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Muneuji exhales a breath. A white visible air coming out of his mouth, just another obvious sign of a December night’s coldness. Can it still be considered night when it is already past 3AM? He thinks to himself as he closes the door behind. The inside of the HAMA dorm has become a bit too noisy—he didn’t mind the ruckus too much since it’s Christmas, well, it was Christmas three hours ago.
It’s already the 26th of December for the past three hours and yet, he can’t see the rest quieting down soon.
Muneuji came outside because he could feel his tolerance for the noise quickly deteriorating. Maybe it is because the celebration has been going on for a long time or maybe because he can feel the soft hands of Hypnos coaxing him to sleep two hours ago, or maybe it's both things.
He needed to recharge even for a few minutes. Muneuji’s go-to recharge has always been under the brightly shining stars. Besides being in the presence of his beloved stars, it is also quiet and serene especially under the small hut that Li Guang had ordered to be built on the rooftop of the dorm.
Muneuji pauses in his steps as he sees a familiar back sitting in his usual spot in the small hut. “Uu-chan?”
He watches Ushio turn to face him. When he fully faces him, he sees the usual angry scowl transform into his other usual scowl but this time, more of a neutral one. Muneuji continues walking towards the direction of the small hut as he sees Ushio raise an eyebrow at him.
“Uu-chan, aren’t you cold?” He sits beside his childhood friend, their arms sticking close to each other. Muneuji feels the sensation and he knows Ushio feels it too but neither moves even an inch away from each other.
“Yukio-san left a portable heater,” he points with his index finger at the medium-sized heater situated in the corner of the hut. It must be a new addition as Muneuji doesn’t remember seeing it this morning. “Also, that,” Ushio continues and Muneuji follows where he pointed to see a pile of pillows and blankets on the only table inside the hut. That one isn’t new. Muneuji remembers seeing Nagi carrying it yesterday, and he remembers Kiroku and Nanamegi using said pillows and blankets just this morning too.
“This place has become cozy,” Muneuji says. He looks around the place and notes all the additions in the once vacant room. Today, it looks very lived in with the scattered paraphernalia of the others. A tripod leaning on the wall, an action movie poster pasted on the wall, fairy lights hanging on the edge of the roof, someone’s jacket and sweater discarded near the pillows and many other things scattered throughout the space.
Ushio snorts. “You know, Muu-chan. If I looked up the phrase ‘quiet musing’ in some dictionary-like book, I’m pretty sure I’d see your face under it.”
“Sorry, Uu-chan.”
“I’m not saying it's a bad thing.” Ushio moves around as if looking for something, “Besides, if i really see your face in whatever book it was, we’d have to sue them.”
A small red box is placed in his hand and a question slowly forms inside Muneuji’s head.
“Merry Christmas, Muu-chan.”
“Oh, but,” Muneuji pauses. He remembers already receiving a Christmas gift from the other last Christmas Eve. That gift was very thoughtful, a gift only someone who’d known him for years would think of and know that he’d love it. Receiving another gift from Ushio is unexpected, however, what Muneuji pause is that— “I don’t have another gift for you, Uu-chan.”
Ushio looks at him incredulously. “You have unexpected moments like this.”
His statement didn’t give an answer or even an inkling of an answer to Muneuji. More like, it feels like Ushio was talking out loud more than replying to him.
They stare at each other in silence until Ushio raises an eyebrow at him as if the eye contact and the raised eyebrow are enough to convey a message to him.
It is.
Muneuji looks at the box the size of his hand. It isn’t really a box wrapped in a gift wrapper but a small box container with the usual Christmas design and with the same decoration on the lid but with a ribbon a size larger than the container. He didn’t need to unwrap it, he only needed to lift the lid to see what’s inside.
He hasn’t opened the gift yet but Muneuji already knows that inside is a prettily decorated pastry. Baking something for someone has always been Ushio’s number one love language. When his words betray him, Ushio has always resorted to using the language of sweets.
He lifts the lid and his guess doesn’t betray but his expectations are exceeded. ‘Prettily decorated pastry’ is a bland way to describe the cake inside the container. The cake is slathered with uneven white frosting and coconut shavings scattered around together with little snowflakes. Standing on top of the frosting is a chibi version of the both of them looking at each other. Their chibis are both wearing their school uniforms while he has a small space helmet at his feet and Ushio has a familiar colored book at his feet. They’re both smiling, mini-Muneuji has a small smile with his eyes wide open and mini-Ushio has a smile that shows off his teeth with his eyes closed.
“Are those mistletoes, Uu-chan?” He asks with a smile, seeing the small plant with red bearings on the palm of the hands of mini-Ushio.
“Mmm.”
Muneuji’s smiles deepen.
(Baking something for someone has always been Ushio’s number one love language. When his words betray him, Ushio has always resorted to using the language of sweets.)
He looks at the other’s face and he can already see the red spreading from his cheeks to his ears and to his neck. Muneuji is sure that Ushio’s nape is bright red too. The Ushio in front of him is the perfect depiction of shy and embarrassed, and yet, the other doesn’t break eye contact.
Stubborn Uu-chan, Muneuji thinks fondly.
He leans forward while his hand that isn’t holding the small cake reaches for Ushio’s neck. They both don’t break eye contact and Muneuji visibly sees the other shivering when his cold hand finally makes contact with his neck. His smile continues to grow big when Ushio leans towards him without Muneuji needing to pull, he doesn’t think Ushio even knows he’s not exerting any force on the hand on his neck.
When the space between them becomes no more, Muneuji sees him close his eyes. Ushio’s lips are sweet from all the fruit and creams he handled to bake today. It’s a familiar softness that reminds him of his pillows inside his room, the room whose ceiling is filled with glow-in-the-dark stars, the ceiling containing his beloved stars, the same stars he and Ushio are currently under right now.
Muneuji’s go–to recharge has always been under the brightly shining stars.
However, Muneuji can only truly rest when he’s with Ushio.