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“Merry Christmas, Tsukki!”
Tsukishima stares at the small boy in front of him, not sure what to make of this sudden visit. Yamaguchi stands before him, eyes shining bright like stars, his hands clutching a brightly-wrapped box. It doesn’t take long for Tsukishima to understand what exactly the box was, but the resounding question in his mind was why. No, the question was WHY, in all caps for emphasis.
Why was Yamaguchi giving him a Christmas gift?
“Here! I hope you like it, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi holds out the box, and despite his confusion Tsukishima takes it. It’s a rather large box, and he gives it a little shake, unable to guess what it contained. What could Yamaguchi possibly have gotten him? It’s not like he knew the things Tsukishima liked, right?
Tsukishima doesn’t know what to say, especially when Yamaguchi’s staring at him like that, looking excited, like he was expecting something. Tsukishima pauses, fidgets, scratches the back of his head. “I don’t have anything for you.”
“Ah, no, it’s okay! Don’t worry about it! I wasn’t expecting anything, anyway.” Yamaguchi laughs sheepishly, and Tsukishima realizes he’s telling the truth, not just saying that to make him feel better. “Anyway, I just came by to drop off your gift, so I’ll be going now! I’ll see you around, Tsukki! Oh, and Merry Christmas!” He bows, still smiling, then he waves as he runs over to his bike. Tsukishima watches as he leaves. Only when the freckled boy has turned around the corner does he walk back inside his house.
His family looks up from their Christmas lunch as he walks inside the dining room, and his mother smiles at him as he takes his seat. “Who was it, Kei?” she asks, curious as always.
“My classmate, Yamaguchi,” replies Tsukishima quite plainly as he picks up his chopsticks. His mother’s eyes brighten right away.
“A friend?” she asks, looking eager at the prospect.
“Oh, he came to watch Akiteru’s match, didn’t he?” says their father, and at this both Tsukishima and his older brother tense for a moment. Still, Tsukishima nods his head, and his mother lets out a delighted squeal.
“That’s amazing! You should introduce us sometime, Kei! We’d love to meet him!”
“Mm,” replies Tsukishima noncommittally, deciding to focus on his food instead. He still doesn’t understand why Yamaguchi had given him a Christmas gift. Did he feel obligated to do it? Or was he just like this to everyone? I don’t understand him, he thinks, biting into his karaage. He probably got me something I won’t even like.
(Yamaguchi’s gift is a dinosaur diorama kit, one that Tsukishima builds excitedly in the privacy of his bedroom, and still keeps on display up to the present day.)
It’s Christmas day, and Tsukishima is sick.
He sits in bed, coughing into his face mask for about the hundredth time that day. His head is throbbing and his vision is blurry, and despite the warmth of his pajamas and his blankets and the heater in his room, he could still feel a small bite of the winter chill. Despite how horrible he feels thanks to his burning fever, he’s a bit glad that this gave him an excuse not to attend his middle school class’s Christmas party. He isn’t in the mood for festivities, ever, and he doesn’t really want to celebrate Christmas with a bunch of people he didn’t really care about.
He closes his eyes, lying back down on the bed. Maybe he could catch some sleep before dinnertime. That’s right, sleep definitely sounded good right now…
Knock knock.
“Kei?” his mother calls out from the hallway, and Tsukishima groans. “Tadashi-kun’s here to visit you. I’m going to let him in now, okay?”
Tsukishima is too weak to protest, so he turns his head and opens his eyes as Yamaguchi enters, a sheepish, apologetic smile on his face. “Sorry for the intrusion, Tsukki,” the freckled boy says, before turning to look at Tsukishima’s mother and bowing. “I hope I’m not being a bother.”
“Oh, don’t you worry about it!” reassures Tsukishima’s mother, giggling like a schoolgirl. It was obvious how delighted she was, just knowing that her son had a friend. “Now, make yourself comfortable, alright? I’ll prepare tea and snacks.” Smiling, she left, closing the door behind her.
Yamaguchi looks at Tsukishima and shrugs. “May I take a seat?”
Tsukishima only grunts in response, and Yamaguchi takes that as a yes, sitting down on the chair by Tsukki’s desk. “I heard from Akiteru-san that you have a fever,” he says, his concern obvious in his voice. “So I decided to drop by and see if you were okay! How are you feeling, Tsukki?”
Confused, Tsukishima thinks, because what was Yamaguchi doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be at the party? He coughs again, his throat feeling itchy, yet he opens his mouth and manages a hoarse and muffled reply. “Like crap.”
Still, Yamaguchi understands, and he laughs softly. “I suppose that’s understandable,” he says, and for a while there’s only silence between them. He doesn’t know what to say, and neither does Tsukishima, so both of them remain silent until Tsukishima’s mother returns with a cup of tea and some rice crackers. Yamaguchi thanks her as she leaves, before pouring tea for him and Tsukishima. “Here you go, Tsukki. Be careful, it’s hot.”
“…Thanks.” Tsukishima moves the mask down, blowing gently on the tea. The cup is just the right kind of hot in his hands, and as he takes a sip of the tea, he feels the warmth spread throughout his body. The scent of chamomile is pleasant as well, and it lifts his mood enough for him to attempt being a civil host. “Well, do you have any other reason for coming here? It’d be a waste if you came here and did nothing.” Well, maybe not civil, but at least he was making conversation.
“A-Ah! Well, actually…” Yamaguchi puts down his cup and picks up his bag, rummaging through its contents. It takes a few moments before he finds what he’s looking for, and when he does, he hands it to Tsukishima. It’s a CD, marked simply with ‘For Tsukki – get well soon!’, and he grins shyly as the glasses-wearing boy takes it. “You like listening to music, right? I mean, you always have your earphones on, and you like dropping by the music store sometimes on our way home so… Anyway! I thought I could make you a mixtape – well, a mix CD – with songs you can listen to while you’re sick, you know? Songs that can help you relax and hopefully feel better… T-though, um, I know my taste in music isn’t as good as yours, Tsukki! I just, um, I picked some songs I like and that I thought you’d like, and… Tsukki?”
Tsukishima is already reaching for his CD player, and opening the case of the CD Yamaguchi had given him. He plugs in his headset, wearing it as he slips the disk in the player and presses play, all while Yamaguchi watches with bated breath.
And the music begins.
It’s an instrumental piece, soft, soothing music filling his ears. Tsukishima closes his eyes and listens, and suddenly he feels as though he has been transported into a completely different world. In his mind’s eye it is a beautiful spring day of years past, flowers blooming and gently swaying with the wind as he and his brother run around laughing in the grass, their parents chasing them with laughter in their lips as well. A smile tugs at his lips, and even though it’s his first time hearing this song, he hums along with it.
Yamaguchi watches, entranced. It’s rare to see Tsukishima smiling, and he finds that he enjoys the sight, that he wants to protect it and to see it more often. It brings a smile to his face as well, and he keeps his silence, content with watching Tsukishima enjoy the music.
It’s only when he stands up to leave does he hear Tsukishima utter a soft “thank you”.
Noisy. Tsukishima frowns as he takes a sip of orange juice, unimpressed with what was currently happening. The Karasuno volleyball team was having a Christmas party, and while this was his second year in the team, he has to admit he still wasn’t used to his teammate’s antics. Daichi, Sugawara, and Asahi had left, but they weren’t the rowdy ones; Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Hinata were still around and were louder than ever. Some of the freshmen matched their energy, while the others were more quiet and subdued.
“H-Hinata-kun! Please get off the table, you might fall down!” Tsukishima hears Yachi cry out, and indeed the next thing he hears is the sound of Hinata falling to the ground with a yelp. Tsukishima sighs and shakes his head.
“Dumbass Hinata, stop messing around!” exclaims Kageyama. He sounds exasperated himself, and Tsukishima doesn’t blame him. He hopes the party ends soon, because he wants nothing more than to go home, and he’s only staying because Yamaguchi had made him promise.
After what seems like an eternity, the party finally ends, and the team parts ways. Tsukishima sighs as he wraps his scarf around his neck and puts on his coat, walking out to stand by the lamppost and wait for Yamaguchi there, as the dark-haired boy was still helping Yachi clean up. There’s a light snowfall outside, and Tsukishima kills time by watching it in silence.
“Sorry for the delay, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi comes running towards him, bundled up in earmuffs, a scarf, a coat, and a pair of boots. He grins widely, looking a bit sheepish. “Should we go home?”
“Mm.” Tsukishima nods in assent and begins to lead the way. They walk in silence for a few moments, the only sound the soft thump of their footsteps in the snow. He jolts slightly and blinks in surprise, however, when he feels Yamaguchi’s cold fingers lace with his, and the turns to look at him. “Yamaguchi…?” His fingers were practically freezing.
“Shh.” Yamaguchi is blushing, and it’s no surprise why. Their relationship was a fairly new one, only around a month old (Yamaguchi had ended up confessing on his birthday, though that’s a story for another day), and little bits of affection and intimacy like this was still something they were only beginning to get used to. It wasn’t everyday that they held hands, after all. That, plus his current embarrassment. “It’s cold, huh, Tsukki?”
…It is, actually. Tsukishima smiles, shaking his head slowly. “All of those clothes and you forgot your gloves, huh?” Still, he gives the freckled boy’s hand a squeeze. “Is that better?”
Yamaguchi already feels warmth begin to spread through his fingers once again, and he smiles widely, happily. The smile of an angel, thinks Tsukishima, the thought such a sappy one that he keeps it only to himself. “Much better. Thanks, Tsukki.”
They continue the rest of their walk in silence, but with their hands firmly holding one another’s, neither of them minds the slightest bit. After all, the quiet cold is something that isn’t too difficult to face, as long as you have the one you love right by your side.
The plan had been to have a Christmas Eve dinner at a fancy restaurant downtown, one that Yamaguchi had been interested in trying out since it first opened. It was difficult to make reservations, but when an acquaintance Tsukishima had made at a lecture in the university turned out to be the son of the restaurant owner, planning the rest had been easy. A reservation for two on the 24th of December, at 7 PM sharp.
No one had anticipated the snowstorm.
Tsukishima looks out the window, a frown on his face. With how bad the snowstorm is, it’s difficult to see anything at all; according to the weatherman on television there were already ten inches of snow, and counting. Roads were impassable and all residents were encouraged to stay at home.
I should’ve seen this coming. Usually Tsukishima had some sort of back-up plan, but it looked like right now, he has none of that.
“Tsukki?” he hears Yamaguchi call out from the kitchen. He sighs, finally moving away from his spot by the window, and heads to the source of the voice.
“What is it, Yamaguchi-” Tsukishima stops in his tracks, blinking in surprise. Yamaguchi had already changed from the suit he had worn earlier (the restaurant had a formal dress code, after all) back to his home attire – a red Christmas sweater Tsukishima’s mother had knitted for him, and a pair of boxer shorts. “I see you’ve already changed your clothes.”
“And you need to do the same, Tsukki.” Tsukishima was still wearing his trousers and a white polo shirt, the top buttons undone. Yamaguchi clicks his tongue, shaking his head, but he smiles as he hands the blond male a mug. “Here. Be careful, it’s hot.”
Tsukishima takes the mug carefully, looking at the contents. “…Hot chocolate?”
“With marshmallows!” says Yamaguchi with a wide grin, looking proud. “And now,” he continues, putting his hands on Tsukishima’s back and beginning to push him towards the living room, “I’m going to make us some popcorn, and you’re going to pick some movies for us to watch, okay?”
A Christmas movie marathon, huh. They had done that long ago when they were kids, during one Christmas day that Yamaguchi had spent with the Tsukishimas. The memory makes Tsukishima smile fondly, and before he goes to the living room he stops, ruffling his boyfriend’s hair gently. “Hey… Sorry about dinner. I’ll have it rescheduled, okay?”
“Don’t apologize, Tsukki, it’s not your fault. None of us knew there was going to be a snowstorm. Soooo now, let’s quit moping and just watch movies all night, yeah?” Yamaguchi laughs (the sight making Tsukishima’s heart ache with tenderness) and starts pushing again. “Get to it before I literally kick you out of the kitchen, Tsukki.”
“My oh my, that’s something I’d like to see.” Still, in the end, Tsukishima complies… though not before giving Yamaguchi a quick kiss that makes the freckled man turn a dark shade of red in an instant. Tsukishima laughs in amusement and heads right to the living room, deciding to save more of his teasing for later.
Besides, laying off the teasing was something Yamaguchi deserves for turning a disaster around. And for that, Tsukishima is thankful.
Tsukishima wakes up to the feeling of a warm body snuggling up against his under the sheets, hands around his waist and lips on his skin.
He blinks his eyes open and stirs, finding Yamaguchi practically latched onto him and nuzzling his neck. He can’t help but chuckle, and he slowly slips his fingers in Yamaguchi’s dark hair, a sleepy smile on his face. In the early morning sunlight, he can see his boyfriend’s freckles clearly, like stars scattered across his skin. They make Yamaguchi look even more celestial than the angel he already is, and just like every single day, Tsukishima finds himself falling in love all over again.
His slight movement makes Yamaguchi’s eyelids flutter, and the younger man yawns softly, sitting up the slightest bit and rubbing his eyes. “Mm… What time is it…?”
“A quarter before seven,” murmurs Tsukishima; it is way too early, considering what day it was, but he doesn’t really mind it so much.
“Ah… It’s morning already, huh…” Yamaguchi pauses for a few moments, trying to collect his bearings, before looking up at the blond male and giving him the sweetest and purest of smiles. “Merry Christmas, Kei.”
Tsukishima is unable to keep the smile off his face, and he puts his arms around Yamaguchi, holding him closer against him. How many Christmases have they spent together? Almost every year, since the day they met… And each time, every single Christmas Day, they only grew closer and closer, until they made it to the way they were today.
The thought makes Tsukishima’s smile wider, and he leans in to give his husband a gentle kiss.
“Merry Christmas, Tadashi.”