.
Senkuu couldn’t help the half smile that crossed his face. “Ya, give me just a second and I’ll finish up here,” Senkuu replied, taking the ream of lights out of its box.
Tsukasa watched as the water in the kettle slowly came to a boil.
Get it to boil so it hydrates the particles better.
It took extra long to get to both rather than just hot with how cold the area around it was. Not that he minded, gave him a bit of an excuse to glance over at his boyfriend tinkering with the Christmas lights.
It always impressed him how Senkuu was able to take something so simple and add something to it he could never think of. Plus just how lost he could get with his projects with something Tsukasa enjoyed watching. The best part was right at the moment whatever Senkuu was working on worked and Senkuu would get a sparkle in his eye. The total high Senkuu felt at those moments was enough to fill the others around him with the same feeling.
The electric kettle started to hum as the water finally started to come to a boil. Tsukasa already had to two mugs set on the small counter and poured in the boiling contents of the kettle in both before mixing in the hot chocolate mix. He watched the spoons quickly become lost in the opaque liquid
Tsukasa added a bit of milk to his mug but made sure to keep Senkuu’s dark chocolate flavor just as bitter,
He carefully blew on the two mugs before picking them by the handles and sitting back down next to Senkuu.
“Alllllmost done,” Senkuu said right as he sat down, almost mindless taking the mug from Tsukasa and taking a sip before Tsukasa could say anything about it probably still being hot. “Agh,” Senkuu backed away from the mug almost as fast as he had put his lips on it. “Damn-,” Senkuu wrinked his nose. “That burns,” Senkuu slightly stuck out his tongue. “What?” Senkuu glanced at Tsukasa.
Tsukasa didn’t even notice how he was smiling. Not because of how Senkuu just burned himself (ok maybe a small small bit-) but because of just how fixated Senkuu had truly been on the lights. He didn’t need to do any of this but he did it anyway.
“Sorry, should’ve said something,” Tsukasa hummed.
“One way to warm up,” Senkuu snickered a bit before putting the mug to his side. “Andddddd almost done here,” Tsukasa glanced at the once simple one string of lights that now a few new wires added at the little bag of replacement blub now opened.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t explode,” Senkuu grinned as he plugged it into the outlet behind the tree.
The two of them watched as the lights came to life as soon as Senkuu touched the outlet slightly into the outlet. The lights were small LEDs so it wasn’t anything blinding but the half of lights on shined the brightest they could. After a second part of the lights switched off and the other half lit up.
“Not much but hope it’s at least something,” Senkuu looked up at Tsukasa to get his reaction.
Kinda hit him then that Senkuu wasn’t doing this just for his love of science, but in part for him. “Yeah it’s great, thanks Senkuu,” Tsukasa noticed the lights blinking in the reflection of Senkuu’s eyes.
“I know right? Changed it to a parrel curit instead of the simple series circuit, that way I could add small timers to each row. I thought of changing out some of the blubs with some extra colored ones I had but those take a bit more voltage…,” Whatever science, no matter how small, was never insignificant to Senkuu… and maybe that outlook had whipped off onto Tsukasa as well. Even made something as seemingly simple as blinking lights worth appreciating. “... probably going to burn out quicker though,”
“Guess we better start decorating then,” Tsukasa took a quick sip of his hot chocolate.
“Sounds good to me,”