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Tamaki loves snow. Then again, he loves sunshine, too. The only thing he doesn’t care for is gray and gloomy overcast. He even likes rain, when it’s sunny. The brisk temperature and nearly blinding sunshine of the mountains suit him perfectly.
“Ride to the top of the ski lift with me?” he asks Kyoya, who’s taking a break from skiing for a bit.
“What for? You’re not going to ski.”
“I know, but I like the view,” he explains. “Please?”
Kyoya chuckles and shakes his head. “Sure. Why not.” They trudge their way through the snow to the lift, climbing on.
“Are you having a good day?” Tamaki asks.
He nods. “Yes, it’s a little too chilly for my tastes, though.”
“Your nose is red,” the boy points out, tapping Kyoya’s nose with his index finger. His brow furrows and he swats the hand away gently, making Tamaki chuckle. “You don’t like the cold?”
“It’s not so bad, but I’d like it to be warmer,” he crosses his arms to preserve a bit more heat. “And the sun hurts my eyes. I’d like to get back to the cabins and have a hot cup of coffee.”
“Mm, yes, that sounds nice,” Tamaki agrees. “Reminds me of...of winters when I was little, in France…”
He notices Kyoya’s eyebrows raise, understandably. Tamaki doesn’t talk about France often; he usually doesn’t know what to say. Still, though, he aches for France sometimes. He loves Japan, he loves his friends, his father, and his house, but a bit of his heart is still there, in France, with his mother, wherever she may be. “Was there lots of snow there?” the older boy asks.
“Usually,” he replies. “There weren’t a lot of mountains there, not like this. It was cold, though, and my mother would sit on the porch while I played in the snow...and there would always be hot coffee, even though the maids said I was too young to drink it…” He catches a small smile on Kyoya’s face. “It wasn’t always perfect, of course, but…”
“Of course, but it’s nice to remember.”
Tamaki all but grins. “Yeah, it is. What about you, do you have any memories with your family?”
“Well, you know my family isn’t one for really spending time together, unless it’s to talk about business or money or something like that. I remember when I was really little, Fuyumi and I used to play together, but I grew up fast.”
“Did you want to grow up so fast?”
“I don’t think that really matters,” he shrugs. “Anyway, I’m used to it by now.”
Tamaki knows better than to press it further, but it’s hard not to worry about Kyoya, as much as he insists that he’s fine, that he’s used to this, and that his friend should find better things to worry about.
“You know, I think I like that idea of going back to the cabins for some coffee.” he swings his feet a little as they approach the top of the mountain.
Kyoya tenses. “Don’t rock the ski lift, we’ll fall off,” he warns. “But yes, that does sound nice, as long as it’s real coffee...I never did understand your obsession with the instant stuff.”
“That’s because you’re boring,” he teases, earning a smile.
“Yes, if only I could be as exciting as you.” they climb off the lift and make their way to the many cabins at the top of the mountain. Their gloved hands brush and Tamaki catches a hint of red on the Shadow King’s cheeks, but then again, it’s probably just the cold…
“Hey, there has to be two to a cabin,” Kaoru mentions over dinner. “So, pick who you’re gonna stay with.”
Tamaki feels Kyoya nudge him and he glances over. His eyes are asking the question, and the blonde boy silently says yes, smiling. He doesn’t feel the expected jolt when Haruhi declares she’s staying with Mori-senpai. He does, however, feel something when Kyoya’s knee rests against his under the table in such a comfortable, natural way.
They take their time with dinner, everyone slowly fading out of the dining room and going to their respective cabins. Kyoya has been yawning fairly consistently for the past hour. “Tired?” Tamaki asks.
He takes off his glasses to rub his eyes. “Just a bit.”
“Wanna go to bed?”
“I think I will. You can stay if you like.”
“No, I’m tired, too. Let’s go.”
“I think this is the first time I’ve gone to bed before midnight,” Kyoya muses, crawling into the bed opposite his friend.
Tamaki turns off the lamp. “You really should sleep more.”
“I sleep fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“I do, though,” he admits, softly.
He doesn’t reply for a while. “Well, I appreciate it, I suppose, but you know I do just fine by myself. Goodnight, Tamaki.” He hears Kyoya turn over.
Time ticks by slowly until it’s been half an hour and still, Tamaki can’t get warm or comfortable. “Is it cold in here to you?”
“Yes. And I can hear you tossing and turning.”
“Well, I’m cold. I don’t like sleeping alone.”
“Do you usually sleep with someone?” Kyoya’s obviously being sarcastic.
“Well, with Antoinette,” he replies. “It’s just nice to have something next to me, you know?”
“Actually, I wouldn’t,” Tamaki can hear the exhausted bitterness creep into his voice. He climbs out of his bed and crawls into the other. “That wasn’t an invitation, Tamaki.”
He settles in. It’s much more comfortable here. “Now you’ll know, though.”
“Fine. As long as you don’t hog the covers.”
The younger boy is surprised--he thought Kyoya would protest more, or even push him out. He’s probably too tired to. Soon, his breathing evens out and it’s clear that he’s fallen asleep. It takes Tamaki a little longer, but he doesn’t mind. It’s peaceful and warm and everything feels very nice and right. He’s soon drifting, and then finally asleep.
Of course Tamaki is the first to wake up. And the first thing he registers is that Kyoya’s face is nuzzled in his shoulder and his arms are loosely wrapped around him. The second thing that registers is that it feels wonderful. He pulls the blankets up around them and snuggles closer, enjoying the warmth.
Before long he feels Kyoya shift and a soft, throaty moan leave his lips. “Good morning,” Tamaki says, turning around to face him.
“Hello,” he rubs his eyes. He’s cute when he’s sleepy, Tamaki muses. I guess as long as you don't wake him up.
“Sleep well?”
He scoots away from the blonde, averting his eyes. Tamaki hopes he isn’t mad at him for one reason or another. “Yes, better than usual. Sorry if I, uh, invaded your personal space. I get cold during the night.”
“It’s alright,” he smiles, brushing a stray hair out of Kyoya’s eyes. “It was nice.” He doesn’t see him like this often, so disoriented and unorganized and, well, embarrassed from his sheer vulnerability. “I slept really well, too.” God, he doesn’t want to admit it, but he wants to kiss him now, in all his messy-haired, sleepy glory.
He settles for resting his head on his chest once more. Kyoya doesn’t make a comment, just threads his fingers through his hair. “We have to go back home today,” he says.
Tamaki frowns. “I was having fun.”
“So was I.”
“Really?”
He glances up and catches a glimpse of a playful smile. “Yes, I actually have fun from time to time, you know.” Kyoya stretches out underneath him. “Alright, I might as well get dressed.”
The French boy whines, but doesn’t protest. “Mm, fine.” He rolls out of bed easily, but the other boy rises slowly and carefully, squeezing his eyes shut and swaying a little. “Are you okay?”
“Yes...I just get vertigo when I stand up.” he sighs, groping for his glasses and putting them on.
“Oh? Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Tamaki, I really am fine. For the last time, you really shouldn’t worry about me.”
“For the last time , I really am going to worry about you! You drive me nuts when you say that! You are my best friend-- mon meilleur ami, Kyoya! I’m going to worry about you no matter what, and if you have a problem with that, well, then--” he’s interrupted by Kyoya grabbing his hand and pulling him close.
“Tamaki,” he says, and then... oh, they’re kissing. Their lips collide, a bit clumsy at first, but they quickly find a comfortable pace, even though it doesn’t last long. Tamaki wants to stay in that moment for much longer, and when Kyoya pulls away, he finds himself unable to say anything other than, “Wha…”
“Looks like I’ve found a good method to shutting you up,” he says, pushing up his glasses in that satisfied, slightly smug way of his.
“Th-that’s what that was for?”
“Well, that, and, frankly, I’ve been wanting to do that since I was thirteen years old.” Immediately after he says this, he looks like he regrets it, but Tamaki’s face lights up.
“Thirteen! Kyoya! ”
He rolls his eyes. “Please don’t make it a big deal. I’m just being honest.”
“Yes you are! And I can’t believe it!” The French boy nearly leaps in the air. “Kyoya Ootori just kissed me!”
“If you don’t shut up…”
“What, will you kiss me again?”
“No, I’ll do something that will hurt much more. Now shower and get dressed, we have to meet everyone for breakfast.” He gives his arm a playful swat.
After that, things change. Kyoya requests that they keep it quiet, just for a little while. Tamaki’s done a surprisingly good job of keeping his mouth shut about it, though he makes a point of reminding his boyfriend (!! boyfriend !! The term makes him squeal.) that they’ll have to be honest eventually.
“What are you working on, mon amour ?” Tamaki slides in next to him tapping away at his laptop on the couch.
“Just calculating our earnings from the past week.” Kyoya pushes the laptop to the side and leans in for a kiss. “Hmm, been waiting for that all day.”
“Guess I’ll have to give you a second one then.”
“You horrible flirt,” he kisses him again, this time wrapping his arms around the other boy and moving his lips against his soft and slowly. They’re getting a little too into it than they probably should and then the door opens and they’re scrambling to get off of each other.
“Wait, were you two just…” Hikaru begins.
“We were...nothing! Everything’s fine!” Tamaki is redder than a tomato.
“I told you,” Karou says.
Kyoya smooths his hair (Tamaki likes to tug on it when they get a bit heated). “Told him what?”
The twin ignores him. “You owe me five thousand yen.” he says to Hikaru nonchalantly.
Tamaki slumps down onto the couch, sighing. If the twins know, the rest of the host club will probably know soon. “Sorry about that.”
“Psh, why apologize? They had to find out eventually.”
“You’re so calm about this!” he exclaims as Kyoya resumes his work on his computer.
“When am I not calm?” he continues tapping away in silence, and Tamaki rises from the couch, smoothing out the wrinkles in his suit. “Oh, by the way,” Kyoya adds over his shoulder as his boyfriend walks away. “I expect to finish what we started after the meeting.”
Tamaki is, once again, quite red in the face after that.