Work Text:
It is a very cold morning, opening the windows Mizuki shivered, wind flowed her hair as her eyes widens, enthralled by the snow raining down slowly covering rooftops and cars. It is finally winter, looking at the clock, 3:40 PM it showed. Unexpectedly, all she has done today was sleep a lot, doing all she can to bring back her beauty rest after taking up all nights with her fashion design job.
She noticed two girls playing in the field, smiling and laughing as they hurled snowballs at each other. They kept going till they tumbled into each other, staring, slowly closing the gap, gripping each other's heated cheeks until they were lips to lips. Mizuki flushed and hastily closed the windows, lock, and drapes to avoid invading their privacy. Hopefully, the loud thud she made when she rapidly closed the windows didn't disturb those couples.
She sighs, "I wish Ena and I could kiss under the snow," Wait. why would she think of Ena all of a sudden? God, her gay-ass couldn't stop thinking about her; her soft brunette hair, which smells of spring despite the cold, her delicate hands that she once held and couldn't let go of, and her warm, sunny eyes beneath her eye bags, a symbol of her diligent dedication for her art. "I love her so much." she exclaimed, sighing she goes.
Mizuki's stomach growled, maybe thinking too much about Shinonome Ena caused her tummy to grumble. Right, she hasn't eaten for lunch yet.
She treadled hurriedly in the kitchen, closely and carefully scrutinizing each shelf in the fridge. Sadly, the refrigerator is empty when she checked the compartments all that's left is some cold water and some milk. Fantastic. "I guess I'm eating cereal today," she said.
Peeking through the cabinet, she took the cereal and a bowl. This really doesn't look like a good meal for lunch.
Silence settled over the room, thick and almost deafening in its weight. The Christmas tree glowed softly, its decorations shimmering as the lights flickered and sparkled. “It’s almost Christmas already, huh?” The thought felt unreal, time had slipped by so quietly. After countless days of nonstop work, she often lost track of it altogether, never realizing how quickly the hours and weeks passed.
Yet as she gazed at the gentle glow of the Christmas lights, she realized that this year hadn’t been so bad after all. Not when she’d spent so much time with Niigo and her friends outside of her music circle. Just recently, they had gone on a trip together—a much-needed pause from their Nightcord endeavors. After all, taking a break every now and then is necessary to gather energy and creative inspirations. And more than anything, nothing can be compared to the time she spent with Ena. Grocery shopping side by side, sharing meals, curling up together in quiet moments… God. Simply thinking back on it all made warmth rush to her cheeks, her heart fluttering at the memories.
As she reminisced over everything, she couldn’t help but realize how happy she felt each day. Of course, there were moments when she stumbled, especially with how exhausting and stressful her work could be. However she was never facing it alone. Ena was always there with her, day and night, just as she promised. Not a single day passed without her feeling grateful for that promise they shared, “Let’s be together, Mizuki.”
Three simple lines. Yet they altered the course of her life entirely. Words that made her heart race and warmth bloom in her chest. Even in the biting cold of winter, merely thinking of Ena was enough to set her body aglow.
“I love her so much.”
Realizing the words she’d spoken out loud, heat rushed to her face as she let out a small groan and thumped her forehead against the table. “Seriously, what’s wrong with me today?!?!”
Pulled out of her deep, yearning thoughts, a sudden sound broke the quiet of the room. The soft click of the doorknob, followed by the familiar rattle of keys. The noise echoed faintly in the hallway, growing closer with each second. Her heart skipped, recognition settling in almost immediately. Speaking of the devil.
"I'm back, Mizuki." her small voice echoed through the room, warming her eardrums. 'she's here…' "Welcome home, Ena."
Ena slipped off her shoes at the entrance, placing them neatly into the genkan’s shoe rack with quiet familiarity. Mizuki’s eyes drifted to the number of bags dangling from Ena’s hands, and without a second thought, she hurried over. Carefully, she took each bag from her grasp and set them down on the kitchen tabletop. Ena offered a small, grateful gesture in response, and Mizuki returned it with a brief nod.
“You took quite long,” Mizuki said softly, stepping closer as she reached up to fix Ena’s collar and straighten her coat, her touch gentle and unhurried.
“There’s such a long line at the grocery right now, you know, Christmas and all.” Ena exhaled softly, a hint of fatigue in her voice. Her cheeks flushed faintly as Mizuki gently helped her take off her coat, and she couldn’t help but feel a warm flutter in her chest.
“Mhm… It’s really crowded when it’s Christmas, huh.” Mizuki’s voice was calm, but her eyes lingered on Ena with quiet affection.
“Yeah…” Ena murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the day’s exhaustion.
Without warning, Mizuki wrapped her arms tightly around Ena. “…Mizuki…?” Ena’s voice wavered, surprise and tenderness mingling. “What's wrong?” she asked, lifting her gaze to study Mizuki’s face closely. Her brow furrowed slightly, worry flickering in her eyes as she gently cupped Mizuki’s cheeks, letting their warmth flow between them.
“Nothing. I just missed you soooo much,” Mizuki confessed, her voice thick with emotion.
Ena’s lips curved into a soft, reassuring smile. “You’re quite clingy today. But I’m back now, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of this time with you.”
“Yeah… me too.” Mizuki whispered, leaning into her warmth, feeling the comfort of being close to her again.
They tugged each other gently, still holding hands, their fingers intertwined as they moved through the kitchen. They carefully placed Ena’s groceries into their designated spots. Ena had bought a mountain of vegetables—everything except carrots, and plenty of meat, clearly preparing for Christmas. Filling the fridge, the once-empty shelves were now overflowing with ingredients, just as Ena always did for her. Mizuki’s heart fluttered uncontrollably, she felt like a lovesick as warmth spreading through her chest as she couldn’t help but think how endlessly she adored her.
"You know you could've told me that you're going out shopping today." Mizuki said softly, pouting like a silly puppy on her owner.
"I know. I did messaged you but you look very warm and peaceful while you're sleeping… I couldn't get the courage to wake you up."
"Fine…" grumbling and pouting again.
Ena left a small chuckle. "You're acting like a clingy puppy today, seriously, what's up with you lately?"
“…I just miss you so much.” Mizuki admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them. Honestly, she could blame the two girls outside for making her yearn this badly. Maybe… maybe she just wanted Ena to kiss her.
“You know? Lately, I’ve been thinking… without you, I wouldn’t be living this kind of life. Sometimes I still wonder if I’m dreaming—it all feels so surreal.” She glanced away, focusing on the broccoli in her hands, hiding her face to avoid seeing Ena’s worried expression. “Mizu…”
“I guess I just miss you a lot. I want to cuddle with you in the snow, wear matching winter clothes, and do fun things together like building a snowman, play tag like silly kids in the streets. But that’s not all… I want to cook and prepare dishes with you this Christmas, and then eat them together. After that, we can exchange gifts, laughing and smiling at each other.” She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “And once the holidays are over, I want us to work together. Cheering each other on, sharing ideas. You giving me artistic input for my clients’ clothes, and me giving feedback on your art… encouraging each other, adding little things to make it even better.”
“I want to do all things with you, Ena.” She paused, nearly out of breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Oh no… I must’ve said so many things. This is so embarrassing.
Ena’s eyes softened as she lifted Mizuki’s hand, showing the matching rings on their fingers. “Of course we will. After all… we’ve been married for five years now, Mizu.”
Oh.
Right. We were married.
“D-did you seriously forget…?” Ena stammered.
“W-what?? Of course not! It’s just… I’m still not used to this whole married couple thing. I still want to ask you out… like it’s a date.”
“Seriously, Mizuki…”
And then, they both laughed at their own silliness. Mizuki could be such an idiot sometimes.
"We'll always be together Mizuki—forever. I promised you that remember?"
"I'll always never forget that promise, it is always stitched in my memory, Enanan."
Ena’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “Then that’s good.” She tilted her head slightly, eyes twinkling mischievously as she raised a finger and pointed directly above them. Mizuki followed her gaze and froze. A mistletoe hung right over their heads. 'Jeez… when did Ena learn how to be cheesy?' she thought, a rush of warmth and embarrassment spreading across her cheeks.
Their hands found each other instinctively, fingers entwining as they drew closer. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and then slowly, softly, they closed them. The world around them seemed to fade away. The hum of the fridge, the soft glow of the Christmas lights, even the cool air of the room became distant background noise.
And then, as if drawn by an invisible thread, the distance between them disappeared. Lips met, gentle at first, tentative, and then deeper, warmer, as if pouring every ounce of longing and love they held into that single touch. Mizuki’s heart raced, her body tingling with warmth from the simple, perfect closeness. Every worry, every stress, every lonely thought melted away in that kiss.
Pulling back slightly, just enough to breathe, they rested their foreheads together, still holding each other tightly, smiles brushing their lips despite the flush on their faces. The room felt impossibly cozy, as if it had shrunk around them to hold only their shared warmth and quiet, perfect happiness.
Written by a human in Ellipsus.